Inferno (Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons)

Plot

The Euro-Space recovery vehicle SKR4 is destroyed by a meteoroid impact while tracking space debris. A Mysteron reconstruction of SKR4 reverses course for Earth, claiming a technical fault. On Cloudbase, Spectrum learns the target is the Najama complex, an automated desalination facility in the Andes that irrigates the interior of South America. Colonel White sends Captains Scarlet and Blue with the Angel squadron to set up surveillance posts.

Captain Black hides a radio transmitter in the mouth of a Sun God statue inside an ancient Aztec temple where Scarlet and Blue are based. Euro Tracker station monitors SKR4's return; attempts to contact it fail. Major Moran alerts Cloudbase. Transmissions are jammed by an external signal drawing SKR4 to the Najama area.

White deduces the spacecraft, carrying explosives packs, is a missile. Scarlet and Blue find the transmitter source in the temple but cannot destroy it in time. They evacuate in their Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle and order the Angels to bombard the building. The statue is destroyed, but SKR4 crashes into the ruins, triggering a landslide that hits the complex's liquid oxygen tanks, destroying the facility. Scarlet and Blue acknowledge the Mysteron victory.

Production

The SKR4 miniature model in this episode copies the TVR-17 satellite design from "White as Snow," and the puppet used for the SKR4 navigator is unique to this installment. Filming took place in late 1967. The incidental music borrows cues from seven earlier Captain Scarlet episodes, six Thunderbirds episodes, and three Supercar episodes. This episode marks the third use of the Mysterons' vanishing power, following "The Heart of New York" and "Model Spy."

Reception

TV Zone magazine regards "Inferno" as the best episode of Captain Scarlet, praising its dark direction and straightforwardly effective plot. It highlights little touches such as the realism of Black's cautious ascent of the Sun God statue and Scarlet and Blue being on first-name terms, making them real people. The magazine argues the downbeat ending is aggravated by Spectrum's efforts making the situation worse. James Stansfield of Den of Geek ranks it sixth in his top 10 list, praising horror movie-style elements and describing it as tremendously fun.

He compares the temple scene to a Scooby-Doo episode and commends the point-of-view shots, echoing footsteps, and portrayal of camaraderie. He notes that Spectrum's defeat adds tension by creating an anything-can-happen atmosphere. Fred McNamara criticises the two-dimensional execution, calling the waiting game an unfulfilling watch. He suggests the unexciting plot demonstrates the series had flown as high as it could fly.

He finds Spectrum's powerlessness oddly compelling and views the ending as allegorical, representing humanity's spiritual past crashing down on technological visions. Chris Drake and Graeme Bassett note that the Euro-Space agency shows the writers were keen to establish a European space operation alongside the American programme.