"Space Race" is the third episode of Thunderbirds Are Go!, and was broadcast on Saturday April 11th 2015.
Plot[]
During a routine space debris collection mission, Alan accidentally discovers and activates a stealth mine left behind after the global conflict of 2040. Due to the mine’s network no longer being online, it initiates a self-destruct and begins to hunt and lock onto the nearest space vessel it can find. With various spacecraft entering the vicinity, Alan tries to keep the mine occupied by making it lock onto Thunderbird 3 while John tries to locate the deactivation code.
John comes across a problem with the code and due to being unable to get any help from the archive where the file is kept, recruits the help of Lady Penelope and Parker - The ‘Grey Ninja’ - to help infiltrate and obtain the code to deactivate the mine.
Cast[]
Regular Cast[]
- Scott Tracy, Alan Tracy: Rasmus Hardiker
- John Tracy: Thomas Brodie-Sangster
- Brains: Kayvan Novak
- Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward: Rosamund Pike
- Parker: David Graham
Guest Cast[]
- Oliver: Kayvan Novak
- Receptionist: Teresa Gallagher
- Security Guard 1: Kayvan Novak (uncredited)
- Security Guard 2: Reggie Yates
Crew[]
- Note: the following section is large. As such, it is hidden by default.
- Voice director: Dave Peacock
- Original dialogue record: Simon Capes, Soho Squares Studios
- Miniatures: WETA Workshop
- Design & miniature FX supervisor: Richard Taylor
- Lead model maker: Steven Saunders
- Workshop supervisor: Rob Gillies
- Production co-ordinator: Holly Beals
- Model makers: Sofia Pedersen, Mona Peters, David Duke, Joaquin Loyzaga, Laura Marie King, Abigail Smith, Masayuki Ohashi, Pietro Marson, Sourisak Chanpaseuth, Kim McAuslan
- Director of photography: Simon Godsiff
- 1st assistant director: Robin Wilson
- Production manager: Sadie Wilson
- Gaffer: Simon Oliver
- 1st assistant camera: Charles Edwards
- Key grip: Jan Kleinheins
- On set model technicians: Rob Chesney, Ben Fairless
- Lighting equipment: Portsmouth Lighting, NZFX SFX Equipment
- Catering: Deborah Logan
- Production designer: Ben Milsom
- Designer, Thunderbird Shadow: Shoji Kawamori
- Lead concept artist: Christian Pearce
- Concept artists: Aaron Beck, Gus Hunter, Rebekah Tisch
- Head of design: Richard Athorne
- Design studio co-ordinators: Tasha Guillot, Catherine Mitchell
- Asset supervisor: Sven Trotter
- CG modellers: Ben Hutchinson, Tom Robinson, Ben Picking, Che Thorpe
- 3D story supervisor: Tim Gaul
- Lead 3D story artists: Martin Haughey, Andrew McCully
- Matchmove: James Donald, Luke Swasbrook
- 3D story: Eduardo Gutierrez, Rhys Hanan, Jim Hatibarua, Nagaraju Kasama, Ben van de Laar, Kai Ma, Yohann Misst, Robin Wilson-Davey
CGCG
- Production executives: Ivan C, Andy Tsao
- Head of production: Sareana Sun
- Line producer: Diana Chen
- Production team: Sean Li, Lara Lin, Tsung-Hsein Tsai, Bernie Huang, Pang Sy, Joseph Cheung, Yao-Cheng Wang, Heyifang, Tan Tao, Xu Ding, Shiwei Yang, Aimee Zhang
End CGCG
- Editor: Anthony Cox
- Assistant editors: Louise Pattinson, Adam Reynolds
- 3D artist: Rhys Clapcott
- Software engineer: Mike King
- Animation supervisor: Chad Moffitt
- CG supervisor: Andrew Harris, Park Road Post Production
- Data wranglers: Joyce Kamille Cristal, Wattana Moeung, Clare Brody
- Casting: Peacock Sound
- VFX line producer: Malcolm Angell
- Production co-ordinator: Sophie Gregory
- Production assistants: Brittany Connell, Jordan Harding
- Production secretary: Christine Healy
- Production runner: Nate Hinde
- Script co-ordinator: Patrick Rieger
- Post production co-ordinator: Dee Collier
- Legal and business affairs: Sally Perry, Sarah Cull
- Production accountants: Emily Stafford, Karen Kong
- Special advisor, International Rescue: David Tremont
- Branding and title design: ITV Creative
- Compositing: Milk VFX
- Online editor: Simon Brook
- Colourist: Paul Staples
- Picture post production: Encore London
- Sound effects editor: Adam Armitage
- Foley engineer: Keith Partridge
- Mix technician: Kieran Marshall
- Audio post production: Jules Zabbar
- Music composed by: Ben Foster, Nick Foster
- Original theme: Barry Gray
- Sound designer & re-recording mixer: Nigel Heath
- Audio post-production: Hackenbacker
- Producers: Sharon Lark, Stuart McAra
- Line & consulting animation producer: Teresa Reed
- CITV commissioning editor: Jamila Metran
- Executive producers: Estelle Hughes, Giles Ridge, Andrew Smith, Richard Taylor
- Based on the original series by: Gerry & Sylvia Anderson
Quotes[]
- Alan: (all cocky) "It's just a stupid machine, I've got the brains and I've got the moves."
- John: (flatly replies) "Alan, I've seen you dance."
- Parker: "The Grey Ninja here, I've made it to the main archives."
- John: "FAB, uh, Grey Ninja."
- Parker: "Just like old times."
- Alan: "Everything's just peachy here, John. I'm getting chased by a nuclear bomb. How are you?"
International Rescue Equipment Used[]
Non-International Rescue Equipment Used[]
Gallery[]
Alan Directs The Bomb Away From Civilian Ships Thunderbirds Are Go Clip
Parker Infiltrates The London Archive Thunderbirds Are Go Clip
TB3 launches for space
TB3 ready to collect space junk
TB3 collecting space debris
"...And I get garbage duty"
As usual, Alan gets the boring jobs
Alan accidentally picks up a inactive space mine...
...which slowly powers up
"You always complain you never get to take TB3 out"
The mine is now operational
The mine is trying to pull away from TB3
TB3 pausing to turn around
Alan turns TB3 around to view what's tugging on the cables
Alan checking that it's not dust of his view port
"Nope, that means I get to go for a wander"
"What's that?"
Alan flies out on the Hoverboard to check it out
"John, what is this thing?"
"Uh John, this thing's on!"
The mine is now fully operational
Brains explains that it's a stealth mine left over from the global conflict of 2040
John ponders the implications of the rouge mine
Alan doesn't like the sound of Brain's confirmation about it being a mine
TB3 chases off after the mine
TB3 trying to get in close so the mine will target it
John needs the ID number for the mine
Alan shuts off the engines so he can read the ID number of the mine
Trying to get through to the file archive gives John a headache
The mine retargets a nearby spaceship
Alan manages to get it to retarget TB3
Alan lures the mine away from the spaceship fleet
Scott checks in with Alan
Scott is in the middle of his own mission
FAB 1 arrives outside the London Archive
Lady in charge of entry is unhelpful
"They're more than a little stubborn down here"
"Parker?" "With pleasure m'lady"
"How did you get in here? I'll get my manager"
"Yes, you go do that"
Parker pries open the doors of the lift
"We're in"
Parker drops down into the elevator
"Just call me the Grey Ninja"
Inside the archive
Parker, sneaking around the archive
John tracking Parker's location
Parker reaches the files location
Parker gets caught
John having to tell Alan the bad news
Penelope and Parker brought down to the main office
"Oh, I know who you are!"
Not impressed their mission is held up by a fool
Parker knows exactly how to take care of Oliver
Meanwhile, the Mine has targeted another ship
Alan takes his hoverboard out again to try and catch up with the mine
"Seven's lucky right? Here goes"
"Alan, wait! Tell me you got that number Penelope!"
"It's three, John"
The mine deactivates and bounces off the ship's hull
"Alright! You did it Alan!"
"High five MAX!"
"How did you manage to get it Lady Penelope?"
"You can thank the Grey Ninja"
"Let's get this thing home"
Trivia[]
- Lady Penelope's dog is revealed to be called Sherbet.
- Parker's goes under the nickname 'Grey Ninja'.
- Reggie Yates has a guest voice part as Ellis the security guard who arrests Parker after he steals the Stealth Mine's Deactivation code. Reggie voiced his part in the documentary Reggie and Thunderbirds: No Strings Attached.
- When deactivating the space mine the "kill code" is revealed to be 30052013, or 30/05/2013, Parker's birthday from the original series.
- The ID of the mine is XZ-157. This may be from the number of the communications and data processing unit of the original series: XZ-157.
- This is the first episode not to feature Virgil, Gordon, Kayo, Grandma Tracy and The Hood.
Foreign titles[]
- Dutch: Ruimterommel (Space Junk)
- French: Course spatiale
- Spanish: Carrera Espacial
- Japanese: スペース・レース (Space Race)
- Arabic: سباق فضائي