'We open on a scrap metal foundry - a place of flames and furnaces, molten metal, brooding violence - this mood permeates the episode. The Staphopoulos family owns and operates the foundry, and Ryan is quickly drawn into a bitter conflict between father and son, ensnared in a web of jealousy and hatred dating back twenty-five years - to the Greek civil war.
'The conflict escalates as the old man becomes the victim of a bomb attack, the son is terrorised by threats and funeral wreaths - and Ryan loses patience with the Mediterranean temperaments involved.
'The tension peaks when the patriarch is kidnapped - until Ryan proves that it's a fake, that the old man arranged it himself - and he's delighted to be off the case. Then the double twist redoubles and Ryan is at work again - outsiders have become involved, it isn't a family matter any more - and the kidnap is no longer a fake.'
Source: Synopsis held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection (RMIT).
The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):
'MIKLOS PAPADOPOULOS: 70. Greek. Physically powerful. Scarred face. Was a resistance leader during World War 2 and a communist guerilla in the Greek civil war. Fled to Australia at the cessation of hostilities. Feels he has let his country and his dead son down.
'NANA PAPADOPOULOS: His wife. 60's. Greek. Her relationship with her husband has not been good since she sided with the rest of the family against him in a business deal. She loves him and tries to re-establish contact with him.
'DEMETRIOS PAPADOPOULOS: Third son and the main opponent of Miklos in the business deal through which he now has control of the family business having deposed Miklos. 34. No accent necessary. Drives.
'MELINA SKOVROS: Demetrios' sister. Supported him against her father initially but now supports her father. Cannot afford financially to reverse the earlier stand. Early 20's. No accent.
'PETER SKOVROS: Her husband. 30's. Greek. Works at the foundry.
'JOHNSON: 30's. Heavy. Hired by Miklos and Peter for kidnap but decides to double-cross them both. Drives.
'DAVIES: 30's. Heavy. Helps Johnson. Drives.
'GEORGE: 60's. Little tired, weak Greek. Worships Miklos and resents Demetrios. A small, tired man.
'FLORIST: 50's.
'TWO WORKMEN: Extras.
'STUNT DRIVERS: Two.'
Note: Melina's name was later changed to 'Katarina' and the family name to 'Staphopoulos'.
