Public Servant Lifestyle

Colonel Steve Zodiac and crew take the galaxy by storm in Gerry Anderson's seminal puppet space opera Fireball XL5.

Gerry Anderson's Fireball XL5

Fans of science fiction TV classics of yesteryear such as Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Stingray and Joe 90 will be thrilled to hear that Gerry Anderson’s series Fireball XL5 featuring the indomitable Steve Zodiac is set for release in sparkling DVD format.

Featuring all 39 episodes of the classic black and white series, this 5 disc DVD set is released just in time for the Christmas market. The theme tune of Fireball XL5 has recently been voted the second most popular TV theme tune in TV history, beating programmes such as Friends, and The Likely Lads!

Produced in 1962 but set in the year 2062, the Earth ship Fireball XL5 charts the interplanetary adventures of a spacecraft and its crew - handsome blonde pilot Steve Zodiac and the glamorous blonde space doctor Venus, a maths genius and a sassy robot, years before Futurama!

'Fireball Junior'

Fireball XL5 was part of a World Space Fleet based at Space City, an island in the Pacific Ocean, run by Commander Zero and and Lieutenant Ninety. Its mission to patrol sector 25 of the universe, beyond the solar system. The biggest craft of its kind, the 300 foot long XL5 had a detachable nose cone called 'Fireball Junior', used for landings while the mothership was in orbit.

Colonel Steve Zodiac, the handsome, square-jawed, dynamic pilot of Fireball XL5 is ably assisted by Professor Mathew ‘Matt’ Mattic, XL5’s bespectacled navigator and scientific officer, Venus, the crew’s medical expert and Steve’s romantic interest, Zoonie, a strange looking creature called a Lazoon who is Venus’ pet,

Robert The Robert

Robert the Robot, interestingly voiced by Gerry Anderson himself, the transparent mechanical companion and co-pilot to Steve, Commander Zero, the head of 'Space City' - XL5’s base of operations - and co-ordinates all Fireball missions and Lieutenant Ninety who assists Commander Zero in 'Star City'.

Fireball XL5 marked the beginning of a trend that Gerry Anderson developed in following series, a trend which in many ways is a trademark of Anderson productions. Aside from hardware, Fireball XL5 , also introduced audiences to the idea of organisations, with uniforms and symbols. In many ways, Fireball XL5 was a blueprint for Anderson’s other shows - Stingray and Thunderbirds in particular.

The series, conceived whilst Supercar was still in production and as Anderson comments "I knew we had to follow with another series if we were to survive, and so I was using every spare moment to get the basic idea." Once Anderson had devised the new series he had to find a buyer. He approached Lew Grade who had provided the all-important backing to Supercar, his puppet animation debut and once again Grade liked it and bought it thereby creating a platform for future successes such as Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Stingray and Joe 90 which enjoy a resurgence of interest with each decade.

This exciting new DVD release runs to a massive 975 minutes duration (approx) and is packaged in a suitably futuristic looking specially designed collector’s box set.

Gerry Anderson's Fireball XL5 is available now from Carlton Visual Entertainment, priced £39.99, certificate U.

More information available in TV & Radio, DVD / Home Video