Following on from the run of FIreball XL-5 that has occupied the Saturday afternoon schedules on Talking Pictures TV since June, the channel are to begin airing XL-5‘s younger cousin, Thunderbirds.
Thunderbirds is perhaps the most widely known production from Gerry Anderson’s famed team. The fourth production to use the innovative Supermarionation technique pioneered by Anderson and his wife, the show was originally broadcast in 1965 and 1966. Comprising of 32 episodes, the series followed the Tracy family through daring interplanetary exploits to help those in distress.
The series is named after the 5 advanced vehicles used by the Tracy family for their daring adventures, Thunderbirds 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Thunderbirds proved incredibly popular, in part due to its vivid, coloured machines, recognisable almost as characters themselves.
Thunderbirds moved away from the purely childhood appeal of the Andersons’ previous productions, transitioning into a more adult space, as well as an hour-long time slot. The show featured voice characterisations which ensured transatlantic appeal in order to secure overseas sales, as was a popular technique with ITC productions in this era.
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