Space Patrol is a series that has stayed vividly in the memory so it must have had something special about it. I loved it almost as much as I loved Fireball XL5. It was quirkier somehow and the characters were lively and varied. I remember giant leeks for aliens and the robots that patrolled the ship while the crew were in suspended animation were a treat. It was a show packed with original ideas. I hadn't realised it ran to three series. What I remember most was the immortal catchphrase used every time a voyage was about to begin and the ship had to be powered up - 'Gamma rays on. Yobba rays on'. The series deserved an award simply for coming up with the idea of yobba rays!
15 Reviews
Must have been very influential to Roddenberry
McQualude17 January 2008
I've just started watching the television series Space Patrol (known as Planet Patrol in the US), a wonderful kids program created by a protégé of Gerry Anderson from the early sixties that also used marionettes. What really strikes me about this all but forgotten program is how influential it seems to have been on later sci-fi. From the very first episode you can see how Gene Roddenberry must have been heavily influenced by Space Patrol. The aggressive and masculine Martians with their high foreheads are certainly forerunners of the Klingons while the elfin and logical Venusians must have been inspirational in the creation of the Vulcans. Even some aesthetics like room dividers are very similar to those on the Enterprise. The main plot revolves around a close knit trio of friends and their adventures visiting various planets. While obviously Roddenberry had more inspiration than this kid's show, in some ways Star Trek feels like a grown up version of Space Patrol.
Unfortunately the DVD is OOP and sells for around $500 but if you search around the net... (hint, hint), you can find some episodes. The show is really hilarious both intentionally and unintentionally such as in the first episode when the 'brakes' go out on their spaceship and they almost crash into Jupiter. Or anytime they leave the ship there is a cut-scene of a ridiculous looking robot pacing back and forth behind sliding doors. Notice how the Colonel looks like Larry Tate from Bewitched.
Unfortunately the DVD is OOP and sells for around $500 but if you search around the net... (hint, hint), you can find some episodes. The show is really hilarious both intentionally and unintentionally such as in the first episode when the 'brakes' go out on their spaceship and they almost crash into Jupiter. Or anytime they leave the ship there is a cut-scene of a ridiculous looking robot pacing back and forth behind sliding doors. Notice how the Colonel looks like Larry Tate from Bewitched.
Watch out Gerry Anderson.......
bkz245728 August 2002
Well it would have been, except it seems he prospered and Roberta Leigh did not [nothing against Gerry by the way]. Thats not the exact truth but pretty close. Although done on a very low budget the models were not as detailed as Gerrys, the "puppets" however [well they were better than puppets] were very well detailed for their time and all had their own personalities. It would have been interesting if someone had thrown enough money at Roberta Leighs company, things might have been very different. It might have been nice as a kid, to watch two people with a similar idea, going about things in their own way.
Surprisingly mature for a cheap young kids' show
sdlitvin11 July 2003
"Space Patrol" (a.k.a. "Planet Patrol" for U.S. release) was a children's cartoon show with puppet marionettes. The concept was an interplanetary organization of men and women from Earth, Mars and Venus, patrolling the Solar System to maintain the peace in the year 2100.
What distinguished this series from others of its ilk was the thought that went into it. The characters had real personalities. The futuristic Headquarters City was well done despite the cheap budget, with individual personal vehicles traveling thru transparent tubes to be automatically guided to their final destination. The spaceship wasn't the usual rocket ship, but something innovative: a "Galasphere" that looked vaguely like a kid's gyroscope toy, that made weird humming sounds as it sailed thru space. (Those humming sounds became the theme song for the TV series.)
The plots and sets were surprisingly dark for a children's show, in the style of "Outer Limits." One plot concerned aliens from Neptune (I think) conspiring to take over the minds of Earthlings and eventually "conquer the Earth leaders". Another dealt with a plot to subvert Earth's currency by counterfeiting huge quantities of Earth money. Even the backdrops were dark--the sky over the Headquarters City was usually dark, dreary overcast rather than bright and sunny.
Could have been a great show with a bigger budget.
What distinguished this series from others of its ilk was the thought that went into it. The characters had real personalities. The futuristic Headquarters City was well done despite the cheap budget, with individual personal vehicles traveling thru transparent tubes to be automatically guided to their final destination. The spaceship wasn't the usual rocket ship, but something innovative: a "Galasphere" that looked vaguely like a kid's gyroscope toy, that made weird humming sounds as it sailed thru space. (Those humming sounds became the theme song for the TV series.)
The plots and sets were surprisingly dark for a children's show, in the style of "Outer Limits." One plot concerned aliens from Neptune (I think) conspiring to take over the minds of Earthlings and eventually "conquer the Earth leaders". Another dealt with a plot to subvert Earth's currency by counterfeiting huge quantities of Earth money. Even the backdrops were dark--the sky over the Headquarters City was usually dark, dreary overcast rather than bright and sunny.
Could have been a great show with a bigger budget.
excellent pre Anderson Puppet series
dblackshire30 November 2006
Although for children the content is quite watchable by any age. This series sticks in my mind as one of the best thought out scifi TV programs of the sixties. OK so we know Mars and Venus have no life as such but don't let this spoil your enjoyment. Exceptional animation at times and dialogue thats usually non PC. This is a true treasure that shows what can be done on a budget.
I think Gerry Anderson used some ideas for what followed. Fireball XL5 although had a bigger budget didn't come anywhere near Space Patrols story lines.
db
I think Gerry Anderson used some ideas for what followed. Fireball XL5 although had a bigger budget didn't come anywhere near Space Patrols story lines.
db
Good For Its Time.
screenman9 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I have dim recollections of this off-beat science-fiction series for kids. Perhaps the most memorable elements were the props and effects. There was a very well-crafted cityscape with futuristic buildings connected by transparent tubes that were conduits for traffic. You could see capsular vehicles whizzing along inside. The idea was reprised in the movie 'Logan's Run'.
Their space vehicle wasn't the usual rocket or (later) star-ship, but something called a 'galasphere' that another commentator has likened to a gyroscope. Apparently, it was powered by both gamma rays and mysterious 'yobba rays' It rotated rapidly as it took off from a launch-deck high up on a tall building. The whole set was intricate and rather fascinating. A strange theme music composed of electronic noises and intermittent hissing created a backdrop 'sound of the city' that was a little like 'Forbidden Planet', a highly influential movie of a few years earlier.
Compared to this lot, the puppets were a bit of a comedown, just like those of the Jerry Anderson creations. The sets were more believable than the 'actors' - concerning which I remember very little. One of them had a pet called a 'Gabbler Dictum' which appeared to talk incessantly.
Gerry Anderson got better funding, and 'Fireball XL5' became quite a heavily merchandised hit, though nothing compared to 'Thunderbirds'.
I suspect most city centres would benefit from some anti-yobba rays on Saturday night.
Finite but fun.
Their space vehicle wasn't the usual rocket or (later) star-ship, but something called a 'galasphere' that another commentator has likened to a gyroscope. Apparently, it was powered by both gamma rays and mysterious 'yobba rays' It rotated rapidly as it took off from a launch-deck high up on a tall building. The whole set was intricate and rather fascinating. A strange theme music composed of electronic noises and intermittent hissing created a backdrop 'sound of the city' that was a little like 'Forbidden Planet', a highly influential movie of a few years earlier.
Compared to this lot, the puppets were a bit of a comedown, just like those of the Jerry Anderson creations. The sets were more believable than the 'actors' - concerning which I remember very little. One of them had a pet called a 'Gabbler Dictum' which appeared to talk incessantly.
Gerry Anderson got better funding, and 'Fireball XL5' became quite a heavily merchandised hit, though nothing compared to 'Thunderbirds'.
I suspect most city centres would benefit from some anti-yobba rays on Saturday night.
Finite but fun.
Not good but definitely fun!
greengenes24 June 2009
I never even heard of Space Patrol until a couple weeks ago when we went out for a movie and one of my friends gave me a disc of episodes, saying I had to watch it. It was definitely a lot of fun! It was not a very good show and definitely looks and feels very old, I'm not sure how much people would have enjoyed it back in the fifties or sixties when it was first on television but it's very campy with bad production values and hammy acting, and you definitely don't want to miss the puppetry, but the show is still a lot of fun. I know it's mostly laugh at it not with it kind of fun but still worth checking out if you can track it down.
The Happy Highways Where I Went...
midbrowcontrarian2 November 2021
Space Patrol is not something I would spend much time on these days, but it has the distinction of being the earliest TV programme I remember from the early 60s. For years I racked my brains trying to remember what it was called. Some elements were quite futuristic. One thing I recalled was the Galasphere - in space there is no reason apart from the aesthetic why a spaceship should have the more traditional rocket shape. Travel on earth is by a vehicle inside a tube, now recognisable as a hyperloop.
The most memorable aliens are the effeminate but ruthless Neptunians with their imperious demands for slaves. If Space Patrol is ever on TV again the Neptune related episodes would probably need to be accompanied by trigger warnings to avoid upsetting easily offended snowflakes. That's even supposing outright cancellation can be avoided.
The most memorable aliens are the effeminate but ruthless Neptunians with their imperious demands for slaves. If Space Patrol is ever on TV again the Neptune related episodes would probably need to be accompanied by trigger warnings to avoid upsetting easily offended snowflakes. That's even supposing outright cancellation can be avoided.
Spooky Spacemen
TondaCoolwal15 June 2020
Like others at the time, I thought this puppet series was a Gerry Anderson production. However, eventually I realised it was from the same stable as Torchy The Battery Boy. Certainly, the puppets seemed more realistic than Anderson's, but Fireball XL5 obviously had more money thrown at it. The galasphere was intriguing since it didn't have a rocket shape, and the accompanying electronic music simply added to the weirdness. Unlike Fireball, which had adventures on fictitious planets, Space Patrol concentrated on visits to our own solar system. Alongside Fireball, Dr Who and Target Luna, Space Patrol latched on to the space exploration genre which seemed prevalent in the early sixties. Although Earthlings, Martians and Venusians were in an alliance, the inhabitants of other planets often seemed to be antagonistic or devious. Dealing with them was the remit of the bearded Captain Larry Dart and his crew Slim and Husky. Although, I can't ever recall seeing any other galaspheres or their crews. The year 2100 sets which obviously looked futuristic at the time, will now appear quaint. As they say, nothing dates quicker than yesterday's view of tomorrow. Gender roles are stereotyped. In fact I cannot recall any female characters other than secretary Marla and dutiful daughter Cassiopia. But then, the original Star Trek series didn't exactly promote Women's Lib!
Worth a nostalgic look if you come across it. One big plus point I recall is that one episode featured the only fist fight I've ever seen between puppets! Edit. Just remembered. Beards weren't the norm in the early sixties. Therefore,if me and my pals saw anybody sporting one we would all point and shout "Larry Dart!"
When Compared to the Andersons'...
MVictorPjinsiste9 February 2024
... It may seem a bit cheap, less luminous, and less about fantastic vehicules. The puppets, more realistic than the Andersons' first ones but less than their later ones, were obviously smaller, but the animators themselves were of some merit. Music is absent, and the general soundtrack is rather sinister, with electronics and even some pre-industrial stuff. Some creature designs, intended as adorable, are in fact quite frightening when taken out of context.
All of this give a rather clautrophobic, anxiogenic feel to the final product, which strike an odd space between dark realism and puppet show. Stories and characters were however well-developped, maybe enough to inspire a young Gene Rodenberry, more apparent in Star Trek's pilot, featuring a more Husky-like Spock.
It is an interesting curio for the genre's aficionados, for sure. But I don't know if a could stomach a sustained viewing. But in terms of creativity, it's quite impressive.
All of this give a rather clautrophobic, anxiogenic feel to the final product, which strike an odd space between dark realism and puppet show. Stories and characters were however well-developped, maybe enough to inspire a young Gene Rodenberry, more apparent in Star Trek's pilot, featuring a more Husky-like Spock.
It is an interesting curio for the genre's aficionados, for sure. But I don't know if a could stomach a sustained viewing. But in terms of creativity, it's quite impressive.
Very dark and dour to a seven year old.
larry-485-16158319 August 2013
I regularly watched this program as a very young child in the early 60s. At that age I found it (and the characters in it)extremely dark and creepy. I found Fireball XL5, Supercar, and Thunderbirds much more pleasant and enjoyable to watch. The music was eerie, the faces of the puppets were stark and staring, and every episode seemed very bleak when compared to other sci-fi puppet shows. All in all a bit of a cuckoo in the nest and a pale shadow of the infinitely superior aforementioned Fireball XL5. I could relate to Steve Zodiac but not the dour characters from Space Patrol. No surprise then that this third rate show has sunk into obscurity.
An important part of my childhood
kephthechronicler7 November 2000
This was a quite different and quirky SF puppet production done on the cheap. I am really looking forward to the videos because it will be so evocative of my childhood. There was never anything like it before or after - I don't think it can even be compared with Fireball XL5. Fantastic.
Tried to be technically correct
merf10 August 2000
I regret I don't recall much of this show, and I have no knowledge of it ever being rebroadcast or issued on video, but I believe it tried to be technically accurate in its predictions of foreseeable future technology. For example, the spaceships ('galaspheres' - spelling?) were toroidal, and rotated to simulate gravity. I also have an idea that they used suspended animation on long trips (journey times never seemed to be more than a couple of hours in Fireball XL5!), but can't be certain of that. In response to the question "why 39 episodes?": I believe that TV series are/were often commissioned for 13-week 'seasons', so 39 episodes = 3 series/seasons.
39 episodes makes sense
stolfwx16 December 2021
Some people are puzzled as to why this (and other) series had exactly 39 episodes. Why not 40? Because if you split a 52-week year into 4 quarters, each would have 13 weeks. Two quarters = 26 weeks, 3 quarters = 39 weeks.
The other series that ran against Fireball XL5
Thomas-13930 March 2000
I remember this show from the 60's, Sunday night on BBC. It had a very futuristic look, vehicles traveling in tubes, "people" from other planets working with humans. This show ran 39 episodes like XL5, 39 seems an odd number why not 40.
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