Attack of The Alligators! - Plot

Plot

A businessman called Blackmer visits the reclusive Dr Orchard, a scientist who lives in a remote house on the Ambro River in South America. From the local plant sidonicus americanus, Orchard has developed a food additive called "Theramine" which, if fed to animals, causes them to exceed their original size. Enlargement of animal stock around the world would offer a simple solution to famine and present other financial advantages. Blackmer's boatman, Culp, has been eavesdropping on the meeting. When a storm forces Blackmer to stay at Orchard's house for the night, Culp resolves to abscond with the theramine and become rich. He waits until the other occupants are asleep and steals the keys to Orchard's laboratory from the housekeeper, Mrs Files. While filling a vial with a quantity of theramine, Culp accidentally knocks the rest of the supply into a sink and the chemical drains into the Ambro River.

When Blackmer and Culp leave Orchard the next morning, their boat is ravaged by an alligator, now enlarged due to the contamination. Orchard's assistant, Hector McGill, manages to rescue Blackmer, but Culp is apparently killed and the house is quickly surrounded by three giant alligators, which proceed to attack the building with Orchard, McGill, Blackmer and Mrs Files trapped inside. On the advice of Mrs Files, McGill contacts International Rescue and John relays the incredible details to Tracy Island. Jeff orders the launches of Thunderbirds 1 and 2. Arriving at the scene, Scott wards the reptiles off with his hoverjet missiles and enters Orchard's house through the laboratory window. Eventually the alligators cause so much damage that the laboratory caves in, forcing Scott and the others to escape to the lounge. The group is confronted by none other than Culp, who has survived the alligator attack and holds them all at gunpoint.

Virgil arrives in Thunderbird 2 and repels the alligators away from the house with the vertical jets. Alan and Gordon man tranquilliser guns and subdue two of the creatures. When the third returns to the house, Alan leaves Thunderbird 2 on a hoverjet to lure the alligator off. Although Alan fails to notice a tree in his path and falls from his hoverjet, Gordon saves his brother by neutralising the last alligator. Culp threatens to pour the whole theramine vial into the Ambro River if he is not granted passage upstream. Launching Thunderbird 4, Gordon discovers a fourth, even larger alligator which attacks the boat and devours Culp. Virgil kills the final beast with a missile fired from Thunderbird 2. Despite fears that the vial has been smashed, Gordon retrieves it intact. Back on Tracy Island, Jeff announces that Orchard and Blackmer are putting international restrictions on theramine. Tin-Tin has been away from the island on a shopping trip and tells Alan that she has purchased a present for his upcoming birthday—which is revealed to be a pygmy alligator.