Starring:
Colonel White, Captain Scarlet, Captain Black, Lieutenant Green, Doctor Gold & Destiny Angel.
Captain Scarlet assists Professor Susan Todd in the trial run of a rain-making experiment that could save thousands of lives. The experiment seems to be a success, but when Scarlet and Todd return to Skybase, Todd begins to experience disturbing hallucinations. She shoots Colonel White when she believes that he is attacking her, and she takes her employer, Mr. Vandamm hostage, ordering Scarlet to find a plane for her.
When Scarlet and Todd reach the hangar, Destiny is just returning from patrol. Todd demands that Destiny flies her off the base, but the Angel distracts her long enough for Scarlet to take her weapon. In the ensuing scuffle, Todd falls from the elevated platform to her death.
White has not been badly injured, and accepts an invitation from Vandamm to see the facilities at Hydra Technologies. Before he travels to the surface, he pays Dr. Gold a visit.
Captain Scarlet investigates the original test site and discovers that several meerkats were also exposed to the rain, just as Todd was. Most of the creatures are now dead, and the surviving one tries to attack Scarlet. Scarlet deduces that the rain is to blame for Todd's paranoia, and warns White. Whilst they are speaking, White comes across the personnel file for Vandamm's new assistant, Dracon, complete with Captain Black's photograph. Before White can warn Scarlet, Black attacks White.
Scarlet takes off after White, leaving Destiny to stop the second experiment, over a populated area. After a dummy attack, the Hydra Laboratories plane abandons the test, to Black's extreme displeasure. He confronts Vandamm, who sacks him on the spot when Black makes his intentions clear. Black punches Vandamm and leaves.
Colonel White regains consciousness in the desert. He attempts to activate his locator beacon, but Black has disabled his RadioCap. Black returns in a helicopter carrying the rainmaking chemicals, which he sprays into the air above the Colonel.
Scarlet soon arrives on the scene, but Black engages him in an aerial battle, preventing him from rescuing the Colonel before the rain starts. Eventually, Scarlet defeats Black and the rain stops. Scarlet lands, but won't take any chances with White, and holds him at gunpoint. White reveals that he applied waterproof cream that he borrowed from Dr. Gold, a keen sub-aqua diver. The cream protected him from the effects of the rain, and he quickly manages to persuade Scarlet that he hasn't been affected in any way by the rain.
Scarlet and White visit Susan's grave, where Scarlet reveals that he had feelings for her. White assures him that Susan's work will continue after the War, once the Mysterons can no longer affect the rain.
Quotable Scarlet
Todd: Droughts will be a thing of the past - no more famine, no more hunger. Isn't that wonderful?
Scarlet: Rather like your eyes.
Scarlet: But how do I know it's worked?
White: You'll have to decide that for yourself, Captain. But please don't take too long - I'm beginning to steam in this heat!
Did you spot...?
(I didn't, but Serena Lewis did...)
- At the start of the episode, when Black is wearing the balaclava, his eyes are greenish-blue instead of brown.
- White's blood sort of goes in one big... splodge when he gets shot, then it simply disappears.
- When White drops his champagne glass, the liquid doesn't spill, it stays inside the glass, the wrong way round.
- White's radio is supposed to be ripped out from his cap, but when he is confronted by Scarlet it is shown intact several times.
Episode Rating:
Cast your vote on the Datalink forum
Reviewer's Rating: 4/5
I'm ignoring the science for once, because seriously, this is good. It is also extremely obvious that this is broadcast out of sequence, and is clearly meant to be earlier; otherwise, Scarlet is doing an inappropriate amount of flirting/falling in love considering that he has stolen his best friend's girl. This is a real chance for White to shine, and he does, instantly becoming the wittiest character in the series. Okay, that isn't a difficult achievement, considering the competition, but still...
Written by John Brown
Directed by Mark Woollard
Animated by Scarlet team
Transmission date: 9 April 2005
Appears on DVD 3
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