User Reviews

I was very harsh on this series when it started but I have come to rather love it, despite some ropey characterisation & the merging of CGI & models still strikes me as odd. I'm getting used to it, though.

That said, I now watch it every day on TV catching up & I see the frenetic pace has been modified somewhat, concentrating on one situation at a time,

The new versions of the Thunderbirds are superb & using camera tricks like the zoom to make them more realistic is appreciated. Main characters are much improved, some humour has crept in & Lady Penelope & Parker the great double-act they used to be.

Pity that Kayo still has so little to do.

In summary I guess I was too stuck in the mindset of the young boy who saw the original series. This is a fine continuation.

Rather than delete the original comment & pretend I was prescient, I leave the original below.

THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO, what a disappointment. While I liked the up- dates on the machines and an active role for Kayo, the character CGI was absolutely appalling. Their decision to deliberately make the characters skin look plasticky is ridiculous and the movement is primitive beyond belief. The NEW CAPTAIN SCARLET reboot was miles better and that was using 2005 technology.

The next problem was stuffing so many missions into the hour, presumably on the assumption that kids today suffer from attention deficit disorder. Thus no tension whatsoever was generated in any of the missions whereas the original concentrated on one disaster at a time and twisted the tension almost to screaming point.

Finally, the disappearance of Jeff Tracy. I thought at first they were suggesting he had died (a nod to reality and the passing of time) but it soon became clear that The Hood had caused him to disappear. So any chance that the Tracy boys WON'T find him at some point? Not exactly holding my breath on that plot twist.

This is a sad new wrinkle because the original showed that a father could run a family with grace and wisdom. Now his absence seems a nod to so many of the young viewers being from broken families with absent fathers. In my opinion, a step too far in entirely the wrong direction.

It says something that the best moments of the entire hour were the repeats of the original Jeff Tracy voice saying "5, 4, 3, 2, 1"

After the razzmatazz of the launch it seems ITV is burying future episodes at 8am on Saturday mornings. Maybe it will give the grownups an hour of peace on a Saturday morning which is about the best you can say for this spectacular misfire.

Jonathon Frakes TERRIBLE 2004 live action film showed us the danger of attempting a reboot/refresh of an iconic TV series that is so beloved and cherished to this very day.

As a huge fan of the original series, I'm happy to say this reboot/pilot episode is a a very good homage to the original and a good "refresh" for 21st century audiences. Richard Taylor and the Weta team have really outdone themselves with the visuals. The ships look amazing and true to the originals (Scott even explains that they have been through a "refit"). Things like the weathering on models that FX wizard Derek Meddings did to make the miniatures look real - its all there in hi-def realism. Even the way the water moves in that strange "high-frame-rate-slowed-down-to-look-real" is there (and note the head of the undersea lab is "Dr Meddings"!). I was gob-smacked at how they made the ships/sets have both realism AND a vibe that "this is looks like a model".

I like the updates to all the sets: definitely reminiscent of the originals but with a modern edge. The updates to the costumes make sense: especially the sashes now being utility belts. The lead characters presentation is pretty good: they look half-way between the original puppets and real people - especially the faces. Parker's nose is there in all its glory!

One of the things that makes the original series difficult for young audiences is that the pace is slow: really slow. The pace here is fast (almost too fast?) and really keeps you on edge. There is a sense of peril - difficult to present when you know that every time "the good guys save the day". My adult son thought the music was great and well done. It certainly is epic, but being a fan of the Barry Gray score it would have been nice to have a little of those classic melodies to tease us old fans.

Not having Jeff Tracy (who appears to be MIA) is quite a plot twist. It appears as if he has been missing for some time and the boys have "stepped up" with John in more of a lead role. It will be interesting to see where this goes as a story arc. I must say, when I heard Jeff Tracy's countdown in the intro: my heart leaped! You HAD me at the count down!

Really looking forward to the rest of the series. The respect and love the creators have for the original series is evidnet and very much appreciated. They have really outdone themselves in this respect. Hopefully the stories will continue in this fine form.

First off, I'd like to state that at 19, I represent what I call the "transitional" generation. A generation that got all the classic shows and cartoons but were also introduced to the new age of animation at a fairly young age. Recently we've seen a good few remakes and overhauls of classic shows, such as Bob the Builder and now, Thunderbirds. I had the classic marionette Thunderbirds on VHS as well as several of my own puppets when I was young. Needless to say, I loved the Thunderbirds. And I'm glad to say, I still do after watching the reboot. The premise has changed slightly: it is now set in 2060 and IR now operates publicly, as it would be unrealistic in a modern day of cell phones and constant surveillance for IR to remain secretive. Jeff Tracy is also absent and the character TinTin has been replaced by 'Kayo', IR's head of security (though the two differ really only by name). All of the Thunderbird vehicles have had a bit of a facelift, however the designers have done their best to stay true to the classic show. While being modernised, the Thunderbirds themselves still bear striking resemblance to their 1960s counterparts. There's been updates to the costumes and some small changes but (for me at least) each character is easily linked with their old puppet. There's an amazing feeling of nostalgia the first time you see each Thunderbird launch, with the classic "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" countdown and launch sequences that, while again having some changes made, stay very true to the original. The old lemon squeezer used in TB1's launch bay is included in this new edition as a homage to the miniature sets used in the 60s. Speaking of which, while CGI is the most dominant form of capture, many of the sets used are actually miniatures, just like the old show. For example, in the pilot where they re-orient a solar dish I noticed a PC power unit used in the construction of the rear of the dish; another nod to the classic. The CG on top of real sets at times looks odd and provides some scaling issues at times, but that's also similar to the classic (Alan and giant alligators, anyone?).

Action is noticeably faster paced but to keep the attention of kids today, it would need to be. Fans of the classic mightn't be fond of that, but its a concession that it will need to make to be successful. Would you rather a slightly different Thunderbirds, or no Thunderbirds?

Overall, this new Thunderbirds is a fantastic remake that remains grounded by and extremely respectful to its origins. With simple nods to straight up references (such as a brief glimpse of 1960s Stingray in the pilot episode). Things haven't been completely redesigned or remade, they've just been given a coat of polish and a slight facelift and CGI makeover. As you watch the scenes on Tracy Island you'll recognise the old set and you will smile at it. In fact, if you're like me, you'll be sat grinning the entire time as your childhood comes rushing back at you as you watch the swimming pool retract to allow Thunderbird 1 to launch.

I give it a 9/10. F.A.B.

Thunderbirds are Go! And I love it!

First, let's make something clear: this show is not available from my cable TV provider at this time and at my location (Montreal, Quebec, Canada). So I had to look for it on "scene" sites that some view as a slightly shady portion of the web. I was initially pleased to see the first episodes appear very quickly after their UK broadcast.

Second, I will be turning 60 in late spring. That brands me clearly as someone who was in his pre-teens when the original series aired, and I watched it religiously and delighted in each and every episode. At the time, this was the Canadian broadcast of the French-dubbed episodes, under the title "Les Sentinelles de l'air".

I watched with disappointment the 2004 live-action movie, although it made me discover the existence of the two long episodes packaged as DVD movies. I promptly sought and purchased the two DVD box set of "Thunderbirds Are Go" and "Thunderbird 6" and found them quite pleasant as trips down memory lane.

Watching the double episode that launched this new version, I found it well thought as a modern day evolution of the original, dispensing with the impossible secrecy of "International Rescue" in a world even more advanced than our current one in terms of satellites, radars and GPS devices everywhere. I could say a lot more about how I readily accept or even prefer some character changes (especially replacing/upgrading the token "Tin-Tin" with a substantial "Kayo" chief of security), but that would repeat stuff already mentioned in other reviews.

Here is where I my suspension of disbelief was completely destroyed: Alan flies out of TB3 on his rocket-powered hoverboard and performs what appears to be mind-controlled flying (including rolls and banks) over to the Hood's satellite, then hovers in front of a control panel while his board's apparently decorative only rockets keep blasting from the back while he floats in place. People, this is Saturday morning cartoon physics right out of the 60s, i.e. nothing like the mostly realistic physics the original puppeteers worked pretty hard to present.

All week afterwards, I was telling myself that I can endure this one ridiculous, uber-childish bit of show-off cartoon physics if the rest of the show keeps giving us what we saw in episodes 1 and 2. Then what do we get in episode 3? A complete episode of Alan flying TB3 with rockets fully on while he approaches bits of space debris he is about to grab, then more (LOTS more!) of him flying his hoverboard in impossible ways with his light-show rockets blasting backwards all the time, no matter whether he is holding still or moving in any direction. Oh please! None of this can possibly work (even discounting the silly rockets on that board) unless humanity in the 2060s has mastered artificial gravity, something which is not hinted at anywhere...

I am now just about to give up on this ridiculous show. Having seen an outline of episode 4, I know it's mostly about Scott and TB1, so I may give it a chance. But the next bit of silly cartoon physics that I see in there, in association with any character or vehicle, is the moment I give up on this travesty.

NB: I'm going to do my best to update the review as more episodes air; as I appreciate it is unfair to criticise and review something that's only aired one or two episodes.

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I will state that I am in my early 30s and so in the middle between the youngsters that this new series is aimed at and those like my dad who grew up when Gerry Anderson's creations were hitting the small screen for the very first time. I have the benefit of having been in the position of being someone young when introduced to something old, and "young enough" to understand the entertainment needs of todays youth.

There are many things about it that will take some getting used to, definitely for the oldest fans as well us from the 1990s. In the first two (double-bill) episodes, "Ring of Fire", all the things I were irritated about were logistical. The constant music all the way through started to distract and grind after a while, and the constant countdowns (using the late, great Peter Dyneley's voice) got repetitive - Given that the first episode was a double-bill, there were more launch sequences, so I hoped that Jeff's voice wouldn't feel as overplayed in the 30 minute episodes. To my surprise and relief, there was only one countdown in the third episode "Space Race" and it was Alan's voice when launching TB3.

The pace of "Ring of Fire" was even too quick for me and speaking to my dad he found it hard to keep up with. However, my nephew absolutely loved it and was hooked from start to finish. Given that he is the target audience, that is all that matters and the rest of us will just have to manage. I was very happy to watch it again and since I expected the pace, it was a lot easier to watch and keep up 2nd time around. However when the "one-rescue, one-plot" per episode format returned for the following episode, the pace and feel was a lot more comfortable. You felt more in suspense of the story. The episodes do have a few plot holes, but let's face it, what fictional entertainment doesn't to some degree?

Being a geek of the original (thanks, dad!) I get a lump in my throat many times. There are so many "lemon squeezer" moments (hardcore fans of the original, and those on the Official Fanderson Facebook page know my reference there!). Alan's crush on Kayo (Tin Tin); TB2 dropping Pod 4 onto the water; Parker's line of "ome m'lady" amongst many things...

I loved the interplay between Kayo and the Hood, and all the talk about Jeff has got me curious and wanting to know more. All the technological updates were more or less perfect - they kept all the original stuff that could plausibly be true in the 2060s, and updated everything else that was just too out there. The mixture of CGI and models was smooth in places, a little sticky in others, but mostly very very impressed with that. The way the solar collector slid down the hillside in "Ring of Fire" took my breath away and it threw me back to the 'supermarionation' effect of the old series; and the "cinematography" of the CGI in "Space Race" was very well directed. That in turn means I was able to appreciate the creative-side of the program.

Some people of a certain demographic have lamented some character changes as 'PC', however while they may be some truth in this I can only see it as living in a more globalised world - a trend that will only continue into the near future. For example, I wouldn't say Brains being Indian is being PC at all. In fact, India's science and technology development is currently (today) quickly becoming one of the best in the world. It's not just feasible but totally probable that there will be many such 'Brains' out there in the near future - unlike the 'Western' superiority domination that existed in the 60s and some argue still today. Grandma has gone from being a slightly senile and ageing old dear to someone who is more active, and Parker calls himself the "grey ninja" - and can do things almost Spiderman-like! But, it makes sense that Grandmas in the 2060s will be less able to cook than those from 1960s due to all the automated thingamajigs! Also the life expectancy in 2060 will probably be in the 100s, so a 80/90 year old in a tracksuit and a 50/60 year old ninja - why not!? That's happening even now!

We all have to bear in mind the primary target audience is not us from the 1990s and 1960s. The production team knew full-well that they had a very difficult job with balancing their intended target audience and their 'actual audience'. They were trusted with some Crown Jewels and in my opinion, handled them very well. Something like this will NEVER please everyone. I think they did a great job with all that pressure in mind. I have mentioned above that there are aspects I don't like - so I accept the fact that it's not the 1960s or 1990s anymore, and just enjoy it for what it is. If anything - it's fun to think about the 'old boys' having new adventures. I think everyone who is criticising it based on the original is missing the point. And all those who say that this new series is "destroying a classic" or "messing with their childhood" are just being melodramatic, in my opinion.

Thunderbirds are back, and for me, they are most certainly GO!

P.S. I strongly urge people to read this article from the New Zealand Herald before anyone makes their mind up, or decides to write a review: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/canvas-magazine/news/article.cfm? c_id=532&objectid=11426329

Having now seen a number of episodes including "Fireflash", which is a partial remake of the very first Thunderbirds episode "Trapped in the sky" I feel this is a good series which could get better, with some adjustments.

Firstly there needs to be more background to the characters and to the world they are living in (this could well happen over time as there are still many episodes left in season 1 and season 2 has already been given the go-ahead). But this needs to happen soon, so that we can grow to like the characters and have an understanding of their (future) world. It's all too vague at the moment and is really just 5 boys whizzing about (loudly) in great looking machines. Yes, the original was about that too, but you were given info. right at the start, that Father Jeff Tracy had been an astronaut and that he had set-up the International Rescue organization. In this remake we are not told this. What we are told is the year, that there is a Global force which has col. Casey as one of its leaders and that the mysterious, villainous "Hood" is the Uncle of Kayo, and was somehow involved in Jeff Tracy's disappearance. Hopefully this will all be expanded upon in upcoming stories. And hopefully we will also learn more about Lady Penelope and how she became involved with the team, as this has not been explained at all yet.

We don't need to know everything right away of course, but we do need some more information if we are to become involved as viewers. As it's not a continuation of the original series (Brains could not suddenly be Indian!) more info. is needed. And on that note about Brains I have to be honest and say I'm not in favour of the change to his character. As David Graham is back doing the voice of Parker, as he did in the original, I feel he could so easily have also reprised the voice of Brains as well. It seems very silly to change a beloved character, for no good reason. All it does is upset fans of the old series. The remake of "Battlestar Galatica" did a similar thing, by turning Starbuck into a woman! It seems the producers of these things do this on purpose just to make it a talking point to generate publicity! It does them no favours as fans of the old series are already against them from the start! And to say they just wanted to appeal to a new audience is incorrect, otherwise they wouldn't have taken so much trouble to keep it as close to the original as they have done. So it's clear they wanted old fans to come onboard also. Not the best way to go about it!

Also questionable is the "Fireflash" episode which is a remake of the very first episode of the old series. I'm not sure why this was done-and so soon-was it a homage to the original? Was it a way to tell old fans that although Brains and other things are different, this is still Thunderbirds as they knew it?!! I have no idea, but as a lover of the original series it was nice to see Fireflash again, albeit in re-designed form.

what isn't as nice is the new score. The opening intro, with the same countdwown as the original, is welcome, but the music is missing the power of the original, bombastic Barry Gray theme. And, yes, of course there is too much music in the episodes and too loud. But this seems to be the norm now with shows aimed at a young audience-don't let them get bored with too much dialogue just boom-out the music as much and as loudly as possible! No thought spared for the adults or parents who have to reach for the volume-down button on the remote!

The look of the series, however, is very good. The CGI is mostly extremely well done, although the characters are a bit clunky in their movements at times. But that is a minor point and it could improve in time. The machines and environments all look great, which is probably the most important thing. (I have to say, though, that I did wonder where on earth Lady Penelope & Parker were in the opening episode. It was, presumably, meant to be an English country lane that they were driving on, but it looked more like they were driving around and around on a snow-globe type diorama!)

So, although I feel there is promise for the future of this series, it depends on how quickly the producers start injecting more background info. into it, to get viewers more involved. Seeing all the machines flying around is great but that isn't enough-otherwise we could just play with the toys! Whoooosh!