Quite enjoyed the latest episode. Pacing seemed a little less frenetic than previous episodes, characters seemed to be a little more natural and not doing the silly somersaults and jumping around as before.
There also seemed to be a bit more emphasis on the live action sets rather than the CGI.
It seemed a little message-heavy (Radiation is bad. mkay?), but that's par for the course for modern kids tv shows. Besides, not sure if the concept of rescuing people who get trapped inside huge machines built for tearing down rain forests would go down too well these days...
Another thing that was slightly disappointing was the rescue craft, the mole and other little rescue vehicle...looked kinda small. As others have said sometimes the sense of scale seems a little off.
Oh, and one final point regarding the length of the show. 20 - 25 mins is fairly average for modern kids tv show. in 1965 you could get away with an hour because...frankly there was little else for kids to do. They didn't have the technology distractions we have...multiple tv channels, phones, vid games, ipads etc.
Oh, and one final point regarding the length of the show. 20 - 25 mins is fairly average for modern kids tv show. in 1965 you could get away with an hour because...frankly there was little else for kids to do. They didn't have the technology distractions we have...multiple tv channels, phones, vid games, ipads etc.
It was the standard length for a kid show back in 1965! Only reason it became a hour long series was because Lew Grade ordered for the show to be that length and Gerry had to pad out eight completed episodes which were 25 minutes long. His shows before and after Thunderbirds were 25 minutes so it was the exception not the norm not to mention ITV needs to sell it internationally and 26x22 minutes is the format that sells the best for a kids show, same reason why Doctor Who has 44-45 minute episodes.
I think the look of it is very good, it's the dialogue and the sheer rush that ruins it. Given even double the time to add tension and develop the basic characters a bit etc it would be good.
I don't have a problem with the look, though the CGI hair is horrible. The use of models is laudable but they haven't done it anywhere near as well as Gerry Anderson managed 50 years ago. As you say, the pace is the problem.
If they wanted to make it "kids only" they should have gone all CGI. Without any deliberate references to the original there would be less reason to make comparisons with it.
I think the truth is the 1965 Thunderbirds is a hard act to follow, 50 mins a show now down to 20 odd mins a show back in the 60's when you think about it tech wise the Thunderbirds team did very well out of what they had then, yes it is aimed at the kids now what with computer games etc, kids today don't have the attention span of the 60's I'm sure the makers have that in mind now hence 20 mins not long enough for me anyway but as said it's for the computer games generation & that leaves me out & a lot of others here I'm sure:D
I have to say I liked yesterday's episode a lot more than last week's! I hope there are gonna be more 2-parters in the series though cause 22 minutes doesn't seem long enough for the show. It works in Star Wars: Rebels though...but they're experts at getting the pacing right now after the Clone Wars series.
I think the truth is the 1965 Thunderbirds is a hard act to follow, 50 mins a show now down to 20 odd mins a show back in the 60's when you think about it tech wise the Thunderbirds team did very well out of what they had then, yes it is aimed at the kids now what with computer games etc, kids today don't have the attention span of the 60's I'm sure the makers have that in mind now hence 20 mins not long enough for me anyway but as said it's for the computer games generation & that leaves me out & a lot of others here I'm sure:D
This is a bit of a myth. Kids have just the same attention span if the subject is interesting. Harry Potter is a case in point, any children's feature film for that matter. The more frenetic the action the harder it is to maintain interest. Gerry Anderson used to make decent 25 minute films too. You can get a lot in a 25 min slot and still not rush things. The new shows try and pack two or three times as much action in.
I quite like it. I like the mix of CGI and models, particularly the old fashioned backgrounds when Lady P is driving through the countryside.
One thing that bothers me though, When Scott goes to get in Thunderbird 1, he stands against the painting, pulls the lights down to strap him in, essentially, and then it just revolves round into a small cupboard where he changes. He puts the lights back into position and steps off. I know that the launch sequences are a bit convoluted, but in that particular case, a normal door would be much faster and easier
One thing that bothers me though, When Scott goes to get in Thunderbird 1, he stands against the painting, pulls the lights down to strap him in, essentially, and then it just revolves round into a small cupboard where he changes. He puts the lights back into position and steps off. I know that the launch sequences are a bit convoluted, but in that particular case, a normal door would be much faster and easier
I found it quite nice that today's was a 'homage' to the original pilot story of the old show (IIRC). Not a remake as such but still.
I would grumble though that even if Thunderbird 2 did set off immediately after Thunderbird 1 it wouldn't have caught up in such a short time. If Thunderbird 2 is that fast, there's pretty much no point to Thunderbird 1...
I quite like it. I like the mix of CGI and models, particularly the old fashioned backgrounds when Lady P is driving through the countryside.
One thing that bothers me though, When Scott goes to get in Thunderbird 1, he stands against the painting, pulls the lights down to strap him in, essentially, and then it just revolves round into a small cupboard where he changes. He puts the lights back into position and steps off. I know that the launch sequences are a bit convoluted, but in that particular case, a normal door would be much faster and easier
I also can't help feeling that Virgil would be unfit to fly after zooming head first down that chute of his. Must get quite dizzy:D
nice to see the fireflash again, however it was a litlte odd to have an episode about Kio, but still no Thunderbird Shadow, we really need to see what that thing can do.
I would grumble though that even if Thunderbird 2 did set off immediately after Thunderbird 1 it wouldn't have caught up in such a short time. If Thunderbird 2 is that fast, there's pretty much no point to Thunderbird 1...
That's the thing though - TB2 should be the slower, lumbering workhorse carrying a heavy payload
nice to see the fireflash again, however it was a litlte odd to have an episode about Kio, but still no Thunderbird Shadow, we really need to see what that thing can do.
What's more is that Thunderbird S was being upgraded & we've barely even seen it fly!
I think it has got a lot better. It will never touch the original for people who watched it but my 3 year old son loves this new one. It's great there are so many original touches such as the countdown voice, mix of original story lines as we had with fireflash. Overall I am enjoying watching it also with my boy and it's better than some of the kak for kids these days.
Some of the 'camera' work is awesome on the crafts really showing their speed and details. It will be interesting to see how many of the original story lines are great. I hope they do as there were many crackers. Season 2 of it has already been comissioned. Let's hope a new Tracy island will be in the shops for Christmas.
Back in my day this was so hard to get when it came out
Yes it was nice seeing Fireflash and it was also nice hearing a snippet of Barry Grays music from the original series being used when Fireflash was landing on the Elevator Cars. I can see that the makers of Thunderbirds Are Go really respect the original series.
Yes agreed, Gerry I think if he was still here would be pleased enough with what has been done. Clearly his sons input has helped.
Agreed that was my favourite bit of the new fireflash, the original score as they tried to land.
I hope there is more of the Easter egg stuff for all the dads. The brief second of stingray original footage for john missing his favourite show was a genius touch in the first episode.
I quite like it. I like the mix of CGI and models, particularly the old fashioned backgrounds when Lady P is driving through the countryside.
One thing that bothers me though, When Scott goes to get in Thunderbird 1, he stands against the painting, pulls the lights down to strap him in, essentially, and then it just revolves round into a small cupboard where he changes. He puts the lights back into position and steps off. I know that the launch sequences are a bit convoluted, but in that particular case, a normal door would be much faster and easier
Not to mention the speed Scott's seat gets thrown into TB1 - I keep getting visions of it speeding up and splatting him against the cockpit wall....anyway....nice Fireball mention:)
For me this was the best episode so far. Loved the twist that fireflash couldn't land on the pods.
Good to see more of the team in one story.
This was the first time they managed to build tension in the short time they have. I guess that shows what great plots they had in the original series.
As the Fireflash was landing on the pods the composers nearly allowed Barry Gray's music to come to the fore but after five seconds they chickened out and used their own supposed improved version.
All the toys have been confirmed now to launch In July. I for one will be happy to have my son covering my house in Thunderbirds and perhaps for once this Christmas could have a proper Toy in a new Tracy Island as the must have instead of something that they have to sit in front of a screen!
Seen the info on sky for next sat and they are in London to sort someone messing with an electromagnetic field. Still 22 more episodes to come.
One thing I didn't know and sorry if it has been mentioned already is that Weta Workshops who are special effects on this new version was setup by Peter Jackson (ie Lord of the rings). Peter owns a lot of what was left of the original Thinderbirds models.
Comments
There also seemed to be a bit more emphasis on the live action sets rather than the CGI.
It seemed a little message-heavy (Radiation is bad. mkay?), but that's par for the course for modern kids tv shows. Besides, not sure if the concept of rescuing people who get trapped inside huge machines built for tearing down rain forests would go down too well these days...
Another thing that was slightly disappointing was the rescue craft, the mole and other little rescue vehicle...looked kinda small. As others have said sometimes the sense of scale seems a little off.
Oh, and one final point regarding the length of the show. 20 - 25 mins is fairly average for modern kids tv show. in 1965 you could get away with an hour because...frankly there was little else for kids to do. They didn't have the technology distractions we have...multiple tv channels, phones, vid games, ipads etc.
It was the standard length for a kid show back in 1965! Only reason it became a hour long series was because Lew Grade ordered for the show to be that length and Gerry had to pad out eight completed episodes which were 25 minutes long. His shows before and after Thunderbirds were 25 minutes so it was the exception not the norm not to mention ITV needs to sell it internationally and 26x22 minutes is the format that sells the best for a kids show, same reason why Doctor Who has 44-45 minute episodes.
If they wanted to make it "kids only" they should have gone all CGI. Without any deliberate references to the original there would be less reason to make comparisons with it.
As am I.
One thing that bothers me though, When Scott goes to get in Thunderbird 1, he stands against the painting, pulls the lights down to strap him in, essentially, and then it just revolves round into a small cupboard where he changes. He puts the lights back into position and steps off. I know that the launch sequences are a bit convoluted, but in that particular case, a normal door would be much faster and easier
But not as cool!
I would grumble though that even if Thunderbird 2 did set off immediately after Thunderbird 1 it wouldn't have caught up in such a short time. If Thunderbird 2 is that fast, there's pretty much no point to Thunderbird 1...
I also like the way that the CG vehicles sometimes move as though they were practical models.
I also can't help feeling that Virgil would be unfit to fly after zooming head first down that chute of his. Must get quite dizzy:D
What's more is that Thunderbird S was being upgraded & we've barely even seen it fly!
Some of the 'camera' work is awesome on the crafts really showing their speed and details. It will be interesting to see how many of the original story lines are great. I hope they do as there were many crackers. Season 2 of it has already been comissioned. Let's hope a new Tracy island will be in the shops for Christmas.
Back in my day this was so hard to get when it came out
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=161662454116
And who remembers the blue peter paper mâché one!
Original
New
Interesting the Pod vehicles are now called Pods and the Pods are called Modules.
Agreed that was my favourite bit of the new fireflash, the original score as they tried to land.
I hope there is more of the Easter egg stuff for all the dads. The brief second of stingray original footage for john missing his favourite show was a genius touch in the first episode.
Not to mention the speed Scott's seat gets thrown into TB1 - I keep getting visions of it speeding up and splatting him against the cockpit wall....anyway....nice Fireball mention:)
A lot of the vehicles are models.
Good to see more of the team in one story.
This was the first time they managed to build tension in the short time they have. I guess that shows what great plots they had in the original series.
Seen the info on sky for next sat and they are in London to sort someone messing with an electromagnetic field. Still 22 more episodes to come.
One thing I didn't know and sorry if it has been mentioned already is that Weta Workshops who are special effects on this new version was setup by Peter Jackson (ie Lord of the rings). Peter owns a lot of what was left of the original Thinderbirds models.