The Tripods (1984) Episode 13

After having destroyed a Tripod, the teenagers are pursued by other Tripods - not just the regular silver variety, but special red combat versions that carry heavy laser weapons. With the death of their fellow Tripod, they are determined to find the boys, and even at night the area is bombarded by laser fire.

 

IB - More night shoot work. The lasers are really effective.

 

JL - Scream! Have they been squashed? This is tense!

 

IB - Henry's a proper man, he trips but he doesn't want a fuss.

 

Surviving the evening, they awaken in the morning with the machines gone, and plan to move on to the mountains. But they suddenly find themselves surrounded and within reach of the White Mountains they are captured by Black Guards who begin a brutal interrogation to find out who the boys are and why they are near the mountains.

 

JL - Suddenly Simon LeBon jumps up from nowhere. Not really.

 

IB - They say the Freemen are a fable. And now Black Guards are interrogating the boys. Will's acting is impressive for once: 'I won't be capped!'

 

JL - I hate the 'looking into camera as they tell their story' technique employed here. Henry and eye contact is wrong.

 

The Guards bribe and blackmail the boys with what they want the most or what they fear the most. They tell Will he can be reunited with Eloise, Henry will become a Black Guard, and Beanpole will be purposely made a Vagrant; his brain destroyed.

IB - The drama is excellent. When they accuse Henry of being a coward and he shouts at them that he killed a Tripod and he'd do it again. Beanpole is supreme, Ceri Seel nails this scene with beautiful moral indignation yet still remains dignified and stoic: 'filth like you!?' Why wasn't he cast as Doctor Who?

 

JL - The guards threaten Will with punishing the families at the Chateau and Vineyard for harbouring them. Will whines: 'don't you understand, they just liked me!' Now that isn't very believable to be honest.

 

Will Henry and Beanpole wonder if they have made a great mistake trying to find the Free Men, but do not crack. It is revealed that they have passed the questioning and the Black Guards are actually Free Men, who had to test the boys as they have been infiltrated by mind conditioned slaves of the Tripods before trying to flush them from hiding.

 

JL - It's obvious it's a sham and there's going to be a twist and these Black Guards are the Freemen. Beanpole works it out.

 

IB - And of course, they are! The Head Interrogator is Scarlioni's Guard from City of Death. He's good isn't he? Even though it's clear he's a goodie really.

 

 

JL - Ozymandias is alive! Second obvious twist.

 

IB - But it's all good fun. Look upon my works and rejoice! That's a nice bit of rephrasing.

JL - Fucking hell, it's yet another chemin de ferre. Was this scripted by a Thomas the Tank Engine fanatic?

 

IB - Will, Henry and Beanpole finally look happy, as if the actors are finally getting on now the end is in sight and they don't have to stand each other's company much longer.
 

JL - The old dude Julius is their ruler. Is his surname Caesar? Why couldn't he have been called Keith?

 

IB - There's girls there! I thought they might have all died out or something.

 

JL - And so it's a minute to go and they're sat talking next to a model of the Tripod City. The Freemen's plan is to make the youngsters compete to an Olympic standard so they can be chosen to infiltrate the City of Gold. What? Will, Henry and Beanpole volunteer. The end. Is that it? Is there an episode 14 with excitement in it?

 

IB - No but there is a Series 2 that picks right up where this just ended. Except Will has a new haircut and is training to be a boxer.

 

JL - Ooh, count me in then!