Breakaway (4 Sep. 1975)

The new commander of Moonbase Alpha's investigation of a mysterious disease uncovers the evidence of a far greater looming disaster.

Director:

Lee H. Katzin

Writers:

Gerry Anderson (creator), Sylvia Anderson (creator),

Stars:

Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Martin Landau	...	Commander John Koenig
Barbara Bain	...	Dr. Helena Russell
Barry Morse	...	Prof. Victor Bergman
Roy Dotrice	...	Commissioner Simmonds
Prentis Hancock	...	Paul Morrow
Zienia Merton	...	Sandra Benes
Anton Phillips	...	Dr. Bob Mathias
Nick Tate	...	Alan Carter
Philip Madoc	...	Commander Gorski
Lon Satton	...	Benjamin Ouma
Eric Carte	...	Collins

Storyline

The pilot episode that introduces the main cast and sets the stage for the series. Located on the moon is Moonbase Alpha, a multinational scientific research facility. One of its duties is to also monitor and coordinate the activities surrounding two large lunar dumping sites where nuclear waste from Earth is disposed of. The Alphans are trying to launch a fast-tracked manned probe to an 'approaching' planet named Meta. The Meta Probe is in jeopardy since two of the mission crew have come down with a mysterious illness. The Alphans tie the illness to the nuclear waste about the time the smaller site unexpectedly explodes. While the Alphans try to avert a similar explosion in the larger waste site, it explodes also, and pushes the Moon out of the Earth's orbit, leaving the Alphans stranded on a moon destined to wander the universe.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 September 1975 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filming began at Elstree Studios. As it was under threat of closure, the entire production moved to Pinewood Studios one weekend. All the sets had to be rebuilt. As a result they were blacklisted by the unions.

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Goofs

When the astronauts go berserk due to what they think is a virus, the helmet of one of the astronauts is not closed, and you can see the visor opening.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jim Nordstrom: Professor Bergman, it's Jim Nordstrom. We've just passed through the laser barrier, and we should be ready to start Doctor Russell's manual check on the radiation seals in a couple of minutes.

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Connections

Edited into Destination Moonbase-Alpha (1978)

User Reviews

Episode Summary and plot.

Set in the year 1999 Commander John Koenig (Martin Landau) arrives on Moonbase Alpha to uncover the reasons why members of crew and meta prob astronaut's are falling ill and to get the Meta probe launched on schedule. Soon he discover's that it's magnetic radiation from the Nuclear waste dump's that is causing brain damage on the effected crew and that the waste dump's are about to explode, the larger waste dump explode's on the dark side of the moon and force's the moon out of earth's orbit and into space starting it's journey. The crew of Moonbase Alpha are now looking for a new home. The meta probe is destroyed by the explosion.