Kayo from Thunderbirds Are Go!
This month's instalment may seem a little obscure, as I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who's been watching Thunderbirds Are Go (that said, it's been renewed for a second season, so obviously it's popular somewhere) but Kayo was an unexpected highpoint.
My memories of watching the original Thunderbirds show are a little dim, though I'm under the impression that Kayo is not so much an original character as she is a reconception of a slightly dated character called Tin-Tin, who according to Wikipedia was introduced to the show to "redress the balance of the male dominated cast". Naturally, they ended up doing nothing with her.
As a quintessential Affirmative Action Girl, there was the risk that the writers of this remake would be equally inept at utilizing her properly in the narrative – but thankfully we've come a long way since the 1960s. Although the focus remains on the Tracey brothers, Kayo is given at least two episodes all to herself, in which she's portrayed as competent, intelligent, resourceful and pretty badass. The episode Fireflash in particular showcases her skills, and she's been given a dark family secret that will no doubt be brought to life in the season's second half.
Now don't get me wrong, Thunderbirds definitely makes for very light viewing, but it's worth appreciating the fact that Kayo is treated as the Sixth Ranger of the team (her portrait hangs alongside the Tracey brothers in their main room) and – in what is my favourite touch – is a mentor to the youngest sibling Alan.
It's not perfect – after gifting her with a brand new Thunderbird at the end of the pilot episode, we never see her actually use this plane in any subsequent missions (especially annoying since Wikipedia also tells me that she's the first female Thunderbird pilot in the history of the franchise) but it's early days yet and plenty of time to see Thunderbird Shadow in action...
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