Episode Review: You Can't Win

Season 4, Episode 4

Air Date: September 12, 1996

Writer(s): Reverend W. Awdry

Summary

Duke was working on the new narrow gauge railway, he was getting old, and Stewart and Falcon started teasing him. Stewart said "it would be the day" when he had to help Duke with his passengers, but Duke soon forgot and enjoyed the rest of the evening. The next day Duke broke down, Stewart and Falcon came to help get the passengers to there boat. Stewart wouldn't stop joking about how Duke was a poor old engine. Dukes' driver had a plan to get back a Stewart, when they got to the top of the mountain, Duke pushed the train with all his might until they got to the station. There was a boy on the plat from, he wondered why there were two engines, the driver explained that Falcon broke down, and Duke had to push him. Falcon disappeared in a cloud of steam. Duke told him that he couldn't win.

Review

They should have had Thomas tell the story at Tidmouth sheds like they did with Bulldog and Sleeping Beauty. Another error, is that they never tell you if it's the new narrow gage line, or the old one. I thought the sad song for Duke was funny, it was an out of tune narrow gauge theme. I'm not so sure what Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales is, it must be a really old series, because I've never heard of it.

Over all I give this episode a 7/10