DVD Review: The Complete Series 14

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

THE COMPLETE SERIES 14

Written by

Sharon Miller

Mark Robertson

Miranda Larson

Louise Kramskoy

Jessica Sandys Clarke

Denise Cassar

Mark Daydy

Rachel Dawson

Episodes

- Thomas' Tall Friend

- James In The Dark

- Pingy Pongy Pick Up

- Charlie and Eddie

- Toby and The Whistling Woods

- Henry's Health and Safety

- Diesel's Special Delivery

 - Pop Goes Thomas

- Victor Says Yes

- Thomas In Charge

 - Being Percy

- Merry Winter Wish

- Thomas and The Snowman Party

- Thomas' Crazy Day

- Jumping Jobi Wood!

- Thomas and Scruff

- O The Indignity

- Jitters and Japes

- Merry Misty Island

- Henry's Magic Box 

Directed by

Greg Tiernan

Produced by

Nicole Stinn 

Release Date:

22/07/13

Distributed by

HIT Entertainment 

Season 14 started its debut on UK television in the latter half of 2010 after the airing of series 13 early that year. The series left off from the DVD special rhyming flop 'Misty Island Rescue'. So let's take a look at Nitrogen's second season of the CGI era.

EPISODES

Looking back at the episodes of the fourteenth season, the episodes were in there infamous three strikes formula with the overuse of rhyming and alliteration from S13-16. Thankfully they've changed that completely in S17 and had made the three strikes formula in a better way then what it was with better writing by Andrew Brenner and his writing staff. As usual, the episodes are all focused on the steam team characters but with some episodes focused on there other characters despite that some new ones like Scruff have been poorly treated with character development. However, HIT have kept there promise of replacing words like 'Winter Holiday' with 'Christmas', with the public outcry of church groups, older fans and Hilary Awdry, the daughter of the late Rev.W.Awdry, in 2011. I won't go all religious on the topic as I've stated many times in the past. To see my views on each episode, click the link under the episode listing, they maybe out of date since my opinions have changed over the past year about certain characters and episodes.  

OVERALL

I'm not much of a fan of S14, but I do see it as a small improvement over S13. The animation by Nitrogen is fantastic, the detailing on the character look remarkable on the newer ones but the writing is dull and filled with the painfully obvious three strikes formula and there are some lines that are completely obvious with the animation such as 'Henry set off for Brendam Docks' and then a few seconds later we hear 'Henry pulls into Brendam docks' but I do know that there are blind children and that a narrator is needed to say those lines. Even though this season is not great with its term of writing, it's not as bad as the next season...I think everyone knows by now. But I'm looking forward to other DVD releases this year from other parts of the globe such as 'King of The Railway' coming out on September 4th here in Australia, 'Santa's Little Engine' coming out in October in the US and 'Merry Christmas Thomas' also out on the same month in the UK. Plus I'm looking forward to my copy of 'Railway Mischief'. It may not be special as it was back in April but with good written stories, it is worth a copy.  

Rating: 3/5

S12 Ep.20: Best Friends + Overall

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

BEST FRIENDS

Written by

Anna Starkey 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

26/09/08

Plot:

The brass band is arriving at the docks and Percy wanted to pull them to Great Waterton. But Thomas got the job and he didn't want to hurt Percy's feelings. But Percy discovered it at the docks and was upset. But Thomas had an idea for Percy. 

PRO:
- Moral: Value of friendship

- Neville's speaking role.

- A nice closure to the model era of the series

CON:

- N/A

This episode is a nice closure to the season and as well an era. The episode shows a nice and understanding moral of friendship through Thomas and Percy and showing that Thomas doesn't want to hurt Percy's feelings that he (Thomas) was to pull the brass band to Great Waterton but ended up anyway seeing how he didn't tell Percy about it but made up when Thomas offered the job to Percy by taking the brass band members to the docks. It was nice to see Neville having a few more lines, despite it being for one second and having to be a bit pointless but its better then his other episode, in which he debuted. The episode brings such a heartwarming story that it feels like a happy ending to the model era of the show. I'm glad that they've ended the era with a good story and that it brings a nice watch for anyone. 

Rating: 4/5

OVERALL

And so we end months of reviews of all series of Thomas the Tank Engine between S1-12 and we also end the era of the models of the series. But I'll be honest, the models were getting to be a bore from S10-12, but I'm not saying that they're bad, heck I love the models when I was a kid and I had mixed emotions about the whole change, but I've accepted it and moved on. With the episodes there are some good and some bad but that doesn't mean its a horrid season. The narration for Michael Angelis was brilliant but I can see why they decide to have a voice cast, one narrator with CGI material being used does get off putting. And some of the models of the new characters do look good.

But there are the usual three strikes episodes and repetitive dialogue from the characters and some of the stories are easily predictable, that might go to the other series of the HIT-era, but it's not as annoying as the CGI stories between S13-16. As of the CGI, the animation was in its early stages and they were trying to make it like the models' faces. But it wasn't 100% perfect, but they manage to get the hearts of
Thomas fans when the show went full CGI since 2009.

The models had done an outstanding job for the past 24 years and were a great part of every person's childhood. The dedicated people on the show like Steve Asquith, Terry Permane and David Eves had done great work with people who came and went, Britt Allcroft, David Mitton, Ringo Starr, Pierce Brosnan, to make Thomas the Tank Engine an entertaining show, they deserve full credit into making the show that are part of people's childhoods or lives. They've done wonders bringing the Awdry characters to life, as well as some non-Awdry characters. I wish them all the best in what they've chose after Thomas.

And thank you to all who read these reviews, I hope you've enjoyed reading, despite that if there were differences between you and me, as much as I enjoyed making them. More of my views in Season 17 will be up in October.

OVERALL RATING:

84/100

S12 Ep.19: Push Me, Pull You

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

PUSH ME, PULL YOU

Written by

Sharon Miller

Directed by

Steve Asquith

Air Date:

25/09/08

Plot:

Skarloey refuses Rheneas' help to pull a train for a puppet show and ends up playing the trucks' games.

PRO:

- N/A

CON:

- Skarloey and Rheneas acting like little kids

- Most Skarloey's CGI faces were creepy to look at. 

Once again, another typical new series Skarloey episode with him and his brother, Rheneas, acting like kids over being who is stronger. I hate episodes like these and its a disgrace to the Awdry family, whose father created the wise character that is known on the Railway Series. Though, the CGI faces that Skarloey has were creepy to look at, the big bulgy eyes. Thankfully it was made better in Season 16 and 'Blue Mountain Mystery'. But I hate this episode still. It was dull, boring and was just a slap in the face to the Awdry family. 

Rating: 1/5

S12 Ep.18: Percy and The Bandstand

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

PERCY AND THE BANDSTAND

Written by

Paul Larson 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

24/09/08

Plot:

An open-air bandstand was being built and Lady Hatt was to be given a surprise from the her husband. A brass band playing. Percy is to collect her. However Lady Hatt misunderstood of 'special trip' and Percy was worried about being late.

PRO:

- N/A 

CON:

- It wouldn't take a day to complete a bandstand. 

The episode was alright, I do like how the Pack appeared and their faces look good. Though it was unrealistic that it would take to build a bandstand in one day. But the episode alright. 

Rating: 3/5 

S12 Ep.17: Thomas Puts The Brakes On

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

THOMAS PUTS THE BRAKES ON

Written by

Mark Robertson 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

23/09/08

Plot:

Thomas is to take bricks to the bridge that is under repairs. However Thomas has problems with his brakes and loose all the bricks. 

PRO:

- Murdoch's appearance was OK. 

CON:

- Engines can suffer brake problems but not by squeaking

- How the way Thomas was hanging on the edge of the bridge was unrealistic. 

It's OK and sometimes not good this episode, but it has its flaws. One important thing is brakes, sure engines can have braking problems, but not by a screeching noise. If an event like this happens, the engine would be on full speed and steam would have to be reduced until the engine crashes somewhere off the line. How the way Thomas was hanging on the bridge was unrealistic too. However, it was nice seeing Murdoch, but despite character returns, the story is more important and somehow this doesn't show the story well. I did say that Thomas should've accepted Stanley's help but I know that if we have that then there is no plot.

Rating: 2.5/5

S12 Ep.16: The Man In The Hills

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

THE MAN IN THE HILLS

Written by

Sharon Miller

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

22/09/08

Plot:

It was Mr. Percival's Birthday and the engines were going to celebrate. Sir Handel told Thomas about 'The man in the hills'. Thomas decided to find him but mistaken the flour miller and the baker. 

PRO:

- A nice homage to 'The Long Man of Wilmington'. 

CON:

- Why aren't the NG engine doing work? 

- You think Thomas knows about 'The Man In The Hills'

- If 'The Man In The Hills' was never seen, how come their's railway lines beside it?

Another bad episode. I do like the homage to 'The Long Man of Wilmington', nice to see some British culture on the Island, this is what it looks in England:

But how the way 'The Man In The Hills' was portrayed was illogical and pointless, if it was never seen, how come railway lines run right near it? Surely all the NG engines should know of its existence, like Skarloey or Rheneas. Plus, Thomas was his usual stupid self, he should know what a miller and baker would look like and obviously not like a hill figure. The episode is not good and its not worth the watch.

 Rating: 2/5 

S12 Ep.15: Gordon Takes A Shortcut

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

GORDON TAKES A SHORTCUT

Written by

Wayne Jackman 

Directed by

Steve Asquith 

Air Date:

19/09/08

Plot:

The Fat Controller says that there are important passengers are to be collected at Great Waterton and workmen as well. Who ever arrives first will take the VIP and the other will take the workmen. Gordon tries to beat Stanley by taking a shortcut, but he got lost as he took a shortcut. 

PRO:

- Oliver and Toad spoke for the first time.

CON:

- You think Gordon knows where Great Waterton is? 

- Towards the end, you think Gordon knows the way to Stanley's line?

- Where are the signalman doing their job? The engines don't decide to take which track.

Not a good episode, despite that Oliver and Toad talked for the first time, the episode was just not good. Gordon should know where Great Waterton is, as of course he helped with the restoration of the town in 'The Great Discovery'. Plus, where are the signalman in this episode, they choose the track that the engine should take, not the engine, it's all part of the timetable, that if timetables exist on Sodor. And you think that towards the end of the episode, that Gordon knows which track to take, he has been on the Island longer then, Duck, Oliver, Toad and Stanley. The episode wasn't horrible, it wasn't just good. But it's an OK watch a few times. 

 Rating: 2.5/5