Confetti Check A-O.K.

An unusual episode is told in flashback, as we see Ed and his wife Suzanne Neve in happier times, in love and even allowing Ed to be styled with a normal hairdo. It gives us a chance to see an entirely different aspect of his personality, as well as permitting a light-hearted mood for a change.

The segment turns dramatic when the burdens of Ed's new assignment heading up SHADO interfere with his private life and the necessities of secrecy end up shattering his marriage.

It's a valuable Origin story putting into perspective the importance and scope of SHADO and Ed's mission, backed by the United Nations.

In many ways, "Confetti Check A-OK" might have been a great first or perhaps second episode. It explains a lot about Straker--the sort of person he is, the way the job helped change him and why his wife left him (you did learn he had an ex-wife who hated him in an earlier episode--episode #5). In so many ways I loved this episode and am very glad I saw it.

The show begins with one of the officers of SHADO celebrating the birth of a child. This event causes Straker to daydream--and think about his own marriage and birth of his son.

The first episode takes place about 1970. It begins with Straker on his honeymoon with his pretty wife. They seem tremendously happy and in love. However, unexpectedly, their trip to Greece is aborted at the last minute because of work--a familiar pattern for the rest of Straker's career. The reason the problem comes up now is that General Henderson has been injured and he wants his trusted friend Ed Straker to make the pitch to a United Nations committee for the formation of SHADO in order to combat the recent UFO incursions. Seeing that Henderson and Straker were friends (almost like a big-brother relationship) was particularly striking because their relationship during the series (set in 1980) was so acrimonious and adversarial! This was a clever twist. What also was clever is that Straker's presentation and support for Henderson for the head of SHADO was so strong that this convinced the committee to put the entire operation in Straker's hands! Seeing how Straker worked 25 hour days and had to sacrifice so much of his marriage to this ultra-super-über-mega-top-secret project was rather sad--and really pulled me into the show. Its insights into Straker and his marriage were quite poignant and fascinating.

Overall, an episode not to be missed--powerful and intriguing throughout.

Beforehand already know that I'll be hard beaten up by my review, in this melodramatic and weak episode when Col. Straker reminds his early establishing process of Shado agency he had just been married and packed up his bags for a honeymoon at Greece with his jolly wife Mary, a phone call at last moment change everything, he had turn around and flew toward UN's New York to replace Gen. Handerson due a car's accident was out of action at wheelchair there Col. Straker impressed so much the committee of members countries that Shado was approved by unanimous including nominated Starker as head of Shado's plant.

It somehow make a disorder at your private life when his upset wife is getting suspicious about a possible Straker's affair, meanwhile Mary got pregnancy and Straker is working hard till late at night without a previous warning or a mere phone call neither, thus Straker's marriage was in worsening process, when Mary decides leaves him for good, ends up falling down the stair (here is too melodramatic) put in jeopardy the unborn baby also his own wife, whereof later Straker has to face his annoyed father-in-law at lobby.

Straker in the middle of process is willing to tell to Mary his position of Shado promptly denied by Col. Freeman, due the nature of this top-secret agency, well later in the series Col. Henderson became Straker's furious opponent as appears in many episodes often objecting him in any matter concerning the budge or safe process, strangely both were closest friends at Shado's creation, a fair episode, should be the pilot or in beginning of the series.

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First watch: 2013 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 6.