The One With… the oil rig.
Jeff Tracy takes a well-earned rest at Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward's Australian sheep ranch, leaving Scott in charge. When World Navy torpedo tests ignite an undersea gas field, Scott sends in the Thunderbirds - much to Jeff's disappointment. While Lady Penelope forestalls Jeff's inital plan to return home directly, Scott finds the weight of command ever more heavily in his absence, especially when the field reignites and places the vast Seascape Oil Rig in immediate peril...
- An Odd Place to Sleep: Determined not to let his father down, Scott stays at the desk well into the night, ready to respond to an emergency call. Predictably, he falls asleep slumped onto the work surface.
- Anger Born of Worry: Jeff later admits to Penelope that this was why he reprimanded Scott following International Rescue's intervention at Seascape Drilling Rig.
- Borrowed Catchphrase: Scott gets a chance to proclaim that "Thunderbirds are go!"
-
Broken Aesop: Supposedly, Scott learns that being in charge is harder than it looks. In reality, Scott is a good leader; his only problem is that his father doesn't back him up. - The Chains of Commanding: Scott temporarily takes over when Jeff (reluctantly) goes on holiday.
- Closest Thing We Got: Alan is selected as the new pilot for Thunderbird 1 while Scott is in charge, based on the reasoning that there's rarely been a rescue where both Thunderbirds 1 and 3 are needed at the same time.
- Commander Contrarian: Of all people, Jeff turns out to be one of these. It doesn't matter what choice Scott makes during his temporary stint as head of International Rescue, Jeff chews him out for it. Put it down to his being a...
- Control Freak: Although Jeff mostly trusts the boys to do the right thing, in this episode he finds it difficult to leave everything to the boys when he goes on holiday, even threatening to return home when Scott makes a decision he does not approve of; but Lady Penelope persuades him to stay. And at the very end:Jeff: You know, the only way I can relax is to be in charge here. So if you don't mind, Scott, I'll have my desk back.
- Scott does, however, bite back when Jeff returns by refusing him permission to land at the base, giving priority instead to Thunderbird 2.
- "Everybody Laughs" Ending: The Tracys all laugh when Scott hands the desk back to his father, observing that after all the stress of command he needs a vacation.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Although he doesn't say it, Jeff clearly does not think that Scott is capable of leading International Rescue. Everybody else states that he is wrong and by the end of the episode, he appears to have recognised his error.
- Ironic Echo Cut: Twice.
- First, as Jeff hears on the radio about the first flare threatening the oil rig, he calmly states that he trusts Scott not to interfere, as "this is not a job for International Rescue". Cut to Scott saying: "This is a job for International Rescue!"
- Later, Jeff is rushing home in his plane, as he (mistakenly) believes he is needed. Desperately, he mumbles "come on baby... faster... faster...". Cut to Gordon saying the same thing to TB 4's laser device.
- Married to the Job: Although it has been lampshaded in the past, this episode proves that Jeff simply cannot relax away from his job as the leader of International Rescue. He even says as much at the end of the episode:
- Jeff: Well, Virgil, it's like this. I've come home to start work again, because I figure it's the only way I'll ever get any rest.
- Militaries Are Useless: Played straight when a military torpedo goes rogue, causing the underwater explosions that threaten the oil rig. Later averted when the same navy helps evacuate the personnel from the oil rig.
- Out-of-Character Moment: Due to Jeff unjustly chewing him out, Scott does the unthinkable and actually turns down a group of people who need International Rescues help. Although it is averted minutes later, this decision almost had fatal consequences.
- Power of Trust: Jeff makes it very clear that he does not think his sons or International Rescue can cope without him, despite everyone else saying otherwise.
- Scott also appears to have some issues and is clearly hurt when his father scolds him, despite everyone else agreeing that he did the right thing and a good job.
- Stuff Blowing Up: Wouldn't be a Thunderbirds episode without it, but it's taken to truly ridiculous extremes here with the ocean itself burning and exploding.
- The Tag: When Jeff returns to the base, at first he is humiliated by Scott refusing him permission to land. He then says that he can't relax when he is not in charge of the base.Jeff: So if you don't mind, Scott, I'll have my desk back.Scott: Father, with my money, you can have it. I need a vacation!
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Lady Penelope's intentions were pure and sincere, but needless to say, a lot of trouble could have been avoided if she had not invited the restless Jeff over to stay with her. Needless to say, she did not invite him out again afterwards.
- Also happens with Jeff. Whilst everybody else praises Scott for his actions and assures him that he did the right thing in handling the fire near the Seascape rig, Jeff is the only one to say otherwise. Because of this unjustified chewing out, when another fire breaks out in the same area, Scott, who values his father's opinion, initially does not send out help, despite his brothers telling him that he should. He only relents, when it becomes clear that the crew of the rig are in mortal danger. In other words, Jeff's lack of faith and inability to trust in his sons judgement, put the crew of the rig in mortal danger.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Despite everybody else saying otherwise, Jeff is furious that Scott got involved with the fire at the oil rig and makes it clear that, as far as he is concerned, Scott has let him down. As mentioned above, this nearly came back to haunt the crew of the rig.
- Jeff himself throughout the episode is called out a few times by both Penelope and his family for a) not relaxing and taking the time off to enjoy himself and b) refusing to trust his sons.
- Vacation Episode: The story is kickstarted by Jeff being talked into taking a holiday by Lady Penelope, leaving Scott in charge.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Poor Scott spends most of the episode as this, as he is determined to run IR as well as his father would; and his first efforts only lead to being yelled at by Jeff over the radio. By the end, however, Jeff is delighted with all his sons, including Scott, for saving the crew of the rig.
- Workaholic: Jeff is very reluctant to take a vacation. It takes the combined efforts of all other inhabitants of Tracy Island and Lady Penelope to convince him and even then, he still does not enjoy his vacation.
