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In the test lab scenes, on the table near the video display, there sits a Heathkit oscilloscope. It looks like a model OM-2. I had one of these at the time. I guess Winslow Aeronautics was trying to save money on test gear. Posted by daveb, 11/23/10.
+"General Brand, Meet Tom Swift." Winslow's cost-cutting measures extend well beyond its test gear. Some of the rocketship drawings on the walls of the Winslow offices look like they were borrowed from the covers of several 1950s Tom Swift, Jr. novels. One can easily understand General Addison Brand's concerns about the future of the U.S. space program if it had to depend on Winslow's production line. Submitted by BobH, 22 August 2016.
This is another one of my favorite episodes as it involves technology from the Space Age. Submitted by gracep, 12/23/2010.
+ And Real History from the Space Race: "Project Mercury" was mentioned twice, and astronauts "Grissom, Shepard & Colonel Glenn" once. Submitted by History teacher Mike Bedard, 2/2/2015.
Paul Drake as guinea pig and the scene involving the newspaper article pictured above make this one a delight, too! Submitted by gracenote, 7/20/2011.
And then there is the lovely Jeanne Bal … wow! Submitted by Mike Reese, 11/26/2011.
+ Amen to that! Submitted by 65tosspowertrap, 10/23/2013.
+ Indeed! PM features many beautiful actresses, but she is top of the list, in my opinion. I always thought Bones McCoy scored THE most beautiful love interest on ST TOS with her as his old flame in THE MAN TRAP, despite Capt. Kirk's way with women! Submitted by JazzBaby, 3/11/2019.
Anomaly: General Brand & Major Heller were identified as former Air Force officers, but the murderer says on the witness stand they knew each other "in the Army." Submitted by Mike Bedard, 2/2/2015.
+ The USAF was originally a division of the Army, so depending on the time frame, that might make sense. Submitted by Notcom, 011916.
++ Yes, the National Security Act of 1947 created a new Dept. of the Air Force: the USA & USAF became separate services from then on. Mike Bedard 4.27.16
Project Gemini was officially named in Jan. 1962 & continued through the Gemini 12 splashdown of Nov. 1966: "The...program consisted of...19 launches, 2...uncrewed, 7 target...and 10 crewed... each...carried 2 astronauts to...orbit," nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/gemini.html observes. Mike Bedard 3.16.15.
Astronaut Arguments: OK, I like the technology, and the editing showing glimpses of the instruments. And I certainly won't argue with Jeanne Bal. But the case hung on the imitation of the voices. I watch and enjoy this episode, but for the story itself I find it pretty dopey. JohnK, 19 January 2016
+ That's a Rodger, JohnK: they did a good job of name-dropping (of actual NASA programs and people) and set-up a scenario for how this company could be involved, but the premise that the whole Space Program would be allowed to be dependent on one individual - one considered "unreliable" at that !! - is ludicrous. Major government programs aren't run by a handful of employees sitting around a table..at least they weren't back in the early 60's. Notcom, 040820.
In court, Dr. Linda Carey wears no jewelry, not even her space lab pearls.
All in all, not a satisfactory episode, with a overly elaborate crime that would have collapsed had one person shown up a few minutes late or the other a few minutes early. And how did the voice artist know what our victim sounded like?
DODay 10/31/17
+My guess as to how the voice artist would know Brand's voice is that it was on tape. It was recorded when he stated he was firing Heller. While only a transcript was read in court, the original tape still existed and Perry could've gotten access to it. Submitted by Kenmore 9/30/2020.
"The Last of General Brand . . . and Sheila." As John K notes, the plot hinges on the murderer's ability to imitate General Brand's--i.e. James Coburn's--voice. More than a decade later, in the movie whodunit "The Last of Sheila" (1973), the plot again depends on the murderer's ability to mimic James Coburn's distinctive voice. Submitted by BobH, 29 April 2017.
Yes, as I think about it more, the plot does seem a little far-fetched. The main clue is the metal strip from the Polaroid, but would the murderer really need to take a photo of the scene in order to re-create it again? A lamp and chair were tipped over, a few things on the floor. The witness isn't going to remember exactly where they were positioned.
...and the glass shade of that lamp is miraculously unbroken.
+The witness, Bruce Young, had taken photos of the scene when he arrived at 8:45. Recreating the scene to exactly match his photographs required another photograph. dpj 2/19/2021.