Thunderbirds - Set 4
At its best,Thunderbirdsis an inspired mix of Japanese  monster movie mayhem and British stiff-upper-lip attitude. The  International Rescue team members are bland and interchangeable, a  marionette family of clean-living Hardy Boys, but the high-tech toys  are like big-kid fantasies come alive, and the awestruck seriousness of  the direction is quaint and cool in these days of hyperactive cartoons.  The highlight ofSet 4is "Attack of the Alligators!" where  real-life baby alligators star as giant mutants thrashing about the  dollhouse-sized sets and actually "act" with the wooden puppets; one of  them actually chases a puppet hero through the jungle. Fan favorite  Lady Penelope (the team's cool, high-class London agent) and her ex-con  chauffeur Parker make memorable appearances in "The Imposters," where  they track down a team of crooks passing themselves off as  International Rescue, and "The Man From MI5," a James Bond parody where  Lady Penelope is (uncharacteristically) a damsel in distress. Other  episodes include "Cry Wolf" (two boys live the dream of everyThunderbirdsfan and get a guided tour of the top-secret base),  "Danger at Ocean Deep" (a fog of radioactive algae destroys ships and  wreaks havoc with Thunderbird communications), and "The Duchess  Assignment" (a rescue mission in a burning mansion).--Sean  Axmaker