Brains (Thunderbirds)

Brains is a fictional character in the television series "Thunderbirds", the feature films "Thunderbirds Are GO" and "Thunderbird 6" and the 2004 live action film "Thunderbirds".

The puppet was voiced by David Graham in the television series and the first two feature films, whilst Anthony Edwards took the role for the live action film.

Brains is a scientific genius who employed by International Rescue as their engineer. Characterized as a classic nerd, he speaks formally (albeit with a stutter), wears oversized horn-rimmed blue spectacles, and has the intense focus of someone with Asperger syndrome. A highly valued if somewhat socially maladroit member of the team, he designed the Thunderbird vehicles and other machines and facilities used by International Rescue and its agents – indeed much of the organization's hardware and infrastructure. He also built himself a chess-playing robot called Braman (which fortuitously served as a spare computer in the episode Sun Probe). Brains's technical expertise has occasionally been required in the field, in which case he typically accompanies the more glamorous Tracy brothers on their missions in Thunderbird 2.

Brains has occasionally designed vehicles for organisations other than International Rescue, including Skythrust ("Alias Mr. Hackenbacker") and Skyship One ("Thunderbird 6"). These commissions were performed under strict security to protect the identities and location of International Rescue.

Aptly nicknamed 'Brains' by the other members of International Rescue, his real name is never revealed. When working on outside projects, he adopts an alias to protect his identity. For example, he used the alias 'Hiram K. Hackenbacker' when working on the Skythrust project, while the board that commissioned Skyship One knew him only as 'Mr X'.

Appearances

"Thunderbirds" episodes

*"Trapped in the Sky"
*"Pit of Peril"
*"Terror in New York City"
*"Edge of Impact"
*"Day of Disaster"
*"30 Minutes After Noon"
*"Desperate Intruder"
*"End of the Road"
*"The Uninvited"
*"Sun Probe"
*"Operation Crash-Dive"
*"Vault of Death"
*"The Mighty Atom"
*"City of Fire"
*"The Man From MI.5"
*"Cry Wolf"
*"Danger at Ocean Deep"
*"Move - and You're Dead"
*"Brink of Disaster"
*"Attack of the Alligators!"
*"The Cham-Cham"
*"Security Hazard"
*"Atlantic Inferno"
*"Path of Destruction"
*"Alias Mr. Hackenbacker"
*"Lord Parker's 'Oliday"
*"Ricochet"
*"Give or Take a Million"

Films

*"Thunderbirds Are GO"
*"Thunderbird 6"
*"Thunderbirds"

Popular culture

Alastair Campbell, press secretary to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, nicknamed David Miliband "Brains" after the "Thunderbirds" character. [cite web
url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,815389,00.htm
title = Heir to Blair?
publisher = "The Observer"
date = 2002-10-20
accessdate = 2007-07-18]

In May 2008 a new television commercial for Drench Spring Water was launched featuring a puppet [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7417366.stm BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Water on the brains ] ] Brains dancing to "Rhythm is a Dancer" by Snap with the slogan "Brains work best when hydrated". Gerry Anderson deemed the advert "brilliant" and felt the copywriter should have been awarded for the pun "Good for Brains." [cite news|author=Talking Shop: Gerry Anderson|work=BBC News Online|date=2008-10-07|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7655589.stm|accessdate=2008-10-07]

The Economist used an image of Brains in a poster advertising campaign. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3746752.stm BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Too brainy by half? ] ]

References