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Fireball XL5 Season 1

October. 28,1962
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7.2
| Animation Action & Adventure Sci-Fi

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.

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Fireball XL5

1962

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.

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Cast
Gerry Anderson, David Graham
Producted By
ITC Entertainment
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Fireball XL5 Season 1 Full Episode Guide

Episode 39 - Space Magnet
First Aired: October. 27,1963

The XL5 becomes caught in the gravitational pull of planet Megneton and discovers the plot by the Solars to bring the Earth's moon into their orbit.

Episode 38 - Sabotage
First Aired: October. 20,1963

On patrol, Fireball XL5 suddenly catches fire. The cause, sabotage! Commander Zero sends Light Patrol LP22 to investigate, but the XL5 crew have disappeared...

Episode 37 - Hypnotic Sphere
Episode 36 - Ghosts Of Space
First Aired: October. 06,1963

XL5 transports Geologist Frazer to Electron for a survey. When Frazer discovers a strange rock in a deserted town, he goes mad and threatens to destroy Fireball Junior, if Steve doesn't take the rocks back to Earth.

Episode 35 - Space City Special
First Aired: June. 23,1963

General Rossiter comes to Space City to present Steve with the Astronaut of the Year award. XL5 and the ground staff put on a song and dance show to raise money for charity. Meanwhile Venus is put in danger aboard a new supersonic jet liner.

Episode 34 - The Fire Fighters
First Aired: June. 16,1963

Blazing fireballs from a space cloud cause widespread damage on Earth. XL5 is sent to investigate but it catches fire and has to retreat. Steve proposes using an old satellite to detonate the cloud, but a fireball is heading directly to Space City.

Episode 33 - The Day the Earth Froze
First Aired: June. 09,1963

XL27 makes an emergency landing at Space City and the crew are all found to be unconcious. XL27's route is traced back to planet Zavia where the inhabitants plan to freeze the Earth by deflecting the sun's rays.

Episode 32 - Faster Than Light
First Aired: June. 02,1963

While on route to Space Station 9, Steve loses control of XL5. Racing out of control, XL5 passes the light barrier resulting in the loss of all but an hours worth of oxygen.

Episode 31 - Invasion Earth
First Aired: May. 26,1963

There is a strange fog descending on Space City, blocking out communications with the rest of the outside world. But what does this strange cloud hide?

Episode 30 - A Day in the Life of a Space General
Episode 29 - Trial by Robot
First Aired: May. 12,1963

A mechanics professor is giving a lecture on robotics at Space City. But barely a few days after his visit, Robert suddenly rebels and steals Fireball XL1! Steve and Venus follow him in the XL5, but find themselves prisoner of a robotic society, with Robert as their jailer.

Episode 28 - Whistle for Danger
First Aired: May. 05,1963

On planet Floran, the crew of XL5 try to discover what is killing the plants there, however the native people believe they are an invasion force and drug their food.

Episode 27 - The Robot Freighter Mystery
First Aired: April. 28,1963

Robot freighters are being sabotaged by a shoddy space salvage company, and Steve Zodiac is determined to find the proof he needs to bring the sleazy brothers to justice.

Episode 26 - The Granatoid Tanks
First Aired: April. 21,1963

On Planet 73, two scientists working at a mineral research lab discover that they in the path of six tanks controlled by Granatoid robots. They can only be stopped using a rare material, but all the supplies have run out!

Episode 25 - 1875
Episode 24 - Drama At Space City
First Aired: April. 07,1963

With Steve and Venus on vacation, Commander Zero is left to look after Zoonie the Lazoon, who causes havoc in Space City with Commander Zeros' son, Jonathan.

Episode 23 - Mystery Of The TA2
First Aired: March. 31,1963

Whilst on patrol, the XL5 comes across the wreck of an old spaceship. Setting out to investigate, they find it to be the TA2, that disappeared in the 2020's, and the hunt is on to find her pilot...

Episode 22 - Dangerous Cargo
First Aired: March. 24,1963

On a survey of Pharos, the crew of XL5 disocver the planet is unstable and must be destroyed. After setting up bombs, someone traps Steve and the others in with it.

Episode 21 - Robert to the Rescue
First Aired: March. 17,1963

While stargazing, Prof. Matic discovers a new planet, but it doesn't read on any electronic instruments. Curious, Steve and the others set out in the XL5 to investigate, and find that the planet is more sinister than first thought...

Episode 20 - The Forbidden Planet
First Aired: March. 10,1963

At Space Observatory 1, Matt and Dr. Stamp work on a new Ultrascope space probe. However, the people of the planet the probe is sent to observe don't take too kindly to being watched and kidnap the scientists.

Episode 19 - Prisoner on The Lost Planet
Episode 18 - Flight to Danger
First Aired: February. 24,1963

Lt. 90 qualifies for his astronauts wings by landing XL5 in one piece and then piloting XL1 off the launch rail, but on his return to Earth in a capsule, he finds it has caught fire!

Episode 17 - Space Vacation
First Aired: February. 17,1963

Kernak, ruler of Kemple plots the resettlement of his people to Planet Olympus by poisoning Olympus' ruler's son. Venus and Matt are captured and must be rescued by Steve.

Episode 16 - Convict in Space
Episode 15 - Wings of Danger
Episode 14 - The Triads
First Aired: January. 27,1963

After detecting a series of massive explosions in space, Steve and the crew of XL5 find a planet three times bigger than Earth, but they soon crash land...

Episode 13 - Planet of Platonia
First Aired: January. 20,1963

The Fireball XL5 foils an attempted bombing while transporting the King of Platonia and is caught in the middle of the plot to assassinate the King and sent two planets into war.

Episode 12 - The Last of the Zanadus
First Aired: January. 13,1963

Major Jim Ireland returns to Earth after 10 years in space, but unknown to everyone, he has become an agent for Kudos, the only survivor from the planet Zanadu, who wants revenge on all Lazoones for destroying his people.

Episode 11 - Space Monster
First Aired: January. 06,1962

Fireball XL2 has crashed on Planet Monotane, and Fireball XL5 is sent to investigate, only to run into a sort of space dinosaur...

Episode 9 - Flying Zodiac
First Aired: December. 23,1962

As Steve celebrates the anniversary of his family's circus act, Venus falls asleep and dreams of a plot devised by Mr and Mrs Space Spy and the nomadic Monadians to take over the Earth…

Episode 8 - Space Pirates
First Aired: December. 16,1962

While babysitting Commander Zero's son, Jonathan, Venus tells him story about when Fireball XL5 encountered a group of space pirates.

Episode 7 - XL5 to H2O
First Aired: December. 09,1962

Everyone on planet Zolpheid is killed in an Aquaphibian attack, except for Rald and Jerek. Receiving an SOS, Space City sends Fireball XL5 to rescue the two from Zolpheid's oceans.

Episode 6 - The Sun Temple
First Aired: December. 02,1962

When experimenting with a new warhead in space, Steve Zodiac is forced to save Venus from the clutches from the sinister Cult of Miras before she can be sacrificed to their sun-god...

Episode 4 - Plant Man From Space
First Aired: November. 18,1962

After a blackout at Space City, a missile gets through the radar blackout, and is heading towards Space City with a dangerous cargo...

Episode 3 - Space Immigrants
First Aired: November. 11,1962

Venus and Prof. Matic are about to set off in the Mayflower 3 to colonise the nearby planet, New Earth. But the Advance Scout has been kidnapped by two evil midgets who plan to hold the new immigrants captive.

Episode 2 - The Doomed Planet
First Aired: November. 04,1962

The Fireball XL5 narrowly misses a planet that bas broken out of it's orbit and realize the planet is on a collision course for the planet Membrono. After concluding the planets are uninhabited, Steve realizes he saw a flying saucer and after the ship lands at Venus' house, the XL5 is lured back to save the planet Membrono from destruction.

Episode 1 - Planet 46
First Aired: October. 28,1962

After intercepting a missile on course for earth, Steve Zodiac and the crew of the XL5 travel to Planet 46 and discover the Subterrains who launch another missile at the earth with Venus trapped inside.

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