Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds is a British science fiction television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) and distributed by ITC Entertainment. It was made between 1964 and 1966 using a form of electronic marionette puppetry (dubbed "Supermarionation") combined with scale model special effects sequences. Two series, totalling thirty-two 50-minute episodes, were filmed; production ended with the completion of the sixth episode of the second series after Lew Grade, the Andersons' financial backer, failed in his bid to sell the program to American network television.

Plot
Set in either 2026 or 2065, Thunderbirds follows the exploits of the Tracy family, headed by American industrialist and ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy. Jeff is a widower with five adult sons: Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon and Alan. The Tracys make up International Rescue, a secret organisation founded to save human life. They are aided in this mission by technologically-advanced land, sea, air and space vehicles that are called into service when conventional rescue methods prove ineffective. The most important of these vehicles are the five "Thunderbird machines", each assigned to one of the five Tracy brothers:


 * Thunderbird 1: a blue and silver hypersonic rocket plane used for fast response and danger zone reconnaissance. Piloted by Scott, rescue co-ordinator.
 * Thunderbird 2: a green supersonic carrier aircraft that transports supporting rescue vehicles and equipment in detachable capsules called "pods". Piloted by Virgil.
 * Thunderbird 3: a red single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft. Piloted alternately by Alan and John, with Scott as co-pilot.
 * Thunderbird 4: a utility yellow submersible. Piloted by Gordon and usually launched from Thunderbird 2.
 * Thunderbird 5: a grey and gold space station that relays distress calls from around the world. Manned alternately by "space monitors" John and Alan.

The family live on Tracy Island, International Rescue's base of operations in the South Pacific Ocean, in a luxurious villa that they share with four others: Jeff's mother, Grandma Tracy; the scientist and engineer Brains, who designed the Thunderbirds machines; Brains' assistant Tin-Tin, who is also Alan's girlfriend; and Tin-Tin's father Kyrano, the Tracys' retainer. The names "Tracy Island" and "Hood" are not used in the TV series, appearing only in tie-in media. In this remote location, International Rescue is safe from criminals and spies who envy its technology and aim to acquire the secrets of the Thunderbird machines.

Some of International Rescue's operations are triggered by sabotage or negligence instead of accidents. For missions requiring espionage, the organisation incorporates a network of undercover agents headed by British aristocrat Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward and her butler Aloysius Parker. Based at Creighton-Ward Mansion in Kent, Penelope and Parker travel in FAB1, a specially-modified Rolls-Royce. Members of International Rescue acknowledge orders with the expression "FAB" (a shortening of the 1960s vogue word "fabulous", but spoken like an initialism: "F-A-B").

International Rescue's most persistent opponent is master criminal the Hood. Based in a temple in the Malaysian jungle and possessing powers of hypnosis and dark magic, the Hood exerts a telepathic control over Kyrano, his estranged half-brother, and manipulates the Tracys into rescues that unfold according to his own malevolent designs. This gives him opportunities to spy on the Thunderbird machines and, by selling their secrets, make himself rich.

Why It's F.A.B.

 * 1) Every single episode is flawless.
 * 2) The characters are so memorable.
 * 3) Awesome music.
 * 4) The concept is so original.
 * 5) All the hardware looks gorgeous.
 * 6) Cutting edge speciall effects.
 * 7) Unlike Fireball XL5, Stingray and Captain Scarlet, Thunderbirds was more down to earth and feels more real.
 * 8) It was very successful not just in it's country of origin, but also in Canada, Australia, The Netherlands (where it first aired 15 days before it aired in the UK) and especially Japan.
 * 9) It has great morals such as...
 * 10) * Never give up on life. (all episodes)
 * 11) Trey Parker and Matt Stone creators of South Park made a spoof of the Supermarionation technique called Team America: World Police.
 * 12) It spawned a cartoon reboot, Thunderbirds Are Go

Bad Qualities

 * 1) It is often disputed weather Thunderbirds is set in 2026 or 2065.
 * 2) The 2 Thunderbirds Supermarionation films were not well recieved and the 2004 live action film was panned.
 * 3) Just like Postman Pat and Fireman Sam, Thunderbirds isn't very well known in the USA.

Episodes with Their Own Pages and Other Good Episodes

 * 1) "Trapped in the Sky"
 * 2) "Pit of Peril"
 * 3) "City of Fire"
 * 4) "Sun Probe"
 * 5) "The Uninvited"
 * 6) "The Mighty Atom"
 * 7) "Vault of Death"
 * 8) "Operation Crash-Dive"
 * 9) "Move - and You're Dead"
 * 10) "Martian Invation"
 * 11) "Brink of Disaster"
 * 12) "The Perils of Penelope"
 * 13) "Terroe In New York City"
 * 14) "End of the Road"
 * 15) "Day of Disaster"
 * 16) "Edge of Impact"
 * 17) "Desperate Intruder"
 * 18) "30 Minutes After Noon"
 * 19) "The Impostors"
 * 20) "The Man from MI.5"
 * 21) "Cry Wolf"
 * 22) "Danger at Ocean Deep"
 * 23) "The Duchess Assignment"
 * 24) "Attack of the Alligators"
 * 25) "The Cham-Cham"
 * 26) "Security Hazard"
 * 27) "Atlantic Inferno"
 * 28) "Path of Destruction"
 * 29) "Alias Mr. Hackenbacker"
 * 30) "Lord Parker's 'Oliday"
 * 31) "Ricochet"
 * 32) "Give or Take a Million"
 * 33) "Introducing Thunderbirds"
 * 34) "The Abominable Snowman"
 * 35) "The Stately Homes Robberies"

Reception
Thunderbirds was received with universal acclaim with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Trivia

 * The date for when Thunderbirds is set has often been questioned as weather it's 2026 or 2065.
 * David Mitton (who was a SFX person on the show) also worked on Thomas the Tank Engine (1984-2003) and TUGS.

Videos
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