10 Times Thunderbirds Was Way Too Dark For Kids TV

Perhaps one of the darkest moments and another bit of foreshadowing from Thunderbirds is when the Empire State Building collapses while being moved along a track to a new location in New York. As you do.

The track underneath gives way bringing the building down on top of two journalists who are covering the momentous occasion. They are trapped in a cavern underground and forced to listen to their boss update them with information as it becomes increasingly likely that the Thunderbirds won’t reach them before they drown.

The collapse of the Empire State Building is the main ‘set piece’ of the episode and the idea of a building suddenly collapsing to the ground is dark enough, especially to a modern audience. That's not the real tragedy though that comes as the audience watches celebrated TV host Ned Cook and his cameraman come face to face with their inevitable deaths as it looks like the Thunderbirds won’t reach them in time.

One of the hardest things people have to do is come to terms with their own mortality. Many never do and children certainly aren't expected to, but that didn't mean the Thunderbirds writers weren't going to have them try.