The acting's still wooden, but Thunderbirds looks better than ever on Blu-ray

Thunderbirds: The Complete Series is go - in hi-def! In the 21st century a top-secret organisation carries out daring and death-defying rescue missions with the aid of some remarkable state-of-the-art machinery called Thunderbirds.
Filmed like a live action-series with well-written scripts, nail-biting cliffhangers and believable characters, Gerry Anderson’s sophisticated puppet series was an instant hit and remains hugely popular today.

Richard W Holliss: I had some reservations about this iconic series being reframed from its original 4:3 aspect ratio to suit widescreen televisions. But my fears were unfounded as the 1.78:1 framing doesn’t look compromised at all. And thanks to Gerry Anderson’s foresight to shoot the original show on 35mm, the transfer to high-definition is generally impressive thanks to the vibrant colours and impressive detailing (allowing saddos the chance to look at the miniature work in unprecedented detail).
However, there are inconsistencies between episodes. For example, the Pit of Peril suffers from rampant grain, while Perils of Penelope looks much cleaner.

Steve May: The original show was obviously mono and this is reflected in the disc's menu design. But episodes play out in stereo or 5.1 mix. The latter is predictably thin, and predominantly monophonic, except for when things explode (as they often do). At that point you'll get a big, disconnected bang in the left or right channel. The effect is a little bit odd. When the Sidewinder clumps through the (stock footage) jungle in Pit of Peril, there's a slight LFE thump. But ultimately, there's nothing here that warrants upgrading from previous DVD releases.

Anton van Beek: Extras spread across the six-disc set include a comprehensive documentary (The Thunderbirds Companion) along with TV ads and featurettes on the different characters and vehicles. The documentary, found on Disc One and crammed with behind-the-scenes goodies is a must-see. Hosted by the bespectacled Brains, it includes archival production footage footage and a rare mid-‘60s interview with a very youthful-looking Gerry Anderson.

We say: Despite some AV inconsistencies Anderson’s best-known puppets have never looked better.

ITV DVD, Region B Blu-ray, £120, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 4/5