Alpha Child
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Episode 7
| "Alpha Child" | |
|---|---|
| Space: 1999 episode | |
| Episode no. | Series 1 Episode 7 |
| Directed by | Ray Austin |
| Written by | Christopher Penfold |
| Cinematography by | Frank Watts |
| Editing by | Derek Hyde Chambers |
| Production code | SP 10 |
| Original air date | 14 October 1975 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Alpha Child" is an episode of the first series of Space: 1999, a 1970s British science fiction television series produced by Group Three for ITC Entertainment. Written by Christopher Penfold and directed by Ray Austin, it was the 10th episode to be produced and was filmed at Pinewood Studios in July 1974.
Opening in 1999, the series follows the crew of lunar colony Moonbase Alpha after a nuclear explosion pushes the Moon out of Earth orbit and into interstellar space. Unable to control the rogue planet's trajectory, the Alphans encounter various astronomical phenomena and alien civilisations as they search for a way back to Earth or a new world to settle on. In "Alpha Child", the Alphans are threatened by fugitives of an alien race who take control of the first child to be born on the Moon since it left Earth.
The episode first aired on 14 October 1975 in the United States and 16 October 1975 in the UK. It received mixed reviews from commentators.
The crew of Moonbase Alpha pause work to celebrate the arrival of the first child born on the Moon since it broke away from Earth. It is the son of Sue Crawford and her husband Jack, a technician in one of Alpha's nuclear plants who died in an accident several months earlier. Unknown to the Alphans, a sphere of light is watching the Moon from space. Joy turns to astonishment when, in a matter of seconds, the newborn matures into a boy of six.
Sue's son is deaf and mute but very curious about Alpha's technology. Uncertain whether his accelerated growth was caused by their artificial environment or is the result of an external force, the Alphans do their best to raise the boy, whom they name Jackie. Professor Bergman and Captain Carter take a particular interest in his upbringing, with Carter becoming a father-like figure to him. Commander Koenig, however, knows there is far more to Jackie than meets the eye. Sue is terrified of her child and is kept sedated in Medical.
Jackie develops a hypnotic power that enables him to control the Alphans' actions. Meanwhile, the sphere of light transforms into a spacecraft and approaches the Moon. It is soon joined by several other craft, and they all hold position over Alpha. Carter launches the Eagle squadron to defend the base, but the spacecraft fire energy beams that render the pilots unconscious and force the Eagles to land. Jackie becomes unresponsive and is rushed to Medical, where he is found to be undergoing another rapid growth spurt. Koenig takes a team out onto the lunar surface to shoot down the invaders using high-powered laser weapons.
In Medical, Jackie is now an adult. Finding his voice, he introduces himself as Jarak, the new commander of Moonbase Alpha. Using his psychic abilities, he forces Dr Russell to call Koenig, ordering him to abort the laser attack. He murders Sue and immediately resurrects her as his consort, Rena. After disarming Alpha's security guards, Jarak and Rena explain their presence on the Moon. They are fugitives from a race of beings who can take over the bodies of other species at moments of birth and death. Having objected to their society's imposed genetic conformity, they are leading 120 of their kind in search of a people to hide in. The Alphans will make ideal hosts.
Combining their powers, Jarak and Rena begin choking the Alphans to death so their compatriots in the spaceships above can claim their new home. They are interrupted when a battlecruiser belonging to their pursuers arrives and shoots down the ships. Having lost their psychic grip on the Alphans, Jarak and Rena seal themselves in Medical. Jarak requests political asylum, but his radio conversation with Koenig is cut short when the cruiser projects a beam of light at Alpha. Koenig and the other Alphans break in to find Sue tearfully cradling the newborn Jackie. There is no sign of Jarak and Rena. Russell supposes they surrendered, but Koenig suspects they were taken by force.
Regular cast
- Martin Landau as Commander John Koenig
- Barbara Bain as Dr Helena Russell
- Barry Morse as Professor Victor Bergman
- Prentis Hancock as Controller Paul Morrow
- Clifton Jones as David Kano
- Zienia Merton as Sandra Benes
- Anton Phillips as Dr Bob Mathias
- Nick Tate as Captain Alan Carter
- Suzanne Roquette as Tanya Alexander
Production and broadcast
The story idea came from Gerry Anderson, Space: 1999's executive producer, who was inspired by the science fiction novel The Midwich Cuckoos. Originally written by Edward di Lorenzo, the script was heavily revised by series story consultant Christopher Penfold. The completed episode credits Penfold as the sole writer.[1][2] In di Lorenzo's script, Jackie's mother's first name was Cynthia.[1]
"Alpha Child" was filmed at Pinewood Studios between 5 and 22 July 1974.[2] The infant Jackie was played by six-year-old Wayne Brooks from Stanmore.[2][3] According to Anderson, more than 100 boys were considered for the role.[4] The look of the alien battlecruiser was influenced by the design of Discovery 1 in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The cruiser model reappeared in several later episodes of Space: 1999.[1]
The episode first aired on 14 October 1975 in the United States. In the UK, it was first shown by Associated and Yorkshire Television on 16 October 1975.[1]
