Top 5 Thunderbirds Rescues

3. Thunderbirds 1, 2 and 4 must save a drilling rig from fires and crumbling into the sea, without Jeff’s approval, and without Scott at Thunderbird 1

Again, a two-in-one deal, and again one happens because of the other. With International Rescue’s founder, leader, and all-around Tracy dad Jeff away on holiday, the first of two rescues performed in “Atlantic Inferno” is done via Scott in command at base, with the youngest Tracy brother Alan at Thunderbird 1’s controls.

International Rescue must save a drilling rig in the Atlantic from a towering flame shooting up from gas fields on the ocean bed caused by explosions from the World Navy (they don’t paint a pretty picture for themselves, do they?).

Initially succeeding in putting out the first flame, International Rescue consider the job done, until more flames spring up, resulting in the huge drilling rig becoming fractured and beginning to slip into the sea.

The mixture of underwater and above shots of the drilling rig surrounded by flames gives a great sense of scope, plus it shows one of the lesser-seen Thunderbirds (that ditty little submarine) in full action, plus the inexperienced Alan can only scramble as Thunderbird 1 begins to slip off the collapsing rig…

2.  Thunderbirds 1, 2 and 4 must protect a handful of scientists from mutant alligators

“Attack of the Alligators!” is one of the most famous episodes of the series, mostly boiling down to it including said creatures. But the rescue itself is one with many layers, more so than your average rescue.

Two scientists have developed a formula to increase food growth, which a nasty chap gets hold of and accidentally dumps a load into the alligator-infested swamp that surrounds the scientist’s home.

The creatures grow to extraordinary size, and prove to be a worthy adversary to International Rescue – it’s the only on-screen rescue that involves I.R. having to deal with some form of monster rather than the bog-standard out-of-control machinery.

The alligators, combined with the capture of one of our Tracy heroes (Scott), another going one-to-one with the creatures (Alan), and the colourfully murky location with mutant alligators popping out from all directions all make for an immense rescue.

1. Thunderbirds 1 and 2 have to rescue the Fireflash from detonating a bomb placed in its undercarriage

I really hope you got the reason why I did a top 5 instead of a top 10. If you didn’t, why are you even here? But to be honest, choosing 5 rescues out of 34 (one TV show split into two series, AND two movies) comes across as devaluing many of the other incredible situations International Rescue are called in to resolve.

But this one does wash away some of that guilt away. From the pilot episode “Trapped in the Sky”, it’s a rescue that epitomizes not only what International Rescue can do to save people, but also why Thunderbirds is such a wonderful show.

The atomic-powered airliner Fireflash can’t land on its own accord due to a bomb hidden somewhere in its undercarriage, so it’s up to Virgil and the Elevator Cars to bring the huge passenger jet in. It’s brilliantly filmed and edited, fusing alternating wide-shots of the vehicles rattling along the runway, mid-shots of the cars having such a massive craft flop down on them and close-ups of Virgil’s grim face as he struggles to keep the situation from turning into a disaster.

They all charge along the runway, which is quickly running out. The brakes are applied on the cars. The Fireflash seems secure, but Virgil’s master car suddenly swerves out of control!

In the space of about five minutes, drama, danger, adventure and suspense explode together in a thrilling cocktail, which of course only shows Thunderbirds at its most basic.