Splashdown

Splashdown
Air date	24 November 1986
Written by	Shane Rimmer (credited as Tony Barwick)
Directed by	Leo Eaton
Edited by	Harry MacDonald
Production Order
previous	Hi-Jacked
next	Operation McClaine
Broadcast Order
previous	International Concerto
next	Big Fish

Splashdown is the 9th broadcast episode and 3rd produced episode of British television series Joe 90.

Plot

The World Intelligence network discovers a sinister death plot after two electronics experts are kidnapped and killed. While Professor Ian McClaine is presented as bait, Joe 90 must save the passengers of a crashing plane and his father, before they are both killed.

Synopsis

Two major air crashes are complete mysteries, but they have one thing in common: in each case, an electronics expert has disappeared, and it is suspected that they were kidnapped before the crashes. The World Intelligence Network plan a trap to foil a third attempt by persuading Professor McClaine and Joe to fly to Istanbul. As a world electronics authority, the Professor will be the bait, and Joe is given the brain pattern of a U.S. Army Air Force test pilot. Sure enough, Mac and Joe are tailed on their way to the airport, and the flight is well under way and not far from Athens when a man named Kramer, with the help of the stewardess, makes an appearance and drugs both the pilot and co-pilot. Beneath them in the sea a launch waits to transfer the Professor to a submarine. Mac is forced at gun-point to escape by way of a parachuted cylinder, together with the stewardess and Kramer, but Joe is left in the plane, which is now pilotless. Joe dons his special glasses and takes over the controls. Returning to the spot where his father was abducted and where the launch is preparing to contact the submarine, he produces some spectacular flying to prevent their joining up. The sub is forced to submerge, Mac is saved, and a sinister death plot is revealed.

Cast

Regular Cast

Joe McClaine
(Len Jones)

Professor Ian McClaine
(Rupert Davies)

Sam Loover
(Keith Alexander)

Shane Weston
(David Healy)

Guest Cast

Anton
(Keith Alexander)

Kramer
(David Healy)

Stewardess
(Sylvia Anderson)

Captain William Barry
(Keith Alexander)

Co-Pilot Frank Casper
(Gary Files)

Mary Rose
(Sylvia Anderson)

Bates
(David Healy)

Watson
(Martin King)

Equipment Used

Kramer's car

Passenger jet

Speedboat

Submarine

Navy patrol boat

Locations

London International Airport

Trivia

• The AV21 and CV9 airliners seen here are revamped from the Spectrum Passenger Jet from Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. They appear again in Three's A Crowd and Double Agent.
• The London International Airport entrance is the same one that appeared in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode Winged Assassin.
• The Zero-X MEV seats were seen on the flight deck and the escape unit when the Professor ejected from the plane.

Goofs

• When the co-pilot is stunned, the pilot refers to him as Bill, but the co-pilot’s name is later revealed to be Frank, while the pilot’s name is Bill.

v - e - d

Characters World Intelligence Network: Joe McClaine • Professor Ian McClaine • Sam Loover • Shane Weston Others: Ada Harris Revamp Puppets Episodes The Most Special Agent • Most Special Astronaut • Project 90 • Hi-Jacked • Colonel McClaine • The Fortress • King For A Day • International Concerto • Splashdown • Big Fish • Relative Danger • Operation McClaine • The Unorthodox Shepherd • Business Holiday • Arctic Adventure • Double Agent • Three's A Crowd • The Professional • The Race • Talkdown • Breakout • Child Of The Sun God • See You Down There • Lone-Handed 90 • Attack Of The Tiger • Viva Cordova • Mission X-41 • Test Flight • Trial At Sea • The Birthday Compilation Film The Amazing Adventures of Joe 90 Equipment BIG RAT • Joe's Glasses • Joe's Case Vehicles Mac's Car • Sam Loover's Car Locations McClaine's Cottage • W.I.N. Headquarters