THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE
SPILLS AND THRILLS
Written by
Andrew Brenner
Laura Beaumont and Paul Larson
Sharon Miller
Sharon Miller
Directed by
David Baas
Greg Tiernan
Greg Tiernan
Produced by
Robert Anderson and Halim Jabbour
Nicole Stinn
Nicole Stinn
Episodes
- Gone Fishing
- Jitter and Japes (AUS)
- Thomas' Shortcut (UK/US)
- The Thomas Way (iTunes Australia release)
- Jitter and Japes (AUS)
- Thomas' Shortcut (UK/US)
- The Thomas Way (iTunes Australia release)
Distributed by
ABC/HIT Entertainment
Release Date
5/3/14
ABC/HIT Entertainment
Release Date
5/3/14
EPISODES
First off I don't know why ABC had replaced 'Thomas' Shorcut', probably one of the best episodes of the 17th season, with a generic and bland episode like 'Jitter and Japes' the episode is OK but it's not great, but that's no excuse for such a move to replace it against an episode that is regarded as a 'modern classic'. The iTunes release here in Australia had released 'The Thomas Way' and I would've gladly accept that as the replacement episode for the DVD instead of that S14 episode. However I'm glad that the five episodes from the 17th season were there and some are worth watching. Incase you're wondering no 'Jitter and Japes' wasn't narrated by Mark Moraghan, even if that happened it would never improve anything as the script is still the same from 2010. But I don't approve the deletion of the segments that were shown at the cinemas two months ago and it gives the words 'false advertising' towards there customers. My views on these episodes will be released later, in the meantime you can have a look at my views on the S14 episode and the iTunes released episode.
OVERALL
In January 2014, ABC and Hoyts had played a different version of the DVD to the Australian audience. Hoyts had played the one with Mr. Perkins, Who's that Engine etc. that UK and American audience get. I thought Australia would finally get those after three years of having CGI releases being individual episode with no special segments. Unfortunately this the same as the rest of the DVD releases that Australia had gotten. ABC had tampered with the DVD with the new and improved segments being cut out and the replacement of 'Thomas' Shorcut' with a generic and bland S14 episode that it left me disappointed. But on the plus side, the five S17 episodes were worth it and iTunes had replaced 'Thomas' Shortcut' with 'The Thomas Way', another great S17 episode, which I would gladly accept as the replacement episode instead of 'Jitter and Japes' on the DVD. In the end the ABC had false advertised their customers with the special preview of the DVD at the cinemas in January and if they are reading this I think next time when they release Thomas DVDs they should stick with what the UK had released with the segments and no replacement of the sixth episode. The UK and US DVDs have released the episodes in the same way and they have never tampered with theirs, minus America having their CGI releases in 4:3 screen ratio, though they are improving now with 16:9 widescreen.
Rating: 3.5/5
