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{{Distinguish|Solar probe (disambiguation){{!}}Solar probe}}
{{About|''Thunderbirds'' episode|similar terms|Solar probe (disambiguation){{!}}Solar probe}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
{{Infobox television episode
⚫
| title = Sun Probe
| series = [[Thunderbirds (TV series)|Thunderbirds]]
| series = [[Thunderbirds (TV series)|Thunderbirds]]
| series_no = 1
| series_no = 1
| episode = 11
| episode = 4
| director = [[David Lane (director)|David Lane]]
| director = [[David Lane (director)|David Lane]]
| writer = [[Alan Fennell]]
| writer = [[Alan Fennell]]
| photographer = Paddy Seale
| photographer = Paddy Seale
| editor = Peter Elliott
| editor = Peter Elliott
| production = 4<ref>{{Cite book|author=Bentley, Chris|title=The Complete Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Episode Guide|publisher=Reynolds & Hearn|location=London, UK|edition=4th|year=2008|origyear=2001|isbn=978-1-905287-74-1|page=96}}</ref>
| production = 4<ref name="Bentley2008">{{Cite book|author=Bentley, Chris|title=The Complete Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Episode Guide|publisher=Reynolds & Hearn|location=London, UK|edition=4th|year=2008|orig-year=2001|isbn=978-1-905287-74-1|page=96}}</ref>
| airdate = 9 December 1965
| airdate = {{Start date|1965|12|9|df=yes}}
| guests_title = Guest character voices
| guests = Voices of:<br>'''[[Ray Barrett]]''' as<br>Colonel Benson<br>Solarnaut Colonel Harris<br>'''[[Peter Dyneley]]''' as<br>Professor Heinz Bodman<br>'''[[David Graham (actor)|David Graham]]''' as<br>Solarnaut Asher<br>Braman the Robot<br>'''[[John Tate (actor)|John Tate]]''' (uncredited) as<br>Solarnaut Camp<br>'''[[Matt Zimmerman (actor)|Matt Zimmerman]]''' as<br>TV Reporter
⚫
| guests =
⚫
| prev = [[The Uninvited (Thunderbirds)|The Uninvited]]
*[[Ray Barrett]] as Colonel Benson & Colonel Harris
| next = Operation Crash-Dive
*[[Peter Dyneley]] as Professor Heinz Bodman
⚫
| episode_list = [[List of Thunderbirds episodes|List of ''Thunderbirds'' episodes]]
*[[David Graham (actor)|David Graham]] as Solarnaut Asher & Braman
*[[John Tate (actor)|John Tate]] ''(uncredited)'' as Solarnaut Camp
*[[Matt Zimmerman (actor)|Matt Zimmerman]] as TV Reporter
| prev = [[City of Fire (Thunderbirds)|City of Fire]]
⚫
| next = [[The Uninvited (Thunderbirds)|The Uninvited]]
⚫
| episode_list = List of Thunderbirds episodes
}}
}}
"'''Sun Probe'''" is the 11th episode of the first series of ''[[Thunderbirds (TV series)|Thunderbirds]]'', a [[Television in the United Kingdom|British]] 1960s [[Supermarionation]] television series co-created by [[Gerry Anderson|Gerry]] and [[Sylvia Anderson]]. Written by [[Alan Fennell]] and directed by [[David Lane (director)|David Lane]], it was first broadcast on [[ATV Midlands]] on 9 December 1965
"'''Sun Probe'''" is an episode of ''[[Thunderbirds (TV series)|Thunderbirds]]'', a British [[Supermarionation]] television series created by [[Gerry Anderson|Gerry]] and [[Sylvia Anderson]] and filmed by their production company [[AP Films]] (APF) for [[ITC Entertainment]]. Written by [[Alan Fennell]] and directed by [[David Lane (director)|David Lane]], it was first broadcast on 9 December 1965 on [[ATV Midlands]] as the 11th episode of Series One. It is the fourth episode in the official running order.<ref name="Bentley2005,67"/>


In this episode, both ''[[Thunderbird 2|Thunderbirds 2]]'' and ''[[Thunderbird 3|3]]'' are launched to save a spacecraft trapped in a [[collision course]] with the [[Sun]].
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]], founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's main vehicles: the [[Thunderbirds machines|''Thunderbird'' machines]]. In "Sun Probe", ''[[Thunderbird 2|Thunderbirds 2]]'' and ''[[Thunderbird 3|3]]'' are launched to save a crew of astronauts whose spacecraft is locked on a collision course with the [[Sun]].


==Plot==
==Plot==
At [[Cape Kennedy]], Florida, Colonel Benson oversees the launch of ''Sun Probe'', a manned spacecraft designed to extract matter from the [[Sun]]. Some time later, on [[Tracy Island]], most of the International Rescue team watch a live news programme tracking ''Sun Probe'' as it nears its target. [[Brains (Thunderbirds)|Brains]] ([[David Graham (actor)|David Graham]]) is absent from the proceedings, having opted to work on developing the abilities of his latest invention – an [[artificially-intelligent]] [[humanoid robot]] called Braman.
At [[Cape Kennedy]] in Florida, Colonel Benson oversees the launch of ''Sun Probe'', a three-man spacecraft designed to extract matter from the [[Sun]]. ''Sun Probe'' lifts off safely and its journey to the Sun passes without incident.


In space, solarnauts Harris, Asher and Camp fire a smaller probe through a [[Solar prominence|prominence]] and succeed in capturing fragments of matter. However, by the time that the probe docks with the main module, the ever-intensifying solar radiation has caused ''Sun Probe''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[retro-rocket]]s to fail, locking the craft in a [[collision course]] with the Sun.
A week later, as ''Sun Probe'' nears its target, International Rescue watch live TV coverage of the mission from [[Tracy Island]]. [[Brains (Thunderbirds)|Brains]] is absent from the proceedings as he is busy working on his latest invention, an artificially-intelligent [[humanoid robot]] called Braman. In space, solarnauts Harris, Asher and Camp fire a smaller probe through a [[solar prominence]] and succeed in capturing fragments of matter. However, by the time the probe returns to the main spacecraft, the intensifying radiation has caused ''Sun Probe''{{'}}s [[retro-rocket]]s to fail, locking it on a collision course with the Sun.


On TV, Colonel Benson implores IR to save the crew. [[Alan Tracy|Alan]] ([[Matt Zimmerman (actor)|Matt Zimmerman]]) and [[Scott Tracy|Scott]] ([[Shane Rimmer]]) propose remote-firing ''Sun Probe''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s rockets by radio beam from ''[[Thunderbird 3]]'', but [[Virgil Tracy|Virgil]] ([[David Holliday]]) points out that ''[[Thunderbird 2]]'' has more power and that it would be easier to send the signal from Earth.
On TV, Benson implores International Rescue to save the crew. [[Alan Tracy|Alan]] and [[Scott Tracy|Scott]] suggest remote-firing ''Sun Probe''{{'}}s rockets by radio beam from ''[[Thunderbird 3]]''. [[Virgil Tracy|Virgil]] points out that ''[[Thunderbird 2]]'' is more powerful and that it would be easier to transmit the signal from Earth. The team finally agree to launch a two-pronged rescue attempt. Alan, Scott and [[Tin-Tin Kyrano|Tin-Tin]] blast off in ''Thunderbird 3'' but their radio beam falls short of ''Sun Probe'', forcing them to travel closer to the Sun than anticipated.


The team finally agree to launch a two-pronged rescue attempt. Alan, Scott and [[Tin-Tin Kyrano|Tin-Tin]] ([[Christine Finn]]), who is on her first mission, blast off in ''Thunderbird 3''. Later, having determined the best terrestrial transmitting position to be in the [[Himalayas]], Virgil and Brains take off in ''Thunderbird 2''. Reaching the danger zone, Alan, Scott and Tin-Tin contact ''Sun Probe'' and explain IR's plan. However, ''Thunderbird 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s first transmission falls short of the craft by four hours.
Having determined the optimal Earth-bound transmitting position to be in the [[Himalayas]], Virgil and Brains take off in ''Thunderbird 2'' carrying the [[Thunderbird 2 pod vehicles#Transmitter Truck|Transmitter Truck]]. Landing on Mount Arkan, they align the truck's dish with ''Sun Probe'' but their transmission fails to reach the spacecraft.


Further attempts to transmit from ''Thunderbird 3'' fail. With the crews of both ''Sun Probe'' and ''Thunderbird 3'' growing delirious from the heat, Alan suggests that Tin-Tin overrun the power and the beam finally makes contact, successfully firing ''Sun Probe''{{'}}s retros. ''Sun Probe'' reverses course for Earth but the crew of ''Thunderbird 3'' pass out before they can switch off the beam, draining the ship's power and preventing its own retros from firing.
Virgil and Brains touch down on Mount Arkan. Exiting ''Thunderbird 2'' in the [[Thunderbird 2 pod vehicles#Transmitter Truck|Transmitter Truck]], they align the Pod Vehicle's dish but fail to reach ''Sun Probe'' on their first transmission attempt. Meanwhile, ''Thunderbird 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s own signal needs two more hours to catch up with the spacecraft. As the solarnauts become increasingly delirious, Alan, Scott and Tin-Tin make a third, desperate attempt to fire the retros. When even this fails, Tin-Tin overruns the power and the beam finally breaks through.


With the news media now reporting that ''Thunderbird 3'' is heading for the Sun, [[Jeff Tracy|Jeff]] alerts Virgil and Brains, who hurry back to ''Thunderbird 2'' to calculate the frequency needed to fire ''Thunderbird 3''{{'}}s retros. Opening a storage box meant for International Rescue's portable computer, they are dismayed to find that they have accidentally packed Braman instead. However, Braman is able to calculate the frequency on his own and Virgil and Brains succeed in firing ''Thunderbird 3''{{'}}s retros. Back on Tracy Island, the International Rescue team thank Brains and Braman for their efforts.
With ''Sun Probe'' now on a course back to Earth, Alan activates ''Thunderbird 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s own retros - but they will not fire. In the lounge, Tin-Tin has passed out from the heat without shutting down the safety beam and Alan realises that this is draining the ship's power. Leaving an unconscious Scott, Alan descends from the control room in the lift but collapses before he can complete the task. With TV reporting that the IR ship itself is now heading for the Sun, [[Jeff Tracy|Jeff]] ([[Peter Dyneley]]) alerts Virgil and Brains on Mount Arkan.


==Regular voice cast==
Concluding that they must switch the target of their retro-firing beam, Brains and Virgil hurry back to the Pod to calculate the appropriate radio frequency. Opening a storage box, they are horrified to discover that they have inadvertently packed Braman rather than the IR [[portable computer]]. Braman's own computational abilities are sound, however, and using Brains' formula he quickly produces the correct frequency. Brains and Virgil re-initialise the beam and succeed in firing ''Thunderbird 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s retros.
*[[Peter Dyneley]] as [[Jeff Tracy]]
*[[Christine Finn]] as [[Tin-Tin Kyrano]]
*[[David Graham (actor)|David Graham]] as [[Brains (Thunderbirds)|Brains]]
*[[David Holliday]] as [[Virgil Tracy]]
*[[Shane Rimmer]] as [[Scott Tracy]]
*[[Matt Zimmerman (actor)|Matt Zimmerman]] as [[Alan Tracy]]


==Production==
==Production==
"Sun Probe" was the fourth episode of ''Thunderbirds'' to be produced. It was conceived by [[Gerry Anderson]] as a means of introducing viewers to ''[[Thunderbird 3]]'', which had not featured in any of the writing staff's earliest scripts for the series. The spacecraft would appear in a rescue capacity in only two later episodes: "The Impostors" and "Ricochet". "Sun Probe" marks the first contributions of [[Alan Tracy]] voice actor [[Matt Zimmerman (actor)|Matt Zimmerman]] to the series.<ref name="Panini">{{Cite book|author=Bentley, Chris|title=Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series|editor1=Hearn, Marcus|publisher=[[Panini UK]]|location=Tunbridge Wells, UK|date=September 2015|isbn=978-1-84653-212-2|page=19}}</ref>
"Sun Probe" was the fourth episode of ''Thunderbirds'' to enter production.<ref name="Bentley2008"/> The story was devised by Gerry Anderson as a means of introducing ''Thunderbird 3'', which had not been featured in any of the early scripts for the series.<ref name="Pixley">{{Cite magazine|title=Fantasy Flashback: ''Thunderbirds'' – 'Sun Probe'|magazine=[[TV Zone]]|author=Pixley, Andrew|issue=131|date=October 2000|publication-date=September 2000|publisher=[[Visual Imagination]]|location=London, UK|issn=0957-3844|oclc=226121852|page=68}}</ref> "Sun Probe" marks the first vocal contributions of Matt Zimmerman (the voice of Alan Tracy) to the series.<ref name="Bentley2015">{{Cite book|author=Bentley, Chris|title=Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series|editor1=Hearn, Marcus|publisher=[[Panini UK]]|location=Tunbridge Wells, UK|date=September 2015|isbn=978-1-84653-212-2|page=19}}</ref>


Written by [[Alan Fennell]] and initially filmed as a 25-minute episode in late 1964, "Sun probe" was extended the following January to satisfy [[AP Films]] sponsor [[Lew Grade]]'s order, on viewing the series' [[Trapped in the Sky|completed pilot episode]], that the running time for all episodes be lengthened to 50 minutes. Anderson, Alan Pattillo and [[Tony Barwick]] expanded Fennell's original storyline by adding the character of Braman, the subplot of ''[[Thunderbird 2]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s mission to Mount Arkan and the plot twist concerning the failure of ''Thunderbird 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s retro-rockets.<ref name="Panini"/> The newly added material also included a brief scene in which solarnauts Harris, Asher and Camp prepare for lift-off inside the ''Sun Probe'' command module.<ref name="Panini"/>
Originally filmed as a 25-minute episode in late 1964, "Sun Probe" was lengthened to 50 minutes in January 1965 to satisfy APF's sponsor [[Lew Grade]], who had been impressed with the [[Trapped in the Sky|pilot episode]] and ordered that all episodes of ''Thunderbirds'' be extended to fill a one-hour timeslot.<ref name="Pixley"/> Anderson, [[Alan Pattillo]] and [[Tony Barwick]] expanded [[Alan Fennell]]'s original storyline by adding the subplot of ''Thunderbird 2''{{'}}s mission to Mount Arkan and the plot twists involving the failure of ''Thunderbird 3''{{'}}s retro-rockets and Virgil and Brains' discovery that they have taken Braman with them.<ref name="Bentley2015"/> The newly written material also included a scene in which Brains and Braman play chess on Tracy Island and another that sees Harris, Asher and Camp preparing for blast-off at Cape Kennedy.<ref name="Bentley2015"/>


The re-shoot took place between the filming of "[[30 Minutes After Noon]]" and "The Impostors"<ref name="Panini"/> and alongside that of "The Uninvited"; "Sun Probe" and "The Uninvited" were the first episodes of ''Thunderbirds'' to have their running time doubled. While the AP Films crew rebuilt the ''Thunderbird 3'' and [[Cape Kennedy]] control room sets from scratch, additional scenes featuring Brains and Braman were recorded in the Tracy Villa lounge instead of Brains' laboratory, as the latter set was deemed too complex to re-create with sufficient accuracy.<ref name="Panini"/> The International Rescue Transmitter Truck is a re-use of the explosives tractor seen in "End of the Road".<ref name="Panini"/>
The new scenes were shot between the filming of "[[30 Minutes After Noon]]" and "The Impostors"<ref name="Bentley2015"/> and alongside that of "[[The Uninvited (Thunderbirds)|The Uninvited]]";<ref name="Pixley"/> "Sun Probe" and "The Uninvited" were the first episodes of ''Thunderbirds'' to be extended.<ref name="Pixley"/> The re-shoots required the ''Thunderbird 3'' and Cape Kennedy control room sets to be re-built from scratch.<ref name="Bentley2015"/> The chess scene was filmed in the Tracy Villa lounge instead of Brains' laboratory as the latter set was considered too detailed to re-create accurately.<ref name="Bentley2015"/> The Transmitter Truck model is a modified version of the explosives tractor seen in "[[End of the Road (Thunderbirds)|End of the Road]]".<ref name="Bentley2015"/>


Dissatisfied with the effect of ''Sun Probe''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s approach to the Sun, Anderson instructed the episode's sound editor to amplify the sound effects. He believed that [[Barry Gray]]'s musical score, composed partly of material originally recorded for ''[[Fireball XL5]]'', compensated for the lack of action and added greatly to the space scenes.<ref>{{Cite book|author1=Archer, Simon |author2=Hearn, Marcus |title=What Made ''Thunderbirds'' Go! The Authorised Biography of Gerry Anderson|year = 2002|publisher=[[BBC Books]]|location = London, UK|isbn=978-0-563-53481-5|page=127}}</ref>
Anderson was displeased with the scenes of ''Sun Probe'' approaching the Sun and instructed the episode's sound editor to amplify the accompanying sound effects.<ref name="Pixley"/> He believed that [[Barry Gray]]'s musical score, composed partly of material originally recorded for ''[[Fireball XL5]]'', compensated for the lack of action and greatly improved the episode.<ref name="Pixley"/><ref>{{Cite book|author1=Archer, Simon|author1-link=Simon Archer (author)|author2=Hearn, Marcus |title=What Made ''Thunderbirds'' Go! The Authorised Biography of Gerry Anderson|year = 2002|publisher=[[BBC Books]]|location = London, UK|isbn=978-0-563-53481-5|page=127}}</ref>


Parts of the ''Sun Probe'' launch were subsequently recycled to appear in the opening act of "The Perils of Penelope", for which new material was recorded back-to-back with this episode.<ref>Bentley 2005, p.&nbsp;27.</ref> A modified version of Braman appeared in "Edge of Impact" and "30 Minutes After Noon". The ''Thunderbird 3'' launch sequence featuring the characters of Alan, [[Scott Tracy|Scott]] and [[Tin-Tin Kyrano|Tin-Tin]] (devised by special effects director [[Derek Meddings]]) was re-used in "The Uninvited", "The Impostors", "Danger at Ocean Deep" and the series finale, "Give or Take a Million".
Some shots of the ''Sun Probe'' launch were duplicated for the opening scenes of "[[The Perils of Penelope]]", whose extending material was recorded back-to-back with "Sun Probe".<ref name="Pixley"/><ref>Bentley 2005, p.&nbsp;27.</ref> The ''Thunderbird 3'' launch sequence, devised by special effects director [[Derek Meddings]], was recycled for "The Uninvited", "The Impostors", "Danger at Ocean Deep" and the series finale, "[[Give or Take a Million]]".<ref name="Pixley"/> The Braman puppet also appears in "[[Edge of Impact]]" and "30 Minutes After Noon" (in the latter episode, as the plutonium store guards).<ref name="Pixley"/>


⚫
The 1969 film ''[[Doppelgänger (1969 film)|Doppelgänger]]'', which Gerry and Sylvia Anderson produced and co-wrote, also features a spacecraft called ''Sun Probe''.
⚫
==Broadcast==
⚫
First broadcast on 9 December 1965, "Sun Probe" aired as the 11th episode of ''Thunderbirds'' for both the series' original run on [[Associated Television]] and the majority of 1960s repeat runs. More than five million people viewed the episode when it received its first network broadcast on [[BBC2]] on 11 October 1991,<ref name="Bentley, 67">Bentley 2005, p.&nbsp;67.</ref> making it the channel's fourth most-watched programme for the week of transmission.


⚫
==Broadcast and reception==
==Reception==
⚫
"Sun Probe" was broadcast as the 11th episode of ''Thunderbirds'' for both the series' original run and most of its 1960s re-runs.<ref name="Pixley"/> Over five million people watched the episode on 11 October 1991 when it had its first network broadcast on [[BBC2]], making it the channel's fourth most-watched programme of the week.<ref name="Pixley"/><ref name="Bentley2005,67">Bentley 2005, p.&nbsp;67.</ref>
⚫
[[Sylvia Anderson]] takes a mixed view of "Sun Probe", praising the special effects but characterising the episode overall as "too much space and too many machines for my taste" and a "[[Boys' Own|boys' own]] adventure" lacking femininity.<ref>{{Cite book|author=[[Sylvia Anderson|Anderson, Sylvia]]|title=Yes, M'Lady|year=1991|publisher=Smith Gryphon|location=London, UK|isbn=978-1-856850-11-7|page=107}}</ref>


===Critical response===
⚫
Chris Bentley, author of ''The Complete Book of Thunderbirds'' writes positively of the episode, arguing that it "successfully" showcases ''Thunderbird 3'';<ref name="Panini"/> John Marriott, writer of ''Thunderbirds Are Go!'', describes it as melodramatic and "one of the most edge-of-the-sofa" instalments of the series.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Marriott, John|others=Rogers, Dave; Drake, Chris; Bassett, Graeme|title=Supermarionation Classics: Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons|year =1993|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Boxtree]]|location=London, UK|isbn=978-1-85283-900-0|page=144}}</ref> Marcus Hearn, author of ''Thunderbirds: The Vault'', calls it "nerve-wracking ... skilfully extended from its original 25-minute running time" and praises the major roles played by the "sometimes neglected" characters of Brains and Tin-Tin; he also compliments the mildly comic relationship between Brains and Braman. On the other hand, he names the Sun itself as "probably the series' weakest special effect".<ref name="Hearn">{{Cite book|title=Thunderbirds: The Vault|author=Hearn, Marcus|year=2015|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|location=London, UK|isbn=978-0-753-55635-1|page=77}}</ref>
⚫
[[Sylvia Anderson]] praised the special effects but characterised the episode in general as "too much space and too many machines for my taste" and a "[[Boys' Own|boys' own]] adventure" lacking femininity.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Anderson, Sylvia|author-link=Sylvia Anderson|title=Yes, M'Lady|year=1991|publisher=Smith Gryphon|location=London, UK|isbn=978-1-856850-11-7|page=107}}</ref>


⚫
Chris Bentley, author of ''The Complete Book of Thunderbirds'' responds positively to the episode, writing that it "successfully" showcases ''Thunderbird 3'';<ref name="Bentley2015"/> John Marriott, author of ''Thunderbirds Are Go!'', considers it melodramatic and "one of the most edge-of-the-sofa" episodes of the series.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Marriott, John|others=Rogers, Dave; Drake, Chris; Bassett, Graeme|title=Supermarionation Classics: Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons|year=1993|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Boxtree]]|location=London, UK|isbn=978-1-85283-900-0|page=144}}</ref> Marcus Hearn, author of ''Thunderbirds: The Vault'', describes it as "nerve-wracking ... skilfully extended from its original 25-minute running time" and praises the substantial roles given to the "sometimes neglected" characters of Brains and Tin-Tin; he also compliments the mildly comic relationship between Brains and Braman. Nevertheless, he calls the Sun itself "probably the series' weakest special effect".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Thunderbirds: The Vault|author=Hearn, Marcus|year=2015|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|location=London, UK|isbn=978-0-753-55635-1|page=77}}</ref>
⚫
Tom Fox of ''[[Starburst (magazine)|Starburst]]'' magazine also gives a favourable review, writing that although "Sun Probe" presents the series' "most drawn-out conclusion ever", it remains a "very busy" episode. Praising the roles of Brains, Alan and Tin-Tin, the portrayal of the astronauts' deliriousness and the "novel twist" of the malfunction on ''Thunderbird 3'', he sums up the episode as "a good, slow-burning one" and awards a rating of four out of five stars.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=TV View|journal=[[Starburst (magazine)|Starburst Special]]|issue=65|author=Fox, Tom|date=August 2004|publisher=[[Visual Imagination]]|location=London, UK|issn=0958-7128|oclc=79615651|page=47}}</ref>


⚫
Tom Fox of ''[[Starburst (magazine)|Starburst]]'' magazine also gives a favourable review, writing that although "Sun Probe" features the series' "most drawn-out conclusion ever", it remains a "very busy" episode. Praising the roles of Brains, Alan and Tin-Tin, the portrayal of the astronauts' deliriousness and the "novel twist" of the malfunction on ''Thunderbird 3'', he sums up the episode as a "good, slow-burning one" and awards a rating of four out of five stars.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=TV View|magazine=[[Starburst (magazine)|Starburst Special]]|issue=65|author=Fox, Tom|date=August 2004|publisher=Visual Imagination|location=London, UK|issn=0958-7128|oclc=79615651|page=47}}</ref>
⚫
Matthew Dennis of the website CultBox describes "Sun Probe" as "terrific stuff" and ranks it as one of the best episodes of ''Thunderbirds'', noting its drama and suspense.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cultbox.co.uk/features/lists/5-of-the-best-classic-thunderbirds-episodes|title=Five of the Best Classic ''Thunderbirds'' Episodes|author=Dennis, Matthew|date=6 February 2015|work=cultbox.co.uk|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151012023638/http://www.cultbox.co.uk/features/lists/5-of-the-best-classic-thunderbirds-episodes|archivedate=12 October 2015|deadurl=no|accessdate=1 November 2015}}</ref> David Gutierrez of [[DVD Verdict]] gives a rating of 85 out of 100.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/bestofthunderbirds.php|title=''The Best of Thunderbirds: The Favorite Episodes'' DVD Review|author=Gutierrez, David|date=28 July 2004|work=[[DVD Verdict]]|publisher=Verdict Partners|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121216063309/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/bestofthunderbirds.php|archivedate=16 December 2012|deadurl=no|accessdate=1 November 2015}}</ref>


⚫
Matthew Dennis of the website CultBox describes "Sun Probe" as "terrific stuff" and ranks it as one of the best episodes of ''Thunderbirds'', noting its drama and suspense.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cultbox.co.uk/features/lists/5-of-the-best-classic-thunderbirds-episodes|title=Five of the Best Classic ''Thunderbirds'' Episodes|author=Dennis, Matthew|date=6 February 2015|work=cultbox.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151012023638/http://www.cultbox.co.uk/features/lists/5-of-the-best-classic-thunderbirds-episodes|archive-date=12 October 2015|url-status=live|access-date=1 November 2015}}</ref> David Gutierrez of [[DVD Verdict]] gives a rating of 85 out of 100.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/bestofthunderbirds.php|title=''The Best of Thunderbirds: The Favorite Episodes'' DVD Review|author=Gutierrez, David|date=28 July 2004|work=[[DVD Verdict]]|publisher=Verdict Partners|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121216063309/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/bestofthunderbirds.php|archive-date=16 December 2012|url-status=live|access-date=1 November 2015}}</ref>
==Later appearances==
Footage from "Sun Probe" was incorporated in the final episode of Series One, the clip show "Security Hazard". In 1966, an adaptation of the episode's soundtrack – featuring newly recorded narration by Matt Zimmerman as Alan – was released by Century 21 Records as the [[mini-album]] ''Thunderbird 3'' (code MA 112).<ref name="Bentley, 67"/> Fifteen years later, the New York offices of [[ITC Entertainment|ITC]] combined "Sun Probe" with another space adventure – Season Two's "Ricochet" – to create ''Thunderbirds In Outer Space'' (1981), one of three ''Thunderbirds'' [[made-for-TV]] [[compilation film]]s aimed at the American cable market and promoted under the banner of "Super Space Theater". In 1991, the episode was serialised by Fennell and Malcolm Stokes for issues 6 to 8 of ''Thunderbirds: The Comic'';<ref name="Bentley, 67"/> the following year, [[Corgi Books|Young Corgi]] published a novelisation by [[Dave Morris (writer)|Dave Morris]]. In 1994, "Sun Probe" aired on the US [[Fox Network]] as an episode of ''[[Works based on Thunderbirds#US re-edits|Thunderbirds Are Go!]]'' – a series comprising re-edited versions of 13 of the original episodes, complete with new soundtracks. Having undergone further alterations, it was again broadcast in 1995 as an episode of ''Turbocharged Thunderbirds'' on [[UPN]].


==Adaptations==
⚫
The film ''[[Doppelgänger (1969 film)|Doppelgänger]]'' (1969), which Gerry and Sylvia Anderson produced and co-wrote, also features a spacecraft named ''Sun Probe''.<ref name="Hearn"/>
The [[clip show]] episode "[[Security Hazard]]" features a [[Flashback (narrative)|flashback]] to "Sun Probe". In 1966, an adaptation of the soundtrack, featuring newly recorded narration by Matt Zimmerman as Alan, was released by Century 21 Records on the vinyl [[EP record|EP]] ''Thunderbird 3'' (code MA 112).<ref name="Bentley2005,67"/>


In 1981, the New York offices of [[ITC Entertainment]] combined "Sun Probe" with another space adventure – Series Two's "[[Ricochet (Thunderbirds)|Ricochet]]" – to create ''Thunderbirds In Outer Space'', one of three ''Thunderbirds'' [[compilation film]]s that were sold to the American cable TV market in the early 1980s under the promotional banner "Super Space Theater".<ref name="Pixley"/>
⚫
"Slingshot", an episode of the computer-animated ''[[Thunderbirds Are Go (TV series)|Thunderbirds Are Go]]'', is a remake of "Sun Probe".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenrelish.com/2015/05/23/thunderbirds-are-go-slingshot-review/|title=''Thunderbirds Are Go'': 'Slingshot' Review|author=Fred McNamara|date=23 May 2015|work=screenrelish.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101212035/http://www.screenrelish.com/2015/05/23/thunderbirds-are-go-slingshot-review/|archivedate=1 November 2015|deadurl=no|accessdate=1 November 2015}}</ref>

In 1991, the episode was serialised by Alan Fennell and Malcolm Stokes over three issues of ''Thunderbirds: The Comic''.<ref name="Bentley2005,67"/> The following year, a novelisation by [[Dave Morris (game designer)|Dave Morris]] was published by [[Transworld Publishers|Young Corgi]].<ref name="Pixley"/>

In 1994, "Sun Probe" was broadcast on [[Fox Network]] in the United States as an episode of ''[[Works based on Thunderbirds#US re-edits|Thunderbirds Are Go!]]'' – a series comprising re-edited versions of 13 of the original episodes, complete with new soundtracks.<ref name="Pixley"/> After further modifications, the re-edit aired on [[UPN]] in 1995 as an episode of ''Turbocharged Thunderbirds''.

⚫
"Sun Probe" was later remade as "Slingshot", an episode of the remake series ''[[Thunderbirds Are Go (TV series)|Thunderbirds Are Go]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenrelish.com/2015/05/23/thunderbirds-are-go-slingshot-review/|title=''Thunderbirds Are Go'': 'Slingshot' Review|last1=McNamara|first1=Fred|date=23 May 2015|work=screenrelish.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101212035/http://www.screenrelish.com/2015/05/23/thunderbirds-are-go-slingshot-review/|archive-date=1 November 2015|url-status=usurped|access-date=1 November 2015}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


===Works cited===
'''Bibliography'''
*{{Cite book|author=Bentley, Chris|title=The Complete Book of Thunderbirds|publisher=[[Carlton Books]]|year=2005|origyear=2000|edition=2nd|location=London, UK|isbn=978-1-84442-454-2}}
*{{Cite book|last1=Bentley|first1=Chris|title=The Complete Book of Thunderbirds|publisher=[[Carlton Books]]|year=2005|orig-year=2000|edition=2nd|location=London, UK|isbn=978-1-84442-454-2}}
*{{Cite journal|title=Fantasy Flashback: ''Thunderbirds'' – 'Sun Probe'|journal=[[TV Zone]]|author=Pixley, Andrew|issue=131|date=October 2000|publication-date=September 2000|publisher=[[Visual Imagination]]|location=London, UK|issn=0957-3844|oclc=226121852|page=68}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal|Television in the United Kingdom}}

*{{IMDb episode|0830478}}
*{{IMDb episode|0830478}}
*{{Tv.com episode|thunderbirds/sun-probe-117791}}


{{Thunderbirds}}
{{Thunderbirds}}


[[Category:1965 British television episodes]]
[[Category:1965 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Artificial intelligence in fiction]]
[[Category:Fiction about the Sun]]
[[Category:Florida in fiction]]
[[Category:Himalayas in fiction]]
[[Category:Robots in television]]
[[Category:Television episodes about robots]]
[[Category:Sun in fiction]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in Florida]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in outer space]]
[[Category:Thunderbirds (TV series) episodes]]
[[Category:Thunderbirds (TV series) episodes]]
[[Category:Works about space programs]]
[[Category:Works about astronauts]]

Latest revision as of 19:29, 22 September 2024

This article is about Thunderbirds episode. For similar terms, see Solar probe.

"Sun Probe"
Thunderbirds episode
Episode no.Series 1
Episode 4
Directed byDavid Lane
Written byAlan Fennell
Cinematography byPaddy Seale
Editing byPeter Elliott
Production code4[1]
Original air date9 December 1965 (1965-12-09)
Guest character voices
Episode chronology
← Previous
"City of Fire" 		Next →
"The Uninvited"
List of episodes

"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 by David Lane, it was first broadcast on 9 December 1965 on ATV Midlands as the 11th episode of Series One. It is the fourth episode in the official running order.[2]

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, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's main vehicles: the Thunderbird machines. In "Sun Probe", Thunderbirds 2 and 3 are launched to save a crew of astronauts whose spacecraft is locked on a collision course with the Sun.

Plot

[edit]

At Cape Kennedy in Florida, Colonel Benson oversees the launch of Sun Probe, a three-man spacecraft designed to extract matter from the Sun. Sun Probe lifts off safely and its journey to the Sun passes without incident.

A week later, as Sun Probe nears its target, International Rescue watch live TV coverage of the mission from Tracy Island. Brains is absent from the proceedings as he is busy working on his latest invention, an artificially-intelligent humanoid robot called Braman. In space, solarnauts Harris, Asher and Camp fire a smaller probe through a solar prominence and succeed in capturing fragments of matter. However, by the time the probe returns to the main spacecraft, the intensifying radiation has caused Sun Probe's retro-rockets to fail, locking it on a collision course with the Sun.

On TV, Benson implores International Rescue to save the crew. Alan and Scott suggest remote-firing Sun Probe's rockets by radio beam from Thunderbird 3. Virgil points out that Thunderbird 2 is more powerful and that it would be easier to transmit the signal from Earth. The team finally agree to launch a two-pronged rescue attempt. Alan, Scott and Tin-Tin blast off in Thunderbird 3 but their radio beam falls short of Sun Probe, forcing them to travel closer to the Sun than anticipated.

Having determined the optimal Earth-bound transmitting position to be in the Himalayas, Virgil and Brains take off in Thunderbird 2 carrying the Transmitter Truck. Landing on Mount Arkan, they align the truck's dish with Sun Probe but their transmission fails to reach the spacecraft.

Further attempts to transmit from Thunderbird 3 fail. With the crews of both Sun Probe and Thunderbird 3 growing delirious from the heat, Alan suggests that Tin-Tin overrun the power and the beam finally makes contact, successfully firing Sun Probe's retros. Sun Probe reverses course for Earth but the crew of Thunderbird 3 pass out before they can switch off the beam, draining the ship's power and preventing its own retros from firing.

With the news media now reporting that Thunderbird 3 is heading for the Sun, Jeff alerts Virgil and Brains, who hurry back to Thunderbird 2 to calculate the frequency needed to fire Thunderbird 3's retros. Opening a storage box meant for International Rescue's portable computer, they are dismayed to find that they have accidentally packed Braman instead. However, Braman is able to calculate the frequency on his own and Virgil and Brains succeed in firing Thunderbird 3's retros. Back on Tracy Island, the International Rescue team thank Brains and Braman for their efforts.

Regular voice cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

"Sun Probe" was the fourth episode of Thunderbirds to enter production.[1] The story was devised by Gerry Anderson as a means of introducing Thunderbird 3, which had not been featured in any of the early scripts for the series.[3] "Sun Probe" marks the first vocal contributions of Matt Zimmerman (the voice of Alan Tracy) to the series.[4]

Originally filmed as a 25-minute episode in late 1964, "Sun Probe" was lengthened to 50 minutes in January 1965 to satisfy APF's sponsor Lew Grade, who had been impressed with the pilot episode and ordered that all episodes of Thunderbirds be extended to fill a one-hour timeslot.[3] Anderson, Alan Pattillo and Tony Barwick expanded Alan Fennell's original storyline by adding the subplot of Thunderbird 2's mission to Mount Arkan and the plot twists involving the failure of Thunderbird 3's retro-rockets and Virgil and Brains' discovery that they have taken Braman with them.[4] The newly written material also included a scene in which Brains and Braman play chess on Tracy Island and another that sees Harris, Asher and Camp preparing for blast-off at Cape Kennedy.[4]

The new scenes were shot between the filming of "30 Minutes After Noon" and "The Impostors"[4] and alongside that of "The Uninvited";[3] "Sun Probe" and "The Uninvited" were the first episodes of Thunderbirds to be extended.[3] The re-shoots required the Thunderbird 3 and Cape Kennedy control room sets to be re-built from scratch.[4] The chess scene was filmed in the Tracy Villa lounge instead of Brains' laboratory as the latter set was considered too detailed to re-create accurately.[4] The Transmitter Truck model is a modified version of the explosives tractor seen in "End of the Road".[4]

Anderson was displeased with the scenes of Sun Probe approaching the Sun and instructed the episode's sound editor to amplify the accompanying sound effects.[3] He believed that Barry Gray's musical score, composed partly of material originally recorded for Fireball XL5, compensated for the lack of action and greatly improved the episode.[3][5]

Some shots of the Sun Probe launch were duplicated for the opening scenes of "The Perils of Penelope", whose extending material was recorded back-to-back with "Sun Probe".[3][6] The Thunderbird 3 launch sequence, devised by special effects director Derek Meddings, was recycled for "The Uninvited", "The Impostors", "Danger at Ocean Deep" and the series finale, "Give or Take a Million".[3] The Braman puppet also appears in "Edge of Impact" and "30 Minutes After Noon" (in the latter episode, as the plutonium store guards).[3]

The 1969 film Doppelgänger, which Gerry and Sylvia Anderson produced and co-wrote, also features a spacecraft called Sun Probe.

Broadcast and reception

[edit]

"Sun Probe" was broadcast as the 11th episode of Thunderbirds for both the series' original run and most of its 1960s re-runs.[3] Over five million people watched the episode on 11 October 1991 when it had its first network broadcast on BBC2, making it the channel's fourth most-watched programme of the week.[3][2]

Critical response

[edit]

Sylvia Anderson praised the special effects but characterised the episode in general as "too much space and too many machines for my taste" and a "boys' own adventure" lacking femininity.[7]

Chris Bentley, author of The Complete Book of Thunderbirds responds positively to the episode, writing that it "successfully" showcases Thunderbird 3;[4] John Marriott, author of Thunderbirds Are Go!, considers it melodramatic and "one of the most edge-of-the-sofa" episodes of the series.[8] Marcus Hearn, author of Thunderbirds: The Vault, describes it as "nerve-wracking ... skilfully extended from its original 25-minute running time" and praises the substantial roles given to the "sometimes neglected" characters of Brains and Tin-Tin; he also compliments the mildly comic relationship between Brains and Braman. Nevertheless, he calls the Sun itself "probably the series' weakest special effect".[9]

Tom Fox of Starburst magazine also gives a favourable review, writing that although "Sun Probe" features the series' "most drawn-out conclusion ever", it remains a "very busy" episode. Praising the roles of Brains, Alan and Tin-Tin, the portrayal of the astronauts' deliriousness and the "novel twist" of the malfunction on Thunderbird 3, he sums up the episode as a "good, slow-burning one" and awards a rating of four out of five stars.[10]

Matthew Dennis of the website CultBox describes "Sun Probe" as "terrific stuff" and ranks it as one of the best episodes of Thunderbirds, noting its drama and suspense.[11] David Gutierrez of DVD Verdict gives a rating of 85 out of 100.[12]

Adaptations

[edit]

The clip show episode "Security Hazard" features a flashback to "Sun Probe". In 1966, an adaptation of the soundtrack, featuring newly recorded narration by Matt Zimmerman as Alan, was released by Century 21 Records on the vinyl EP Thunderbird 3 (code MA 112).[2]

In 1981, the New York offices of ITC Entertainment combined "Sun Probe" with another space adventure – Series Two's "Ricochet" – to create Thunderbirds In Outer Space, one of three Thunderbirds compilation films that were sold to the American cable TV market in the early 1980s under the promotional banner "Super Space Theater".[3]

In 1991, the episode was serialised by Alan Fennell and Malcolm Stokes over three issues of Thunderbirds: The Comic.[2] The following year, a novelisation by Dave Morris was published by Young Corgi.[3]

In 1994, "Sun Probe" was broadcast on Fox Network in the United States as an episode of Thunderbirds Are Go! – a series comprising re-edited versions of 13 of the original episodes, complete with new soundtracks.[3] After further modifications, the re-edit aired on UPN in 1995 as an episode of Turbocharged Thunderbirds.

"Sun Probe" was later remade as "Slingshot", an episode of the remake series Thunderbirds Are Go.[13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Bentley, Chris (2008) [2001]. The Complete Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Episode Guide (4th ed.). London, UK: Reynolds & Hearn. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-905287-74-1.
  2. ^ a b c d Bentley 2005, p. 67.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Pixley, Andrew (October 2000). "Fantasy Flashback: Thunderbirds – 'Sun Probe'". TV Zone. No. 131. London, UK: Visual Imagination (published September 2000). p. 68. ISSN 0957-3844. OCLC 226121852.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Bentley, Chris (September 2015). Hearn, Marcus (ed.). Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series. Tunbridge Wells, UK: Panini UK. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-84653-212-2.
  5. ^ Archer, Simon; Hearn, Marcus (2002). What Made Thunderbirds Go! The Authorised Biography of Gerry Anderson. London, UK: BBC Books. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-563-53481-5.
  6. ^ Bentley 2005, p. 27.
  7. ^ Anderson, Sylvia (1991). Yes, M'Lady. London, UK: Smith Gryphon. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-856850-11-7.
  8. ^ Marriott, John (1993). Supermarionation Classics: Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Rogers, Dave; Drake, Chris; Bassett, Graeme. London, UK: Boxtree. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-85283-900-0.
  9. ^ Hearn, Marcus (2015). Thunderbirds: The Vault. London, UK: Virgin Books. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-753-55635-1.
  10. ^ Fox, Tom (August 2004). "TV View". Starburst Special. No. 65. London, UK: Visual Imagination. p. 47. ISSN 0958-7128. OCLC 79615651.
  11. ^ Dennis, Matthew (6 February 2015). "Five of the Best Classic Thunderbirds Episodes". cultbox.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  12. ^ Gutierrez, David (28 July 2004). "The Best of Thunderbirds: The Favorite Episodes DVD Review". DVD Verdict. Verdict Partners. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  13. ^ McNamara, Fred (23 May 2015). "Thunderbirds Are Go: 'Slingshot' Review". screenrelish.com. Archived from the original on 1 November 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

Works cited

[edit]
[edit]
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