 <unk> the attention to detail of the series ' launch sequences , Jonathan Bignell argues that part of the motivation for dedicating large amounts of screen time to the Thunderbird craft is the need to compensate for the limited mobility of the puppet cast . The focus on futuristic machines has also been explored by cultural historian Nicholas J. Cull , who comments that of all the Andersons ' series , Thunderbirds is the most evocative of a recurring theme : the " necessity of the human component of the machine " , whereby the failures of new technology are overcome by " brave human beings and technology working together " . This makes the series ' vision of the <unk> " wonderfully humanistic and <unk> " . O 'Brien similarly praises this optimism , comparing the Tracy family to guardian <unk> . Writing for Wired UK magazine , Warren Ellis asserts that the series ' scientific vision could inspire the next generation of " mad and frightening engineers " , adding that Thunderbirds " trades in vast , <unk> concepts ... immense and very beautiful ideas as solutions to problems . " 
