Season 16 - Episode 6: Flash, Bang, Wallop!

February 2012 saw the sixth 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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Flash, Bang, Wallop!

Writer: Jessica Sandys Clarke

The engines on the Island of Sodor are excited! A photographer has arrived to take photographs for a brand-new book.

Overall Thoughts

The alliteration in this episode is exceptionally ear-achingly exasperating. You see? Alliteration doesn't sound natural either. One of my biggest complaints of last season was the alliterative writing, and it continues unabated, for the most part, in Season 16.

This episode uses the same introductory music as the previous Express Coming Through. Not exactly a criticism, but when every setup to an episode features a title card and almost identical “the engines on the island of Sodor...” in the same monotonous tone from the usually very enthusiastic Michael Angelis, it does put it on a low standing almost immediately.

Yet the first thirty seconds are breathtaking. Mixed goods trains – an express train pulled by Gordon with six – count 'em – six coaches, including a brake composite. For the rail enthusiasts among us, the nods to the real railway are simply delightful, and long may they continue. They make the railway look like a railway, purely and simply.

Brake vans are on every goods train, which is an utter delight (given I've moaned the most about it over the years!) Well done Nitrogen – it all looks excellent. It always does, mind you.

The introductory spiel was boring, alliterative and aped pretty much every single previous CGI episode in some respects.

Then the Fat Controller brings out a book on actual steam locomotives. No faces – just pictures of lovely, real locomotives.

The first one – a Hudswell Clarke diesel mechanical I believe, in green, was a surprise – as was the Garratt shortly afterwards (South African narrow gauge variety? - EDIT, reliably informed by our Gaffer that it was of the Zimbabwe variety of Garratt) but then – the moment of glorious moments – a nod and a wink to the past. For there, was the special visitor himself. City of Truro.

You couldn't make it up. I simply grinned from thereon in.

To be fair to Ms Clarke, I did enjoy the banter between the engines directly after the Fat Controller's announcement. Yes, Gordon's overly pompous, and James is paint obsessed yet again, but they actually felt in character, and surprisingly close to their original personas.

The idea of Thomas jumping into everyone's photographs is genuinely brilliant. The nod to railway history and the lineside photographer is brilliant too. Okay, Percy can't change the points for himself, but crashing into the siding full of coal was a Season 2 nod a half to Thomas, Percy & The Coal. Once again, mostly caused by Thomas!

James' incident was less funny, because it was almost identical to Percy's crash. This is where the three strikes formula could have been utilised better: perhaps James could have blown off steam crossly at his photograph being ruined, spraying the photograph with smoke and steam as a result!

But of course, I say this prior to Henry's incident. This was a wonderfully clever bit of writing, but I think it's fair to say that Thomas & Henry stopping for a dropped camera was pushing it too far away from railway realism. If Thomas had been told off by the Fat Controller later...!

Oh right – he's on board with Henry. Whoops!

I should point out that behind the Fat Controller (while he is having his rant about the various accidents littering Sodor at this point) that there is actual weathering applied to Henry's valve gear – oil stains and rust. It's highly effective, and it's a shame we don't get this close up to the Nitrogen models to see this attention to detail enough.

There's far too many long distance, panned shots when a fixed viewpoint of a train thundering past, but close to the camera, would do. The one thing I think Nitrogen have never quite got right throughout the CGI era is the focus from the lineside.

Shots of trains should be at eye level. It makes the engines look more prominent in the landscape, and forces the perspective to zoom in on the engines, revealing the detail and making the characters look larger than life. Of course from this point on, you know Thomas is obeying strictly by the three strikes formula and goes back to save everyone, and ends up getting on the cover of the book anyway...

...but for a change, this was a genuinely enjoyable, well thought out stab at the three strikes formula. Okay, it still doesn't work in the great scheme of things because it's a) too long and b) still riddled with the alliterative speech and a few leaps of faith too many in the reality of the situations, but it's far from being dire and is probably an example of how the three strikes formula could have been utilized.

It's far too little, too late, however, and against the backdrop of so little of the writing of anyone other than the head writer being utilized, it's yet another of those gems which sparkle amidst a mountain of dusty coal.

Thoughts From Other SiF Members

Christopher (ERS Mod):

Alliteration Alliteration, Alliteration - all the time, all the time, all the time - thrice, thrice, thrice.

Just to make that one point very clear. Had there been NO Alliteration, then it would have turned out to be a half-decent episode. As it was, hearing Thomas say how he'll "whoosh and wheesh" to get in the photograph three times really got on my whick, likewise with the opening scene. Just once, it'd be nice to have the Storyteller say ONE line and let the montage speak for itself. Something Series 6 / 7-related, at least.

Speaking of speaking, was it really necessary for Thomas to exclaim the episode's title? Honestly?? Henry's "Steady On!" felt more real than the catchphrases Thomas, Percy and James delivered here.

The story also suffered from a plot-hole 3/4 through - how could the Photographer have taken a photo of Thomas rescuing Percy if he had been left behind, camera and all? More to point, how did Thomas know what happened to Percy and James anyway, if they hadn't the chance to tell him? (But then, it'd be talking down to the audience even more, so fair do's).

To add also, was it not coincidental that, apart from the long shot of Tidmouth, the camera only focused on Percy, James and Thomas? Sure, they may have been the leading characters in this episode, but a shot of Gordon, Henry, Edward and Emily would have been nice to balance things out - or even a stand-alone close up shot of Toby. Otherwise it's evident that the "three merchandise locos" are really being pushed more and more these days.

However, the "photos" were nicely timed for comedy value, and I admired the scene of Percy's crew digging him out of the coal. If we had the Engine Crews present ALL the time - say, preparing them for the day's work or just observing their conversations (and reacting to them) - then it'd help add that extra bit of realism sorely missing from the series of late.

Also, I liked how Percy and James thanked Rocky as well as Thomas for rescuing them. Don't know why, but I half-expected Rocky to have been silent, so it was nice to hear him (and Edward) get a minor speaking at least

And at least Thomas got his job done (for once) rather than be distracted, chase after the photographer and neglect his duties. Fair game to Jessica for putting that story point right.

As for the animation - need I say more? More fab new rolling stock, the camera smashing, the Fat Controller's gestures when scolding Thomas and the evening shot at Tidmouth were wonderful, as was the odd but intriguing little rolling stock the Photographer was riding when snapping Percy's shot. Another thumbs up for Greg there - kudos for the RL Engines in the book!

Final Conclusions

I really was rather taken with this episode. The overall concept was sound, but the dialogue let it down badly in some areas (the catchphrase of Flash, Bang, Wallop makes absolutely no sense).

The episode was wonderfully animated and the nods to previous episodes, and the series' own history and backstory was perfect. This is the CGI era as it could have been, and would have been perfect with a better understanding of how the railways work (British Railways 1952, Rule 55 – you can't just stop you know!) and a better incident for James.

Overall, it's one of the better episodes of the CGI era and I think it is telling somewhat that the second gem of the season comes from a writer with only a few previous credits to her name. Dare I say, creativity stifled at some point, somewhere?

In any event, it was a delight to watch this one today. I haven't felt this happy with a Thomas & Friends episode for a very long time.

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!

Total Season Score So Far: 24/60

Average Season Score So Far: 4/10

Quick Character Stats

Speaking Roles:

Thomas, Percy, James, Henry, Gordon,

The Fat Controller, The Photographer, Edward, Rocky

Cameos:

Hiro, Emily, Stanley, Scruff, Toby, Rosie