Episodes
The Troubled Spirit (Year 1 / Episode 19)
ITC Press Release
"THE trOUBLED SPIRIT"
Original ITC press release
A ghost stalks the moon - the ghost of a living man - bringing horror and death in its wake.
An eerie wind, increasing in intensity, sweeps through Moonbase Alpha, when Dan Mateo (GIANCARLO PRETTE) is conducting experiments in the Hydroponic Unit in which he works as a botanist. With him at the time is his assistant Laura Adams (HILARY DWYER).
Lights dim. A sudden drop in temperature is recorded. Plants, grown in the unit for the studies carried out there, droop and die. And Mateo collapses.
Dr. Helena Russell (BARBARA BAIN) diagnoses severe shock, but what has caused it? Commander Koenig (MARTIN LANDAU) and Professor Bergman (BARRY MORSE) are aware of the background of Mateo's experiments. He believes mankind has some affinity with plants. Both have nervous systems. Certain wave patterns in the human brain correspond precisely to the wave patterns plants send out. Mateo has been attempting to tap those wave patterns at source, hoping to achieve communications between plants and humans.
Mateo is still in the Medical Unit under Helena's care when he becomes conscious of the shadowy shape of a man. It then disappears, but a little later Helena sees the same strange shape which seems to her to bear a resemblance to Mateo. It is uttering sighing noises, and as it turns its head, one side of his face is seen to be horribly scarred.
Dr. James Warren (ANTHONY NICHOLLS), the head of the Hydroponic unit, has already forbidden Mateo to continue with his experiments. Koenig confirms the ban. Mateo resists and has a row with Warren, then once again sees the misty figure. So does Warren - and a few moments later, he is dead.
Koenig and Bergman are worried, now convinced that Alpha is being terrorized by some psychic being. Their fears are confirmed when Mateo secretly continues his experiments, quarrelling with Laura Adams because he does so. Again the mysterious figure appears - and Laura dies.
It is Bergman who suggests that the only way to fight this thing is to allow Mateo to carry out his experiments under supervision so that they can see what happens. The outcome is terrifying. Mateo's body is gripped in agonizing pain, the wind noise is heard and increases, plants vibrate madly then wither and die. - and the ghostly, mutilated figure again emerges. This time, there is no doubt. It is a spirit Mateo (VAL MUSETTI).
Whatever thing it is that Mateo has summoned up, it has come back to avenge some terrible death .... its own death, which has not yet happened! There is only one hope now: some form of exorcism through a scientific approach, to remove the spectre of a man haunted by his own ghost while still alive...
NB All spelling and punctuation as in the original.
SCREENPLAY BY JOHNNY BYRNE
DIRECTED BY RAY AUSTIN
Guest Artistes
GIANCARLO PRETE
HILARY DWYER
and
ANTHONY NICHOLLS
with
ZIENIA MERTON as SANDRA BENES
ANTON PHILLIPS as DR MATHIAS
NICK TATE as ALAN CARTER
Episodes are in production order.
