Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet
Title screenshot
Genre	Action Adventure Science fiction
Created by	Gerry Anderson
Written by	Gerry Anderson John Brown Brian Finch Phil Ford
Directed by	David Lane Dominic Lavery Mark Woollard
Voices of	Julia Brahms Jules Dejongh Wayne Forester Mike Hayley Jeremy Hitchen Bruce Lawrence Nigel Plaskitt William Roberts Robbie Stevens Emma Tate Heather Tobias Suzie Westerby Glenn Wrage
Composer(s)	Crispin Merrell
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	2
No. of episodes	26 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Gerry Anderson
Producer(s)	Mark Sherwood
Editor(s)	Andy Walter
Running time	22 minutes approx.
Production company(s)	Anderson Entertainment Indestructible Production Company
Distributor	Granada International Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release
Original network	ITV
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	12 February (2005-02-12) – 26 November 2005 (2005-11-26)
Chronology
Related shows	Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons

Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet is an exciting British TV show made with computers. It's a new version of the classic 1967 puppet series, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Both shows were created by the famous Gerry Anderson. This new show used special computer animation called "Hypermarionation". It was the very last show Gerry Anderson produced.

The series first aired in the UK on the ITV network in February 2005. Instead of having its own time slot, episodes were shown during a Saturday morning kids' TV show called Ministry of Mayhem. Gerry Anderson wasn't happy about this. He felt the show didn't get the attention it deserved. Because of this, plans for more series were put on hold.

How the Show Was Broadcast

The show Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet first appeared on ITV as part of the Saturday morning children's show Ministry of Mayhem. Each episode was split into two parts. They even cut off the opening titles!

Gerry Anderson was very disappointed with how his show was aired. He felt it was "murdered" because it wasn't listed properly. This meant viewers had to wait through other parts of Ministry of Mayhem to see it. Also, the episodes were shown in the order they were finished, not in the story's correct order. This meant the final episode of the series actually aired before the very last one. This happened because one episode was changed. Gerry Anderson thought it was too scary for younger children. In 2017, the show became available in North America on Amazon Video. This was to celebrate 50 years of the original Captain Scarlet series.

Story of the Series

The story takes place in the year 2068. Earth is kept safe by a super-smart security team called the Spectrum Organization. Their main base is Skybase, a huge aircraft carrier that floats high above the Earth. Spectrum agents come from different military groups. They use color codenames to keep their real identities secret.

Under the leadership of Colonel White, Spectrum is the best peacekeeping force. They have many cool vehicles for their agents to use.

The trouble started when Spectrum went to Mars to find out where some strange signals were coming from. Captains Scarlet and Black found a city belonging to aliens called the Mysterons. But Captain Black misunderstood something and attacked the city, destroying it completely.

The Mysterons have a special power called "retrometabolism." This lets them rebuild things, even people. They rebuilt their city and then killed Captain Black. They promised to get revenge on Earth and its people. Now, the Mysterons use their powers to control people, vehicles, and objects on Earth.

The Mysterons' main agent on Earth is Captain Black. He was rebuilt from the original Spectrum agent. Captain Scarlet was also turned into a Mysteron agent. But he broke free from their control after an accident on Skybase. Now, Captain Scarlet still has his memories and loyalties. He also has the Mysteron power to survive injuries that would kill anyone else! Spectrum now uses all its power to fight the Mysterons. Captain Scarlet is their most important weapon.

Main Characters and Their Roles

Spectrum Heroes

Main Team

• Captain Scarlet (Paul Metcalfe): He is the main hero and a top Spectrum agent. He's 32 years old and was a US Air Force officer. After being taken over by the Mysterons, he became almost impossible to destroy. He was born in Winchester, UK. He used to be secretly jealous of Captain Black and Destiny Angel's relationship. But after Black became a Mysteron, Scarlet and Destiny start to fall in love. He has black hair and blue eyes.
• Captain Blue (Adam Svenson): A 32-year-old American agent and a great sportsman. He's Captain Scarlet's partner. At first, he wasn't sure about working with Scarlet because of his past with the Mysterons. But they become good friends. He has blonde hair and blue eyes.
• Destiny Angel (Simone Giraudoux): She is 29 and a pilot for the Falcon Interceptors. She leads the Spectrum Angels. She used to be with Captain Black. But after he became a Mysteron, she and Captain Scarlet start to fall in love. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.
• Colonel White (Sir Charles Grey): He is Spectrum's boss. He's 55 and used to be in charge of MI6 (a British spy agency). He was born in Gloucestershire, UK. He has grey hair and blue eyes. He loves chess, fishing, and fencing. He also knows a lot about old military history.
• Lieutenant Green (Serena Lewis): She is Spectrum's computer expert, 27 years old. She has a secret crush on Captain Blue. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She was born in Houston, Texas, USA. Her mother is a singer from Trinidad.
• Doctor Gold (Dr Mason Frost): He is the main doctor on Skybase. He isn't always the nicest doctor! He has grey hair and blue eyes.
• Lieutenant Silver (Bethany Craig): She is another communications officer on Skybase. She has auburn hair and blue-grey eyes and is from Australia.
• Chief Engineer: He works in central control on Skybase. He has a Scottish accent, which might be a nod to a character from Star Trek.

Other Field Agents

• Captain Ochre (Elaine McGee): A 32-year-old agent from Ireland. She is the first female captain in the show's history. She's an expert with explosives and heavy weapons. She became more important in the second season.
• Captain Grey (Iain Taggart): A 38-year-old Scottish agent who plays the bagpipes. He has brown hair and blue eyes.
• Captain Magenta (Mario Moro): An Italian agent, 28 years old. He used to be a military police officer. He has black hair and grey eyes.
• Captain Indigo (John Roach): This character appears only a few times and never speaks. He has a beard.
• Captain Brown (Ricky Nolan): This character appears only twice and never speaks.
• Captain Orange (Unnamed): This character appears only once at a funeral and doesn't speak.

Spectrum Angels (Pilots)

• Harmony Angel (Rebecca Drake): Destiny Angel's second-in-command. She's 26 with red hair and a strong Southern US accent.
• Rhapsody Angel (Caroline Foster-Finch): She used to fly rescue helicopters. She's also good at fixing her own plane. She's 28 with light brown hair.
• Melody Angel (Esther Jackson): She's 25 with brown hair and brown eyes. She's American.
• Symphony Angel (Yoko Inukai): She's 24 with black hair and brown eyes. She's Japanese.

Mysteron Villains

• The Mysterons: These are the alien bad guys from the planet Mars. They can kill someone and then rebuild them as a weapon they control. When they are moving on Earth, they look like two green circles.
• Captain Black (Conrad Lefkon): He is the main Mysteron agent. He was a 33-year-old Spectrum agent and Captain Scarlet's best friend. He also dated Destiny Angel. After the Mysterons rebuilt him, he became almost impossible to destroy. He has silver/black hair and hazel eyes.

Cool Spectrum Equipment

Skybase: The Floating Headquarters

Skybase is a massive command ship, 330 meters long. It's Spectrum's main base and floats high above the clouds, about 18,288 meters up. It has six main engines to keep it in the sky and ten more to keep it balanced. Skybase is home to all of Spectrum's high-tech vehicles, including the Falcon fighter jets.

The Falcon jets land on Skybase using a special magnetic system. A circular lift takes the planes down into the hangar. Robots then refuel them and reload their weapons automatically. This means the Falcons are always ready for action!

Spectrum Ground Vehicles

• Rhino TRU (Tactical Response Unit): This is a super tough, heavily armored attack vehicle. It can go very fast thanks to booster jets at the back. It has ten wheels and can steer with many of them, making it easy to drive on any road or off-road. The Rhino is packed with weapons: twin cannons, missiles, harpoon guns, and magnetic clamp guns. It also has battering rams and anti-missile defenses. There are no windows; the driver uses screens to see. The Rhino is so secure, it needs a password and voice command to unlock it. When needed, the huge Albatross aircraft carries the Rhino to its mission.
• Cheetah RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle): This car is super fast! It has four wheels, but it can also fly short distances. Hidden wings and a tail fin pop out from the back. With its jump jets and booster jets, the Cheetah can glide over obstacles easily. It has a machine gun hidden in the front and special deflectors to stop missiles. In the second series, it could even take off from the ground by itself.
• Stallion Raid Bike: This is Spectrum's high-speed attack motorcycle. It has a special sealed canopy and wings. It can be launched from Skybase, freefall, then glide to the ground. Once it lands, the canopy and wings come off, and it speeds away. Its rear wheels tilt to keep it stable at high speeds. It has two front machine guns and missile racks.

Spectrum Aircraft

• Albatross SDC: This is a giant transport aircraft. Skybase has two of them. They are used to carry heavy vehicles, like the Rhino, anywhere in the world. It can land and pick up heavy loads in almost any conditions. The Albatross has a unique way of dropping its cargo: the cargo doors open and become landing feet. A lift then lowers the vehicle to the ground. It can drop a Rhino and take off immediately! It also has special anti-detection shielding and anti-missile defenses. Even though it's huge, it's very fast and can move well in the air.
• Falcon Interceptor: These are the five main fighter jets of Skybase, flown by the Angel Squadron. Each pilot has their own Falcon, marked with their codename. The Falcon is a super-fast fighter jet with powerful engines. It's very agile and can outmaneuver other planes. Pilots wear special suits to protect them from the extreme forces during flight. It has cannons and various missiles hidden inside. In an emergency, the front part of the plane can separate and become an escape pod.
• Swift Passenger Jet: This is Spectrum's fast and comfortable passenger jet. It's designed for smooth travel and relaxation, with luxurious living and dining areas. But it can quickly turn into a full control center if needed.
• Hummingbird Helicopter: This is Spectrum's multi-purpose helicopter. It has a special rotor blade and jet systems that make it very agile and flexible in the air. It can go up and down very quickly and fly at high speeds. It also has a hidden gun.
• Skyrider: This is a small, single-person vehicle used by Spectrum agents to travel quickly through the air. It uses compact rocket engines and small wings for control. It's used on both Earth and Mars.

Other Cool Vehicles

• Bison Alien Terrain Vehicle: This is a fast, multi-wheeled vehicle used on the Moon and Mars. It's sealed, so operators don't need helmets inside.
• Spectrum Space Shuttle: Used to take people from Earth to Spectrum bases on the Moon and Mars. It has a main part that stays in orbit and a lander part that goes down to planets. It can carry many people and has a gym, kitchen, and sleeping areas for long trips. The lander can also carry a Bison rover.
• Mercury Shuttle: This is a civilian space shuttle launched from a rail system. It's a nod to an older Gerry Anderson vehicle, the Fireball XL5.
• Vampire Interceptor: This is a high-performance fighter jet used by the World Air Force. It's very powerful and has been used by the Mysterons many times.
• Druzynik Battlewagon: A huge, powerful tank with a massive railgun cannon. It's almost impossible to stop and has many weapons for attack and defense.
• Condor Freighter: This is a large civilian cargo aircraft. It has a unique tail ramp design that makes loading and unloading easy.

Hydrolabs Condor Freighter with tail raised for loading

Home Video Releases

DVDs

Both Series 1 and 2 of New Captain Scarlet are available on DVD in the UK. You can buy individual discs with a few episodes or full box sets for each series. There was a mistake on the Series 2 DVD case for the episode "Grey Skulls." It describes a different episode called "House of Dolls," which was planned but never made because it was too scary for kids. The cast actually performed the script for "House of Dolls" live at a fan convention in 2006. Also, the episode order on the last disc of the Series 2 DVD is wrong. The final episode, "Dominion," should be watched after "Grey Skulls."

Volumes

Boxsets

Blu-ray

In 2014, it was announced that the high-definition (HD) versions of the series, which were thought to be lost, had been found! This meant they could be released on Blu-ray. In 2017, a Blu-ray set of New Captain Scarlet was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Captain Scarlet series.

Boxsets