Stingraynauts / Octobirds

[Derek Eaton]

I had this idea for a new show – let take Stingray and Thunderbirds – mix them together - man the craft with cute animals so everyone will love them……… but oh no it’s already been done – Octonauts. Sound the Octo-alarm.

Now I know that I might have done a tongue in cheek comparison of Toy Story 3 and Gerry Anderson shows in the past but this time it’s almost serious.

Over the last few months, I have sat through a lot of Octonauts on CBBC (with the kids) which is a short program where a group of 8 animals live underwater in a base and ‘Serve Rescue and Protect’ the undersea creatures using their 5 GUP craft.

So why do I think this is an Anderson influenced show:-

1. Lets start at the beginning – ‘Sound The Octo-Alert’ – which is ‘Standby For Action’ – with Captain Barnacles replacing Commander Shore.

2. Followed by action sequence

3. Octohatch – is the Ocean door

4. Octonauts wear a blue hat with the badge on it and some nice blue boots

5. There are 5 action vehicles like Thunderbirds called GUP A, GUP B, GUP C, etc

6. One of the five vehicles is ugly like Tb5 and the big one – GUP B is used in most of the adventures.

7. The GUP B is obviously a Titan terror fish but a nice cute one.

8. A GUP F turns up for one episode only - which is on the face of it quite a useless craft – like a TB6.

9. The base the Octopod is in underwater but can move anywhere like Cloudbase.

10. Captain Barnacles looks like Commander Norman from London Tower

I rest my case.

You may also notice that one of the GUPs looks like the Flying sub from Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea.

Finally like the Anderson shows, kids really seem to like it and as the toys are only just coming out they are in demand – a previous issue of CBeebies comic with some plastic toys on it goes for £10 on Ebay.

Octonauts to your stations……

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPm1rSHyRQs

[Sweeps]

After reading those statements I would be so suprised if the creators of the programme said they weren't influenced by Gerry Anderson programmes. Most of those features sound like a direct homage almost to the likes of Stingray & Thunderbirds. :)

[Sweeps]

10. Captain Barnacles looks like Commander Norman from London Tower

Just looked an episode up on youtube to see this and he does as well (he's definitely not a million miles away from looking like him that's for sure) :)

[Purupuss]

I just followed that You Tube link and had the briefest of looks at the opening credits. I didn't have the volume turned up so I couldn't hear the theme clearly, but it sounds stirring enough to be the brain child of Barry Gray's third cousin.

Plus, I think that if I hadn't read this thread before finding the show; and had stumbled across the clip and seen those first three characters; that polar bear's (?) uniform would have made me think of International Rescue.

And, without telling her why I was watching it, I showed it to my mother. "In a strange sort of way," she says, "it's not unlike Thunderbirds."

---F-A-B---

I've just been over and watched all of it. What struck me was how the communications devices reminded me of a powder compact and how the closing theme had a real 1960s sound to it.

Yep. Someone was definitely a fan of at least one of Gerry Anderson's shows.

[Chrisof]

Very cool, a tad simplistic but cool. and i see the paralells

[Virgil Tracy]

Just watched the episode in the link, it is so playing off Thunderbirds, but unlike most children's TV shows at lest they didn't end the show with a song about what they've all learned:p

[Sweeps]

but unlike most children's TV shows at lest they didn't end the show with a song about what they've all learned:p

Just think if each episode of Thunderbirds ended with them all singing about what they did during the rescue of the episode


:(

[Virgil Tracy]

Just think if each episode of Thunderbirds ended with them all singing about what they did during the rescue of the episode


:(

Arrr it's just to hard thinking about:(
If anyone did remake Thunderbirds and did put a song at the end of every episode about what they did in the rescue, I think I'd have to shoot myself:p

[Dunc1]

I know Gerry was never interested in crossovers with his shows i.e. characters from one show turning up as guests in another, apart from the picture of Stingray appearing at Tracy Island. A pity as it could have been fun. I know that that company called Century 21, which has the big water tank and which Mike Trim and Stephen Begg are involved with, were advertising a forthcoming TV series called Aquanauts which just sounds like a Gerry Anderson show. Does anyone have any information about this?

[Sweeps]

I think I'd have to shoot myself:p

If you're using the same type of gun that the Tracy brothers have then don't forget that the ammunition is Double A Batteries - not Triple A as some people tend to think! :p

[Virgil Tracy]

If you're using the same type of gun that the Tracy brothers have then don't forget that the ammunition is Double A Batteries - not Triple A as some people tend to think! :p

:p (note to self stock up on AA Batteries, not AAA) :p

[Sweeps]

:p (note to self stock up on AA Batteries, not AAA) :p


At least I think that's the ammunition they use :) But if you're ever in a situation where a crazy archaeologist is blasting at you from inside a pyramid you'll probably need a more powerful type of ammunition...just make sure he doesn't manage to get his hands on your weapon. :p

[Derek Eaton]

Not that we need any further evidence that the creators / developers of this show own Thunderbirds on DVD but I would like to add the recent Octonauts Christmas Special -called - A Christmas Rescue. (really)

This introduces the GUP X a tracked vehicle in POD vehicle orange with a front window I've seen somewhere before. Anyway it has to go down a tunnel to rescue a pink thing (Perils of Penelope) and then the tunnel collapses and they have to swim for the Gup X (Terror In New York City)

I rest my case.

http://www.fanderson.org.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=1865
http://www.fanderson.org.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=1866
http://www.fanderson.org.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=1867