Stingray was the first Supermarionation production to be filmed in colour, and also the first in which the marionette puppet characters had interchangeable heads featuring a variety of expressions. It was furthermore the first British TV programme to be filmed entirely in colour (the first half of the earlier series [[The Adventures of Sir Lancelot]] being black-and-white). At this time American TV networks were preparing for full-time colour broadcasting, although independent television in the UK did not commence colour transmission until November 1969.
== Plot =={{Main|List of Stingray episodes}}
Stingray, a highly-sophisticated combat submarine built for speed and manoeuvrability, is the flag vessel of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP), a security organisation based at Marineville in the year 2065. She is capable of speeds of up to {{convert|600|kn|km/h}}, while advanced pressure compensators allow her to submerge to depths of over {{convert|36000|ft|m}}, enabling cruising to the bottom of any part of any of Earth's oceans. Marineville is located somewhere in [[California]], on the [[West Coast of the United States]]. In the case of it being under attack, is called and the entire base is lowered down on hydraulic jacks into the safety of underground bunkers. The base lies {{convert|10|mi|km}} inland, and Stingray is launched from "Pen 3" through a tunnel leading to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The alerts "[[action stations]]", "launch stations", and "[[battle stations]]" are sounded not by sirens but by a rapid drum-beat (composed and recorded by series composer [[Barry Gray]]) that is played over Marineville's [[public address]] system.
