See You Down There
Encyclopedia
"See You Down There" is the 23rd episode
of the Supermarionation
television series Joe 90
. It was the 28th episode to be produced. Its original UK
air date was March 2, 1969 on ATV Midlands
. It was written
by Tony Barwick
and directed
by Leo Eaton.
to take over rival companies. Joe discovers that his next target is none other than Leto Machine Tools, manufacturers of special equipment often needed by WIN. Shane decides that it is time to confront Clayton's deception; however, in this unique situation, unorthodox methods will have to be used…
of his company, Clayton Enterprises. His next target is Leto Machine Tools, which happens to be a manufacturer of specialised components for WIN. Infiltrating Clayton Enterprises' London offices, Joe discovers how Clayton regularly absorbs smaller businesses through what is essentially legalised fraud
. Shane Weston is determined that Clayton's abuses be exposed. However, since he is not technically a criminal, WIN will have to resort to more unconventional methods...
Posing as a tea boy, Professor McClaine angers Clayton by falsely stating that his drink contained a hallucinogenic drug, and that he will receive the antidote only if he abandons his latest takeover
. Clayton has him thrown out, only for the McClaines to pay him an unwelcome visit at his mansion the next morning. Joe has acquired the brain pattern of a musician from the BIG RAT and unceremoniously wakes the businessman with a series of trumpet tunes. Within 24 hours, Clayton has had security gates installed, but his hopes of preventing a repeat of the incident are dashed when Mac and Joe simply fly onto the drive in Mac's Jet-Air Car. While Mac re-wires the doorbell circuits to blare out the Westminster Quarters, Joe flies past the upstairs windows wearing a jet pack
.
Clayton confides in two colleagues, Stewart and Evans, who cannot believe his claims that the boy who played the trumpet and "flew in through the window" are one and the same. The businessman angrily denies any suggestion that he is hallucinating, insisting that the father and son are playing tricks on his mind and reassuring himself that the police are investigating. Unknown to Clayton, the authorities have long been suspicious of his company and are in full co-operation with WIN. In fact, the only police officer to respond is none other than Sam – who arrives in a dry suit
, claiming to be from the River Police
. Enraged, Clayton dismisses his personal assistant, Molineaux.
Equipped with the brain pattern of an impressionist
, Joe telephones Stewart and, mimicking Clayton's voice, orders him and Evans to join him at the mansion for a costume party. The real Clayton is speechless, accusing them of conspiring with WIN. Concerned for Clayton's health, Stewart and Evans reveal that they have called for a doctor. This prompts Shane to enter, dressed for the occasion, and Clayton to lose his temper. The following evening, while relaxing in front of the television, Clayton is aghast when programming is interrupted for a "special bulletin" and Joe appears, still speaking in his voice, to lecture on "how to squeeze the small business
into submission and still stay inside the law". Shane purposely left a jammer
behind.
Experiencing a nightmare, Clayton finally accepts Mac's lie. When Mac and Joe arrive the next morning, the businessman demands to know the cost of the antidote, but is instructed only to sign a declaration promising that he will cancel the Leto acquisition and compensate all the people that he has deceived in the past. In return, he is presented with a bag of jelly babies – the hallucinations were caused simply by exploiting Clayton's own fears, and ultimately succeeding in appealing to his better nature. Enlightened, Clayton re-hires Molineaux, warmly greets Stewart at Clayton Enterprises, and prepares to start his first day's work as an honest businessman.
, which was being prodcast at the time. The phrase ‘See you down there’ and the hand signal given is a pastiche of the ‘be seeing you’. This would not be the first time a Supermarionation production is linked to The Prisoner. The Thunderbirds
episode Attack of the Alligators features the same stock footage of a stormy sky which features at the start of the title sequence of The Prisoner. At the start of this episode the cover for a comic, produced by their sub-company TV21 (issue 183), can be see being held by Joe. Ralf Clayton, is a revamp puppet originally used in the series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
, for the character of Colonel White
. This would be the puppet’s third appearence on the series, having previously played Sam Loovers father, Dr Willie Loover in Relative Danger and as Sir George Harris in Trail At Sea. During postproduction, the scene featuring Clayton and Harris having their meeting was meant to come immediately after the scene in Shane’s office.
episode for FAB magazine, Ian Fryer compares See You Down There to the episode "More Haste Less Speed". He relates The Unorthodox Shepherd
storytelling level as "an early flowering (the later See You Down There takes things much further) of the whimsy was to be defining feature of The Secret Service
.”
Stephen La Rivière, in Filmed In Supermarionation, depicts the episode as "downright bizarre" when describing the plot.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the Supermarionation
Supermarionation
Supermarionation is a puppetry technique devised in the 1960s by British production company AP Films. It was used extensively in the company's numerous Gerry and Sylvia Anderson-produced action-adventure series, the most famous of which was Thunderbirds...
television series Joe 90
Joe 90
Joe 90 is a late-1960s British science-fiction television series documenting the exploits of a nine-year-old boy, Joe McClaine, who embarks on a double life as a schoolboy turned spy when his scientist father invents a pioneering machine capable of duplicating and transferring expert knowledge and...
. It was the 28th episode to be produced. Its original UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
air date was March 2, 1969 on ATV Midlands
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
. It was written
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
by Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
and directed
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
by Leo Eaton.
Synopsis
Ralph Clayton, the exploitative owner of Clayton Enterprises, is using legalised fraudFraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
to take over rival companies. Joe discovers that his next target is none other than Leto Machine Tools, manufacturers of special equipment often needed by WIN. Shane decides that it is time to confront Clayton's deception; however, in this unique situation, unorthodox methods will have to be used…
Plot
Ralph Clayton is a ruthless businessman who has no qualms about exploiting rivals to boost the market valueMarket value
Market value is the price at which an asset would trade in a competitive auction setting. Market value is often used interchangeably with open market value, fair value or fair market value, although these terms have distinct definitions in different standards, and may differ in some...
of his company, Clayton Enterprises. His next target is Leto Machine Tools, which happens to be a manufacturer of specialised components for WIN. Infiltrating Clayton Enterprises' London offices, Joe discovers how Clayton regularly absorbs smaller businesses through what is essentially legalised fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
. Shane Weston is determined that Clayton's abuses be exposed. However, since he is not technically a criminal, WIN will have to resort to more unconventional methods...
Posing as a tea boy, Professor McClaine angers Clayton by falsely stating that his drink contained a hallucinogenic drug, and that he will receive the antidote only if he abandons his latest takeover
Takeover
In business, a takeover is the purchase of one company by another . In the UK, the term refers to the acquisition of a public company whose shares are listed on a stock exchange, in contrast to the acquisition of a private company.- Friendly takeovers :Before a bidder makes an offer for another...
. Clayton has him thrown out, only for the McClaines to pay him an unwelcome visit at his mansion the next morning. Joe has acquired the brain pattern of a musician from the BIG RAT and unceremoniously wakes the businessman with a series of trumpet tunes. Within 24 hours, Clayton has had security gates installed, but his hopes of preventing a repeat of the incident are dashed when Mac and Joe simply fly onto the drive in Mac's Jet-Air Car. While Mac re-wires the doorbell circuits to blare out the Westminster Quarters, Joe flies past the upstairs windows wearing a jet pack
Jet pack
Jet pack, rocket belt, rocket pack, and similar names are various types of devices, usually worn on the back, that are propelled by jets of escaping gases so as to allow a single user to fly....
.
Clayton confides in two colleagues, Stewart and Evans, who cannot believe his claims that the boy who played the trumpet and "flew in through the window" are one and the same. The businessman angrily denies any suggestion that he is hallucinating, insisting that the father and son are playing tricks on his mind and reassuring himself that the police are investigating. Unknown to Clayton, the authorities have long been suspicious of his company and are in full co-operation with WIN. In fact, the only police officer to respond is none other than Sam – who arrives in a dry suit
Dry suit
A dry suit or drysuit provides thermal insulation or passive thermal protection to the wearer while immersed in water, and is worn by divers, boaters, water sports enthusiasts, and others who work or play in or near cold water. A dry suit normally protects the whole body except the head, hands, and...
, claiming to be from the River Police
Water police
Water police, also called harbour patrols, port police, marine/maritime police, nautical patrols, bay constables or river police, are police officers, usually a department of a larger police organisation, who patrol in water craft...
. Enraged, Clayton dismisses his personal assistant, Molineaux.
Equipped with the brain pattern of an impressionist
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
, Joe telephones Stewart and, mimicking Clayton's voice, orders him and Evans to join him at the mansion for a costume party. The real Clayton is speechless, accusing them of conspiring with WIN. Concerned for Clayton's health, Stewart and Evans reveal that they have called for a doctor. This prompts Shane to enter, dressed for the occasion, and Clayton to lose his temper. The following evening, while relaxing in front of the television, Clayton is aghast when programming is interrupted for a "special bulletin" and Joe appears, still speaking in his voice, to lecture on "how to squeeze the small business
Small business
A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships...
into submission and still stay inside the law". Shane purposely left a jammer
Radio jamming
Radio jamming is the transmission of radio signals that disrupt communications by decreasing the signal to noise ratio. Unintentional jamming occurs when an operator transmits on a busy frequency without first checking whether it is in use, or without being able to hear stations using the frequency...
behind.
Experiencing a nightmare, Clayton finally accepts Mac's lie. When Mac and Joe arrive the next morning, the businessman demands to know the cost of the antidote, but is instructed only to sign a declaration promising that he will cancel the Leto acquisition and compensate all the people that he has deceived in the past. In return, he is presented with a bag of jelly babies – the hallucinations were caused simply by exploiting Clayton's own fears, and ultimately succeeding in appealing to his better nature. Enlightened, Clayton re-hires Molineaux, warmly greets Stewart at Clayton Enterprises, and prepares to start his first day's work as an honest businessman.
Production
The episode is heavily influenced by the series The Pisoner featuring Patrick McGoohanPatrick McGoohan
Patrick Joseph McGoohan was an American-born actor, raised in Ireland and England, with an extensive stage and film career, most notably in the 1960s television series Danger Man , and The Prisoner, which he co-created...
, which was being prodcast at the time. The phrase ‘See you down there’ and the hand signal given is a pastiche of the ‘be seeing you’. This would not be the first time a Supermarionation production is linked to The Prisoner. The Thunderbirds
Thunderbirds (TV series)
Thunderbirds is a British mid-1960s science fiction television show devised by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and made by AP Films using a form of marionette puppetry dubbed "Supermarionation"...
episode Attack of the Alligators features the same stock footage of a stormy sky which features at the start of the title sequence of The Prisoner. At the start of this episode the cover for a comic, produced by their sub-company TV21 (issue 183), can be see being held by Joe. Ralf Clayton, is a revamp puppet originally used in the series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
, for the character of Colonel White
Colonel White
Colonel White is a character in the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is the commander-in-Chief of Spectrum, the security organisation dedicated to defending Earth against the Mysterons from Mars...
. This would be the puppet’s third appearence on the series, having previously played Sam Loovers father, Dr Willie Loover in Relative Danger and as Sir George Harris in Trail At Sea. During postproduction, the scene featuring Clayton and Harris having their meeting was meant to come immediately after the scene in Shane’s office.
Reception
Leo Eaton, who directed the episode, described making it as "[a lot of] fun". He also notes that "it wasn't terribly successful" due to the fact "it wasn't a big bang-bang-blow 'em up [one]". When asked whether he felt it was influence by The Prisoner he said "not consciously" but notes that "The Prisoner was so influential". Reviewing a The Secret ServiceThe Secret Service
The Secret Service is a British children's espionage television series, made as a Century 21 production for ITC Entertainment and broadcast in 1969...
episode for FAB magazine, Ian Fryer compares See You Down There to the episode "More Haste Less Speed". He relates The Unorthodox Shepherd
The Unorthodox Shepherd
"The Unorthodox Shepherd" is the 13th episode of the British Supermarionation television series Joe 90. It was the eighth episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was 22 December 1968 on ATV Midlands...
storytelling level as "an early flowering (the later See You Down There takes things much further) of the whimsy was to be defining feature of The Secret Service
The Secret Service
The Secret Service is a British children's espionage television series, made as a Century 21 production for ITC Entertainment and broadcast in 1969...
.”
Stephen La Rivière, in Filmed In Supermarionation, depicts the episode as "downright bizarre" when describing the plot.