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