Ander-Thoughts
It’s every fan’s worst nightmare: you can’t sleep, something is bothering you, but you’re not entirely sure what it is at first. Then slowly, with the tedious inevitability of an approaching monorail train, you realise what’s keeping you awake: Ander-Thoughts – the thought of a gaping plot hole or other equally worrying aspect within your favourite Gerry Anderson show…
We empathise, we really do. It’s a terrifyingly thought-provoking world out there and you shouldn’t have to face it alone, so we’re sending in some backup. Join Chris and AC as they ponder the unanswerable questions, imponderable ponderings and general Ander-Thoughts that many fans lose sleep over every now and then…
Professor Problems
Chris kicks things off with his take on a Joe 90 issue:
Personally I think, Professor McClaine is a terrible scientist. Let’s be fair, if I had a son I’d be sending him on death defying missions too (anything for a bit of quiet, am I right?), but really, the man has a total disregard for scientific method…
Which is something you could never say about Professor Matic…
The Kyrano Conundrum
Not to be outdone, AC weighs in on a troubling issue from Thunderbirds, one that has lost him many a night’s sleep over the years:
If The Hood has total hypnotic control over Kyrano, why doesn’t he just ask Kyrano where Tracy Island is, because let’s face it, he’d be a lot closer to stealing the secrets of International Rescue that way, rather than trying to snap the odd photograph of the elusive Thunderbird craft…
It probably would have saved him a lot of wasted time flying over cliff edges trying to escape capture too.
What’s in a Name?
As cool as some of the vehicle names in Gerry Anderson’s series are, Chris is insistent that some of them are just plain baffling:
Right, we have a giant walking robot with huge arms and pincers, lets call it the “Sidewinder” after the animal that has neither of those things. What about the long, slithery vehicle with the big gaping maw at the front? “Crablogger”
After spending several days verifying that such an animal as a “Sidewinder” actually exists (it does, it’s a snake, folks), AC is forced to admit that Chris has a point. Chris is pleased, and not at all smug about it.
One Small Matter
Oblivious to the fact that the majority of Gerry Anderson fans have probably never heard of The Investigator, much less seen it, AC has a bit of a rant about this quirky pilot episode:
Oh I tell you what makes total sense – The Investigator decides that he’s going to shrink these two kids (whom he may have kidnapped, we just don’t know) in order to make it more easy for them to help him do stuff that’s more difficult for puppet-sized people, but actually very easy for normal sized people. Makes total sense…not!
It’s okay AC, breathe…though you do have a very valid point, and even Chris admits that the Investigator’s plan is about as effective as trying to destroy an SPV by throwing a sponge at it.
Standby for Stingray
Chris is unashamedly fond of Stingray, and frequently drives AC mad with his gleeful ravings about the WASP flagship vessel, but he’s not shy about pointing out a flaw in the series:
Why is it always Stingray? Like every time. Impending ice age? Send Stingray! Raging undersea volcano? Send Stingray! Marina feels a little homesick? Send Stingray! Personally I like to think that there’s an ongoing sitcom about the gallant crew of the submarine “Puffer Fish” and how Commander Shore never lets them do anything all day…
AC has confirmed that he’d watch a series about Puffer Fish and their non-adventures, but AC also loves the 2004 Thunderbirds movie, so his judgement of the quality of a story is as reliable as Fireflash’s flight safety record.
Thunder Blunder
Taking it back to Thunderbirds for the final Ander-Thought of the day, AC is perplexed by International Rescue’s rather inconsistent regulations:
According to Jeff Tracy, no International Rescue craft shall be launched unless they receive a direct call for help. So why do they use Thunderbird 2 to take Alan to the race track? Or give Brains and Tin-Tin a lift to Lake Anasta? Or to take Tony and Bob Williams home? Or to pick up the kid from Coralville Hospital? But more than that, why does Scott take Thunderbird 1 ON VACATION? I mean where would he even park that thing?? Why for that matter does he even NEED a vacation, he lives on a tropical island and frequently complains that he’s bored and there’s nothing to do!! Argh, I don’t even…I just can’t…
Chris has almost been swayed to agree, but decides that he loves Thunderbird 1 too much to care, and rushes off to design an image of the craft parked atop London’s Tower Bridge, leaving AC to mutter to himself in a manner that would be worrying if it wasn’t such a regular occurrence.
And that concludes the Ander-Thoughts for now, but rest assured, these guys will be back and more pedantic than ever! Until then, why not tell us about the Ander-Thoughts that keep you awake at night? Let us know in the comments below and perhaps the guys will address your worries in their next scientific rant!
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