Cry Wolf

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For a detailed overview of this episode, click here.

When two boys call out International Rescue, it attracts the Hood's attention.
Original UK broadcast date: January 27th, 1966

Contents
1) Synopsis
2) Notes
3) Errors


Synopsis

Two boys, Bob and Tony, are playing their favorite game: International Rescue. Bob pretends he's in trouble and calls for International Rescue via his walkie talkie. He inadvertently ends up sending out a call that the real International Rescue picks up, so Scott is dispatched from Tracy Island in Thunderbird 1. Meanwhile, Bob comes and saves his brother via pulling him up the side of a cliff with some rope. Scott sees everything and wants an explanation. Bob and Tony take Scott back to their father, who apologizes for what has happened. He explains that since the boy's mother died, he's tried to be a mother and a father to his sons. He made them the walkie talkies and they see International Rescue as their heroes. Scott decides to take Bob and Tony on a trip back to their base, so they can learn about how much trouble a false alarm causes.

Tony and Bob are taken to Tracy Island, where they get to see several of Thunderbird 2's pod vehicles, along with Thunderbird 3. They are then treated to a massive meal and say they understand now why they must not call them out without a good reason. Jeff says if they learnt that, then the trip was worthwhile. They're then taken back home, but the press get a hold of the story and run it on the front pages. Williams isn't too happy about this, as he secretly works for the government's satellite project and thinks the news story could draw attention. The Hood reads the story and thinks the idea of the place Williams' lives being a weather station is suspicious, and believes there is something more to it than that.

Tony and Bob decide to play International Rescue again. It's Tony's turn to be rescued, so he heads to an old mine. When he gets there he meets the Hood, who is in disguise and claims to be a surveyor. He tells Tony it's ok to play in the mine, so Tony heads into it. Later on, Bob arrives in his Thunderbird 2 (which is actually a kart) and also meets the Hood. The Hood explains that the mine is dangerous and thinks Bob should collect this brother and go home.

As soon as Bob enters the mine, the Hood fires an explosive into the entrance which causes Bob and Tony to fall down a shaft. The Hood then goes to the Williams' home, but Williams is locked in the darkroom. He tries to use his powers to get Williams to open the door, but fails when Williams manages to turn the view screen off. He gets into contact with his HQ, only to find out that it'd take three hours to get any men there. Bob and Tony try to call International Rescue again, but they don't take their call seriously, believing them to be playing games again.

At the HQ, Colonel Jameson talks to Williams about what's going on. Williams had been sent some important satellite photos which they can't afford to lose, but Jameson advises him to destroy the photos as a last resort. Williams suggest they call International Rescue, as they were able to get here in 35 minutes previously. Jameson puts the call in, and Jeff and the others realize Bob and Tony really are in danger. Scott is sent out in Thunderbird 1 to find Williams, whilst Virgil and Alan head to the mine in Thunderbird 2. Meanwhile, the Hood uses a blowtorch to cut through a wall.

He eventually does so, and uses his powers to knock Williams out. He collects the photographs and leaves, just in time to see that Scott has arrived. Scott is on his hover bike and calls out to the Hood, but the Hood ignores him and drives away in his truck. At the mine, Virgil and Alan find a shaft they can enter, so they descend into it.

They find Bob and Tony. Alan lifts up a beam the two are tapped under, allowing Virgil to pull them out moments before the roof caves in. Meanwhile, the Hood tries to outrun Scott, but he ends up losing control of his truck whilst driving along the edge of a cliff. He falls off the cliff, and whilst his truck explodes, he survives by falling onto a tree branch. Scott doesn't see him, but he does find the photographs.

Everyone returns to the Williams' home. Williams thanks International Rescue for not only getting the photographs back, but for also saving his son's lives. Bob and Tony want to show Scott something, so they head up to their bedroom. They reveal a launch bay for their Thunderbird 2, which their dad constructed for them. Scott says he'll try anything once, but he turns out to be a bit too heavy for their Thunderbird 2, and ends up crashing it through a barn. Scott says the things he does for International Rescue...

Notes

-The vehicles Bob and Tony get to see are the Mole, a fire truck (seen in City of Fire), the Booster Mortar (seen in Edge of Impact), part of the rocket transporter from Day of Disaster, Firefly, the Monobrake (Perils of Penelope), some random truck cab and the transmitter truck from Sun Probe.

-It isn't shown how the press was able to get a hold of the false alarm story. In theory, the only people who could have tipped them off was either a member of the Williams family, or a member of the Tracy family.

-The Satellite HQ was previously seen as being the base of operations for the military as they searched for International Rescue in The Imposters. Colonel Jameson was also previously seen in The Imposters as General Lambert.

Errors

-Given how far Tony and Bob fall it is very surprising they didn't die upon landing. They don't even seem to get injured in any way!
-The characters refer to Williams' installation as "Dunsley Tracker" and you can see it spelt like this during this shot. But on one close up shot, it's spelt "Densely Tracker".