"Deep Search" is the third episode of Thunderbirds Are Go! season 2. It was first broadcast on ITV on the 29th of October, 2016.
Plot[]
On Jupiter's moon Europa Gordon's favourite explorers, Buddy and Ellie Pendergast, are searching for extra terrestrial life. When they start drilling into the ice pressure from geysers cause the ice to crack and they fall into an underground ocean below a ten mile thick layer of ice. Alan, in command, and Gordon blast off to the rescue in Thunderbird 3, with Thunderbird 4 stored abroad and modified with skis, powerful engines and a heat drill to penetrate the ice, which they loses due to strong underwater currents. They find the Pendergasts, who have taken shelter in their rover, but before they leave they detect a life form in the sea. As their escape ice hole freezes over trapping them Alan begins to regret his decision.
Cast[]
Regular Cast[]
- Scott Tracy, Alan Tracy: Rasmus Hardiker
- Gordon Tracy: David Menkin
- John Tracy: Thomas Brodie-Sangster
- Brains: Kayvan Novak
Guest Cast[]
Quotes[]
Alan: "Oh man, why does Gordon get all the good missions?"
Alan: "Oh, how many of these do you have?"
Gordon: "Only twelve seasons! They haven't released the thirteenth yet."
Gordon: "You said you wanted some real action. Be careful what you wish for."
Alan: "Of course you could try and talk me out of it!"
Gordon: "It's all on you, little brother."
International Rescue Equipment Used[]
Gallery[]
The mobile base of Ellie and Buddy Pendergast on Europa
"Here in this bleak, inhospitable environment, there is no life or is there?"
"Me and the missus have traveled for more than a year to reach this desolate plateau with one question in mind, can life exist even in these hostile conditions?"
"Isn't that right, Ellie?"
"It's been an adventure, Buddy"
"Too right! And that adventure is just beginning"
"We'd be human icicles if not for these special suits!"
Buddy and Ellie are going to bore down into the ice and explore the watery depths of Europa in a specially designed rover
Buddy and Ellie drill into the ice
"I think we have our opening shot right here!"
The ice begins to split apart
They fall through the ice, along with their base and their submersible
"Haven't you ever seen their show, 'Into The Unknown With Buddy And Ellie?'"
John shows some footage of one of the Pendergast's tv show
"Not sure I would classify them as scientists.. but they do have a flair for the dramatic"
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"We gotta rescue them!"
John explains that they are on one of the moons of Jupiter
Alan shivers when he hears how cold the moon of Jupiter is
Scott puts Alan in charge of the rescue operation
TB4 has been loaded into TB3's pod bay
Gordon clings to the harness as Alan fires up TB3's Ion engines
Buddy grabs Ellie's hand
"We'll have to find another temporary residence"
They make it to the safety of rover and climb inside
"She's got enough oxygen to last us a few more weeks"
"Don't worry Ells, our adventure isn't over yet"
Gordon asks what do they do now while the travel to Jupiter to pass the time
Alan thinks they should go through the check list Scott gave him
Alan isn't impressed Gordon isn't taking him seriously
Gordon starts watching Buddy and Ellie's show to pass the time
Alan starts getting a little annoyed at Gordon
"Only twelve seasons - they haven't released a thirteenth yet!"
Alan avoids chunks of ice spitting from one of the moon's geysers
TB3 prepares to drill into the ice
There is no signs of the Pendergasts or their expedition equipment
Scanning the ice reveals that the Pendergasts have fallen through it
TB4 in TB3's pod assembly bay
Alan selects the modifications that Brains has sent with them
Skis are added to the top and arms of TB4
The Heat bank is added to the front of TB4
TB4 is being taken out of TB3's pod bay
Thunderbird 4 is deployed
The Heat bank warms up to melt the ice
"It works!"
"But for how long?"
"But for how long?"
Alan tracks the depth of their decent into the ice
"Is it just me or is it getting toasty in here?"
Gordon fires the engines on full to start moving TB4 under the ice
"Jupiter's gravitational pull is so strong, it causes Europa to squash and stretch as it orbits. That keeps the water in a c-constant state of m-motion"
"Koowee! We thought we'd find life down here but we didn't think it would be from earth!"
"Of course, you could talk me out of it"
"Deploying emergency docking tube"
The manual docking tube extends from TB4
Alan starts to attach the docking tube with the rover
"Can you steady it?"
"I’m trying!"
"Docking complete! Pressurising now!"
"You’re a sight for sore eyes, mate!"
"Follow me! I don’t know how long this seals going to hold."
"You don’t have to tell us twice!"
"You don’t have to tell us twice!"
"Brace for impact!"
TB4 is forced to let go of the rover
"Sorry about that, not exactly the first impression I wanted to make"
"Wait, we can't leave yet! We've picked up something, hopefully it was what we were here to find"
"Alright, we've come this far, may as well find what's out there"
"That's the spirit!"
"That's the spirit!"
"I hope I don't regret this"
TB4 comes into contact with alien life
"It's.." "Amazing"
The tunnel has frozen over
the ground starts to crack to give way to a geyser
TB4 bursts out of the ice with the pressure of the geyser
TB4 doges the chunks of ice that are falling as the water from the geyser freezes
Alan remotely opens the pod bay on TB3
TB4 slides to a stop in front of TB3
TB4 is lifted into TB3's pod bay
TB3 pulls away from Jupiter's moon
Gordon asks the Pendergasts for their autograph
"We can go one better!"
"Say 'Elusive!'"
"I can't wait to have some alone time"
"Actually, since you made contact with an alien life form you need to be in quarintine for at least a month."
"A month?"
"Hey look another season! I hope we're in this one!"
"Why me?!"
Trivia[]
- This is the first time that Gordon flies in Thunderbird 3. Specifically, he takes the role of co-pilot.
- This is also the first time that Alan is seen Aboard Thunderbird 4.
- Additionally, Alan controls Thunderbird 4 twice
- He sits in the pilot seat whilst he and Gordon modify the craft inside of Thunderbird 3's cargo bay.
- He uses his wrist controller to operate Thunderbird 4 remotely.
- Additionally, Alan controls Thunderbird 4 twice
- This is the first episode where Alan is 'officially' in charge of the mission.
- This is the first episode to feature Gordon but not to feature Virgil.
- This is the first time that Thunderbird 4 is shown operating somewhere other than on planet Earth.
- Thunderbird 4 is taken to space and modified by the same technology that configures Pods.
- This marks the first time Thunderbird 4 has been carried by a Thunderbird craft other than Thunderbird 2.
- Alan wears a new deep-sea aqua suit to perform the rescue, instead of his usual space suit as well as a Deep Water Exo-Suit that allows remote control of both Thunderbird 4 and Thunderbird 3 from each wrist. Even though this is the first time we see this Exo-Suit it's not mentioned that it's a new suit designed for deep-sea use until Up from the Depths Part 1.
- It may be assumed that this episode may have been intended to be broadcast after both Colony and Up from the Depths Part 1 (and by extension, Up from the Depths Part 2) since Colony contains discussions about alien life (where the concept was dismissed), yet such life form appears in this episode. Also, the Deep Water Exo-Suit was introduced in Up from the Depths Part 1, yet it appeared in this episode with no introduction.
- Buddy Pendergast has a prosthetic blade right foot, as does Adam Hills the TV presenter and comedian that provides his voice. This type of prosthetic is commonly worn by Paralympic athletes.
- Gordon is a big fan of the Pendergasts, he owns all 12 seasons of their show and sees this as a chance to get their autographs. He later acquires the thirteenth season and a selfie.
- The in-flight checklist that Scott gives to Alan has the reference number "XZ-157", the same as the serial number of the stealth mine in the episode Space Race.