Filmed in VIDECOLOR, with explosions, drum rolls, and music building to a climax before proudly announcing SUPERMARIONATION, the opening sequence of *Thunderbirds* is a masterclass in Gerry Andersons marionette bravado. Who else would celebrate the fact that the show is both in color and features puppets? Everything about the series is epicgrand-scale action that predates high-concept Hollywood blockbusters like *Armageddon* by over 30 years, with better acting and a gadget obsession that even the flashiest Bond films cant match. The visual effects, by Derek Meddings, foreshadow his later work on Bond films like *The Spy Who Loved Me* and *Moonraker*. As for the characters, the clean-cut Tracy brothers play second fiddle to their incredible machinesthe true starswhile humor comes courtesy of Lady Penelope and her pink Rolls-Royce FAB 1, driven by the deadpan Parker, whose Yes, milady echoed in schoolyards for decades. Spare a thought for poor John Tracy, marooned on Thunderbird 5 with only the radio for company. The puppet stunts are audacious, and each weeks perilous adventure is choreographed in the finest disaster-movie tradition. First aired in 1964 and now digitally remastered, *Thunderbirds* is childrens TV that still looks and sounds like big-budget Hollywood. The *Thunderbirds* Mega Set offers 32 complete, uncut, remastered episodes on 12 DVDs, plus bonus features like production stills, photo galleries, two original 1965 *Making of Thunderbirds* featurettes, a history of the series, character bios, and a Gerry Anderson biography and filmography.
