“Count Down” could be the secret service codeword for the Count from Sesame Street’s assassination. What? Oh yeah, Stingray. No, hang on a minute. Why is this episode called Count Down… surely it should be ‘Countdown’, as in the noun, referring to the countdown on the bomb at the end? To “count down” as two separate words suggests an instruction to somone just standing there reading off numbers as they descend. That would be much less exciting. Bloomin’ grammar. Anyway. What day is it? Half past two. Sorry the pills are still kicking in. Time for Stingray.
Monthly Archives: July 2022
Stingray – 8. The Ghost Ship
This episode has a very special place in my heart for the very simple reason that it was, most likely, my first. Since before I was born, my family owned Volumes 4 and 5 of Stingray on Channel 5 VHS tapes for many years, before I then took on the job of tracking down the rest. So The Ghost Ship is the first in a batch of episodes from early-to-midway through the series which I watched an awful lot growing up, and would consider to be the golden era of Stingray. It’s certainly the period I have the strongest nostalgia for. But for this viewing I tried to remove my rose-tinted glasses and just appreciate The Ghost Ship on its own merits. I mean, it’s still a fantastic episode, rose-tinted or otherwise, but I just want you to know I tried really hard not to be swayed…
Stingray – 7. The Golden Sea
On paper, The Golden Sea has quite a lot going for it. After a short absence in prior episodes, we now have the return of Titan, X20, and Teufel, our principal baddies for the series. Plus, they’re joined by another geezer with a powerful new weapon to play with. It’s also the only time ever that we get to see one of Stingray’s Aqua Sprites in action, as well as Titan’s own personal craft. So this should feel like a fairly significant episode, right? Not just a bit of filler or a missed opportunity? Well, let’s see if we can draw some conclusions one way or the other over the course of this long-winded commentary…
Stingray – 6. The Big Gun
Okay, let’s get this out of the way upfront. You know it. I know it. We all know it. So let’s just accept it, and move on to the important business. Here it is. Here’s the elephant in the room. And I won’t mince my words or beat about any bushes. The fact of the matter is, when all is said and done, that when you think about it truly and honestly… the “Big Gun” in this episode looks a bit like a thingy… And y’know, even if it doesn’t look a bit like a thingy, the urge for me to make thingy-based double entendres throughout this review are going to be far too great for me to not acknowledge it here and now. So I guess that’s your only warning. Time for some Stingray.
Stingray – 5. Treasure Down Below
I’ve been looking forward to this one. Treasure Down Below is chock-full of memorable moments and contains all the ingredients of a classic – salty seadogs, funky-looking aliens, love triangle drama – it’s all here! So no more hanging around, let’s get started! Oh, but incidentally, I thought it would be worth mentioning that we’re five episodes into the series and I’m still singing along to the theme music…
Security Hazard 