Ricochet (Thunderbirds)
A pirate radio satellite falls from orbit.
"Ricochet" is the 31st episode of the British Supermarionation television series Thunderbirds, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Written by Tony Barwick and directed by Brian Burgess, it first aired on 6 November 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the fifth episode of Series Two. The episode follows International Rescue as they attempt to save a pirate radio satellite's crew after a rocket explosion sends the satellite falling out of orbit.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Thunderbirds
- Director
- Brian Burgess
- Writer
- Tony Barwick
- Photographer
- Paddy Seale
- Editor
- Harry Ledger
- Air date
- 6 November 1966
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Sentinel Base destructs its Telsat 4 rocket after a second stage separation failure at coordinates deemed safe by International Space Control. The explosion damages KLA, an unregistered pirate radio satellite operated by DJ Rick O'Shea and technician Loman, causing it to begin falling out of orbit. Loman spacewalks to assess damage but becomes trapped outside when the inner airlock door fails to open, and his oxygen runs low. Tin-Tin Kyrano hears the call from Tracy Island and alerts International Rescue. Jeff Tracy sends Alan and Scott in Thunderbird 3, with Virgil and Brains in Thunderbird 2 providing support. Alan spacewalks to extract the unconscious Loman, then returns with a plasma torch to cut through the door and rescue O'Shea. As KLA breaks up, International Space Control warns that the satellite is on a collision course with the A'Ben Duh oil refinery. Virgil and Brains prepare to shoot down KLA but hear O'Shea's voice and realize he is still aboard. Unable to confirm his safety, they instead catch KLA on Thunderbird 2's wing to alter its trajectory. The satellite eventually breaks away and crashes in the desert.
Production
KLA was inspired by offshore radio station Radio Caroline, which had been broadcasting from ships in international waters since 1964. Gerry Anderson noted that the mid-1960s were also the early days of space travel, making a pirate radio station in space an inevitable idea for the series. The Telsat 4 rocket was named after the Telstar communications satellites. The episode's title is introduced with a ricocheting stock sound effect from APF's tape library, which Rick O'Shea plays every time he mentions his name on the air. The name Rick O'Shea was derived from "ricochet" because Anderson liked the sound effect and found the homophone amusing. The O'Shea puppet's face was modelled on that of Sean Connery, as was Scott Tracy's. The scene showing Thunderbird 3 undocking from Thunderbird 5 is the only one in the series where Virgil pilots Thunderbird 3. A production error in that sequence has John Tracy speaking with the voice of Gordon. The scale model of the International Space Control building previously appeared as a satellite tracking station in "The Impostors" and "Cry Wolf". The KLA model first appeared as a satellite in "Cry Wolf". Tunes played by KLA include the theme from the Thunderbirds episode "The Man from MI.5" and an instrumental version of "I've Got Something to Shout About" from the Stingray episode "Titan Goes Pop". The closing scene uses the song "Flying High", performed by Gary Miller with backing vocalists including Ken Barrie; this was intended as the series' ending theme until replaced by "The Thunderbirds March" two weeks before the first episode's premiere.
Reception
Sylvia Anderson found the focus on a pirate radio satellite unusual for the series but noted it exploited the nascent space-age era. Simon Archer and Marcus Hearn call the episode a classic, with Hearn praising its funny dialogue and arguing that KLA and O'Shea predicted MTV and the 21st century's superfluity of satellite channels. Ian Fryer also connects the episode to MTV and views it as arguably the series' most direct reference to real-world events, updating the British craze for pirate radio stations to the space age. He notes that a scene where Jeff Tracy disapproves of KLA as an unlicensed broadcaster echoes contemporary objections to offshore radio vessels. Michael Coldwell calls "Ricochet" a glorious reprise of the series' trademark vehicular meltdown plot, highlighting its sophisticated visuals, moody lighting, and angular sets possibly inspired by Dr. Strangelove and James Bond films. He praises the script for leaving O'Shea's fate ambiguous until the closing scene, maintaining suspense, and observes that this was the last episode to show International Rescue in full-blown action mode before the Christmas-themed finale. Tom Fox of Starburst rates the episode 2 out of 5, citing its totally unbelievable final rescue and silly Sixties music, but praises the action sequences and characterisation, noting Alan's resentment of Tin-Tin's admiration for O'Shea.
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