Thunderbirds (TV series)/Recap/S1/E04 Terror in New York City

International Rescue helps put out a vast oilfield fire. On the way out, Ned Cook, NBC News, tries to record Thunderbird 1 - and is defeated by the magnetic beam. Crossing the Pacific, however, worse is to come - the new USS Sentinel, a warship capable of over 200 knots, mistakenly fires upon Thunderbird 2, crippling its engines and forcing a dangerous crashlanding on Tracy Island.

In New York, the final stage of the plan to move the Empire State Building commences. However, previously unsuspected subsidence causes the vast tower to collapse - trapping Ned Cook and his cameraman in an underground chamber which is slowly filling with water. Without Thunderbird 2, International Resuce can't use their heavy equipment - how will they rescue the trapped men?


 * Going for the Big Scoop: Ned Cook.
 * Harsher in Hindsight: The title, and to some extent the plot, given the September 11th attacks.
 * Killed Off for Real / Monumental Damage: The Empire State Building is destroyed when it topples over.
 * Take a Third Option: Brains determines they might be able to bring Thunderbird 4 to Cook and his cameraman via an underground stream, but with Thunderbird 2 out of action, Thunderbird 4 cannot be airlifted into position, and Thunderbird 4 itself is too slow to get there in time if it went all the way by sea. The answer is to get the USS Sentinel to bring Thunderbird 4 to New York.
 * Technology Porn: Thunderbird 2's crash while on fire is arguably Technology Gorn.