Series 1 - Episode 2 - Edward and Gordon

Edward and Gordon introduces...well...Edward and Gordon. Not really, as Gordon was introduced in Thomas and Gordon, but this episode expands on his personality.

The episode opens with a nice shot that moves in on Tidmouth Sheds. The music played over that first shot is curious and draws the viewer into the story, even though no narration has been spoken.

Edward and Gordon combines the Railway Series stories Edward's Day Out and Edward and Gordon into one episode. I think that this flows smoothly and makes for a well-filmed and a well-scored episode.

As this is only the second entry into the series, the filmmakers are still getting into their "groove" and subsequently there are many goofs present in this episode, as there were in the previous episode and future episodes. I am not going to list them here, for that, you can visit the TTTE Wikia or TV.com.

The first of the series' many "night shots" appears in this episode, which expands on the exemplary filming displayed in Thomas and Gordon. Many "zoom-ins" and "zoom-outs" are used in this episode, as I mentioned above. Great work was done in the post-production process of Edward and Gordon. I am particularly fond of the excellent freight car coupling and shunting sounds.

Edward's Shunting Theme is first heard in this episode, as well as the Gordon's Hill Theme. Edward and Gordon firmly establishes the locale of Gordon's Hill.

The optimistic music at the end of the episode allows us to feel not sorry for Edward, but happy that he will get a new coat of paint and that he has done a good deed for a friend in need.

There's nothing in particular about this episode that I don't like, it's just that I feel it is flat. Ever since I was young, I have not liked this episode.

Rating:

3.5/4

Series 4 - Episode 6 - Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady

The opening of this fabulous episode presents a recap of the plot of the previous episode, A Bad Day For Sir Handel. After this short introduction, the plot of Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady starts. Peter Sam's hard-working nature is expanded upon in this episode. This makes him, in my opinion, a very likable character in the Thomas the Tank Engine universe.

An excellent aspect of many of the Series 4 narrow gauge episodes is the interaction between the big engines and the little engines. Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady presents an example of that in the form of Henry's trickery.

A word or two on sets. This episode makes great use of the Lakeside station set, which is used primarily for passing scenes in most other episodes from this series.

George Carlin's American narration for this episode features a wonderful Italian characterization for the Refreshment Lady.

Series 4 is easily my favorite series of the show and I am proud to give this episode a perfect rating.

Rating:

4/4

Refocusing

I have decided to refocus this blog and not necessarily review all of the episodes in order. Instead, I will review episodes as I watch them. Keeping up with this new focus, the next post will be a review of an episode from the fourth series.

Series 1 - Episode 5 - Thomas' Train

Similar to the opening shot of the previous episode, Thomas' Train starts out by showing busy trains entering and departing the station. This episode, even in the first thirty seconds, has some very well-done close-ups of the character's faces. However, the modeling still lacks the warmth of the later series.

It is in this episode that we first really feel bad for Thomas. The last episode showcased his cheekiness, whereas the narration for Thomas' Train stated that the train could have been left at the fault of Thomas' Driver.

This episode is great in that it adds further development to the character of Thomas, who hadn't really been seen as a major feature in the previous three episodes, even though the show is called Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

Thomas' Train also allowed for some great filming opportunities for the production team, with new countryside scenes, such as the level crossing, to utilize.

All in all, I think that this is an enjoyable episode to watch and watch again, even 28 years after its original broadcast.

Rating: 4/4

Series 1 - Episode 4 - Edward, Gordon, and Henry

I am very fond of the opening shot in Edward, Gordon, and Henry. By placing the camera next to an engine pulling freight cars, the viewer is able to know that the railway on which these engines work is active and functional, adding to the realism already shown through the terrific model-making.

Shadow is put to great use in close-up shots of Henry trapped in the tunnel. Gordon's safety valve burst is the first accident, if it can really be called that, in the series. This episode is wonderful due to the continuation of already-existing characterization. Gordon is still very proud and scornful of smaller engines, Edward is helpful, and the Fat Controller is stern and official.

The episode also allows redemption for Henry, who is given permission to leave the tunnel. This redemption is able to be known by the viewer through the narration and the wonderful music by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell.

The only thing that I dislike about this episode is that the engines are very clearly seen as models in several shots. This is due to the many overhead and slightly overhead camera angles used throughout the episode.

Rating:

3.5/4

Series 1 - Episode 3 - The Sad Story of Henry

The Sad Story of Henry introduces Henry, who looks very similar to Gordon apart from his green paint. The episode allowed the filmmakers to try something new, rain. The water comes off well and is quite visible on the screen. The Sad Story of Henry also introduces The Fat Controller (a.k.a. Sir Topham Hatt).

This episode, like Edward and Gordon before it, features many "zoom in" and "zoom out" shots. It is also in this episode that we see the first interior shot of the series. It was executed well and gave the viewer an excellent close-up on the fantastically designed Sir Topham Hatt.

The episode is based on the original story from The Three Railway Engines and is a well-executed adaptation.

My favorite part of The Sad Story of Henry is the bit of comedy injected into the episode when the Fat Controller insists that his doctor has forbidden him to push or pull. Shortly after this scene, the longest stop-motion sequence we would see for a long time in the series occurs: the building of the wall.

Like Edward and Gordon, this episode firmly establishes a locale: Henry's Tunnel. But, unlike Gordon's Hill, the tunnel would only appear in a few more episodes after The Sad Story of Henry.

I appreciate this episode because it doesn't have a fake "happy ending." It is quite grounded in reality, rather than in fantasy.

Rating:

4/4

Series 1 - Episode 1 - Thomas and Gordon

The opening scene of Thomas and Gordon shows the viewer that he is in for a story about mainly one engine as Thomas is described thoroughly. His shape and other physical characteristics are mentioned, whereas Gordon's are not described thoroughly apart from the fact that he is big and proud.

The opening scene also displays the technical achievements of the model makers through the custom Thomas model and its moving eyes.

The music starts off very cheery and playful, which allows the viewer to relax and enter the charming world that these characters live in: Sodor.

Already, we see the cheekiness and eagerness of Thomas and how this can get him into sticky situations. The story for this episode is rather simple, but still effective. Its simplicity allows us to be prepared for more complex story lines in the future. The script for this episode is a fairly good adaptation of the original story by Reverend Wilbert Awdry.

I think that it was wise for the filmmakers to focus on only two of the characters in this episode and add more characters as the series progressed. That choice helped to keep the first series fresh.

The episode was a great choice for the first episode as it provided the opportunity to showcase many locales across Sodor, such as the Viaduct, Wellsworth Station, Knapford Station, Tidmouth Sheds, and (soon-to-be) Henry's Tunnel. The standout piece of music in this episode is the theme played while Thomas is spinning around on the turntable. It just really captures the humiliation of Thomas and his realization that cheekiness can hurt him in the end. The theme also displays the "dizziness" of the turntable.

The episode concludes with a beautiful shot of Thomas crossing the Viaduct, which serves as a metaphor for his maturity, although he still has a long way to go. The background placed behind the Viaduct really "sells" that scene for me.

Rating:

4/4