Exposed (UFO)

"Exposed" is the second episode aired of the first series of UFO - a 1970 British television science fiction series about an alien invasion of Earth. The screenplay was written by Tony Barwick and the director was David Lane. The episode was filmed between 13 May and 23 May 1969 and aired on the ATV Midlands network on 23 September 1970. Though shown as the second episode, it was actually the fifth to have been filmed.

The episode introduces Colonel Paul Foster (Michael Billington), who was to become a regular character for the rest of the series.

The series was created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade's Century 21 Productions for Grade's ITC Entertainment company.

Plot
When the Sky One interceptor aircraft intercepts and destroys a UFO, the explosion causes the nearby experimental test aircraft XV-104, whose pilot refused the order to leave the area, to crash. While the co-pilot Jim is killed, the pilot Paul Foster (Michael Billington) survives, temporarily blinded.

After waking in hospital and regaining his sight, Foster claims that the cause of the aircraft crash was a UFO but his superior at his employer Ventura Aircraft and an RAF investigator, Dr. Douglas Jackson (Vladek Sheybal), do not believe him as evidence, showing Sky One but no UFOs, points to pilot error. Believing that a cover-up is taking place, Foster undertakes his own investigation into the events surrounding the crash. He is aided by the sister (Jean Marsh) of the dead co-pilot.

Foster's investigation leads him to Commander Edward Straker (Ed Bishop). Straker agrees to meet Foster at the Harlington-Straker Studios that are used as a cover for the secret SHADO Control base located beneath. Straker is in fact testing Foster to see if he is capable of joining SHADO. Foster passes the induction and Straker reveals all about the UFO threat that Earth faces, also revealing that both Jackson and Jim's sister are actually SHADO operatives.

Regular cast

 * Ed Bishop — Commander Ed Straker
 * George Sewell — Colonel Alec Freeman
 * Michael Billington — Colonel Paul Foster
 * Gabrielle Drake — Lieutenant Gay Ellis
 * Wanda Ventham — Colonel Virginia Lake
 * Peter Gordeno — Captain Peter Carlin
 * Dolores Mantez — Lieutenant Nina Barry
 * Gary Myers — Captain Lew Waterman
 * Keith Alexander — Lieutenant Keith Ford
 * Ayshea — Lieutenant Ayshea Johnson
 * Vladek Sheybal — Dr Douglas Jackson
 * Norma Ronald — Miss Ealand

Production
Locations used for the filming included MGM-British Studios and Neptune House at ATV Elstree Studios, both in Borehamwood.

Reception
Review website anorakzone.com describes the episode as "functional but decent" and "watchable stuff – although, unlike the best of UFO, there's never really any sense that the story will go in an area you didn't expect".