Spectrum is Indestructible

by Fred McNamara

In the aftermath of Thunderbirds, the twilight years of Supermarionation would commence with a disturbed, ruthless take on children’s science fiction entertainment – Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

Pop culture writer Fred McNamara captures over 50 years of Captain Scarlet history in Spectrum is Indestructible, a comprehensive and passionate celebration of the series. Featuring extensive reviews of all 32 episodes, in-depth retrospectives of the series’ spin-off media, interviews with people who worked on the series and more, this is the book no Spectrum Agent or Angel should be without.

Unboxing the plots, characters, themes, subtexts and production history that made Captain Scarlet a cult phenomenon, Spectrum is Indestructible is a heartfelt tip of the hat to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s darkly adventurous War of Nerves.

Paperback

Published February 14, 2020

Reviews

[The Bookseller · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are lots of different thoughts and feelings tied to this book. When I first saw a post by author Fred McNamara explaining he was going to write a book taking a critical look at Captain Scarlet, I thought he was man after my own heart. Both of us, coincidentally, believe that there are far too many books, websites and fan magazines that do nothing more than produce episode guides of the show. Fifty years on from Captain Scarlet's original broadcast, any modern episode guides come across as old and stale. I am of the strong believe that if you got every guide, synopsis and summary plot from every book, website and fan magazine out there, you could produce the ultimate Synopsis. Cherry picking each word.

So to hear about Fred McNamara’s book, was like breathing in fresh air. For me personally, critical theory and essays on TV shows I like, surprisingly, is my comfort read. So from his initial announcement to the wait of receiving this book, I believe (and I may have this wrong) it was a year and a half.

So did the book reach my expectations? No.

I felt the book was not critical enough for my taste. The individual episode sections were often teetering on the threshold of being reviews more than essays. Often preferring to discuss whether the story worked as a story, rather than discussing the themes of the episode. That's not to say this didn't happen on a few occasions, but they were not a regular part of the essays. Now it's worth noting that what I am grumbling about is what I wanted the book to be, as much as I am describing what the book was. For some people, this might be critical enough for them.

My big problem is that I am used to reading full on Critical Theory. Such works as Elizabeth Sandifer’s ‘TARDIS Eruditorum’ (Doctor Who) and Alan Stevens’ & Fiona Moore’s ‘Fall Out’ (The Prisoner) These books take very in-depth looks at the shows they cover, discussing many themes, the relationship the show has to the time it was made in and interpretations on the characters themselves. Unfortunately for me Fred McNamara never really walks this path.

One of the parts I did enjoy was his attempt to look at the shows continuity from overall perspective. Discussing what it would have been like if the show had followed up with many of its dropped plot threads.

Sometimes his writing jarred with me. There were times it came across as if his writing was more akin to a blogger than an author of a book. One of the best examples is where McNamara describes the Mysteron’s having the upper hand in a story as; ‘giving Spectrum the middle finger’ Being his book and being a published work of his thoughts and opinions on the series, Fred McNamara is allowed to write whatever he likes in his book. However, when you have bought a published book for £17.99, it does grate on the eyes. Was there no other terminology he could have used to articulate his point across?

Also this book desperately needs a proof editor and fact checker. There are quite a few spelling mistakes and really basic errors regarding the show. At one point he credits Gary Files as having voice Captain Grey and having left the show, which was actually actor Paul Maxwell. Further on in the book, he lists Paul Maxwell where Francis Matthews should be. Given that this book had a limited print run, the only people reading it are going to be the fans of the show (people like me) So we know all the facts and spot these mistakes the moment they are made.

It’s a shame because I make this book out to be terrible. It’s not; it’s very well written and fabulous to see it talk about Captain Scarlet in a niche way that is rarely done. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t compare to what I am used to. However, I am sure plenty of other people will love it.

[David Munday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the lasting popularity of Gerry Anderson's most iconic shows, astute in-depth analyses of these timeless creations remain few and far between, even in the twenty-first century. Thankfully, Fred McNamara has gone a very long way to rectifying that gap in the market with Spectrum is Indestructible. The book is split into two halves, the first assessing the themes, plot-lines and character development in the television show itself, dedicating a chapter to each of the 32 episodes from Captain Scarlet's original run. These offerings were both insightful and thought-provoking even for a hardcore fan of the show of 20 years and child of the 1990s' re-runs. However, where this book really earns the fifth star is the second section, which outlines the ongoing legacy of Captain Scarlet after its initial broadcast run. This includes information on the aforementioned re-runs, how they revitalised the show's cult following and the relatively recent CGI reboot. But the crown jewel of Spectrum is Indestructible, in this reviewer's humble opinion, is the section on Captain Scarlet's comic-book journey. As anyone acquainted with TV Century 21 will know, extant records and copies are about as hard to come by as it gets. McNamara has performed a thankless task in tracking down every last Captain Scarlet story from the archives, a hugely impressive achievement that would be criminal to overlook. What makes this section of the book really stand out, in particular, is the author's own experience as a comic book editor. This allows McNamara to analyse the wide array of Captain Scarlet strips from the perspective of story, artwork, lettering, colouring; the lot. In short, his hard work and knowledge make Spectrum is Indestructible the definitive authority on Captain Scarlet's comic book anthology. A must-read for any fan of the show.

[Ant Koplowitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fred McNamara certainly knows his Captain Scarlet stuff, and there's lots to enjoy here for the CS fan. Good critical insights into the background and narrative drivers for the concept and the overall series. McNamara gives us a fairly gentle critique of the show and its narrative and continuity pitfalls. The individual analysis of each of the episodes is good, although they border on verbose at times! As another reviewer remarked, this is more of a glorified fan blog put into book form. My main gripe though, is the numerous typos and other formatting errors - if the author did get someone to proof read it before printing, it certainly doesn't show.

Overall...one for die-hard fans and aficionados only.

© Koplowitz 2021