TV: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons

Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons

Indestructible ruby-clad hero.

While all eyes were on the return of Doctor Who in 2005, a certain puppet hero quietly performed a similar resurrection, turning up on Saturday mornings in a state-of-the-art CGI series that won serious plaudits.

But being at the cutting edge was nothing new for Captain Scarlet. Created by Gerry Anderson as a follow-up to Thunderbirds, the series' original run hit screens in 1967. It marked the next step forward for "Supermarionation", the Anderson's signature puppetry technique. The puppets boasted human proportions, and lip-synching them to the dialogue track was automated by the use of electromagnetics.

The show followed Scarlet and the colour-coded Spectrum organisation as they defended Earth from the extraterrestrial Mysterons. These insubstantial aliens' modus operandi was to bump off humans, replacing them with evil indestructible duplicates. In the first episode, Scarlet himself is cloned, but his personality reassers itself. After breaking free of alien control he lead the action against the invaders - and human turncoat Captain Black.

One last thing. Captain Scarlet is indestructible. You are not. Remember this. Do not try to imitate him!

Work nominated by colebox06 and Elnickouk.