Fireball XL5

2062 AD: Space City detects a planetomic missile being fired at Earth and directs Steve Zodiac and his World Space Patrol craft Fireball XL5 to destroy it. The Fireball crew – Steve, with Venus, Matt Matic and Robert – head for the missile’s origin, Planet 46, but when Steve and Venus land in Fireball Junior they are captured by the Subterrains. The aliens plan to use another missile to destroy Earth – this time with Venus on board!

Written by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson

Directed by Gerry Anderson

Original UK Airdate: 28th October 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Subterrain 1 John Bluthal
• Subterrain 2 David Graham

The crew of Fireball XL5 find fuel tanker EF24 floating in space with its crew in a trance. They take the tanker back to Earth and escort the next one, EF25. The crew are entranced by a light emanating from a satellite, but Robert is immune and pilots XL5 to safety. Steve and Matt trace the satellites back to their origin on the icy planet Cevena, home to a brain being.

Written by Alan Fennell

Directed by Alan Pattillo

Original UK Airdate: 13th October 1963 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Hypnotic Voice John Bluthal
• Tanker Pilot Joe David Graham

Bizann of Platonia is about to enter into trade talks with Earth as his world is rich in Platinum, but his enemy Ginerva makes six attempts on his life. The crew of Fireball XL5 arrive on Platonia to protect Bizann, but his aide, Volvo, attacks Robert as he guards Fireball Junior and plants a bomb on the ship.

Written by Alan Fennell

Directed by David Elliott

Original UK Airdate: 20th January 1963 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Bizann John Bluthal
• Volvo David Graham

Fireball XL7 disappears and when XL5 replaces it on patrol, both the ship and the Moon are dragged away to the planet Magneton where the crew find debris from XL7 being fed into a powerhouse for a magnetic force generating plant. Soon the crew have been captured by the invisible Solars who seek light.

Written by Anthony Marriott

Directed by Bill Harris

Original UK Airdate: 27th October 1963 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Ken Ross John Bluthal
• Super Solar David Graham

Narrowly missing a planet which has spun out of its orbit, the crew of Fireball XL5 realise that it is on a collision course with the planet Membrono. A recce of the planet finds it uninhabited but on returning to Earth, Steve thinks that he has seen a flying saucer and, later, the same ship lands near Venus’ house to lure XL5 back to Membrono on a mercy mission.

Written by Alan Fennell

Directed by Alan Pattillo

Original UK Airdate: 4th November 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Membronoan John Bluthal

Space plant expert Dr. Rootes sabotages Space City’s power supply whilst visiting the base, and an apparently empty missile lands near Venus’ beach hut. But the missile carries the seed of an alien creeper plant which grows out of control and over-runs the whole area. Rootes tells Zero that he can solve the problem, but must acquire hormones from the planet Hedra with the help of the XL5 crew.

Written by Anthony Marriott

Directed by John Kelly

Original UK Airdate: 18th November 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Howard Rootes Paul Maxwell
• The Chlorophon David Graham
• Ken Ross John Bluthal
• Jock Campbell John Bluthal
• Alarm Service Sylvia Anderson

The sun-worshipping fanatics on Rejusca feel that their God will be angered by Earth’s new suns, actually missiles exploding as Space City deflects meteorites. The Rejuscans destroy the missile launchers with a heat ray and when Fireball Junior lands, they capture Venus and use the sun’s rays to burn her.

Written by Alan Fennell

Directed by Bill Harris

Original UK Airdate: 2nd December 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Kazak John Bluthal
• Zodan David Graham
• Warrior Countdown David Graham

Minodor and Minotran, a pair of evil Lillispatians, capture XL7 pilot Ken Ross as he assesses New Earth for colonisation. The Lillispatians intend to trap the crew of Mayflower 3, piloted by Venus, as it travels to New Earth with the colonists, but they are unaware that Zoonie the Lazoon is also on board…

Written by Anthony Marriott

Directed by Alan Pattillo

Original UK Airdate: 11th November 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Minodor David Graham
• Minotran John Bluthal
• Ken Ross John Bluthal
• Jock Campbell John Bluthal

On planet Monotane, Ken Johnson and Al Stomper, the crew of Fireball XL2, hide in a cave to escape a huge space monster, but are trapped by the creature. When the crew of XL5 investigate, Fireball Junior is almost knocked out of the sky by the creature and Steve and Venus are trapped in the cave with Johnson and Stomper, leaving Matt and Zoonie to effect a rescue.

Written by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson

Directed by John Kelly

Original UK Airdate: 6th January 1963 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Ken Johnson John Bluthal
• Al Stomper David Graham

Over dinner at Venus’ house, Steve explains his family’s background in the circus and Venus dreams that a charity circus is being staged at Space City. In disguise, Boris and Griselda Space Spy sabotage Ken Ross’ jetpack so that Steve’s trapeze act is left unsafe – in the confusion, alien Nomadians will land and take over Earth!

Written by Anthony Marriott

Directed by Bill Harris

Original UK Airdate: 23rd December 1963 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Boris Space Spy David Graham
• Griselda Space Spy Sylvia Anderson
• Jock Campbell John Bluthal
• Ken Ross John Bluthal
• Caravan Leader John Bluthal

Fireball XL9 is attacked by a mysterious ship so XL5 replaces it on patrol. Steve heads to refuel at the Companion 12 space station, but the crew find it deserted except for Boris and Griselda Space Spy, who plan to steal XL5.

Written by Alan Fennell

Directed by Alan Pattillo

Original UK Airdate: 25th November 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Boris Space Spy David Graham
• Griselda Space Spy Sylvia Anderson
• XL9 Pilot Paul Maxwell

Rald and Jerek are the sole survivors on Zolpheid when their city is attacked by an Aquaphibian with a smoke gun. Space City picks up their faint SOS and a specially strengthened Fireball Junior dives into the planet’s ocean to seek out the two survivors as they shelter in a cavern.

Written by Alan Fennell

Directed by John Kelly

Original UK Airdate: 9th December 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Rald David Graham
• Jerek John Bluthal

Venus tells Jonathan Zero a story about space pirates from Aridan who plunder freighters of radioactive ore from Minera en route for Earth. The XL5 crew plan to take a Q ship along the route to catch Captain Katt, but the pirates have overpowered Jock in freighter SF4 on Minera, setting a trap for Steve in his disguised Q ship.

Written by Anthony Marriott

Directed by Bill Harris

Original UK Airdate: 16th December 1962 (ATV London)

Additional Voice Cast:

• Captain Katt David Graham
• Patch John Bluthal
• Jock Campbell John Bluthal
• Jonathan Zero Sylvia Anderson
• Eleanor Zero Sylvia Anderson
• XL9 Pilot Paul Maxwell