Series 2 - Episode 12
The Big Thinker
Teleplay by Martin Woodhouse
Directed by Kim Mills
Production Schedule
Episode 15 (41)
Production Number : 3514
VTR/ABC/2217 & 2217 A + B
Teddington Studio 1
Wednesday 12th December 1962
| Camera rehearsal | 10.00-12.30 |
| Lunch break | 12.30-13.30 |
| Camera rehearsal | 13.30-18.00 |
| Supper break | 18.00-19.00 |
| Line Up and Make Up | 19.00-19.30 |
| Camera rehearsal | 19.30-20.00 |
| VTR INSERTS (VTR/ABC/2217-A + B) |
20.00-20.30 |
| Camera rehearsal | 20.30-21.00 |
Inserts:
- 2217A - Brensall's death - 0:18-2:00
- 2217B - Cathy & Steed meet in the Amusement Arcade - 9:00-11:43
Thursday 13th December 1962
| Camera rehearsal | 10.00-12.30 |
| Lunch break | 12.30-13.30 |
| Camera rehearsal | 13.30-15.30 |
| Tea break, Line-up, Normal scan, Make-up |
15.30-16.15 |
| Dress rehearsal | 16.15-17.30 |
| Notes | 17.30-18.00 |
| Line Up | 18.00-18.30 |
| VTR | 18.30-19.30 |
Running time
Expected: 51'25"
Actual running time with bumpers: 51'46"
The bumpers between the acts are generally 10 seconds from fade in to the "End of Act" bumper to the end of audio before the commercial, a 10 second still without audio, then cut to the next act bumper. This would play with the theme for around 10 seconds. Accordingly, with the episodes being in 3 acts, the running time of the action is approximately a minute less than listed above, minus the opening and closing credits (normally 0'16", with a 2" fade, and anywhere from 0'41" to 1'20", hard cut or 1" fade or mix, respectively).
Transmission
| London | 15t December 1962 |
|---|---|
| Sydney | 13th January 1964 |
| Melbourne | 6th August 1964 |
Equipment
| Cameras: | 4 Pedestals |
|---|---|
| Sound: | 4 booms; 1 slung mic.in Ops. Room. |
| Telecine: | ABC symbol and Caption Scanner only. |
| VTR: | 2 Inserts |
Murders
| Victim | Killer | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Brensell | Dr Farrow | gassed and frozen |
| Dr Clemens | Dr Farrow | electrocuted |
| Dr Farrow | Dr Farrow | electrocuted |
Click a name to see the face
Transport
| Marque/type | Plate |
|---|---|
| none |
Minutiæ
- 4:14 - Kearns' calculations:
(4 x 3162)2 = 175... 8919... 2978... 304... oh, and so on and so forth.
apparently, contrary to what he says, it appears neither Kearns nor Plato can add up as the answer is 159539531776.
3259 / 263 = 12.39163498098 recurring - no, 8.. 2... [1 2 9] (spots Cathy) hello, hello, what have we here?
(It's actually 12.391634980986). - 9:28 - When Cathy says that Hurst is in a panic and wants "MI5, the Navy, whoever" Steed replies, "You he can have, I'm off to the Middle East tonight." Is this admission that the organisation is MI5?
- At the end of their discussion in the amusement arcade, Cathy says, "You're staying out of it?" and Steed replies, "Yep, you go right ahead, Mata Hari. Just send me a postcard."
- Pinball scores:
Cathy: 1970 Steed: 1280 and 1891 (well, it goes up a bit more, but we don't see the final score) - 24:28 - the camera takes a second to focus on Cathy when she turns on the light.
- 28:15 - the camera dips briefly as if it collided with something
- 38:42 (37:33) - One of those boom mikes sneaks into shot again while Steed is helping Cathy apprehend Broster and Clarissa.
- 39:15 - Steed identifies himself to the police as "Carruthers"
- 50:30 - instructions for caring for Sheba: half pound of meat, some seaweed powder, a special teaspoonful of cod liver oil and a long walk daily.
Times are from the re-mastered 2009 Optimum Releasing DVD set, any times in brackets are from the previously released DVD sets which had frames with interference or banding deleted, resulting in shorter running times.