"The Uninvited" is an episode of '' Thunderbirds'', a British 1960s

Supermarionation Supermarionation (a portmanteau of the words "super", "marionette" and " animation")La Rivière 2009, p. 67. is a style of television and film production employed by British company AP Films (later Century 21 Productions) in its puppet T ...

television series created by

Gerry Gerry is both a surname and a masculine or feminine given name. As a given name, it is often a short form (hypocorism) of Gerard, Gerald or Geraldine. Notable people with the name include: Surname *Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814), fifth US vice presi ...

and

Sylvia Anderson Sylvia Beatrice Anderson (; 25 March 1927 – 15 March 2016) was an English television and film producer, writer, voice actress and costume designer, best known for her collaborations with Gerry Anderson, her husband between 1960 and 1981. In a ...

and filmed by their production company

AP Films AP Films or APF, later becoming Century 21 Productions, was a British independent film production company of the 1950s until the early 1970s. The company became internationally known for its imaginative children's action-adventure marionette tel ...

(APF) for

ITC Entertainment The Incorporated Television Company (ITC), or ITC Entertainment as it was referred to in the United States, was a British company involved in production and distribution of television programmes. History Incorporated Television Programme Compan ...

. Written by

Alan Fennell Alan Leslie Fennell (10 December 1936 – 10 December 2001) was a British writer and editor best known for work on series produced by Gerry Anderson, and for having created the magazines ''TV Century 21'' and '' Look-in''. Fennell wrote episod ...

and directed by

Desmond Saunders Desmond "Des"''Full Boost Vertical - The Supercar Story'' Saunders (24 June 1926 – 21 April 2018) was a British television director and film editor. He had a long association with producer Gerry Anderson, having served as a director for the s ...

, it was first broadcast on

ATV Midlands Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and t ...

on 2 December 1965 as the tenth episode of Series One. It is the fifth episode in the official running order. Set in the 2060s, the series follows the exploits of International Rescue, an organisation that uses technologically-advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The main characters are ex-astronaut

Jeff Tracy Jeff Tracy is a fictional character from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Supermarionation television show '' Thunderbirds'' and the subsequent films '' Thunderbirds Are GO'' and ''Thunderbird 6''. The voice for the character in these shows was suppl ...

, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's main vehicles: the ''Thunderbird'' machines. "The Uninvited" begins with ''

Thunderbird 1 The Thunderbird machines are a series of vehicles imagined for the mid-1960s film and television '' Thunderbirds'' series developed by Gerry Anderson. The released work began with the Supermarionation television series '' Thunderbirds'' and wa ...

'' being attacked by a group of unidentified fighters and crashing in the

Sahara , photo = Sahara real color.jpg , photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972 , map = , map_image = , location = , country = , country1 = , ...

. Its pilot,

Scott Tracy Scott Tracy is a fictional character in Gerry Anderson's 1960s Supermarionation television series ''Thunderbirds (TV series), Thunderbirds'', the subsequent films ''Thunderbirds Are Go'' (1966) and ''Thunderbird 6'' (1968) and the TV remake ''Th ...

, is rescued by two archaeologists, who later need International Rescue's help when they become entombed in the Pyramid of Khamandides – home of the hostile tribe that shot down Scott. In 1992, a comic strip adaptation of "The Uninvited" was published in

Fleetway Fleetway Publications was a magazine publishing company based in London. It was founded in 1959 when the Mirror Group acquired the Amalgamated Press, then based at Fleetway House, Farringdon Street, London. It was one of the companies that merg ...

's ''Thunderbirds: The Comic'' and the comics album ''Thunderbirds: Shock Wave''. Also that year, the episode was novelised by Dave Morris for Young Corgi Books. In 2004, "The Uninvited" was included on the A&E DVD ''The Best of Thunderbirds – The Favorite Episodes''.

Plot

(voiced by

Shane Rimmer Shane Rimmer (born Shane Lance Deacon; May 28, 1929 – March 29, 2019) was a Canadian actor and screenwriter who spent the majority of his career in the United Kingdom. The self-proclaimed "Rent-A-Yank" of the British entertainment industry, he ...

) is flying back to

Tracy Island Tracy Island is the secret headquarters of the International Rescue organisation in the 1960s British Supermarionation television series '' Thunderbirds'' and its adaptations. In the original series, the heavily-camouflaged island is located in th ...

in ''

'' when he is suddenly attacked by a trio of unidentified fighters. ''Thunderbird 1'' is damaged and crash-lands in the

Sahara , photo = Sahara real color.jpg , photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972 , map = , map_image = , location = , country = , country1 = , ...

. On Tracy Island,

Jeff Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...

(voiced by

Peter Dyneley Peter Dyneley (13 April 1921 – 19 August 1977) was a British actor. Although he appeared in many smaller roles in both film and television, he is best remembered for supplying the voice of Jeff Tracy for the 1960s "Supermarionation" TV series ...

) dispatches

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...

Brains A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a v ...

and Tin-Tin (voiced by

David Holliday David Holliday (August 4, 1937March 26, 1999) was an American Broadway actor and television voice actor. He is best known as the voice of Virgil Tracy, pilot of ''Thunderbird 2'', in the first series (26 episodes) of '' Thunderbirds'' (1965&nda ...

, David Graham and

Christine Finn Christine L. T. Finn (1929 – 5 December 2007) was an English actress, known primarily for her role in the 1950s TV serial ''Quatermass and the Pit'', and, after that, her voice work for the 1960s '' Thunderbirds'' television series. She also ...

) in ''

Thunderbird 2 The Thunderbird machines are a series of vehicles imagined for the mid-1960s film and television '' Thunderbirds'' series developed by Gerry Anderson. The released work began with the Supermarionation television series '' Thunderbirds'' and w ...

'' to rescue Scott. In the desert, archaeologists Wilson and Lindsey are returning to their base camp after a fruitless expedition when they come across the shot-down ''Thunderbird 1''. Stopping their all-terrain truck and supply trailer, they treat Scott's injuries until ''Thunderbird 2'' arrives. Later, with Scott convalescent and ''Thunderbird 1'' repaired by Brains, Wilson and Lindsey reveal that they were searching for the lost

pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...

of Pharaoh Khamandides. The International Rescue team head back to Tracy Island the next day. Wilson and Lindsey resume their journey, but frustration gets the better of Wilson. Driving too fast, he causes the coupling between the truck and the trailer to snap. The trailer rolls down a slope and explodes, destroying nearly all of the men's food, water and fuel and damaging their radio. They use the truck's remaining fuel to travel to a waterhole 40 miles away but arrive to find it bone-dry. As a last, desperate resort, the men use the failing radio to send out a distress call to International Rescue.

Alan Tracy Alan Tracy is a fictional character who first appeared in the 1960s British Supermarionation television series '' Thunderbirds'', its film sequels '' Thunderbirds Are Go'' (1966) and ''Thunderbird 6'' (1968), as well as the TV remake '' Thunde ...

(voiced by Matt Zimmerman) has just relieved

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(voiced by

Ray Barrett Raymond Charles Barrett (2 May 19278 September 2009) was an Australian actor. During the 1960s, he was a leading actor on British television, where he was best known for his appearances in ''The Troubleshooters'' (1965–1971). From the 1970s, ...

) as space monitor on ''

Thunderbird 5 The Thunderbird machines are a series of vehicles imagined for the mid-1960s film and television '' Thunderbirds'' series developed by Gerry Anderson. The released work began with the Supermarionation television series '' Thunderbirds'' and wa ...

'' when he picks up Wilson and Lindsey's faint transmission. Jeff dispatches Scott in ''Thunderbird 1'' to find and rescue the men. In the desert, Lindsey spots a mysterious object on the horizon – the lost pyramid of Khamandides. Using the last of their fuel, the men drive up to the pyramid. As Lindsey deciphers

hieroglyph A hieroglyph ( Greek for "sacred carvings") was a character of the ancient Egyptian writing system. Logographic scripts that are pictographic in form in a way reminiscent of ancient Egyptian are also sometimes called "hieroglyphs". In Neoplatoni ...

s on the side – hailing Khamandides as "Lord of the Eternal Fountain" – a block rises up to form an entrance to the interior. The men proceed but find themselves entombed when the block falls back into place. Deeper inside, they find mounds of treasure. They also discover that the Eternal Fountain is real and drink from it. Scott arrives at the pyramid and follows Wilson and Lindsey through the one-way door. Lindsey, traumatised by his recent experiences, accuses Scott of trying to steal his new-found riches and pulls a gun on him. A shootout between Lindsey and Scott ensues. Scott loses his gun but is saved by the arrival of two armed men, who blast Lindsey's gun out of his hand, knocking him out. The strangers transport Scott, Wilson and the unconscious Lindsey to the pyramid's control room in a

monorail A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and "rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, ...

car. This journey takes them over a refinery where men in gas masks are using a highly toxic and explosive gas to refuel fighters identical to those that shot down Scott. Jeff is concerned by Scott's lack of contact and dispatches Virgil and

Gordon Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

(voiced by David Graham) in ''Thunderbird 2'' to investigate. Seeing ''Thunderbird 2''s arrival, the pyramid's inhabitants prepare to attack it with

ground-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...

s, but before these are launched Wilson punches one of the guards to the floor and Scott, having taken back his gun, shoots several others. A stray bullet hits a control panel, causing the missiles to launch but detonate harmlessly in mid-air. Scott and Wilson take the monorail back to the entrance, with Scott shooting at the refinery workers as they go. The gas is inadvertently released into the refinery, starting a series of explosions. Scott, Wilson and Lindsey, who has just regained consciousness, reach the entrance to find it open and quickly lift off in ''Thunderbird 1''. ''Thunderbird 1'' and ''Thunderbird 2'' clear the area just before the final explosion destroys the pyramid.

Production

"The Uninvited" was the fifth episode of ''Thunderbirds'' to be produced. Its working title was "Desert of Danger". Originally filmed in late 1964 as a 25-minute episode, it was extended to 50 minutes in January 1965 to satisfy APF's owner

Lew Grade Lew Grade, Baron Grade, (born Lev Winogradsky; 25 December 1906 – 13 December 1998) was a British media proprietor and impresario. Originally a dancer, and later a talent agent, Grade's interest in television production began in 1954 ...

, who had been highly impressed with the

pilot episode A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...

and ordered all episodes be expanded to fill an hour-long TV timeslot. The additional material for "The Uninvited" consisted of the shoot-down of ''

'', the rescue of Scott and the character's subsequent recovery on

. The filming of these new scenes coincided with the production of "Desperate Intruder" and "

30 Minutes After Noon "30 Minutes After Noon" is an episode of '' Thunderbirds'', a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Fennell ...

". Although the pyramid dwellers are never named on screen, the script identified them as the "Zombites". Their aircraft were re-dressed versions of the WASP fighters from ''

Stingray Stingrays are a group of sea rays, which are cartilaginous fish related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae (sixgill stingray), Plesiobatidae ( ...

''.Bentley 2005, p. 68. The model vehicle representing Wilson and Lindsey's desert truck would later appear in " The Mighty Atom", " Martian Invasion" and "Cry Wolf". The shots of Alan launching in ''

Thunderbird 3 The Thunderbird machines are a series of vehicles imagined for the mid-1960s film and television '' Thunderbirds'' series developed by Gerry Anderson. The released work began with the Supermarionation television series '' Thunderbirds'' and w ...

'' to relieve John were recycled from "

Sun Probe "Sun Probe" is an episode of '' Thunderbirds'', a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Fennell and directed b ...

". Actor Matt Zimmerman, who voiced Lindsey, fondly remembered the dialogue recording for this episode: "I had to yell and scream, 'Hahaha! You won't take me alive, Tracy!' We had a lot of fun doing that one." The episode marks the first appearance of

Grandma Tracy Grandma Tracy is a fictional character in the puppet television series '' Thunderbirds'' and its animated remake '' Thunderbirds Are Go''. She is the mother of Jeff Tracy and the paternal grandmother of the Tracy brothers: Scott, John, Virgil, ...

in the series.

Broadcast and reception

First broadcast on 2 December 1965, "The Uninvited" was transmitted as the tenth episode of ''Thunderbirds'' for both the series' original run on

Associated Television Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and ...

and the majority of 1960s repeat runs. A number of scenes were omitted from the two-part version that was shown in some UK regions.

Critical response

Series co-creator

described "The Uninvited" as "good fun but a little too adventurous for our puppet cast", though she praised the episode's special effects. Tom Fox of '' Starburst'' magazine gives "The Uninvited" a rating of five out of five, calling it a "quality episode". He praises the setting as well as the Zombites, whom he describes as "hilarious" and "hardly your average bunch of pyramid-dwelling

undead The undead are beings in mythology, legend, or fiction that are deceased but behave as if alive. Most commonly the term refers to corporeal forms of formerly-alive humans, such as mummies, vampires, and zombies, who have been reanimated by super ...

". Writing for

Panini UK Panini Comics is an Italian comic book publisher. A division of Panini Group, which also produces collectable stickers, it is headquartered in Modena, Italy. The company publishes comic books in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Hunga ...

, Chris Bentley also comments positively on the episode, stating that it "entertainingly re-shapes the series' format, illustrating the potentially wide variety of stories that can be told within the International Rescue framework." He also commends the episode's use of

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

. Marcus Hearn, author of ''Thunderbirds: The Vault'', has mixed views on the episode. He describes the final battle with the Zombites as being "staged in the explosive style of the 1960s ''James Bond'' films" but questions Lindsey's fit of homicidal rage against Scott, believing it to be "out of character". Hearn also criticises the Zombites as villains, noting that their hostility and motives for living underground are never explained. He suggests that the plot concerning the quest for a lost pyramid would not have looked out of place in an episode of ''Stingray''.

References

Works cited

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Uninvited, The 1965 British television episodes Ancient Egypt in fiction Archaeology in popular culture Deserts in fiction Television episodes set in Egypt Thunderbirds (TV series) episodes