Simon's General Interest blog post- Gerry Anderson

Hi guys 
It's been quite a few years (eight to be precise) since I last did a General Interest episode (and accompanying Blog post). Which last time was on Anne Frank, and since I wrote that it has become the most read TEP Blog post with over four thousand views. So, I'd like to take a moment to thank you all for reading it.

Last time I wrote a Blog post like this I spoke all about Anne Frank's tragically short life. Something that's interested a lot of you as it's become the most read TEP Blog post with over four thousand views. So, I'd like to take a moment to thank you all for reading it.

Now after all those years I'm now doing my second General Interest episode are taking us into the Gerry Anderson universe*. Following the tradition this accompanying Blog post will expand upon the podcast episode.

Everyone’s heard of the Pixar Universe theory, which is that “All of the Pixar movies actually exist within the same universe!”. Well in this Blog post I’m going to attempt the same and explain my Gerry Anderson universe (Andersonverse) Star Trek theory to you.

In particular the idea that I've always believed that the 'missing link' between the present and the Star Trek universe is the Gerry Anderson universe (Andersonverse). In this Blog post I'm going to try and explain my reasoning behind it!

Even from a young age I could see the more idyllic world the Earth becomes through Gerry Anderson's vision. A vision based on the futuristic lens of the 1960's and the Space Race. That would later also be the same inspiration for Gene Roddenberry on the other side of the Atlantic with his "Wagon Train to the Stars" as he once said.

There's an awful lot of overlap amongst the myriad of series to pull on, some incredibly big and others incredibly small in scale.

The Gerry Anderson show's always showed the world more unified, with the Word Government at its heart (references to the World Navy and World Army amongst others, along with the Global Defence Force).

Something that's sporadically referenced now and then in Star Trek. When they're discussing the formation of the Federation, after the hardships sustained throughout the third World War.

The amount of space exploration they've done would also align with what we know about Earth in that era. As they’re still reliant on rocket propulsion, limiting them to the confines of the Solar system. Including the Sun Probe mission, along with the Aries IV mission to Mars. Obviously, Jeff Tracy forms part of that history being a former astronaut. With him becoming the first man to walk on Mars in Thunderbirds Are Go (2015-2020).

With the occasional (and limited) testing of a Faster Than Light (FTL) T-Drive equipped Zero-XL seen in “The Long Reach” Finale episode of Thunderbirds Are Go (2015-2020), which isn’t available to the public.

One interesting note I would like to make is that an Antimatter reactor can be seen being developed at the Space Agency in New Mexico in Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet (2005) episode “Homecoming”. Based on the plot I think that it's just being utilised as a power plant. But I like to think that it could be the first 'baby' steps to a Faster Than Light (FTL) Drive (like a Star Trek Warp Core).

I think that research could’ve inspired scientists worldwide to develop anti-matter technology. As Zefram Cochrane was working on anti-matter weaponry during World War III derived from the Space Agency New Mexico Antimatter reactor. 

As the Star Trek: Federation – The First 150 Years book says that “Throughout the conflict, Cochrane found himself designing and developing anti-matter weapons. “I was fascinated by matter/anti-matter reactions, and this was the only way I could get access to the research”. Which would ultimately inspire Zefram Cochrane into creating Warp drive in the peaceful years after World War III.

There's also some synergy when you're talking about the level of automation between the franchises. As people are capable of controlling vehicles that require a minimal number of crew considering the size of the vehicle. Which would come as an offshoot to from all the advanced technology they have available to them.

One of the smaller (and often overlooked) aspects they have in common is the origins of wearable communication technology. As I would argue that the Spectrum technology (seen in both versions of Captain Scarlet) particularly with their iconic Spectrum Radio Cap Communicator would eventually lead to the development of communicators. Whilst their scanners would ultimately lead to the creation of and tricorders.

Meanwhile I couldn’t help that notice that Thunderbirds (original) and Star Trek also rely heavily on viewscreens for communication in civilian use (specifically the Tracy family portraits) and within Starfleet (and the Federation).

The World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP) radiation suits seen in Stingray look like the precursor to the Star Trek: The Original Series (Star Trek: TOS) EVA suits famously seen in “The Tholian Web” episode.

Continuing that thread the control panels seen throughout the various Gerry Anderson shows could be the precursor to the button controls we see throughout Star Trek: Enterprise (Star Trek: ENT) and Star Trek: The Original Series (Star Trek: TOS). Whilst the Holograms we see in Thunderbirds Are Go, are very reminiscent of ones featured in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery (Star Trek: DIS).

*Based primarily around these Gerry Anderson shows:

Stingray 1964-65 [set in 2060’s]
Thunderbirds (original) 1965-66 [set in 2065]
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967-1968) [set in 2068]
UFO 1970-71 [set in 1980]
Space: 1999 1975-76 [set in 1999]
Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet (2005) [set in 2068]
Thunderbirds Are Go (2015-2020) [set in 2060]

I also realise that the Moon doesn't Breakaway from its orbit due to the explosion at Nuclear Disposal Area Two on the 13th of September 1999 like it does at the beginning of Space 1999. Instead, the Klingon moon Praxis explodes due to over-mining and insufficient safety precautions.

I know that my theory isn't 100% watertight, but it was never meant to be!
Just a fun way of celebrating two Science Fiction franchises I love. That don’t usually get put into the same sentences.

But I’d recommend going and watching all the series mentioned below and to make your own mind up!

Lastly, I would just like to take a moment to thank my friends Clive, Neil, and Daniel for helping me write this Blog post with their knowledge on the franchises. Along with Jamie for proof reading Blog post for me. I really appreciate it!  

This is Simon from The Engage Podcast signing out!

Simon: My science fiction background!



Hi guys
In the hopes of giving you a better understanding of who you're listening to, I thought I would help giving you an idea where my love for science fiction grew from!
It means that I will have to travel back in time, which has the risk of crossing into my own timeline (let's just hope I don't contaminate it!).
I know I've already used this trick before in the Convention Guide Post...but I thought it works quite well last time!

As you can imagine, I'm going to make a few changes to the formula...so instead of traveling in the Tardis (sorry Doctor Who fans) I'm going to be using the Enterprise-E (my favourite star ship) traversing through time via the Slingshot effect!!!



As some of you may be aware I had a quite turbulent childhood. Because during that period in my life I was being bullied at Primary school and my parents were getting divorced.

Which drew me towards science fiction and the positive morals, messages and meanings (thank you Mission Log Podcast) it has!

I think the first place I would take the ship back to is around 1993-1995 where...

my first encounter with science fiction starts! Although it's with a set shows originally produced in the 1960's...I am of course talking about Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Stingray!



These three shows were repeated in the early nineties paving the way for my love of the genre!

Trivia: My favourite Thunderbirds craft is Thunderbird 2!

With they're bright colours and they're wonderfully simple filming techniques interested me straight away! I think the fantastic craft they use (in particular Thunderbird 2) formed the foundation for my love of starships and their design!

Moving forward a few years to 1997, where I got to see...Star Wars! As in his ultimate wisdom (which is debatable!) George Lucas decided to remaster and re-release Episodes IV through VI in a Special Edition box set (which we owned). My love for starships and their design grew once again...when my Mum bought me multiple Galoob Action Fleet starships, which I imagined 'flying' them home in my hand! Along with those I also managed to get The Death Star Playset. To my knowledge they are all still in our loft!!!

 Trivia: My favourite Star Wars character is R2-D2!

Moving towards the noughties to around 1998. This is when the science fiction genre started to make an impact on an young impressionable Simon Cordell, as this is when I saw my first Star Trek: The Next Generation. I watched it every Wednesday night on BBC2 at 6pm, this lead me to buying Star Trek video's (which are still in our loft).
Around this time I also caught glimpses of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine on Thursday nights and Voyager on the Sunday nights.

Three years go by and we are introduced to  a new form of Star Trek, in the form of Enterprise! Not on the friendly Aunty Beeb (BBC) this time...but to Channel 4 where it ran modestly until the season four finale in 2006.

Trivia: Don't bring up "These are the voyages..." with Jamie, as it doesn't exist to him!

Trivia: Phil's favourite character is Marvin the robot!

Then another few years pass...until 2005 when The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was released in the cinema's. To me and Phil, this was something we had to see!
As both of our Dad's had heard the radio plays when they were younger, and encouraged us to see it. So I think we went and saw it in the cinema  (I can't remember...Phil?) and loved it!

We loved it so much, that we bought The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Trilogy of Four: A Trilogy in Four Parts, and then travelled up to London in order to visit the Science Museum's exhibition on the film.

2005 was also the year that  I was formally introduced to another British science fiction classic Doctor Who.


Trivia: The Tenth Doctor is my favourite!

It's not until 2006 when my love for Star Trek is rekindled, after painstakingly introducing Jamie to the Star Trek franchise! This took quite a while as Jamie had his own preconceptions about science fiction. Once that happened Though his subsequent discovery and enjoyment of the series meant that I could relive the thrill of exploring the franchise for the first time!
As I was initiating a new Trekkie I thought it was about time I reviewed some of my old preconceptions about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Voyager. So we (me and Mum) started to buy the DVD box set's to both, which I watched from start to finish. This is where my 1998 conceptions evaporated.

Three years later (2009) a new form of Star Trek is revealed with Star Trek '09 (or if you prefer Star Trek XI). The first of the Abramsverse films, when I saw the film (3 times in total) I was always struck by the drastic changes made in the film. To point that I was just speechless, due to all the thoughts running around my head surrounding all the implications from the film!

The other amazing thing to come from this film is the fact that I managed to finally introduce Phil to the Star Trek franchise through by this film and playing Star Trek Online! Once again I felt the thrill of discovery coming from Phil!

A year (2010) goes by and another science fiction series arrives, this time it's the remake of V! A very overlooked series, which is well worth a watch...although I have got to admit that I've only seen the first season. Apart from that, I'm really glad I can add another 'string to my science fiction bow'!

2011 is when I finally got to see a series I was longing to get many hands on...I am of course talking about the remake of Battlestar Galactica.
Which (unlike the V remake) is a series that is not overlooked. if you haven't seen this series then definitely check it out, as you won't regret it at all!!!

Another twelve month's passes by, landing us in 2012. This the year that I finally saw the Remastered Star Trek: The Original Series Season three and Star Trek: The Animated Series.
Just like everyone else I assumed that season three was a lost cause...but watching it, and then hearing what morals, messages and meanings John Champion and Ken Ray got out of them. I don't think it deserves the reputation it has been given over the years!
The same is said about The Animated Series, as everyone think's it isn't part of cannon...but why not? It's got as much right to be a part of cannon as any other show! Well worth a watch, even if you only see it once!
This was also the year that the three of us attended Destination Star Trek London, which was absolutely amazing! It is hopes that at some point in time you'll be able to hear our 'practise' episode covering the event!!!

Going back to last year (2013) the big event that occurred in the Abramsverse was Star Trek Into Darkness, which...again I saw 3 times in total! This was the first Star Trek film I'd seen in the cinema with Phil and Jamie making it quite a big event for us. We were able to see it the second day of release, making us very excitable!
Just like Destination Star Trek London 2012, we recorded an episode giving our thoughts on the film. Which we hope you'll be able to hear sometime in the near future!

What can I say about 2014...well it's been quite a year!
In February I went alone to Destination Star Trek Germany in Frankfurt, which was absolutely awesome and amazing! If you were unfortunate not to go, then you missed out big time!!!

Met up with the lovely Trekkie Girls (hi girls!) while I was there, and ended up 'briefly' on stage at the Trek Radio's Transmitting Trek: Taking Entertainment to the Final Frontier talk on the Sunday. Once I got home we recorded an episode giving my opinions on the convention. Which we hope you'll be able sometime soon!

Last month we also attended Destination Star Trek 3, where we hosted our Borg Fan Panel (see The Engage Podcast at DST3 part 1) with the aid of our first 'Honouree' member of the podcast Neil Green (hi Neil!).

On the same day we also launched podcast, by covering all three days of the event...again will an episode giving our thoughts and feelings on the convention (see The Engage Podcast at DST3 part 2).

I hope you found this blog post interesting!
This is Simon from The Engage Podcast signing out!