Phoenix Five
| Industry | Television production |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Television series |
Phoenix Five is an Australian science fiction TV series that debuted on the ABC in 1970 before later being broadcast on the Seven Network. It serves as the final installment following the six-episode serial The Interpretaris (1966) and the seven-episode Vega 4 (1968), together forming a trilogy. Distinct from the earlier serials, Phoenix Five featured 26 independent episodes designed to facilitate syndication. Although each series employed different casts and production teams, they shared a consistent futuristic setting, a common space organization, and reused miniature models, establishing Australia's inaugural sci-fi television franchise comparable to Star Trek.
Plot
Set in the year 2500 AD, the narrative centers on the crew of the galactic patrol vessel Phoenix Five, touted as "the most advanced ship within the Earth Space Control Fleet." The principal characters include Captain Roke, a firm and authoritative commander; Ensign Adam Hargraves, his quick-thinking deputy; navigator Cadet Tina Kulbrick; and the transparent-domed robot Karl, known as a Computeroid. Their mission involves patrolling distant galaxies to safeguard against dangers such as the blue-skinned extraterrestrial Zodian from Zebula 9 and the rogue scientist Platonus.
The antagonist Zodian, who was first introduced in Vega 4, appeared alongside his twin computer units, Alpha and Zeta, throughout the initial 13 episodes. Following a hiatus caused by producer Peter Summerton's passing, production resumed under John Walters with a shift in villains: Platonus and his Cockney-accented computer assistant, Tommy, took over as primary adversaries.
Production
Filmed in Sydney during 1969 by Artransa Park Television in partnership with the Australian Broadcasting Commission and Amalgamated Television Services, Phoenix Five premiered on ABC on 24 April 1970 before being broadcast in other Australian states. The series was also distributed internationally, airing in the United Kingdom and additional territories throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It saw rebroadcasts on ABC in 1975 and continued to be shown on regional stations into the early 1980s. All episodes are preserved at The National Sound and Film Archive; however, there has been no official commercial release, though some episodes have surfaced among collectors and appeared online via platforms like YouTube.
While often labeled as an Australian take on Star Trek, Phoenix Five actually predates domestic screenings of Star Trek and is more closely aligned with earlier children’s space adventure programs such as Rocky Jones, Space Ranger and Fireball XL5. Despite criticism regarding its modest budget, it was comparatively expensive for Australian television dramas of that period due to its colour filming. The scarcity of local special effects resources demanded creative approaches from FX supervisor Peter Hicks, who crafted intricate costumes—including flowing robes for Zodian, pink tights for a 'microbe' girl character, gold lame uniforms for the crew members, and an aluminium outfit with a perspex dome for Karl—and developed distinctive sets like the 'Galaxy Garden' by repurposing commercially available plants.
Cast
- Mike Dorsey – Captain Roke
- Patsy Trench – Cadet Tina Kulbrick
- Damien Parker – Ensign Adam Hargraves
- Stuart Leslie – Karl the Computeroid
- Peter Collingwood – Earth Space Controller
- Redmond Phillips – Zodian
- Owen Weingott – Platonus
- Tommy Dysart