Thunderbirds are back in ultra high-definition! Our latest 4K steelbook release comprises of a double-bill of two more of Thunderbirds' most hostile missions; the monstrous violence of Attack of the Alligators! and the oceanic apocalypse of Atlantic Inferno. Let's examine how both of these classic adventures not only elevate Thunderbirds' jeopardous rescue action, but challenge the series' status quo.

Alligator Attack

Attack of the Alligators! forms a loose trilogy towards the end of Thunderbirds' first series consisting of episodes which while unconnected in storylines or characterisations, are nonetheless intertwined with a shared emphasis on surreal subject matter that pushes past the traditional techno-jeopardy that defines so much of Thunderbirds. Between The Duchess Assignment, Attack of the Alligators! and the near-finale The Cham-Cham, International Rescue become embroiled in aristocratic heists, mutant animal rampages and spy-fi sabotage imbedded within pop songs. 

It's an oddly common thing among the Supermarionation series throughout the 1960s to gain what we might define as a heightened sense of humour towards each series' end run, and Thunderbirds is no exception. Attack of the Alligators! could hardly be defined as an outright comedy; rather, it's a lightening of Thunderbirds' source material by exploring storytelling terrain it would rarely tackle elsewhere. The scientific discovery of theramine, developed in the isolated backwaters of dense jungle terrain, results in its accidental spillage into the surrounding swamps. Already dangerous alligators become engorged when consuming the free-flowing substance, giving International Rescue its most primally-charged danger zone ever experienced. Very real if admittedly small alligators were utilised in the production of this episode, reflecting the ambitious production design of just how far Thunderbirds' special effects could be pushed.

We may think of outlandish super-threats faced by International Rescue as storytelling terrain best reserved for Thunderbirds' sprawling spin-off media, such as Visitor from Space or Solar Danger. However, the TV series itself gives legitimacy to such threats with these freakishly enlarged alligators. But rather than embrace the outlandishness, Attack of the Alligators! depicts this threat entirely straight-faced, laced in unpredictable tension and animalistic terror. The swampish jungle setting proves to be engrossingly treacherous terrain for the International Rescue craft. International Rescue may be able to adapt itself to any disaster scenario, but Attack of the Alligators! thrills in how out-of-place the Tracy boys are in this scenario. Scott's entrapment with the residents of Doctor Orchid's laboratory as the alligators demolish the house reflects how even I.R.'s advanced abilities are aggressively tested here.

Attack of the Alligators! marked the unfortunate end of Brian Johnson's long-running association in production special effects, having joined towards the end of Supercar. By the time Thunderbirds began production, Johnson was given charge of his own special effects unit, but the harsh treatment of alligators contributed to his desire to leave A.P. Films. The creatures were subjected to electric shocks to stimulate and provoke them appropriately when filming. It's...

Uneasy Leadership

Atlantic Inferno returns Thunderbirds to more traditional elements of rampant technological hubris, but many behind-the-scenes changes occurred between the end of the first series and the beginning of the second. Very noticeably, Atlantic Inferno marks the debut of the reformatted puppet cast. These were designed for the simultaneous production of Thunderbirds Are Go, but these brief batch of episodes were first released in late 1966, prior to the movie's Christmas debut. With Johnson now gone and Derek Meddings' focus directed on Thunderbirds Are Go, Atlantic Inferno debuts a fresh pair of special effects directors - Jimmy Elliot and Shaun Whittacker-Cook. Meddings remained working on the series' effects in a supervising capacity, however.

Atlantic Inferno challenges Thunderbirds' canon by questioning how International Rescue may continue to operate beyond Jeff Tracy's lifetime. When being finally convinced to enjoy a holiday, eldest son Scott takes up command, since he's next in line for leadership of the family-run outfit. This idea that I.R. would remain a secretive family outfit in its patriarch's absence is tantalising to consider. Indeed, the idea of International Rescue continuing with Scott as its leader would have formed the premise for an unmade Thunderbirds reboot which Gerry Anderson conceived in the early 1980s. 

Bravely, Atlantic Inferno's dual protagonists in Jeff and Scott displays what an uneasy process it is for one to let go of I.R. and the other to take up the reins, albeit temporarily. Jeff's departure from International Rescue is plagued by doubts as to how his son will carry on the family business, while Scott's acquisition of leadership opens with puppy-dog enthusiasm before stumbling into letting his dad believe he's made the wrong decision when intervening in saving the Seascape drilling rig. At first, the episode's marvellously empathetic storytelling allows both parties to display their vulnerability in making mistakes, but Scott is ultimately vindicated when International Rescue perform one of their most dramatic rescues in a stunning combination of aquatic pyrotechnics and underwater carnage.

Where so many of International Rescue's successful operations are determined by Scott Tracy's on-the-scene directives backed up by Jeff's seniority, Atlantic Inferno questions this otherwise full-proof set-up with a compellingly severe inverse of roles; remove Jeff from the action, and place Scott as the supreme commander. The end result is one of Thunderbirds' most insightful explorations of two of its main characters, complimented (but never outweighed) by some of the series' most confident and explosive special effects.

Now in 4K!

Despite both episodes being created towards the end of Thunderbirds' lifespan, Attack of the Alligators! and Atlantic Inferno invigorate Thunderbirds' formula with their boldly delivered premises and offer proof that while efforts were focusing on Thunderbirds' second life on the big screen, the TV series wasn't about to be left behind in experimenting with new jeopardies.

You can experience two of Thunderbirds' most electrifying episodes in eye-popping ultra high-definition with the Thunderbirds Atlantic Inferno/Attack of the Alligators! Collectors Edition 4K Steelbook, available to pre-order now!

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