Oh, Thunderbird 5. It’s no one’s favourite Thunderbird, let’s face it.
The idea of an episode revolving around the giant satellite certainly doesn’t get the excitement pumping through our little fan-boy chests much. And yet, an episode like ‘EOS’ certainly makes a strong case for such an idea, with a huge focus on what makes Thunderbird 5 so important in the grand scheme of the show.
After such a disappointing and unimaginative episode like ‘Runaway’, it’s nice to see the show back on track, revelling in new and cool ideas to really showcase just what a modern version of Thunderbirds can really do. Putting the focus on John (probably the show’s best character reinvention, next to Kayo), ‘EOS’ sees Thunderbird 5 taken over a by a rogue A.I, which not only tries to kill John, but also blocks all distress calls from reaching Tracy Island, presenting the team with a serious dilemma.
The stakes have never been higher, and as a result, we get some great action scenes as John tries to take on EOS and stop it from causing further harm. The episode is essentially Thunderbirds meets 2001: A Space Odyssey, a match made in heaven if ever there was one.
Bump in the Night creator Ken Pontac’s script is full of great moments, especially the moment with John dodging EOS’s grab-claw attacks, a pure adrenaline filled rush of an action scene, which no puppet could ever perform!
Theo Baynton continues to prove just how great he is when directing action scenes set in space, with the climactic arrival of Thunderbird 3 and the aforementioned claw grab chase standing out as some of the best action scenes we’ve seen in the show yet.
There’s a few comedy moments that will perhaps not raise much laughs from adult viewers (though kids will probably love them), but it’s nice to see the now-obligatory Grandma’s Cooking joke used as an important plot device, not a cheap recycled gag. Regardless of the cheap humour, ‘EOS’ is certainly entertaining enough for fans old and young, which is always the sign of a strong episode.
It’s great to see the show exploring fun ideas that fan-boys and girls (like yours truly) probably acted out with our Matchbox Thunderbird toys way back when.
‘EOS’ is fun, action packed and even has some deep and interesting dialogue scenes between the titular computer programme and John, which certainly resonate in the mind long after the episode finishes. It’s also a solid episode that really showcases how cool Thunderbird 5 and John can be!
So, most importantly, when and where can we buy our new Thunderbird 5 toys?!
Aired at 8am on Saturday 16 May 2015 on CITV.
> Order Volume 1 on DVD on Amazon.
> Buy the complete Thunderbirds collection on Blu-ray on Amazon.
What did you think of this week’s episode? Let us know below…