When we heard that Thunderbirds was getting the CGI treatment we were wary. For those of us of a certain age, the memory of Gerry Anderson's marionette-driven action show of yesteryear is a cherished one and not to be trifled with. Part of that fondness is the air of nostalgia for a time BEFORE computer animation took over most forms of action entertainment. The much ill-advised cinema movie was a shudderingly awful homogenising of the concept into pop-culture-kidz territory that couldn't even be saved by the presence of Bill Paxton. Was it a good idea to try again?
However we have to say that that the newly-released trailer for the revamped Thunderbirds are Go! series (coming to ITV in the Spring) seems very much in tune with the tone of the original show, merely with a wash and brush up to the effects-front. We're reserving final judgement until we've seen complete episodes - there's always the chance that CGI can STILL make 'human' characters looks less believable than when there are visible strings attached, but it's good to see the famous and iconic International Rescue craft and Tracy Island also remain somewhat untouched in design.
In the age of darkened more cynical product, perhaps the time IS right for a return to all-ages action...
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