Thunderbirds

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  • TV-G
  • 1965
  • 1 Season
  • 7.9  (5,051)

Thunderbirds is a British science-fiction television series, infused with puppetry, action, and thrilling adventure, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson that first aired on ITV from 1965 to 1966. Set in the mid-21st century, Thunderbirds depicts the exploits of International Rescue, a secret organization created to help those in need and maintain international peace and order.

At the helm of International Rescue is the Tracys, a wealthy family with access to the most advanced technology on earth and beyond. Lending their expertise and skills to International Rescue, they use a series of state-of-the-art vehicles that feature advanced capabilities, all of which are numbered in the order of their launch. These vehicles include Thunderbird 1, a jet used for reconnaissance and command of the organization; Thunderbird 2, a green transport plane that can carry Thunderbird 4, a submersible nicknamed "the Mole," and several other rescue vehicles that can reach any location on the planet; Thunderbird 3, a red rocket designed for space travel and operated by one of the Tracy brothers; and Thunderbird 5, a space station that monitors all radio transmissions from earth's orbit.

Thunderbirds features stunning models and special effects for its time and a unique cast of characters, each with their abilities, personalities, and quirks. The Tracys family includes Jeff, the father and lead of International Rescue; Scott, the eldest son, who pilots Thunderbird 1 and coordinates rescue missions with his younger brothers; Virgil, the artist of the family, who pilots Thunderbird 2, and designs rescue tools and machines; Alan, the youngest, who pilots Thunderbird 3, and runs the space station; and Gordon, who pilots the Mole and Thunderbird 4 underwater.

Moreover, the show featured a cast of recurring characters who help International Rescue with their missions, such as Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward, a British socialite who provides International Rescue with valuable intelligence on dangerous situations; her faithful butler, Parker, who is a tough and resourceful aide; and the International Rescue crew, including Brains, the genius inventor who designs impressive machines for the team; Tin-Tin, a young girl linked to the Tracys by her guardian, Kyrano, the Tracys family assistant; and Prof. Rudolph Von Heller, a former Nazi scientist who provides technical assistance to International Rescue.

Thunderbirds' episodic structure features various and thrilling rescue missions, where the Thunderbirds' vehicles must overcome obstacles and danger to save lives. Among the highlights of the series is the episode "Trapped in the Sky," where a hijacked passenger plane carrying Jeff Tracy is forced to land on an abandoned and deteriorating skyship. In "Sun Probe," Thunderbird 3 travels to the sun to save a team of astronaut scientists out to study the celestial body. In "The Perils of Penelope," Lady Penelope is kidnapped, and the team battles against a dangerous criminal organization led by The Hood, a mysterious villain obsessed with discovering the secrets of International Rescue.

Thunderbirds is a beloved show that has sparked fan cults and inspired several adaptations, including a film called Thunderbirds Are Go in 1966 and a CGI revival in 2015. Perhaps the show's greatest charm is its realistic and intricate design, providing a glimpse into the future of technology and transportation.

In conclusion, Thunderbirds was an exciting and groundbreaking television series that captivated audiences with its daring rescue missions, fantastic machines, and lovable characters. It remains a classic of science fiction and a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of its creators, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson.

Thunderbirds is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (32 episodes). The series first aired on September 30, 1965.

Thunderbirds
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Seasons
Give or Take a Million
32. Give or Take a Million
December 25, 1966
At the Coralville Children's hospital, Christmas time is rapidly approaching. The board members decide how to make the little guys inside the hospital happy. One man decides to donate a rocket, while another (a toystore owner) agrees to fill up the hospital with goodies for the kids. One lucky patient will even win a trip to Tracy Island. However, back in New York, two criminals have tied up a pair of mall Santas to drill through to the bank next door. They steal all the gold in the bank, but trip a floor alarm and escape in the toy rocket. Will the kids' holiday season be ruined?
Ricochet
31. Ricochet
November 6, 1966
A radio DJ, Rick O'Shea, is employed in a pirated radio station on an unlisted satellite, much to Jeff's chagrin. It is the reason for a rocket malfunction, but the space commanders don't know that, for they explode the rocket next to it, bringing the DJ and his assistant on a slow descent toward Earth. When IR arrive, however, the engineer jumps onboard Thunderbird 3, but O'Shea hesitates. Will Alan be able to save Tin-Tin's fave DJ?
Lord Parker's 'Oliday
30. Lord Parker's 'Oliday
October 23, 1966
Lady Penelope and Parker are on vacation in an Italian town, which is about to become the first to have all its electricity solar-powered. However, the machine has been wrongly positioned, threatening to burn the town to a crisp. The dish collecting the solar energy is 400 tons -- considerably heavier than the Thunderbirds can be able to lift. Can they save the town from disaster?
Alias Mr. Hackenbacker
29. Alias Mr. Hackenbacker
October 16, 1966
The aircraft industry turns to Hiram K. Hackenbacker (otherwise known as "Brains") to design a new, safer airline, which he does -- the Skythrust. Lady Penelope decides to hold a fashion show aboard the plane to prevent someone from stealing the revolutionary new fabric created by French fashion designer Francois. But one of his models reveals a gun and threatens to use it on the pilots unless the plane is diverted in the middle of the Sahara. Brains, hearing the model's refusal to land the plane, orders a missle to be shot at the plane. What will become of his invention and, more importantly, his passengers?
Path of Destruction
28. Path of Destruction
October 9, 1966
The crew of the newly-tested South American forest-clearing vehicle the Crablogger are taken out to a resteraunt, but the food they eat is poisoned, causing one lucky person to stay behind and the other two to pass out at the construction site the next morning. The Crablogger then gobbles up everything in its path until it is cut by the Thunderbirds, who do not know how to initiate the shutdown sequence. Can they stop it before the fuel causes it to explode?
Atlantic Inferno
27. Atlantic Inferno
October 2, 1966
Lady Penelope invites a reluctant Jeff to go on vacation with her in Australia. Jeff hesitates, worrying about disasters that might happen while he would be away. He sees a report about a naval torpedo accident that sparks an underwater fire. International Rescue, with Scott at the head, responds, to Jeff's chagrin. When a second fire breaks out, Scott has no choice but to dispatch the Thunderbirds again. Will his second error be costlier than the first? And what will Jeff say about this one?
Security Hazard
26. Security Hazard
March 31, 1966
Jeff detects an intruder aboard Thunderbird 2, an intruder who turns out to be a little boy stowing away. Virgil is given the job of babysitting -- and keeping his mouth shut -- while Jeff gives the boys a stern lecture about the security breach. He finally cracks when the boy challenges his pride by saying Thunderbird 1 is the best ship. The boy gains information from everyone -- even Jeff "I have no sons" Tracy -- and soon leaves on a warning. But can he keep his secret?
The Cham-Cham
25. The Cham-Cham
March 24, 1966
An aircraft from the military is shot down while trying to make an important delivery. This has happened twice before, and Scott remembers hearing the song "Dangerous Game" being played on the radio all three times. Lady Penelope and Tin-Tin are sent to investigate the band responsible for the song, the Crass Carnaby Five. Can they make progress in cracking the case?
Attack of the Alligators!
24. Attack of the Alligators!
March 10, 1966
Two scientists enter an alligator-infested swamp to test out a revolutionary new drug, which is said to enlarge animals and therefore will put a stop to world hunger. Trouble arises when the drugs are spilled down the drain, causing the alligators to find them and...well, you can pretty much guess what happens next. Can International Rescue hold them?
The Duchess Assignment
23. The Duchess Assignment
February 17, 1966
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, John, Tin-Tin, Lady Penelope, Parker, Grandma Lady Penelope is at the Monte Carlo casino and notices old friend the Duchess of Royston down on her luck, and also notices the roulette table she's at is fixed. She and Parker fail to capture the casino manager and the crooked dealer, but the Duchess -- virtually penniless -- holds on to her Picasso painting. Enter Jeff Tracy, who meets with someone interested in the painting, but the casino is filled with seemingly shady people, two of which have gotten wind of the painting. Can the Duchess' painting arrive safely to its buyer?
Danger at Ocean Deep
22. Danger at Ocean Deep
February 3, 1966
Ocean Pioneer I, the world's most modern tanker, comes in contact of a Bermuda Triangle-like mist and suddenly explodes. Jeff sends Lady Penelope to investigate any signs of sabotage and promptly loses all contact with Thunderbirds 1, 2 and 5. What is causing the interference? And what will happen to Ocean Pioneer II?
Cry Wolf
21. Cry Wolf
January 27, 1966
Scott comes to the aid of a young boy, who supposedly has fallen over the side of a mountain and broken his leg. However, at the scene, the boy makes some kind of miraculous recovery. After being scolded scornfully by Scott for drawing them away on a false mission, he invites him and his friend over to Tracy Island, but afterwards, the Hood plants a bomb in a mine the boys are found in, and it explodes, putting them in real danger. Can International Rescue believe the boys?
The Man From MI.5
20. The Man From MI.5
January 20, 1966
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Brains, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin, Grandma (no dialogue) A scuba-diver steals plans for a nuclear device, so send forth International Rescue. Lady Penelope sends Parker (which she finds out later may have been a mistake) to gamble in Monte Carlo and dons the guise of a fashion reporter, only to be hauled off the yacht which all that had taken place on. Can Lady P survive? Can International Rescue get a lock on her location?
The Impostors
19. The Impostors
January 13, 1966
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin A fake International Rescue team saves the day but escapes with top-secret plans from a nearby aeronautical center. General Lambert launches a worldwide search to bring the team to justice. Horrified, the Tracys have no option but to shut down International Rescue and call on their network of operations to help find the imposters. Can the Thunderbirds' names be cleared? And can the imposters finally be found?
30 Minutes After Noon
18. 30 Minutes After Noon
November 11, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Brains, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin Spoke City employee Tom Prescott gives a hitchhiker a lift, but explosive bracelets are snapped to his wrist, forcing him to return to his office where the keys have been kept hidden away. Can IR save Prescott from the subsequent explosion and resulting fire?
Desperate Intruder
17. Desperate Intruder
November 18, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Gordon, John, Brains, Tin-Tin, Kyrano, Grandma, the Hood Brains and Tin-Tin explore below the surface of the desert Lake Anasta for an ancient treasure. The Hood, through his psychic power, discovers the plan and reaches the Middle East before the two and captures them. On Tracy Island, Jeff, worried about the lack of contact, dispatches TBs 1 and 2 to the location. Can they rescue their trusted companions?
Edge of Impact
16. Edge of Impact
October 28, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, Brains, Tin-Tin, the Hood The Hood, hired by the evil General Bron, places a homing device on a television relay tower to ensure the collision of the new Red Arrow fighter plane. With the ensuing crash, two men are trapped and IR are called. Trouble is, Jeff's old friend Col. Tim Casey is visiting Tracy Island, but Tin-Tin distracts him by taking him scuba-diving. Can International Rescue reach the men in time?
Day of Disaster
15. Day of Disaster
November 4, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Brains, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin, Grandma A Martian Space Probe is being transported to its launch site by way of the Allington Suspencion Bridge, which has just held up under a mighty storm. However, miscalculations have been made to the bridge's capacity, causing the bridge, the rocket, and the transport vehicle to collapse into the river, trapping two men! Can International Rescue save the day once again?
End of the Road
14. End of the Road
November 25, 1965
Construction manager Eddie Houseman is finishing his latest project: completing a contract. He does that by finishing a mountain road, and later sees old flame Tin-Tin at Tracy Island, meaning he sees the Tracy family, too. However, a mishap at his site forces him back to work, but this time his life is in almost-certain danger while he detonates a charge at a top of a mountain, sending his tractor on the edge of a cliff, with explosives still inside. This is a job for International Rescue! But can they save him without getting caught?
Terror in New York City
13. Terror in New York City
October 21, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, Brains, Tin-Tin, Kyrano, Grandma (no dialogue) Scott and Virgil inadvertantly cross paths with a new Navy test vehicle, the Sentinel. The Navy responds by shooting down Thunderbird 2. At home, Virgil sees a report on the relocation of the Empire State Building. Trouble soon plagues the site, with the ground underneath swallowing up the cameraman and the reporter. Can International Rescue save the building?
The Perils Of Penelope
12. The Perils Of Penelope
October 14, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, Brains (mentioned), Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin One of Brains' former assistants, Sir Jeremy Hodge, finishes his latest project--converting seawater into fuel. He only tells the secret of how he did it to Penelope, causing a group of kidnappers to take Penelope and Hodge, tying Lady P to a ladder and holding it in front of an oncoming train. Can International Rescue get there in time?
Brink of Disaster
11. Brink of Disaster
February 24, 1966
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, John, Brains, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin An investment in a new monorail project goes horribly awry when Jeff Tracy, Brains, and Tin-Tin are trapped on a rapidly moving train situated on a rapidly collapsing trestle. Can the Tracy boys save their father and their friends?
Martian Invasion
10. Martian Invasion
March 17, 1966
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Tin-Tin, Kyrano, the Hood The Hood disguises himself as a filmmaker in order to bring International Rescue to the set of his martian movie. He successfully gets pics of International Rescue, and offers to sell them to General X. Can the Thunderbirds stop him?
Move - And You're Dead
9. Move - And You're Dead
February 10, 1966
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon (no dialogue), Brains, Tin-Tin, Grandma A jealous car racer kidnaps Alan and Grandma Tracy trapped on a bridge. You need more? Look at the episode title. He moves...he's dead. Can Jeff keep him talking?
Operation Crash-Dive
8. Operation Crash-Dive
December 16, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Brains, Tin-Tin, Grandma When the Fireflash disappears twice, another test run is made, but it disappears yet again and this time International Rescue is on the case. But their communication goes out, causing problems. Will Scott be rescued by his brothers? And who did Gordon think he saw?
Vault of Death
7. Vault of Death
December 23, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon (no dialogue), John, Brains, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin, Kyrano (no dialogue), Grandma Lord Silton, a Bank of London official, enlists Lady P and Parker to help prove that the bank needs new, modernized safes. But when a worker is trapped in the new safe, and an emergency call is sent, Parker mistakes the call's reason for a robbery by an old cellmate at Parkmoor Scrubs, and tries to stall time. Meanwhile, International Rescue is summoned, but the safe bypasses even their intelligence. Will the worker be saved before he suffocates?
The Mighty Atom
6. The Mighty Atom
December 30, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Brains, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin, Kyrano, Grandma, the Hood The Hood returns and sabotages a nuclear plant, using a device known as the Mighty Atom.
The Uninvited
5. The Uninvited
December 2, 1965
When Scott Tracy is attacked in Thunderbird 1, he crash-lands in the middle of a desert, and is rescued by explorers. However, those explorers get themselves lost, and when Scott attempts to rescue them, he finds himself in the same predicament all over again. Will the Tracys be able to save their brother?
Sun Probe
4. Sun Probe
December 9, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, Brains, Tin-Tin, Kyrano, Grandma (mentioned) An accident in deep space causes three astronauts trapped on a collision course with the sun. Thunderbird 3 is launched, and the Sun Probe is brought back, but now Thunderbird 3 is on a collision course with the sun. Can they be saved in time?
City of Fire
3. City of Fire
January 6, 1966
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, John, Brains, Tin-Tin A small family is trapped inside a burning tower that is quickly about to collapse. A job for IR? Nope. The suits that Scott and Virgil had been testing before the mission cause them to pass out.
Pit of Peril
2. Pit of Peril
October 7, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, John, Brains The US Army's new test project, the Sidewinder, fails to reach its rendezvous point. The vehicle and its crew have fallen 300 feet down in a fiery crater. Can International Rescue save them?
Trapped in the Sky
1. Trapped in the Sky
September 30, 1965
Main Cast: Jeff, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, Brains, Lady Penelope, Parker, Tin-Tin, Kyrano, the Hood The new Fireflash aircraft, during its maiden voyage, is sabotaged by the Hood: if it lands, a hidden bomb will explode. International Rescue makes their debut with this mission, but can they save the 600 passengers onboard?
Description
Where to Watch Thunderbirds
Thunderbirds is available for streaming on the ITV website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Thunderbirds on demand at Amazon Prime, Amazon, FuboTV, Apple TV, Crackle, Pluto TV and Peacock.
  • Premiere Date
    September 30, 1965
  • IMDB Rating
    7.9  (5,051)
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