Season 16 - Episode 17: Welcome Stafford

March 2012 saw the seventeenth 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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Welcome Stafford

Writer: Sharon Miller

There's a buzz of excitement on Sodor today. Stafford, the new shunting engine, is in the Steamworks! He's electric and runs on batteries, so everyone wants to meet him.

Overall Thoughts

Keith Wickham. Has there been a more positive influence on the voice acting in Thomas & Friends than he? His enthusiasm and clear talent for portraying a variety of characters is refreshing on many levels.

His voicing of Stafford, the battery electric engine, is superb. I don’t think I’ve laughed at a Thomas & Friends episode like this for a long time. Perfect timing, perfect accentuations on the accent and the concern in his voice – he brings Stafford to life like no other voice actor in the series can.  Stafford as a character is well chosen, and a wonderful change from the inappropriate and dubiously thought out trio of Misty Island – who to some extent are rather shown up by this charismatic new character.

My biggest worry with this episode was the severe lack of Awdry characters within it, mind you. So we had Spencer – not even owned by the Fat Controller or a resident of Sodor – showing Stafford around the island. It is I suppose, a step up from the otherwise generic and bland “oh look – Thomas happens to be doing nothing so will show you around the island”.

The problem persists further with Victor, Kevin, the logging locos, and Flynn all seemingly taking the places of the Awdry characters. Granted, Thomas gets one of his ubiquitous cameo appearances, but this almost feels purposefully like a congregation of Thomas & Friends’ HiT created characters, in their specific locales (and co-incidentally, they all have playsets in some form or another available for the Take’n’Play range).

I know it’s all about the merchandising really in terms of a business mind, but when you hear such passion from Mr Wickham, and see the hard work put into the visuals by Nitrogen, you also expect to see it in the writing.

And to be fair – there were some quality moments of dialogue in this episode. I was very pleasantly surprised. Okay, this episode is still generic three strikes and you’re out storyline, but the Awdry-esque “Spencer gets his comeuppance” at the end was extremely welcome.

Stafford himself, as the first and only electric locomotive of any kind in Sodor – both in the TV series and The Railway Series (which mentions the electric engines of the Peel Godred railway just twice over 42 books), is actually the sort of new character that should be encouraged.

An historical basis, a unique selling point, and some thought given to both the character’s role in a storyline, and the manner in which he is portrayed.

I only hope that the same level of thought will be applicable to the current and returning Awdry characters in the years to come.

There is, however, a moment of alarm for me. The Duke of Boxford opening the carriage door onto the path of another railway line.

NO NO NO NO NO NO.

NO!!!

This is very, very dangerous and easily imitable! Do not do this again, HiT, I plead with you.

We have enough problems at preserved railway lines with people treating slam door stock in this manner and not realizing the consequences of their actions, without such dangerous behaviour shown in the world's number one children's brand.

Thoughts From Other SiF Members

Ryan (SiF Admin)

In all, it's the usual fare as we're used to getting throughout the CGI era of Thomas & Friends, but I cannot help but find Stafford to be quite endearing as a character. As Ian has pointed out before me, the accent and dialect does a lot for the character in terms of fleshing out his personality and giving us an understanding of where the character could go in future.

Kudos to Sharon as well for abandoning part of the usual structure - the resolution of the problem. It's clear that Stafford isn't insecure as many of the other characters are, he's strong-willed enough to rise above Spencer's ignorance and brushes it off. In turn, Spencer doesn't try and make amends as happens in most episodes - he instead has time to think about what he's done, hasn't done and what he doesn't know. A good means of utilising the character who is essentially an anti-hero anyway.

Eric (SiF Second in Command)

The intro to Stafford, I thought, was done very well, having Victor tell us, rather than the narrator. This scene flowed very naturally, and upon hearing Stafford's voice, I was immediately drawn to the character. I'm not a huge fan of his design, but I quite like his voice. And while the narration got repetitive I did like how Stafford's "Oh no" line did change with every strike.

I do wish that someone had said that Stafford's battery hadn't been fully charged from the start. Immediately this looks like Stafford's battery can't hold a charge for more than 30 seconds.

The ending where Stafford comes to Spencer's rescue was done well, and this has been mentioned as being very Awdry-esque, but it felt a little Gordon & Spencer-y too.

Christopher (ERS Mod):

As I had said before, I found Spencer crane-shunted into this type of role quite off-putting, since - AGAIN - he is NOT a permanent resident of Sodor. Perhaps because HIT doesn't want him fading into obscurity since Hero Of The Rails that this decision was made, but still...it seemed more fitting for James or someone similar.

The episode was same-old, same-old in terms of repetition, alliteration, catchphrases - but to my great surprise, the dialogue felt much better.

In fact, it almost felt natural. Better than it has been in years! Besides Spencer declaring a "special special" (why not "I have the honour…"?), everything else sounded real. Lines like Spencer cutting off Stafford ( "battery, schmattery!" ), calling Thomas a "little fellow", Flynn and the Logging Loco's reactions to "the space behind Spencer" - and especially the Duke and Duchess putting Spencer to rights.

But above and beyond, the best performance was by Keith Wickham as the titular character. Every line from Stafford was a winner, and it was great to have him react differently every time he was left behind:

"Spencer! ….oh, never mind."

"Spencer! I…ohhh, here we go again!"

Wonderful, wonderful dialogue!

And then to have the tables turn in the final act was perfect! Rather than Spencer spend a minute stating the obvious and then put things right, we were presented with a very Awdry-esque ending where Spencer is left humiliated and Stafford becomes the hero. Whether it was by Miss Miller or the new script editor, Becky Evans, it felt very refreshing - even if it did have tinges of "Gordon and Spencer".

Having said that, if that sort of thing happens to the more pompous Steam Team members in future - especially Thomas - I think it'd even things out than have everyone laughing at the end...Thomas hasn't been left "in disgrace" since Season 7's "What's the Matter with Henry?" 

Hartshorne's music was especially jolly to listen to; very nearly hitting the type of orchestra that could add that extra zest of life to the CGI era. And Nitrogen's animation was on top form - the Guard losing his hat, engines working in the background (ie, Toby with Henrietta) worked nicely with the improved dialogue between the characters.

Their rendering of Stafford looks amazing, down to the smallest detail (and even better when Stafford explains himself as an Electric Engine. More Railway Stuff for the kids to learn from!).

Although I did raise an eyebrow on how they sneakily got away with Spencer using the Shake Shake Bridge. Subtle editing there...

In short, the story may not be anything new (apart from the end), but the improvement in the characters' speech and interactions were much welcomed. And it really helped to give the voice actors something better to work from. Putting in more emotion and character than ever before!

Ian (ERS Staff):

Firstly, what a nice title: so much more interesting than 'Thomas and the New Engine' or the likes. What a grand choice of engine too- something genuinely interesting and unique. Nitrogen have done a first rate job, the Yorkshire accent suited him (despite my hope he'd have a Potteries/Stoke-on-Trent accent to suit his former railway company) and he seemed genuinely kind, polite and interesting without the need for silly catchphrases and quirks.

I'm quite happy to say, after just this episode, he's already my favourite new arrival of the CGI era.

However, that does not make up for yet another bland story.

Spencer was totally miscast, and all the way through I kept wondering "Why wasn't James used for this one?". The storyline was incredibly predictable (as ever) but the dialogue and voice acting were up there with the best we've seen for ages. Spencer had several good lines and was played with gusto, Stafford's "Oh never mind!" was wonderfully wearisome, and even Flynn, Bill and Ben Bash and Dash's individual lines were amusing. In fact, the logging loco's bit would almost have been OK if it weren't for Ferdinand's catchphrase shunted in on the end! Having an engine shown up at the end- marvellous! it feels like years since we saw that.

But yet again we had countless continuity errors and gripes;

- Stafford's battery failed yet he always returned to his charge point

- not one human being thought to point out Spencer's silly error until the 3rd time

- Spencer surely has more important duties than showing shunting engines around the island (if he was truly in character he'd have had nothing to do with the little engine- see 'Whiff's Wish'!)

- the Duke of Boxford opening carriage doors while not at the platform (what message is that sending out?)

- when Spencer went to Misty Island, he'd have gone through the Search and Rescue Centre to reach the tunnel- so why didn't anyone there notice Stafford wasn't with him the 2nd time?

- why shoehorn in Thomas yet again?

Stafford seems to be one of, if not the best thought out character in many a year,- his prototype gave this episode some educational value and that's great. But yet again it was a poorly written episode and it is sad to think how great his debut could have been.

Final Conclusions

This is still not close to the level we want to see Thomas & Friends attain. Like yesterday’s episode, it suffers from being a bland, generic storyline, yet tantalisingly it shows just how very close to the mark the voice actors and artists are with the series, aside from the absolutely dangerous moment of the Duke of Boxford opening the carriage door over a parallel running line.

Disappointing in terms of character choices, dull in terms of storyline, but with a whiff (pun intended) of magic that was lacking in yesterday’s, and indeed, most of this season’s episodes.

Three episodes left, ladies and gentlemen!

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 1/10 - Sodor Surprise Day 1/10 - Emily's Winter Holiday Special 2/10 – Muddy Matters 4/10 – Whiff’s Wish 4/10 – Welcome Stafford

Total Season Score So Far: 56/170

Average Season Score So Far: 3.3/10

Quick Character Stats

Speaking Roles:

Stafford, Spencer, The Fat Controller, Thomas, Victor,

The Logging Locos, Flynn, The Duke of Boxford

Cameos:

Rosie, Charlie, Salty, Henry, Gordon, Toby, Mavis, James, Thomas