Tony Barwick's 'Close Up' opens with a satellite transmitting photographs of the Earth taken from outer space. Straker is impressed with the detail and high resolution. He takes the pictures to the International Astrophysical Commission and makes a pitch to secure a huge budget. The satellite is to follow a U.F.O. back to its point of origin and photograph the Alien planet. He gets his way, and 'Project Discovery' goes ahead. Straker ventures to the Moon to see the project get started, culminating in a space-walk by Colonel Foster ( which recycles music from the Anderson feature film 'Doppleganger' ). All they have to do now is wait for a U.F.O...
The idea's sound, but you know it is going to culminate in a massive cop-out from the word go. Neither Straker nor General Henderson appear to have given thought to the possibility that the U.F.O.'s might shoot the satellite down. As it turns out, they need not bother as the blamed thing does not work properly in any case. 'Dr.Kelly' ( Neil Hallett ) points out that while the pictures were taken without any problem, neither the range and magnification were transmitted, hence they are effectively worthless. Kelly had earlier gone into a sulk over an idea of his not getting proper funding from the I.A.C. so one wonders if the fault was deliberate sabotage on his part. This is never explored.
Things To Look Out For - John Levene, best known to 'Dr.Who' fans as 'Sergeant Benton', plays an Interceptor Pilot.
Straker seems to be developing a sexual interest in Lt.Ellis ( presumably the thing she had with Mark Bradley fizzled out ), and Foster notices this. In the episode's most memorable scene, she adopts a sexy pose to illustrate Kelly's explanation of the device's failure. How nice it would have been if the pictures sent back from the Alien planet had showed them grinning inanely and waving placards that read: "We Love Ya Too, Gay!"
The idea's sound, but you know it is going to culminate in a massive cop-out from the word go. Neither Straker nor General Henderson appear to have given thought to the possibility that the U.F.O.'s might shoot the satellite down. As it turns out, they need not bother as the blamed thing does not work properly in any case. 'Dr.Kelly' ( Neil Hallett ) points out that while the pictures were taken without any problem, neither the range and magnification were transmitted, hence they are effectively worthless. Kelly had earlier gone into a sulk over an idea of his not getting proper funding from the I.A.C. so one wonders if the fault was deliberate sabotage on his part. This is never explored.
Things To Look Out For - John Levene, best known to 'Dr.Who' fans as 'Sergeant Benton', plays an Interceptor Pilot.
Straker seems to be developing a sexual interest in Lt.Ellis ( presumably the thing she had with Mark Bradley fizzled out ), and Foster notices this. In the episode's most memorable scene, she adopts a sexy pose to illustrate Kelly's explanation of the device's failure. How nice it would have been if the pictures sent back from the Alien planet had showed them grinning inanely and waving placards that read: "We Love Ya Too, Gay!"