King for a Day (Joe 90 episode)

Infobox Television episode
Title = King for a Day
Series = Joe 90
Season = 1
Episode = 7
Airdate = November 10, 1968
Production = 11
Writer = Shane Rimmer
Director = Leo Eaton
Episode list = List of "Joe 90" episodes
Prev = The Fortress
Next = International Concerto

"King for a Day" is the seventh episode of the Supermarionation television series "Joe 90". It was the 11th episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was November 10, 1968 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Shane Rimmer and directed by Leo Eaton.

Synopsis

When a Middle Eastern ruler is assassinated and his heir is kidnapped by the murderers, it is up to Joe to impersonate the young prince to prevent a corrupt Regent from coming to power. However, the mission takes a disastrous turn and Joe finds himself in mortal danger.

Plot

In the Middle Eastern kingdom of Ardaji, the depraved Regent, Ben Shazar, and his underling, Salim, set a trap for the old Sultan as he travels to his palace. Operating from a desert hideout, the criminals lower a huge mirror as the king's car passes into a tunnel. Thinking that another vehicle is speeding towards them, the driver is dazzled by the reflected headlights and loses control. The car crashes and explodes, and Shazar pontificates about his opportunity to seize power in light of the Sultan's death. However, when he later meets with the Grand Vizier at the palace, Shazar is told that the rightful heir, the young Prince Kahib, will be summoned from abroad to assume his grandfather's title.

At night in England, a car pulls up in the grounds of the Hallingdon Boys' Preparatory School. Entering Prince Kahib's room, a man soaks a cloth with chloroform and presses it against the sleeping boy's face.

At WIN Headquarters London, Shane discusses the kidnapping and the developments in Ardaji with Sam and orders him to pay a visit to the McClaines' cottage. Unless Kahib is crowned within 48 hours, Ben Shazar, who almost certainly engineered the prince's abduction, will be allowed to ascend to the throne and his Eastern interests will plunge the sector into all-out war. Joe must impersonate the prince for a day to give WIN enough time to track down Kahib; Mac initially resists the idea, but eventually understands the importance of the assignment and transfers the brain pattern of Professor Edward Myers, the prince's tutor, to Joe. In London, Joe's skin and hair are darkened to resemble Kahib and Shane presents him with a ring containing a homing device for use in an emergency.

Joe, posing as the prince with Mac and Sam as advisors, takes off for Ardaji in a private plane. During the flight, Joe is bombarded with questions from a stewardess with his special glasses off. Sam orders the woman to leave, but if any more embarrassing mistakes are made the mission will end in failure.

In Ardaji, Shazar observes a squadron of fighters as it flies past the palace and is confident that his allies will offer greater power than the loyalties of the previous king. Shazar's English agents report that Prince Kahib is being well-guarded and the Regent believes that there are now no obstacles between him and the crown. When Salim discloses that Prince Kahib is flying into the kingdom, Shazar is furious and thinks that it is the work of an impostor. However, when Salim greets the arrival at a private airstrip with Shazar posing as an associate, Joe's profound awareness of royal customs casts doubt in the Regent's mind.

Now that Joe has arrived in Ardaji, the coronation of Prince Kahib will follow in 24 hours. Mac and Sam are aware that the Vizier will not be fooled by Joe's disguise if the real prince is not found before that time, but first Joe must defend himself against Ben Shazar. In a meeting with the Regent, Shazar reveals himself to be the man at the airstrip and is again concerned by Joe's knowledge. Certain that the boy is Prince Kahib, Shazar orders Salim to remove him from the palace as quickly as possible. That night, Salim enters Joe, Mac and Sam's room at the palace with a knife. In the morning, Mac and Sam wake with horror to find that Joe is missing and realise that they slept deeply because they were drugged the previous evening.

In London, Shane calls Sam to report that Prince Kahib has been rescued and that he will fly to Ardaji with the royal at once. Mac and Sam drive through the desert in a car, tracking Joe's homing signal to Shazar and Salim's hideout. Inside, Joe is bound to a chair and covered by Shazar's gun while a radio announcer describes how Prince Kahib is absent at the coronation. Shazar intends to return to palace to claim the crown after the deadline, but is shocked when the commentator heralds Kahib's arrival and Joe reveals his true identity. Joe threatens that the people will discover the Regent's treachery and Salim is desperate to leave, but Shazar shoots his subordinate and turns the gun on Joe. The boy avoids the Regent's blast and Mac and Sam arrive at the bunker. Shazar makes a speedy getaway in another car after disabling his enemies' vehicle with two shots to the fuel tank. Salim, fatally wounded, mutters about the tunnel mirror before he perishes.

Meanwhile, Shazar is speeding through the tunnel. Noticing lights ahead, he scoffs at what he believes is an attempt to trick him with the giant mirror. However, a heavy goods truck is actually travelling in the opposite direction and the evil Regent is killed when the two vehicles collide and explode.

Later, the coronation ceremony is drawing to a close. As the newly-crowned Kahib waves to the people from the palace balcony, Mac, Sam and Shane congratulate Joe on serving as king for a day. Joe, however, believes that Kahib will rule successfully and for a long time.

Cast

Regular voice cast

*Joe McClaine — Len Jones
*Professor Ian "Mac" McClaine — Rupert Davies
*Sam Loover — Keith Alexander
*Shane Weston — David Healy

Guest voice cast

In speaking order:

*Salim — Keith Alexander
*Ben Shazar — Gary Files
*Vizier — Gary Files
*Stewardess — Sylvia Anderson
*Driver — Gary Files
*Radio (voice) — Keith Alexander

External links

* [http://www.fanderson.org.uk/epguides/joeeg2.html#Episode%20Eleven Fanderson.org.uk: "Joe 90" Episode Guide: "King for a Day"]
* [http://www.bigrat.co.uk/episodes/episode_11.html Bigrat.co.uk: "Joe 90" Episode Guide: "King for a Day"]
* [http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/Joe%2090%20Timeline.htm# Clivebanks.co.uk: "Joe 90" Episode Guide]