Thomas and Friends: The Rest of Season 11

Finally, we finish up the Barlow Era with three more episodes out of season 11! After that, I can at last get back to season 17. This should be a doddle!

Episode 15: Hide and Peep

Written by Simon Spencer

If Thomas and Percy didn't have anything to do at Brendam Docks whilst waiting for the ship, why couldn't they have found other work to do like, say, shunting trucks? If so, then we'd have no plot, but if you wanted to find something of a compromise between the two, why not play Hide and Peep whilst shunting trucks? It doesn't take much thought, you know. That said, Percy's hiding place in the coal hopper (especially after Middle Engine) and being hidden by Rocky looked rather dangerous, which could send bad messages to kids.

I do find it surprising that Cranky would actually want to join Thomas and Percy in their game (doesn't he have work to do?), especially considering his grumpy nature, but it was nice that they tried giving him a bit of personality expansion. The episode itself is okay, but I wouldn't watch it over and over again.

Episode 20: Percy and the Left Luggage

Written by Abi Grant

Why would Percy think that Dowager Hatt's luggage should be saved last? I get that it was meant to add to the moral that work comes before play, but Thomas Tries His Best did that plot way better. Also, why wasn't Percy given a schedule in the first place? I know that some disbelief had to be suspended for this plot to happen, but come on. At least use some railway realism, especially when you consider Gordon and the Engineer!

Episode 24: Ding-a-Ling

Written by Sharon Miller

Another bad episode. Couldn't Mr. Percival have simply bought a new bicycle bell and installed it himself? And how did Freddie not know what one really was? Surely he's smarter than that! Once again, the three-strikes formula and rhyming crop up with "Ding-a-long, ding-a-ling, find the bell with the very best ring." Also, Mr. Percival's bike has been seen in episodes previous.

Season 11 Overall

Half and half for me. For every Gordon and the Engineer that they get right, there's a Don't be Silly, Billy that they get wrong. It's better than seasons nine and ten, but not by much. At this point, the show switched to high definition as opposed to standard definition, and it makes the resolution look much better for the models, even as they neared the end of the line.

There's only one more season to cover, the season where things really began to turn things around - season 17!

Episodes Ranked from Worst to Best

26. Don't be Silly, Billy (0/10)
25. Skarloey Storms Through (1/10)
24. Toby's Triumph
23. Smoke and Mirrors
22. Thomas Sets Sail
21. Thomas and the Big Bang
20. Sir Handel in Charge (2/10)
19. Ding-a-Ling (3/10)
18. Percy and the Left Luggage
17. Duncan Does it All
16. Edward and the Mail (5/10)
15. Hide and Peep
14. Cool Truckings (6/10)
13. Dirty Work
12. Henry's Lucky Trucks
11. Thomas and the Stinky Cheese (7/10)
10. Wash Behind Your Buffers
9. Thomas and the Spaceship
8. Thomas and the Lighthouse
7. Thomas in Trouble
6. Thomas and the Storyteller (8/10)
5. Emily's Rubbish
4. Thomas and the Runaway Car
3. Dream On (9/10)
2. Hector the Horrid!
1. Gordon and the Engineer (10/10)

Season 11 Final Rating: 5/10