Season 16 - Episode 3: Express Coming Through

Simierski
May 16
5 min read

February 2012 saw the third 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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Express Coming Through

Writer: Sharon Miller

It's a big day on Sodor! The Fat Controller's mother, Dowager Hatt, is having a party and she has invited some very important visitors.

Overall Thoughts

There are two things which make me happy about this episode. Firstly, realistic lengths for trains. Both the cameo locomotives and their trains seen in the opening sequences were decent length trains, and all with brake vans.

But the sight of five bogie coaches as the express for Thomas' main train brought a grin to my eye. The nostalgic overtones of Thomas pulling those particular coaches could not be avoided, the hark back to Thomas' Train of the very first season was strong.

I found today's episode to be good, and I haven't said that for a very long time. Yes, it still has its problems, lots of repetitive dialogue, three strikes storyline, rather odd ways to run a railway, and particularly an express (expresses normally don't stop all that often and certainly not in random locations!).

There was definitely too much of the three strikes storyline, though it must be said, done with great humour in Dowager Hatt eating the cake...! Stopping the train at random locations was also wrong. Rule 55 and all that...!

However, the characterization of Thomas and Gordon surprised me most. I was genuinely enthralled with the cheekiness of Thomas. This is the first time for a long while that Thomas as a character has felt like – well – Thomas to me, and though Gordon's aristocratic groans and moans were a tad overplayed, the chemistry between the two extremes of the locomotive world was well acted out.

Gordon's pomposity has been well critiqued in recent years, where it ranges from an over inflated ego of a Dickensian villain to the more gentle and grumpy Gordon we've come to know over the years. The catchphrases are, however, overbearing and verging on the obnoxious. I would however add that I can't stand this current trend for catchphrases in any event. In not a single one of Thomas & Friends characters does it work.

Bar one particular catchphrase. 5741 for those in the know. It works for him...!

My final positive – Keith Wickham's voice acting. He is just unbelievably good, and I sincerely hope that the shakeup of the writing team does not extend to the voice actors, as he takes the role of Dowager Hatt and plays it so brilliantly. Cracks me up every single time, and to be fair, the plaudits must also go to Nitrogen as the shots with the cake were hilarious!

Thoughts From Other SiF Members

Ian (ERS Mod):

A good number of positives for this one- all minor points I hasten to add but the fact that they are there at all is a step in the right direction (coming after utter tripe like 'Ol Wheezy Conks Out' helps!)

The start of this episode could have been from a much earlier series- cheeky Thomas .v. pompous Gordon, a classic combination. The facial expressions, especially with Gordon, were some of the best we've seen.

Twice, just when I thought Gordon's new catchphrase was coming, it didn't- can't help wondering if it was cut at a later date following viewer comments?

Dowager Hatt's "Do something, Thomas!" was amusing, and again expertly animated- the CGI people are a great asset to the show and it's wonderful when they are used well.

I always loved Angelis' deadpan 'they did not think a cow was an interesting site of Sodor"- again a small simple line but it bought a lovely gleam of comedy into an otherwise rather bland moment.

Interesting and longer trains are creeping in (yes, with brake vans!) and various different angles of locations.

On the flip side, Gordon hasn't pulled a 5 coach express in years... so why did Thomas feel the need to here? Why not leave carriages behind instead of people?

And after enduring a few minutes of repetitiveness we then ended up with- a train consisting of balloons. I'm sorry, everyone at the party was well over 40, surely they could manage without balloons? Why not collect a Mayor or someone, which Thomas could have done with Annie and Clarabel?

Also- full steam team present at Knapford. Why not some of the various other animated engines?

Overall- better than the first 2 episodes (and most of series 15 come to that), but there was still room for vast improvement and it is a crying shame that the full potential of the episode was missed.

Christopher (ERS Mod):

Positives

- Captain gets a mention. Yay!

- The crowds of human characters really do help to make the stations appear livelier. Although keen eyes may spot a Bandsman Member and The Duke and Duchess of Boxford as part of the VIP crowd...

- Some more wonderful animation, particularly in the facial expressions. Gordon at his finest

- Was a change to see Knapford viewed at different shots here.

- A party without children being the centre of it all? As with "Henry's Good Deeds", it makes a welcome change indeed.

- Longer trains - another plus

- And though it's been mention already, it's SUCH a relief to see the rhyming has been scrapped. Not long before the alliteration goes the same route, I hope.

Negative

This episode could have worked FAR better with someone other than Thomas, surely? In fact, it could have have potential for a James Vs. Gordon storyline, something that hasn't been done since Season 7's "James and the Queen of Sodor". Though to keep it believable, it might be explained that James finds he's out of practice when he pulls the Express again after "a very long time", and instead leaves his passengers at various stations rather than the quarry or a field…

Have to admit, it hardly makes up for what Miller has brought to us so far, but at least it's one of her better efforts. Not great, but not bad either.

Final Conclusions

I surprised even myself today. I enjoyed this episode. Yes, it has its flaws, which it shares with the rest of the Season, no doubt, and those which precede it, but the overall package was by far closer to the formula I have been wanting the CGI incarnation of Thomas to adopt for many years.

If the nostalgic nods back to the earlier seasons were deliberate, then it's all for the good. I think looking back at what made Thomas & Friends that it is today can and will help the series move forward in its writing. The next step is to directly reference previous episodes and events in the canon set by the series from this point. Building on previous material is essential for growth.

So, in a very rare change from the norm, I liked this episode, very much so, and would hope that whilst acknowledging it was by no means perfect, and it was still riddled with the problems that have made previous episodes suffer, there was a sudden, unexpected and very much welcome return to form for the little blue engine.

In short, this was verging on the Awdry-esque, and could have done with just a little bit more forethought, and a better understanding of railways.