THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT INFLUENCED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FANDOM
THOMAS & FRIENDS
SEASON 25's 'NEW LOOK'
So despite that earlier this year we heard that the show was going on a 'hiatus', or that some fans on social media assumed that it was 'ending' because, for some reason, 'hiatus' means 'cancelled' to them. Then in September and October we know that the show is going for a new look and were revealed to this new animation style. I will say this, the new art style is definetly going to be something getting used to. I understand that it's a big departure from the Awdry style that we were so used to over these past 35 years but what Mattel saw what the consumer wants is what they want, I guess. I can't say I like it since I'd been so used to the Thomas that was same shape and size, no matter what style it was in, over these 35 years but on the other side I feel that maybe kids might like this.
It's vibrant and colourful and perhaps whatever the new season brings, hopefully some good stories and that the characters are the same as they were over the years, Mattel says they care about Thomas' heritage so they better live up to those words. I won't be expecting any sort of railway realism in the new show either. Then again I had said this time and time again, the show never really had a focus on realism or accuracy on railways ever since the fifth season, even if a 2001 license book says that they should act like 'real life engines', the show itself never took that word seriously with the likes of S5, Magic Railroad, S6 and everything after that, no matter who was in charge of the show.
Besides when Brenner/McCue came along, I remember some were OK if realism wasn't in it but ever since the engines' started to move on their chassis in 2017, somehow realism is always important to them. I pretty much came to the point now that railway realism is not needed that much if you want a good story in the end and that Thomas shouldn't be the only thing that teaches kids about railways. If you want that, go to your local heritage railway or museum. I'm sure they would love that since they need the money to do something like that, there purpose is to teach guests about railways.
Plus I don't know if this is a reboot or a continuation, I mean the mention of it being a 25th season strongly implies that it's a continuation from before. But to me this feels more like a reboot and although there was a S8 in 2004, that was regarded as a 'reboot' despite bringing in some old traits from the past twenty years at the time and while there wasn't continuity from S7, then again the classic series never really referenced past events that much, there wasn't really anything new to disregard the past, execpt for Henry's special coal, but that'd been a trait since that garbage fest Magic Railroad. Plus 'Big World, Big Adventures' was considered a reboot by media outlets, but it was continuing on from S21, which makes the word 'reboot' useless, so I don't know what it'll be like.
I would rather give something a chance than write it off as a 'failure'. Yes I understand your pain but I was always told not to judge things before it comes out as it's unfair. I've seen some people saying back when BWBA was happening that they weren't going to watch the show and then they did anyway and if they do the same to this show, why would you do that? You're just wasting your time away knowing you're going to hate it while giving Mattel the viewership they need, be it on TV or Netflix. Would this be a success? I don't know and I wish I had a crystal ball to tell me the future but in reality we just have to wait what 2021 brings.
If all things does however go south for this new show, I say that Mattel should just sell the brand to someone else instead as they had too many chances with Thomas. I would probably review the new episodes but maybe I just review the season overall instead of each indiviual episode like did before, 104 episode seems pretty excessive.
All I can say, I'm still glad that Thomas will be around in 2021.