"Kill Straker!" is the seventh episode aired of the first series of ''

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...

'', a 1970 British television science fiction series about an

alien invasion Alien invasion or space invasion is a common feature in science fiction stories and films, in which extraterrestrial lifeforms invade Earth to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it, harvest people for food, steal the planet's resource ...

of Earth. The screenplay was written

Donald James Donald James (born Donald James Wheal; 22 August 1931 – 28 April 2008) was a British television writer, novelist and non-fiction writer. Life and career Born in World's End, Chelsea, and educated at Sloane Grammar School and Pembroke Coll ...

and the director was Alan Perry. The episode was filmed between 5 and 17 November 1969 and aired on the

ATV Midlands ATV Network Limited, originally Associated TeleVision (ATV), was a British broadcaster, part of the ITV (Independent Television) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to ...

on 4 November 1970. Though shown as the seventh episode, it was actually the sixteenth to have been filmed. The episode was originally titled ''The Inside Man''. The series was created by

Gerry Anderson Gerald Alexander Anderson (; 14 April 1929 – 26 December 2012) was an English television and film producer, director, writer and occasional voice artist, who is known for his futuristic television programmes, especially his 1960s production ...

and

Sylvia Anderson Sylvia Beatrice Anderson (; 25 March 1927 – 15 March 2016) was an English television and film producer, writer, voice actress and costume designer, best known for her collaborations with Gerry Anderson, her husband between 1960 and 1981. In ...

with

Reg Hill Reginald Eric Hill (16 May 1914 – 31 October 1999) was an English model-maker, art director, producer, and freelance storyboard artist. He is most prominently associated with the work of Gerry Anderson. Early life Born on 16 May 1914, Hill ...

, and produced by the Andersons and

Lew Grade Lew Grade, Baron Grade, (born Lev Winogradsky; 25 December 1906 – 13 December 1998) was a Ukrainian-born British media proprietor and impresario. Originally a dancer, and later a talent agent, Grade's interest in television production ...

Century 21 Productions AP Films or APF (renamed Century 21 Productions in 1966) was a British independent film production company of the 1950s until the early 1970s. The company became internationally known for its imaginative children's action-adventure marionette t ...

for Grade's

ITC Entertainment The Incorporated Television Company (ITC), or ITC Entertainment as it was referred to in the United States, was a British company involved in the production and distribution of television programmes. History Incorporated Television Programme C ...

company.

Plot

Colonel Paul Foster and Captain Frank Craig are piloting a lunar module when it is approached by a UFO. Both are then subjected to mind-altering impulses that cause them to want to kill Commander

Ed Straker Colonel Edward Straker, United States Air Force, Commander-in-Chief of SHADO, is the main character of British TV series ''UFO''. He is one of the original promoters of Project Angel, an international organisation to found the Supreme Headquarte ...

. Straker makes a split-second decision that saves the men from crashing. Returning to Moonbase, Foster starts to criticise Straker's performance and then Craig makes an unsuccessful attempt to kill Straker in his sleep. Craig also tries to destroy Moonbase's supply of air and water but is killed in the attempt. To further discredit Straker's abilities, Foster sends a critical report on him to General James Henderson, leading to a confrontation between Straker and Foster. Foster pulls a gun, a bullet punctures Moonbase's sphere and the two pass out from lack of oxygen. Now back on Earth, Foster is placed under hypnosis by Dr.Jackson which reveals that the aliens mentally implanted the impulse to kill Straker. Although Foster's career with SHADO appears over, Straker is not willing to give up on him and decides to test if Foster can combat the urge. He puts himself and Foster in a sealed room and tries to convince Foster that he is going to kill him. Foster demonstrates that he can overcome the urge to kill Straker; soon after he is returned to active duty.

Regular cast

Reception

Believing "Kill Straker!" to be one of ''UFO''s poorer episodes,

John Kenneth Muir John Kenneth Muir (born December 3, 1969) is an American literary critic. As of 2022, he has written thirty reference books in the fields of film and television, with a particular focus on the horror and science fiction genres. Biography Bor ...

criticises the characterisation, arguing that despite Foster's highly unusual behaviour his colleagues are very slow to realise what has happened to him. Muir also finds the premise unoriginal, noting that the idea of "

sleeper agent A sleeper agent is a spy or operative who is placed in a target country or organization, not to undertake an immediate mission, but instead to act as a potential asset on short notice if activated in the future. Even if not activated, the "sle ...

s" had been explored in earlier episodes. However, he praises the tension of the physical altercations between Foster and Straker. Ranking all the ''UFO'' episodes, review website ''anorakzone.com'' places "Kill Straker!" seventeenth, commenting that while the plot "doesn't really go anywhere you wouldn't expect", the episode is "well put together and performed".

References

External links

* {{UFO (TV series) 1970 British television episodes Television episodes about mind control Television episodes set on the Moon UFO (British TV series) episodes