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"Listen, pal. It's his money. He calls the tune. You start where he says or you don't start at all."
— Bletcher

"Martian Invasion" is the twenty-fourth episode of Thunderbirds season 1, first broadcast on 17th March 1966.

Plot[]

The Hood uses his power over Kyrano to force him to disable Thunderbird 1's Automatic Camera Detector, then poses as a cameraman on a movie set to trap two actors in a flooding cave. When International Rescue comes to help, he films their machines and Scott must chase after him to destroy the film of the operation.

Storyline[]

Main article: Martian Invasion/Storyline

Transcript[]

Main article: Martian Invasion/Transcript

Cast[]

Regular Characters[]

Guest Characters[]

Cameo Roles[]

International Rescue Equipment Used[]

Non-International Rescue Equipment Used[]

Locations[]

Trivia[]

  • For the 2-part 'cliffhanger' format, the first installment concludes at the commercial break where Thunderbird 2 lands on the movie set opposite Thunderbird 1.
  • Although The Hood's employer is clearly called "General X" on-screen, his name is Strond in the script.
  • The Hood identifies himself as "Agent 79" in his radio transmissions to General X.
  • The cost for the film of International Rescue is $200 million.
  • Brian, the special effects technician, is named after (and modelled on) Brian Johncock, chief of the 2nd special effects team.
  • Martians Pete and Ray were named after their respective voice actors, Peter Dyneley and Ray Barrett.
  • The Nevada desert also features prominently in the earlier Anderson series Supercar - as the location of its secret base, Black Rock One.
  • This is The Hood's last appearance in the original series prior to the first movie.
  • At the very end of this episode, back at the film set, Virgil makes a reference to Trapped in the Sky as he thinks that Mr. Stutt (the Hood) is the man who has been after their secrets ever since they went into the rescue business. In agreement, Scott quotes "whatever disguise he wears, we'll get him...one day."

Goofs[]

Main article: Martian Invasion/Goofs

Alternate Versions[]

Thunderbirds The Comic[]

In 1992, several episodes of Thunderbirds were adapted into comic book format for Fleetway's Thunderbirds The Comic series. Martian Invasion was among the latter stories to undergo this treatment. Written by Alan Fennell and illustrated by Keith Page, the 12 page adaptation began in issue #24 and was spread over 3 issues, emulating the presentation of the 1960's TV Century 21 stories.

Thunderbirds (FOX Kids Series)[]

Thunder94

For a contemporary (or at least in the 1990's) audience, Thunderbirds underwent a repackage, redub, and rebroadcast as part of FOX Kids' Saturday morning line-up. Due to a severe decline in ratings, only half of the episodes made it to broadcast before the series was pulled by the network. As a result, the modified version of Martian Invasion never aired, and remains among a handful of missing Thunderbirds episodes to this day.

Turbocharged Thunderbirds[]

Main article: Martian Invasion (TCTB)

Foreign Titles[]

  • French: L'invasion des Martiens
  • German: Gefährlicher Dreh
  • Spanish: Invasión Marciana
  • Italian: Marziani sulla Terra
  • Dutch: Invasie van Mars
  • Portuguese: A Invasão Marciana
  • Japanese: 火星人の来襲
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