The Uninvited

The Uninvited
Season 1, Episode 10

Air date

2nd December 1965

Written by

Alan Fennell

Directed by

Desmond Saunders

Episode Guide

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End Of The Road	Sun Probe

"Garanga kabuko otulo. Nik nik taraassa!"
— Zombite Leader

"The Uninvited" is the tenth episode of Thunderbirds season 1, first broadcast on 2nd December 1965.

The episode would receive a comic sequel-of-sorts in The Return of the Zombites, revealing that the Zombite tribe survived the events of the episode and were ready to get their revenge on International Rescue.

Plot[]

Scott and Thunderbird 1 are forced down in the Sahara Desert by three mysterious jet fighters with strange, unfamiliar markings. He and two archaeologists are captured by his attackers - a mysterious race called the Zombites - and taken deep into their hidden base: the legendary Lost Pyramid of Khamandides...

Storyline[]

Main article: The Uninvited/Storyline

Transcript[]

Main article: The Uninvited/Transcript

Cast[]

Regular Characters[]

Guest Characters[]

Cameo Roles[]

International Rescue Equipment Used[]

Non-International Rescue Equipment Used[]

Locations[]

Trivia[]

According to the episode's script, the mysterious tribe of people who shot down Thunderbird 1 are known as the Zombites.
In 1990, a comic book adaptation of the episode revealed that the Zombites shot down Thunderbird 1 so they could copy its design to make fighter planes to wage war on another tribe called the "Nebab".
The original title for this episode was Desert of Danger.
In the comic book adaptation, the Zombite Leader and Zombite Controller's names are revealed as Khalid and Aziz respectively.
It is unclear why Scott flew over the Sahara on his way from Tokyo to Tracy Island, as doing so would have added approximately 10,000 miles to his journey.
The archaeologists' jeep is later revamped in The Mighty Atom and Cry Wolf; and used (in both episodes) by the Hood.
This episode is one of two within the original series in which Scott carried additional passengers inside Thunderbird 1. The other episode was Cry Wolf. Normally, Thunderbird 2 would carry the people International Rescue was trying to save. On this occassion however, there wasn't enough time for Virgil to land and pick up Wilson and Lindsey.

Goofs[]

Scott seems oblivious to who the Zombites are, but the camera zooming in on him and the symbol on the Zombite Guard's helmet is meant to emphasise that he should know them.
It doesn't really make any sense that the Zombite symbols on the walls are the mirror opposite of the symbols on their helmets and craft.

As Thunderbird 1 crashes in the desert, Scott is thrown forward and he bangs his chin on TB1's flight controls. But after TB1 has crashed, Scott is shown with his forehead on the controls.

When Scott opens up the cockpit hatch, the capital lettering of "THUNDERBIRD" can be seen below the hatchway. However, in the long-shot after he passes out, that lettering is back above the hatchway.
When Tin-Tin stands up near the start of the episode, a human hand can be seen helping her to stand up. In later Blu-ray releases, the finger would be patched using digital technology.

Between arriving aboard Thunderbird 3 and climbing into the lift, Alan completely changes his clothes, from a brown suit to the blue checked shirt and beige trousers that he wore in Sun Probe.

When Scott returns to the Tracy lounge on the settee, John isn't with him. He has also changed his clothes, from a yellow suit and orange shirt (that he left in) to his usual blue roll-neck sweater, brown trousers and grey checked jacket. From this point onwards, Scott's scar from his injury has also vanished.

As Thunderbird 1 overflies the pyramid, Scott's hat disappears in one shot.
When Scott runs out of the pyramid, his gun, which he lost when he was taken prisoner, is back in its holster, although retrieving it should be the least of his worries.

Alternate Versions[]

Thunderbirds (FOX Kids Series)[]

Main article: The Uninvited (Fox Kids Series)

Turbocharged Thunderbirds[]

Main article: The Lost Pyramid

Thunderbirds The Comic[]

Main article: The Uninvited (comic)

In 1992, several episodes of Thunderbirds were adapted into comic book format for Fleetway's Thunderbirds The Comic series. The Uninvited was the fourth story to undergo this treatment. Written by Alan Fennell and illustrated by Steve Kyte, the 12 page adaptation began in issue #12 and was spread over 3 issues, emulating the presentation of the 1960's TV Century 21 stories.

Foreign Titles[]

French: Perdus dans le desert
German: Das Geheimnis der Pyramide
Spanish: El que no fue Invitado; El intruso (DVD)
Italian: Attacco nel deserto
Dutch: De ongenodigden (TV 1966); Onwelkom bezoek (TV 1991); Ongenode gasten (VHS, DVD); De ongenode gast (DVD)
Portuguese: Os Intrusos
Japanese: ピラミッドの怪