S11 Ep.26: Wash Behind Your Buffers + Overall

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

WASH BEHIND YOUR BUFFERS

Written by

Paul Larson 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Plot:

There's to be an Engine rally and Country show and Skarloey and Rheneas are to be leading the rally. Madge told them to 'wash behind their buffers' but even she got dirty in the end. 

PRO:

- The town square looks wonderful

- Skarloey and Rheneas' paintwork

CON:

- N/A

I find the episode nice. Despite the persona reversals for Skarloey and Rheneas in the series, Madge was a nice sort of mother figure to them. The town square just looks amazing in its model form and the paintwork of the two engines are just spot on in this episode. All in all it was a good episode. 

Rating: 4/5

OVERALL

S11 was a little bit of an improvement then S10, though are still the three strikes and some bad story lines and pointless merchandising characters, like Billy. The sets like the village square looks amazing! A big thumbs up for the team behind the modelling team. Characters like Madge can be likeable and to me, I think she's more of a motherly figure to the NG engines. I honestly hate Billy, a pointless and not a good character to see. I don't see any potential from him he's unlikeable and unmemorable, like all of HIT's merchandising characters, minus some.

The narration was OK. You can see Michael Angelis becoming a bit more coming to the end of retirement for the series, which happened in 'Railway Mischief' two months ago. I haven't seen much of Brandon's narration though.

The episode that I find the most enjoyable is 'Gordon and The Engineer', as I said before, it has some railway realism and no three strikes, something that was missing later on in the series, before S17. I like S11, despite some flaws, but it'll not be in the league of the classic series. Now on with S12, which was a big step in Thomas history.

OVERALL RATING

62.5/100 

S11 Ep.25: Skarloey Storms Through

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

SKARLOEY STORMS THROUGH

Written by

Neil Richards

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Plot:

Skarloey, Rheneas and Peter Sam are to collect sheep from a hill away from the rain and storm. But Skarloey was afraid of storms. 

PRO:

-N/A

CON:

- Skarloey being a wimp in the whole episode

A typical new series Skarloey episode were you see him young and stupid before he thankfully revert back in his original persona in 'Blue Mountain Mystery'. I hate this episode, easily one of the worst episodes in the series because of Skarloey being a wimp in this episode, they could easily choose Rusty or Duncan, but no, Skarloey is the 'good' choice. I despise this episode and it's definitely not the watch. 

Rating: 0/5

S11 Ep.24: Ding-a-Ling

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

DING-A-LING

Written by

Sharon Miller

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Plot:

Freddie is to take Mr. Percival's new bike, but it was missing a bell. Freddie went around the NG railway to find one. 

PRO:

- N/A

CON:

- You think with all the 'years' Freddie was on the line, he knows what bike bell is like.

Another poor NG engine episode. You think after all the 'years' Freddie had on the NG railway, he knows what bicycle bell would look like instead of being those ridiculous choices and when I say 'years' it pretty much sums up that Freddie was never seen the show in the past before his introduction came to mind. The episode also has the usual three strikes and some rhyming from the character. 

Rating: 1/5

S11 Ep.23: Cool Truckings

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

COOL TRUCKINGS

Written by

Paul Larson 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Plot:

The railway was blocked by snow and Madge, the snub nose lorry, was to take Duncan to the transfer yards to shunt coal trucks, but Duncan wants excitement since it was snowing.

PRO:

- I'm impressed with the skill of making Madge spinning around

CON:

- Madge getting up from the cliff was just unrealistic.

Even though the episode is OK, it's not a favourite of mine though. I am impressed with how the way the people behind the scenes made Madge slip and slide on the road. But the sharp corner was more like a long straight, so what was the point of the slipping if its a curve? That brings Madge getting off the cliff, with the snow and ice, its hard to get back on the road. 

However, it is OK, but its not a watch for me :P

Rating: 2.5/5

S11 Ep.22: Sir Handel In Charge

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

SIR HANDLE IN CHARGE

Written by

Simon Spencer

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Plot:

Sir Handel tells the others what to do in Mr. Percival's absence, with disastrous results.

PRO:

- N/A

CON:

- What is wrong with Skarloey and Rheneas being wise?

- A rehash of 'The Green Controller'

- Wouldn't the Thin Controller have a personal assistant or a railway board?

Another poor episode, this a really much of a rehash of 'The Green Controller' only with the NG engines. I hate it how they said Sir Handel is wise when really Skarloey and Rheneas, along with Duke, are the only wise engines on the NG railway, despite that Duke was never seen since S4. The episode is bad and boring and not worth the watch. 

Rating: 1/5

S11 Ep.21: Duncan Does It All

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THIMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

These episodes are from the DVD release 'Engines and Escapades', despite that they were aired with the other S11 episodes after 2007. 

DUNCAN DOES IT ALL

Written by

Wayne Jackman 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Plot

Duncan does the other engines' jobs for a change, but causes several muddles.

PRO:

- N/A

CON:

- Jobs are meant to be serious not exciting.

- The other engines abandoning their own job since Duncan took them and no discipline was made 

There's nothing exciting about this episode, jobs aren't suppose to be exciting they're there to be serious, what ever the job is, it is serious. Plus the other engines, who gave their jobs to Duncan had no punishment. In the older series, if the engines were being naughty or bad they get punished, here they get told off, great way for teaching kids about not doing jobs. 

Rating: 1/5 

S11 Ep.20: Percy and The Left Luggage

THESE ARE SLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

PERCY AND THE LEFT LUGGAGE 

Written by

Abi Grant

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

12/09/07

Plot:

Percy was given many jobs and one of them was to take Dowager Hatt's luggage to the airport. But Percy realised that he should be taking the luggage first.

PRO:

- N/A

CON:

- Three repetitive strikes

I find this episode to be boring and the only problem is of course the three strikes and repetitive lines from Percy about taking the luggage is an easy job. Taking luggage is of course an important job and more important then the other jobs Percy has gotten in this episode, including taking children to a party.

Rating: 1/5

S11 Ep.19: Thomas and The Stinky Cheese

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE STINKY CHEESE

Written by

Paul Larson 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

12/09/07

Plot:

Diesel, 'Arry and Bert were teasing Thomas for being 'stinky' but their teasing backfired when 'Arry and Bert collied with Thomas' flatbed.

PRO:

- Two strikes 

CON:

- I find the 'steamies vs. diesel' plot to be repetitive through the years

The episode was OK and it's better then the first three Thomas themed episodes that we have earlier in the season. What I like about this episode is the two strikes, the three strikes formula in the model series were not all annoying and dreadful like in the CGI stories. But to be honest, I really find the whole 'Steam engines vs. diesel engines' plot to repetitive over the years when HIT took over the series. I know steam and diesel have their rivalry, but what about road vehicles? Sure I said about rivalry's in the Jeremy episode but this is on the focus of road vehicles. They've been a threat to the railway system over the years with passengers and goods and its rare to see that happening in a Thomas episode. The last time we have an episode like that was in Season 5's 'Horrid Lorries'. If Andrew Brenner or any writer from HIT Entertainment reads this, please make an episode focusing on road vs. rail. 

Plus, this episode was the test for the CGI switchover six years ago and I have to say, granted that it was a CGI test, some of the CGI make the engines look plastic and the people, like the workmen look creepy with their mouths open. As I said, it was a CGI test, but it does look creepy and plastic in my opinion. 

Rating: 3/5 

S11 Ep.18: Thomas In Trouble

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE 

THOMAS IN TROUBLE

Written by

Wayne Jackman 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

11/09/07

Plot:

Thomas was waiting for his final inspection at the repair yards. He was excited, he was going to take the school choir their concert. But trouble was made when he pretended to be repaired

PRO:

- Railway realism with Thomas being inspected

- The way Thomas was breaking down was a site. 

CON:

- I don't think steam engines produce black smoke if they're not repaired. 

The episode is another OK. I do like it how Thomas was being inspected before he's fit to start work and the way Thomas was breaking down was a site to look at, such as the black smoke, though I don't think steam engines produce that when they're breaking down for no reason, maybe due to bad quality coal? After all that has been explained in RWS story 'Out of Puff'. The episode is OK to me.

Rating: 3/5

S11 Ep.17: Thomas and The Runaway Car

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE RUNAWAY CAR

Written by

Sharon Miller

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

11/09/07

Plot:

Thomas and Gordon decided race to the 'Sodor Show'. Gordon was taking the new bandstand and Thomas is to take the Fat Controller's new car. But trouble lay ahead for the new car. 

PRO:

- Arthur and Rosie's appearance

- Another nice modern day Thomas and Gordon 'rivalry' 

CON:

- N/A

The episode is good. Despite that I say character returns don't make the episode great, only the story, Arthur and Rosie's apperance were the good things about the episode. The story was nice, though the narrator constantly saying 'The runaway new hatt blue car' all the time. Just say 'the runaway car'. Plus, I do like the modern rivalry Thomas and Gordon have with each other, pretty much a friendly rivalry. 

Rating: 4/5

S11 Ep.16: Toby's Triumph

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

TOBY'S TRIUMPH

Written by

Abi Grant

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

10/09/07

Plot:

Toby is worried about taking Alicia Botti 

PRO:

- N/A

CON:

- Toby being worried

- Alicia Botti annoyed about Toby's appearance 

There can be good persona changes but also some horrible ones and this one is one of them. Toby was out of character in this episode, he never takes important passengers, that is true, but he should know by now how to slow down and not to worry about taking important passengers. Plus I hate how Alicia Botti's annoyed about Toby's appearance. If you watch 'Thomas, Percy and The Squeak', she thought Percy being dirty is a proper steam engine and yet we see her being annoyed about Toby's appearance. I know that the writer might not researched the series, but there were some veterans, around the time of the new series, from the beginning of the show that can help the writers out? 

All in all, the episode is horrible and they've chosen the wrong character too.

Rating: 1/5  

S11 Ep.15: Hide and Peep

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

HIDE AND PEEP

Written by

Simon Spencer

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

10/09/07

Plot:

A ship was delayed and so Thomas and Percy decided to play 'Hide and Peep'

PRO:

- Cranky having a good use to look out for ships and looking out for the two tank engines
- Rocky holding Percy

CON:
- Why can't they find other work then just playing about?

I'm not into the episode, but its OK. I do like how they used Cranky to look out for ships and how his persona has changed with him looking out for the two tank engines. I know that the series around S8-16 are focused to younger children and I respect that, minus S15 due to bad writing, but since that Thomas the Tank Engine is focused on realism since the beginning, it would be better if Thomas and Percy do other work before the ship comes in. But the episode is not bad it's OK. 

Rating: 3/5

S11 Ep.14: Edward and the Mail

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

EDWARD AND THE MAIL

Written by

Paul Larson 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

9/09/07

Plot:

Percy is at the repair yards and so Edward is to take the mail. But Edward had never taken the mail before and he didn't know who to deliver too.

PRO:

- Edward hasn't taken the mail before and that's half the good thing of the story.

CON:

- Edward should know how to take the mail

- The driver could easily help out with Edward's delivery problem. 

The episode is OK, though I didn't bother watching the episode, but I know about the episode off by heart. I do like it how they chose Edward in the first part of the story. In the books and TV series, we never see him pulling the mail once, but despite that, it was stupid that they said Edward doesn't know where to deliver the mail. You think that being on the railway for many years, Edward should know about the mail route by now and even though that the writers at the time are more focus on fantasy then reality, since that Thomas the Tank Engine in the books and the early TV series focus on realism on the railways, the driver could easily help out with Edward's delivery problem. 

I don't mind the episode, it is not horrible, but it needed some tweaking. 

Rating: 3/5

S11 Ep.13: Don't Be Silly Billy

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

DON'T BE SILLY BILLY

Written by

Sharon Miller

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

9/11/07

Plot:

A new engine named Billy arrived on the Island but is impatient and would not listen to Thomas' orders thinking he's bossy. But in the end, he learn't his lesson.

PRO:
- N/A

CON:

- Billy, A character not respecting other's orders is a bad influence with no moral lesson 

A bad episode for kids with a bad moral of not respecting orders, the three awful strikes once again and even though he learned his lesson, there is no discipline for Billy in the end of the episode. I wouldn't want to see a kid acting like Billy in front of their parents or older brothers or sisters saying that they are 'bossy'. In my own personal opinion, Billy is one of the worse characters in the series period. He's the Charlie of the model era, despite the basis he was chosen, which does look more toyetic then real in my perspective. Where as Charlie has much detail that of course is the CGI doing the work.

Billy is one of the worse marketable characters, I don't see any future role for him, he has no potential and no personality. He's only there for the toys.  

Rating: 1/5

S11 Ep.12: Thomas Sets Sail

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS SETS SAIL

Written by

Sharon Miller

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

8/09/07

Plot:

Thomas collected the mayor's yacht and to take to the fishing village. Though the wind caused Thomas to set sail fast. 

PRO:

- N/A

CON:

-  Three strikes

The episode is bad and that's it. It has got bland three strikes, as usual when it comes to a Sharon Miller script. But despite that it was nice to see Molly, Elizabeth and Rosie again, but as I said it before and I will say it again, character returns can't make the episode great only the story. 

Rating: 1/5

S11 Ep.11: Smoke and Mirrors

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

Written by

Neil Richards

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

8/09/07

Plot:

A famous magician is coming to Sodor for the mid-summer picnic for the children and Thomas is promised, that if he collects the things for magician, he will join in for the grand finale of the show. 

PRO:

- Michael Angelis' Italian accent was humours 

CON:

- Elizabeth's face when she met Thomas at Maithwate was ugly to be honest

- Three strikes

Though despite the italian accent from MA, the episode was poor. Despite Elizabeth's second appearance in this season, her face when she said 'How wonderful' was pretty ugly to be honest and also there is the three repetitive strikes. Don't really like this episode that much. 

Rating: 1/5 

S11 Ep.10: Thomas and The Big Bang

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE BIG BANG

Written by
Abi Grant

Directed by
Steve Asquith 

Air Date:
7/09/07

Plot:
Thomas was given a new whistle and he has to go the wharf  to take a delivery and decided to play a trick on the narrow gauge engines

PRO:
- Moral: Working is more important then goofing off.

CON:
- Skarloey and Rheneas being part of the goofing off.

A bad episode with a surprisingly good moral about goofing off is not a good. But I hate it how they treated Skarloey and Rheneas in this episode for them wanting to have fun instead of telling the other engines that there work is important. It's bad episode but with a good moral but I still don't like it

Rating: 1/5

S11 Ep.9: Thomas and The Lighthouse

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE LIGHTHOUSE

Written by

Simon Spencer

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

7/09/07

Plot:

The engines are getting ready for the fair and Thomas is to take a new lightbulb to the lighthouse. However, Thomas wanted to get to the festival on time and it caused the lightbulb to break. So Thomas was forced to miss the fair and deliver the bulb. But in the end, Thomas was saw one of the most beautiful things then the fireworks at the fair, the lighthouse.

PRO:

- Thomas understanding that the lightbulb is more important then the fair

- It was nice seeing Cyril's model

CON:

- How the way the lightbulb was transported.

- 'Thomas 'speeded' up', what's wrong with sped up?

The episode is half and half for me. It was not bad, despite the two strikes and the grammar from the sentence 'Thomas 'Speeded Up', when really what's wrong with 'Sped Up'? I know realism is not the main focus of the new series of the show, but the lightbulb should've been carried in a vent van, James had the fireworks in vent vans so what's the matter for the lightbulb to have a van? But the ending was good with Thomas understanding that his job is more important then the fair and it was great seeing the model of Cyril since Season 6, even though he's known as 'The lighthouse keeper'. The episode is not bad and it's in the OK category. 

Rating: 3/5

S11 Ep.8: Henry's Lucky Day

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

HENRY'S LUCKY DAY

Written by

Paul Larson 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

6/09/07

Plot:

Henry felt lucky because all the tracks he was on were cleared, he thought his trucks gave him the luck and so he was going to use them again. But his trucks were gone as Edward took them and Henry had no luck at all! While he was looking for his trucks, he has to take the presents train for the children. 

PRO:

- Moral: You can't always be lucky

CON:

- Thomas' appearance was not really needed.

Despite the Christmas presents being in the picture of the episode in Henry's trucks, at least with the words 'Winter Holidays' they showed no Christmas material on the station or anywhere else, not that I'm saying I hate Christmas and I never will be hating it. That this episode is simply showing the term 'Winter Holidays' visually. 

Aside from that, the episode was OK and I do think the moral of the story is telling us that we can't always be lucky all the time. Though I do have to say Thomas' appearances at the start of the episode were not really needed. Be better if were the driver telling him about his day at Tidmouth and a workmen telling him about Edward taking Henry's trucks. It's not bad just in the OK category. 

Rating: 3/5

S11 Ep.7: Thomas and The Spaceship

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE SPACESHIP

Written by
Sharon Miller

Directed by
Steve Asquith 

Air Date:
6/09/07

Plot:
Percy had a loose valve in his cylinder and so Thomas takes him to Tidmouth sheds. In the night sky he saw, what he presumed to be, a spaceship! But it turns out it was someone else.

PRO:
- Realistic moment: Thomas haul six mail vans
- Gordon hauling the mail
- The airport at night

CON:
- Three strikes

The episode is not as bad as what I thought, though I don't find it as a favourite. But I do like it how Thomas was hauling about six mail vans, that is amazing! Along with Gordon hauling the mail trucks too. Some fans might find this bad for Gordon as he doesn't like pulling trucks, but the Flying Scotsman, a locomotive that Awdry had based off for Gordon, even though in fiction an A0, has pulled a parcel train after the second world war, I remember seeing an archival picture of the locomotive in a booklet from the National Railway Museum. Many other express locomotives hauling parcel trains too, like the Peppercorn A1's and the A4's as well. 

Aside from that, I also love the airport at night with the fog, the lights made it look wonderful. But, their is the usual three strikes though not as boring and cringe worthy as the CGI stories. But there a few repetitive lines from the narrator.

Rating: 3/5