"Say father, do you ever get the feeling we're being watched in a half hour format with choppy editing, bizarre cliffhangers, and weird continuity announcements flashing across the screen like that one every 7 or so minutes?"
"No."
"Oh. Okay then."
When conceived in 1963, the Thunderbirds television series was to follow the footsteps of its Supermarionation precursors by having each episode fill a half hour timeslot. However, towards the end of 1964 the order came through from Lew Grade that the series should be extended to one-hour, presumably based on positive response to screenings of premier episode Trapped in the Sky. With a handful of episodes already complete or still being shot, AP Films was faced with the challenge of scripting and filming new segments to pad them out (such as Bob Meddings’ attempt to board the Fireflash).
However, not every region or country received Thunderbirds in this format. ITC also sold the series in half hour blocks, in which every episode was edited into two instalments, with each first part ending on a cliffhanger. As a result this doubled the number of episodes, and became a popular alternative for broadcasters. This format remained for sale up to ITC’s collapse, and received an overhaul when Carlton bought Thunderbirds in 1999. Promoted as definitive and digitally remastered editions, the 64 ‘new’ episodes were sold to counties such as Canada (4 nights a week on primetime YTV) and Australia (weekend mornings at 6am).
The following article details the half hour ‘cliffhanger’ format of Thunderbirds which aired in Australia during 2013. Compressed to 20 minutes, these are unique. They contain a mix of episodes sourced from Carlton and ITC, a broadcast order no other country has used, and some incredibly bizarre edits and modifications.
(Note: Most of the half hour episodes from 2001 had a sans serif ‘To Be Continued…’ displayed at the bottom near the end of part 1. None of the 2013 episodes retain this edit.)
Trapped In The Sky[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Monday 5th August 2013.
Source & Titles[]
- The source of this episode originates from Carlton, for it has the title card created during the remastering process in 1999.
Scenes Cut[]
- No major edits or cuts.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first cliffhanger is an amazing stumble right out of the gate. As Scott rockets towards London Airport, the episode cuts to a still frame of Thunderbird 1. Or to be more specific, the first photograph The Hood takes of said craft later in the episode. Music from this scene was also used, and the clicking of The Hood’s camera can still be heard in the background.
Trivia[]
- First episode to air in Australia using the half hour "Cliffhanger" format since 2002.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second episode begins with the TX-204 ready to leave London Airport. No new title card was created.
Scenes Cut[]
- The Hood’s plot to photograph Thunderbird 1 was all but removed. He briefly muses on photographing the ship with the frame zooming on his hidden camera before cutting to commercials. As a result, the still photograph used at the end of part 1 was removed.
- The entire scene of The Hood in Thunderbird 1’s cockpit, the Automatic Camera Detector activating, and Scott alerting Commander Norman of the situation. The episode returns from the above commercial break with Norman calling Airport Police to bring The Hood in for questioning.
Pit Of Peril[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Wednesday 7th August 2013.
Titles[]
- No modifications were made to the episode's title card.
Scenes Cut[]
- The episode begins with the Sidewinder uplifting a tree. As a result, all wildlife stock footage was removed.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment reaches its conclusion exactly halfway through the original episode. Scott switches Thunderbird 1 to horizontal flight as the episode fades into the closing credits.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Thursday 8th August 2013.
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second episode begins with General Peters openly wondering where International Rescue are, while Ralph calmly reassures him they're doing their best. No new title card was created.
The Perils Of Penelope[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Friday 9th August 2013.
Source & Titles[]
- As the episode did not initially feature a title card, this version utilised the Carlton titles created during the 1999 remastering. "Part 1" was added by the network in a font almost identical to the original.
Cliffhanger[]
- The episode concludes with Scott Tracy returning from holiday. He arrives at Tracy Island, and turns Thunderbird 1 to landing position above the pool as the footage fades to black.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Monday 12th August 2013.
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment begins on Tracy Island with Jeff explaining the mission to Scott on a large map. An entirely new title card was created.
Edge Of Impact[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Tuesday 13th August 2013.
Titles[]
- Once again "Part 1" was added to the title card. While effort was made to keep it as close as possible to the original, the new font is notably whiter.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Wednesday 14th August 2013.
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment begins exactly halfway through the original episode, with Jim and Stan recovering from the Red Arrow's collision with the British Telecom Tower. An entirely new and brighter title card was created.
30 Minutes After Noon[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Thursday 15th August 2013.
Titles[]
- Once again "Part 1" was added to the title card. While effort was made to keep it as close as possible to the original, the new font is significantly whiter.
Cliffhanger[]
- The episode comes to an end during the meeting between Sir William Frazer and Southern. Upon handing over a seemingly inconspicuous pen, Frazer wishes him well before fading into the closing credits.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Friday 16th August 2013.
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment picks up immediately where Part 1 ended, with the undercover Southern receiving a bracelet from an unseen Erdmang Gang member inside a skyscraper. A new title card featuring slightly bolder font was created.
End Of The Road[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Monday 19th August 2013.
Titles[]
- The new 'accurate' font used in 30 Minutes After Noon is once more put to use, with "Part 1" added to the episode's title. The colouring error has been corrected.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode, with Eddie preparing to place the charges along the mountain. No modifications were made.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Tuesday 20th August 2013.
Titles[]
- The second installment picked up immediately where the episode left off. New titles were created.
Day Of Disaster[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Wednesday 21st August 2013.
Source & Titles[]
- This episode begins with the Carlton distribution logo, usually appearing before or after films the company released on VHS and DVD. "Part 1" was added to the title card.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode, as Brains is talked down by the Allington Bridge Controller. Clayton suggests he keep out of sight as the episode fades into the credits.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Thursday 22nd August 2013.
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second episode begins with a still image of the Carlton distribution logo before fading into the credits. The story itself picks up where Brains contacts John through his wrist communicator. A new title card was created with font notably brighter and slimmer than the original.
Desperate Intruder[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Friday 23rd August 2013.
Titles[]
- The now-standard practice of adding "Part 1" to the title card continues. The new font is notably whiter in comparison to the original.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes at the original episode's halfway point, with stock footage of Thunderbird 2 launching from Tracy Island.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Monday 26th August 2013.
Titles[]
- 'Part 2' was added to the episode with the correct font used.
The Uninvited[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Tuesday 27th August 2013.
Source & Titles[]
- This version of the episode utilised the sound effects added during the Carlton remastering. The title card remained unedited, lacking any suggestion of being a multi-part story.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode, with Thunderbird 3 returning to its silo.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Wednesday 28th August 2013.
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second episode begins on Tracy Island. Alan radios in his report on Wilson and Lindsey, leading to Virgil identifying them. No new title card was created.
Sun Probe[]
Part 1[]
- Original Airdate: Thursday 29th August 2013.
Titles[]
- As previously seen with The Uninvited, no edits or modifications were made to the title card.
Part 2[]
- Original Airdate: Friday 30th August 2013.
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment begins with Alan Tracy making radio contact with the Sun Probe crew. No new title card was added.
Operation Crash-Dive[]
Part 1[]
Source & Titles[]
- Unusually, Operation Crash-Dive features remastered footage, but none of the additional sound effects added during the restoration process. No edits or modifications were made with the title card.
Scenes Cut[]
- Ten seconds of Gordon Tracy cutting through the second Fireflash engine, including several close-ups, were removed. The footage awkwardly shows Thunderbird 4 starting to cut through, then suddenly pull away as the engine falls off.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes at the commercial break shortly after the halfway point, with Thunderbird 4 waiting on the ocean floor as Fireflash begins to rise.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- Rather than create new titles, the second episode begins with... the exact same unedited title card from Part 1. The same background music plays before the screen cuts to black for a few seconds. Said music slowly fades out as the episode fades in, picking up immediately where the first installment ended, with the Fireflash rising to the ocean surface.
Trivia[]
- The 'remastered' sound effects missing from the first installment are used here.
Atlantic Inferno[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- In a bizarre chronological choice, Atlantic Inferno was pushed back to the series halfway point. "Part 1" was added to the title card. The new font is significantly brighter in contrast to the original, and appears on the screen a second too early.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second episode begins as Thunderbird 2 slowly hovers over the danger zone. An entirely new title card featuring the correct font was created.
Terror In New York City[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- This episode utilises an earlier version of the broadcast print. While "Part 1" has once more been added to the titles, the new font is both different and slightly darker than the original.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode, with Ned and Joe watching in horror as the Empire State Building collapses atop of them.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- "Part 2" was added to the episode, utilizing the same incorrect font as The Perils Of Penelope.
The Mighty Atom[]
Part 1[]
Source & Titles[]
- This episode features the extensive sound effects added by Carlton during the remastering process. "Part 1" has been added to the titles.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes at the commercial break exactly halfway through the original episode. Celebrating his successful acquisition of the titular machine, The Hood gloats that all the world's secrets will finally be his.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles
- The second episode picks up immediately where the commercial left off, beginning with The Hood driving towards the Saharan Atomic Station. Oddly enough, no new titles were created.
Cry Wolf[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- "Part 1" has been added to the titles utilizing a font that, while accurate, is notably brighter than the original. It furthermore appears on the screen a second too early.
Part 2[]
Titles[]
- An entirely new title card was created based on the originally oversized font from The Perils of Penelope and Terror in New York City.
Vault Of Death[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- The title card for this episode was left unedited.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode. Realising there is only 90 minutes of air left in the vault, Lovegrove makes the decision to call for outside help.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles
- The second episode picks up immediately where the story left off, with John being contacted in Thunderbird 5. No new title card was created.
The Cham-Cham[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- For both episodes, the opening credits play two seconds slower than usual, resulting in a notably deeper tone to Jeff Tracy's countdown. No other episodes feature this anomaly.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first episode concludes with Tin-Tin signing off for the night. An exterior shot of Paradise Peaks is shown before fading to the credits.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles
- The second episode picks up immediately where the story left off, with Lady Penelope and Tin-Tin skiing. A new title card was created that, despite using the correct font, didn't include the hyphen between 'Cham-Cham'.
Danger At Ocean Deep[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the episode's title card in a font identical (yet slightly brighter) to the original.
Part 2[]
Titles[]
- An entirely new title card was added to the episode, utilizing a font close to the original.
The Impostors[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles in the correct font.
Cliffhanger[]
- After being contacted by General Lambert, Elliot makes his way out of Space Observatory 3. He takes out his spanner and begins searching for the fault as the episode fades into the credits.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment begins with Lady Penelope's conversation with Eddie Kerr in his office. A new title card was created, placed below centre to not obscure the World Television Inc. sign. This title used, bizarrely, the alternate spelling of "Imposters".
The Duchess Assignment[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles in the correct font.
Cliffhanger[]
- With The Duchess and her painting safely on board, the Fireflash departs from London. The episode ends with the aircraft leveling out to horizontal flight. The last few seconds of the closing theme plays over this scene.
Part 2[]
Titles[]
- The second installment picks up immediately where the episode left off. A new set of titles were added in a font close to the original.
The Man From MI.5[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles. While correct in font, the new title is significantly brighter than the original, and appears on-screen a second too early.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes with Carl taking off from FAB 2 in his own boat, with Lady Penelope as his prisoner.
Part 2[]
Titles[]
- An entirely new title card was created using the correct font.
Brink Of Disaster[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles in both the correct font and colour.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second episode begins with Malloy and Selsden slowly driving into Creighton-Ward Manor. New titles were created.
Attack Of The Alligators![]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles in the correct font.
Scenes Cut[]
- The exterior establishing shot of the house after the storm was cut.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode, as the enlarged Alligators begin their attack on the house. Both FOX and Turbocharged redubs also reached their respective halfway points with this exact scene.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second episode picks up immediately where the original commercial break ended, with Hector McGill wanting to radio the River Station. An entirely new title card using the correct font was created.
Security Hazard[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles in the correct font.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes with the Sun Probe successfully rescued. The spaceship turns around as the episode fades into the closing credits.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles
- The second episode begins with Alan firing Thunderbird 3's Retros. New titles were created.
Move - And You're Dead[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles. While correct in font, it's notably brighter than the original.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode. As Alan begins to lose consciousness on the bridge, Tin-Tin calls to Jeff that he's no longer answering. Music plays over the scene as it slowly fades into the closing credits.
Part 2[]
Titles[]
- No new titles were added.
City Of Fire[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- The original title card was left entirely unedited.
Cliffhanger[]
- Channel 9 attempted to create another entirely new cliffhanger. As Joe Carter proclaims the entire Thompson Tower must be ablaze, the scene jumps to poorly looped footage of Thunderbird 1 soaring towards the danger zone with a piece of suspenseful Barry Gray music in the background. The problem is, the music was lifted from a later point in the episode, where the ceiling begins to collapse perilously near the Carter family. No effort was made to remove the sound effects, nor match up with the footage. To make matters worse, the music suddenly stops, leaving the Thunderbird 1 footage mute for a few seconds before jumping to the credits.
Part 2[]
Titles[]
- No new titles were added.
Scenes Cut[]
- The scene mentioned above where the roof threatens to collapse near the Carter family was almost entirely cut. The first two seconds play before fading out to commercials.
Martian Invasion[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the episode's title card in a font notably brighter than the original.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes exactly halfway through the original episode, with Thunderbirds 1 and 2 landing at the movie set, unaware The Hood is recording both crafts.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment of the story begins immediately where Part 1 left off, returning from the commercial break as Thunderbird 2 slowly rises to unload its Pod. New titles almost identical to the original were added.
Alias Mr. Hackenbacker[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the titles in a font significantly brighter than the original.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes with FAB 1 being loaded into the Skythrust's rear cargo compartment.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment of the story begins as Skythrust slowly makes it way along the runway. New titles almost identical to the original were added.
Lord Parker's 'Oliday[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the episode's title card. While the font is correct, the colour is notably brighter in comparison to the original.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment of the story begins immediately where Part 1 left off, as Thunderbird 2 slowly makes its way out from the hangar. New titles almost identical to the original were added.
Path Of Destruction[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the episode's title card with no colour issues.
Cliffhanger[]
- The first installment concludes at the commercial break halfway through the original episode, with Lady Penelope and Parker in FAB 1, racing to locate Jim Lucas.
Part 2[]
Titles[]
- The second installment begins with Lady Penelope questioning the security guard at Robotic International's front gates. New titles almost identical to the original were added.
Ricochet[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the episode's title card with a font significantly brighter than the original above it.
Cliffhanger[]
- Upon hearing that KLA is in danger, Jeff orders his sons to "Get those Thunderbirds flying!", with Alan immediately responding "Yes sir!". The screen suddenly goes black for about a second, and subsequently fades into the closing credits.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment of the story begins with an establishing shot of KLA before cutting to a brief shot of Loman slumped on the floor. New titles were added, closely resembling the original.
Give Or Take A Million[]
Part 1[]
Titles[]
- 'Part 1' was added to the episode's title card.
Cliffhanger[]
- The episode fades out to the closing credits as Scobie and Straker began drilling into the centre of the section of wall they've cut out.
Part 2[]
Reprise & Titles[]
- The second installment of the story begins with Scobie and Straker staring through the newly-created hole into the vault. An entirely new title card was created.