"Terrahawks" (1983) TV series 1983-1986

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Directors:

Tony Bell
Tony Lenny
(more)

Writer:

Gerry Anderson (writer, "Expect the Unexpected Part 1, " "Expect the Unexpected Part 2")

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

8 October 1983 (UK)

Genre:

Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

In the year 2020 Earth is under threat from Martian androids who want revenge on the human race. They consist of Zelda...

Plot Keywords:

Puppet | Alien Invasion | Supermarionation | Puppetry | Gold

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jeremy Hitchen	...	Chick King / ... (39 episodes, 1983-1986)
Denise Bryer	...	Mary Falconer / ... (39 episodes, 1983-1986)
Anne Ridler	...	Cy-Star / ... (39 episodes, 1983-1986)
Ben Stevens	...	Dix-Huit / ... (39 episodes, 1983-1986)
Windsor Davies	...	Sergeant Major Zero (39 episodes, 1983-1986)

Series Directed by
Tony Bell		(unknown episodes)
Tony Lenny		(unknown episodes)
Alan Pattillo		(unknown episodes)
Desmond Saunders		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Tony Barwick		(1 episode, 1984)
Trevor Lansdowne		(1 episode, 1984)
Gerry Anderson		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Gerry Anderson	....	producer (39 episodes, 1983-1986)
Bob Bell	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Christopher Burr	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Gerry Anderson		(unknown episodes)
Christopher Burr		(unknown episodes)
Richard Harvey		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Tony Lenny		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Gary Tomkins		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Donald Toms	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Whitehurst	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Peter Holmes	....	props (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Roy Hyde	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Brian Lintern	....	dubbing editor (unknown episodes)
Alan Willis	....	dubbing editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Steven Begg	....	special effects (unknown episodes)
Peter Farr	....	special effects technician (unknown episodes)
Malcolm King	....	special effects supervisor (unknown episodes)
Ross King	....	special effects technician (unknown episodes)
Gus Ramsden	....	special effects technician (unknown episodes)
Steven Woodcock	....	designer/model maker (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Kevin Davies	....	video game and titles animator (unknown episodes)
Nick Finlayson	....	model maker (unknown episodes)
Richard Gregory	....	model maker (unknown episodes)
Susan Moore	....	model maker (unknown episodes)
Harry Oakes	....	visual effects lighting cameraman (unknown episodes)
Paddy Seale	....	visual effects lighting cameraman (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Brian Ellis	....	focus puller (39 episodes, 1983-1986)
E. Michael Anderson	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Fiona Cunningham-Reid	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
Jonathan Earp	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
David Lawrence	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Alan Killick	....	supervising editor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Christine Glanville	....	chief puppeteer (unknown episodes)
Jan Kendall	....	puppeteer (unknown episodes)
Judy Preece	....	puppeteer (unknown episodes)
Zena Relph	....	puppeteer (unknown episodes)
Earnie Shepherd	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Tina Werts	....	puppeteer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Anderson Burr Pictures
• London Weekend Television (LWT)

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (1983) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• A&E Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

23 min (39 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L

Company:

Anderson Burr Pictures

Trivia:

The series used two different end-title sequences. In the UK, the credits were displayed against a tic-tac-toe game between red "Cubots" (from the Zeldan Android Empire) and blue Zeroids. In the event of a "draw," the Cubots always won by knocking a couple of Zeroids aside to form "three in a row." Zeroids and Cubots alike boasted three different facial expressions throughout the game: blank (during play), frowns (for the losers) and smiles (for the winners). Said credit sequence was rarely seen in the U.S. until TERRAHAWKS' recent 5-DVD box set had been released to stores, 20 years after its TV debut. Prior to that time, the end-credit sequence-background familiar to U.S. audiences had featured a bouncing Zeroid and stationary Cubot (both animated); after most of the titles had rolled, the Zeroid would bounce high out of frame, then fall on the Cubot and crush it, finally smiling and winking at the camera.

Quotes:

Dr. 'Tiger' Ninestein: [starts the opening credits] ... Terrahawks! Stay on this channel! This is an emergency!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Making the Unexpected (2008) (TV)

Best Programme Ever!

This show is so under-rated, and I'm glad other people here know how to speak through their mouths, as they have praised it (they deserve a wonderful life, full of blessings). I'm not generally a Gerry Anderson fan (the only other show of the genre that I love is Starfleet, the Japanese puppet series from the same era as Terrahawks). Getting Terrahawks back in my life is one of the best things that has happened to me this century. I love the music, the zeroids, Yung-Star (I would marry him if I wasn't so reluctant to have the most ghastly mother-in-law possible!), and Mary. My favourite Kate Kestrel songs are Responsible, and Be My Star Tonight.

I ask you, what other programme has robots as adorable as the zeroids? Not Stink-ray or Chunderbirds, for sure. I'm definitely a hawk-brain, not a bird-brain!