Danger at Ocean Deep

Last updated

"Danger at Ocean Deep"
Thunderbirds episode
Episode no.Series 1
Episode 22
Directed by Desmond Saunders
Written by Donald Robertson
Cinematography byJulien Lugrin
Editing byHarry MacDonald
Production code22 [1]
Original air date3 February 1966 (1966-02-03)
Guest character voices
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Cry Wolf"		Next →
"The Duchess Assignment"
List of episodes

"Danger at Ocean Deep" is an episode of Thunderbirds , a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Donald Robertson and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 3 February 1966 on ATV Midlands as the 19th episode of Series One. In the official running order, it is the 22nd episode. [1]

Contents

Set in the 2060s, Thunderbirds follows the missions of International Rescue, a secret organisation which uses technologically-advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The lead characters are ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's primary vehicles: the Thunderbird machines. In "Danger at Ocean Deep", International Rescue must save the crew of a tanker when it sails into a patch of sea harbouring a fungus that reacts explosively with the vessel's cargo of liquid fuel.

The episode had its first UK‑wide network broadcast on 7 February 1992 on BBC2. [2]

Plot

While crossing the Mediterranean Sea, the British nuclear-powered tanker Ocean Pioneer I enters what appears to be a fogbank, then explodes. Both its skeleton crew of three, and shipment of liquid alsterene fuel, are lost.

Six months later, Ocean Pioneer II is launched on its maiden voyage through the Mediterranean. The vessel is christened by Lady Penelope, who is attending the ceremony at International Rescue's request to rule out the possibility of sabotage campaign against the Ocean Pioneer fleet. After Penelope contacts Tracy Island to report that all is well, International Rescue receives an emergency call from Hawaii, where a hurricane is making landfall and threatening a hospital on Oahu. The rescue operation involving Thunderbirds 1 and 2 is complicated by unexplained radio interference, making it impossible for Scott, Virgil and Gordon to contact base via Thunderbird 5 . Alan is soon to blast off in Thunderbird 3 to relieve John aboard the space station. Wanting the transmission recordings for analysis, Jeff orders Alan to leave early and take Brains with him. Brains retrieves the tapes and returns to base with John on Thunderbird 3.

Examining the tapes, Brains finds the cause of the trouble: proximity of liquid fuel to the marine fungus OD60, causing radio interference then an explosion. Although OD60 is native to the Gulf Stream, the source of the interference is traced to the Mediterranean, indicating that a fuel-fungus interaction is occurring there. Tin-Tin remembers that OD60 is an ingredient of a dog food made by British pet food manufacturer Allpets, for which Penelope judged a poodle show. Assigned to investigate Allpets, Penelope learns that the company has dumped masses of OD60 in the Mediterranean to cut shipping times and costs.

International Rescue realise that with its payload of alsterene, the second Ocean Pioneer is heading for the same fate as the first. The radio interference is blocking communication with the ship, so Thunderbirds 1 and 2 are launched to intercept it. Ocean Pioneer's reactor goes critical, forcing the crew to lower radiation shields around the bridge – just as the ship reaches the OD60 mist. An explosion cuts off the air supply to the bridge and the crew fall unconscious.

Finding the ship adrift, Scott lands Thunderbird 1 on the deck. He is joined by John, who is winched down to the ship from Thunderbird 2, and the pair use plasma torches to cut through the bridge shields. They revive the crew, who are lifted aboard Thunderbird 2. International Rescue evacuate the area seconds before the ship blows up.

In the closing scene, John expresses regret that International Rescue was unable to prevent the destruction of the costly tanker. Jeff points out that their mission is to save human life, not property.

Regular voice cast

Production

The puppet playing Lord Worden, the character presiding over the Ocean Pioneer II launch, previously appeared as Sir Jeremy Hodge in "The Perils of Penelope". The incidental music was mostly stock music originally composed for Stingray , including the episode "Sea of Oil". [3]

"Danger at Ocean Deep" is the only episode of Thunderbirds in which John Tracy actually joins his brothers on a rescue operation, instead of relaying communications from Thunderbird 5 . However, in one scene, John claims to have attended "about a dozen" rescues. [3] [4]

Reception

Rating the episode four out of five, Starburst magazine's Tom Fox calls Brains' explanation of the radio interference "as amusing as it is improbable", adding that "it gets even better" when it is revealed that a dog food company has been dumping a fungus in the Mediterranean Sea. [5] Marcus Hearn acknowledges the "futuristic verisimilitude" of alsterene and OD60, also noting the humour introduced by the connection to dog food. He argues that by using these and other fictional substances as plot devices, Thunderbirds showed itself to be "surprisingly creative when it came to scientific accuracy", considering that the series was "seemingly aimed at the Look and Learn generation". Hearn also praises the guest voice acting of Peter Dyneley and John Tate. [6]

For screenwriter Peter Briggs, "Danger at Ocean Deep" is one of three Thunderbirds episodes (the others being "Attack of the Alligators!" and "Path of Destruction") whose main theme may be characterised as "weird science". [7] Michael Coldwell writes that it is one of several to imply criticism of increased automation, noting that the destroyed Ocean Pioneers are self-running except for their three-man bridge crews. Coldwell also states that the opening sequence's "creepily atmospheric" scale model effects and "sinister" incidental music, combined with character dialogue, create an air of "dreadful inevitability" as Ocean Pioneer I sails into the fog. [4]

Related Research Articles

"Move – and You're Dead" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written and directed by Alan Pattillo, it was first broadcast on 10 February 1966 on ATV Midlands as the 20th episode of Series One. It is the ninth episode in the official running order.

"The Duchess Assignment" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Martin Crump and directed by David Elliott, it was first broadcast on 17 February 1966 on ATV Midlands as the 21st episode of Series One. It is the 23rd episode in the official running order.

"Operation Crash-Dive" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Martin Crump and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 16 December 1965 on ATV Midlands as the 12th episode of Series One. It is the eighth episode in the official running order.

"The Perils of Penelope" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Directed by Alan Pattillo and Desmond Saunders from a script by Pattillo, it was first broadcast on 14 October 1965 on ATV Midlands as the third episode of Series One. It is the 12th episode in the official running order.

"Desperate Intruder" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Donald Robertson and directed by David Lane, it was first broadcast on 18 November 1965 on ATV Midlands as the eighth episode of Series One. In the official running order, it is the 17th episode.

"The Cham-Cham" is the 25th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF). The penultimate episode of Thunderbirds Series One, it was written and directed by Alan Pattillo and first broadcast on 24 March 1966 on ATV Midlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pit of Peril</span> 2nd episode of the 1st series of Thunderbirds

"Pit of Peril" is the second episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Fennell and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 7 October 1965 on ATV Midlands.

"Atlantic Inferno" is the 27th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Fennell and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 2 October 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the first episode of Series Two. It had its first UK-wide network broadcast on 17 April 1992 on BBC2.

"The Impostors" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Dennis Spooner and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 13 January 1966 on ATV Midlands as the 16th episode of Series One. In the official running order, it is the 19th episode.

"Sun Probe" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Fennell and directed by David Lane, it was first broadcast on 9 December 1965 on ATV Midlands as the 11th episode of Series One. It is the fourth episode in the official running order.

"Day of Disaster" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Dennis Spooner and directed by David Elliott, it was first broadcast on 4 November 1965 on ATV Midlands as the sixth episode of Series One. In the official running order, it is the 15th episode.

"Edge of Impact" is the 16th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Donald Robertson and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 28 October 1965 on ATV Midlands as the fifth episode of Series One. It had its first UK‑wide network broadcast on 29 November 1991 on BBC2.

"Brink of Disaster" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Fennell and directed by David Lane, it was first broadcast on 24 February 1966 on ATV Midlands as the 22nd episode of Series One. It is the 11th episode in the official running order.

"Alias Mr. Hackenbacker" is the 29th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Pattillo and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 16 October 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the third episode of Series Two.

"Lord Parker's 'Oliday" is the 30th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Tony Barwick and directed by Brian Burgess, it was first broadcast on 23 October 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the fourth episode of Series 2. The episode had its first UK-wide network broadcast on 8 May 1992 on BBC2.

"Ricochet" is the 31st episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Tony Barwick and directed by Brian Burgess, it was first broadcast on 6 November 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the fifth episode of Series Two. It had its first UK-wide network transmission on 15 May 1992 on BBC2.

"Give or Take a Million" is the 32nd and final episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Pattillo and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 25 December 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the sixth and final episode of Series Two. It had its first UK-wide network broadcast on 20 December 1991 on BBC2.

The Thunderbirds machines are a series of fictional vehicles that appear in the mid-1960s film and television series Thunderbirds. The series was developed by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. The series began with the Supermarionation television show Thunderbirds and was followed by the subsequent feature films Thunderbirds Are Go and Thunderbird 6, which were released between 1965-68. The show featured a large variety of futuristic air, land, and sea vehicles and machines, most of which were designed by special effects director Derek Meddings.

"Path of Destruction" is the 28th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Donald Robertson and directed by David Elliott, it was first broadcast on 9 October 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the second episode of Series Two. It had its first UK-wide network broadcast on 24 April 1992 on BBC2.

"The Uninvited" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British 1960s Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Fennell and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on ATV Midlands on 2 December 1965 as the tenth episode of Series One. It is the fifth episode in the official running order.

References

  1. 1 2 Bentley, Chris (2008) [2001]. The Complete Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Episode Guide (4th ed.). Reynolds & Hearn. p. 107. ISBN   978-1-905287-74-1.
  2. ↑ Bentley, Chris (2005) [2000]. The Complete Book of Thunderbirds (2nd ed.). Carlton Books. p. 85. ISBN   978-1-84442-454-2.
  3. 1 2 Jones, Mike (2015). Thunderbirds: Close-Up. Fanderson. p. 47.
  4. 1 2 Coldwell, Michael (September 2015). Hearn, Marcus (ed.). Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series. Panini UK. p. 75. ISBN   978-1-84653-212-2.
  5. ↑ Fox, Tom (August 2004). Payne, Andrew (ed.). "TV View". Starburst Special . No. 65. Visual Imagination. p. 51. ISSN   0958-7128.
  6. ↑ Hearn, Marcus (2015). Thunderbirds: The Vault. Virgin Books. p. 152. ISBN   978-0-753-55635-1.
  7. ↑ Hearn, Marcus (September 2015). "Between The Lines". In Hearn, Marcus (ed.). Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series. Panini UK. p. 14. ISBN   978-1-84653-212-2.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.