Saturday 27 January 2018

DVD Review: Danger at the Docks

Welcome to the year 2018! As we await the outcome of the upcoming special 'Big World! Big Adventures!' and the new series alongside it, we got our first DVD release for the year 2018 with S21 episodes and a S19 episode both written by Davey Moore some S21 episodes by Lee Pressman. So let's start off the new year with this! But first: 

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT INFLUENCED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

DANGER AT THE DOCKS
Written by
Davey Moore
Lee Pressman 


Special Features
Do It Right - Sing-a-long
Trying Song - Sing-a-long
Learn with Thomas: Listen to Advice
Learn with Thomas: Responsibility
The Earl's Quiz
Top 5 Moment: Repairs & Rebuild

Directed by 
Dianna Basso

Produced by
Micaela Winters (HIT/Mattel)
Tracy Blagdon (Jam Filled)

Release Date
8/01/18 (UK)

Distributed by
Mattel Creations/HIT Entertainment (UK)

EPISODES


The episodes consists six episodes of S21 and one from S19. To me the episodes from S21 still share the same word that I gave them when they'd first aired last year as well as 'Den and Dart'. 'Cranky at the End of the Line' still makes me confused about the whole 'series before special' idea as it was inconsitent with Thomas and Edward going to the mainland and that Thomas went to the mainland 'for the first time!' But it didn't leave me dissapointed and Carly was still a good character and I hope we see more of a dynamic between her and Cranky.

The one episode though that made me change my opinion was 'Philip's Number' the fantasy sequence is really creative and when it comes to the idea of railway realism it works in this episode because it is Philip''s fantasy, everything was going through his head. Plus there were some developed moments when it comes to the characters such as Gordon with him mocking Philip and then after the conflict we see him apologising him. In fact after years of focusing on his boastful nature it was quite refreshing to see his caring side so cheers to Lee Pressman for doing that. Having said all that, if I were to go back to the day when this episode first aired, I probably would've given it an 8 or 9. It was really good. 

SPECIAL FEATURES


We have two updated music videos that were around from 'Calling All Engines!' and Season 10. I'll be honest I'm never a fan of the songs that were written by Ed Welch they sometime sound bland, boring and generic and even the singers sound like they were either bored or were just terrible that it makes them feel so forgettable. It's good that they decided to scrap the children choir and just have better singers. I will say the children choir from 'The Adventure Begins' and 'Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure' during the chorus of the songs sound much better than the ones from fourteen years ago. I don't hate the singers as people but they should've had much more better enthusiasm when it cames to the songs. I will say how the way they were edited were not bad with the compilation of footage. I especially like during the instrumental break in the song 'Trying to do things Better', the footage of Diesel and Hiro bumping the trucks from 'No More Mr. Nice Engine' was edited nicely to fit with the beat.


We have two 'Learn with Thomas' segments, both UK dubbed now, talking about the morals from the episodes 'All in Vain' and 'Reds Vs. Blues' and once again they are the usual segments, Thomas talking to the audience and telling us what he had learnt. Same can be said about 'The Earl's Quiz' just the same thing with the Earl asking kids question about what they had been in the clip with one about the Fat Controller's pocket watch which shows various clips from certain episodes and the other question is for the episode 'Wild Water Rescue' about Diesel. 

And we got another segment of the Top 5 lists that debuted from the 'Journey Beyond Sodor' DVD. I do like these Top 5 lists now and Sam and Nigel are great to listen to. These segments just showcased clips from various episodes and specials about the rebuilds and repaints and I do like that little reference to the Reverend.W.Awdry too. A nice little acknowledgement of the past. 

Overall Rating*: 8/10

*I decided to can the overall segment as I would just be repeating myself again from what I said earlier. I will keep that stuff for other things like episodes and specials though.