Thomas & Friends: Tales from the Tracks: More episodes from the long passed its prime show. Watching Thomas is in some ways like watching an actual train wreck: it's bad and it just gets worse but you keep watching it. As I seem to be buying and watching these, I should at least offer some criticism of what is wrong with the show and perhaps what could be fixed.

The first thing I would change is to get back to reality. Trains do not have free will over where they go and don't go. These are done by the driver, signalmen, shunters et. all. The early stories acknowledged this and even used it for plot points. It seems now that engines just go off on their own and do as they please. This is also extended in that very little actual railway business seems to happen on the Island of Sodor. While the railways used to be used in Awdry's stories for moving passengers, shunting, hauling goods trains and the like, the engines are now there only for whatever whim the Fat Controller has for the day. (e.g. The kids need ice cream so we'll send Thomas for that!) The Rev. Awdry stressed realism in his stories (as real as talking engines can be) with many of his stories being based on actual events. That respect for the way a railway was run should be extended to the show as it once was.

My final gripe would be how political correctness has hit Thomas. While the original stories were written in the 40s and thus some question them as outdated, this is not an excuse for neglecting older characters to push female characters like Emily. The PC police have also added black people in the crowds. The worst has to be that Thomas readily takes part in the "War on Christmas." The same show that had a Christmas episode now refers to Christmas as the "winter holiday season." Gag me with a spoon.

So that's the state of things on Sodor. I think the only saving grace is that the Thin Controller is introduced, even if he is called Mr. Percival. Perhaps someone at HIT is reading the books? I doubt it very much. In the meantime can we please have the Season 2 boxset?

Labels: Thomas, TV Shows