Space Precinct – 21. The Fire Within (Part One)

Two-part television serials are usually a win-win situation for both the audience and the producers. In theory, the viewers at home get an extra-long adventure with lots of juicy twists and turns that add up to a richer story, higher stakes, and deeper character development. Meanwhile, the production team can focus their efforts and spend the budget normally set aside for two episodes on creating impressive sets, costumes, and effects that normally wouldn’t be economical for a single installment. And if there was any show where the audience were craving richer stories, and the producers needed to spend the budget more efficiently, it was Space Precinct. Now, of course, last week’s adventure, Deathwatch, was retroactively turned into the first installment of a two-part story, but it was originally shot as a standalone episode that was extended later. The Fire Within is Space Precinct’s first bona fide two-part story, with production on both episodes running back-to-back and the story deliberately paced to span two 45-minute episodes. Today, I’ll be reviewing Part One of The Fire Within in isolation, before I watch Part Two. Let’s see how effective that shocking cliffhanger is when, like the original viewers in 1995/96, I have to wait a whole week to find out what happens next!

But who better to direct this feature-length Space Precinct adventure than 007 veteran John Glen? The last Glen-helmed episode was Takeover, so it’s been a little while! Meanwhile the script for The Fire Within comes from returning writer Steve Brown (Hate Street) and Space Precinct newcomer Burt Prelutsky. Prelutsky’s prior screenwriting experience was extensive, and included such classic American series as Dragnet 1967, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and M*A*S*H*. Brown and Prelutsky would ultimately collaborate again on the writing team of Diagnosis: Murder. So, with a seasoned director and a solid pair of writers in place, I think we’re all set for a sizzling Space Precinct adventure!

I wish I’d never started keeping track of this ruddy “impressive alien slot” in the opening titles. Because The Fire Within likely completed post-production before Deathwatch, we’ve therefore reverted back to the same version of the title sequence last seen in Smelter Skelter – meaning that the Zwellin from Predator and Prey is back in the impressive alien slot, not the one-eyed creep that I spotted last week in Deathwatch… who it turns out is a character from The Fire Within. Confusing, right? Was all this swapping and changing between alien creatures every couple of episodes really worth it? No, it ruddy well wasn’t.

Just like we saw in Deathwatch, the ‘This Episode’ teaser is a bit of a cheat. It shows us lots and lots of material from Part Two because, if I had to guess, it’s probably a bit more exciting than Part One.

There’s no indication from the title caption that this is a two-part story. I’d like to think that choice was deliberate to preserve the shock value of the episode’s finale. In the compilation movie version of The Fire Within (included on home media releases but never broadcast), the ‘This Episode’ portion of the caption is removed.

A new Pyrist Temple is about to be consecrated. With the time and budget of two episodes injected into one story, it’s not surprising that the main guest set of The Fire Within is one of the most impressive that we’ve ever seen in Space Precinct. I believe the high ceiling is achieved with a miniature and some forced perspective, but everything else is done for real. And, for once, Space Precinct’s penchant for cramming as many extras as possible onto a set feels justified because the room is actually large enough to contain them. But perhaps the thing that even more immediately sets this episode apart from what’s gone before is the blast of choral music from Crispin Merrell. Nothing says “WE’RE IN A BIG CHURCH” like an assault of angelic voices. It’s certainly an unusual start for a sci-fi crime-busting Space Precinct adventure.

There’s an awful lot of strange names and titles to keep up with in this episode so you’d better keep a notepad handy. The chap in the white gown is the Icar Vedra… which is an anagram of “Dear Vicar”. He’s the top dog in this ‘ere church. Esteemed film actor Jack Hedley brings a bucket-load of gravitas to the role, having previously worked with John Glen on the 1981 Bond movie For Your Eyes Only. Hedley was also previously seen in the Gerry Anderson series UFO as Webb in the episode Court Martial. The Icar Vedra congratulates Sister Nevik Brok for designing their magnificent new temple. Like a typical teacher’s pet, she claims to have been inspired by the Icar’s spirit. Sister Nevik’s holier than thou tone immediately makes her sound suspicious. Nevik is played by Lisa Orgolini – who is probably best known for her role in the cult 1986 horror-metal movie Trick or Treat (complete with special appearances from Ozzy Osbourne and Gene Simmons). Standing on the other side of the Icar is Brother Tendall Kalike (misspelled ‘Kaliki’ on the end credits), played by Andy Dawson. He’s a smug sort, who half-heartedly congratulates Sister Nevik and claims that she’s “always been full of desires.” Well I think we all know who’s going to die first today, don’t we?

The long and short of this religion is that they really, really, really like fire. It’s their whole thing. Sure, the episode dumps a whole load of lore on top of it later on, but you get the gist here as a big bowl of flames is carried into the temple by a couple of hunks. It’s a religion that unites humans, Creons, Tarns, and any other alien masks that were sitting in the Space Precinct store cupboard at the time.

Officer Took has a front row seat. Her spiritual side was briefly hinted at during Friends when her home shrine was revealed. There was more of a Tarn-specific flavour to that idol though, which had in fact been borrowed from the set of Sergeant Fredo’s apartment in The Witness. As we’ll learn later, Took is branching out religion-wise.

More ceremony now as the Icar Vedra lights his own stick from the so-called eternal flame which was lit centuries ago and is now a symbol of the Pyrist faith. Now I might argue that a few centuries and an eternity aren’t quite the same thing and the two shouldn’t be conflated, but maybe picking holes in a fictional religion isn’t the best way to spend my short time on this planet.

Kalamandro, played by David Quilter, looks mighty shifty as he sneaks off through a side door. We’re really not wasting any time when it comes to establishing who the suspects are for whatever crime is about to take place.

To the surprise of no-one, consecrating the new Pyrist Temple involves setting fire to it. Well, what else are you going to do when you really love fire? Crispin Merrell’s music and John Glen’s direction both do a really nice job of presenting all this religion and mysticism in an even-handed tone. Are they perfectly friendly church-goers or an evil cult with an unhealthy fondness for arson? We can’t make that call just yet.

Kalamandro steps into a back room which is far less spectacular than the main temple set. The beige walls and boring sconces are much more typical Space Precinct fare. The high tech control panel, last seen in the Deathwatch observatory, certainly seems out of place in this more traditional church setting. Is this an evil secret?

At the touch of a button, two enormous jets of flame shoot out of what we assume is the exterior of the temple. It’s a glorious building, that’s for sure. Is the fire a weapon or an architectural feature? That remains to be seen.

The room shakes, and everyone including Took and the Icar Vedra look a bit concerned. Not, “oh dear, this building’s on fire,” levels of concern. It’s more of an “all this shaking is making me queasy,” sort of thing. The juddering passes and it soon becomes apparent that the two jets of flame on top of the building that are threatening air traffic in the immediate area are, in fact, just for effect.

But Sister Nevik is having a funny turn at the back of the room and some of the younger members of the congregation are worried.

After spinning her head around like a broken washing machine, Sister Nevik’s hair is a complete mess. But more importantly, she’s possessed. Well, it certainly looks that way at least. She’s acquired some bright blue eyes and speaks of a heretic lurking in their midst who’s motivated by power and greed.

It’s that smug Brother Tendall, apparently. Nevik claims that Tendall has no fire in his heart. Get it? Because fire is their whole thing?

Yeah, I think we all saw that one coming.

Spontaneous combustion is a bit rich for all these fire worshippers. The stunt is performed by seasoned pro Glenn Marks in what appears to be a dummy version of the Tendall mask without all the electronics inside.

All Took and the gathered followers can do is wait patiently for the barbecue to finish. Their expressions range from utterly horrified to only mildly curious.

Sure, you might think that the Mona Lisa, Starry Night, or The Birth of Venus are beautiful artworks, but Jack Haldane’s postcard from New Hawaii is something else entirely.

Yes, Haldane’s gone on vacation and Officer Castle has taken his place in Brogan’s cruiser. The character’s absence plays a vital role in the plot later on, but I’m also guessing that writing out Rob Youngblood for a few days served a practical purpose. He was heavily featured in Deathwatch and probably needed some time off. New Hawaii has been mentioned a couple of times in the series as the go-to vacation destination, but this is the first time we’ve caught a glimpse of it. Needless to say, it looks quite a lot like regular Hawaii. According to the postcard, Haldane has been both riding and tasting the local wildlife… and that’s not a euphemism.

Brogan lands the cruiser in the generously-sized parking lot outside the temple. Unlike the many buildings in Demeter City, rooftop parking is not encouraged here for obvious reasons.

Inside, the paramedics have scooped up what remains of Brother Tendall while Officer Orrin is looking busy. Without Haldane around, it’s up to Brogan to look like the stupid one and ask questions about Pyrism for the benefit of the audience, laced with a touch of snarky skepticism. Took explains to her colleagues that she’s not a card-carrying Pyrist, but a curious soul, “looking for the answers without knowing all the questions.” Very nicely put.

Elsewhere, Sister Nevik has prepared a herbal drink to help the Icar Vedra relax. A gin and tonic would probably do the same job.

Grumpy chops Kalamandro informs his spiritual leader that the deceased Brother Tendall was badmouthing the Icar behind his back. Sister Nevik suggests that the Icar’s goodness makes him blind to the evil of others. What a suck-up. She explains that according to the Daskell, “there is justice in the fire.” What’s the Daskell? No idea, but I guarantee there’ll be some lengthy exposition on it later.

Orrin arrives with Sister Fancher (Alexa Rosewood) to interview the Icar Vedra. Nevik volunteers to speak to the police on his behalf because she’s such a brown-nose. Orrin doesn’t seem to care who he interviews so long as he can finish work early.

Castle sends her pal Took back to the station house. Not home to relax or anything nice like that. If I watched someone burn to a crisp and my friends told me to go straight back to work I’d poke ’em in the eye.

Orrin arrives with Sister Nevik but struggles to explain who she is, what she does, or why she’s important. He’s really just going with the flow this week.

Nevik believes she was a medium for divine intervention and brought about a miracle. Yes, she does have quite a high opinion of herself. She explains that the eternal flame purified Brother Tendall for his betrayal. Brogan and Castle are too polite to question her beliefs directly but do a mighty fine job pulling skeptical faces for us to enjoy.

But Sister Fancher believes Brother Tendall was actually a good person and not a heretic. Nevik is quick to silence her with passive aggression. Nothing suspicious about that at all.

Nevik tries to take Brogan by the arm and offers to show him “the brain” of the temple. Castle responds with the stinkiest of all looks to suggest that Nevik is nothing but a wench using her womanly wiles to distract the lieutenant.

Brogan senses the tactic and immediately detaches himself from the overly-friendly priest. Castle and Orrin are paired up to investigate the computer room instead. With Haldane and Took otherwise engaged, it’s throwing up some interesting officer pairings for us to briefly enjoy. I don’t think Castle and Orrin are destined for their own spin-off show or anything like that, but it’s nice to see a change to the status quo.

Poor Lou Hirsch has been stuck at the back of the room with nothing to do, so it’s time for the unlikely duo of Brogan and Romek to buddy up and do some police work of their own.

Brogan heads for the side passage and soon discovers a teeny-tiny hole in the wall that looks straight back into the main chamber. But why would there be a hole in their brand new temple? Cowboy builders, no doubt.

Brogan speaks through the hole and Romek just assumes that it’s the voice of a higher power addressing him directly. Well, yes, I’m sure the Almighty would have one or two choice words for Officer Romek.

Through the peep hole, Brogan instructs his colleague to stand in the exact spot where Brother Tendall stood just before things turned crispy. It all lines up very conveniently. Sometimes police work is just that easy.

Castle is very impressed by the church’s technology. Orrin really doesn’t look bothered. Seated at the control panel, Brother Kem Flexen (Rob Thirtle), explains that there’s nothing to see here except security screens and illumination controls. Nothing dodgy, honest. Nevik praises Kem’s “special expertise,” lacing the words with gallons of double entendre. She should really stop talking because everything she says sounds like incriminating evidence.

Brogan bumps into creepy Kalamandro, who is good enough to explain that the whacking great fuel tank is just for keeping the temple’s exterior flames burning… Nothing dodgy, honest.

Only a handful of extras wander about the station house to make it look busy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still bustling and active, but compared to the hordes of people that have been packed in there during recent episodes it looks positively barren today.

This week, Officer Carson’s indeterminate scientific responsibilities extend to sharing Tendall’s autopsy report with Captain Podly. The news is that Tendall burned to death. With reports like that, Carson is the very definition of a jack of all trades and a master of none. Okay, there’s a little bit more than that. The real news is that the fire started in his heart, and Carson speculates that it was caused by microwaves. No, I don’t think they chucked a microwave oven at his heart.

Took utterly bewilders her superior officer by volunteering a story from the Daskell – the Pyrists’ bible. She explains that there was once a disciple whose heart burst into flames as a result of impure thoughts. “I’m not quite sure how to respond to that,” Captain Podly replies diplomatically, keen to avoid another HR complaint.

Brogan steps in to tell Carson about his special peep hole – the perfect thing for zapping someone with a concentrated beam of microwaves. But Castle reveals that there’s no evidence of a microwave generator on the temple premises. Podly explains that they need to tread carefully to avoid offending the Pyrists and their right to religious freedom… and then he immediately calls Took a cult member. Oh yes, treading very carefully. Took’s patience is wearing noticeably thin, but Podly blusters on anyway and insists that she keeps a close eye on the Pyrists whenever she attends a service. “You’re a police officer 26 hours a day,” he declares. Whoop-de-do.

Carson drops in one last nugget of wisdom by explaining that Brother Tendall’s feet were already burned prior to the burning that actually killed him. Podly decides he wants to invite “the Brok woman” to the station house for an interview – referring very informally to Sister Nevik Brok. He really doesn’t give a hoot about respecting religious authority today.

Firstly, Took and Sister Nevik are keen to set Brogan and the audience at home straight on the hierarchy of the Pyrist church. Officer Took is considered a “Seeker” – the lowest rank and not an official member of the order. Seekers who join up become “Initiates” and undertake work and study to qualify for the title of “Acolyte” – the same title held by Brother Kalamandro. The next level up from Acolyte is to be a “Priest” – that’s Sister Nevik and the late Brother Tendall. Then, of course, it goes without saying that the Icar Vedra is at the top of the tree. So, a Seeker becomes an Initiate, who becomes an Acolyte, who becomes a Priest, who becomes the Icar Vedra. Got it? I sure didn’t when I first watched the episode. Anyway, Brogan isn’t interested in any of this. He wants to know about the burnt feet. Brace yourself…

Oh Brogan, you really should have kept your mouth shut. Nevik explains that the priests love nothing more than walking over molten lava to test their faith. Hence the crispy feet. No wonder Nevik’s so eager to please everyone – most people probably run away screaming as soon as she whips her socks off.

Still struggling with the etiquette, Brogan refers to the sister as “Miss Brok” as he rushes away to the other side of the room to escape her feet. Sister Nevik corrects him while slipping her shoes back on, not even wincing as her flakey, infected skin makes contact with the ground. Yummy.

Nevik gets her own back by incorrectly addressing Brogan as a sergeant. There must be something in the water because Bertha Fluss did exactly the same thing last week in Deathwatch. Sister Nevik innocently suggests that Pyrism is a totally benevolent religion and that Brother Tendall set fire to his own conflicted heart, just like in the Daskell story Took mentioned earlier. Yeah, yeah, pull the other one Sister, it’s got bells on.

Before she leaves, Sister Nevik hands Brogan a copy of the Daskell to offer a spot of enlightenment. As soon as her back is turned, the lieutenant tries to put the book in the bin. Weird, right? Now, I’ll admit, it tracks that Brogan would be skeptical of Pyrism. Early episodes like Protect and Survive demonstrated that he doesn’t have the easiest time adapting to new things. But throwing a religious text in the bin? Heck, throwing any sort of gift in the bin? That just isn’t a level of disrespect that I feel Brogan would stoop to. Would Haldane do that? Sure – he’s an immature joker and doesn’t always consider the feelings of others. But Brogan is far more likely to be fair and just pop the book on the table out of the way. Took catches Brogan in the act and is understandably disappointed to find that the lieutenant is so dismissive. He smiles like a naughty little boy who’s been caught stealing sweets and ends up keeping the book. I suppose for the benefit of the audience it’s good to have one of our heroes learn a lesson about respecting other people’s beliefs. I just don’t think it makes sense for it to be Brogan. If Haldane were available for the scene, I guarantee it would have been him who tried to ditch the book.

Back at the temple, the Icar Vedra is popping candles on Brother Tendall’s coffin. After all, fire is their whole thing. He intends to conduct a “fire ceremony” to honour the dead priest. Sister Nevik temporarily abandons her brown-nosing and questions why the Icar would show a potential heretic such respect. She fears that this will divide the church. Oh my, the drama. The Icar insists that to remain a strong leader, he must accept the fact that Tendall lived as a loyal Pyrist and displayed no evidence to suggest the contrary, despite what others may have said. Essentially, he’s saying that spontaneous combustion shouldn’t be the headline here. Brother Tendall was a pretty nice guy for the 99.9% of his life that he wasn’t on fire for, so let’s focus on the positives.

Sister Nevik is understandably disappointed that all the effort she put into getting possessed by a divine spirit and setting fire to a man hasn’t particularly fazed the unflappable Icar Verda. Talk about a hassle.

Clouds rush past at incredible speed to dazzle the imagination. It looks as though the model team have taken the miniature set outside in order to film against real trees and sky. Either that or the compositing is just really good. Both the temple, and its spacious car park, look very impressive indeed.

Burning Brother Tendall’s remains in the exact fire pit that killed him is probably a bit harsh. Otherwise, the ceremony is going fairly well.

Alas, the troublesome Sister Nevik insists on stealing the limelight and making a spectacle of herself. Took is watching from the crowd, hooked on the theatre of it all.

The blue contact lenses are back, but this time Nevik speaks with a big, booming, masculine voice that isn’t her own. It’s Brother Tendall and he’s come to confess his sins. The speech is sparse on details, but the key takeaway is that he was a bad man who is unworthy of the fire ceremony. Well, that’s going to make the Icar Vedra look a bit of a silly sausage isn’t it?

The crowd lap it up. Nothing this exciting has ever happened in any church I’ve been to. Kalamandro catches the now unconscious Sister Nevik and really lays it on thick for the Icar Vedra. How dare the old man set fire to the remains of a heretic… who was already set fire to once before… that’s just a waste of good fire.

After the commercial break, Podly and Brogan are keen to get the scoop from Took. Brogan suggests that the Pyrists might have used a vocal reconstruction system akin to Slomo’s talents, as seen in The Power. But Took believes more firmly than ever in the Daskell and divine intervention. As one of the more emotionally intelligent characters in Space Precinct, it’s certainly compelling to see Took go through this struggle with her superiors and her faith. She maintains dignity and stands up for herself in a fairly reasonable manner. Alas, I’d be more inclined to sympathise with Took if Lisa Orgolini wasn’t so obviously playing Sister Nevik as a deeply suspicious baddie. It’s so obvious that there’s foul play afoot that Took appears stubborn rather than enlightened. Then again, I suppose this demonstrates the point that the Pyrists are very persuasive. If someone as clear-minded as Took can be convinced, nobody is safe.

Podly tries to be reasonable, asking Took to keep investigating and to come up with more evidence. After all, the open-mindedness that Took is urging from everyone else does need to go both ways.

When Took leaves, Podly quietly considers taking her off the case. Brogan, always playing fair, stands by Took and agrees that keeping an open mind is the best policy. Discussion turns to the question of ol’ Patrick’s beliefs, but the lieutenant gives nothing away. “If Haldane doesn’t get back from vacation pretty soon I *believe* that I’m gonna drown in all the paperwork.” It’s a very Brogan answer. Just a pity that it’s a lame joke.

Podly chuckles. Even a man of Jerome Willis’ talent can’t make that punchline funny.

There’s a mutiny brewing at the Pyrist temple. Sister Fancher can’t believe anyone would question the Icar Vedra’s judgement, while Kalamandro claims that the old man needs to be replaced. Sister Nevik pouts and ever so unwillingly sides with Kalamandro, who in turn nominates her to take over as leader. What a shocker.

Sister Fancher is beginning to see how things have worked out quite nicely for Sister Nevik…

With two whole episodes to tell one story, you’d better believe we have time for a Brogan family subplot.

The Brogan family are making full use of their naff garden furniture borrowed from a leisure centre cafeteria and enjoying a family barbecue together. But it’s a family barbecue mixed with a touch of theology. Those always go well. Matt and Liz have been reading up on Pyrism and, in short, they think it’s dumb and silly.

Patrick and Sally have a go at doing some decent parenting and try to teach their children that it’s important to respect other people’s beliefs whether you agree with them or not. Okay, it’s a little bit cringeworthy that they address the moral lesson so plainly, but hey, at least it’s over relatively quickly.

Matt tries to steer the situation to his advantage. The boy explains that his parents should respect his belief that he can go downtown to visit a reality arcade with his friend, Inazy – yeah, that kid is still around somewhere.

Sally respects it but she won’t let him do it. Patrick laughs. Oh yeah, I’m in hysterics over here too. This scene is a real throwback to the early days of Space Precinct, when the Brogan family functioned to spell out the moral dimension of the story, crack relatable jokes, and not do much else. More recent stories have found smarter ways to weave Patrick’s home life into the plots, or leave the kids out of it when they had nothing to contribute. I’d argue that what we have here is still a nice scene with a lot of heart, but it’s the chemistry between the actors that’s doing most of the leg work and not the flat dialogue as scripted.

The phone rings, and so the man of the house conducts the sacred rite of handing down the barbecue tongs to the first-born son.

David Quilter takes a quick break from playing Kalamandro and slips into his Fredo mask to inform Brogan that there’s a call waiting from Sister Fancher. She wants a private meeting at a secret location. Her office is decorated with a very ordinary curtain bedecked with a large fire sticker. Clearly, all the budget for sets was spent on the main temple chamber.

Brother Kem intercepts the call… or he’s trying to tune the radio to Jazz FM… one of the two.

Fancher gets ready to leave the temple under the cover of darkness, but you’d better believe Kalamandro is watching like a hawk. Yeah, definitely no funny business going on here…

Kem and Kalamandro watch Fancher leave on the security system. Kem says she took “the hopper”… as if the entire clergy only have one small car to share between all of them. With a temple that fancy I’m sure they could stretch to a minibus at least. Kalamandro hands over a key to unlock a special section of the control panel with a juicy red FIRE button on it. Standard issue equipment for all churches, I’m sure.

Meanwhile, Brogan touches down in the woods and steps out of his familiar green hopper. The last time we saw the large live action prop for the hopper it was painted red for its appearance in Smelter Skelter, so it’s undergone yet another respray to get it back to its original green.

The special effects team treat us to some misty shots of the forest at night. As with the countryside scenes in Deathwatch last week, it’s quite a novelty to spend some time outside of Demeter City itself.

Kem primes whatever dirty great weapon they plan on using, but Kalamandro wants to wait before they fire. Weirdly, they have a security camera positioned in the backseat of the hopper to look out of Fancher’s windscreen. I can’t see what the everyday use of that camera would actually be. A dash cam I can appreciate, but a back-of-the-driver’s-ear cam, not so much.

Brogan gives a signal. I’m reasonably sure that these forest scenes are filmed inside the studio since it would have been unwieldy to take the hopper out on location.

Kalamandro gives the order to “purify” Sister Fancher. What a nasty fellow.

At the touch of a button, the hopper bursts into flames and Sister Fancher loses control. Brogan is quick to spot that not all is well.

I really wish this shot worked. There’s a lack of depth between the live action green screen footage of Ted Shackelford and the model shot composited behind him. At that distance, it’s difficult to believe that he could outrun the flaming hopper.

For the main crash it looks like a lesser-detailed mock-up of Brogan’s green hopper has been deployed instead of the standard model.

On the live action set, not Ted Shackelford dives over a rock while someone sets off a firework behind him.

And so, for the second time in the series, the trusty green Brogan family car has been written off. It somehow made a comeback after crashing into an asteroid at the end of Body & Soul. Let’s hope this round of total annihilation is more final.

Back at the station house, someone is attending to Slomo’s insides. I thought that sort of thing was Carson’s job but I guess the man has more than enough to do.

Tom Selleck, is that you?

The whole team has gathered in the Captain’s office to debate what might have happened to Sister Fancher. Podly concludes that there’s nothing definite to suggest foul play, with no sign of sabotage in the hopper wreckage, and no motive for the Pyrists to want to knock out either Fancher or Brogan. Despite being a highly trained team of particularly observant police officers, every single one of them manages to completely ignore the hideous yellow shape that’s entered the room. Carson in particular must have incredibly limited peripheral vision.

Haldane finally makes his presence known with characteristic subtlety.

Brogan is thrilled to have his buddy back. He’s officially the smart one again.

Any maturity that Haldane may have learned over the course of last week’s episode disappeared as soon as he stepped on that shuttle to New Hawaii. He’s come back and brought Castle an inappropriate gift. She doesn’t seem to mind though. I think that might actually mean they’re boyfriend and girlfriend now. Maybe? It’s always so hard to tell.

With two members of the Pyrist clergy deceased, Podly decides it’s time for some undercover work. But Sister Nevik has been to the station house and seen all the officers. So who could blend in at a religious order and not be recognised? And no, Castle is not going in disguised in that grass skirt…

Yup, our knight in shining armour is the one man you’d never take anywhere near a church for fear of terrorising the nuns – it’s a job for Jack Haldane.

The man is randier than ever. Apparently working “under covers” is Haldane’s specialty and Castle using the word “consummate” makes him lose his tiny mind. That shirt has turned him into a sex monster.

So, who better to keep the randy dog in check than the Captain’s own daughter? Way back in the episode Flash, Podly mentioned that he had a daughter working at the 38th precinct. So, here’s Samina Podly in person. That raises the stakes nicely. Alexa Rosewood plays Samina, since her other character in the episode, Sister Fancher, recently… y’know… died.

Right, strap in for some more scientific garbage from Officer Carson. Today’s miracle invention is called T.I.M.E. – that’s Temporary Immersion Memory Education… it’s no BIG RAT is it? This is the first time the technology has been used in the field because it caused some brainwave anomalies during testing. “Something you don’t have to worry about, Haldane,” Carson quips. Oh you’re a comedian as well are you? There’s no end to this man’s talent for complete twaddle.

While Haldane and Samina make small talk, we’re reminded, as per Flash, that Captain Podly wasn’t keen on Samina joining the police force. She chastises Haldane for even bringing up her father, and we also learn that she spent two years at Demeter University on an athletics scholarship, joined the academy, got married, got divorced, and now lives quite unattached. She’s got spunk and can clearly give Haldane as good as he gets. Carson jams a couple of cartridges in the computer labelled ‘PYRISM’. Yes, the plan is to smush everything there is to know about the religion into Haldane and Samina’s heads overnight. The brain upload also includes Haldane and Samina’s undercover identities – Tate Huxley, an Earth Studies professor; and Kilmer Wirshum, a techno-physicist from the planet Danae. Does all this sound a bit far-fetched? Well, the alternative would be Jack Haldane reading a book, so you tell me what sounds more realistic.

Later that evening, Captain Podly steps into the medical bay to find Carson doing a sterling job keeping an eye on the brain transfer operation… by sleeping in a chair with the complete works of Shakespeare. This picks up on Carson’s one and only defining character trait established in Takeover that was never revisited again until now. Despite Carson’s negligence, I think the general mood is that the knowledge upload is going well.

Podly takes a moment to read aloud from Hamlet, “To sleep, perchance to dream.” Sounds lovely out of context, but if you know your Shakespeare you’ll be aware that said line comes from the “To be, or not to be,” monologue. So, Podly is in fact reading his daughter a quote about death.

Even during the daytime, the temple’s spacious car park is a popular place to visit.

I can’t stress enough that the main chamber of the temple is the only set to have had any effort put into its design. The initiates have all been squeezed into this very small, boring, beige classroom for Kalamandro to start teaching them. Among the group, Haldane and Samina are already hard at work.

It turns out Tate Huxley is just as lecherous as Jack Haldane.

As punishment for talking in class, Haldane is called upon to share with the group. Yeah, Kalamandro is one of those teachers. So, Haldane takes the opportunity to test out his freshly implanted knowledge by dumping a whole heap of exposition on us from the pages of the Daskell. We learn that the prophet Igora was banished to the land of ice with only one match and some kindling. His faith kept the fire burning for an entire year, thus inspiring the eternal flame. I wonder if that’s the same story that inspired the song by The Bangles.

“I see you know your Daskell well.” Anyone fancy a succulent Chinese meal?

Before Haldane can answer Kalamandro’s follow-up question about the shape of the temple, Samina has to silently remind her partner not to give away too much. They’re students after all, and shouldn’t claim to know everything just yet. Haldane picks up on the hint and allows Kalamandro to explain that the pyramid shape of the temple is inspired by chapter six of the second book of Daskell, stating that the pyramid resembles the holy flame. What an insight.

Haldane brags to his new lady friend that the quote is actually from chapter five. Someone give Tate Huxley a cold shower.

In the beige and boring corridors of the temple, Kalamandro says that Kem will introduce the seekers to their cells. Doesn’t exactly make the place feel homey. Samina takes a moment to observe Kalamandro punching a number into a keypad.

Kalamandro announces that the seekers are about to become initiates in a ceremony tonight. Haldane just can’t resist showing off and mutters to his chum “fire walk.” She’s given up on looking impressed by his knowledge. The guy is clearly just a weirdo.

Kalamandro is getting noticeably fed up with Haldane, but that’s nothing unusual.

It’s late at night and no-one is taking advantage of the temple’s ample parking facilities.

Samina, still remembering the assignment, hops out of her cell and heads back to Kalamandro’s room using the memorised door code. This would probably all feel a lot more important if the sets weren’t so beige and ugly. It’s just not a very interesting collection of scenes to look at so my brain is tuning them out.

Meanwhile, in a slightly different beige room, Kalamandro has asked Kem to do some homework on so-called Tate Huxley. But their contact says he’s legitimate. Get a better contact. Also, Kalamandro says, “I don’t like him,” in the manner of a whiny teenager and it’s unintentionally funny.

In yet another beige room, Samina is looking for evidence and finds that Kalamandro has a cupboard stocked full of what’s probably fuel. To be honest, that genuinely isn’t too shocking. It’s a cult about fire for goodness sake. Of course the man has fuel.

But oh no, Kalamandro is coming back down the beige corridor to enter his beige bedroom. Whatever will Samina do?

Wait for it…

How did… why did… sorry, what? How exactly did she get in the back of that tiny cupboard so quickly? And how the flip does Kalamandro not SEE HER? It’s so unbelievably strange. Maybe the set designer built the cupboard before turning over the page of their script and realised an actual person had to hide inside there somehow. The real question is whether Alexa Rosewood actually climbed inside the cupboard for this shot, or whether her disembodied mask was torn off and plopped in there on its own. I suspect the latter… which is terrifying.

It’s time for the initiation ceremony and goody-two-shoes Sister Nevik is ready to demonstrate the fire walk. It just about succeeds in looking dangerous but some more smoke and sizzling sound effects were probably necessary to really sell it. Curiously, all the horrendous burns on Sister Nevik’s feet have completely disappeared for this scene. Bit of an oversight there.

Tate Huxley is keen as custard. His new girlfriend on the other hand looks like she’d rather be anywhere else.

He hops straight onto the “lava” and everyone is aghast. It’s fair to say that something is wrong with Jack Haldane… or more wrong than usual, anyway.

When you ask Rob Youngblood for burnt foot acting, you get burnt foot acting. Curiously, in Steve Brown’s last script for the series – Hate Street – you had a scene where Haldane was barefoot in the cold, cold snow. Today we’ve got the polar opposite. Coincidence? Yeah, probably.

Haldane forgets all about the searing pain in his toes when he lays eyes on Sister Nevik for the first time. Yeah, he fancies her. Oh what a shocking development. None of us saw that one coming.

Car park’s full again. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.

Haldane likes it when the pretty lady touches his feet. That really is the scene in a nutshell. Nevik remarks that his burns have almost healed – a miracle in itself that isn’t dwelt upon for some reason. Haldane claims that he was compelled to try the fire walk by the spirit of Igora – the prophet mentioned earlier. Haldane also says he did the stunt to try and get Nevik’s attention. Now she’s rubbing his feet so I guess that part of the plan was a roaring success. One assumes that this is all part of the undercover officer’s strategy to infiltrate Pyrism at the very top. It’s a very Haldane way of going about it.

Rob Youngblood’s acting talents are pushed to the limits when he has to be horny, hurried and hurt at the same time. So as Nevik goes to leave he just leaps up from the bed, makes a vague attempt to use some crutches, and does some oohs and ahs for good measure.

He’s burnt his lip and she offers herself as a soothing balm. Well, at least Haldane’s found someone as randy as he is. It spits on his relationship with Castle quite a bit though. Even in the line of undercover work, this is probably too much. Has the poor boy lost his mind completely? That’s pretty much the only reasonable explanation at this point, therefore making the story a tad predictable as a result.

Kalamandro catches them in the act and manages to maintain his composure for a moment. But he’s concerned that Tate Huxley will distract Sister Nevik from her responsibilities. He declares, “I will NOT have you interfering with her.” It’s a line David Quilter definitely delivers with as much innuendo as possible. Carrying his crutches without even pretending to use them, Haldane strolls out of the room believing Kalamandro is being “touchy.” Is the implication that Kalamandro fancies Nevik as well? That certainly would be a twist.

Kalamandro and Kem have isolated some seriously attractive still frames of Haldane from their security footage. As always, the security footage looks suspiciously like regular footage from the actual show. They’re sending the images through to their contact to try and dig up some more dirt on so-called Tate Huxley. I’m sure it’s standard procedure for all the initiates Sister Nevik goes around smooching.

Hey, remember the police part of this show? I feel like I’ve been staring at robes and beige corridors for so long I’d forgotten I was watching Space Precinct. The slower pace of this two-part story is definitely starting to drag. An interruption from Slomo is a welcome relief, as he reveals there’s a file from Interplanetary on Kalamandro.

His real name is Andrew Kalam and, what a surprise, he’s a former arsonist. The address of the Pyrist Temple is located Glenjohn Blvd in tribute to the episode’s director.

Took wants to believe that after 10 years with the Pyrists, Kalamandro might have changed his ways. To be fair, if you’re an arsonist who spends a decade worshipping fire and you don’t burn down a building, there’s reasonable cause to say you’re a reformed citizen. That’s an awful lot of temptation to resist. Alas, Brogan’s outlook isn’t so positive. He’s very fair to Took, but can’t avoid upsetting her when he questions the so-called miracles and coincidence.

Castle and Carson arrive at Brogan’s desk with an additional piece of paper to try and move the plot forward. It reveals that the Pyrists have been trying to run an unauthorised I.D. check on Tate Huxley. Castle is clearly worried that Haldane is in trouble. I wouldn’t worry about him, Jane. He ain’t worrying about you.

It’s a stormy night at the temple and Officer Castle has decided to pay a visit wearing one of her lowest-effort disguises yet. I suppose the Vegas showgirl outfit from Predator and Prey wouldn’t have been appropriate. Castle reveals that things could be about to turn nasty for the operation if the I.D. checks on Tate Huxley are anything to go by. Samina explains that she hasn’t had contact with Haldane for a week and that Jack has either chosen to work alone, or he’s been seduced by Sister Nevik. Right on cue, Haldane and Nevik come into the chamber looking very friendly. Castle’s disguise is bullet proof, and so is her belief in Haldane’s police work. Oh honey, he ain’t treating you right.

Meanwhile, the Brogans are having the Podlys over for dinner. How delightful is that? Seen out of uniform for the first time in the series, Podly is sporting a bright green suit to go with the bright green cocktails. Maybe it’s St. Patrick’s Day? Kate Harper, who previously played Iona Datch in The Witness and Maya Tropek in Hate Street, has returned to the series to play the Captain’s wife, Fama Podly. She has the same hair stylist as Sally Brogan. The spouses are none the wiser to Samina and Haldane’s whereabouts, with Fama reading out a fake postcard supposedly sent by her daughter from New Hawaii. That’s quite the cover-up! Patrick is less creative and just tells Sally that Haldane has been busy doing overtime.

The pair of lying husbands discuss the undercover operation while Sally and Fama prepare dinner. “Haldane’s my partner, not my daughter,” Brogan explains for any of the really slow viewers watching. Based on Castle’s intel, Podly intends on getting Samina and Haldane out of the Pyrist Temple as soon as possible. But it’s already too late…

With cleverly used news footage from the episode, Divided We Stand, Kalamandro and Kem have proof that Tate Huxley is, in fact, Officer Jack Haldane. Uh-oh.

Kalamandro bursts into Sister Nevik’s beige cell to find Haldane kneeling on the floor having a good ol’ pray. I don’t think there’s anything kinky about it but you never know.

The raging acolyte decides that slapping Haldane across the face is the wisest course of action at this point. It’s not much of a plan, but you’ve got to start somewhere I suppose.

Kalamandro furiously reveals Haldane’s true identity to Sister Nevik. Turns out she already knows. Kalamandro was getting all flustered over nothing. Yes, in a shocking twist the officer has compromised the undercover operation completely and decided to embrace Pyrism. Kalamandro isn’t convinced.

And so Haldane asks for the chance to prove that there is truly fire within him. He seems to have genuinely flipped. There’s no way Jack Haldane would be so committed to the bit under normal circumstances. It’s not an earth-shattering twist because there’s clearly been something wrong with Haldane from the moment he stepped into the temple. Plus the walls are so, so, so beige that I’m just desperate for something interesting to happen.

Just one car in the parking lot tonight and it’s the limo that’s been seen frequently across the series – most recently spotted on the roof of the Jewelry Center in Smelter Skelter.

Samina has been tricked into joining Haldane, Nevik, and Kalamandro for a drive. The pretence doesn’t last long. Sister Nevik addresses Samina as Officer Podly. Alas, there’s nothing Samina can do to shake Haldane out of his creepy cult vibe. “There’s only truth in the fire. All else is lies,” he decrees. Oh very profound.

Punching Samina on the nose proves more effective than quoting Pyrist bible verse at her.

As with so many Space Precinct vehicles, the interior of the limo looks far too much like a regular car, while the effects team have tried their best to make the model appear more interesting. Haldane drags his colleague out into the woods for what I’m sure will be a wholesome excursion.

Haldane’s test of loyalty involves fire… obviously. Behind the scenes photos reveal that at least the car scenes in the forest were shot inside the studio. If there was any location filming, I don’t have a record of it.

Well this is a stunning shot. Matte painting. Double moon. Heavy storm clouds. City lights in the distance. Absolutely rich with atmosphere. What’s not to love?

Haldane pushes a pleading Samina further into the forest, bringing her past a cave where a funny little man is hanging out. He’s the one-eyed gentleman whose appearance was spoiled for us last week in the opening titles of Deathwatch. He’s played by Wayne Forester, who seems to have carved out a niche on Space Precinct for playing little old men – see Illegal and The Witness for just a couple of examples.

Haldane’s getting a real kick out of waving fire in Samina’s face as she’s forced towards the edge of a cliff. It’s certainly a dramatic climax to the episode, but there is something slightly lacking about it. I wouldn’t have minded Rob Youngblood kicking his performance up a notch to full-blown derangement. He gives it a good go, but there’s something being held back. Some more theatrical weather effects like a rumbling thunderstorm and gale-force winds might have sold the drama of it better for me too. Don’t get me wrong, this scene is most of the way there – there are just some extra flourishes that would have made the scenario even more nightmarish.

Rob Youngblood appears to have stopped acting completely when it’s time to set fire to Samina. There’s nervous concentration on his face that doesn’t really suggest he’s joined a cult that loves fire. I’m sensing that Rob would rather have a stunt man doing this for him. Meanwhile, Alexa Rosewood’s horror as Samina is perfect. Obviously, in the long shots, it’s Glenn Marks who’s actually set on fire.

The Pyrists are loving the show from the safety of the car.

For the BBC2 version of the episode, an alternative scene was filmed that didn’t involve Haldane setting fire to Samina which was shot alongside this original version. In that family-friendly variant, she just fell off the cliff. I think you’ll agree that the flames offer a certain je ne sais quoi.

The old man can only watch in horror as the burning (or not burning for BBC2 viewers) figure of Samina Podly drops off the cliff with a satisfying sploosh into the ocean at the bottom. Well, my friends, how could she possibly have gotten out of that one? Has Haldane killed Captain Podly’s daughter? Has he really dedicated himself to Pyrism and murdering police officers?

Oh, and who’s this guy? Find out next week!

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The unintentional cliffhanger of Deathwatch left me hungry for more. The purposeful (and rather on the nose) cliffhanger of The Fire Within leaves me only a tad curious. In my humble opinion, it just doesn’t feel like there are enough loose threads that would warrant another 45 minutes of television to wrap them up. Right now, Haldane’s apparent indoctrination into Pyrism is the only bit of intrigue. The other peculiar goings-on can be explained away pretty quickly as infighting between the priests that’s gone a bit too far. I feel like the whole thing could have been wrapped up this week if a couple of earlier scenes had been shortened for timing. For a story about a religious cult, there’s a surprising lack of mystery. So, my expectation is that Part Two is going to need to significantly build on the story and add an extra dimension that I wasn’t prepared for.

Otherwise, Part One of The Fire Within is a solid Space Precinct episode, albeit not as spectacular as I was hoping from the two-part status. The main chamber of the temple was impressive, and all the ceremonial business with the flames and the congregation looked great. Unfortunately, the other scenes in the corridors, cells, classroom, and control room of the temple were ever so bland. David Quilter as snippy Kalamandro is probably the standout performance from the story so far, but I’ll wager the rest of the cast have more to give in Part Two when the stakes are a bit higher. I thought Mary Woodvine would get something interesting to do with all those challenges to Took’s faith, but that wasn’t taken much further after the first half of the episode. Otherwise, most of the actors are just plodding along with not a lot to get their teeth into. I guess I’d better get on with watching Part Two and stop complaining about a story that’s only half done…