| "End of the Road" | |
|---|---|
| Thunderbirds episode | |
| Episode no. | Series 1 Episode 14 |
| Directed by | David Lane |
| Written by | Dennis Spooner |
| Cinematography by | Paddy Seale |
| Editing by | Harry MacDonald |
| Production code | 14 |
| Original air date | 25 November 1965 |
| Guest character voices | |
| |
"End of the Road" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (later Century 21 Productions) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Dennis Spooner and directed by David Lane, it was first broadcast on 25 November 1965 on ATV Midlands as the ninth episode of Series One. It is the 14th episode in the official running order.[1]
Set in the 2060s, Thunderbirds follows the missions of International Rescue, a secret organisation which uses technologically‑advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The lead characters are ex‑astronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's primary vehicles: the Thunderbird machines. In "End of the Road", Tracy Island goes into security lockdown when it receives an unexpected visit from businessman Eddie Houseman, an old boyfriend of International Rescue member Tin-Tin Kyrano – to the annoyance of Tin-Tin's admirer Alan Tracy. Eddie leaves the island none the wiser as to the Tracys' double lives, but when his desperate attempt to save his construction company's road-building project leaves his truck teetering on the edge of a cliff, the family are forced to risk security by going to the aid of someone who knows their public identity.
In 1966, Century 21 released an audio adaptation of "End of the Road" on vinyl EP record (Thunderbird 2, catalogue number MA 109) with narration from voice actor David Graham as regular character Brains.[1] The episode had its first UK‑wide network broadcast on 10 January 1992 on BBC2.[1]