"Stingray" (1964) TV series 1964-1965

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

2 January 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Stand by for action!

Plot:

Gerry Anderson's third SF supermarionation saga told the adventures of the WASPs (the World Aquanaut...

Plot Keywords:

Supermarionation | Puppet | U Boat | Submarine | Kids And Family

Cast

Don Mason	...	Capt. Troy Tempest / ... (4 episodes, 1964-1965)
Robert Easton	...	Lieutenant George Lee 'Phones' Sheridan / ... (4 episodes, 1964-1965)
Ray Barrett	...	Commander Sam Shore / ... (4 episodes, 1964-1965)
Lois Maxwell	...	Lieutenant Atlanta Shore / ... (4 episodes, 1964-1965)
David Graham	...	Incidental characters (2 episodes, 1964-1965)

Runtime:

30 min (39 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G

Company:

AP Films (APF)

Trivia:

According to background information produced by Century 21 for its publications, "Stingray" takes place a few years prior to "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons" (1967), with some WASP personnel becoming members of the later SPECTRUM. None of this was indicated on screen, however.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: The fishing line was used to pull Stingray out of the water is visible in the opening titles.

Movie Connections:

Featured in All About 'Thunderbirds' (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Stingray

My 6th Favourite TV Series Ever!

It was not until I was 29 (in 1995) that I got see this not often screened (in Oz) series. Over the last ten years I have had an odd relationship with this series. At first I just liked it for the Stingray sets and effects. Then I began to take a general dis-interest in the series as a whole. Last year I got the DVD set and the colours blew me away. This year I seem to be responding to the puppets better (mainly Commander Shore and Phones) and the series has become my 6th favourite TV series of all time.

Of the 39 episodes, the following 20 have the most interesting elements ...

1- The Pilot, well filmed Motion Picture TV with wonderful sets, effects, colour and music. 2- Treasure Down Below, an episode driven by characterisation, mainly Phones and Troy getting all worked up about the treasure and taking the sub to dangerous waters, a classic! 3- The Big Gun, wonderful colour, action and effects. 4- The Golden Sea, good science fiction story and great effects.

5- The Ghost Of The Sea, for once, Commander Shore gets out of the office and goes on a Stingray mission with Troy, giving this episode an Admiral Nelson/Captain Crane voyage to the bottom of the sea feel. 6- Emergency Marineville, a wonderful special effects episode. 7- Subterranean Sea, perhaps the best scripted science fiction episode of the series as this very colourful show enters a new sea world and the ending will put a smile on your face, a classic!

8- The Invaders, another well scripted episode as two invaders (with guns) enter the Marineville command centre. 9- Secret Of The Giant Oyster, music and Stingray effects come together to form something you will never forget! 10- Pink Ice, perhaps the second best sci-fi outing of the Stingray series, the title says it all, yes pink icebergs all over the world (including Australia!) and the effects will blow you away!.

11- Deep Heat, more sci-fi as this wonderfully filmed adventure goes to the very bottom of the sea! 12- Search For Tajmanon, outstanding effects of the Stingray being transported over land. 13- Set Sail For Adventure, Phones is very amusing when he tells a man to "Get lost", cute show mostly set on an old old ship.

14- Tune Of Danger, very 1960s music give this episode a lift. 15- Rescue From The Skies, this begins like Star Trek 11: The Wrath Of Khan (1982) with what seems like disaster on the ship but then turning out to be a pretend training mission for a young new guy.

16- A Nut At Marineville, Commander Shore is very amusing when he has endless communication problems with a "nut" scientist. 17- The Lighthouse Dwellers, a nice story and perhaps the only one to mention the year as being 2065.

18- Hostages Of The Deep/19- Plant Of Doom/ 20- Sea Of Oil, also had moments.

In 2004, it suddenly became cool to like things like Stingray as the Team America World Police puppet movie hit theatres and became a box office hit (in Oz at least). The colour, the humour, the sets, the effects, the Voyage/Bottom/Sea cross overs make Stingray Gerry Anderson's best series (Thunderbirds was too land based and non sci-fi) and I always seek more knowledge of this series.

Ray Barrett, Robert Easton and Lois Maxwell did some great voice work on this series, if you have knowledge of these artists commenting on Stingray over the years, please send me a private post about this. Thank you.