Welcome to the year 2021 and while Mattel are awaiting to release the upcoming reboot Thomas series, there are some DVDs with episodes from the 24th season to be released during the year. I know I said I won't be reviewing the new reboot since it sounds terrible, it still is, and it strips away everything about Thomas, so much for Mattel 'caring' about Thomas' DNA and heritage, although Nelvana Studios are the blame as well given how they were given the creative freedom to see what new thing Mattel would want. Mattel at least held them back a bit when it comes to desigining the engines, but with what they approved, they aren't getting off that easy. I might be reviewing it whenever it comes out, I know I won't be kind to it though.
But I digress, I will be reviewing the S24 DVDs before I give this blog a hiatus maybe until the Marc Forster movie comes out in future. So let's start off the year with 'The Super Engine', but first:
THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT INFLUENCED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FANDOM
THE SUPER ENGINE
Written by
David Stoten
Camille Ucan & Rose Johnson
Becky Overton
Episodes
Directed by
Diana Basso
Ian Cherry
Produced by
Ian McCue (HIT/Mattel)
Tracy Blagdon (Jam Filled)
Special Features
Meet the Characters - Cleo
Release Date
15/02/21 - UK
07/04/21 - AUS
Distrubted by
HIT/Mattel Creations - UK
HIT/Mattel Creations/ABC Kids - AUS
EPISODES
I still don't like 'Ace's Brave Jump' and it's all because Thomas being chummy with Ace despite that the latter has been terrible to Thomas during 'Big World Big Adventures: The Movie'. Sure we shouldn't be holding a grudge but the episode literally showed them seeing each other for the first time since! It just ruins the continuity of it all and you think maybe their could've been an episode where Ace wants to fix his friendship with Thomas, considering how Ace had reacted to Thomas wanting to find Nia so he could apologise. Maybe have it set on Sodor since Nia lives their. I still see the episode as OK with Ace learning not to fear wild animals but the one annoying thing was that for some reason, Thomas and Ace were still friends, desipte that they hadn't seen each other since the events of Big World.
'Nia's Bright Idea' was an average episode and I understand Nia is suppose to be a positive female role model for kids to look up too. But I wish she went through some conflict when it came to Harold's predicament. Like maybe she tries use to the lighthouse at Harwick but because the weather was so thick, Harold wouldn't have the hope to see it. Have Nia go through a time where her clever ideas weren't so clever at all and maybe have other engines making up better idea that work differently. It wouldn't make Nia weak and pathetic, far from that! It would make her more connectable with the auidence. We all think we have good idea but maybe not all the time. I wish Mattel had given Ian McCue another chance with BWBA but instead they were impulsive because the show was not driving toy sales. Yes they are a captalist organistation but it doesn't negate that they were really impulsive with Thomas in order to make money, take a look at the reboot that was announced late last year and look at the sales figures of the Thomas toys from their 4th quarter last year with sales finally going UP!
I honestly think 'The Inventor's Spetacular Bridge' is a good episode not the best however, and yes I find an automatic moving bridge far more believable than that stupid shake shake bridge from that island inhabited by Bill and Ben-lite and country bumpkin climax engine. Call me a shill or a bootlicker all you want, it won't make you any better of a person when it comes to name calling, but I would take that over the latter. Plus Toby's fear of the old bridge is kind of justifiable since he had to take the risk by going over it to get to Farmer McColl's farm in a snow storm with a vet to check on the lambs. I like Ruth but I remember people saying that all her inventions always work so well in the end with no fault or damage and while I do understand that, I believe since the 24th seasoan had been hinting a 25th season with Hiro telling Thomas he should make a trip to Japan, sadly Mattel robbed us that idea since Thomas is massive over their and had treated Thomas far more respect with its legacy, I believe we might've gotten an episode of Ruth's inventions screwing up if BWBA still went ahead. But we'll never have that unfortunetly because Mattel.
'Cleo's First Snow' was a charming episode and it has new meaning to me when it comes to its message that we should enjoy it while it lasts. With Mattel now rebooting Thomas in 2021, the show that had 36 years of continuity from 1984-2020 is no more. Everything from the show's roots, history and even to its nationality is now gone and is nothing more than a generic cartoon for Cartoon Network and knowing how the latter treats their animated shows that aren't in the same scale of popularity as 'Teen Titans Go', they do get canned no matter how many seasons their are or how many people love it. I know it's for a pre-school block that they are introducing but Thomas will have some competition and when it comes to the show's humor, I wouldn't be surprised if their are too many fourth wall jokes. Anyway, I digress, the episode really feels like a metaphor, at the time it was on TV for the first time, the show was on a 'hiatus' and we have no idea about its future until this reboot. Plus the ending showcase we can ejoy the things we like as much as we can, like us with all the episodes of Thomas from before and the Railway Series stories. It will always be their for us to enjoy and it still exists. Cleo was an interesting character and love how they made her into this very young character and how Ruth was more like a mother to her car. It was a nice charming episode.
The best episode I think out of this DVD goes to 'Shankar's Makeover'. It was nice seeing more of Shankar's personality with him prefering to be behind the scenes rather than being in the spotlight and we had something like in Thomas before. Thomas' peer pressure I think works for his current character since he gets excited over anything fun and you can tell he didn't mean no harm, he just wants Shankar to be all part of the fun without realising his feelings first. I wish it was done Rajiv but I think the latter would kinda be more forceful than being blissfully ignorant. Like Rajiv would know Shankar would not like but he wants him to be part of it anyway just to show him that it's not silly.
Click the links in the list above to see my opinions about the episodes.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Sure they are on Amazon Prime but only in the UK. It just seems lazy and ignorant of Mattel for not having a balance on how to release things for everyone. Not everyone has a streaming service and not everyone has cable.
In short, the special feature is just Cleo's 'Meet the Characters' video and that is it. It's not bad but it just feels like Mattel are just putting these out their now with the reboot coming later this year and to me that is sad.
OVERALL
The DVD is a mixed bag to me. Some episodes were just on level of OK-average with Shankar's being the only good one. I recommend just getting an episode either on its own from iTunes, depends on which one you enjoy the most. Saves money instead of buying the DVD itself. The special features are becoming more dull with no variety and I don't know what we'll have on the next S24 DVD since all the characters shown for 'Marvellous Machineary' has one, unless Baz and Bernie has one like Ruth, but I kinda doubt it since they were only theives whereas the Meet the Charcter videos showcase what was maverllous about them.
OVERALL RATING
4/10
