Season 15 - Episode 20 Review: Fiery Flynn

March 2011 saw the final episode of Season 15 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...

"...He's brave to the core...Sam is the hero next door"

---

Fiery Flynn

Writer: Sharon Miller

Enthusiastic fire truck Flynn tries to impress the Diesels with his bravado, with potentially disastrous results.

Overall Impressions

"Thomas' firebox was on fire!"

Of course it was on fire - it is a FIREBOX, and Thomas is a STEAM ENGINE.

Who - and I would love to know who - who authorized the production of this episode?

Never mind the fact that we have a pretty brainless scenario whereby the FIRE ENGINE doesn't stop and wait to hear WHAT or WHERE the emergency is (where's the lesson in that, after all).

And ignore the fact that the "three strikes" storyline was used and was a terrible waste of time, insomuch that the moral of the story seems to be that everything will be alright in the end, despite making the emergency wait because you couldn't be bothered to wait and find out WHAT or WHERE it was...

We have seen some horrendous episodes this season. We have seen dangerous stunts performed, with no retribution for the engine that performed them. We have heard ridiculously poor dialogue and watched by format, the same episode nineteen times previously*.

But never have we had such an episode which did all of the above, and more. The end of the season was in fact, the lowest point of the season. What a way to end the fifteenth season of Thomas & Friends: not on a bang, but on a feeble, merchandising orientated whimper.

It was almost ironic. Thomas the Tank Engine going up in flames, and burning to the ground, just like this season has done for the Thomas & Friends brand thus far. The whole concept was absolutely pathetic.

Thomas shoehorned in along with Hiro/Dart/Den/Paxton/Sidney/Norman, all of which make short cameos, say something daft or soppy (or in Hiro's case, both), and then disappear again...!

That the whole moral of the story seems to be "Hey guys - I'm trying to impress the diesels by saving a blue engine - by the way, which blue engine is it, and where is the emergency?" is nothing short of absolutely ridiculous.

There are so many other apt descriptions that could be made of this episode. The ultra-emphasis on Flynn as being "FUN", "EVERYONE'S FRIEND", and similar alliterative comments relating to the name "Flynn", is nothing short of a bastardized toy commercial.

But more worryingly, Flynn, the fire engine - a great big, red symbol for heroism, calm demeanour in the face of overwhelming danger - as every fire brigade world wide is - acting in entirely the wrong manner; acting stupidly, and putting people's lives in danger by doing so.

The episode was morally bankrupt from start to finish. The "three strikes" storyline gave off its most horrifying storyline to date. The fire engine doesn't listen about who or where to go to prevent disaster happening, and goes meandering about Sodor, spraying water everywhere but at the actual emergency. A definite "what not to do" in terms of fire safety.

This episode does an absolute discredit to every single fireman worldwide. That Thomas & Friends shares its stable with the infinitely more watchable Fireman Sam, no less, shows up how utterly substandard, cynical and derogatory this episode was.

An utter shambles from start to finish, and an outrageous storyline to put out, too. The writers for this season seem to have lost their morals, or at the very least don't care enough about the audience they are writing for - impressionable young children who will take away from these episodes nothing but the poorest of values, idiotic stunts and inappropriate storylines.

Final Conclusions:

Heads should roll. Hard. The current writing team should hang their heads in shame, and fall on their swords for the poor quality of this season, and the disgusting undermining of decent moral values this season.

That final episode summed up how poor this entire season had been, and more. It was a disgraceful undercutting of all the hard work Fireman Sam has done in years past, carefully promoting staying calm in the face of danger, doing the right thing to stay alive, and also upping the profile of the brave boys in blue and yellow who put their lives on the line every single day, worldwide.

I am absolutely disgusted by this episode. Absolutely disgusted.But I'm more disgusted by the reaction of the fans this morning. Ignoring - like ostriches with their heads in the sand - the problems of this season, and the far reaching consequences these episodes have. The audience this is actually targeted at - toddlers - will take away extremely poor messages from these episodes.

Don't listen, repeat the mistake over and over, and it will all turn out right in the end.

That's been the basic gist of every single episode in this entire season. To use this same message in an episode which should have focused on fire safety, was bordering on criminal.

The writing team for Fireman Sam must be beside themselves with fury. All of the work that has been done on their show for promoting fire safety, and general individual safety in dangerous situations, undermined by a little blue tank engine and his writing team.

The campaign starts here. Get Thomas Back on Track starts afresh, with a new aim.

Supporting The Railway Series, Book 42, and making sure that in supporting the work of Christopher Awdry, we in equal breath make clear our dissatisfaction with Thomas & Friends as it stands. Decent moral values, with decent stories, over shiny new and instantly forgettable new characters.

It is no longer about the little blue tank engine, who wanted to come out of his shed and see the world. It is no longer about talking trains, on an island covered in railway lines.

It's a glorified toy commercial, which damns the decent moral values of the original books and television series, and is downright dangerous and inappropriate for the audience it is supposedly written for.

Individual Episode Score: 2/10 - Gordon and Ferdinand 4/10 - Toby and Bash 3/10 - Emily and Bash 5/10 - Edward The Hero 1/10 - James to the Rescue 2/10 - Happy Hiro 1/10 - Up, Up and Away! 3/10 - Henry's Happy Coal 2/10 - Let It Snow 2/10 - Surprise, Surprise 4/10 - Spencer the Grand 3/10 - Stop That Bus! 2/10 - Stuck on You 3/10 - Big Belle 1/10 - Kevin the Steamie 1/10 - Wonky Whistle 5/10 - Percy the Snowman 3/10 - Tree Trouble 1/10 - Fiery Flynn

Total Season Score So Far: 49/200

Average Season Score So Far: 2.5/10

Quick Character Stats

Speaking Roles:

Thomas, Hiro, Flynn, Diesel, Den, Dart, Rocky, Edward,

Gordon, The Fat Controller, Dowager Hatt

Cameos:

James, Whiff, Percy, Toby, Harold, Captain, Lady Hatt, Paxton, Norman