Fireball XL5
Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. The show was produced in 1962 by husband and wife team Gerry and Sylvia...
Fireball XL5
Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. The show was produced in 1962 by husband and wife team Gerry and Sylvia Anderson through their company APF, in association with ATV for ITC Entertainment. While developing his new show, Anderson thought a brand of motor oil—Castrol XL—had an interesting sound. A phonetic change created the name "Fireball XL", with the "-5" added as the title seemed a bit flat without the numeral. The show featured the Andersons' Supermarionation, a form of puppetry first introduced in Four Feather Falls and Supercar and used again in their subsequent productions such as Stingray and Captain Scarlet. Thirty-nine black and white half-hour episodes of Fireball XL5 were made on 35mm film: all future Anderson series were produced in colour. Several Anderson series have been shown in syndication in the US, but Fireball XL5 is the only Anderson series to have run on a US network. NBC ran the series in its Saturday morning children's block from 1963 through to September 1965. A similar programme often confused with Fireball XL5 is Space Patrol, produced by Gerry Anderson's ex business partner and co-founder of AP Films, Arthur Provis due to a number of similarities and settings.
Fireball XL5
Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. The show was produced in 1962 by husband and wife team Gerry and Sylvia...
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Episodes
Episode 1: The Noble Art of Fireball XL5
Documentary on the series Fireball XL5.
Episode 1: Planet 46
After intercepting a missile on course for earth, Steve Zodiac and the crew of the XL5 travel to Pla...
Episode 2: The Doomed Planet
The Fireball XL5 narrowly misses a planet that bas broken out of it's orbit and realize the planet i...
Episode 3: Space Immigrants
Venus and Prof. Matic are about to set off in the Mayflower 3 to colonise the nearby planet, New Ear...
Episode 4: Plant Man From Space
After a blackout at Space City, a missile gets through the radar blackout, and is heading towards Sp...
Episode 5: Spy in Space
The crew of XL5 encounter Boris and Griselda the space pirates on the Companion 12 space station.
Episode 6: The Sun Temple
When experimenting with a new warhead in space, Steve Zodiac is forced to save Venus from the clutch...
Episode 7: XL5 to H2O
Everyone on planet Zolpheid is killed in an Aquaphibian attack, except for Rald and Jerek. Receiving...
Episode 8: Space Pirates
While babysitting Commander Zero's son, Jonathan, Venus tells him story about when Fireball XL5 enco...
Episode 9: Flying Zodiac
As Steve celebrates the anniversary of his family's circus act, Venus falls asleep and dreams of a p...
Episode 10: Space Pen
To capture a group on criminals, Steve, Matt and Venus pretend to steal XL5.
Episode 11: Space Monster
Fireball XL2 has crashed on Planet Monotane, and Fireball XL5 is sent to investigate, only to run in...
Episode 12: The Last of the Zanadus
Major Jim Ireland returns to Earth after 10 years in space, but unknown to everyone, he has become a...
Episode 13: Planet of Platonia
The Fireball XL5 foils an attempted bombing while transporting the King of Platonia and is caught in...
Episode 14: The Triads
After detecting a series of massive explosions in space, Steve and the crew of XL5 find a planet thr...
Episode 15: Wings of Danger
On Planet 46, the Subterraineans plan revenge on Zodiac and send a robot bird to infect him with rad...
Episode 16: Convict in Space
After top secret plans are stolen from Earth, XL5 enocunters Boris and Griselda, but Matt is capture...
Episode 17: Space Vacation
Kernak, ruler of Kemple plots the resettlement of his people to Planet Olympus by poisoning Olympus'...
Episode 18: Flight to Danger
Lt. 90 qualifies for his astronauts wings by landing XL5 in one piece and then piloting XL1 off the...
Episode 19: Prisoner on The Lost Planet
Fireball XL5 recieves a distress call on a distant planet, and Steve Zodiac journeys to investigate.
Episode 20: The Forbidden Planet
At Space Observatory 1, Matt and Dr. Stamp work on a new Ultrascope space probe. However, the people...
Episode 21: Robert to the Rescue
While stargazing, Prof. Matic discovers a new planet, but it doesn't read on any electronic instrume...
Episode 22: Dangerous Cargo
On a survey of Pharos, the crew of XL5 disocver the planet is unstable and must be destroyed. After...
Episode 23: Mystery Of The TA2
Whilst on patrol, the XL5 comes across the wreck of an old spaceship. Setting out to investigate, th...
Episode 24: Drama At Space City
With Steve and Venus on vacation, Commander Zero is left to look after Zoonie the Lazoon, who causes...
Episode 25: 1875
Matt completes his new time machine and sends Robert back to 1875, but Steve, Venus and Zero are acc...
Episode 26: The Granatoid Tanks
On Planet 73, two scientists working at a mineral research lab discover that they in the path of six...
Episode 27: The Robot Freighter Mystery
Robot freighters are being sabotaged by a shoddy space salvage company, and Steve Zodiac is determin...
Episode 28: Whistle for Danger
On planet Floran, the crew of XL5 try to discover what is killing the plants there, however the nati...
Episode 29: Trial by Robot
A mechanics professor is giving a lecture on robotics at Space City. But barely a few days after his...
Episode 30: A Day in the Life of a Space General
While drawing a schematic for a new radar screen, Lt. Ninety is surprised to find himself promoted t...
Episode 31: Invasion Earth
There is a strange fog descending on Space City, blocking out communications with the rest of the ou...
Episode 32: Faster Than Light
While on route to Space Station 9, Steve loses control of XL5. Racing out of control, XL5 passes the...
Episode 33: The Day the Earth Froze
XL27 makes an emergency landing at Space City and the crew are all found to be unconcious. XL27's ro...
Episode 34: The Fire Fighters
Blazing fireballs from a space cloud cause widespread damage on Earth. XL5 is sent to investigate bu...
Episode 35: Space City Special
General Rossiter comes to Space City to present Steve with the Astronaut of the Year award. XL5 and...
Episode 36: Ghosts Of Space
XL5 transports Geologist Frazer to Electron for a survey. When Frazer discovers a strange rock in a...
Episode 37: Hypnotic Sphere
The crew of the XL5 becomes entranced by a strange alien sphere and Robert is the only one who can s...
Episode 38: Sabotage
On patrol, Fireball XL5 suddenly catches fire. The cause, sabotage! Commander Zero sends Light Patro...
Episode 39: Space Magnet
The XL5 becomes caught in the gravitational pull of planet Megneton and discovers the plot by the So...
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