Classic Series Review Revisited - Series 4 (1995)

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

SERIES 4

Originally Written by

Rev.W.Awdry

Adapted by

Britt Allcroft 

David Mitton 

EPISODES

GRANPUFF

One criticism I made back in 2012 was how they'd reused Rheneas' shape as Smudger instead of making a new model because they made a Class 40 locomotive for one episode. But I believe the reason why they reskinned Rheneas was to save money, a bit like how Jam Filled had done those reskins of various Sodor engines for the international episodes. But I also believe their was another reason why Smudger was made and that was because in the original story, Stanley was American and in the book he was your stereotypical American; loud, obnoxious and rude, no offence to any american readers out there, and since Thomas was shown to Americans at that time, the idea of showing that kind of character could cause major offence to some of the more sensitive parents who watch with their kids and would believe that Thomas has an anti-American stance. I believe Awdry wasn't that and only used and made him like that for comedy and to have him being taught a lesson. That's my idea so don't take it as fact. As for the story, I think it was a nice origin story, although I think it would've been better if it was shown later once kids began to know who Peter Sam and Sir Handel are. It's quite simple but it was heartful and emotional with the idea of no one buying Duke because he was too old and Sir Handel and Peter Sam trying to show some optomism but were facing reality that Duke might never come to their railway. I honestly wish that they didn't put music in the scene when Duke was sheeted up and was placed in the shed but I think they don't want it to be too emotional.

Rating: 8/10 

SLEEPING BEAUTY

I think if they had put these stories in later rather than the beginning, there wouldn't need to be Thomas telling the story because kids might've been used to Sir Handel and Peter Sam already and they can tell the story instead of Thomas. But I believe Allcroft & Mitton decided the latter because they want that familiarisation for kids who are watching these episodes. But like I said, they should've let the Duke stories come later. Anyway this was a nice conclusion but why is the finale the second story of this line up? In the book it worked because we were getting to know Duke and his adventures with Sir Handel and Peter Sam back on the Mid-Sodor line through other stories and the people who had listened to those stories were inspired to find him. To me this was an odd choice. But it was a decent episode to say the least.

Rating: 7/10   

BULLDOG

I think for the beginning, they could've gone with James acting all arrogant and boastful about his new coat of paint instead of Percy. Sure Percy was like that in the second season but it seems the show at this time was showcasing the characters with gimmicks since the third season and James fits that bill whereas Percy was becoming more of the naive scaredy cat character. But I think they did that so they can have Thomas telling the story, although what I pointed out could still work and have Percy being cheeky towards James instead. As for the story, I think it was faithful to the original, although this could've worked as the second story if these were to come later on in the series. 

Rating: 8/10

YOU CAN'T WIN

I like the story and this episode proved that these can work without Thomas telling the origin story. I think the story was true to the original despite some little liberties. It got a nice message about not respecting your elders too, something that still is needed today. Yeah, I had complained about Thomas' appearence in this episode before and I think they could've just reshoot the scene without him in it. But in the end, it is what it is.

Rating: 9/10

FOUR LITTLE ENGINES

I feel that this episode was to be the series opener, it gave us a small introduction to the narrow gauge engines and the railway. But I think the idea of merging 'Skarloey Remembers' and 'Old Faithful' was a bit pointless. I think if they'd kept the two stories seperate maybe for the former we could've been told more about the Skarloey Railway, sure there wasn't much action but I think it would've great to introduce the audience all about the line and characters like Skarloey. Also I feel that the title is a bit misleading for an episode like this. They only showed four engines at the start and that was it, they barely, Sir Handel and Peter Sam, had any importance later on in the story. I think it was OK but was a needless story merger.

Rating: 5/10

A BAD DAY FOR SIR HANDEL

Was this a flashback? Or is this still a continuation of the last episode? We were given another introduction with Skarloey and Rheneas but in the last episode Rheneas was away at the works and for some reason he came back. Next we were introduced to Sir Handel and Peter Sam who were new engines and yet they were somewhat introduced briefly in the last episode too despite being introduced much earlier and were shown on the Skarloey Railway much earlier too. They could've easily adapted the original story 'Sir Handel' maybe with some little liberties for the sake of filming and time. But here it was poorly adapted and poorly placed, if this episode was one of the early ones instead of the Duke stories then it would make more sense but with what we got now, I'm sorry to say this but this episode was poor.

Rating: 1/10

PETER SAM & 
THE REFRESHMENT LADY

This story was major improvement over the last episode. Although some liberties were taken to shorten the story, it was still consistent and mange to stay true to the original. That's all I have to say really.

Rating: 9/10

TRUCKS

Honestly, what was the point of Rusty meeting with Harold when, from reading the original story, they could've just started with Sir Handel being grumpy that he was to shunt trucks in the yards and with a mention that Skarloey was away at the works, it doesn't have to because of his loose springs since they'd already covered that for whatever reason, and maybe introduce Rusty from there? I guess the original way was to introduce him but even so he barely had that much importance in this story, both in the original and in this episode. In the original he was breifly mentioned and was later helping Peter Sam out of the wreckage nearing the end. I think if they had cut back the Harold and Rusty scenes they could've added more explanation on the incline as well like the mention of the brakes and it could've hinted on what was yet to come. I had complained back in 2012 that it was ridiculous to have the trucks mistaken Peter Sam for Sir Handel, despite the different colours, but when you look at it more carefully, there shapes do almost match and the funnels are one thing since they are both familar, so I guess that makes sense. In my opinion this was OK but I think they could've cut back on the whole Rusty and Harold interaction.

Rating: 5/10 

HOME AT LAST

In the last episode they didn't mention Skarloey being away at all and yet in this episode he back came from the works. It just feels confusing. I mean sure in the book he was away because of his springs but in 'A Bad Day For Sir Handel', the episode, he was fixed and that was it. I mean why can't they take the liberty and just come up with a different reason to avoid continuity errors? Like maybe he was away working on another railway, I mean they had done that later that on this season. But despite that this adaptation was OK at best. But I think they could've gone away with adapting the whole story more faithfully. I mean their were new coaches named in the original and some different ones too but surely they could just say; 'We have some new coaches while you were away. They are quite like what we have before but Sir Handel keeps calling them cattle trucks. Except for the ones he was given, because they look like smart express coaches according to him.' and with that they can get away with the coaches they already have.

Rating: 5/10

ROCK 'N' ROLL

This adaptation was alright, not bad. It managed to be something different but tried to at least stick to the original. That's all I have to say really.

Rating: 7/10

SPECIAL FUNNEL

I think this was another good adaptation, the story managed to stick close to the original story with some changes made but only minor. Although Peter Sam's funnel looks odd compare to the gisel funnel, but I think it was more to do have smoke come out of his funnel during production.

Rating: 7/10

STEAM ROLLER

Another good adaptation like the last few. It had stuck close to the original story with some minior liberties and all.

Rating: 7/10

PASSENGERS AND POLISH

'Don't you want to look nice until Rheneas comes home?' and yet in the last episode Rheneas was seen with the other engines. This series continuity with the narrow gauge engines was just all over the place. But despite this was another good adaptation that had stuck close to the original story.

Rating: 7/10

GALLANT OLD ENGINE

Rheneas was away at the work but was seen in a different episode after that and now he's still away, the continuity for Rheneas was just bad. I don't know why Allcroft & Mitton have any second thought, no offence, but they had done a poor job. With this adaptation it was alright and it had a good message stating that passengers are important when it comes to a railway.

Rating: 7/10

RUSTY TO THE RESCUE

To me this was an obvious rewrite of 'Escape' and most people that I've seen had criticised the idea of the show reusing old plots, particulary towards the more recent episodes, I'm no angel in that field as well of course. At this point in time I do see what Allcroft and Mitton tried to achieve here, the show has become more and more of a worldwide success and the idea of making Thomas as British as possible could be alienating for people who don't understand British culture too well, not that I'm saying all non-British people don't know about Britain. So they made the mainland a very ambigous place to make it more international. But it also makes me question on why they need to make Stepney a Sodor engine later on? What was the appeal or the potential of him? He didn't have much character in his book to hold a story on his own whereas he was part of the situation that the characters are into. I will give credit to Allcroft and Mitton for having a diesel saving a steam engine from scrap, a bit of originality. But the story was more of a rewrite because 'Bluebells of England' was short and doesn't have much going on, apart from engines being cut up on the mainland. 

Rating: 5/10

THOMAS AND STEPNEY

I think this was the start of the 'Thomas dislikes new engine' trope. It also happened in the original story by Rev.W.Awdry, with Thomas being shunted on his branch line, so it was an Awdry trait when you think about it. As for the adaptation, I understand why they have to create the original stuff. There were engines that would require to be built for one shot and we know that the production staff at the time would never do that, I mean look at Smudger. It's better than 'Rusty to the Rescue' in my opinion and I think it did better than the original to be honest, that's not saying that Awdry is a bad writer, far from it.

Rating: 7/10 

TRAIN STOPS PLAY

This was a good adaptation. It was kept close to the original story. So I don't have anything to complain about.

Rating: 8/10

BOWLED OUT

One problem that annoyed me with the episode was how Micheal Angelis was narrating. When he and Duck met Gordon at the station, the way Angelis narrated sounded like Stepney was the one that told Gordon that James said the diesel was sick as boilder sludge when really in the original it was Gordon who said it. The tone of his voice was very different and it felt a bit distracting. Anway as for the story, it was another adaptation that was good and although back in 2012 I complained about D261 or Class 40 having model used once, I do know that he was planned later on in the show but they'd dropped him out instead. Now his post S4 model is on display at Drayton Manor and his S4 model is now preserved by ThomasTankMerch.

Rating: 8/10  

HENRY AND THE ELEPHANT

One of the problems that I have with S4 is the point of them adapting stories that would've worked around S1-3. This is one of them. Thomas' really useful and right on time scene served nothing for the story and it was just basically filler. Then we see the big engines grumbling with the same vibe as 'Trouble In The Shed' like them protesting of them getting no rest. In S3 they at least tried to make new creative ways of telling the story dispite throwing some of the RWS continuity out of the window due to budgeting. Here there wasn't much done to do that. It just feels redundant and feels like it was treated as a leftover, trust me I'll be saying that for the next few episodes, and in my opinion they should've adapted Christopher's story instead.

Rating: 3/10

TOAD STANDS BY

Another redundant story and this episode feels like a straight up sequel to 'Oliver Owns Up' and they already resolved his trouble with trucks by being wise about them. So what was the point? I think they should've kept this for S3 instead. For the plot I think it was faifthful to the original, apart from Scruffey getting rebuilt but I think at the time the idea of killing off character might be a bit dark, I mean the spiteful brake van didn't get a rebuild. But I still stand by that episode could've worked in the third series with Oliver's character development when it comes to trucks. Here it just felt out of place. 

Rating: 3/10 

BULLS EYE

 I said in my S2 review that this should've been the one that replaced 'The Missing Coach' episode because it would've helped with Daisy's character development. But here the episode was treated like a leftover. There was no reason for this to be adapted anyway but they did it just to fill in the 26 episode list. There was no reason for Daisy to be acting all arrogant and boastful, she was just that because she is. Like I said the adaptation just feels like a left over and this would've worked better in S2.

Rating: 3/10

THOMAS AND THE SPECIAL LETTER

I had once complained about Pug and Jinty not being used and was annoyed about them using Donald, Douglas, Boco, Mavis etc. but as I grew over the years I realise that the show has a budget and I think it was a better idea to reuse establishing characters for them to take over the work of the main engines while they were away. Besides it's a railway and many engines can go to different lines to look after work while someone is away. I think this was a good episode and a good story to adapt since at the time it was the 50th anniversary of the Railway Series and also the 100th episode, so it's quite fitting to make some special out of it. I also wish that the Fat Controller scolding Thomas was added in, to showcase to kids what showing off can lead too. Anyway it was a good episode with a great viratey of characters.

Rating: 9/10

PAINT POTS AND QUEENS

I do feel like that this episode should've served as the season finale but this is still a redundant story to adapt. This whole episode is a straight up continuation of 'Down the Mine' and possibly it could've worked in S1. Sure the 26 episode order was most likely the cause of it being axed because I think they wanted a Christmas story to serve as a finale, if they were given an extension on the order perhaps things would've been different and it would help with Gordon's character development. I mean the whole script shows they couldn't be bothered doing the changes to the script like Gordon was in disgrace and Thomas not having his branch line, now that might seem harsh but come on they had taken some liberties in other episodes. Now some people might tell me that maybe people back then might've known. Here's the thing, one, many kids who were probably around three or four in 1984 would've grown up and moved on from Thomas and not really caring at all about the episodes in the 90's and two, when I was a kid at the time this episode was new, I never knew it was a sequel until I read the Railway Series collection book in the late 90's, so it seems the idea is really far fetched. I will say they went all out on this episode but it was still redundant.

Rating: 3/10  

FISH 

I think the addition of Thomas warning Duck about fish was a nice little addition, definetly shows how he was grown. I think the introduction was nice as well but I don't see why they can't use the introduction as it was in the original story. I think the episode was rather good overall.

Rating: 7/10

SPECIAL ATTRACTION

Honestly, most of the story from 'Special Attraction' was short lived and the whole story was more about Bulstrode. The former was placed as filler. In my opinion, I think they could've made 'Special Attraction' as its own episode. They don't have to repaint Toby and could use Donald/Douglas' model with a different face mask, like what they did for Smudger earlier in the series for 1020. The title was misleading and they should've just adapted the whole of the 'Bulstrode' story instead.

Rating: 5/10

MIND THAT BIKE

And so we come to the last Railway Series adaptation for the next 21 years. Anyway, the story was good and the adaptation was good too, although I wish they went with the boys playing with the bike and almost getting hurt instead of Tom Tipper being careless. For the former it would've been a great message to tell kids that playing on railway property is dangerous and that you shouldn't be touching other people's property. 

Rating: 8/10

SERIES OVERALL

I'll say this, I think the production order of S4 was poorly laid out. There were more episodes focusing on the narrow gauge engines then the standard gauge engines and what they could've done instead is a back and forth motion have like four stories focusing on the narrow gauge engines and then another four on the standard gauge engines. Because to be honest, I was getting tired of seeing the narrow gauge engines constantly. They were fine characters but can't we see something else? It was exhausting and I think they needed a break. This is why I like what 'Big World Big Adventures' was doing when it comes to its balance. Have one episode on Sodor and another in a different country. Plus, based on some beliefs here, wouldn't the domination of the narrow gauge engines go against the whole familarisation of Thomas? 

I'll also point this out, stories like 'Henry and the Elephant', 'Toad Stands By' 'Paint Pots & Queens' and 'Bulls Eyes' are redundant. I feel that these stories were treated as left overs. I believe they should've lifted some stories from Christopher Awdry's books. 'Triple Header' seems like a story they could've adapted. They have the sets, the characters and coaches, it would've been good that way. This isn't me saying that this season was bad but it did make me feel annoyed with the creative output they gave to it. But some adaptations were good and stayed true to the original with some minor liberties which I'm OK with.

However I will give credit for the visuals in this series, especially in the narrow gauge stories. The mountains, sceneary and all was just beautiful and there were great industrial settings and countryside for the standard gauge stories too. Excellent work to the production team for the effort.

Micheal Angelis was good in this though but I more prefer his energy in S3.

OVERALL RATING
161/260