Series 19: Thomas the Babysitter

Well, the time has come. After constant stop/start airing, series 19 has been splurged into shops today with 13 episodes being released on 2 separate DVDs; 5 of which I've yet to review... until now. Yep, this week, I'll be reviewing all 5 new episodes in the order they appear on Full Steam to the Rescue, starting with Thomas the Babysitter!

It's very easy to hate this one. I know quite a few fans who do for the exact same reason: the baby crying constantly. However, I think this is one of the most heartwarming episodes of the show, and it shows Thomas, Annie and Clarabel at their absolute best.

Another complaint I've seen is that having Thomas go around his branch with the mother and child is a waste of resources. While this is true, the same can be said when parents in the real world take their babies on an aimless car journey. The reason they do it, however, is to calm them down and help them rest easier. And if you've ever had a baby, you'll know how much of a godsend this is if you find it difficult to get them to nod off any other way.

There are a couple of complaints that I have, although they're very minor. First off, Percy's train starts off as an oil train and turns into a milk one (the latter of which I prefer. It'd be great to see that become a permanent thing).

Second, the animators seem to constantly raise Thomas' main body for some reason. I found that a lot more distracting than the baby (although that could be down to experience of going onto public transport with crying babies on quite often).

Fan Reaction

#S19Babysitter It's admittedly quite sweet and has a great moral, but it's far too boring for me to call it anything more than mediocre

— ded Thomas (@NWSodor23) October 21, 2016

A sweet and somewhat original story with a lot of heart. Thomas was actually bearable. #S19Babysitter

— TrainMaster97 (@TrainMaster97) October 18, 2016

#S19Babysitter my favourite TTTE episode. Simple story, authenticity to the RWS and catchy music - everything I love about the franchise

— OOO AHHH SNOOPY (@davis_selby) October 18, 2016

#S19Babysitter
A very Christopher Awdry-esque story! A lot of heart and neat visuals in this one. Definitely very relatable too! :)

— SpookedStepney (@SunilFan48) October 18, 2016

moral that isn't shoved down the throats of the viewers.

— Adamski Abrahart (@Adamski2851) October 18, 2016

Final Thoughts

There's not really much you can say about an episode that's practically perfect. It feels like something that Christopher Awdry would come up with. The story is really sweet, it's one that parents can identify with and it just captures the spirit of the railway completely.

Episode Ratings

Who's Geoffrey?: 8/10
The Truth About Toby: 7/10
Lost Property: 9/10
Henry Spots Trouble: 8/10
A Cranky Christmas: 4/10
Snow Place Like Home: 8/10
The Beast of Sodor: 5/10
Diesel's Ghostly Christmas: 6/10
Wild Water Rescue: 8/10
Toad & the Whale: 10/10
Very Important Sheep: 8/10
Salty All at Sea: 2/10
Den & Dart: 9/10
Helping Hiro: 1/10
Two Wheels Good: 7/10
Reds vs Blues: 7/10
Slow Stephen: 10/10
The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead: 0/10
Best Engine Ever: 9/10
Philip to the Rescue: -1/10
Thomas the Babysitter: 10/10

Series Rating (so far)

135/210