THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT INFLUENCED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FANBASE
NIA AND THE
UNFRIENDLY ELEPHANT
Davey Moore
Directed by
Dianna Basso
Produced by
Tracy Blagdon (Jam Filled)
Ian McCue (HIT/Mattel)
Plot
Nia is bringing a new animal to Sodor Animal Park...
but it's an elephant that doesn't like steam engines!
For a Nia episode, this one isn't bad. I mean I'll always like 'Counting On Nia' but this one I think shows that she has a flaw and that was her thinking she is clever at dealing with things that she already had experience with but of course realising things are different, like her thinking the elephant would like her because of her experience with the elephant's kind before back in Kenya. I see this as potential for future Nia stories, that is if a 25th season would be greenlit in future after this hiatus. I also like the elephant in the episode too with it dealing with new and strange things, something I wish that Nia had gone through since her debut. Whenever we move to a new town, city or country we aren't quite use to the new surroundings because we're not used to it and it's good to have something familiar to make yourself feel at home, like Thomas missing Percy while he was in China in S23. Which was a nice message at the end. I also like how the Fat Controller gave Nia some special jobs and one of them is to take passengers to the animal park, which makes me wonder. Why not have Nia situated on Edward's branch line? since the animal park is situated there. I think there is a potential for some stories for her, like her dealing with the likes of Bill and Ben and their trickery, perhaps it might flesh out more characrter traits for her. Maybe she has a clever idea to get back at them, only realising that it caused some trouble to them and her, there is still more potential with the show with an idea like that, that is if any of the production staff or anyone from Mattel are reading this.
Personally, this is a favourite of mine of the current series and probably the best Nia centric episode.
Air Date
29/06/20 - AUS
Series Ratings (So far):
A New Arrival - 7/10
World of Tomorrow - 7/10
Thomas and the Royal Engine - 9/10
Emily's Best Friend - 7/10
Thomas' Fuzzy Friend - 8/10
The Great Little Railway Show - 9/10
Thomas and The Forest Engines -5 /10
Emily to the Rescue - 4/10
Shankar's Makeover - 8/10
Nia and The Unfriendly Elephant - 9/10
Overall Rating (So far):
73/100
