Thunderbirds are Go: Review: Series 1 Episode 4: Cross Cut

When someone breaks into an old uranium mine, Scott must risk his life to save them – and all those in nearby Pretoria – from a radiation leak…

The episode used at MIP to demonstrate the new series, Cross Cut is yet more proof that this Thunderbirds really isn’t as far removed from the original show as some people are determined to believe. As with last week’s episode, it’s a script that I can easily see being made as part of the 1960s series, although the Spider-Man swinging sequences featuring Scott would have been one time where the strings didn’t need to be removed from sight! You may think the anti-nuclear power message is a bit unsubtle, but it’s not there gratuitously – we’re getting a few hints about the history of the 21st century and it would be nice if these are building to something. (I may of course be reading far more too much into this…!)

The decision to focus on a small group of rescuers each episode is paying off: we get to find out a bit more about both Scott and Virgil during this, and I have to admit that I laughed out loud when a certain craft from the original series made its “debut” here thanks to Virgil’s ingenuity.

The issues with scale still plague the series to an extent (I’ve realised that it’s the water lapping against Tracy Island that makes that overhead shot of TB2 on the launch runway look odd); somehow there’s got to be a way to make CGI shots on the real sets (like the clean-up at the end) gain some weight.

Verdict: Another entertaining half hour with the Tracy clan. 7/10

Paul Simpson