Capture is the third episode of the Logan's Run television series. It first aired 30 September 1977.
In this episode Logan 5 and the other Sandmen's wardrobe changes. They trade in the uncomfortable movie Sandman outfits for more comfortable one-piece tops. As a result they look quite a bit cooler. Also on their belts appear small pouches. Francis 7 returns after his absence from the first regular episode. This is the first appearance of the DS Groundcar. Mary Wornov (popular actress in many cult movies) gives a performance as the wife, Irene, of the big game hunter, James Bordon as played by Horst Buchholz. Fantastic location photography in this episode. The interaction between the characters of Logan and Francis develops, and Heather Menzies (as Jessica) does a fantastic job of looking frightened at the hands of Mary Woronov.
Summary[]
Among giant trees, the Solarcraft is parked outside a truly dilapidated shack. Rem comes out and complains about what terrible housekeepers they are. Logan and Jessica are relaxing near the water. Logan asks Rem what these insects are. Rem tells him about grasshoppers and how resilient they are. Jessica invites Rem to come in the water. Rem informs them that water might corrode his circuits should his outer skin be broken and that it would take him self weeks to clean off the corrosion.
As they relax, Francis has climbed a nearby rock and gets the jump on them. Logan is frozen by Francis. The others stand around as Francis takes Logan's gun. Another Sandman, named Benjamin, shows up to cover the others. Logan slowly wakes up. Francis tells Logan that the outside has worn down his edge. Logan asks why Francis does not kill them. Francis tells him that he has orders to take him and the girl back to the City of Domes. Logan makes a comment about knowing the Mountain City could not have held Francis and that sooner or later they would escape.
Francis is going to take Logan and Jessica back to the Groundcar and orders Benjamin to dispose of Rem who he calls a 'thing.' Rem resents being called an object. Francis reassures Rem that he will not be an object much longer. Logan tries to talk Francis into letting Rem go as he is not programmed to harm human beings. Benjamin trains his gun on Rem. Francis Logan and Jessica leave in the Solarcraft.
Benjamin is suggested to stand well back as Rem is nuclear powered. Rem suggests that Benjamin gets behind an object far away like the large tree. Benjamin notices that Rem is being very helpful and wonders aloud if Rem is programmed to be that way because he is programmed not to harm human beings. Rem tells him as he runs away that he is programmed for survival. Rem runs into the old shack to hide. He avoids the weak floorboards and hides. Making a loud noise Rem attracts Benjamin onto the floor which collapses. Rem picks up the gun and hopes Benjamin is not hurt.
The Solarcraft continues through the forest. It pulls to a stop and Francis emerges first. Logan attacks Francis and they have a tense hand to hand fight. But Francis gets the upper hand. Francis orders Jessica and Logan to get some blankets out of the car. They are unaware that they are being watched.
Rem still holding the gun is at the DS Ground car. Benjamin announces that the Ground Car will now run. Evidently some time has passed as Rem emotions that they have half of a day. Benjamin dusts himself off.
Benjamin wonders if Rem could shoot him. Rem explains that if they struggled the gun might go off as the gun is not programmed to harm humans.
Back at the Solarcraft it is now night and they are all sitting around the campfire. Off in the distance they hear a horrible scream. Logan thinks it must be a wild animal and suggests that Jessica sleeps in the vehicle. Francis helps the tied up Jessica into the drivers seat which Logan struggles to free himself. Francis comes back outside. Logan welcomes Francis to the great outside. Logan points out that they were friends for a long time. Francis is willing to believe a lie which Logan is not. People in the city of domes are running off to carousel at 30 believing they will be renewed when they are actually going to their death. Francis says something about it being the best thing for the City. Logan mentions that it may not be best for the people. Francis tells him the he will testify before Carousel. He tells Logan that he will testify after he has been reprogrammed. Jessica will be reprogrammed too. Logan tells Francis that they will be lying as there is life outside. Francis points out there is no sanctuary outside. There are no runners outside because they are all dead, the outside killed them.
In a creepy point of view shot a visitor approaches the sleeping people, enters the solarcraft and drugs Jessica.
The next morning Francis is already up. he announces that he is going back after Benjamin and unties Logan. Logan goes to the Solarcraft and notices that Jessica is gone. Logan notices the ropes have been cut. Francis notices a set of male footprints. Francis orders Logan back to the tree. Logan wants to help. Two Sandmen are better than one at tracking. Logan promises not to try to escape. The Ground Car travels on with Rem and Benjamin.Back with Logan and Francis we hear the creepy music and see the point of view shot again. They are following the set of tracks, but Logan notices an optical sensor and pushes Francis out of the way of a falling trap.
Logan wants his weapon back. He promises to give it back to Francis when they get rescue Jessica. Francis agrees and hands over the gun. Rem and Benjamin arrive at the Solarcraft. Rem orders Benjamin out of the Ground Car. Rem checks the fire remnants and the blankets. He surmises that they will be coming back soon.
Francis and Logan are climbing a rise noticing that it is getting late. Francis suggests that they return. Barking dogs interrupt the conversation as James Borden arrives on the scene. he says that they are on his land. He says he has never heard of the city of domes. Borden tells them about a band of mutants who live back at the swamp. He has the dogs to protect them from the band of mutants. Borden knows every inch of the land and he won't stay out after dark. He suggests they raid the camp tomorrow and get everyone out (Jessica and servants who have been taken as well). They hear some Jackal Wolves and move to Borden's electronic repulsion system. He opens an area in the force field so they can go through. When asked about something he said he mentions his wife.
Irene is Borden's wife and is busy showing off James weapon collection to the Sandmen. Their house looks like a hunting lodge (I think the outside was used in a couple episodes of the A-team and once in greatest American hero as well) on the outside and the inside is filled with gun racks. Most of them have security cables holding them in place. That or they are locked in cabinets. She is quite proud of the collection. So is James. A brief discussion about how projectile weapons function follows. Irene prefers the older projectile weapons. James prefers a very fancy blaster/rifle which can fire two types of bolts. After looking at the collection Logan wonders what James hunts. That is the problem Borden admits, there is not much around. he blames the ever popular mutants for poaching most of the local game.
Irene then enters a darkened room. she turns on the lights and we see Jessica sitting on the bed. She offers Jessica some food. Jessica wonders why they are doing this. Irene calmly and coldly explains that Borden has stalked and hunted every kind of animal. It became to easy for him. So now he has decided to hunt a different game. She moves to a cupboard and press a button on a controller and the cabinet opens to reveal five ankhs. Irene tells Jessica that none of them proved much of a challenge. None seemed to know how to use a weapon. Jessica wonders why she is wanted if she is no challenge. Jessica learns that Logan and Francis are in the house. Irene tells her that Logan and Francis will make an interesting days sport. And when Logan and Francis are finished it will be time for Irene to hunt Jessica. Jessica cries out for Logan to help her, but the room is sound proofed. Irene leaves. Outside Logan is getting some fresh air. Irene comes out to talk to him. Logan is leaning up against a post. Irene asks if anything is wrong. Logan could not sleep. Logan is thinking about Jessica and the mutants. Irene assures him that soon they will all be together. She tells him to get some sleep as he will need all his strength for tomorrow.
The sun rises in the forest and Rem is herding Benjamin around at gunpoint. Rem locks him in the Solarcraft. Benjamin tries to drive away. Rem points out he took a component form the car. Rem walks off in search of Logan and the others. Logan and Francis and Borden leave through the fence. We see Irene watching through Borden's neck-cam as the trio trots off through the forest. The trio climbs over some rocks and up a rise. Irene continues to watch. Irene plays the sound of Jessica screaming. Logan notices it is a recording played over and over. Logan and Francis turn back coming to the same conclusion.
Borden is no where to be seen. Talking via speakers. He tells them that Sandmen are the most dangerous men alive and now they are going to prove it. He offers a 15 minute head start. The prize is Logan's and Francis's lives. They will have to kill Borden to win.
Logan and Francis are looking around. Francis wants to go back to the vehicle. Logan does not want to leave without Jessica. Logan will not give up his weapon. He wants to beat him at his own game. Logan reignites their old hunting friendship and they set off to kill Borden. Irene is watching Jessica and tells her that her time is coming soon. She gloats about how good James is.
Borden is stalking and so are Logan and Francis. A bolt flies by Logan's head and they hide behind some rocks. Then they make a break for it. Francis tries to convince Logan to go back to the vehicle and get Benjamin. They hear a sound and move and they fall and are trapped in a metal pit cage. Logan and Francis Logan suggests they build a ladder with Francis's weapon. Francis makes holes in the metal wall so they can climb out. Borden is attracted by the sounds and knows where they come from.
Logan and Francis climb out. At the top is Logan's gun. As he reaches for it Borden shoots it into nothingness. They run off. Borden looks into the pit and is impressed by their creativity. Jessica is still being watched in the bedroom. Irene watches her closely. It looks like she is biting a poisoned tooth. She then falls down clutching her stomach. Irene investigating is overpowered.
Jessica makes a run for it but all the weapons are locked. She runs out of the house. The dogs chase her;. She turns around and screams at a figure, but it is Rem. He scares away the dogs. Jessica though Rem was dead. She tell then of Borden and how he hunts Logan and Francis. They run off Back in the bedroom Irene opens the door with a secret control. Calm and in control she opens a gun cabinet and take out an old projectile weapon. She loads several bullets into it.
Rem and Jessica are searching for Logan and Francis. Jessica trips over some logs and Rem reminds her to be very very quiet. They hear Borden's voice over the speakers. Rem detects Logan and Francis with his heat sensors. As they go off to find them Irene shows up with her rifle just over the rise.
Logan and Francis set off another trap. This time a cage appearing form nowhere. Borden is notified by his beeping device on his belt. Francis seems unable to bend the bars. Francis tries to blast the bars. Rem and Jessica hear the shots and wonder if it good or bad news. Borden announces how simply they are trapped and how he is only five minutes away from them. Logan looks for what caused the cage. he spots as projector device. Logan convinces Francis to shoot the device. The bars vanish and they are free. Borden arrives a bit too late. he sees the burned out projector. He calls out to taunt them again. He has revised his estimate of them. The games are over. Now the real hunt begins. Borden adjusts the settings on his gun.
Rem and Jessica stumble down a slope. Jessica calls out for Logan. Irene hears this clearly. Logan thinks it is not a trap. Rem is worried about weather it was wise or not to do that. Borden comes over some rocks and gets the drop on Jessica. he hides behind a rock. Irene appears on the scene. She gets Jessica in her sights. Borden leaps out and shoots Irene thinking it to be Logan. He is overcome and rushes to her. Rem and Jessica run away. Borden holds his dying wife. She dies in his arms talking about how next time she will use a newer weapon.
Borden is furious. He calls out to Logan and Francis. Telling them how his wife is dead. Borden runs through the woods. So do Logan and Francis who stop in a clearing. Francis points out some movement. Logan hides behind a tree. Logan yells out to Francis asking where he is going. Francis yells back how Logan is dead weight without a weapon. Francis leaves.
In a clever plot Francis climbs to higher ground while Borden chases after Logan. Borden gets off a few poorly aimed shots at Logan. Logan runs up a rise but is cornered by Borden. Francis who is now at the top of the rise calls out Borden's name. As he spins around Francis shoots him. Borden is dead before his stunt double can hit the ground.
Francis goes to check the body. Rem collects his gun and gives it to Logan. Logan ponders shooting Francis. He then hands the gun back to Francis. Rem wonders what came over Logan. Rem frees Benjamin Rem claims he misplaces a piece of a vehicle. He suggest they go on foot. Rem rambles on about the sun and the desert and how they would all end up as a pile of bleached bones. Logan wants a head start. Francis agrees. Rem goes off to fix the vehicles. Logan and Francis part ways until next time. The trio enters the Solarcraft. Jessica tells Rem that he was wonderful. Rem pulls out Benjamin's weapon (Rem did not feel it was part of the deal) so now Logan is armed again! They drive off into the forest.
Trivia[]
Unlike in other episodes the back of the Ground car has a upside down fin design behind the driver side door. I guess this makes it look sort of like a shark. In front of the door is a number which appears to read 211. In later episodes this design was replaced with a series of single digit numbers in front and a crystal symbol on the back.
