Thunderbirds Are Go! - 5 Things It Got Right (And 5 It Didn't)
9. It's Only Aimed At Children
When it comes to re-imagining classic TV series, there is a difference between what the producers can't, and don't get right. You don't choose to have budget and time constraints, but you can choose to limit the audience you're aiming your show towards. Targetting the show solely at children rather than fans of all ages was a conscious decision, the one which has received the biggest criticism, and may very well have been made by those who focus on words like 'demographic' rather than the actual viewers sat at home.
Regardless of when it was broadcast, Thunderbirds attracted whole families of audiences not just out of nostalgia, but because it was a show that entertained fans of all ages. By aiming Thunderbirds Are Go just at children, not only have the new producers alienated a large portion of the existing fanbase, but when you consider that the fanbase consists of countless generations, they're more than halving their potential audience figures before they've even started.
It's also a decision which seems even more bizarre when you consider the writers for the series as well. Yes, most of those who penned each of the episodes have written extensively for Ben 10 and the DC/Marvel cartoon verses aimed at those who are too young for their cinematic counterparts, but it's not as though they haven't written for an older audience either. They've also worked on series such as Monk and Beavis & Butt-head, and Recharge writer Amy Wolfram even started her career on Undressed, a series which jumped on the Sex And The City bandwagon. And this is to say nothing of comedian David Baddiel who is certainly better known for his adult material rather than his children's novels.
After entertaining everyone with the pilot, regular episodes were also relegated to the traditional kids only time slot of Saturday mornings. While the majority of those rallying against the CGI updates right from the start were long time fans (ie: adults), it still would have been common courtesy to invite them to the party, than assume they'd just rather not come.