Day: April 23, 1961

Pathfinders To Venus: Planet On Fire

Pathfinders To VenusBritish broadcaster ABC airs the eighth and final episode of Pathfinders To Venus, concluding the overarching storyline that began with Target Luna in 1960. Though the original master tape of this episode was later wiped for reuse, film recordings of all eight episodes will be recovered and released on DVD in the 21st century. This is a rare instance of an episode of the Pathfinders saga not directed by Guy Verney; Reginald Collin (The Edward Woodward Hour, Callan) directs. Series producer Sydney Newman, who initiated Target Luna and its spinoffs (as well as such shows as The Avengers) defects to the BBC shortly after the completion of this series; his genre projects at the BBC will include the anthology Out Of This World (which will later be revived as Out Of The Unknown with Newman’s hand-picked protege Irene Shubik producing) and a series that will eventually premiere under the title Doctor Who.

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