Episode Guide: Year Two
Title: "A Matter Of Balance"
Within this page: Overview | Backplot | Plot Synopsis | Unanswered Questions | Analyses/Observations | Comments | Memorable Lines
Overview
A being of anti-matter manipulates a young member of Moonbase Alpha for his own needs... which could forever doom the Alphans to a non-corporeal existence!
Production Number: 015 (Season Two)
Original U.K. airing week: 9 December 1976 (ATV Midlands)
Original U.S. airing week: 10 December 1976 (syndication)
Written by Pip and Jane Baker
Directed by Charles Crichton
Backplot
- In the year 1999, lunar nuclear waste storage dumps have exploded, due to magnetic radiation, sending Earth's moon into interstellar space. The inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha, unable to escape, are seeking a new home.
Plot Synopsis
(From the original ITC Press Release.)
While exploring an apparently lifeless planet a member of Alpha's crew comes under the influence of an "anti-matter" being and suddenly all Alphans are in danger of having their futures swapped for the past!
When Commander Koenig (MARTIN LANDAU) decides to explore an apparently lifeless planet he wants one of Moonbase Alpha's botanists, Shermeen (LYNNE FREDERICK) to be in the landing party. In spite of suffering from some strange hallucination Shermeen makes the trip and sets about collective samples of the planet's vegetation.
The landing party stumbles across a temple and once again Shermeen is faced with her hallucination. This takes the form of a face which introduces itself as Vindrus and tells her to enter the temple. When Koenig, Maya (CATHERINE SCHELL) and Frazer (JOHN HUG) try to get in they are attacked by a huge Monster, which seems more interested in keeping them out of the temple than actually doing them harm. When Shermeen approaches from another direction, however, it lets her pass...
In the temple Shermeen comes face to face with Vindrus (STUART WILSON) who asks her help, explaining that he is only there in spirit and wants to transpose himself into her world as flesh and blood. He gives her a steel rod, telling her she will know how to use it when the time comes.
Outside the temple, the others have discovered Shermeen's footprints leading inside, but still the monster sill not let them past. Maya transforms herself into a fox and sneaks by the Monster. Once in the temple she turns back into Maya and finds Shermeen. Before leading her outside once more, Maya films the interior.
Back in the Eagle, Koenig questions Shermeen about how she got into the temple so easily, but the girl is strangely evasive in her answers. Later, Maya shows her film of the inside of the temple and sees a machine which she recognises as one for converting 'anti-matter' into 'matter.'
Knowing that Shermeen has a crush on Tony (TONY ANHOLT), Koenig asks him to question her about the temple, hoping she will be more responsive. But while he is talking to her Vindrus appears to them both and explains that his world is moving backwards to extinction, which is why he and his people want to transfer into the Alphan's world. Tony is willing to help until Vindrus reveals that for every one who crosses over, another must cross back. It's all a matter of balance...
Tony races for the alarm bell but is knocked unconscious by Vindrus. Under his influence, Shermeen comandeers an Eagle and lands back on the planet. Koenig, Maya and Tony follow and go to the temple where they find shermeen, now transparent, in the 'anti-matter' machine and a very solid Vindrus in the 'matter' cabinet. He steps out and calmly informs them that everyone on moon base will shortly be exchanged for one of his 'anti-matter' beings. Once again Maya transforms herself - into a monkey this time - and sets out in a desperate bid to save the others...
"SPACE 1999" - SERIES II
CAST LIST
EPISODE NO. 15 - "A MATTER OF BALANCE"
DIRECTOR: CHARLES CRICHTON
KOENIG - MARTIN LANDAU
HELENA - BARBARA BAIN
MAYA - CATHERINE SCHELL
VERDESCHI - TONY ANHOLT
FRASER - JOHN HUG
SHERMEEN - ;LYNN FREDERICK
VINDRUS - STUART WILSON
EDDIE COLLINS - NICHOLAS CAMPBELL
MR. POTTER - BRIAN OSBORNE
Unanswered Questions
Analyses/Observations
Comments
- "A Matter of Balance" revisits the concept of anti-matter beings/worlds, as was first seen in the Year One episode, "Matter of Life and Death."
Memorable Lines
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