New Thunderbirds embraces a non-String Theory...

If you've got a problem, if no-one else can help and if time is of the essence... then maybe it's time you looked to the skies and hoped that International Rescue were on their way. From their secret base and with the latest technology at their fingertips, the Tracy brothers set out to continue the legacy of their father and help those in need - be it on land, sea or sky.

Gerry Anderson's beloved 'supermarionation' techniques helped usher in a new age of action when they debuted in the 1960s. There might have been quite obvious strings attached to the main characters but there was an innate sense of ambition that caught the imagination of the viewers.

So can a 2015 revamp from ITV, one that does away with the 'disbelief of suspension', capture the magic once more?

Importantly, the first thing to note of Thunderbirds are Go! circa 2105 is that the CGI is largely strong and far superior than what we'd generally expect from a Saturday teatime show - but animated enough for younger viewers to relate to. It is at its best in long-shots that effortlessly merge computer animation with carefully-constructed physical sets. The strength of the show is that it's kept large amounts of the original iconic craft and concept intact. Yes, look, there's the famous Tracy Island, in all its glory, not seen in such grand form since the original series (or old episodes of Blue Peter in its creative prime) and all the 'IR' craft (including everyone's favourite Thunderbird 2) are instantly recognisable. Even supporting craft have a classic Gerry Anderson vibe, an undersea base looking suspiciously like a rather skeletal Space 1999 'Eagle' craft. Occasionally it does embrace them a little too fondly - it's great to see an update of the various Tracy Brothers 'tubing' their way into their individual pilot seats, but after the fifth largely generic lock-and-load it becomes somewhat repetitive.  

Some of the advance publicity-shots for Thunderbirds are Go! may have worried older viewers into thinking that International Rescue had been given a shameless One Direction make-over and certainly their perfectly-coiffured hair and wide glacial eyes (CGI still can't put a soul behind the retina) can be, ironically, sometimes less convincing that the original stringed puppets. The voice-talent includes Rasmus Hardiker as both Scott and Alan Tracy, David Menkin as both Gordon and Virgil Tracy, Kayvan Novak as 'Brains' with David Graham reprising the role of Parker. All the Tracy Brothers echo their original design, though Lady Penelope has had something of a makeover, now looking more like Paris Hilton than Honor Blackman. Voiced by Rosamund Pike, the character is just a little too shrill, clipped and SIM-stiff rather than the almost sultry persona one might have expected.

The only real concept tweak is the fact that patriach Jeff Tracy is long-gone, missing, possibly dead after a nefarious plan by uber-villain The Hood. The big, bald, baddie is also creating a sequence of earthquakes under the sea throughout this extended pilot episode, keeping our heroes busy and its a solid introduction for a boo-hiss factor. New International Rescue recruit Tanusha "Kayo" Kyrano (voiced by Angel Coulby) gets her introduction to audiences and turns out to have a very personal reason for wanting to stop The Hood.

Not without room for improvement in some of the CGI areas, but a million-times better than the ill-conceived live-action film of a decade ago and FAB enough to keep interest and a suitable addition to the family schedules, Thunderbirds are Go! is a love letter to the past with a glossy new sheen. With it's brisk, non-stop pace - aimed squarely at the limited-attention-span generation - it's not certain from this initial outing whether the new version has quite  the potential to be THIS generation's Thunderbirds, a programme that was revolutionary in its time but nowadays is just as much powered by nostalgia powered... but it could have the fully-appreciated niche reputation that Reboot brought to the screen in the 1990s.

Thunderbirds are indeed going places, admittedly powered largely on a potent formula of unapologetic nostalgia and fun, but still likely to do well.