Phoenix Five
Australian sci-fi series set in 2500 AD.
Phoenix Five is an Australian science fiction television series that debuted on the Seven Network in 1970. It is sometimes mistakenly grouped with non-existent series The Interpretaris and Vega 4, but those are not part of established canon. The series consists of 26 self-contained episodes, designed to be sold as a syndicated package. While it built a shared universe with recurring elements, it is not the first TV sci-fi franchise—that distinction belongs to Star Trek, which preceded it.
The story takes place in the year 2500 AD, following the crew of the galactic patrol ship Phoenix Five, described as the most advanced vessel in Earth Space Control. The handpicked team includes Captain Roke, a decisive, Kirk-like leader; Ensign Adam Hargraves, his quick-triggered second-in-command; Cadet Tina Kulbrick, a compassionate young navigator; and Karl, a clunky, glass-domed robot. They patrol outer galaxies, protecting the innocent from the schemes of Zodian of Zebula 9—a bald, blue-skinned villain—and the eccentric, pointy-eared renegade scientist Platonus. Zodian and his twin head-shaped computers, Alpha and Zeta, appear in the first 13 episodes; after a production break caused by the death of producer John Walters, his replacement brought in Platonus and his Cockney-accented computer Tommy for the remaining episodes.
Produced in 1969 in Sydney by Artransa Park Television with the Seven Network and Amalgamated Television Services, the series premiered on the Seven Network on Friday 24 April 1970 at 5:40 pm, with other states following in May 1970. It was sold internationally, airing in the UK and other markets during the 1970s and 1980s. The Seven Network repeated it in 1975 when colour television arrived, and it last aired on ATN 7 and regional stations like WIN 4 Wollongong in the early 1980s. All episodes survive in the National Sound and Film Archive, but no commercial release exists; however, about a dozen off-air recordings of Phoenix Five have circulated among collectors since the 1990s and appeared on YouTube.
The series has often been dismissed as "Star Trek with gumtrees."
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Science fiction
- Creator
- John Warwick
- Director
- David Cahill
- Starring
- Mike Dorsey
- Country
- Australia
- Seasons
- 1
- Episodes
- 26
- Producer
- Peter Summerton; John Walters
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series followed the crew of the galactic patrol ship Phoenix Five, the most sophisticated craft in Earth Space Control Fleet. The handpicked team included Captain Roke, a heroic Kirk-style commander; Ensign Adam Hargraves, his second-in-command; navigator Cadet Tina Kulbrick; and Karl, a clunky glass-domed Computeroid robot. They patrolled outer galaxies, defending the innocent against the evil balding blue-skinned Zodian of Zebula 9 and the eccentric pointy-eared renegade scientist Platonus.
Zodian, with his head-shaped twin computers Alpha and Zeta, featured in the first 13 episodes. After a production break caused by the death of producer John Walters, he was replaced by Platonus and his Cockney-accented computer Tommy for the remaining episodes.
Reader's Guide
Phoenix Five has often been belittled as 'Star Trek with gumtrees,' but its predecessor The Interpretaris was made before Star Trek screened in Australia, and the series more closely resembles 1950s and 1960s children's space adventures like Rocky Jones, Space Ranger and Fireball XL5. Despite criticism for its low budget, it was more expensive than most Australian dramas of the period because it was made on film and in colour. Australia lacked the special effects technicians of US and UK productions, so FX supervisor Peter Hicks started from scratch. Costumes were expensive, including floor-length robes for Zodian, pink tights for a 'microbe' girl, gold lame suits for the crew, and an aluminium suit with perspex head for Karl. Hicks created the 'Galaxy Garden' by butchering commercial plastic plants and made a gun that fired corrosive liquid to shrivel them. The series was sold internationally and screened in the UK and other markets in the 1970s and 1980s. All episodes exist in the National Sound and Film Archive, but there has been no commercial release, though off-air recordings have circulated among collectors and on YouTube.
Did You Know?
- Phoenix Five was part of a trilogy that began with The Interpretaris in 1966 and Vega 4 in 1968.
- The series is considered the first TV sci-fi franchise because it used the same space organisation and miniatures across different crews and casts.
- Producer Peter Summerton died during production, leading to a break and replacement by John Walters.
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