Episode Review: Oliver Owns Up

Season 3, Episode 22

Air Date: April 12, 1992

Writer(s): Reverend W. Awdry

Summary

The engines all wanted to here the story about how Oliver was saved from scrap by Donald. The engines all thought he was great, but Oliver got a little puffed up in the smoke box. Sir Top Ham Hatt told Oliver it was his turn to learn about Freight Cars. Oliver thought he was so great, that he didn't listen to Duck or Donald's advice, and he fell  in the turn table. He was lifted out at night time. He told Sir Top Ham Hatt that he looked like a load of scrap, Sir Top Ham Hatt said he didn't and would go to the works to be mended. The other engines felt sorry for Oliver, and now Oliver is back working happily on Duck's branch line.

Review

For some reason, this episode is really popular on You Tube, it has over one million views. It's odd that the turn table operator couldn't turn the table while Oliver was backing up, so he didn't crash. It would be cool to remake some of these old episodes, showing Oliver at the works with Victor, and just make the story longer. Over all I didn't really like the episode.

Over all I give this episode a 8/10

Episode Review: Tender Engines

Season 3, Episode 20

Air Date: February 4th, 1992

Writer(s): Reverend W. Awdry 

Summary

Gordon was filling up on coal, James told him that that he didn't need any more coal. Then, he went to fill up on water, Duck said he might get boiler ache if he had to much. Gordon was getting cross, he was Percy by the shed, and he saw to big tenders, he asked Percy who they belonged to. Percy said they belonged to a visitor. Diesel came by, and said he won't need any tenders in the end, because diesel's are taking over. Gordon went to Knapford station to get the express, Sir Top Ham Hatt was there, he asked him why the visitor need two tenders, and if the diesel's were really going to take over. he said that the visitor has to tenders because he traveled long distances, and that the diesel's were never going to take over the railway. Latter, Henry decided that he wanted more tenders, Donald and Duck played a trick on him, and told him he could have his tenders. Latter, all the engines were waiting at Knapford station to see Henry and his tenders, they were six old tenders. All the engine's thought it was funny.

Review

Thomas fan's say that the Flying Scotsman never appeared in the T.V. series, well I guess he never had a roll in a episode, but his tenders were seen in the shed. Why would Henry want tenders? That's one part of the episode I didn't get. Over all I enjoyed the episode.

Over all I give this episode a 8/10

Episode Review: One Good Turn

Season 3, Episode 19

Air Date: September 4th, 1992

Writer(s): Britt Allcroft, David Mitton

Summary

Bill and Ben are sent to the yard to wok with Boco shunting cars. One day, they need to use the turn table for the first time. Ben goes on the turn table, and the workman turns him the wrong way, then Bill and Ben bump in to each other. They get so cross for getting in each other's way that they don't talk to each other for two days. Edward got tired of all the grumpiness in the yard, so he came up with a plan. Edward's driver and fireman told Sir Top Ham Hatt, and he agreed. He told Bill and Ben to shunt a train for Boco, but they wanted to pull it. First Bill tried to pull it, but he couldn't, so Ben offered to help, and they both pulled the train together and were good friends again.

Review

I never saw this episode before, and it's a good episode, it's nice to see Boco lots in the older series. I enjoy Bill and Ben's theme song at the beginning. 

Over all I give this episode a 8/10

Episode Review: All at Sea

Season 3, Episode 18

Air Date: March 21st, 1993

Writer(s): Britt Allcroft, David Mitton

Summary

Duck and Percy were working at the harbor, loading and unloading cargo, then they went by the buffers, and looked out to sea, it was packed with sail boats for the regatta race. Duck told Percy that he wanted to sail like a boat, Percy thought it was funny , and said that engines can't float. Harold landed to say hello, he told Duck how great it was to hover over the sea and beyond. Duck talked all day about the regatta. Soon the emergency horn blew, Duck raced down to the quay, Harold was there with an injured man from the regatta race. Duck raced down the rails to the hospital, after a good run, he decided that it was better to be an engine. That night, Percy and Duck stayed down by the quay, Harold came by, and dropped a present for Duck from the regatta race.

Review

I enjoyed the background music and the sunset in this episode. it's funny that Duck thought Harold was a shooting star, because he looked like one in that seen. This is one of my favorite episodes of the season.

Over all I give this episode a 10/10

Episode Review: James Goes Buzz Buzz

Season 3, Episode 17

Air Date: January 2nd, 1992

Writer(s): Reverend W. Awdry

Summary

Trevor was working at the Vicars orchard, James was there, Trevor explained that the boxes were the bee's hives. Boco came by, and warned James that bee's sting. Boco left to the next station, he told Duck about how Bill and Ben were like bees when he first meat them. James was at Knapford station, he had to take the passengers and the bee hives. When the workman was loading one of the hives it broke, everyone cleared the station, and the bees buzzed around James' driver and Fireman, but they didn't understand, so they landed on him warm boiler. James tried everything to get them off, but nothing worked. Finally, they went back to the orchard, and they buzzed in to there new hive. Back at Tidmouth sheds, the Vicar thought that if it was Christmas, they should call James the red nosed engine.

Review

I thought this episode was very funny, but I didn't like the CGI cartoon bee that stung James at the station. it was also funny when Duck said Buzz, Buzz, Buzz. This episode is like the new Sharon Miller episode, Buzzy Bees, where Hero tells Thomas to take bees through the quiet woods, and not the flower garden.

Over all I give this episode a 9/10

Season 17 Episode Review: Steamie Stafford

Season 17, Episode 5

Air Date: Seen On DVD, Airing In Fall 2013

Writer(s): Paul Larson, Laura Beaumont

Summary

Stafford was charging his battery, then he went under the bridge to get lumber from the docks. There were children on top of the bridge, they were confused, because they wondered why Stafford didn't make chuffing sounds, Stafford felt bad, so he asked Thomas and Percy how to make steam engine sounds. The other steam engines liked his sounds, and he imitated there sounds to. Latter, Sir Top Ham Hatt told Stafford to take sheep to Farmer Mcolls farm. Stafford made a loud steam engine whistle, but he frightened the sheep. Farmer Mcoll explained that he asked Stafford to take the sheep because he was quiet. Stafford and Farmer Mcoll rounded up the sheep, and for the rest of the day, Stafford was quiet.

Review

This episode remained me of Percy's New Friends and Henry's Good Deeds, because of the quiet part. There is still some riming in these story's, but most of it is gone.

Over all I give this episode a 9/10

Sodor Tour Mini-Site on Thomas & Friends.com. with KOTR Theme

The official Thomas and Friends website has been updated with a King of the Railway themed Sodor Tour page. You can visit destinations Tidmouth and Knapford, and earn badges along the way. It's strange that there are a whole bunch of places for badges when you can only earn to. Maybe Mattel will update it with more destinations in the future.

I'm not to fond of these new CGI activity's on the Thomas & Friends website, I enjoy the older one's much better. For some reason the website has individual advertisements at the bottom of the page, and the ad's are part of the game. In the Tidmouth Station part of the activity, they use Day of the Diesels clips for the videos.

You can get to the game using the link on the upper right hand corner of the Thomas & Friends official website home page.

Thanks to Roll Along Thomas for the alert

Three new King of The Railway Trackmaster Products for Autumn

Three new best moments packs for trackmaster are to be released this spring. Including: Stephen, Connor, and Catlin. I really liked the look of these models. Here are the pictures of them. Roll Along Thomas found these on the TTTE Wikia, uploaded by Steam Team.

Catlin and Cooner look like almost the same engine, but painted differnt colors.

                                

Thanks to Roll Along Thomas for the alert

Episode Review: Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party

Season 3, Episode 16

Air Date: December 27, 1991

Writer(s): Britt Allcroft, David Mitton

Summery

The Vicar is planing a party at the orchard to raise money so the children can to to the beach. Edward is disappointed, because he wants to help, and there is nothing for him to do. Edward gets his chance when the Vicar forgets to hang up the posters, Edward gets to have posters pasted all over his boiler, and all his passengers go to the country show.

When the show is on, Tervor and Bertie are busy hauling children down the country lane, but Bertie gets stuck, so Tervor helps him out of the mud. After, the Vicar says they raised enough money for the beach.

Review

I liked this episode, it was kind of funny how Tervor thought Bertie was a "stick in the mud". I also enjoy Trevors' theme song.

Over all I give this episode a 7/10

Episode Review: Toby's Tightrope

Season 3, Episode 15
Air Date: December 25, 1991
Writer(s):  Reverend W. Awdry 
Summery

Percy tells Mavis not to use Toby's line, and says that she will be a useful engine if she doesn't use it. Mavis wanted an excuse to use it, so Mavis asked her driver if they could go as far as the level crossing, but the next day Mavis had a plan, she told the cars to bump her when she got to the level crossing, Mavis left, but Toby decided to shunt the cars instead. The freight cars decided to shunt Toby, but after they did, he headed straight for a broken bridge, the bridge broke, and Toby was hanging by a thread. Soon, Mavis came and was horrified to see Toby dangling on the bridge, she took away the cars, and then hooked up to Toby, and pulled him to safety. Mavis said sorry to Toby and then told Sir Top Ham hatt what really happened. She asked him if she could go down Toby's line sometimes, Sir Top Ham hat had it arranged, and Mavis was as happy as can be.

Review

This episode was a sequel to the last one, and is how Toby and Mavis become good friends. I enjoyed the episode, but how they got Toby to stay on the bridge is a mystery, they must have used strings or some kind of white cord that no one can see. I like Mavis' them song in both these episodes. 

Over all I give this episode a 9/10

Episode Review: Mavis

Air Date: December 25, 19991

Writer(s): Reverend W. Awdry

Summery

Mavis the diesel was working at the quarry, moving Toby's car's around. Toby didn't like it because he had to look for them every time. Toby told Mavis to take the car's herself. Once Mavis left she came to the level crossing, she got stuck, and the freight car's pushed her right on to the crossing. The workman did everything to get Mavis unstuck, but nothing worked. Finally, Toby came and shunted Mavis back to the station with the car's.

Review

The episode where Mavis and Toby become friends is titled Toby's Tightrope. I'm not sure what to say about this episode, but over all I enjoyed it.

Over all I give this episode a 9/10

First Four Episodes Of Season 17 Found On You Tube!

I've found the first four episodes of season 17 on You Tube. They are: Gordon Run's Dry, Kevin's Cranky Friend, Scruff's Makeover and Wayward Winston.

There will be reviews on all these episodes on my blog soon. All these episodes are seen in the Wall-Mart exclusive DVD, titled Railway Mischief.You can click on the underlined episode titles to watch the episodes on You Tube.

Episode Review: Trust Thomas

Season 3, Episode 13
Air Date: November 24th, 1991
Writer(s): Britt Allcroft, David Mitton

Summery

Thomas was puffing down his branch line enjoying him self. Bertie  came to the station and was cross because Thomas didn't bring tar to mend the road. After, Thomas went to the yard to collect some trucks, James and Gordon were there, so they played a trick on Thomas. James pretended to be sick, so Thomas took some of his trucks. The trucks decided to play a trick on Thomas, so they pushed him down the hill, and on to a barge and he crashed on the other side of the lake. Soon after, Duck came to take the undamaged cars away, and Edward took Thomas to the Steam Works.

Review

I like this episode, and I really like the country side on Thomas' branch line. it seemed like James didn't really make the joke for any good reason, just to make the episode longer I guess. The thing about the toad was funny. 

Over all I give this episode a 8/10

Episode Review: Thomas, Percy and the Mail Train

 

Season 3, Episode 12

Air Date: December 20th, 1991  

Writer(s): Britt Allcroft, David Mitton

 

Plot

Thomas and Percy have the job of taking the mail at night. One night Henry is late, and the mail person wouldn't listen. Harold told Thomas that there's been news going around that there going to scrap the mail train and use him instead, but the next day Percy goes by the air port and Harold is grounded from the wind. The next night they are faster, and Thomas takes a passenger home who missed his train, and he sends Sir topham hatt a letter saying that the mail train is the pride of the line.

Review

This is one of my favorite episodes of the season, I enjoy the background music. Why didn't Sir top hamhatt tell the mail person why the train was late? Over all I really enjoyed the episode.

Watch Thomas, Percy & The Mail Train on You Tube

Over all I give this episode a 9/10

Episode Review: No Joke for James

Season 3, Episode 11

Air Date: November 19th, 1991

Writer(s): Britt Allcroft, David Mitton

  

Summery 

James is a mixed traffic engine, he can pull passengers and freight cars. But one day he was boasting to Gordon about how useful he was, Gordon said he wasn't useful if he pulled goods trains, so James said Sir topham hatt had plans for him. Thomas was shunting in Gordon's coaches, but James lied to Thomas and said they were for him. James thought it was a cleaver plan, but when Gordon when to get his cars, his driver was very cross. When James reached the station Sir topham hatt was there and he told James to go to the shed for the day. The next day James said sorry to Thomas and the freight cars were happy to have him back. On the was home, James took a railway inspector to Sir topham hatt and he said that James was a really useful engine.

Review

I enjoyed this episode, it seemed to just keep going. I also enjoyed the music. Why would the freight cars be happy to have James back if they want to knock engine's off the rails?

Over all I give this episode a 8/10

Watch No Joke For James On You Tube

Episode Review: The Trouble with Mud

 Season 3, Episode 10
Air Date: November 25th, 1991 
 Writer(s): Reverend W. Awdry

Summery

Thomas was having a wash down, and Gordon came in covered in mud. Gordon didn't care about having a wash down and left. James angrily shunts some trucks in the yard and then gets ready to pull the express. When he arrives at Gordon's hill he has trouble getting to the top, the wind pulls him back to the bottom so Gordon pushes from behind. When they got back to the shed Sir top ham hatt said that Gordon could pull the express again if he stayed clean.

Review

 I liked this episode, and I liked how Gordon said"Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine" at the end.  Why does Sir topham hatt let James pull the train after he blew mud in Gordon's face? He should have let Henry and Edward pull it. Over all I thought the episode was great.

Over all I give this episode a 9/10