Line #3 Series/FireballXL5


1	[[quoteright:292:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Fireball_XL5_DVD_1984.jpg]]
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3	->''I wish I was a spaceman, the fastest guy alive\
4	I'd fly you 'round the universe in ''Fireball [=XL5=]''\
5	Way out in space together, compass of the sky\
6	My heart would be a fireball...\
7	A fireball...\
8	Every time I gazed into your starry eyes...''
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10	''Fireball [=XL5=]'' is a British TV show following the missions of spaceship ''Fireball [=XL5=]'', commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. The show was made in 1962 by Gerry Anderson, featuring {{UsefulNotes/Supermarionation}}, which would be used again in subsequent shows such as ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' and ''Series/CaptainScarletAndTheMysterons'' -- this was the first and to this day only Anderson show to be shown on network television in the US, Creator/{{NBC}} to be specific (the [[EditedForSyndication bastardizations]] of ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' briefly shown on Creator/FoxKids in 1994 don't count).
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12	It was also the last Supermarionation show to be made in black and white. However, with Anderson's approval one episode was colorized for the UsefulNotes/BluRay release, suggesting that the rest of the series might get the same treatment if it sells well enough.
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14	----
15	!!''Fireball [=XL5=]'' provides examples of the following tropes:
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17	* AbsentMindedProfessor: Prof. Matthew Matic. (''[[PunnyName Matt Matic]]'', get it?)
18	* DiegeticSoundtrackUsage: One episode ends with the crew performing the end title song (which then plays instrumentally over the credits!).
19	* ExplosiveOverclocking: It is canon that the title spaceship is not supposed to be run continuously at full power and doing so for a long time will cause the main engines to overheat and explode (but the ship itself does not).
20	* FighterLaunchingSequence: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ifS2nP53Zs A pretty awesome one]], even by Anderson series' standards.
21	* FoodPills
22	** What Dr. Venus occasionally cooks up for Steve Zodiac.
23	** Also, the infamous ''oxygen pills'' [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace that allow anyone to breathe in space]].
24	* HeavyWorlder: The people of the planet Triad, where everything is three times larger than Earth, including the populace.
25	* InstantSedation: The coma ray of the Subterraneans can send anyone to sleep within a matter of several seconds.
26	* TheMedic: Dr. Venus.
27	* MovingBuildings: The World Space Headquarters complex incorporates a control tower that rotates for no very obvious reason except RuleOfCool. Not to mention...
28	** NoOSHACompliance: ...how it doesn't get burned to a crisp every time [=XL5=] launches is a mystery.
29	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Lt. Ninety is promoted to "Space General" and put in charge of Space City. He then proceeds to issue contradictory launch/landing instructions to numerous spacecraft (including ''[=XL5=]''). Not surprisingly for a {{UsefulNotes/Supermarionation}} show, everything proves to be MadeOfExplodium. [[spoiler:Turns out it was AllJustADream]].
30	* NoBiochemicalBarriers
31	** The ''[=XL5=]'' crew often have [[WeirdWorldWeirdFood alien cuisine]], and no one has any problems... save for when it's ''poisoned''.
32	** Also, an outbreak of alien disease can infect humans, lazoons, and other alien humanoids.
33	* PerpetualSmiler: Dr. Venus again, as there was no other model for her head other than her default one, which not only smiled but showed her teeth. This made for some rather amusing MoodDissonance whenever she happened to be in danger and crying out for help ([[DistressedDamsel which was often]]). That's why in all subsequent Supermarionation series the puppets had interchangeable heads with different expressions.
34	* RoboSpeak: Co-pilot Robert the Robot. Inspired by series creator Gerry Anderson's visit to a lab that built artificial larynxes for people who'd lost their voices to disease or injury. [[DescendedCreator Anderson himself, in fact, used one such device to voice Robert]] -- making this the only show in {{UsefulNotes/Supermarionation}} history he was one of the voice artists behind the puppets (in addition to Robert, he also provided robot voices in the episodes "Trial By Robot" and "The Granatoid Tanks," all uncredited).
35	* RubberForeheadAliens: Some of the aliens tend to be no more than humans with strange deformities, if not just ugly HumanAliens.
36	** SpeechImpairedAnimal: At first, all Zoonie can say is "Welcome home!"; it learns more vocabulary over the series' run.
37	* SouthernFriedGenius: Prof. Matthew Matic's accent wouldn't sound too out of place were he to show up as "Cousin Matt" on ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies'', but ... "Professor".
38	* StellarName: Steve Zodiac and Venus. Gerry Anderson always liked his ThemeNaming.
39	* SubspaceAnsible: Nutroni Radio allows for Space City to contact all its ships across light-years of space instantly.
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Context Series / FireballXL5