The plot regarding the damaged solar collector threatening Taipei City is a direct nod to the episode "Lord Parker's 'oliday" from the original 1960s series. Many aspects are mirrored such as a team member thought to have fallen (Brains in the original, Scott in this series) and Thunderbird 2 struggling with the weight of the collector.
The Thunderbird Shadow craft designed by Brains for Kayo looks remarkably similar to other craft in the Gerry Anderson supermarionation series, such as Brains' silver TB6 model in "Thunderbird 6" and the Angel interceptor from Captain Scarlet.