Jaws of Orthrus (TV story)

Jaws of Orthrus was the eighth episode of Series 1 of K9. This episode featured more conflict among the team concerning doubts about what K9 was.

Synopsis
Inspector Drake is attacked by K9, or so it seems. June Turner and the Department have orders to capture K9 and detain him. However Starkey discover Drake has plans to capture K9 and have him dismantled. Whilst watching a video playback of the alleged attack, Jorjie wonders why Drake had a smug smile on his face and June investigates Project Orthrus.

Plot
June makes a statement to protesters concerning the introduction of Department microchips, insisting that they are for their own good. When they start throwing fruit, Drake orders the CCPCs to arrest the protesters. K9 arrives and suddenly opens fire on the Department banners and balloons, and then shoots Drake. June is shocked and wonders why K9 has done this. At Jorjie's house, June tells Jorjie of K9's attempt on Drake's life and that they have to go to Gryffen's. They arrive and show Starkey, Gryffen and K9 footage of him shooting Drake. K9 says that he has no memory of that. June tells him to hand himself over. Gryffen tells K9 to download his memory of the morning, but K9 says that he erased an alarm causing half an hour to be wiped.

Darius and Starkey argue over K9's innocence. K9 insists that he must hand himself in. Later, when Darius is cleaning Mariah, Jorjie is appalled that he could accuse K9 of attacking Drake. Darius says he's just a machine and Jorjie asks if that's the same way he feels about Mariah. Jorjie talks to Starkey about K9 and speculates that K9 malfunctioned or another robot dog from the 50th century came through the STM. Starkey tells Jorjie about the time Drake threatened Starkey and K9 offered to "take him out". Jorjie voices her concerns to Gryffen about Starkey and that he may put himself in danger.

Darius is apprehended by CCPCs and sent to Drake. He says Darius isn't someone who picks the losing team and offers to join Darius. Jorjie wonders why Drake had a smug smile on the recording. Starkey wonders if Darius has a point about K9. At Jorjie's house, June tells her that she will make sure Drake deals with K9 "by the book". K9 is fitted with a device to find if he goes "walkabout" during the night. K9 says he would like to know himself, and Gryffen modifies K9's tail with a transmitter.

Later that night, K9 attacks Mariah. At Department HQ June sees Drake's smug smile in the recording and finds his warrant for K9's arrest under Operation Orthrus. When she decides to look into the matter, access is denied. She is met by Drake, and asks why she hasn't been informed of Orthrus. He says it's classified. She asks why, before he was shot, he smiled while everyone else ducked for cover.

At the mansion Darius goes to wash Mariah when he suddenly finds her in a wreck with the words "K9 woz ere" on her window. As Darius furiously tells Starkey about K9, K9 destroys the device Gryffen put on his tail. When the team watches the recording, Starkey says that K9 has been framed to distract them. K9 insists that he must surrender himself. When CCPC's arrive at the door, Starkey tells K9 to prepare his Photon Cannon but K9 refuses. When Drake and two CCPCs arrive to arrest K9, Jorjie demands to see the warrant. One of the CCPCs grabs her arm, but Darius puts a bucket on its head and Gryffen uses the same device he modified K9 with to disrupt the other CCPC's circuitry and causes it to start dancing.

As the kids leave, Drake stops Gryffen's control over the CCPC. As the CCPC's pursue K9 and the others, they are split up and Darius is alone with K9. K9 arms his Photon Cannon and fires at Darius but misses. Darius runs to Starkey and Jorjie and tells them that K9 tried to kill him. They don't believe him but K9 arrives and arms his Cannon at Jorjie. Starkey stands in front of her to protect her. As K9 prepares to fire he is suddenly shot by a second K9, the true K9. When the fake prepares to fire again, K9 disables it. Drake arrives and prepares to arrest K9 but is stopped by June who reveals that Project Orthrus is not approved by the Department.

Cast

 * K9 Mark 2 - John Leeson
 * Starkey - Keegan Joyce
 * Jorjie Turner - Philippa Coulthard
 * Darius Pike - Daniel Webber
 * Professor Alistair Gryffen - Robert Moloney
 * June Turner - Robyn Moore
 * Drake - Connor Van Vuuren

Production crew

 * Writer - Lindsay James
 * Director - James Bogle
 * Producers - Penny Wall, Richard Stewart, Simon Barnes
 * Executive producers - Jim Howell, Grant Bradley, Steve Robbins
 * Associate producers - Bob Baker, Paul Tams
 * Supervising producer - Dale Bradley
 * Co-Executive producer - Mark Blythe
 * With special thanks - Sam Tromans
 * Line producer - Pam Collis
 * VFX Director - David Napier
 * Series Production Designer - Jon Dowding
 * Episodic Designer - Adam Head
 * New K9 Design by - Paul Tams, Alex Kubalsky
 * Series Director of Photography - Ben Nott
 * Episodic Director of Photography - Tony O'Loughlan
 * Music by - Christopher Elves
 * K9 theme music by - Michael Lira
 * Editor - Patrick Stewart
 * Casting - Faith Martin and associates
 * Episodic casting - Lisa Maloney
 * Drama/Dialogue coach - Peter Kent
 * Story Producer - Greg Walters
 * Script Adaption - Michaeley O'Brien
 * Production Accountant - Pru Donovan
 * 1st Assistant Director - Peter McLennan
 * Script Supervisor - Sue Ketchington
 * Costume Designer - Joanne Thompson
 * Makeup Designer - Sharon Robbins
 * Puppeteer - David Pawsey
 * Location Manager - Charles Boyle
 * Sound Recordist - Ian Grant
 * B Camera Operator - Dan Maxwell
 * Gaffer - Steve Monk
 * Key Grip - Billy Harmer
 * Special thanks to - Space Furniture, Shredox, J. Barbour & Sons Ltd, Heath Williams at Firefly Lighting, Videopro
 * Safety Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator - Danny Baldwin
 * Transport Manager - Alister Ward
 * Unit Manager - Graeme Suhr
 * Post Production Facility - Cutting Edge Australia
 * Head of Post Production - John Lee
 * Sound Design - Warren Pearson

Story notes

 * This episode first aired on Disney XD the same day as the Doctor Who episode Victory of the Daleks was broadcast. This episode was also first broadcast on Five on Christmas Day, the same day as A Christmas Carol was broadcast.

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Home video releases
This episode is featured in the Series One complete boxset.