Review 298: Thunderbirds
In the year 2065, the Tracy family run a secret organisation called International Rescue an organisation, founded and funded the widower of the family Jeff Tracy, which is committed to saving human life when in mortal danger with the aid of technologically advanced land, sea, air and space rescue vehicles and equipment, launched from a hidden island base located in the South Pacific Ocean.
The plot is a work of sheer genius, what made it stand out amongst other Gerry Anderson productions was that it appealed to both children and adults and was more of a family drama as opposed to a children's afternoon show in the style of Anderson's previous shows (Fireball XL5 and Stingray) so there was something for everyone particularly with boys and girls: The boys would be more interested in the Tracy brothers, the machines and effects whereas the girls would be more interested in IR's secret agent. Lady Penelope and the puppets because they were like barbie in a way and the adults would be more interested in the stories, the special effects, the puppetry, the music and the direction so you can watch the show on any level, serious or as a comedy.
Also the subject matter the show dealt with was more serious, more down to earth, more tense and more diverse than Gerry Anderson's previous shows. It didn't just take place in one specific part of the world it took place all over the world with all different types of rescues. One episode would The Poseidon Adventure the other episode would be The Towering Inferno and then the next episode would be something completely new and different we had never seen before and that gives the show more scope for adventure, stories and excitement.
The rescue theme also gave the series a more human feel, the people who IR help aren't just cardboard cutouts, they feel like real people we may no today and we care for those people who IR help and hope they succeed.
Another theme that is evocative in Thunderbirds is the necessity of the human component of the machine: So many of the stories in Thunderbirds revolve around the the flaws in technology as some new invention goes wrong ... though often the key flaw is greed. Rescue is provided by the potent intervention of brave human beings and technology working together.
Another thing that makes Thunderbirds tick are the main characters, they too are not cartoon character who take a back seat to special effects, all the Tracy brothers have their own individual personalities which gives more scope for writing material and makes them and the rest of the cast terrific role models. There really is a side to these character that you could actually appeal to and to add to that, because there was more than one hero you had a great number to choose from. Plus there are some great feminist characters such as Lady Penelope and TinTin. Another example of how great the characters are is the Tracy brothers are the heroes every man wants to be and every woman wants to snog.
Directors Alan Pattillo, Brian Burgess, David Elliot, David Lane and Desmond Saunders direction is outstanding (Thunderbirds features some of the best directed footage I've ever seen on TV), the puppetry is excellent, the models are well crafted (just check out the Thunderbird machines), the cinematography is magnificent, the special effects are amazing, the score by Barry Gray is astonishing and infectious (check out the Thunderbirds march (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vpMy14XiBw)), the costumes are fantastic (check out the Thunderbirds uniforms), the production design is tremendous (check out Tracy Island), the gadgets are jaw dropping and the sound effects are solid.
The voice cast is superb, Peter Dyneley, Shane Rimmer, David Holliday, Jeremy Wilkin, Matt Zimmerman, David Graham, Ray Barrett, Christine Finn and Sylvia Anderson (Gerry Anderson's wife) as well as guest actors Paul Maxwell, Charles Tingwell and John Tate bring the characters and various guest characters to life in the most extraordinary ways and really make and help us as an audience take the show seriously and make us care for them even though they are puppets and through their own unique performances they create the characters.
Thunderbirds Are Go, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
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