avro683 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Ok, so I watched this today and quite liked it, I know it's aimed at kids but I thought that they have done quite a decent remake with nice nods to the past. Having said that there were a few changes that I didn't feel were necessary and can only assume is down to ITV being PC, yes, Brains has been given less of a stutter and also an asian accent? Now I seem to remember him being american in the original and having a distinct stutter. Also, why change Tintins name? And John used to have an american/texan accent if I remember correctly? There were other changes that I thought were a little strange like turning Virgil into 'Scott number 2' with a similar hairstyle and hair colouring (they had distinctly different looks in the original series). Now I know that might seem like nitpicking but they've essentially kept everything else the same, I assume that it is most likely because they want to appeal to a wider audience that will watch todays version so some minor tweeks were required to widen the appeal, so I get the changes to brains and giving Tintin (Tanusha/Kayo) a bigger more active role. But some of the other changes just made it difficult to distinguish between the brothers, particularly the first scene with the air balloon, when Virgil came out of the top of TB2 I thought it was Scott because it looked like him, I always thought the reason they had different hair colours and styles was so in a glance you could tell which one was which. They also took Lady Penelope's posh accent away and she now seems to be some 'celebrity'. I'm sure it will do well, but I think the original is going to still be my favourite, it probably had a bearing on me getting into model making, I loved the worlds that Gerry Anderson created and I guess the modern generation is all about computers and being presented in a digital format is probably most appropriate. I would also like to see the homage to Gerry Anderson continuing throughout with little bits here and there to keep it grounded in it's origins, maybe a spectrum patrol car or SPV parked up in the background somewhere, or TB1 flying past cloudbase? Or how about TB4 bumping into Stingray? All in all I like what I see and I can see a toy range coming out in the near future, not sure about models though, more likely a computer game! Rich Tin Tin's name was changed because the creators of Herge's adventures apparently own the name and prevented the new producers from using it. Ridiculous really. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 It wasn't Herge's estate that put up a barrier. It was PJ himself. He is deep into the Tintin movies and is concerned about the confusion of characters. Remember, TB's and Tintin are really aimed at kids. Us oldies know the difference, but kiddies might not. Roy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Lancaster Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I personally loved it, the launch for Thunderbird one with the effect for it going supersonic was awesome. They did the old series justice, just wish they'd re-run the old series for comparison! Never mind...I got the box set anyways . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickpadwick1801 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 (edited) I will be giving more of a go than just the first episode but admit I love the launch effects for all of the ships. Edited April 5, 2015 by Rickpadwick1801 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Too American. And when did Brains suddenly become Asian and lose his stutter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Lancaster Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Too American. And when did Brains suddenly become Asian and lose his stutter? Thought that too... He still has a bit of a stutter but I'd of liked to have seen him closer to his original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Too American. And when did Brains suddenly become Asian and lose his stutter? In the rewrite - didn't you notice that this wasn't the same series as before? He still has his stutter but its not quite so ridiculous as in the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 (edited) I personally loved it, the launch for Thunderbird one with the effect for it going supersonic was awesome. They did the old series justice, just wish they'd re-run the old series for comparison! Never mind...I got the box set anyways . The TB1 takeoff reminded my of the space shuttle taking off...it was really well done Edited April 5, 2015 by Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Rogers Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 The TB1 takeoff reminded my of the space shuttle taking off...it was really well done Yes I thought that too, looked good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avro683 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 No more American than the original, that's the market it was made for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I went into it with a sceptical attitude, but as soon as Thunderbird 2 appeared out of that cloud to rescue the balloonists they had me. Yes, one or two reservations, but sympathetically updated for a 2015 audience and quite enjoyable as well. Hopefully the schedulers will not screw around with it in the same disrespectful way as they did when Captain Scarlet was remade back along, and it will gain a following among its target audience Thunderbirds are go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickpadwick1801 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Slightly off topic but who makes the best Thunderbirds models ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Laidlaw Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I enjoyed it very much. I will most definitely be in the market for the TB2 model... very impressed with that. Less so with TB3, but that's just my opinion. Yes, there were changes, but it's moved with the times as it should, and I felt that they'd done a lovely job of balancing the old with the new. The pacing was a little frantic, but that could ease over the next few episodes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flektor Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Sorry, I didn't like it. The flip of Virgil into the TB2 pilot seat was abysmal. Gordon got in and out of TB4 and magically showed no signs of being wet. He swam faster than a dolphin between TB4 and the stricken craft. Brains must be Asian because ? The physics of the animation is too extreme, pulling TB4's pod from the water was like "ziippp" it's captured and latched in TB2 in an instant. I only watched the first 30 minutes hoping for an improvement but sadly, it never came. However, I think the water in the scenes is real and mixed with the CGI or the animators have got the algorithm for water movement spot on. Not even the shattered glass in the Staue of Liberty Museum scene in the X-Men movie looked that good and they spent weeks rendering that. I believe the term they used for that was "Renderhog". By using real models (in the obvious absence of CGI technology), Gerry Anderson got the physics of movement just right. How hard is it to replicate that in a CGI environment ? Not hard at all. I play Half Life 2 and the real world physics are so much better than Thunderbirds and that's done in real time as you play the game. I think they need to improve massively if it's going to succeed. Personally I think it will be gone at the end of Series 2 (if there is one). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 I think they need to improve massively if it's going to succeed. Personally I think it will be gone at the end of Series 2 (if there is one). ...Well that will make it about 18 episodes more than the original...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Slightly off topic but who makes the best Thunderbirds models ? Isn't it Bandai? A googling failed to reveal Any 'classic' T'birds though. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acting_strange Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 I thought it was "ok" but the CGI was lazily done...The Mouth actions when speaking were abysmal and many of the other body actions appeared stunted...were they trying to offer some sort of homage to the original? maybe...but it didn't work...Did really like the more edgy TB2 though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeback52 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 (edited) I really wanted to like this.After all the hype however, I found it all a bit underwhelming. Some poor model work & everything seemed a bit rushed. Bit of an anti climax really. Unimpressed with the CGI characters!! All ripped & pipped, they looked more like a 90s boy band than anything else. Love the new TB1 & 2 though - especially the TB1 take off sequence. Overall though, 5 out of 10 & that's for the T-Birds themselves. Airfix, next year the first items on your release list MUST be The complete set of T-Birds, Decent large scale please!! . I want a TB-2 in 99 Sqn markings unloading a couple of tanks!! I don't necessarily buy the "justification" for the short episode length either. If the target audience are capable (as I assume they are ) of sitting through full length animated feature films at a cinema then they can surely sit through a 60 minute tv programme? Allan Edited April 6, 2015 by Albeback52 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Slightly off topic but who makes the best Thunderbirds models ? Imai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Slightly off topic but who makes the best Thunderbirds models ? To be brutally honest, nobody! I'll list the TB machines and what is on offer as far as I know: Thunderbird 1: Aoshima offer one in about 1:144 scale very good, built it and you can see it in my sig links. Imai do one but its go the usual toy features - spring loaded missiles I beleive! Thunderbird 2: Aoshima do two versions, a 9" which is sold under the Carlton brand. Got this and its got nice detail, even a bit of a cockpit! Even has a "grab" that can be attached under the pod. The second version is the big 13" one which looks great but has some problems, notably the cockpit windows are too high up in the nose. Some claim it has shape issues as well but to be honest the originals in the series had shape issues Imai also do two versions, a 10" which I buitl recently for the SciFi GB. This is a very old moulding with lots of problems not least the pod which is supposed to have an electric motor and wheels to make it a toy. It also has solid windows, lots of sink marks and polythene engine exhausts that are a bugger to get paint to stick to! Raised paneel lines and decal locations. The other one Imai do is a giant resin one, which is VERY hard to come by and last time I saw it on eBay was going for about a grand! Rumour has it that it too has shape issues but see above for my opinion on those complaints Thunderbird 3: Aoshima's is fantastic, well made although the panel lines are a bit trench-like. Can also get it with a launch bay diorama! Built this one and its in the sig links. Imai do one but it suffers from the usual Imai problems. Bandai also do one but I don't know anything more about it. Thunderbird 4: Bandai do a passable TB 4 but it has an awful representation of the cockpit. Sadly it scales out to 1:60 so try finding a figure in that scale to represent Gordon! Imai do one as well but I don't know what its like. Thunderbird 5: Imai and Aoshima do kits but I don't know anything about them. Aoshima also do a pairing with TB 3. The Mole: Aoshima do a lovely kit in what is claimed to be 1:72 scale (but I doubt it) with well represented tracks and nice detail. Can be motorized if you wish. Imai also do a mole in a smaller scale but its pretty poor. I've got it in the stash but don't plan on building it. Can also be motorised. The Firefly: Imai do an awful kit of the fire-fighting tank, but it is so inaccurate it takes a huge amount of work to fix. Tracks are moulded solid, nos eit totally wrong, rear deck is a figment of some demented designers imagination... I've built it a few years ago and the link is either in my sig or in my profile. Avoid this kit!!! Fireflash: Aoshima do a kit of the famous crashing airliner, but its quite difficutlt to get hold of, ie its expensive! Its quite a good representation. Note: there are other resin kits from Comet Miniatures and other garage manufacturers which in general are better representations but much much more expensive! http://www.timeless-hobbies.com/thunderbirds.htmlfor more details... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamS Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Just to note for those of you who are recording it, the series link doesn't appear to be working on Sky so you'll need to set your Sky box for next Saturday. Graham 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 I understand a sense of disappiontment amongst some of us oldies that grew up around the Gerry Anderson series - but as said earlier in this thread - it's a kids programme - made for today's kids.My son absolutely loved it - he's where the new show is targeted - not us!At least they have made a few nice nods to the original... All IMHO of course Iain 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mctrl87 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 For me what really let this new series down is the music/scoring, it is very, very generic and completely unmemorable! Ask anyone who has watched the original series to hum/whistle the theme tune off the top of their heads and most will be able to do so. Ask anyone who has watched the new series to do the same in 50 years time and I doubt there would be many if any who could do so! I also found the pacing a little bit fast but I am willing to put that down to this being the first episode(s) and wanting to get people hooked by fitting in as much as possible. Hopefully things will slow down and normalise as the series goes on. The only other thing that bothered me was how similar Virgil looked to Scott and Gordon looked to Alan, if they had based Virgil & Gordon more on their original series counterparts i.e. given Virgil dark brown hair instead of black and Gordon ginger / light brown instead of blonde it would have been a lot easier to distinguish between them when not in uniform. Other than these three points I thought the new series was fantastic and can't wait to see more! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 They are supposed to be brothers so they should look similar... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-cars Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 I suspect it'll be ok for the younger audience, but with so much out there I doubt it will be thought of as a classic/cult program by them when they adults. It was a little sceptical when I saw footage at the Toy fair and still am after viewing the first episode. To much happening to quickly was my main thought, no build up of tension, just lots of quick hits. I just hope that Firestorm makes it to the screen, I have a feeling it will be much more to my liking. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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