High Strung

High StrungSeason 2, Episode 10
Air date	December 17, 2016 (ITV) January 8, 2017 (AUS)
Written by	Mark Huckerby Nick Ostler
Directed by	Andrew McCully
Episode Guide
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"High Strung" is the tenth episode of Thunderbirds Are Go! season 2, broadcast on December 17, 2016.

Plot

John detects a high altitude balloon heading straight for the Southern Alps in New Zealand and is unable to contact the pilot. At first everyone suspects that Francois Lemaire is the pilot but when Scott boards the craft he discovers that the pilot is a teenager named Brandon Berrenger, who works for Lemaire. When the balloon crashes on top of a mountain Scott and Brandon have to use Brains' new invention, RAD, to get down.

Cast

Regular Cast

• Scott Tracy: Rasmus Hardiker
• Virgil Tracy: David Menkin
• John Tracy: Thomas Brodie-Sangster
• Kayo: Angel Coulby
• Brains: Kayvan Novak

Guest Cast

• Brandon Berrenger: Tom Rosenthal
• Francois Lemaire: Jack Whitehall
• Madeline Lemaire: Taj Atwal

Quotes

Virgil: "If we had a frequent rescue program, he'd be gold status by now."

John: "Don't do anything stupid down there, Scott."
Scott: "Define stupid!"

Scott: "Someone needs to get this guy some flying lessons!"

Kayo: "Lemaire? Is that you?"
Madeline: "Mm-hm. That's the last time he'll try rollerblading on the deck of his yacht... in a force ten storm."

Brandon: "What's the worst that could happen?"
Scott: "I don't know, you could hit a mountain?"
Brandon: "Oh yeah. Apart from that, though."

Brandon: "Hey, Brandon here. This is so cool, me and Scotty are like exactly the same. Thrill junkies, man!"
Virgil: (chuckles) "Yeah, I think the kid's right, bro. You're like two peas in a pod."
Scott: "Yeah, well, this pea wants out of this pod, and off of this mountain, so if you wouldn't mind."

Brandon: "Didn't you do anything crazy like this when you were my age?"
Scott: "What, uh, me? Uh, well, maybe?"
Brandon: "I knew it. Peas in a pod, dude."

Brandon: "Just make it cool, yeah?"
Scott: "Cool? Uh, sure thing." (clears throat) "This is Scott Tracy, International Rescue, piloting the RAD, and it's, uh, pretty rad, actually."
Brains: "Told you it was a good name."

Virgil: "This is nice. We should invite that kid over."
Kayo: "That would drive Scott up the wall."
Virgil: "Exactly."

International Rescue Equipment Used

• Thunderbird 1
• Thunderbird 2 (Module 3)
• Thunderbird 5
• Thunderbird Shadow
• Flight suit
• RAD

Non-International Rescue Equipment Used

• High-Altitude balloon
• Lemiare's luxury yacht

Pre-production Gallery

Episode Gallery

'Care package inbound Thunderbird five'
'Copy that, Virgil'

'One double cheese burger with extra pickles'

'There's not too many things I miss about earth, but this is one of them'
'Enjoy'

'Not now! Really?'

'Pilot of unidentified high-altitude balloon you might wanna check your trajectry'

'You're awfully close to the southern alps'

'What is this?'

'Virgil, are you still there?'

'I think we have a situation'

'Wow! Custom-made, high-altitude, helium filled, one of a kind'

I can think of only one person who would spend that much on a big balloon just for fun'

'Francois Lemaire'

'If we had a frequent rescue program-'

'-He'll be gold status by now'

'Lemaire, this is International Rescue. Do you read me? Lemaire?'

'This automated message keeps popping up every time I contact the balloon'

'I don't like the look of that thing, we need to get onboard'

'That's my catch-phrase, remember?'

'Keep trying to contact Lemaire, Thunderbird five. I'll intercept him. Hopefully he's just asleep at the wheel'

'That's strange, where is he?'

Scott flies off towards the New Zealand Alpine region

'Lemaire, do you copy? Lemaire!?'

'I've got visual on the balloon. The internal lights are on but Lemaire's still not answering'

'Comms could be down or he might be hurt'

'I'm going to attach a line and then drag it clear of the valley'

Scott launches a cable to the craft and secures it

Scott tries to pull the craft out of the valley but is hindered by high winds

'It's going to hit that mountain, taking evasive action'

'I need to land Thunderbird one'

'Pick up Thunderbird one later, I'm gonna try something else'

'Don't do anything stupid down there, Scott'

'Define stupid!?'

Scott jumps off the ledge and glides after the balloon

'Scott, I'm picking up a ton of interference here'

'Have you changed position? I can't see a thing'

'You could say that'

'You're going to miss the capsule'

'I'm not aiming for the capsule!'

'Someone needs to give this guy some flying lessons!'

'So, Francios Lemaire,'

"If you're way up, up, up and away in your mega balloon, then who exactly is taking a cruise on your super-yacht?'

Kayo lands Thunderbird Shadow on the yacht

'Hey you can't leave that there!'

'What are you going to do, give me a ticket?'

'What are you doing in here?'

'I..er...'

'Lemaire? Is that you?'

'Thats the last time he'll try roller blading on the deck of his yacht'

'In a force ten storm'

'Scott? Come in...Scott, come in'

'Thunderbird one do you read me?'

'Scott, the balloon is still descending. If you don't change course you'll crash into the valley'

'Sounds like I don't have much of a choice Kayo. I'm going in!'

'What have you got Scott? Pirates? Balloon rustlers?'

'It's way worse than that, John'

'It's a teenager'

'Woah dude! You totally just exploded my heart!'

'Who are you?'
'Brandon Berrenger. I help Mr. Lemaire with viral marketing and stuff'

'Are you International Rescue? Sweet! I love you guys, Er wait.. who needs saving?'

'Take a wild guess, Brandon'

'Me? Awesome! Are you cool with me filming this?'

'Uh..Be my guest'

'Hey Brandon, why not take it for a spin, get some 'wild' footage?'

'Pretty smart huh?'

'Why didn't you answer any of our calls?'

'I was getting way too many of my followers calling in'

'So I switched to broadcast only'

'It's no good, your altitude adjusters, they're shot.'

'Let it float free man, what's the worst that could happen?'

'I don't know, you could hit a mountain!'

'I'm Branden Berrenger, He's Scott Tracy and this is totally wild!'

'Brace yourself kid.'
'Aw man! Safety belts, really?'

'I'm bringing her in for an emergency landing'

Scott releases the balloon

The craft crashes

'Intense! We totally crashed into the mountain!'

'Hey take it easy! We're right on the edge!'

'Yeah man, we are on the EDGE!'
'No, we're on the edge of the-'

'Never mind.'

'Me and Scotty are exactly the same, 'Thrill junkies' man!'

'I think the kid's right bro, two peas in a pod'

'Well this pea wants out of this pod and off this mountain, so if you wouldn't mind?'
'Ok hang tight, I'm on my way.'

'Virgil! Wait, wait!'
'What is it Brains?'
'RAD Virgil, RAD.'

'Tell me you didn't interrupt my launch to say your catchphrase.'

'What? No, that's R-A-D. I'm talking about this-'

'My new prototype,RAD - or Rapid All-terrain Descender'

'This is the perfect opportunity to test it out'

'That's great Brains, but let's speed it up'

'I'm on my way Scott, finally. You and your new friend keep warm'

'Didn't you do anything crazy when you were my age?'

'Me? Uh, well maybe'

'I knew it. Peas in a pod dude.'

'Scott? Scott! Do you read me?'

'Where are you?'

'A mountain adventure too!'

'Awesome! say something for the camera d-d-dude!'

'Brandon! Time to get serious!'

'Virgil I see you but you won't be able to reach us from there'

'Brains gave me something that might help you get down. He calls it RAD'
'Like that catchphrase?'
'No, that's R-A-D'

'I know, but if this thing works we won't forget it. Stand by.'

'Sorry about that, Air's a little choppy up here'

'C-couldn't you use your cool j-jet pack and fly us over?'

'Carrying both of us with these crosswinds?'

'Not a great idea'

'We made it to the package'

'Brains, you wanna tell me what I'm looking at?'

'Oh and remember to step back quickly before it opens up.'

'Awesome! Woah, this thing is crazy. What does it do?'

'It's designed to make a rapid decent over difficult terrain'

'Brains, this thing only seems to have one seat'

'Oh yes, did I forget to m-mention that?'

'Cosy, I like it!'
'I really need to get off this mountain'

'Ah yeah, this is going to be a case of learn on the job, Brains'

'Engage internal stabilisers... ah that's better'

'We are not going to fit! How do I make this thing thinner Brains?'

'Deploy the structural modulator'
'The what?'

'The big red b-button'

The RAD's sides flatten to allow it to squeeze through the gap

'Uh..hey! Why don't you start filming me again?'

'Cool? Uh sure thing'

'This is Scott Tracy - International Rescue - Piloting the RAD, and it's uh..pretty rad, actually'
'Told you it was a good name'

'Looks like that avalanche is dispersed'

'Only you might wanna hit the brakes before you run into base camp'

The other craft land at the base camp

'Here they come! Actually here they come really pretty fast!'

'We're not slowing down fast enough. Brains? Is there anything else we can do?'
'Erm, l-like I said, it's only a prototype'

Scott leaps out the back of the RAD and tries to use the flight suit to slow it down

"And...stop'

'We're down. I'd call that test run a success'

'R-A-D Brains'
'R-A-D, Scott... Hey, you said it!'

'Hey Scott, what happened to your number one fan?'

Feeling a little motion sick I think'

'This hardware was all for me?'

'Uh huh'

'You can tell him yourself'

'He has only one thing to say to you after pulling a crazy stunt like that. You're promoted to chief test pilot'

'What!?'

'Scott? Scotty! I'll just go talk to him'

'This is nice, we should invite that kid over'
'That would drive Scott up the wall'

'Exactly'

'Hey Brandon! How'd you like to ride with me?'

Trivia

• A stark contrast to the classic series, Scott actually allows Brandon to film him and even suggests this himself later in the episode.
• The programmes on TV while Kayo is channel surfing looking for Francois Lemaire are scenes from the classic Thunderbirds series. Episodes include: Edge Of Impact, City of Fire, Attack of the Alligators!, Terror in New York City and Day of Disaster, as well as scenes from previous Thunderbirds Are Go! episodes: Runaway and Colony.

McGill, Blackmer and Dr. Orchard from Attack of the Alligators!

The highway into the tower from City of Fire

Opening scene from Runaway

Alien scene from Colony

The Martian Space Probe from Day of Disaster

Ned Cook from Terror in New York City

The Empire State Building from Terror in New York City

Tin-Tin and Colonel Casey from Edge of Impact

The car that crashes under the Thompson tower in City of Fire