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The premise deals with an experimental all-purpose vehicle, based in the Nevada desert, which can travel on land, fly through the air, and deep-sea dive. Characters include pilot Mike Mercury, inventor Professor Popkiss, his associate Dr. Beaker, child Jimmy Gibson, and Jimmy's pet chimp named Mitch. Stories revolve around crime solving and rescue, with occasional science fiction elements.
After Granada Television failed to renew Four Feather Falls, Anderson was approached by Lew Grade of ATV, who asked him to make a half-hour puppet show along similar lines. After developing the format and budgeting the series Anderson returned to Grade, who approved it but demanded a budget cut. Fortunately Anderson was able to make the necessary economies and brought the show in on budget.
Anderson always claimed that he invented a futuristic vehicle as an excuse to reduce the amount of walking the puppets had to do, which could never be made to look realistic. This was finally taken to its logical conclusion in Captain Scarlet, in which the puppets are almost never seen walking.
See also: Thunderbirds and Fireball XL5.