I did enjoy Stingray when I was younger, and still do, but not as much as some of the other Supermarionation shows. The show was simply about a submarine, and the stories weren't as varied. However, it did have its good points.The stories were entertaining, and divided into three sections; an investigation into a situation, a plan to kill Troy Tempest or to destroy Marineville. The best episodes were in the category of the latter two, the investigation episodes weren't as exciting. There were a few 'it was all a dream' episodes which did nothing for me.The series ended with a flashback episode based on 'This is Your Life' which worked really well, and had the best ending of all the Stingray episodes; after being called out on a mission near the end of the episode Commander Shore remarks to the presenter, 'Thanks for a great show, but I'm afraid, whether you like it or not, this has got to be the end'. You couldn't have asked for a better closure.Not my favourite of the Supermarionation puppet shows, but the entertaining scripts made up for it.

The Gerry Anderson shows done in the 1960s especially the puppet entertainment were then as are now very captivating and charming done in an age were animation was the dominant format. Unlike now were everything is digital or electronic based wanting to produce state of the art the puppet format had elegance and was realistic rather then superficial wanting to produce art. In the era of the swinging sixties Anderson produced great entertainment such as Thunderbirds but Stingray has a romantic attraction to it rather then one of espionage although it still follows the same format of Cold War propaganda it is none the less written well for adventure and action that keeps everyone entertained. The characters are not just Macho or Marshall but are genuine and their lead role being based on merit and the key female Marina is a genuine beauty with Grecian elegance. The music is also good and captivating. The setting is very sixties though in a more technological format as it was then. The adventures under water stresses the mystery of the Sea and the use of imagination of the audience for a good thriller. A classic that will stand the test of time in an era of limited creativity.

With its emphasis on fast-paced, underwater action/adventure, Stingray is an entertaining, half-hour TV program featuring puppet-people, or marionettes, acting out the stories on miniature, elaborately-built sets.Created by Gerry Anderson, British, producer, writer and director, Stingray is the name given to a fantastically sleek and highly-sophisticated combat sub that has the awesome power to travel at 600 knots per hour and submerge to depths of 36,000 feet.Set at the fictitious base in Marineville, California (in the year 2065), this mid-1960s TV show is really quite enjoyable to watch and it is often unintentionally hilarious, especially when the puppet people (with their over-sized heads and blank stares) stiffly move around the mini-sets, carrying on as if they were real, human actors, or whatever.The Stingray sub is commanded by the dashing and brave Captain Troy Tempest who takes his orders from the head of the "World Aquanaut Security Patrol" (WASP), Commander Samuel Shore, who operates from WASP's land-based headquarters in Marineville.On a regular basis Troy Tempest and his loyal Stingray partner, George "Phones" Sheridan, are having to deal with the destructively diabolical doings initiated by the wicked warlord, Titan, king of the ruthless Aquaphibians from the undersea city of Titanica.You can be sure that (when it comes to saving the day) Troy Tempest is right on the job, seeing that justice will be served.Filmed in living color, Stingray was a weekly show that ran for only one season.

The four Supermarionation shows, Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray and Thunderbirds, were strange but cool. And often they showed some real creativity. One of my favorite bits was the alarm system in Stingray. As their base went on alert, they didn't use horns or sirens, but drum beats over the PA. As they went to higher stages of alert different rhythms would superimpose themselves over the previous rhythms. It sounded neat and was a really effective way to build up the tension. Someday I'm going to find an excuse to steal the idea.