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Fireball XL5(1962)

Action & AdventureAnimationSci-Fi & Fantasy
First Air Date: 1962-10-28
Average Runtime: 25m
Rating: 6.4
Votes: 14
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 39

Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. The show was produced in 1962 by husband and wife team Gerry and Sylvia Anderson through their company APF, in association with ATV for ITC Entertainment. While developing his new show, Anderson thought a brand of motor oil—Castrol XL—had an interesting sound. A phonetic change created the name "Fireball XL", with the "-5" added as the title seemed a bit flat without the numeral. The show featured the Andersons' Supermarionation, a form of puppetry first introduced in Four Feather Falls and Supercar and used again in their subsequent productions such as Stingray and Captain Scarlet. Thirty-nine black and white half-hour episodes of Fireball XL5 were made on 35mm film: all future Anderson series were produced in colour. Several Anderson series have been shown in syndication in the US, but Fireball XL5 is the only Anderson series to have run on a US network. NBC ran the series in its Saturday morning children's block from 1963 through to September 1965. A similar programme often confused with Fireball XL5 is Space Patrol, produced by Gerry Anderson's ex business partner and co-founder of AP Films, Arthur Provis due to a number of similarities and settings.

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Seasons & Episodes

Season 1

Episodes: 39
E01
Planet 46

Air Date: 1962-10-28

25m

After intercepting a missile on course for earth, Steve Zodiac and the crew of the XL5 travel to Planet 46 and discov...

E02
The Doomed Planet

Air Date: 1962-11-04

25m

The Fireball XL5 narrowly misses a planet that bas broken out of it's orbit and realize the planet is on a collision ...

E03
Space Immigrants

Air Date: 1962-11-11

25m

Venus and Prof. Matic are about to set off in the Mayflower 3 to colonise the nearby planet, New Earth. But the Advan...

E04
Plant Man From Space

Air Date: 1962-11-18

25m

After a blackout at Space City, a missile gets through the radar blackout, and is heading towards Space City with a d...

E05
Spy in Space

Air Date: 1962-11-25

25m

The crew of XL5 encounter Boris and Griselda the space pirates on the Companion 12 space station.

E06
The Sun Temple

Air Date: 1962-12-02

25m

When experimenting with a new warhead in space, Steve Zodiac is forced to save Venus from the clutches from the sinis...

E07
XL5 to H2O

Air Date: 1962-12-09

25m

Everyone on planet Zolpheid is killed in an Aquaphibian attack, except for Rald and Jerek. Receiving an SOS, Space Ci...

E08
Space Pirates

Air Date: 1962-12-16

25m

While babysitting Commander Zero's son, Jonathan, Venus tells him story about when Fireball XL5 encountered a group o...

E09
Flying Zodiac

Air Date: 1962-12-23

25m

As Steve celebrates the anniversary of his family's circus act, Venus falls asleep and dreams of a plot devised by Mr...

E10
Space Pen

Air Date: 1962-12-30

25m

To capture a group on criminals, Steve, Matt and Venus pretend to steal XL5.

E11
Space Monster

Air Date: 1962-01-06

25m

Fireball XL2 has crashed on Planet Monotane, and Fireball XL5 is sent to investigate, only to run into a sort of spac...

E12
The Last of the Zanadus

Air Date: 1963-01-13

25m

Major Jim Ireland returns to Earth after 10 years in space, but unknown to everyone, he has become an agent for Kudos...

E13
Planet of Platonia

Air Date: 1963-01-20

25m

The Fireball XL5 foils an attempted bombing while transporting the King of Platonia and is caught in the middle of th...

E14
The Triads

Air Date: 1963-01-27

25m

After detecting a series of massive explosions in space, Steve and the crew of XL5 find a planet three times bigger t...

E15
Wings of Danger

Air Date: 1963-02-03

25m

On Planet 46, the Subterraineans plan revenge on Zodiac and send a robot bird to infect him with radium.

E16
Convict in Space

Air Date: 1963-02-10

25m

After top secret plans are stolen from Earth, XL5 enocunters Boris and Griselda, but Matt is captured.

E17
Space Vacation

Air Date: 1963-02-17

25m

Kernak, ruler of Kemple plots the resettlement of his people to Planet Olympus by poisoning Olympus' ruler's son. Ven...

E18
Flight to Danger

Air Date: 1963-02-24

25m

Lt. 90 qualifies for his astronauts wings by landing XL5 in one piece and then piloting XL1 off the launch rail, but ...

E19
Prisoner on The Lost Planet

Air Date: 1963-03-03

25m

Fireball XL5 recieves a distress call on a distant planet, and Steve Zodiac journeys to investigate.

E20
The Forbidden Planet

Air Date: 1963-03-10

25m

At Space Observatory 1, Matt and Dr. Stamp work on a new Ultrascope space probe. However, the people of the planet th...

E21
Robert to the Rescue

Air Date: 1963-03-17

25m

While stargazing, Prof. Matic discovers a new planet, but it doesn't read on any electronic instruments. Curious, Ste...

E22
Dangerous Cargo

Air Date: 1963-03-24

25m

On a survey of Pharos, the crew of XL5 disocver the planet is unstable and must be destroyed. After setting up bombs,...

E23
Mystery Of The TA2

Air Date: 1963-03-31

25m

Whilst on patrol, the XL5 comes across the wreck of an old spaceship. Setting out to investigate, they find it to be ...

E24
Drama At Space City

Air Date: 1963-04-07

25m

With Steve and Venus on vacation, Commander Zero is left to look after Zoonie the Lazoon, who causes havoc in Space C...

E25
1875

Air Date: 1963-04-14

25m

Matt completes his new time machine and sends Robert back to 1875, but Steve, Venus and Zero are accidently sent back...

E26
The Granatoid Tanks

Air Date: 1963-04-21

25m

On Planet 73, two scientists working at a mineral research lab discover that they in the path of six tanks controlled...

E27
The Robot Freighter Mystery

Air Date: 1963-04-28

25m

Robot freighters are being sabotaged by a shoddy space salvage company, and Steve Zodiac is determined to find the pr...

E28
Whistle for Danger

Air Date: 1963-05-05

25m

On planet Floran, the crew of XL5 try to discover what is killing the plants there, however the native people believe...

E29
Trial by Robot

Air Date: 1963-05-12

25m

A mechanics professor is giving a lecture on robotics at Space City. But barely a few days after his visit, Robert su...

E30
A Day in the Life of a Space General

Air Date: 1963-05-19

25m

While drawing a schematic for a new radar screen, Lt. Ninety is surprised to find himself promoted to the rank of Gen...

E31
Invasion Earth

Air Date: 1963-05-26

25m

There is a strange fog descending on Space City, blocking out communications with the rest of the outside world. But ...

E32
Faster Than Light

Air Date: 1963-06-02

25m

While on route to Space Station 9, Steve loses control of XL5. Racing out of control, XL5 passes the light barrier re...

E33
The Day the Earth Froze

Air Date: 1963-06-09

25m

XL27 makes an emergency landing at Space City and the crew are all found to be unconcious. XL27's route is traced bac...

E34
The Fire Fighters

Air Date: 1963-06-16

25m

Blazing fireballs from a space cloud cause widespread damage on Earth. XL5 is sent to investigate but it catches fire...

E35
Space City Special

Air Date: 1963-06-23

25m

General Rossiter comes to Space City to present Steve with the Astronaut of the Year award. XL5 and the ground staff ...

E36
Ghosts Of Space

Air Date: 1963-10-06

25m

XL5 transports Geologist Frazer to Electron for a survey. When Frazer discovers a strange rock in a deserted town, he...

E37
Hypnotic Sphere

Air Date: 1963-10-13

25m

The crew of the XL5 becomes entranced by a strange alien sphere and Robert is the only one who can save the crew.

E38
Sabotage

Air Date: 1963-10-20

25m

On patrol, Fireball XL5 suddenly catches fire. The cause, sabotage! Commander Zero sends Light Patrol LP22 to investi...

E39
Space Magnet

Air Date: 1963-10-27

25m

The XL5 becomes caught in the gravitational pull of planet Megneton and discovers the plot by the Solars to bring the...

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Top Cast

Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson
Robert the Robot (voice) (uncredited)
David Graham
David Graham
Lieutenant Ninety (voice)
Sylvia Anderson
Sylvia Anderson
Doctor Venus (voice)
Paul Maxwell
Paul Maxwell
Colonel Steve Zodiac (voice)
John Bluthal
John Bluthal
Commander Wilbur Zero (voice)