Move...And You're Dead
Though Grandma Tracy has been a fixture on Tracy Island for several episodes, this story shows what it took to get her there!
Jeff's mother, formerly a Kansas wheat farmer, eventually settled in the California desert and traveled the world during her retirement. She tells Penny so during Her Ladyship's visit in "The Mighty Atom."
Alan Tracy has made many trips to the moon, but he's never played golf there as did the man he was named for, astronaut Alan B. Shepherd.
Virgil and Scott are seen engaged in one of their favorite pastimes: shooting billiards. Jeff and Gordon are frequent participants as well.
Intensely proud of her son and grandsons, Grandma Tracy was more than pleased to be asked to join International Rescue and move to Tracy Island to be with her family.
Apparently still pretty spry, Jeff jumps from behind his desk to sitting on the front of his desk in a matter of seconds as Alan calls in to report his predicament!
Nothing upsets Grandma Tracy more than when she's out of touch with her grandsons or when she's concerned for their safety. In a later episode, she nearly throttles Jeff when he allows Alan to perform a dangerous repair on an antenna atop a mountain peak at the far end of the island.
A champion driver, Alan and his mechanic Kenny have won numerous racing events, including the Grand Prix. Alan donates all of his winnings to charitable causes.
Though it's been obvious to this point that Alan has a crush on Tin-Tin, it's only in this episode that we have a hint at how Virgil feels about her...though he did refer to her as "honey" in "City Of Fire." (Check out that jealous look when she says she'd like to be going along with Alan).
"Thunderbirds" was the first show from the west to air in full color in Japan, aiding in its immense following there.
Both Alan and Gordon seem to have a "need for speed." Like Alan's fascination with race cars, Gordon was a speed boat racing enthusiast...until he crashed his boat and ended up in the hospital for four months!
The Parola Sands race is covered by a reporter for World Television who, strangely enough, has the same voice as another news personality over at NTBS-TV: Ned Cook.
Derek Meddings' crew developed ingenious ways to simulate effects expected to be seen in disaster situations. French chalk powder was used to create the look of high-pressure water during a fire-fighting effort, and wood dye assisted in producing a convincing flame for structural fires.
Though she may appear to be a bit fickle throughout the series, Tin-Tin's tears in this episode prove that her heart really belongs to Alan...most of the time!
Like John before him, the impulsive Alan became the second of the Tracy brothers to complete an astronaut training program. Jeff, concerned about Alan's lack of discipline, insisted that his youngest son enter the Tracy College, named, of course, for Jeff.
Though Virgil might be secretly smitten with Tin-Tin, he also seems to have feelings for Lady Penelope, evident any time they are close.
Alan and Grandma are seen using her favorite china pattern at tea: the traditional and popular Blue Willow. The same tea set shows up in other places throughout the series.
Since Jeff and his wife Lucy had no daughters, he often acts as surrogate uncle to Tin-Tin, financing her education and her travels. Grandma Tracy also develops a close relationship with her and spends a great deal of time fostering the romance between Tin-Tin and grandson Alan.
John Tracy doesn't appear in this episode, so voice actor Ray Barrett is kept busy playing the evil car thief, Gomez.
Unlike his brothers, John's forehead features a widow's peak.
A visit to the Tracy kitchen reveals that they rely on Corningware for their cooking and baking needs.
Each member of International Rescue is supplied with a personal televideo device to communicate with the base; most units are concealed in their watches.
The guns carried by the Tracy brothers have interchangeable clips for bullets, stun-gas and laser capabilities.
John wears a gun at all times while on duty in Thunderbird 5...for no known reason...
Alan is infamous for having created a miniature rocket which, when launched, shattered every window on the campus at Colorado University, where he was a Space Studies major for a time.
Thunderbird 1's auto-fire rifle is used several times during the series and saves Scott's life in the film "Thunderbird 6."
A portrait of Lady Penelope is seen as having been added to the lounge near Jeff's desk; like the brothers' portraits, it is used for contact from the IR base to Penny and back. In emergency situations, the call from Penny causes the necklace to light up and blink an urgent code.