The unwitting occupants of space station Britannia 7 prepare themselves for the arrival of a rescue party via space shuttle. Mission control advises Carstairs to brief the non-astronauts aboard the station in proper procedures for a space shuttle docking, which he proceeds to try to explain with a variety of everyday food items (with varying degrees of success). There’s just one little problem: the Britannia 7 wasn’t ready for launch, and does not have the proper docking mechanism, meaning that Carstairs and everyone else aboard will have to create a temporary airtight seal when the shuttle arrives.
written by Jeremy Lloyd & David Croft
directed by Bob Spiers
music by John Scott / theme song by David CroftCast: Mollie Sugden (Mrs. Noah), Ian Lavender (Clive Cunliffe), Donald Hewlett (Carstairs), Michael Knowles (Fanshaw), Tim Barrett (Garfield Hawk), Ann Michelle (Scarth Dare), Joe Black (Garstang), Jennifer Lonsdale (The Technician), Gorden Kaye (The Television Presenter), Raymond Bowers (Slumber Control)
Notes: The model work for the launch of the space shuttle is reasonably good for this era (especially considering that the space shuttle had not actually lifted off yet). Heard several times in this episode is a sound effects sequence known as “White Void”, created for and first used in the 1968 Doctor Who serial The Mind Robber by Brian Hodgson, co-founder of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Just thought you’d like to know.
LogBook entry by Earl Green