Season 11 - Episode 11: Thomas & The Sounds of Sodor

March 2012 saw the eleventh episode of Season 16 of Thomas & Friends...

...but before the review, the usual disclaimer:

The views below are entirely those of the author and not representative of the Sodor Island Forums as a whole.

On that note, it's time to get this review underway...

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Thomas & The Sounds of Sodor

Writer: Gerard Foster

A famous composer visits the island looking for inspiration for a new piece of music. Thomas has been chosen to take him around.

Overall Thoughts

Just utterly awful on every level.

What is the main moral of the story meant to be? Thomas hears things, but doesn’t listen? That would be a great moral if the episode didn’t suddenly about turn and introduce a nonsensical musical number at the end of the episode.

I’m afraid the best musical episode has been that of the Calliope, and it probably will remain so for some time.

Thomas as a character has been an aggravating influence in the series for some time, but here he was both irritating and completely lacking in any understanding of his friends, Sodor itself, and to a great extent, music.

I really object to Thomas always being the character who has to learn something in every episode he appears in. I object to the “three strikes” formula being used and abused in this way. I’d rather it wasn’t used at all, but there you go.

Thomas goes where he wants, does what he wants, and only gets shown upright near the end with an incredibly convoluted siding with James in it, who just happens to know about a rockfall…which in reality would have put the lineout of use.

But then Thomas & Friends and reality just don’t mix. For every brilliant moment there was at the end of last week, in Percy & The Calliope, there is an equal amount of poorly written, occasionally alliterative and totally asinine dialogue in this week's first episode.

I don’t understand why in the CGI era (or for that matter, in the episodes which directly preceded the CGI era) the trains choose their own lines, when they clearly are carrying out the duties of their railway.

Gordon takes the scenic route – wouldn’t happen. James appears from a siding which is carved into a cliff face at a convenient location. Thomas stops and starts at a whim.

Pointless and totally out of touch with the reality of railways.

Then you have the musical trains. I have threes for you: Ivor the Engine. No steam engine does music better, and at least in the beautiful work of the late Oliver Postgate, it is always an established that Ivor can move himself – but in most cases, both the railway duties he is tasked with, or his friends, come first.

Not so with Thomas, and it’s a crying shame.

Thoughts From Other SiF Members

Ryan (Admin)

This one was clearly written within the typical rigid template that has become the norm for Thomas & Friends, and very little else in mind. Although it was a great example of how everyday sounds can be adapted musically, it was so abhorrently repetitive throughout. The same dialogue was simply adapted over and over to suit the next engine in line. The only original creative thought that seemed to go into the writing of the story was the creation of the music -everything else just seemed so incredibly uninspired, uncreative and dull. If anything it's worse than Gerard Foster's last effort, Percy's New Friends, and I'm staggered that this wasn't just shredded upon presentation to the production team...

Eric (SiF Co-Admin):

I liked Sounds. It wasn't episode of the year, but certainly held my attention. The Grand Composer was an interesting character, who looks the part, and listening to him sing to himself like a crazy person definitely had me smiling throughout.

Much like I said in my last episode reflection there was a good moment of logic, where Thomas figures out that, since the quarry is closed, it would be the best place to take the composer. This was an interesting little moment --"There aren't any sounds at all" which I think got over looked in order to insert the third strike in time. Also, I wasn't sure if the rock slide or whatever Thomas was going to hit was the reason for the quarry's closure, but if it was then, again, something logical and easy to miss.

Other stray observations:

The opening shot with Gordon's wheels was especially awesome. Great detail there, and I admired how the camera movement further emphasized how fast he was going.

Topham riding up in Edward. He could have easily been there with his car, boring as ever, but this was different. I liked that.

The stream -- just beautiful. Really well done, Nitrogen.

I love how when James puffs up to Thomas, there is no pause, Thomas just takes right off.  This moment was right to the point. It felt natural.

Coaches and Trucks seem to act more like cattle. No talking, just there for the ride. Annie and Clarabel might have something to say one day, but only when the plot asks for it.

The narrator's last line of the episode is "The Fat Controller was surprised" which means that from that point on to the episode's end (over a minute) he says nothing. He doesn't tell us that the composer "waved his wand wildly," or describe the actions of the engines. He just lets them be, and although the gaps where the narration might have been intended are present it just feels so much more natural.

Also, this might be my own little wants seeping in here, but I would have preferred it had the Emily/Percy consist been replaced with the Diesel/Percy one from Calliope. To have Diesel and Percy with the junk train would have showed that the events in Calliope happened at the same time as Sounds. I want to see more callbacks or weaves like this. Kids won't get it, but if they can make the connections between the episodes I feel like it makes the series that much stronger. Then again, this is coming from the guy who still wishes that there were multi-part episodes, but having episodes weave and blend together is something I'll take instead.  Absolutely.

At this point I'm over the whole complaining about the three-strike formula, and instead I'm watching to see how creatively it is executed. No rhyming and crazy alliteration definitely help the episode take a step forward, but engines referring to each other as "friend" really hurts and feels forced. Victor can get away with it because it sounds within his character, but otherwise, this is not how we talk to each other.

The last great natural-sounding line I remember came from Victor in Hero of the Rails:

"Next time Spencer tells you to do something do me a favor will you? Say no."

This was a great line. It was sarcastic and funny, and from a character thatI'd never met before it was a perfect insight into his personality. (It also helps that the delivery of the actor was perfect.) I want to see more of this.

Keith (VIP)

I liked the fact one quote in this episode pretty much summed up a lotof the antics of the recent series.........

Gordon: "I thought I'd take the pretty track!"

Yeah....... pretty much. Sorry for sounding like a cynic, but........

Final Conclusions

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Do you hear that? The sound of silence. That’s what Sodor should sound like, when you turn the volume off.

This makes this episode about 15.2% better.

So not by much.

Individual Episode Score: 1/10 - Fiery Flynn 3/10 – Ol’ Wheezy Wobbles 7/10 - Express Coming Through 3/10 - Percy & The Monster of Brendam 2/10 - Ho Ho Snowman 8/10 - Flash Bang Wallop! 2/10 - Thomas & The Rubbish Train 1/10 - Thomas Toots The Crows 1/10 - Bust My Buffers 9/10 - Percy & The Calliope 2/10 – Thomas & The Sounds of Sodor

Total Season Score So Far: 39/110

Average Season Score So Far: 3.5/10

Quick Character Stats

Speaking Roles:

Thomas, The Fat Controller, Emily, Mavis, Percy, James, Gordon, The Great (!) Composer

Cameos:

Edward