DVD Review: Tales on the Rails

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

TALES ON THE RAILS

Episodes

Very Important Sheep

Salty All at Sea

Den and Dart

Duck and the Slip Coaches

Missing Gator

Written by

Helen Farrel 

Lee Pressman

Mark Olster and Nick Huckerby

Andrew Brenner

Special Features

- All You Need music video

- Fun with Driver Perkins

Release Date

10/11/15 - iTunes

24/11/15 -  DVD

Distributed by

HIT/Universal 

We now reach to the final Thomas DVD for 2015 with three S19 episodes alongside two S18 episodes.

EPISODES

I will keep my word for the three S19 episodes next month when ABC begins airing them in Australia. But of course there's the two S18 episodes. I think it'll be quite confusing and distracting for Thomas fans when it comes to the voices with all the changes that were made this year (e.g - The Fat Controller having his UK voice in the US dub and the new voices for characters such as Thomas, Percy and James.) But 'Duck and the Slip Coaches' is a great episode and 'Missing Gator' is a good episode too, you can see my views by clicking on the links of the two episodes.

SPECIAL FEATURES

The extra features from the DVD and iTunes release are a music video and two Mr. Perkins segments, although I find it strange that the two Perkins segments which were 'Brendam Docks' for the Postcards and 'Thomas' Train' from the story time segment were in there UK dubbing from the 'Railway Mischief' DVD that was released in the UK a few months ago. It's good though that the these segments aren't forgotten but Universal and HIT should at least know the extras are to be shown to the US audiences and it could be distracting but I don't think kids would mind.

The intervals though they were a tad disappointing. What was strange is that the Thomas and Gordon segments for 'Calling All Engines!' were released in 'Santa's Little Engine' in the US in 2013 and another segment, with no title for some reason, was more like 'Calling All Engines!' and 'Who's That Engine' morphed together with the Fat Controller's voice going on about Millie and the episode 'Luke's New Friend'. It's not bad but it's not an original thought in my opinion and I think it'll be better if they've had another 'Landmarks of Sodor' segment. However there is another CAE! segment with Stafford and Spencer and of course it'll be new for the US audience as it was only seen on the UK's 'Railway Mischief' before this release and the Earl's Quiz talks about 'Scruff's Makeover ' and 'Luke's New Friend'. So while the intervals in this DVD were not great, they're OK. 

 OVERALL

I think the DVD was alright, there were good selection of episodes despite some meh intervals. I had thought about these DVDs and decided to stop purchasing the US DVDs off Amazon and stick with the iTunes releases. The reason is because of the quality that Universal had been releasing this past year with the poor interlacing and this is the company that released very famous films like the Back to the Future series. So starting next year, I'll be reviewing new US releases when the iTunes release are out. Plus as an international buyer, it saves shipping costs as well but if I go to America on holiday I might buy one as a souvenir. In the end it's a good release but I think the intervals could've been better. Well here we are with the last Thomas DVD review for 2015. So what will we expect next year? Of course the themed DVD release for 2016, 'Start Your Engines!' I'll be honest I'm not all hyped up but I do hope the episodes are good, I'm looking forward to the Emily episode on the themed DVD release and of course the new special 'The Great Race' featuring 12 new characters from different countries, here's hoping for an Australian character. 

Well be sure to look for more S19 episode reviews as ABC will be airing them next month. Also be on the lookout for the overall review of the DVDs that I've been reviewing during the year 2015 on December 31st. 

Rating: 7/10

DVD Review: Thomas' Christmas Carol

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

THOMAS' CHRISTMAS CAROL

Episodes

-Diesel's Ghostly Christmas 

- Snow Place Like Home

- A Cranky Christmas

- The Beast of Sodor

Written by

Becky Overton

Mark Hucklerby & Nick Olster

Lee Pressman

Directed by

Don Spencer

Produced by

Ian McCue 

Special Features

- Who's that Engine?

- 'There's Snow Place Like Home' Music Video

Release

27/10/15

Distributed

HIT/Universal 

Another Christmas themed DVD for 2015 for the US audience of S19 episodes. Will these bring the spirit of Christmas? Let's find out! 

EPISODES

With these releases, I keep them for December when the TV series airs in the UK, whenever that happens on milkshake? But I know that ABC Australia is airing them next month. But in short I say the episodes are good and OK this year, you'll see my views later on.

SPECIAL FEATURES

It's a surprise to see that there are no new Mr. Perkins segments in this release. But when you think about it, there's not much stories either set around Christmas nor in Winter. Sure there's 'Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas' but I think they like to have Winter/Christmas stories with snow to also give that wintery atmosphere. Look at 'A Scarf for Percy' from last year's release over in the US. Plus I believe, not making assumptions here, the reason why there aren't any this is because some stories set in winter have characters like Donald, Douglas, Terence and Daisy etc. even though to us we are familiar with them and that three of the four characters have just been in this year's special, the target range might not be familiar with them yet. Maybe that's the reason, I don't know. I like the new segment 'Landmarks of Sodor' in the style of an old news reel with some good history and reason for the place with some fabulous narration by Rob Jackstraw, who I thought was Mike Grady all this time. There are other simple segments such as the Calling All Engines! featuring Victor and Porter, not much to say but they were good informative segments of the two characters with some good amount of footage. There is also the Earl's Quiz with question for Samson Sent for Scrap, Whistles, Bells and Horns and Old Reliable Edward.

The Christmas music video is 'Snow Place like Home', most likely based on the episode title on the DVD. I think it's a good one and it gave that Christmassy feeling but it's no better then 'It's Christmas Time' from last year's release. 

OVERALL

This release is a good one although I will say for the bonus features from the DVD menu and I will say it's lazy to release the same segment that were on previous releases by them. The quality of the footage on the recent DVDs from them are poor too with their interlacing, what was wrong with the quality of footage that is released over in the UK? In my opinion if you want good quality I buy it off iTunes in HD, the footage is crystal clear and you get the usual features from the DVD as well. Unless if you want to sit through low pitched sound.

Rating: 

7.5/10