Spectrum Headquarters Forum

Boy, I've missed all these TB forum posts, darn it, must pay more attention. I've had enough of real life for a while, much prefer to play in the GA sandbox now.
I'm enjoying the second half of the first series so far. (Have I got that right, it's very confusing now they split it)
Great first episode with lots of action. Really liked Kayo's sequences in the hotel, for me, that is an improvement on the original, Tin-Tin was wasted on serving sandwiches and dictating Jeff's letters, even though she was supposed to be a brainy engineer.

Isabelle, more Virgil, I hear ya!!!! . I did love the little smirk on Virg's face in Ep 2 when he turned off the shower in TB2 so that Gordon has to remain 'fragrant' for Lady P. Reversal of the prankster roles - surely not!

I just watched Ep 3 today and I agree again with you, Isabelle, the reality went a little off re their concern for Virg and also the fact they all went to bed before wishing him a happy birthday, after all that effort. The sun had barely set for goodness sake!
I thought the movement was pretty realistic in this one, especially the scientist's and Virgil's movements through the ice-cave complex and I was seriously impressed by the surface ice-floe caving into the sea. Superb graphics, or was it a model - anyone's guess?
This episode's Anderverse in-joke - Torchy being the little girl's (and Virgil's) fave TV series .

I do wish Grandma would wear something else rather than that tracksuit, either she smells something rotten like Gordo, or she must have thirty of the things hanging in her closet. That was one of the things I loved about the original, their extensive wardrobes! (Okay, being a bit girly here, apologies!!)

This week in Ep 4, we had an interesting mix of things. Good rescue action, good suspense, less Alan.

And the first thing I thought when I saw the setting of the episode was: Mysterons: Nul Points. I almost expected Kate Kestrel to come out of one of the train compartments!

Brain's lady friend is back, and we see that things may be, um, evolving between them. I like how he reacted when he figured she was in trouble. In fact, I like that Brain seems to have a life outside his lab. Go Brains!

Our baddie friend the Hood is also back with a new plan to make money/dominate the world/do general mayhem. I found it a little odd that he chose to do so wearing a three-piece suit, but then again, if you're going to be a bad guy, why not do it in style!


My least favorite moment, FAB1. It's too convenient that the Rolls can be a sub. That shoots torpedoes. I mean, what are the odds that Lady P requires to go underwater with her car, and shoot torpedoes at something? And is it me, or they actually aimed the torpedoes so that the Hood didn't make it out alive? They seemed surprised that there was an escape pod--did they expect him to die there? I'm surprised they let this go for a kid's programme.

Aww, Isabelle, poor Alan!!!

Ep 5 gave us a little more characterization and a dollop of angst, where Scott and Virgil finally discuss their dead/missing father. Seems like Virgil is still slow and steady (just the way we like him ) while Scott's gung-ho attitude has hidden depths. A few moments where my S_of_D was jarred (re the timing of the rescue) but generally a nice little episode that left me with a feeling of satisfaction. I can't get over how many machines they have for all these rescues, although I'm presuming they can make them to order like Lego and Meccano! I guess Brains is so brilliant he can do that. Bags I have one of those virtual reality thingies. If these ever hit the shops I may never surface for real life again....

By the way, has anyone noticed the end credits scene in pale yellow featuring the Tracy Island lounge? Look closely and see the portraits on the wall are of the original Fab Five. Lovely.

I try to like Alan, I really do... but they're doing everything they can to make him annoying. Perhaps it's just me getting old.

I also liked the brotherly moment around the energy-cube fire thingie. I think that the death (?) of Jeff Tracy brought them closer together and we're starting to see how they are coping with it.

I'm amazed at how in most of the episodes where they're in arctic conditions (not to mention the moon), they have no problems whatsoever with keeping their fingers warm. I want to know their secret!

Oddly, the take-your-time-but-hurry-up feeling as they progressed towards the rescue location felt messy. John said the safest place to land was 500 nautical miles away (did I hear right??), but it didn't seem that far, and during all this time, that poor woman was trying to climb up to put that Lego antenna on the top of the generator (or whatever it was). She didn't seem all that tired considering how difficult it seemed and how long she had to hold the fort before the boys arrived.


Jeff must have been extremely rich, or have a steady revenue from excellent investments in order to maintain all this machinery and repairs and research. I'd be interested to see an episode where they don't have the appropriate equipment and they have to make do with what they find.

I don't think even the original ones EVER didn't have something that would do the exact necessary thing. Remember 'Thunderbird 6'? Brains was tearing his hair out trying to come up with a new machine that would add to their arsenal of rescue vehicles... he couldn't do it!
Excellent premise for an episode though - I hope someone in charge is reading this...

It's not bad in this second half. I guess the original's left such an impression that you pray for Barry Gray incidental music or it not to be over before it's begun. Noticed in the episode with the underwater train that when they were saved and you see celebrating passengers, they seemed to be 'stock' characters (the secretary from the Luddites episode/female reporter from another episode) almost like the original series or Captain Scarlet (the model ep' with the party Captain Black tries to gatecrash) with a whole range of the puppet store.

I still find myself stupidly confused sometimes with Gordon and Alan. Why oh why did John go reddish and Gordon blond?

As I say, glad to hear Rich Hall do something like Thunderbirds.

It's quite understandable that creating new characters is time-consuming and expensive, as it was in the original series. I don't mind the stock characters, it's fun to spot them from one episode to another.

Another action-packed episode this week, and proof that the boys can carry out a mission without Scott. Nice banter between the boys, and a way to know their characters better outside their work, although it would be surprising that they haven't called each other using nicknames in their lives considering most of them are adults.

We can also see that as with NCS, these new Thunderbirds aren't all that nervous about being recognized. In a way, it makes more sense. How could you hide those vehicles, or the people saving others? Why do they have to remain secret? International Rescue is helping people, not fighting anyone (aside from the Hood). Is it to prevent the technology to be stolen? To avoid hysteric fangirls?

To avoid hysteric fangirls?

No chance - we get them every time!

Once again, we have an interesting episode this week, with a spotlight on Parker and his, ahem, alleged, abilities.


I could question the degree of chewiness (is that a word?) of the gum if they don't make it anymore, but I'm willing to overlook that for the clever use they made of it.

I liked the wheelbarrel-wheel-on-pound-store daisies effect (hopefully they didn't think it looked realistic?). No wonder Sherbet was angry!

I wonder if Parker was alluding to his alleged break-in to 'The Vault of Death'? Nice nod to the original series episode.

And yes Matt , I agree wholeheartedly, why the heck did they swap Gordon and John's hair colour? That's the ONE thing that really annoys this fangurl...

I think Parker's episode was meant as a nod to the original series episode. There are a few of those in the new series. Shows how much the original series was loved and still has influence.

Good episode again this week, although I must question the fact that someone allowed François LeMaire to go yet on another ridiculous, expensive and dangerous adventure that required him and his wife to be rescued. Money talks, I guess... He's so full of himself he can't even say pronounce his own name right (although Scott did).

From the look of that cardboard cheese, he was better off with the ration bars.

I'm a little surprised they mentioned the monetary aspect, but it is a reality of International Rescue, which must have astronomical (no pun intended) operating costs.


On a side note, my little tech writer heart sang when I heard the line "Next time, read the manual!" Our hard work is so underrated.

Francois Lemaire was the name of the fashion designer who developed a new fabric and named it after Lady P - Penelon.
So that's another nod?

Must say I liked the addition of the original Fab 1 (or Fab Zero as they dubbed her) in the latest episode. My God, I actually cheered. (In part for the sight of her even in CGI form, also for me half wishing they somehow did the new TB's meeting the original craft). The downside was probably Alan but the episode was rescued, if it needed such, by the music at the end -next to Fireflash, the longest use of original themes within a TAG episode.

So, we've had Sylvia Anderson...pretty please for Shane Rimmer or Jeremy Wilkins even.

The Aunt Sylvia episode had a lot of nice touches, and some less nice touches.

Yay for the original FAB1, which was an excellent idea and tribute, yay for the actual hand close-ups, which I thought was a very nice touch, yay for Aunt Sylvia, who obviously isn't a stranger to taking care of business!

Another yay for the Back to the Future moment at the end.

I liked the concept of Parker being the ever-patient driving instructor for the Tracy boys, but considering Alan pilots a rocket, shouldn't he have at least a tiny idea of how to drive a car?

Now, for the bad guys. Those bumbling idiots. Where to start... they managed to enter the premices without sounding any alarm, which is to their credit as bad guys, but then it all goes downhill afterwards. The only thing they didn't do was ring the doorbell and ask politely if they could steal anything. And don't get me started on the merry go round chase around the fountain. That was beyond ridiculous.

My question after I watched the episode: Why did Aunt Sylvia want/need the TEA pot, and how did she know it was there? Is it an open door for a future episode with Sylvia? I hope we'll see her again.

This week, we have another good episode, with a surprise twist at the end. Looks like our friend Zhe Hood (as they say in French) has a little more bite than the cartoon villain he seemed to be so far.

Not sure how a colonel can outrank another colonel, but since politicking was in place, I guess it was plausible. I almost expected them to call upon an external agency (Spectrum?) to settle the matter. Wouldn't have minded seeing yet another colonel arrive on the scene.

Can someone explain to me why they weren't able to ram into TB2 to open it, or touch it without being electrocuted, but they could cut the side open (kinda) with a laser torch?


On a side note (...) I was glad to see the grand piano put to use.