THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT INFLUENCED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FANBASE
SERIES 3 (1992)
Rev.W.Awdry
Andrew Brenner
Britt Allcroft
David Mitton
Adapted by
Britt Allcroft
David Mitton
EPISODES
A SCRAF FOR PERCY
Honestly, I much prefer this over Rev.W.Awdry's version. I like how Britt Allcroft and David Mitton had taken the liberty into expanding the episode to make it more as a story instead of keeping as it was originally. I feel that the original story deviated away from being Henry's book. This isn't the best adaptation but it was alright with its 'be careful what you wish for' moral. Percy wanted a scraf and he did but it wasn't what he expected.
Rating: 7/10
PERCY'S PROMISE
I don't see the point of Percy having a brake van. Sure it was to use as a van but it was never part of the original story. As for the story, I think it was good but nothing too special about it really.
Rating: 7/10
TIME FOR TROUBLE
I've always believed that 'Gordon Goes Foriegn' was intened for this season because of the dialouge said by Gordon when he left the big station at the beginning of the episode. However I was surprised to learn from SiF that it was really intended for the second season. Although the story was fine, I don't see the point of changing the title really.
Rating: 7/10
Rating: 7/10
GORDON AND THE FAMOUS VISITOR
Rating: 7/10
I think the story worked on its own, since this was part of the Duck and Diesel book. Duck's appearance in the book was to set up with his boasting of Great Western pride but it was quite small in the original story. Although I don't know why they decided to have Thomas talking about Truro's record breaking instead of Duck since he's the one with the Great Western pride. In the end, the story was more of a Gordon being arrogant episode and it was nice I'll say.
Rating: 7/10
DONALD'S DUCK
I find it odd that Duck and the other engines were building a new station when in fact there was one right there. In the original story it was a shed they were building, why didn't they go with that? It would make more sense to be honest. Despite that little oddity, I think the story was still good. It was similar to the original story.
Rating: 8/10
Rating: 8/10
THOMAS GETS BUMPED
Some story merges can work, but this one didn't in my opinion. I felt that the story was confusing with Thomas helping the school children to get home and the other was about Thomas dealing with Bertie taking his passengers because of bent tracks. Both of the stories felt like seperate plots and they literally are as I have both of the magazine stories. To me the original story 'A Bump on the Line' by Andrew Brenner could've worked on its own and maybe add something original to it to lengthen the plot. The episode feels like they were going for another Thomas and Bertie story so, for the beginning of the episode, why not have Bertie teasing Thomas that the passengers will prefer him over Thomas and use the rest of the magazine story? Scarp the 'Hello Thomas!' magazine story and just use the former. The original episode's merger of the two stories was just confusing and a bit messy.
Rating: 3/10
THOMAS, PERCY AND THE DRAGON
Unlike 'Thomas Gets Bumped', this story merger actually works with the whole being afraid scenario. It flowed nicely but I also think this is where Percy's scaredy cat trait started off from and I think it makes him stand out more from Thomas to be honest. I love the dark atmosphere and the music too with the dragon it was really good. Plus I like the message that we can't be brave all the time.
Rating: 9/10
Rating: 9/10
DIESEL DOES IT AGAIN
Honestly, I don't think it's a bad idea to bring Diesel back into the series despite him being sent away a season ago. Everyone deserves a second chance in the end despite what happened before but if you mess something up big time then that chance is gone, which shows for Diesel in the end. I think Britt Allcroft and David Mitton wanted a recurring villian for the show but it got inconsitent later on. Plus I liked the Duck and Percy pairing here, they do work so well together as a duo.
Rating: 9/10
Rating: 9/10
HENRY'S FOREST
Probably the most infamous episode because of Rev.W.Awdry's 'Rule 55' criticism but despite that I think it's overrated and that due to the fandom being sentimental with this episode. Ever since Awdry's criticism about the episode was uploaded on YouTube many years ago, it was part of the 'Thomas the Tank Engine Man' documentary back in the mid-90's and back in the early 2010's it was rare to come by unlike now, I have seen some people in the fandom protecting the episode because they generally think that everyone hates the episode now because Awdry says so. But maybe those people have more reason to dislike the episode and it's not just because of a railway regulation, and yet this is the same fandom who would go nuts over anything not railway realistic from the likes of Mattel and yet would defend anything that came before them, with the execption of the Miller/Barlow era.
The reason why I think it's overrated is that the story basically feels like a story draft being told. Nothing had pretty much happened to Henry character wise. It was basically, Henry loves the forest, storm came destroyed it all and Henry was sad. Toby then, for some reason, took young trees to the forest and Henry is happy that he got his forest back, the end. There was nothing that made me engaged with Henry's character, no character conflict or anything. It almost felt like a nothing story offering no valuable life lesson after watching it, especially for a season that was designed to be in sync with the Shining Time Station episodes at the time when it comes to morality and life lessons. Plus Henry only had ONE line in the entire episode.
It's like someone had written the draft and had forgotten to write the script by the deadline had given them the draft instead and they just went with that in the end.
So despite Awdry's critical standpoint of the episode based on a real life railway regulation, the episode is pretty much a bland, uninteresting, shallow story that feels like it was mandated just so Henry could have a story and is only loved because it was sentimental. Nostalgia is great to have but it shouldn't be an excuse by parts of the fandom to justify why an episode or a movie is good. I like the first Pokemon movie as a kid and I still have nostalgia for it but that doesn't mean it was a great film with some errors in the original and the 1998 english dub.
Rating: 1/10
THE TROUBLE WITH MUD
I don't know why in this version they made Gordon feel too important to not have a wash down when in the earlier seasons we see him feel beneath his pride of pulling goods trains, since they are dirty, heck in the US dub they stated that he felt his position was down deeply. To me its clearly out of his character, and yet strangely some people think that Allcroft and Mitton know the characters well more than Awdry, that argument makes no sense in my view, and the title of the episode to me was a poor choice to go with. The mud part of the story lasted for a little while and was only made to give Gordon a role, and it had no importance in the second half of the story when most of it was about leaves. To me the story could've worked in S1 since two of Gordon's stories were used and it would add some continuity. I think this was poorly adapted and more tweaks should've been done to make it a bit better.
Rating: 3/10
I don't know why in this version they made Gordon feel too important to not have a wash down when in the earlier seasons we see him feel beneath his pride of pulling goods trains, since they are dirty, heck in the US dub they stated that he felt his position was down deeply. To me its clearly out of his character, and yet strangely some people think that Allcroft and Mitton know the characters well more than Awdry, that argument makes no sense in my view, and the title of the episode to me was a poor choice to go with. The mud part of the story lasted for a little while and was only made to give Gordon a role, and it had no importance in the second half of the story when most of it was about leaves. To me the story could've worked in S1 since two of Gordon's stories were used and it would add some continuity. I think this was poorly adapted and more tweaks should've been done to make it a bit better.
Rating: 3/10
NO JOKE FOR JAMES
Looking at the original magazine story 'The Express', which this episode is based on, I think that magaine story could've worked without the scene of James shunting trucks around the yard. Sure it was suppose to be a happy ending for James but I think if they had written, ''James was wise enough now to know that he shouldn't be playing a trick on Gordon again.'' but then again that line would feel too similar to 'Thomas & Gordon' but it would make sense to do it. The overall story was bad though but the ending just feels like filler.
Rating: 5/10
Rating: 5/10
THOMAS, PERCY AND THE MAIL TRAIN
TRUST THOMAS
Honestly, what was the point of James pretending to be ill subplot? It added nothing to the subject matter of the missing tar and it was completly another story until Thomas told Edward about the missing tar, surely they could've thought something original that keeps in touch with the story, like trying to find the tar wagons? Sure it's called 'Trust Thomas' but why add that illness subplot that deviates away from the actual focus, maybe it could've been better if it were two seperate stories.
Rating: 3/10
I feel that the man who had missed his last train could've been dropped and maybe try and write something more original. Like maybe have the post person expirementing the idea of delivering the mail by Harold but a strong wind had come to the Island and blew Harold off course of his mail route, perhaps he had an accident and Thomas and Percy came to his rescue. Realising that Thomas and Percy can do the work whatever the weather he/she agree that the engines are more useful when it comes to the mail and apologises to the Fat Controller for blaming him for the post delay. In the end, the episode was still good and I do love the atmosphere at the beginning with the mail train.
Rating: 7/10
TRUST THOMAS
Rating: 3/10
MAVIS
I think Diesel was the elephant in the room moment in this episode. I think Britt Allcroft and David Mitton wanted a continuous villain in the series and Diesel fits in the picture but I also think Daisy could've worked more better like in the original story a diesel like her who has no knowledge of trucks, heck her and BoCo share some face masks in this series what was stopping her from appearing? Plus I think Diesel's appearance messed up the continuity of the series with him being sent away by the Fat Controller seven episodes ago but then again many of the episodes were randomly filmed during production.
As for the episode, Mavis was an interesting character to see progressing. She was an inexperienced and impatient diesel engine who is young and wants things done in her own way. Her character is like a brattish rebellious teenager and her dealing with Toby feels like she was dealing with her father who told her to do things the proper way. But ignores everything she says and got herself into trouble.
Rating: 8/10
I think Diesel was the elephant in the room moment in this episode. I think Britt Allcroft and David Mitton wanted a continuous villain in the series and Diesel fits in the picture but I also think Daisy could've worked more better like in the original story a diesel like her who has no knowledge of trucks, heck her and BoCo share some face masks in this series what was stopping her from appearing? Plus I think Diesel's appearance messed up the continuity of the series with him being sent away by the Fat Controller seven episodes ago but then again many of the episodes were randomly filmed during production.
As for the episode, Mavis was an interesting character to see progressing. She was an inexperienced and impatient diesel engine who is young and wants things done in her own way. Her character is like a brattish rebellious teenager and her dealing with Toby feels like she was dealing with her father who told her to do things the proper way. But ignores everything she says and got herself into trouble.
Rating: 8/10
TOBY'S TIGHTROPE
Despite that Percy meeting Mavis was entierly original, the story was actually quite faithful to the original source. I really got nothing else to say though.
Rating: 9/10
Despite that Percy meeting Mavis was entierly original, the story was actually quite faithful to the original source. I really got nothing else to say though.
Rating: 9/10
EDWARD, TREVOR AND
THE REALLY USEFUL PARTY
This story was alright but I think they could've done a title change since the majority of the episode is focused more on Trevor. Edward had played in a minor role and didn't offer much apart from having posters all over him, I mean it was good use for him since he was in the original story but I feel he was mandated because all of the S1 established characters have episodes themselves. In the story was good.
Rating: 7/10
THE REALLY USEFUL PARTY
Rating: 7/10
BUZZ, BUZZ
ALL AT SEA
I think how the way Britt Allcroft and David Mitton handled the Railway Series stories in the series was good. They write something original to avoid continuity errors. I think it could've worked for Series 2 with BoCo's appearence but budget might've been the thing that stopped them. Although there were some comedic bits with James trying to get rid of the bees, it was entertaining in the end.
Rating: 8/10
ALL AT SEA
For this being a completly original story, no source to adapt from, this was really well done. I think it was good to expand more of Duck's character such as his interests. He yearns for the sea, yearns to travel and see things beyond the horizon, a bit like Thomas wanting to see the world, although now that might have to depend on interpretation knowing that he actually wants to the globe. I think this story had better focus because there wasn't any pointless filler for sake of the time limit. I think if Allcroft and Mitton had decided to create more original stories instead of adapting magazine stories maybe this series' episodes would've been better. I will always love the ending shot of Duck with Thomas and Percy and the sunset those shots along with the music by Mike and Junior was just beautiful and I've always loved that moment so much as a kid.
Rating: 10/10
ONE GOOD TURN
This is one magazine adaptation that I think was the best out of the lot. The two stories 'Head On' and 'Pulling Together' blended in well together with the message that it's more better to work together than to fight each other.
Rating: 10/10
Rating: 10/10
TENDER ENGINES
I don't like the idea from the model makers that Flying Scotsman had two coal tenders, they just look wrong and odd to see two coal tenders, surely they could've made the water tender. It was also a pity that Flying Scotsman didn't get to appear but I understand that part because of budget. Anyway, I like how they still manage to retain some of the original story and had to make some original parts because, like I said earlier, they had a budget to work around. It was a good adaptation.
Rating: 9/10
ESCAPE
I quite like how Allcroft and Mitton had tried to create an alternative opening for this story since characters like Bear and Old Spamcan weren't made for the series and Flying Scotsman's tenders were only seen because of budget reasons, although a classic series adaptation of 'Super Rescue' would've been great to see. But here they've written an entire new opening with Edward talking about him and the vicar saving Trevor. It shares some importance about saving something from scrap when Douglas was trying to save Oliver. I will say I much prefer the original story because Awdry did some exploration of Oliver's escape but it the way the story was adapted with its atmosphere, the music and all was just great. Personally one of my most favourite episodes.
Rating: 9/10
Rating: 9/10
OLIVER OWNS UP
I quite like it how Allcroft & Mitton had managed to adapt this episode without the Arlesdale miniature engines like in the original story. It managed to work and I do like Oliver's development in this episode too being all arrogant and cocky, any of the writers out there in the production staff today are reading this he needs episodes badly, though I wish they'd adapted Scruffey's episode to help with his progression more. All in all this was another good adaptation.
Rating: 9/10
BULGY
I don't see the reason why a holiday has to be called a 'Special Holiday' in this episode. Why can't they just go with summer holiday? The whole world has those they can relate too. It's a nitpick but just seems so unimagitive to come up with that. But apart from that the episode was another faifthful adaptation to the original. Plus Bulgy deserves his comuppance for lying to the passengers and I think he deserves it. He caused so much confusion and distrust and with that the bus company would not want to have someone who is that for the sake of their image, this is out to the 'journalists' who think that the Fat Controller, despite that he never runs buses, scraps things because they are not useful.
Rating: 9/10
HEROES
This adaptation was alright, although I find it a bit inconsitent of the twins thinking that the trucks would help them since they work in an industry that had to deal with trucks on a daily basis. But then again without that then there's no plot. I think the message shows that we should be careful what we wish for because Bill and Ben wanted something different and they got it but was the wrong type of surprise. In the end, it was alright.
Rating: 6/10
Rating: 6/10
PERCY, JAMES AND
THE FRUITFUL DAY
Another alright adaptation of a magazine story. I love the James and Percy dynamic here and the story was faithful to the original. I think Thomas' message was good but I think it could've gone with James saying that Percy's accident served him right when it comes to being jammed. But all in all, it was alright.
Rating: 6/10
THE FRUITFUL DAY
Rating: 6/10
THOMAS AND PERCY'S
CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE
I think I get why Britt Allcroft and Rick Sigglekow went with a Thanksgiving story instead of Christmas for the North American audience. The villagers want to thank the engines for saving them but with S3 being made with an American audience in mind, why did they go for a Christmas setting anyway? What I think could've worked is have the whole story still with maybe some tweaks here and there for the setting and all, since Thanksgiving is in the autumn, and have a heavy rain storm and it caused a landslide to the village and when the engines rescued them, the villagers all have a party for them. It may not be Christmassy but you could remove one episode from S3 and have room for another episode that is Christmas focused, I mean 'All At Sea' was an original story by Allcroft & Mitton so why couldn't they try a story about being thankful? In my opinion, I think they should've kept the episode for another Christmas special for 'Shining Time Station' so that they can avoid the confusion and the poor editing of the episode that American fans have to deal with in the aftermath.
As for the story, I think this was probably the strongest Christmas episode from the series. The episode doesn't involve a Christmas party like the last two seasons and it was more focused on being helpful and kind at the time of the year. I think it was a fun episode to sit through.
Rating: 9/10
CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE
I think I get why Britt Allcroft and Rick Sigglekow went with a Thanksgiving story instead of Christmas for the North American audience. The villagers want to thank the engines for saving them but with S3 being made with an American audience in mind, why did they go for a Christmas setting anyway? What I think could've worked is have the whole story still with maybe some tweaks here and there for the setting and all, since Thanksgiving is in the autumn, and have a heavy rain storm and it caused a landslide to the village and when the engines rescued them, the villagers all have a party for them. It may not be Christmassy but you could remove one episode from S3 and have room for another episode that is Christmas focused, I mean 'All At Sea' was an original story by Allcroft & Mitton so why couldn't they try a story about being thankful? In my opinion, I think they should've kept the episode for another Christmas special for 'Shining Time Station' so that they can avoid the confusion and the poor editing of the episode that American fans have to deal with in the aftermath.
As for the story, I think this was probably the strongest Christmas episode from the series. The episode doesn't involve a Christmas party like the last two seasons and it was more focused on being helpful and kind at the time of the year. I think it was a fun episode to sit through.
Rating: 9/10
SERIES OVERALL
OVERALL RATING
186/260
Visual wise, the third series I think has the best sets and camera work for the show. Plus it was really colourful compare to the last two seasons. I think because the show, at the time, was popular in the United States and Japan it increased the budget for the show thanks to their support. But storywise, I can see why Allcroft & Mitton took the liberties into the stories because with an american audience in mind, they would want to focus more attention on the core characters so they can introduce them further. But you think with maybe the home videos and Shining Time, kids might've known who these characters are. And for the latter they might've been reruns of the show too. But adding further characters from the books would requrie more attention to them and less focus on Thomas and his friends. Plus their is budgeting and all. But the stories that they were giving, particulary the magazine adapted stories, just feel poorly adapated. They just don't know what to focus on and it feels like they add some filler to fill in the running time. In my opinion, 'All At Sea' was a great episode and that wasn't adapted from any source material and I believe they should've gone with original stories instead. As for the narration, I think Micheal Angelis had brought great amount of energy towards all of the episodes. I haven't seen much of George Carlin's narrations while reviewing these episodes but from my memory I think he was better in this series compare to the last two he had to renarrate. I also like how he added distinct voices to the characters as well.
I have a soft spot for this season because this was the series that I grew up with back when I was a kid. But just because it's nostalgic, doesn't negate the errors and flaws that some episodes have. I like this series but I think it should've made some tweaks for the episodes.
OVERALL RATING
186/260
