Trailer: THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO

Gerry Anderson's most famous creation, 1960s marionette action-adventure series Thunderbirds, has been remade for the modern-age. The new show utilises computer animation instead of puppets, handled by the world-famous WETA Workshop (Lord of the Rings, King Kong) in New Zealand, and includes the vocal talents of Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) as Lady Penelope, Thomas Sangster (Game of Thrones), Kayvan Novak (Three Lions) as Brains, Angel Coulby (Merlin), and Rasmus Hardiker (Saxondale). After some teasing over the past month, the first trailer has now arrived and, naysayers be damned, this looks like a lot of fun to me. I'm pleased by how faithful the designs of the ships are, which just goes to show how ahead-of-its-time the original show was. THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO... 15 April. Are you excited?

Bring back Saturday morning children's television!

From the mid-1970s rivalry between ITV's Tiswas and BBC1's Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, through the 1980s dominance of Going Live!, into the 1990s with Live & Kicking, then ending in the mid-2000s with SM:TV Live, Saturday morning children's programming was a staple of British TV. It was colourful, inventive and anarchic. There were comedy sketches, silly puppets, gunge, phone-ins, music acts, gunge, celebrities, cartoons, games, gunge, challenges, and everything was presented LIVE. They also had gunge.

British Children's TV Shows that Deserve to Become Movies

Gerry Anderson's seminal marionette epic Thunderbirds became a live-action flop in 2004, and this summer's CGI Postman Pat should be returned to sender (based on the ghastly trailer), but surely there are some fantastic British children's shows that deserve the big-screen treatment? Of course there is! And no, Telletubbies didn't make the cut. Below are my top 7 choices...

Matt Smith's Doctor on The Sarah Jane Adventures

Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor is set to star in a two-part Sarah Jane Adventures storyline, written by Doctor Who's former-showrunner Russell T. Davies. In the story, The Doctor will be reunited with his old companions Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) and Jo Grant (Katy Manning), who travelled with the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) between 1971-73.

Elisabeth Sladen:

"It's a fantastic script and I can't wait to work with another Doctor and hope Matt [Smith] has fun with us. I've known Katy [Manning] for ages and I am delighted to be working with her. I last met her in L.A but this time we will be in Cardiff. L.A was good but Cardiff is better."

Katy Manning:

"Playing Jo Grant again is something I never really considered. I was gobsmacked when they told me and I am over the moon. What an incredible little treat. I come home [to the UK] and this is one of the first things that happens."

Nikki Wilson, co-executive producer of Sarah Jane Adventures:

"Viewers are in for a real treat, with an action-packed story, full of Russell [T. Davies'] usual wit and warmth, which takes the gang inside a secret base beneath Snowdon and introduces brand new vulture aliens, the mysterious Shansheeth. All this, plus a trip to an alien planet -- a first for The Sarah Jane Adventures."

Other guests lined up for Sarah Jane include Laila Rouass (Primeval), Cheryl Campbell (Chariots Of Fire) and David Bradley (Harry Potter) as the voice of the Shansheeth.

What do you make of this news? I guess it'll be interesting to see Russell T. Davies writing for the Eleventh Doctor, and it's confirmation that Who's current showrunner Steven Moffat doesn't want to sever ties between Who and the spin-offs his predecessor created.

Kids TV Needs YOU!

Home-grown British children's television is on the wane. You'd be forgiven for thinking everything was quite rosy --- as you channel-hop around CBBC, CITV, CBeebies, Nickelodeon, Boomerang, etc, etc – but it's true. Most of what you're seeing is repeats or foreign imports.

The BBC have slashed their children's TV budget by 10%, ITV and Channel 4 have stopped funding kid's TV altogether, and Five have decided to stop making shows for the over-5s...

And, when eternally-youthful former Playschool presenter Floella Benjamin gets involved, you know every Child Of The 80s is sitting up and taking notice – me included.

Benjamin has joined Pact, a trade association representing independent production companies, and has formally issued a "SOS" about the drop in UK kid's TV, saying:

"British kids’ TV has always been an inherent part of our culture. For generations the programmes aimed at kids have been celebrated not only for their strong content and challenging views but the endless choice."

"Kids’ TV has for many provided a rites of passage. However, the continued reduction in funding that has taken place in the last few years has resulted in a fall in the number of new programmes made. Without immediate action this spells the end of British kids’ TV as we know it, leaving future generations nothing other than a series of re-runs and imports."

I mean, while there are some great foreign children's shows out there, do we really want kids growing up on a diet of Pokemôn instead of Postman Pat? Spongebob Squarepants over Sooty?

I have fond memories of watching CBBCs Broom Cupboard era (3:30 – 5:35pm, just before Neighbours) throughout the 80s and 90s. And while late-afternoon CBBC is still around, it's regularly beaten in the ratings by tea-time chat shows like Paul O'Grady.

While we're at it, whatever happened to Saturday morning kid's telly? They were a staple of TV for generations of kids and hung-over adults. So many memories: Noel Edmonds' garish jumpers on Swap Shop, Chris Tarrant sloshing buckets of water around on TISWAS, goofy Mike Reid on Saturday Superstore, Gordon the Gopher being attacked by a puppy on Going Live!, Andi Peters crying on Live & Kicking, and Ant & Dec creating a minor renaissance with SM:TV. Bring them back!

I can't believe things are so bad they're pulling out the Benjamin big gun. Have the TV bosses gone mad? The Teletubbies were a massive worldwide money-spinner for the Beeb! Kids animation has always been easier to sell abroad, too -- because other territories can re-dub episodes where required. Neil Morrissey's Bob The Builder is voiced by Whose Line Is It Anyway?'s Greg Proops in the US, incidentally!

The recent success of Shaun The Sheep is further testament that kids (and adults) are still entertained by 100% British programming.

The whizz-bang of foreign imports have their place (many of my childhood favourites were American), but kids need to see some reflection of their own culture on TV. Not to mention memories of classic British voices like Bernard Cribbins (Jackanory), Ray Brooks (Mr Benn), Brian Cant (Camberwick Green), David Jason (The Wind In The Willows), Oliver Postgate (Ivor The Engine) and Ringo Starr (Thomas The Tank Engine)

So, come on – sign this petition and let's try and get some new initiatives going! If you type "Children's TV" into Google, it's the British classics that dominate everything -- so we can't let this institution dwindle and die. We're world leaders at entertaining kids when we put our minds to it!

Let the executives knows the Great British Public are eagerly awaiting the next Dangermouse, Grange Hill, or fantasies like the spooky Century Falls or the ambitious Chronicles Of Narnia...

THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES 1.2-1.3 – "Revenge Of The Slitheen"

Writer: Gareth Roberts
Director: Alice Troughton

Cast: Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith), Yasmin Paige (Maria Jackson), Tommy Knight (Luke Smith), Daniel Anthony (Clyde Langer), Joseph Millson (Alan Jackson), Juliet Cowan (Chrissie Jackson), Alexander Armstrong (Mr Smith), Martyn Ellis (Blakeman), Ian Midlane (Jeffrey), Pamela Merrick (Wendy), Imogen Bain (Janine), Anton Thompson McCormick (Carl), Lachele Carl (American Newsreader), Jimmy Vee (Carl Slitheen) & Paul Kasey (Jeffrey/Blakeman/Janine Slitheen)

Maria and Luke arrive for their first day at school, only to discover a strange alien plot taking shape in the new technology block…

Success breeds imitators and spin-offs, as the revived Doctor Who is proving single-handedly. Lukewarm on the heels of Torchwood, eight months after its introductory episode Invasion Of The Bane, The Sarah Jane Adventures is the latest wheeze designed to milk the Time Lord's appeal for all it's worth...

Elisabeth Sladen reprises her role as 70s Doctor Who companion Sarah Jane Smith, a minor sci-fi icon and pin-up girl for a generation of anoraks. So while dads will be tuning in for saucy Sladen, their kids will remember her from Doctor Who episode School Reunion, which served as her introduction to the current generation.

Sarah Jane has been retooled as an intrepid defender of aliens herself, suddenly equipped with a sonic lipstick, artificially-intelligent computer "Mr Smith" (voiced by comedian Alexander Armstrong) and other high-tech gadgets that help deliver information, paper over cracks in the plot, tie-up any loose ends and get her out of scrapes.

Strangely, Sarah Jane is often a secondary character in this two-part epener, with the emphasis more on the gang of kids who know her secret: neighbour Maria (Yasmin Paige), adopted "son" Luke (Tommy Knight) and, introduced this episode, school friend Clyde (Daniel Anthony).

Revenge Of The Slitheen, written by Gareth Roberts (Who's The Shakespeare Code), utilizes popular aliens the Slitheen -- already familiar to fans of Doctor Who from Christopher Ecclestone's tenure. Well, I say "popular", but they were actually one of season 1's major missteps, being tonally so childish they alienated everyone over the age of 10.

Fortunately, the baby-faced Slitheen fit much better into a sci-fi adventure series designed for young children, with the pantomime-style of acting and fart jokes proving more acceptable in this context.

Of course, when reviewing The Sarah Jane Adventures you have to bare in mind its target audience of youngsters. Personally, I still cringed at the Slitheen's antics, but they do make decent villains for under-10s. It's just a shame Sarah Jane had to blatantly establish itself as from the Who family tree so immediately. I mean, even Torchwood waited a few episodes before dragging up a Cyberwoman for an easy "geekgasm".

Roberts script contains just the right degree of witty banter and light touches for its audience to enjoy, thankfully making the story surprisingly light on its feet. The 25-minute duration is also more suitable to kids, although Revenge Of The Slitheen's full 50-minute storyline never drags.

The kids are also surprisingly likeable and realistic, particularly Yasmin Paige as Maria, while Thomas Knight gives alien-genius Luke an engaging naivety about human interactions. Newcomer Daniel Anthony is also pretty solid as Clyde, replacing the teeth-grating annoyance of Kelsey Harper from the introductory episode.

It's also nice to see the special effects are on a par with Who's, except for a few gooey CGI explosions. The Slitheen creature effects are actually an improvement on their Who debut, without that embarrassing tendency to use CGI versions for any athletic running scenes.

The Sarah Jane Adventures gets off to a promising start, although kids over 14 are unlikely to be that engaged because of the young tone. Elisabeth Sladen is decent enough as the eponymous heroine, but at 59-years-old she's no spring chicken. She also carries the air of an actress whose career stalled post-Who, never recovered, and has subsequntly spent 20 years unable to escape her cult character. While I'm sure Sladen is genuinely glad writer Russell T. Davies came along and resuscitated her career by giving her an unnecessary spin-off show... there's a glazed-over look to her performance at times. You almost get the impression she's trapped in a recurring dream, never to escape Sarah Jane and all this silly alien jargon.

The show will undoubtedly be a success, because kids lap up anything Doctor Who-related these days. The same is true of many adult Who fans, particularly those who can remember Sladen from her days alongside Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker. I still think the show is a lazy cash-in, which was true of Torchwood, too – but at least on Torchwood they can tackle provocative and controversial topics Doctor Who can't touch. Well, that was the plan, anyway...

Still, now we have an outlet for the more childish and frivolous storylines that sometimes clog up Doctor Who's seasons. I hope we can kiss goodbye to farting aliens and Abzorbaloff's when the good Doctor returns next year... so, for that at least, I'm grateful Sarah Jane exists.

But isn't this saving the world lark getting crowded now? Between Sarah Jane's gang, UNIT and Torchwood, are The Doctor's services even needed? I hope somebody puts K-9 down before his threatened cartoon series begins to take shape...


24 September 2007
BBC1, 5.00 pm
CBBC, 5:30 pm

"There's somebody at the door! There's somebody at the door!"

This is either the best news in ages, or the worst thing imaginable. It all depends on if you found Rod Hull and his violent puppet Emu funny back in the 70s and 80s, where they once infamously attacked chat-show host Michael Parkinson, and regularly got 11 million viewers.

If not, move on... because, despite Rod Hull's death whilst trying to fix a television aerial, "the eponymous puppet with a penchant for pecking" is returning to CITV this October, in a brand new live-action comedy series.

Emu is essentially "Emu, the early years", with a youthful bird taking centre stage, with Rod's real-life son, Toby... playing a younger version of his own father!

Aimed at 6-11 year olds, the show has Toby and Emu sharing a flat, in shades of The Odd Couple and Laurel & Hardy. Unfortunately, the flat has a "no pets" policy, so Emu and Toby are constantly avoiding suspicious security guard Ken Cole, with the help of neighbours Charlie and Dani. Emu must also contend with sneaky Sophie, another neighbour who sees money-making opportunities with the anarchic bird.

A CITV source said: "Having worked with Rod Hull in the past it is a particular thrill and pleasure to be reacquainted with the extraordinary Emu. I am delighted to be working with Toby and bringing Emu to a brand new audience. Chat show hosts be warned -- the beak is back! With loads of slapstick laughs and crazy comedy potential, Emu is the perfect mix of anarchy, pecking, nostalgia… and a little more pecking!"

Transformers encourages movie remakes

Transformers looks set to be a huuuuge hit this summer, so it's already started a rush in Hollywood to update other 80s children's TV hits.

Producer Joel Silver (The Matrix) is handling another attempt to make He-Man (after the turgid Dolph Lungren movie), Thundercats is going ahead for a 2008 release (supposedly) and there's another giant robot movie coming soon based on Voltron.

So plenty for my fellow "children of the 80s" to prepare themselves to bitch about ;-)

But, one 80s classic isn't quite so on-the-radar as those above: the live-action/CGI animated movie version of Alvin & The Chipmunks! The weird thing is, it's out this Christmas! Yes, that soon! Starring Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl) alongside CGI versions of The Chipmunks, I'm not sure this will be very good -- because it has Garfield debacle stamped all over it. But, for fans of Alvin and Co, here's the poster:


Personally, here are some other classic kid's TV shows that I think would make good films: Mr Benn (Quantum Leap for kids, starring John Hannah?), Wacky Races (wild racing with oddball characters/cars, with a CGI Mutley and Geoffrey Rush as Dick Dastardley?), Dungeons & Dragons (ignore the shitty 2000 film, just use the cartoon plot about the teens thrown into a fantasy realm, dammit!), Battle Of The Planets (superheroes mixed with sci-fi action and monsters, how could this fail?) and The Mysterious Cities Of Gold (globe-trotting kid's adventure).

Knight Rider Returns?

As a kid I used to love the Knight Rider TV series with David Hasselhoff. Back in those days, watching through child eyes, The Hoff didn't seem particularly cheesy or kitsch (I'm sure he didn't become a cult icon until mid-way through the 90s Baywatch series). Anyway, Knight Rider was a great show for kids –- a talking car equipped with gadgets that fights crime is just about as good as it gets when you're young!

The success of the show was primarily K.I.T.T the car (a vehicle still dripping with cool over 20 years later), but I also think the chemistry between Michael Knight (Hoff) and K.I.T.T (William Daniels' voice) was also a big draw. I sometimes catch repeats of the show on TV and can see the weakness of the actual plots, but the Hoff/KITT dynamic is still pretty strong.

A film version of Knight Rider has been in development hell since the 90s (and, indeed, there have been a few attempts at revamping the concept in failed TV pilots and TV-Movies), but it's the big-budget Hollywood adaptation fans are after. David Hassellhoff has recently stated he'd like to star in the film with Orlando Bloom as his son, but I don't think that's likely to happen! I'm sure The Hoff will be involved, though (a great cameo surely beckons), and I'll be very disappointed if they re-voice KITT!

Ain't It Cool News recently released some concept art for the movie-version KITT (see above), but it could just be some fan art. Either way, it looks pretty decent and is certainly a redesign I could live with. Yes, I know... this is another remake of a TV show... and they almost always fail... but sometimes nostalgia clouds your thinking... so I'm really hoping they pull this off!

Robots in disguise...

Transformers was a quintessential 80s experience for many people, but it was a fad that passed me by to be honest. I remember the toys and the cartoon series, but I never got particularly excited by them. I think it had something to do with the "transforming" being quite difficult to achieve with any degree of speed and efficiency. I was all fingers and thumbs, so a robot transforming into a helicopter just resulted in snapped roto-blades and ill-fitting segments.

The cartoon series was preferable to me, but the most memorable thing was the groovy music and cool voices. I don't remember being interested in the individual characters or the plots. That said, next year's movie adaptation by Michael Bay (Armageddon) should be very cool indeed. A live-action Transformers film by the King Of Explosions himself will undoubtedly be a summer 2007 highlight, no matter how infantile the plot or poor the acting. The fact is... giant transforming robots fighting each other will look awesome on the big-screen. If Bay can actually ensure a decent story and credible performances amidst all the mayhem, Transformers should be a blast...

The first footage from the movie has been released here; including our first look at some Transformer animatics (at the very end, look closely...)