I became a fan of "Captain Scarlet" back in the '90s, during the Sci-Fi Channel's run of the series. It was strange, mysterious, occasionally very hokey, and otherworldly at the same time. For a kids show, it tends surprisingly to the dark, and its more realistic marionettes (at that point) give it an accessibility that separates the show from other Gerry Anderson series of the period.
It's like watching old-school GI Joe dolls come to life, in real moving vehicles, against striking sets and environments. And that idea has always intrigued me. Indeed, the model work here is impressive. Sure, they can't really walk or throw punches, but Derek Meddings' terrific production design (not to mention explosions) make for pretty cool visuals, and the intricacy of those sets is eye-popping. The precision on display here is remarkable, between the city streets, futuristic buildings and aircraft.
And when it's not a toy commercial (I say this with all due affection and respect), there are actually some interesting sci-fi ideas on this show, often surprisingly, given it's a children's TV program. The hero's (tragically) virtually indestructible but not invulnerable, and the omnipresent threat of the Mysterons makes for a nice bit of paranoia. Some of the ideas here were better fleshed out in the recent "New Captain Scarlet", but oddly enough where the CGI lends for a more action-packed show, it loses something without Meddings and those miniatures.
A big something.
7/10
It's like watching old-school GI Joe dolls come to life, in real moving vehicles, against striking sets and environments. And that idea has always intrigued me. Indeed, the model work here is impressive. Sure, they can't really walk or throw punches, but Derek Meddings' terrific production design (not to mention explosions) make for pretty cool visuals, and the intricacy of those sets is eye-popping. The precision on display here is remarkable, between the city streets, futuristic buildings and aircraft.
And when it's not a toy commercial (I say this with all due affection and respect), there are actually some interesting sci-fi ideas on this show, often surprisingly, given it's a children's TV program. The hero's (tragically) virtually indestructible but not invulnerable, and the omnipresent threat of the Mysterons makes for a nice bit of paranoia. Some of the ideas here were better fleshed out in the recent "New Captain Scarlet", but oddly enough where the CGI lends for a more action-packed show, it loses something without Meddings and those miniatures.
A big something.
7/10