The Cham-Cham
| "The Cham-Cham" | |
|---|---|
| Thunderbirds episode | |
Tin-Tin (left) and Lady Penelope (right) skiing at Paradise Peaks. Simon Archer and Marcus Hearn consider this sequence to be one of several "unforgettable images" in the episode. | |
| Episode no. | Series 1 Episode 25 |
| Directed by | Alan Pattillo |
| Written by | Alan Pattillo |
| Cinematography by | Julien Lugrin |
| Editing by | Harry Ledger |
| Production code | 25 |
| Original air date | 24 March 1966 |
| Guest character voices | |
| |
"The Cham-Cham" is the 25th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF). The penultimate episode of Thunderbirds Series One, it was written and directed by Alan Pattillo and first broadcast on 24 March 1966 on ATV Midlands.
Set in the 2060s, Thunderbirds follows the exploits of International Rescue, an organisation that uses technologically advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The main characters are ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's main vehicles: the Thunderbird machines. In "The Cham-Cham", USAF transport aircraft are being shot down during radio broadcasts by popular band the Cass Carnaby Five. International Rescue suspects sabotage, and Lady Penelope, Tin-Tin and Parker go to the Swiss Alps to investigate the band's latest tour venue, Paradise Peaks mountain resort. There, they discover that the aircraft attacks are being co-ordinated with the aid of an advanced computer called a "Cham-Cham".
Filmed in late 1965, "The Cham-Cham" has a show business theme and was written in the style of classic Hollywood musicals. It features several innovations in APF's use of marionette puppets. One scene features the Penelope character performing a slow dance, which was a challenge to film due to the difficulty in moving Supermarionation puppets convincingly. "The Cham-Cham" is also the first episode of any Supermarionation series to show characters skiing. "Dangerous Game", the focus of the episode's soundtrack, was devised as a Latin rhythm by series composer Barry Gray. Singer Ken Barrie recorded a lyrical version but this is not heard in the finished episode.
"The Cham-Cham" has been well received by commentators, drawing particular praise for its production design and soundtrack. Sylvia Anderson considered the plot "far-fetched" but valued the episode for its "charm" and Swiss Alps setting. An audio adaptation of the episode, narrated by David Graham as Parker, was released in March 1967 as the Century 21 mini-LP Lady Penelope.