Sunday, 20 March 2016

Series 19: Reds vs Blues

Here are my thoughts on episode two of Start Your Engines!, Reds vs Blues!


I know that not many fans like this episode due to its heavy focus on football, but I think it's pretty good. It feels like a huge improvement on Thomas and the Colours.

Here, Thomas and James have similar duties, so it feels a lot more interesting to see who comes out on top and how, whereas the series 10 episode was just Thomas being a whiny, jealous character who was just trying to sabotage a job that James had earned.

I also quite liked how football rules were integrated into the engines' scoldings; it made them feel more unique. Granted, I do think the red card should have been explained as "you'll be sent to the sheds" as an actual consequence for their actions should they do it again.

It was also pretty funny when it wanted to be. Highlights include the Fat Controller kicking the ball. That was brilliant.

Also, Percy's line was just fantastic. I don't think it was a fourth wall break as such, but it was a great case of self awareness that was delivered fantastically by Nigel Pilkington.

And I also like that they used Thomas rather than Gordon. Why? Well, Gordon seemed an obvious choice, and it feels more like he's an obstacle for James to overcome than a genuine rival. Also, the match takes place around Dryaw, somewhere Gordon can't go. And finally, I think Thomas and James have much better chemistry than Gordon and James. When those two are on screen, especially these days, it feels like James is a mini Gordon, only with a red livery.

I do have complaints, though. First off, it seems really petty that football fans (who are general passengers usually) would be so biased based on who'll be taking them to the game based solely on their livery. It feels really odd. Then again, football fans can be a fickle bunch in reality anyway, so I can let that slide.

Second, while I love that Barrow's team was mentioned by name, why wasn't Sodor's native team? They're playing at Dryaw, why weren't they just called Dryaw FC? I'm getting a bit frustrated by one person, or a group of people, representing a whole island when in reality, and in The Railway Series, that isn't the case. If we're basing this on a real island, there's a fire service, hospital and fire service for every major county, a search and rescue service for every coastal area, a major for every county, city, borough, etc., and a football team (or more) per city, county, etc. I know that including too much could be confusing for kids, but if they're wanting to build on a realistic fictional world..! (sorry, I had to vent there. I know it's minor, but it annoys me somewhat).

Fan Reaction





Final Thoughts
I know I'm probably in the minority, but I like this one. Whether people like it or not, football is a big thing in Britain, so to see it featured here is great as it helps to build that connection that the Awdrys liked to incorporate with their work. The story itself is just a fun, simple one for kids to teach them about teamwork, and I'm OK with that. As long as it's done well..!

Episode Ratings

Series Rating (so far)
107/160
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Saturday, 19 March 2016

Series 19: Two Wheels Good

Channel 5's Thomas Week may be over, but the reviews keep on coming. Start Your Engines! came out on DVD on Monday, so it's time to get those six episodes ticked off the review list, starting with Two Wheels Good!


Well, this ended up being a surprise! I've wanted more episodes where the focus is more on the roads, and people, of Sodor for quite some time now, and along comes this one to give me both. But what did I think of it?

I think it's... alright. It felt a bit petty that they'd all be arguing about "how many wheels is best" when you'd have thought that all of them, somewhere along the way, would have realised that how many wheels you have is irrelevant as long as you get the job done.

Also, the addition of Mr Percival was... odd. While it's nice that someone from the Skarloey Railway actually got screen time this series, and it was great that he was at Knapford for a meeting with the Fat Controller, in terms of the story it felt like he was only at the station to say "I'll be an important part to the story's resolution". And he was. With no explanation as to why he was going that way.

In fact, neither Thomas or Bertie had any real reason to go to Callan Castle other than plot convenience. At least Mr Percival might have had the excuse that he was going to the ball as well, and Harold's appearance makes sense as he was told off screen where Bertie had broken down, but Bertie and Thomas? Nothing. It would've been acceptable if they were taking people to the ball as well, but the bus and Annie were both empty when the Duke and Duchess boarded.

That said, I like the story. Troublesome travel is something that, at least, adults can sympathise with (I know I can after last Thursday, but that's another story), and the dialogue is definitely some of the most entertaining of series 19 thus far.

I also love the look of the country roads. They feel really natural for the kind of setting the Awdrys imagined, and the one that the current team are trying to respect and be inspired by.

Also, Lord Callan was great. His part was small, which was a shame, but his render is fantastic and his voice is great as well. I know that Keith Wickham gets a lot of stick for voicing so many characters, and I understand it completely, but it doesn't take away the fact that he's a really good voice actor.

Fan Reaction





Final Thoughts
This episode has its problems, but I still like it. The story's good, it has enough entertainment value to keep you interested and it's nice that they took a bit of time away from the railway. Fingers crossed that it's not for the final time..!

Episode Ratings

Series Rating (so far)
100/150
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Friday, 18 March 2016

Series 19: Helping Hiro

And lo, the fifth and final day of Channel 5's Thomas Week has arrived. Here's my review of Helping Hiro!


I've seen this episode a few times, and... I'm not sure what to think of it. But throughout this review, I hope to figure that out. We'll see where the positives and negatives are and go from there.

The first point of contention is... Thomas' behaviour. For me, it's a tale of two parts. Although his inquisitive, helpful side in the second is perfectly fine, his borderline obsessive personality in the first is... off. Yes, I know that they wanted to show that Hiro felt like a father to him, but this is something he really should have outgrown after The Adventure Begins. Even disregarding that, it's really jarring considering they've been seen together many times on screen since Hero of the Rails and Thomas has never acted like this around him. Unless he was just so glad that Hiro saved Annie and Clarabel in Not So Slow Coaches, but there was no explanation for it.

The accident was filmed really well, and the animators threw a lot of detail into it. Also, the guilt that Thomas feels is really well done. It's nice that they showed that he has genuine feelings about screwing up, and it feels more natural than the traits he had before then.

I also like that Thomas went back to Hiro's old hideout to try and find old parts to make up for his mistake. It feels really genuine. However, wouldn't Thomas have known that there were no parts there before he went searching? He was, after all, the engine who originally found Hiro, and there was nothing else there. He ended up having to look around Sodor for parts lest Hiro be scrapped!

And this is where my mixed feelings continue. Taking the episode on its own merits, it's OK, but recent years have shown that the writers want to add continuity back into the mix, and it's all over the place here. As well as Thomas' demeanour in the first half, Hiro can't move after his accident (by the way, why did the Fat Controller think he could?) yet Diesel can after his in Diesel's Ghostly Christmas, the search for the parts, etc.

That said, I like the use of Hero of the Rails footage for Thomas' flashback. It makes sense to use it rather than try and re-animate it, unlike references to model series episodes, which would really feel out of place if they used that footage. It's a bit of a shame that no one from Nitrogen was credited for the work they put in, but then they weren't when the series 13-16 intro was used for series 17 and 18, so I didn't really expect them to here either.

Going back to my problems, though, this is a pretty minor one: why would Harold turn around if only for plot convenience? It's stated that he couldn't hear Thomas, so he wouldn't have heard any puffing sounds, and he doesn't have eyes on his back, so he couldn't see anything either. As for his pilot? I'm pretty sure it'd be dangerous for him to look back and there are no visible camera's on Harold's rear either, so I doubt he would have seen anything.

And then there's the ending, which actually makes the whole of the second half of the episode pointless. Yes, it shows how determined Thomas is that he'd want to rectify his mistake, but you'd have thought that the Steamworks actually would have been the first place to check for parts, since it's the main port of call for broken engines? Also, Hiro's been there before, in Henry's Hero, which is another thing that's completely forgotten about.

Fan Reaction







The Mad Controller's Corner

Final Thoughts
This show really needs to decide what it's going to be. It's been two years now; it should have discovered that by this point. I don't really care whether it wants to be episodic or have tight continuity, but wanting to be both will just confuse everyone.

Having gone through this episode properly though, I can confidently say that I don't like it. I like that it tried to be a sequel to Hero of the Rails, but it's years too late and just feels out of place this far down the line. Thomas' personality in the first half should have been outgrown by this point, even if kids and overly obsessed fanboys can relate to it somewhat, and the ending just makes the second half feel like filler.

Episode Ratings

Series Rating (so far)
93/140
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Thursday, 17 March 2016

Series 19: Den & Dart

Day 4 of Thomas Week! Here are my thoughts on Den & Dart!


In my last review, I said that the creative team really needed to ditch the Steam Team concept in order to let other characters shine. After all, that's what made the show, and The Railway Series, so great in the first place. Then along comes this episode to prove my point.

This was what Ol' Wheezy Wobbles should have been. No focusing on Thomas and his idiocy, no focus on trying to build fake tension with 'Arry and Bert, no repetitive, annoying nonsense. Just a simple, engaging story delving into Den and Dart's friendship and how much they really need each other.

It's not just those two who shine, though. This episode is another fine example of how far Mavis has grown under Toby's leadership, too. Her caring, empathetic side is wonderful, and while it would be nice to see more females on the show, characters like her, Annie, Clarabel, Henrietta, Caitlin and even Marion show that quality trumps quantity every single time. I'm just hoping they do well with Daisy in series 20..!

As for Toby, he finally feels like Toby, and I'm absolutely delighted! Granted, hints of his original personality returned in series 17, but I'm hoping this is the starting point for his characterisation remaining consistent, putting his fears behind him. They've done an excellent job with Edward, so there's no excuse for Toby not to be treated in a similar way.

But for me, the stand out character of the whole thing was Den - which is surprising as he had little going for him before this episode aired. I like the fact that he went from being an intimidated, shy character to a confident, no nonsense one. Granted, he was a bit flustered at the end of the day, but I don't mind that. As long as that confidence resurfaces, the ending shows that characters can't change completely in one day, but they can learn quite a bit about themselves.

Also, that musical interlude showing how Den and Dart were getting on was brilliant. One thing I really haven't liked throughout the HiT era is that we don't really hear enough of the episodes' scores due to the large amount of dialogue, reaching its nadir in series 13-16 when the music was vastly better yet the dialogue stifled it completely. But if these little interludes become a regular feature, I'd be all for it, especially if the story is continually told well with the visuals.

However, I think it's a shame that Dart didn't really get as much attention as Den. It would have been nice to see if he would have developed in his own way without Den rather than have him just feeling sad for a bit only to have Mavis cheer him up with a little speech. That said, throughout their appearances, Dart has been shown to be the more confident of the two, so it's only a minor gripe.

Fan Reaction






The Mad Controller's Corner

Final Thoughts
Has there ever been an episode that you didn't know you wanted until you had it? Well, after 4 and a half years of nothing for Den and Dart, this was that episode, and it turned out to be one of the best of this series. The story was great, the conflict lived up to its potential and it gave Den some great development. Here's hoping it's not the end for these two, as it would be a real shame if they didn't capitalise on the momentum they have now.

Episode Ratings

Series Rating (so far)
92/130
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Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Series 19: Salty All at Sea

Day three of Channel 5's Thomas Week, so here are my thoughts on Salty All At Sea!


I've said on a few occasions that some episodes from this era of the show have some sort of missed potential: The Frozen Turntable, Signals Crossed and Samson Sent for Scrap being the stand out ones. But... my God, does no episode drop the ball harder than this one.

This episode pretty much showed me that adding Porter was absolutely pointless. Why? Because throughout the entire thing, he says, and does, absolutely nothing. I had high hopes that he and Salty would create a really fascinating dynamic, with Porter's perfectionism and Salty's love of the sea, storytelling and overall jolly demeanour. And yet, when the ideal opportunity presented itself... nothing... This isn't really a case of me hating Porter now and more feeling sorry for how badly he's been neglected since Tale of the Brave.

Instead of Porter, they chose Thomas, the most blatant shoehorning of him that this era has ever had. I don't care whether his characterisation was spot on (that should be the default setting, not an accident), his role here was completely unnecessary. If you really wanted someone to lend a helping hand, send Edward, as he's old and wise enough to handle practically any situation. Also, it's his branch line they're working on!

How is Edward actually involved in the episode? Well, he appears for a few seconds wondering where his trucks (which we've no idea the purpose of, by the way) are and... that's it. At least Thomas & the Magic Railroad left him out completely since there was nothing for him to do there! That said, Arc adding a brake van behind him for his train was a nice touch.

Then there's the ending, which was basically there to say "this whole story was pointless. Thank you for wasting nine minutes of your time". Granted, Salty got over his fear, but the fact that they were too scared to actually end an episode with a side character away from the show for a while (I'd understand, somewhat, if it was a main character) is a huge disappointment. There was loads of story potential for Salty on the mainland and for the crew at Brendam with the diesel away, but... nope, they had to keep the status quo...

It's a real shame, too, as the story itself doesn't have a bad concept. Delving into Salty's psyche for an episode's conflict is excellent. It leads to a humorous irony, and it shows how much it could affect you if you start to believe your own stories.

Also, Arc's shot variety really shines here, especially their wide shots circling the docks and suspension bridge. I know that, like the characterisation, good animation should be the default at this point, but it still really impresses me how much they improve year on year.

Fan Reaction






The Mad Controller's Corner

Final Thoughts
A few months ago, I re-wrote this episode (apologies for the self promotion) with the intent of showing how much potential it missed out on. The show is called Thomas & Friends, which is something I don't think HiT and Mattel realise. The show has a rich cast of characters with a wide variety of personalities, yet their obsession with the Steam Team - Thomas especially - is completely stifling that. I just hope that this is the final series that puts a heavy emphasis on that particular concept, because it needs to die so that other characters, old and new, can have a real opportunity to show how valuable they are to the show.

As for this episode? I don't like it, not the way it is. I love the idea behind it, and I like a few of the details here and there, but on the whole, it's the definition of a good episode completely ruined by poor choices and huge opportunities missed.

Episode Ratings

Series Rating (so far)
83/120
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Tuesday, 15 March 2016

Series 19: Very Important Sheep

Day two of Channel 5's Thomas Week, as well as my bumper eleven day marathon to review every episode released this week (including the ones from Start Your Engines!). Anyway, here are my thoughts on Very Important Sheep!


Over the past few years, Brenner, McCue and co. have taken concepts that didn't work before and tried to make them better. The Thomas Way improved on the basic concept of Up, Up and Away!, Too Many Fire Engines vastly improved upon Race to the Rescue's conflict and they tried hard to improve Charlie. But there was one concept that I thought they'd never get right: the one from Wonky Whistle and Muddy Matters.

Enter Helen Farrall, who produced this absolute gem. Everything about the story makes absolute sense; no one is made to look completely incompetent and the animals are well looked after by all the people they come in contact with.

I also really like that the whole thing took place on a genuine representation of the Ffarquhar branch line. Hopefully this is another step (like Toad & the Whale taking place on the Little Western) to give the engines their own distinguished roles on their own routes. Granted, Thomas may still be shoehorned into scenarios he shouldn't really have any business with, but at least we have a starting point.

Annie's characterisation really interested me. She's never really been shown to be anything other than Thomas' guardian, but here she's shown to care a lot about her own appearance which I quite like... as long as they don't make her really snobby in the future..! It provided some good comedy and a great opportunity to see how well she and Clarabel interacted with each other.

I think the only real issue I have with it is that it can get a bit dull and repetitive, but to Helen's credit, at least Percy's stoppages were all unique. Thomas' though? That's where things get predictable as you know where he'll stop, and you know he'll only be cleaning up Percy's mess.

Fan Reaction






The Mad Controller's Corner

Final Thoughts
Helen Farrall is fast becoming my favourite writer currently working on the show, and it really says a lot when I think that this, despite being excellent, is my least favourite effort from her. Despite it being a bit dull in areas, the story is still really strong with good pacing, understandable actions and a piglet that is absolutely hilarious yet adorable. Oh yeah, and I think a certain traction engine showed up somewhere..?

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

Series Rating (so far)
81/110
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