tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941188284965945680.post3750616096770180006..comments2023-10-03T09:26:12.492+01:00Comments on Ffarquhar Branch Line Studios Reviews: Series 3: Henry's ForestChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256608035072085353noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941188284965945680.post-61820319461753891542018-03-12T20:32:50.203+00:002018-03-12T20:32:50.203+00:00Another thing to point out: Some steam engines bur...Another thing to point out: Some steam engines burned WOOD in the past, and in another episode, wood was used to bolster Percy's fire. So another strike against the episode.<br /><br />As a kid, I never understood the Rule 55 controversy...and even now I don't think it matters much. That being said, I think it may have more to do with HOW Henry stopped than anything else. In previous episodes, engines stopped in the yards, where they were supposed to work, like coworkers gathering around a water cooler. This could've been interpreted by the Reverend as someone shirking their duties for something utterly unrelated to your job, like the guy who skips work to do something like say, driving 10 miles away to a nudist beach (Strange comparison, I know).<br /><br />As for the episode itself...I'm wondering if it would have made more impact on a human character rather than an engine, but...the hypocrisy point would still stand, since Railways aren't exactly famous for promoting the environment.<br /><br />As for Henry, he was ultimately envisioned as the 'Grumpy Man of Tidmouth', which is more obvious in Christopher's books. This episode only helped to establish the meek Henry that would run away at the first sign of danger, whereas RS!Henry's arc showed him growing from a hypochondriac to...well, a grumpy old man, but one with gumption. I'm not against meek characters, but surely there must have been some other trait to establish a difference from Gordon and Henry. This may have been another loathsome trait, as it can feel like something of a backtrack for Henry's character. Perhaps if the forest was more of a curiosity rather than an passion, it would've served better.<br /><br />As for stories with nothing else to contrast to, you have a point there. Stories that have nothing but pain and suffering become unwatchable. Even tragedies have moments of levity that just make the hurt come even harder, and this contrast has become a great strength to many shows nowadays, which Thomas has always excelled at, as characters prove their worth.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01456902348072755782noreply@blogger.com