Thunderbirds Are Go Episode 4 Tele-Snaps

64 Tele-snaps for Episode 4 of Thunderbirds Are Go, "Crosscut".

This episode was a bigger improvement over the last one. A uranium mine has opened up in South Africa, and Scott in Thunderbird 1 sets off to investigate. Upon his descent into the mine, he is attacked by a woman named Marian Van Arkel, whose family owned the mine.

I'll get stuff I don't like out of the way first:

Marian Van Arkel's South African accent sounded... fake. It felt like the actress doing her voice was trying too hard to sound like a South African stereotype as opposed to a real South African. Also, some of the CGI clashes with the real model sets, especially with a little truck that buries the mine near the end. I also didn't like how Scott and Marian fall to their apparent deaths and Virgil just HAPPENS to appear and rescue them in the exact place at the exact moment. It felt too unrealistic to me.

Now the stuff I did like:

After last week's episode, it's nice to see a legitimate rescue mission. Sealing a uranium mine before a storm drifts the radiation to a nearby city is a far more serious emergency than moving space junk.

And also THE MOLE IS BACK!!! That was amazing to see one of my favourite pod vehicles from the original series make a return to the series. It's a little smaller than the original, and it seems to be built automatic in the pod, which I like, 'cause it's easier for the pod to carry it. Also, similar looking materials inside the pod when the Mole emerges imply that there are two Moles. Now seeing the reason for that would be interesting, but only one of them is used here, so I guess we'll have to wait for another episode for that.

Scott's fight with the mech is BRILLIANT. It's the kind of action I'd have BEGGED to see in the original series, so it's a nice inclusion. And some of the witty dialogue between the brothers and other family members, including references to Grandma's cooking, were pretty funny. Also, the burger box Scott sends to the Hood at the end is marked "Fireburger XL", an obvious homage to Gerry Anderson's space series "Fireball XL5". Very nice touch, WETA!


So yeah, overall, it has its flaws, but it's way better than the past entries. So this is how I feel about the series so far:

RING OF FIRE PART 1: Good
RING OF FIRE PART 2: Okay
SPACE RACE: Bad
CROSSCUT: Great

And after seeing previews of the next episode, I know for a FACT that that one's gonna be great too!

Now that I got all that out of me, I hope you enjoy the snaps!