S9 Ep.17: Emily Knows Best

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

EMILY KNOWS BEST

Written by

Marc Seal

Directed by

Steve Asquith

Air Date:

28/10/05

Plot: 

Emily was playing as 'The Queen' while she was visiting the castle with some holiday makers. However things were a muddle for her in the end. 

PRO:

- Toby's true persona

- The camera shaking 

CON:

- The laugh of the trucks was awful

- A derailment from telegraph would never swoop Toby off the track

The episode is average. I do like how they put Toby's real persona in about being wise and I do like the effect of the camera shaking. But I hate the new laugh track they give to the trucks it makes them sound creepy and the derailment for Toby was quite unrealistic. 

Rating: 2/5

S9 Ep.16: Henry and The Flagpole

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

HENRY AND THE FLAGPOLE

Written by

Paul Larson 

Directed by 

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

21/10/05

Plot:

Henry had accidentally bump into the flatbed with the new flagpole for the scottish castle and Salty accidentally crushing it. Henry felt down and even the tall pine tree, his favourite, couldn't help him to cheer up. Toby said that sometimes pine trees can be made into flagpoles. But Henry didn't agree and so he tried to stop the workmen for 'cutting it down', but the Fat Controller has other plans for the tree.  

PRO:

- Henry's love for trees is still around.

CON:

- Toby should know that the tree is Henry's favourite.

- This episode should be for Donald and Douglas. 

To be honest, this episode is weak, it has the usual three strikes formula and this episode should be perfect for Donald and Douglas, those two characters take pride in their scottish heritage and they love the castle as it remind them of their home, Scotland. But with HIT's 'Steam Team' we see Henry having the role. But I like it how Henry still has love for the trees and forest with him, despite some of his persona changes and I do like it how they added Trevor for scene even if it is only for one second, but as I stated many times, character returns does not make an episode great nor does it make the series great. It's only the story that can do good. But despite those good points, this episode is not great. 

Rating: 2/5

S9 Ep.15: Thomas and The Statue

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

THOMAS AND THE STATUE 

Written by

Marc Seal 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

21/10/05

Plot:

Thomas was chosen for the job to take a statue to the. However, he was boasting to the others that the statue was of him and all the engines don't want to take to him about it. But it turns out it was all different. 

PRO:

- The classic persona of Thomas about 'his statue'. 

- Thomas being mature about his snowplough.

CON:

- Why was the statue covered in snow? 

The episode is OK to me, I like how Thomas was being boastful about his statue as it shows a bit of classic persona like from the early years and I do like it how Thomas is being mature about his snowplough, despite the persona changes over the years during the HIT era of the series, some persona changes can work well such as Gordon being OK pulling trucks. But I don't know why the statue has to be covered in snow? 

Rating: 3/5

DVD Review: Bust My Buffers Vol.40

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

BUST MY BUFFERS VOL.40

Written by

Jessica Sandys-Clarke

Andrew Viner

Dan and Nuria Wicksman

Sharon Miller

Max Allen

Episodes

Flash, Bang Wallop!

Thomas and The Rubbish Train 

Thomas Toots The Crows

Bust My Buffers!

Percy and The Calliope

Special Features

N/A

Distributed by

HIT Entertainment/Deltamac

Only three episodes made it on two DVDs in the US and the UK, while the last three weren't. This DVD came from China's Deltamac, who released these in mid-2012 when S16 broadcasted for the US, UK and Australian audiences. This DVD shows a good collection of episodes, including the ones that many fans loved since its debut on television last year. So let's us take a look at 'Bust My Buffers Vol.40'. 

EPISODES

The episodes contain, like 'Go Go Thomas' the UK and US version of the DVD, three good episodes. 'Flash Bang Wallop!', 'Percy and The Calliope' and in my opinion, 'Bust My Buffers!' the other two are not complete favourites. The middle two are just poorly written and not worth the watch.

What makes the three episodes special, especially 'Percy and The Calliope' is how the way it turned out to be. With the first episode, 'Flash, Bang Wallop!' mainly because of the photographs of real engines from the mainland, including the famous 'City of Truro'. 'Percy and The Calliope', simple, because of the rendition theme music of the original Thomas theme that played from series 1 - 7. But also it's plot reminded everyone of 'Saved From Scrap', Diesel's vendetta with steam, as the calliope runs by steam to make music and of course its moral about restoration. It's a favourite to fans and to me its an all time favourite, but not close towards a classic series episode. 

To me, with 'Bust My Buffers!', it shows Gordon knowing that he should trust diesels and knew that they're different but really useful (that's getting tiring) but some fans say it has the kind of form of racism and it does show in all honesty with Gordon saying 'You're all yellow and stripy. Yellow and stripy is not grand!', as that happened since 'Misty Island Rescue' were Diesels can't be useful because they're not steam engines, I do know steam and diesel both have a rivalry, but how the way Awdry made it was because of the how the way Diesel behaved on the island in RWS and TVS. The three big engines thought Diesel was nice and good mannered, but with his nicknames of the big three,  just so Duck get into trouble, cost Diesel the respect the three big engines have and they thought all Diesels are bad and troublesome until the likes of BoCo, Mavis, Daisy and Rusty came along. In the series during the HIT era, they're diesels and they both hate each other. 

However, they're all narrated by Michael Angelis, they're in 16:9 widescreen and is region free, despite the use of the region three logo on the DVD's back cover. 

There are no special features unfortunately, but most of these episodes' respective DVDs are all in the order of the sixteenth series so there are, of course, no Mr. Perkins segments. 

Rating: 3/5

BUY A COPY

Yes Asia

S9 Ep.14: The Magic Lamp

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

THE MAGIC LAMP

Written by

Sharon Miller

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

16/10/05

Plot:

While Peter Sam is to take the parts for the incline, Skarloey told the story about an old engine named Proteus. Peter Sam didn't believe his tale and he scoffed away. 

PRO:

CON:

- Proteus, pointless character

- Why would a headlamp be magical? 

- Three strikes

- The incline is used for slate not coal. 

In all honesty, I hate this episode. Their is another pointless character just to sell merchandise with just a waste of yellow paint on the Sir Handel model. Plus why would a headlamp be magical, magic doesn't exist. Sure the Island of Sodor is place of fiction, but it inspires the imagination not magic. As of course it gives us three strikes. This episode is really not worth the watch. 

Rating: 1/5

S9 Ep.13: Thomas Tries His Best

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

THOMAS TRIES HIS BEST

Written by

James Mason 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

16/10/05

Plot:

Thomas is to take Farmer McColl's chickens to the docks but he wanted to see the fair ground! But Thomas thought that his job comes first before seeing the fair. 

PRO:

- Moral: Work comes first

-Realism with the tail lamps

CON:

N/A

This is another good episode, the moral was great as it teaches kids that work can come first before playing and I love the realism of the tail lamps on the vans and the flatbed. 

Rating: 4/5

S9 Ep.12: Toby Feels Left Out

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

TOBY FEELS LEFT OUT

Written by

Simon A. Brown 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

9/10/05

Plot:

A new museum is to be opened and all the engines are needed for their repaint. However, Toby wasn't informed about it and thought the Fat Controller was going to put him into the museum as he's an old engine. 

PRO:

- The museum carriage 

CON:

- Poor moral: Old people can be no hopers

- Toby was out of character

- Despite the good looking museum carriage, why can't he pull Henrietta?

A poor episode, Toby is out of character in this episode. Back in the old days of Thomas & Friends, the Fat Controller saved Toby from the closure of his old railway. Why on earth would Toby be scared that the Fat Controller would put him into the museum, this gives out a poor teaching moral to kids saying that old people would have no hope in the modern world? I've seen many old people, heck even my mum and dad. They're wise, friendly and I love hearing about their days when they were young, they may not know a lot, but I still enjoy hearing from them. 

The museum carriage is great, but it was a repainted red carriage when you look at it. But despite the spot on carriage, why couldn't he use Henrietta? That is his carriage and he takes her everywhere.

Rating: 1/5