Season 16 - Episode 12: Salty's Surprise

March 2012 saw the twelfth 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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Salty's Surprise

Writer: Sharon Miller

Edward has given Salty a gift he likes – a reason to tell more stories!

Overall Thoughts

One of the things which I was very vocal about last season was that the characters were little more than pastiches of their past selves, or in fact, completely out of character.

This season we have seen more of the older Awdry characters in what could be described as being “in character”. But never at any point have I felt Edward has been “in character” throughout the last decade.

Now, to be fair to Sharon Miller (and partly the reason why the score for today’s episode is much higher than previous episodes), the storyline has a good, decent moral at the centre of it, and though it is written as per the three strikes formula, it does not at any time feel unnatural, nor does it ram the message down both parents and child’s throats at the same time.

Edward’s willingness to try and bring something Salty will appreciate resonates with me in terms of “giving, not receiving” which is a superb moral, and well displayed throughout. Edward himself hasn’t done anything wrong: but he is severely miscast in this role.

If this had been Salty plus any other character locomotive, then in all honesty, the score would have been much higher today. It might have even gone down as one of Sharon Miller’s best pieces in the series as a whole. The story IS heartwarming, it IS decent and morally driven, and above all educative. All big, fat, ticks in the marking.

With the choice of Edward, however, it falls flat. Edward has always been the sage that Salty is playing in this episode. He has been the wise old engine who has a surprisingly youthful approach to life in general. Reading the original books, and watching seasons 1-12, you can see this version of Edward is explicitly clear.

Season 6 – which aired a decade ago in 2002 – had one episode which should resonate absolutely with fans of the series, and Edward the Blue Engine. Edward the Very Useful Engine is, in my eyes, the definitive episode for explaining Edward the Blue Engine, as a character. He is written off for being old, but proves that being old does not equal obsolete. He remains wise, but retains a youthful outlook on life.

It is for this reason that Salty’s Surprise doesn’t work for me. Edward is the wrong character to have in the “trying to find a present” category. He would already know what Salty is trying to teach him in the episode.

In this respect, Thomas, Percy or even one of the newer additions to the shed like Rosie or Stanley would have proved better in this role, as all of the above embody to some extent the more childlike qualities that Edward exhibits in this episode, but shouldn’t really have. Youthful outlook on life and childlike do not equate.

Then there’s the trucks filled with presents. I can’t begin to describe my frustration with the brightly coloured packages being put into an open top wagon. Please, at least put the presents – which are packages –into vans like Percy’s Mail trucks or similar. That would have made a much better scene to display the people of Sodor: perhaps passing presents from one to another to put into a mail van.

However, the use of the traverser, and the inside of the steamworks is a further example of all round brilliant directing from Greg Tiernan. In fact, this entire episode is extremely well directed all round. The wintry scenes showing Edward’s transitions from one location to another across the island are done beautifully. Salty’s tales about the green paint and the blue chimney are both wonderfully realized.

The thought which goes into the makeup of the CGI but not equally into the writing is apparent in episodes like these, which are close to being better than average but falter on the details – and the devil is in the detail.

Of course, there’s the usual complaints about alliterations and daft rhyming present, but not as forced as in previous episodes throughout the last four years. Small mercies, chaps, small mercies…

Thoughts From Other SiF Members

Eric (SiF Second in Command)

The execution of the three strikes system works here, because of the episode's charm.

It is not as though Edward has done something we would call "wrong" -- it's not as if he has left three wrong trucks in three wrong places, or caused three separate accidents, or taken three wrong tracks. In the end Salty's story is a macrocosm of the episode as a whole.

We don't need to hear it again, and nor does Edward -- we've both experienced it, but having other engines roll up to hear it allows for Salty to tell it and Edward to take comfort in the truth of it, compared to the tall-tales Salty had told earlier.

The narrator doesn't tell us that the engines listened, or recollect the story, we simply just cross dissolve to a later point where the story ends. I think kids will understand the time-jump.

Every time Salty tells a story, or is about to tell a story on the main three-track set, Cranky has the best expressions. Whether this is a callback to No Sleep, or just keeping Cranky in character, it was a nice touch.

I guess there are a few more tracks at Brendam other than that one strip. Thanks for that.

One of the opening shots with children making a snowman took place at night, and I was quite impressed with the lighting as Thomas approached.

Thomas does mention having to go to a children's party, but fortunately we never get to see it. It happens without us, and I like this because it shows Thomas doing his own thing.

Nice to see the prop from Slippy Sodor making another appearance. Heck, the team at Nitrogen created it, and it's only polygons, requires no assembling, or storage, so it should at least be hanging out on ashelf in the background as set dressing. Picture it like Homer's closet or the Simpson's Loft.

I do like how Edward returns the things he takes, minus the tree. It wasn't as though we needed a full minute of him racing back to return the items. He just does, and the story continues.

The sickly tree -- The tall tale could have easily taken the route that the sea air made something rust, or smelled like fish, but I am glad that this was the route that was taken. It didn't feel too safe, and that was great.

The driver in Percy's cab listening to the story, as opposed to staring forward like a zombie. Also, the workmen gathered around listening in the wider shot.

If there was one thing that threw me off, it was the sudden appearance of Sir Topham Hatt dressed like Santa. He felt really thrown in at the last minute. But overall, I found this episode to be very charming.

Jim (Mod):

This episode left me absolutely stunned by its warmth and important moral messages, and I mean this in the sincerest way. Rightly or wrongly, here's what I learned from the episode.

[1]'Christmas' is acknowledged for the holiday that it is, along with the first message that it's more satisfying to give than to receive. Edward thinks of giving a gift of some sort to Salty instead of thinking about all of the wonderful 'prezzies' he'd receive himself.

[2] Gifts do not need to be purchased and wrapped up in fancy paper, but can be improvised. I for once can forgive the 'three strikes' rule with Edward's choosing (1) a can of green paint, (2) an ornate funnel and (3) the Christmas tree. My rationale for doing so is explained in my next point.

[3] The best gifts are not always material. Salty tries to reinforce this several times in the episode by gently turning down Edward's offered gifts. In the end, Edward's kindness gave Salty a story which he in turn shared with the other engines.

With the contemporary view of Christmas blatantly promoting materialism, I would highly recommend that parents, grandparents watch Salty's Surprise together with the child and to talk about its message afterwards. You'll be surprised by the child's wisdom.

Other notes: It was so nice to see Edward in character as one of the kindest engines on Sodor, and it was very thoughtful to have this acknowledged several times during the episode, especially at the end. Nitrogen's visuals were up to par as usual, and the scene where the crew chase the funnel to catch it before it fellow off the quay added a particularly humorous touch to the episode as did all of Salty's flashback sequences.

Final Conclusions

One day, I am sure I will see an episode starring Edward in CGI that will showcase the character in his best form: the loveable, wonderful old sage who never gives up.

That character wasn’t present today: in fact any other character would have fitted the role better, but it was a step in the right direction in so much that after four years, the three strikes formula has produced – in a fashion not dissimilar to monkeys at a typewriter, a few gems amongst the coal dust.

I’d call this one the Zirconia standard. Close, all the right shapes and ideas – but not close enough to be a proper gem.

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 5/10 – Salty’s Surprise

Total Season Score So Far: 44/120

Average Season Score So Far: 3.6/10

Quick Character Stats

Speaking Roles:

Edward, Salty, Thomas, Victor, Kevin, Sir Topham Hatt

Cameos:

Henry, James, Percy, Rocky, Gordon, Emily, Cranky, Rosie