The Uninvited (Thunderbirds episode)
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| “The Uninvited” | |
|---|---|
| Thunderbirds episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 10 |
| Written by | Alan Fennell |
| Directed by | Desmond Saunders |
| Original airdate | 2 December 1965 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "End of the Road" | "Sun Probe" |
| List of Thunderbirds episodes | |
"The Uninvited" is the 10th episode of the first season of the Supermarionation television series Thunderbirds. It was the 5th episode to be produced. Its original air date on ATV Midlands in the United Kingdom was 2 December 1965. It was written by Alan Fennell and directed by Desmond Saunders.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
After being shot down by enemy fighters, Scott Tracy is treated by explorers in the Sahara Desert. But when his rescuers run into trouble themselves, can Scott return the favour while solving the mystery of the lethal Zombite tribe?
[edit] Plot
After answering a call-out to a Tokyo fire, where International Rescue’s assistance was not needed, Scott Tracy is returning to Tracy Island when Thunderbird 1 is suddenly attacked by a squadron of unidentified fighters. Crash-landing in the Sahara Desert, Scott hits his head on his craft’s controls and falls unconscious, his radio smashed. Meanwhile, the lead fighter pilot, dressed in exotic attire with a “Z” symbol on his helmet, reports the successful assault in a strange language. On Tracy Island, Gordon plots Scott’s approximate position so that Virgil, Brains and Tin-Tin can set off in Thunderbird 2 with first-aid equipment.
Two archaeologists, Wilson and Lindsay, are returning to base after a fruitless expedition in the desert when they come across the crippled Thunderbird 1. Stopping their all-terrain jeep and trailer, they treat Scott’s injuries until Thunderbird 2 arrives. As the party prepares to camp out for the night, Brains tells the convalescent Scott that he has repaired the radio. Wilson reveals that he and Lindsay were on a mission to find the lost pyramid of Egyptian pharaoh Khamandides until he decided that their efforts were futile. Some people claimed to have seen the pyramid while others believed that it was just a mirage. The International Rescue team head back to Tracy Island in the morning.
Later, Wilson and Lindsay have resumed their return journey, but frustration gets the better of Wilson. Driving too fast, he causes the coupling between their truck and the trailer to snap. The trailer rolls down a ridge and explodes, the men realising too late that it contained almost all their supplies. Lindsay sheepishly admits that he also stowed their radio in the trailer, only for Wilson to discover it practically intact in the sand. However, the internal circuitry is too badly damaged to enable them to call their base. With no water, an ailing radio and only enough fuel to last them 50 more miles, their situation looks hopeless. Wilson suggests that they travel to a waterhole 40 miles north, but their last hopes of survival are dashed when they arrive only to find it bone-dry.
Onboard the Thunderbird 5 space station, Alan Tracy has just relieved John as space monitor. His equipment picks up a distress call from Wilson, but their radio finally dies before he can respond and ask for the explorers’ location. On Tracy Island, Virgil identifies the voice as that of one of the men. Jeff sends out Scott in Thunderbird 1 to come to their assistance.
In the desert, a delirious Lindsay spots a mysterious object on the horizon - none other than the lost pyramid that they originally came to find. Wondering if a nomadic tribe camp might be able to provide water, the men reach the pyramid on their dwindling fuel supply but find the area deserted. While Lindsay deciphers hieroglyphs on the side - telling of Khamandides being “Lord of the Eternal Fountain” - a block lifts up to reveal an entrance to the pyramid. Attracted by the sound of running water and the splendour of the King’s tomb, Wilson and Lindsay fail to notice the door closing behind them. To their horror, they stumble across the skeleton of the pyramid’s last visitor, but their hope is restored when they locate the Eternal Fountain.
Meanwhile, Scott has followed vehicle tracks to the side of the pyramid and landed Thunderbird 1. Puzzled at why the explorers’ footprints end at a solid wall, the entrance opens again for Scott, who hears jubilant voices from inside. Wilson and Lindsay have uncovered an enormous treasure cache to make them rich, but when Scott arrives to help, a traumatised Lindsay accuses him of trying to steal his riches. A gunfight between Scott and Lindsay ensues, during which Scott’s communicator is destroyed. Eventually disarmed, Scott is saved by the arrival of two men, also bearing the “Z” logo, who shoot Lindsay’s gun out of his hand, knocking him unconscious. Scott and Wilson, who was stunned by one of Lindsay’s bullets, are ordered at gunpoint to follow their unlikely saviours deeper into the pyramid. On Tracy Island, Jeff is worried about Scott's lack of communication and sends out Virgil and Gordon onboard Thunderbird 2 to investigate.
Onboard a monorail car, the prisoners and their captors travel over a subterranean refinery where Scott and Wilson witness men in gas masks use a highly toxic and explosive gas to refuel fighters identical to those that previously shot down Scott. In a control room, the Zombite leader orders for a salvo of missiles to be fired at Thunderbird 2, which has started to circle the pyramid. However, Wilson punches one of the Zombites to the ground. Scott picks up his gun and shoots at the Zombites, killing several and eventually hitting the control panel. The missiles fire from the side of pyramid but detonate prematurely, missing Thunderbird 2 and alerting Virgil and Gordon to the confusion inside.
As one of the Zombites sounds an alarm, Wilson starts the monorail car in the opposite direction as Scott continues to shoot at the enemy through the door. Crossing over the refinery, Scott kills one of the workers, who knocks a lever and unwittingly discharges some of the deadly gas into the room. Realising that an explosion is imminent, Scott urges Wilson to move faster but the car is already running at top speed. Lindsay regains consciousness and Scott tells him that he will soon need to run for his life.
As the surviving Zombites choke to death on the gas, Scott, Wilson and Lindsay reach the terminus and dash through the opening door into the sunlight. Scott orders Virgil, who was planning to land Thunderbird 2 and venture into the pyramid, to get clear of the area as they run towards Thunderbird 1.
The last of the Zombites dies and the machinery starts to explode. Just as Thunderbird 1 lifts off, a dial goes critical and a massive blast rips the structure apart. Scott reports that the lost pyramid of Khamandides is now lost forever while the explorers reflect on the fact that they are indebted to International Rescue.
[edit] Cast
[edit] Regular Voice Cast
- Jeff Tracy — Peter Dyneley
- Scott Tracy — Shane Rimmer
- Virgil Tracy — David Holliday
- Alan Tracy — Matt Zimmerman
- Gordon Tracy — David Graham
- John Tracy — Ray Barrett
- Grandma Tracy — Christine Finn
- Brains — David Graham
- Tin-Tin Kyrano — Christine Finn
[edit] Guest Voice Cast
- Zombite Flight Leader — David Graham
- Wilson — Ray Barrett
- Lindsey — Matt Zimmerman
- Zombite Guard — Ray Barrett
- Zombite Leader — David Graham
- Zombite Controller — Matt Zimmerman
[edit] Main Equipment
The vehicles and equipment featured in this episode are:
- Thunderbird 1
- Thunderbird 2 (carrying Pod 6)
- Thunderbird 3
- Thunderbird 5
- Desert Jeep
[edit] Goofs
- When Tin-Tin reacts in alarm to the news of Scott’s accident, a floor puppeteer’s hand can be seen at the bottom of the screen lifting her from her seat.
- While preparing to relieve John in Thunderbird 5, Alan’s clothing changes completely between his arrival on Thunderbird 3 and his entering the lift to ascend to the control room: first he is wearing a purple suit, then a green-checked shirt and beige trousers.
- Scott blasts off with Alan in Thunderbird 3 wearing a yellow suit and orange shirt, but arrives back on Tracy Island in a blue roll-neck shirt and checked jacket.
- Symbols on the walls of the Zombite control room are mirror images of the signs on their helmets.
[edit] Notes
- The working title for this episode was "Desert of Danger".
- Although they are called "Zombites" in the script, the name is not applied to the pyramid tribe in the episode’s dialogue.
- The Zombites’ jet fighters are modified and repainted WASP aircraft featured in Gerry Anderson's previous series Stingray.
- Wilson and Lindsay’s vehicle later appears as the Hood’s desert jeep in "The Mighty Atom", "Martian Invasion" and "Cry Wolf".
- When accompanying Virgil and Brains to rescue Scott, Tin-Tin dons the blue uniform that she also wore in "Sun Probe". This might be the female version of the Tracy Brothers’ International Rescue uniforms.
- Due to his injuries, John presumes that Scott might not do his "tour of duty" onboard Thunderbird 5 - implying that Scott also periodically serves as space monitor (in addition to John and Alan).
- "The Uninvited" was serialised by Alan Fennell and Steve Kyte for issues 12-14 of Thunderbirds: The Comic in 1992.
- When Wilson uses the radio to call for International Rescue, two white 2x1 Lego bricks can clearly be seen as part of the construction of his headphones.
