Wednesday 30 December 2015

Star Wars: The Feminism Awakens

Well, it's nearly the end of 2015, so just wanted to stick something in before 2016 rolls on...


'Rolls on' like BB-8, for instance...!
As of writing I've seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens twice (and that's tame by other fan-standards), but along with the return of one of the most influential pop-culture franchises in cinematic history, we've seen something different, something...changed...Something that has...awakened...

Okay; name all of the female speaking parts in the Original Trilogy apart from Leia...Beru, Mon Mothma...That lady in the Rebel Hoth base that informed everyone to standby for the Ion Cannon...Screaming civilians in Cloud City...You get my point; like a lot of things back then, 'diversity' meant having one person in the overall thing to represent those who aren't male (or white)...Unfortunately some still think and do this way, BUT...

(Slight spoilers up ahead for Episode VII!)

Leap into hyperspace from 1983 to 2015 and; lead characters, baddies, wisdom-bearing elderly figures...Oh my...! Along with Mad Max: Fury RoadAgent CarterSupergirlJessica Jones and others, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has made 2015 the year that women got to shine in front of the camera with a range of characters as complex and broad-ranged as can be...And also behind the camera, too! Just consider the astounding work director Rachel Talalay and writer Sarah Dollard have contributed to this years' ninth series of Doctor Who...But also (returning to Star Wars), the current president of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy. Of course there's a heck of a lot to do for equality and full representation and inclusiveness and such (glares at Hasbro), but as starts go, this is a damned good one!


I always said Finn would be a Red Herring, regarding the lightsabre...
The point is; Star Wars has evolved and moved with the times whilst still managing to capture the magic of the original trilogy. Kathleen Kennedy, a long-time producer with a phenomenal list of credits under her Hollywood-pedigree belt, has brought back Star Wars with a clear message; it's for everybody. And J.J. Abrams, the director of The Force Awakens, has clearly learned from the mistakes of his previous film (and staying away from those writers helped too) and has taken this project on board with incredible results. The fact that Star Wars is space-fantasy, rather than full-on sci-fi, means that virtually anything is possible...So why not representation? ^^

In The Force Awakens, we have a healthy mix of background characters of both genders filling the workstations of both The First Order and the Resistance. And for the main characters, we have Maz Katana (Lupita Nyong'O), Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) and the return of Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). But of course the main character for this, and presumably the next two saga instalments, is the character of Rey, played by Daisy Ridley. Rey is such a relatable, interesting, natural and exciting character! An example of progression, she has clearly been developed as much as male protagonists throughout film history. Her gender was actually put aside for her character so much that the fact she was a woman was hardly ever brought up in the film itself! 
And that, in my view, was the best way to go about it...Anybody could identify with her.


She's been defending herself with that staff for most of her life; a lightsabre's just an upgrade for her!
Rey gets up to all kinds of awesome things in the film; fighting off thieves and 'troopers, piloting the Millennium Falcon, but most significantly of all, discovering her abilities with the Force. (Mind-games with Kylo Ren and mind-tricking 007 for two things...) I almost cheered aloud when Anakin's lightsabre whipped past Ren and into Rey's hand...and the ensuing dual was just spectacular for so many reasons.

A quick search on 'The Force Awakens' and 'Rey' tags on social media and you'll hear and read many stories about how young girls are watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens and becoming so excited to see a hero on the big screen (especially big if it's IMAX) that they can connect with...And this is on top of those kids with multicultural backgrounds watching John Boyega and Oscar Isaac and seeing Finn and Poe Dameron become their idols.


Rey, Finn...And BB-8! What's not to love! ^^
Of course, nothing's fundamentally stopped the femme-fandom from grabbing lightsabres (and other Star Wars-y things) in the past, but in recent years we've seen a rise of amazing female characters on our TV screens; Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels), Asajj Ventress (Clone Wars), Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren (Star Wars: Rebels) and many others...And now leading the way in film, we have Rey...


Cue The Force Theme...

Another thing is; I've been watching The Force Awakens as a proud Briton too...Production returned to the UK after the Prequels spent so much time Down Under...And Daisy Ridley, our leading lady, is of a very British acting pedigree. You see, for those who may not know, Daisy is the great niece of late English actor Arnold Ridley, who played Private Godfrey in the classic WWII sitcom Dad's Army...And, since a new film adaptation of the series is coming in 2016, the BBC have been repeating the series, so it's very much at the forefront of the mind.

Arnold Ridley fought in both WWI AND WWII, so he was at the front-lines for battles a lot of us nowadays couldn't even imagine...But now many different battles are fought, including social and cultural battles for equality and representation. 
And I like to think that Arnold would be looking upon Daisy now with pride (not just because she's in one of the biggest movies of recent times), because she's on the front-lines of feminism in something so culturally significant to so many and, however much she intended it or not, she's helping to make that change...With two more films for her under the wings of Carrie Fisher and Kathleen Kennedy, it's a force for good in the name of progress.

We'll have to wait and see in the long-term, but if The Force Awakens can make as big-a-cultural effect as A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, then the future is very much with the Light Side of the Force.Star Wars is for everyone...Just ask that young lady in the front row when you go see 'Episode VIII' & 'IX'...

So for now, it's a Happy New Year from me...For 2016 continues the diversity by bringing the first Star Wars Anthology film to our screens starring Felicity Jones; Rogue One. And I cannot wait. ^^


Felicity Jones leads the cast of the band of Rebel Spies set to steal the plans for the Death Star



AM

(All images are Lucasfilm/Disney, courtesy of Wookieepedia)

Wednesday 21 October 2015

If My Calculations are Correct...!

Great Scott! We're at the future! On precisely this date, October 21st, 2015 Marty, Jennifer and Doc. Brown arrive!

But you all know that, by now! Now, I can list comparisons to Bob Gale's 2015 to reality like video-calling, wearable technology, drones, bio-energy, etc. but lots of articles have done that...

Thing is, despite dedicating an episode of the Fandomain to Time Travel in which we talk Back to the Future's legacy, I don't have a lot to offer for today...So I prepared some photos of the DeLoreans I have for you all!

(The three 1:24 models were from my love, Kristyn! ^^)


And as a bonus...That time a couple of years ago when the National Media Museum hosted a free screening of the first film...A DeLorean came to visit, but I could only go as one kind of Doctor...


(In true time-travel fashion, I kinda predicted LEGO Dimensions before it came about! Hah!)

Happy Future Day, everyone!


AM

Sunday 18 October 2015

From Preston Comic-Con 2015!

Hello!

Now then, with doing my radio programme at BCB (the hub of which is still here), it's encouraged me to DO SOME THINGS. So earlier this year, I realized that I could take the show on the road and grab an interview at Preston Comic Con this summer!

If you want to hear the result of my convention trip, GO HERE. It contains the Fandomain's very first celebrity interview!

Meanwhile, over here will be a few images from the event...Right now!


Waiting in line...Volunteer groups like the 99th Garrison
and the Judge Dredd guys entertain us whilst we wait!
But everyone wanted a pic with this fella; Lil' Star-Lord! He stole the show!
Inside the con! But this is only beneath the main area...
The arena! Look at the size of this thing!
Clever use of the space with the seats and stuff! ^^
As you may have seen, I went as my Doctor; the 9th Doctor! ^^
Doctor party; yeah! That brown-suited 10th was
the one in charge of that TARDIS!
And next to that TARDIS were a variety of props and models and stuff...
Some of which were on sale!
Two awesome ladies from the 99th Garrison passed
by; and I saw them at Burnley, last year, too! ^^
Time for a panel! This was the Doctor Who/Hobbit panel, and at this point,
we were awaiting the guest speakers Adam Brown (Ori), Sylvester McCoy
(Radagast/7th Doctor) & Sarah Louise Madison (Weeping Angel)
McCoy likes to spoon people. (You had to be there!)
The panel in the midst of discussion...And fez-fashion.
You can tell I was happy to meet the only other 9th Doctor there! ^^
Sarah Louise Madison! As a Doctor, I had to say hello to the Weeping Angel;
she revealed at the panel that her brother was a gas-mask child in The Empty
Child
/The Doctor Dances! I didn't blink, but whoever took the photo must've done!
Was very keen to meet Mr. Ian Whyte! He has been the predators inAVP & AVPR
and also the Engineer(s) in Prometheus! Wanted a Fandomain interview, but he
had to decline...Still got to tell him about NECA's upcoming AVP figures! ^^
And finally met Nathalie Cox again! ^^ Thankfully, I managed to nab an interview
with her and that's what you hear on the related Fandomain episode! ^^
After all was done, I had to grab a pic of the Guild Hall building from outside.
Very apt that a Doctor was leaving in this image!
The NatWest branch in Preston...Now before you start, have another look; does that not
remind you of the 2015 town hall from Hill Valley...? Perhaps it's a sign of things to come!
GREAT SCOTT!!!
So there you have it! If you want to, the Preston edition of the Fandomain is riiiiiiiiiiight here!

Until next time...If we have the time...! Give me 1.21 gigawatts and we'll have all the time we need! WE GOTTA GO BACK!

AM

Friday 26 June 2015

Open Letter to Vivid - Reacting Against Hasbro

I've had a long-held loyalty to Hasbro, due to the brands they have licences for, and I've regularly welcomed the products of theres that I want into my collections. But this is 2015 and there is still a fundamental problem with Hasbro; they still think they should only cater for boys.

Their lines I have gotten toys from in the past have included Star Wars, Transformers and the Jurassic Park films. (And if you know me; that's very much obvious.) They also produce Marvel lines too, which I have a fleeting interest in, but never actually bought from...And I most likely won't...

Hasbro has suffered from various issues to their products over the past few years including quality control (paint applications and plastic tolerances), price inflation for less amounts of toy, and the production of themes and sublines that nobody actually wants (go check out the masses of Star Wars Rebel Command and Star Wars Angry Birds products clogging up the shelves...I've NEVER seen anybody pick them up). And not to mention sub-par customer service and not taking into account what consumers actually want. And we toy collectors have been grumpily going along with the general reductions in quality of the main figure lines and the extremely pricey figures that are actually worth looking at, but off-putting for those who cannot afford them (i.e. nearly everyone).

But perhaps more worryingly, Hasbro would rather waste money on these unprofitable (and undesirable) lines than do the one thing referenced at the beginning at this post; invest in the girls. Like I say; it's 2015, we know full well that boys and girls these days do not have a problem with liking toys from whichever range it may be (even if their parents might). Gender identity across the board is nowhere near as simple as it was years ago and to kids today, it isn't a big deal. Yet Hasbro (amongst others) STILL insist on continuing to market the majority of their lines in favour of boys. There has been a systematic continuation of this across the Star Wars and Marvel ranges in particular, virtually erasing all but a few of the women characters from existence. When the Hulk himself can get angry about this development, you best believe it's a problem.

But the reason for finally writing something like this is thus; in Jurassic Park (and Jurassic World), it's practically common knowledge that the majority (if not; all) the Dinosaurs of Isla Nublar are female. It's a major plot-point in the first film and a reiterated fact in the latest. Yet somehow, Hasbro have managed to release their Dinosaur toys describing them with masculine pronouns. It's been confirmed as an error, which in this case is slightly forgivable, but the fact that the masculine pronouns are more-or-less 'default' goes to show how ingrained male-orientated Hasbro's lines are (and thus, indicative of the larger social construct). Call it the straw that broke the Dinosaur's back (NOT a spoiler, by the way), but even though it's an error, Hasbro still have a very misogynistic target. It's not that they should be attracting female fans, but they should be providing for them, because practically half of Star Wars fans, of Marvel fans, etc. are women and girls and it doesn't take a lot of research to work this out. Yet only one tiny two-inch Gamora figure was available for Guardians of the Galaxy, only one Black Widow figure (in the expensive 'Legends' line) in the entirety of her onscreen appearances since 2010 has appeared and there's been no Scarlet Witch for Avengers: Age of Ultron and so-forth. And the only Princess Leia figure in the Star Wars 'Black Series' (6-inch...Also ridiculously expensive) line was her 'slave outfit'...The metal bikini...The ONLY LEIA. This, along with many other reasons mentioned (and not mentioned), is why I hardly buy any Hasbro these days...


So I ultimately write this not for Hasbro, but for Vivid, the biggest toy company in the UK. Because as readers of this Blog know, I've really gotten into Thunderbirds Are Go, but what I mentioned little of in my recent Blog post was how much effort has been made to really develop the female characters from the original series and give them much more prominance, updating them for today. And very soon, Vivid's first wave of Thunderbirds Are Go toys will be hitting the selves. Now, understandably, they've gone the usual business route and produced the most major components for the series, the first four Thunderbird vehicles, the five brothers and the villain. Sadly, we haven't heard if they will be producing figures for regular characters Kayo, Lady Penelope or indeed their vehicles, the Thunderbird Shadow or FAB 1.
Thunderbird Shadow - Kayo's own covert ops Thunderbird

Tanusha 'Kayo' Kyrano, Head of Security at Tracy Island
London Agent Lady Penelope, her dog Sherbert & her driver, Parker
Lady Penelope's Gadget-Filled FAB 1
So this is my plea to Vivid; please do not go the Hasbro route and solely focus on the one gender; consider the female fans of the programme and consider everyone who will be wanting the very awesome Thunderbird Shadow AND the iconic FAB 1 in their vehicle collections at the very least (including myself). I know it's early days, but with thirteen episodes already, the programme has clearly made leaps and bounds for diversity (not just gender, but with ethnicity too) and I hope your products will reflect that too. Thank you.


AM

(All images courtesy of ITV/Pukeko)


29-06-2015 UPDATE: I Tweeted this post to Vivid; they responded! ^^ Basically Expect Lady Penelope & Kayo in some form or another in the future! Thank you, Vivid!

(Just responding alone scores them more points than Hasbro! XD)

14-08-2015 UPDATE: Vivid actually responded AGAIN a few days after their Tweet-response, via their customer service thing, taking FAB1 in particular into consideration. They stated they'd pass it on to the design team! Hurray! ^^ But I update you all with this nearly two months later, because just today I've also read a news report of the sales, stating that the first waves are doing well. At the bottom, they note that Kayo, FAB1 and more vehicles are planned for next year! ^^ Basically; the first general official confirmation!

Sunday 7 June 2015

Pacific Rim - Three Jaegers and a Kaiju Baby

Just a fun post with some of my NECA figures!


Kaiju Photobomb!

"Stay very still, Cherno..."
"What? Something on my reactor...?"


"D'aw look, Coyote, he's saying hello!"

"We shall love him and pet him and call him Squishy...

...

GOJI"

"What? I'm hungry!"
"Who's my baby boy!"
AM

Sunday 5 April 2015

Thunderbirds Are Go - Updating a Classic


Back in the 1990's, I would say I went through several main transitions in terms of loving certain entertainment franchises. First of all, it was Thomas the Tank Engine...Then I transitioned into Thunderbirds and then finally Star Wars. (Before the latter, Power Ranges were also in there for a little while...)

Must be an attraction to big vehicles and such!

Saturday 4th March saw the return of Gerry Anderson's International Rescue team in the form of a new series:


As the original series were repeated in the '90's (most likely due to the advance of home media...VHS!) I'm very much familiar with the '60's puppets-on-strings, the miniature sets, the near-nuclear-age vision of the future in the designs of the sets and vehicles...Now you'd expect me to have those memories engrained in nostalgia and also for that nostalgia to be ruined by any reinterpretation of any kind. HOWEVER in recent years I consider myself to be an open-minded person, so I welcome reinterpretations...Especially if they make sense. Of course the best reason to update stuff these days is due to the advances in technology. The last time a Gerry Anderson series was updated was with Captain Scarlet back in 2005 (by the lead of the creator himself) with a complete visual overhaul via CG animation (I remember watching it...It was in the same vein as Max Steel and such...)

Anyway, back to this series! It seems now enough time has passed from the 2004 Thunderbirds film to reinsert the franchise back into the conscious of the general public again. And since it was a childhood thing I stuck on to the marketing...I let newsletters drop into my inbox, just out of curiosity. But as soon as information started being revealed I could see what they were aiming for. Then...Intrigue! Potential excitement! From the off, it felt like the marketing was done absolutely brilliantly; designed to showcase each of the characters and vehicles, showing off the updated looks and even including videos that ultimately made me sit up and say 'I have to see this':


Sets! Miniature sets! Actual physical, material-built, tangible, in-camera sets! Of course this take for the exterior stuff meant that the blend with CGI would give it a unique look. And it did! The mix meant that the CGI would certainly have a basic look to work with, but the blend itself reminded me of the mix of puppet action and live-action human hands for close-ups in the original series. It's this mix of different styles that give both series their own identities...In the case of today, so that it can stand out from the many childrens' programmes that solely rely on CGI. The sets for Thunderbirds Are Go automatically give the CGI artists a luxurious palette as a point of reference. The end blend is indeed a unique treat!

Basically marketing on this series has been done right! And they even had Thunderbird 4 on the River Thames a few days before broadcast:




Alright, before the main reasons for liking the new series (or at least the first two episodes...The premiere was technically a double bill), I'm going to get the faults out of the way, because I feel that there are a few...Not many, but nothing's perfect after all! First of all, as good as the music is by Ben Foster (he tends to aid Murray Gold with Doctor Who), HOLY MACKEREL is it loud! And that's what I'd say for the sound effects too. It's like they were both slightly on overdrive! Though I do wonder if it was due to it being the premiere and making sure it got audience attention (which wouldn't be necessary if they had confidence in their brilliant marketing...Interesting). Having said that, the music itself is very much as rousing and wonderfully grandiose as the original theme.
   Secondly, the voice-direction was a bit lacking...Felt quite raw and unregulated (didn't help the sound-levels, etc.). The actors themselves were good, but coupled with the SFX and music, it did feel like the makers didn't quite get how to control the audio! But you know what, it's only the beginning and they've just got catching up to do with the years of experience of series like Star Wars: The Clone Wars/Rebels.
   Thirdly, and I suppose the least important, but still a niggle, was the editing and pace of the story...Not overall, but just the first part before the adverts. It felt like they were trying to get a rush on to establish all the key elements of the series. At least they held off on Thunderbird 1! (Well, something had to be delayed, I suppose!)

Anyway, let's get onto the good stuff! And goodness, there's so much! I didn’t expect how much effort had gone into it to make it an update of a classic that not only made sense, yet not governed by nostalgia; only the premiere has aired as of this writing, but I can really see the love for the original series within. So where to begin? Well, let's have a look at the characters; for the original characters the five brothers are back, as are London operatives Lady Penelope & Parker. As well as Brains, Grandma Tracy and of course, the evil Hood.One noticable absence is the character who started International Rescue; Jeff Tracy. Numerous allusions are made to the fact that he is no longer with us due to suspicious circumstances. However, we are still treated to the legendary voice of Jeff Tracy counting down as the Thunderbird vehicles prepare to take off. But will we see him in the future in any form? So far, we can't tell. And apart from an initial surprise that he isn't a part of the series, I'm okay that he isn't...It ties in to a story arc for the newer elements.
   For one thing, International Rescue are no longer a secretive organization; they now work in co-operation with a world security council, a little bit like the one that S.H.I.E.L.D. answers to in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, etc.) and the figure that IR answers to is Colonel Casey (voiced by Doctor Who's Adjoa Andoh). The fact that Tracy Island with all the disguised launch bays for the title vehicles still exist tells us that in this new continuity, IR was secretive at one point, but something must have happened (perhaps tying into the lack of Jeff Tracy...?) that made the Tracy family become more transparent.
   And of course, the main addition to the IR roster is the island's Head of Security; Tanusha 'Kayo' Kyrano. From a feminist stand-point, I cannot help but love that the female presence has been increased (I include the more prominant role of Grandma Tracy and Col. Casey with that, too). She's not a Tracy family member, but it feels like Kayo has always been there as part of the team. This feeling was cemented at the end of the premiere, where she was granted with her very own vehicle; Thunderbird S(hadow).

Which leads us onto the very reasons for the programme and therefore arguably the most crucial aspect to the entire thing...The Thunderbirds themselves! They all have more details (like panel lines and warning/caution labels) than the original Thunderbirds, for a sense of added realism. One overall aspect of the vehicles is that all of them (except maybe TB3) have considerably shrunk in size. For instance, this screencap from the original series shows you how much of a behemoth Thunderbird 2 (and the Mole) was:

(The cars really help for scale!)
Now have a look at this screencap from the latest series; you can gage how small the new TB2 is compared to Virgil (if that car from the previous screencap was there, it'd stretch around two thirds of TB2's cockpit/head):



THUNDERBIRD 5


The Tracy Space Station that receives and monitors communication between distress calls, satellites and the other Thunderbirds. TB5 is the one vehicle that has undergone the most radical update from the original series. However, the general colour-scheme and main circular-body silhouette do remain. With the advances in space technology and the advent of projects like the ISS since the sixties, TB5 has been given an overhall that gives it details you'd find today like solar panels...As well as features that you'd absolutely believe are in development at the moment, such as an artificial gravity generating ring (very 2001: A Space Odyssey) and a central orb that contains a holographic interface with an inverse map of the world so that Alan can monitor, communicate, calculate and pinpoint for anything happening in the world; it's a system that would make Tony Stark jealous.

THUNDERBIRD 4


The only other yellow submarine the Beatles desired! The new TB4 looks very close to its predecessor, except for the new glass panels on the back and the underside, so that Gordon can have a good look around during his underwater rescues. These extra viewing panes are coupled with a pair of retractable grabby-arms that give the vehicle some realistic grounding in that its functionality is comparable to a deep-sea probe-pod-thing. (At least it doesn't resemble so much a deep-sea probe-pod-thing that it may as well be one of those and not a distinct Thunderbird 4 *Glares at the 2004 film TB4*) But yeah! The new 2015 Thunderbird 4 has turned out to be one of my favourite updates, despite the fact I wasn't really bothered about the original.

THUNDERBIRD 3


Probably the most underused vehicle from the original (I don't actually even remember seeing it take off), TB3 seems like the most simple of the vehicles; it's a space-rocket, basically...And the most obvious reflection of Jeff Tracy's astronaut past. Piloted by the youngest brother, Alan, the ship has been given a few upgrades; nothing that changes the iconic profile too much, but like all good updates, it makes sense of existing designs. For instance, the three arms that seemingly used to be there for purely aesthetic purposes are now large-scale utility arms to use on satellites and such. Clever! And the most obvious difference are the engine arrays; increased for stability, adding to the realism and such...For some reason, it's too fascinating to look away from!  Another extensive change is mainly internal; the cockpit now rotates behind a 360-degree viewport around the fuselage, so that Alan always remains the right-way up in space, relative to the Earth. Genius.

THUNDERBIRD 2


Perhaps the most desired and popular Thunderbird, TB2 is the Millennium Falcon of the fleet, serving as the heavy-duty. This is undoubtedly one of the updates that would couse a stir among hardcore fans, due to the classic look being both iconic and impractical (in an aeronautic sense). As we've established, the original TB2 was SUPER FRIGGIN' HUGE. But now it's roughly half the size, making the small wings (at least) seem to make a little bit more sense (what's more, they fold away when not in use, too). Overall, I'm really digging the new slimmed-down, more streamlined TB2, as it's look reminds me of the big Sikorsky helicoptors, especially with the cool protruding refuelling and comms. relay rods from the nose and the hefty sides that lead to the engines. Like the original, it's also reminiscant of the huge cargo-hauling C-17 planes used by many military forces around the world. But along with that, the new version also has vertical take-off-and-landing (VTOL) outlets that function like a Harrier Jump Jet. Damn, if I didn't love this before, I certainly do now.

THUNDERBIRD 1


I think this was my favourite one of the originals...And it must've been a firm favourite of many of the new makers because it appears to be the one with the least amount of change to it.  Aside from more subtle updates, like the increased functionality at the engine array and the cable launcher, one major difference to TB1 is the way Scott Tracy enters the vehicle; on his rotating chair which is now on an extending articulated arm. It passes through an opening of the hull that is closed with two glass doors. Like TB4, the glass panes give the pilot improved visibility (rather than the original TB1 just being a solid rocket body). Aside from this and other assorted details, the original Concorde inspiration is clearly present for this first-responder. And speaking of which, one of my favourite updates is that soon after take off, the new TB1 makes a point of breaking the sound-barrier and going supersonic. This thing is FAST. If Thunderbird 2 is the Millennium Falcon, Thunderbird 1 is an X-Wing...No question.

THUNDERBIRD SHADOW


Alright, we've looked at the returning boys, so here's a look at the new transport joining the International Rescue roster; Thunderbird S(hadow). Created for the Head of Security 'Kayo', Thunderbird S fits neatly with the other ships (as seen in the screencap below), giving Kayo the chance to perform her own Covert Ops missions when the need arises (though it did look like she was taking it for a casual spin for her maiden flight...Which, in all fairness, I think we all would do). This clip here shows that the introduction of TBS makes a point of being part of the team, as Thunderbirds 1 & 3 very clearly fill the background. But perhaps the reason that TBS fits in so snugly with the others is because it looks to be heavily inspired by the Angel jets from another one of Gerry Anderson's series; Captain Scarlet. Having said this, one thing I noticed immediately is the resemblance to the SR-71 Blackbird, clearly drawing inspiration from real-life aircraft like the other Thunderbirds.

(The Thunderbird Shadow is revealed in the hangars of Tracy Island)
As we've just been introduced, we can't say much about her, but given the arc we've been teased for Kayo, (I hope we can) expect more from Thunderbird Shadow in the future. The female audiences have been well considered, I think (certainly in regard to Kayo & her TBS), and long may that continue and expand! ^^

I could go on about more stuff, like how the IR uniforms reflect the functionality of the respective pilots and their craft (pilot-based for Scott and Virgil, heavy-duty utility also for Virgil, scuba-suit for Gordon, space-suit for John and an amalgam of aero & space for Alan). Or I could celebrate how Lady Penelope's FAB 1 is closer to the original Rolls-Royce (than the Ford thing in 2004) without it actually being a Rolls-Royce...Or even the surprise appearence in this new series of one of the other Gerry Anderson classics in a cameo...

The matter of the fact is; Richard Taylor, who is at the helm of this new series, had blessing from Anderson himself to make this new series. And to me, it really shows. From a production standpoint, its seems that the essential core of Thunderbirds Are Go appears to be 'how would that nuclear-age vision of the future fit in and be relevent to our contemporary times?' And it seems that they have definitely got the right ideas. With the science, the technology, the diversity of the primary cast (in terms of gender and nationality), it really does feel like Thunderbirds has been kicked into the 21st Century. This is International Rescue heeding the call of the age of Transformers, mechs, superheroes and Star Wars: The Clone Wars/Rebels and oh my goodness how Thunderbirds Are Go has responded...!

And for a final thought, it's interesting that nostalgia for American kids' stuff (usually) tend to be fighting the forces of evil and other such combat-based things (Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe etc.) and therefore many recent iterations of them as they try to bring them back (and look at some more of the big US cartoons today comparable to Thunderbirds Are Go; Star Wars, Superheroes...And that's just Disney's end). And yet in the UK our nostalgia is also in franchises that focus on helping others; we've brought back Doctor Who and now we've brought back Thunderbirds. These two British staples have examples of combat and war, but they're not the main reasons they are back with us. And I really hope new viewers to Thunderbirds Are Go can see that; instead of having awesome aircraft and rockets and stuff to fight and destroy, they're used to help, to aid...You could almost say they're used to rescue people on an international scale...!

And that's why, even after only the premiere, I hope Thunderbirds Are Go can achieve the popularity it deserves and needs.

Now hurry up, Vivid, and release them toys already! ;)


AM

(Images & GIFs courtesy of ITV and Pukeko Pictures)