'The Intruder' by Oliver Postgate

The Clangers are peacefully building a house. We hear a whistling sound and down comes something. The Clangers run for cover. The thing is a terrestrial space-probe vehicle with large initials on it. It is a tracked vehicle with appendages. The Clangers watch it begin its investigations. It probes about, beeping and buzzing to itself. It finds a piece of local rock and produces a sort of digging device. It digs up the rock and appears to eat it. This shocks Mr. Clanger who goes out to speak to it. The space-probe does not register his existence and pushes him rudely out of the way. Mr. Clanger pushes back. Then the vehicle stops, backs away and produces a turret with an optical instrument on it and proceeds to examine Mr. Clanger with it. It approaches him and Mr. Clanger, thinking it wishes to shake hands, grasps the instrument which comes off in his hand. The space-probe goes into emergency action. Mr. Clanger tries to put back the instrument but the vehicle takes no notice. It ignites its rockets. It blasts off.

Mr. Clanger is fascinated by the idea of space travel. He vows he will make a rocket and travel in it to that far golden planet whence came that miraculous vehicle. He goes below and with his friends he assembles the old firework rockets (episode 3) into a multiple space-rocket with a manned centre section.

Small Clanger and Tiny Clanger make off with the optical instrument which they show to the music trees which tinkle appreciatively. One of the trees holds the instrument for Small Clanger to look through it. He sees the Earth very large. The instrument is a telescope. (It has an adjustable 'focal length ..zoom) They play with it for a while to find out how it works. Then they run indoors to tell the other clangers about it. They are all too busy to take my notice so the small Clangers take it outside again to play with it. They look at various stars including a spiky one on which they think they can see the iron chicken (episode 3) and Tiny Clanger gets very excited and waves and hoots to it.

The other Clangers call Small Clanger to help them pull out their space-rocket. Mr. Clanger points to Earth as his destination. Small Clanger tells Tiny Clanger who trains the telescope on that unknown planet.

Mr. Clanger mounts the rocket. He takes his place in the cockpit and adjusts his flying helmet. They start the countdown. Tiny Clanger is examining the Earth with the telescope at maximum power. The count-down reaches one. Tiny Clanger gives a hoot of alarm. She runs to the Clanger who is about to press the plunger and stays his hand. Mr. Clanger enquires about the delay. Tiny Clanger tells him what she has seen on Earth. Mr. Clanger descends and looks through the telescope. The New York skyline, a forbidding sight. We see what he sees. The Clangers shake their heads. They make an important decision and push their space-rocket back indoors. They will not be visiting Earth.

Original Conception:
Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin

Scenery and Puppets:
Peter Firmin

Music:
Composed by Vernon Elliott

Filming and Editing:
Oliver Postgate

Film Company:
Smallfilms

TX:
28th December 1969 @ 5.55pm

Notes:
*This synopsis is the original outline written by Oliver Postgate for the BBC prior to production, and may differ slightly from the transmitted version.

*The Clangers voices were played on swannee whistles by Oliver Postgate and Stephen Sylvester.