OPINIONS IN THIS BLOG ARE SOLELY MY OWN; THEY DON'T REFLECT ON THOSE BY THE THOMAS FANDOM ON WHOLE
My least favorite of season 15 is fairly obvious, but I want to review what I think is the worst of season 11. Is it Toby's Triumph? Nope. Sir Handel in Charge? Not really. Skarloey Storms Through? Close, but no cigar. My personal worst of season 11 is Don't Be Silly, Billy, which I find strange as no one ever talks about this episode when it comes to worst episodes. Granted, it's easy to miss, but that doesn't excuse how bad the episode is.
Season 11, Episode 13
Don't Be Silly, Billy
Written by Sharon Miller
Even if I made Toby's Triumph and Skarloey Storms Through dishonorable mentions in my Top 25 worst episodes, they're still bad because of character derailment. To be fair, what they had in common was that they had decent ideas for storytelling, but they used the wrong characters. Sir Handel in Charge could've worked if it didn't rip-off The Green Controller. As for Don't Be Silly, Billy? Well, let's find out.
We start off with the 30-second montage of what the engines like to do, and considering S13-16, that's not a good way to start the episode. We know Gordon likes pulling the express, we know Percy likes pulling the mail, and we know that Thomas likes being given "special specials!" Even if they said he likes working on his branchline, it would still be repetitive!
Speaking of Thomas, he arrives at Brendam Docks to show Billy around. This is actually surprising; throughout the Miller era, Thomas has been shown to be a mindless idiot, but actually helping a new engine out is surprising, even if it could've gone to Edward or Toby. Anyway, the Fat Controller gives Billy his tasks; take empty chicken vans (livestock vans, for the record) to the farm and bring the chickens to the docks, deliver diesel fuel to the quarry, and take coal to the depot. Thomas is to help Billy, even if he should be running his branchline! Oh, wait, it doesn't exist in season 11... Anyway, as Thomas gives Billy some advice, the latter calls Thomas a bossy boiler, and steams away. Also, thank you, Salty for restating what Billy just called Thomas(!) Speaking of which, his role is pointless.
Thomas catches up to Billy at the farm, but he doesn't get the chickens loaded after he runs off. Strike one(!) Thomas then finds Billy at the quarry, but he runs off again having not brought diesel fuel with him. Strike two(!) Thomas follows Billy to the depot where he has one flatbed (not trucks) of diesel fuel (why wasn't it in tankers?), but runs away yet again and calls Thomas bossy yet again. Strike three, you're out!
Yes, repeating dialogue and tweaking it to make each scene "fresh" is not a good way to write stories. Considering S13-16, why should nobody be surprised? Also, Billy is such a horribly unlikable prick; his personality is that of Thomas' from S9-16, only ten times more irritating and annoying. He is also not a character, but a plot device used to tell a story! Say what you want about Charlie, but at least he was used more than once!
Billy leaves behind the fuel and Thomas chases after him yet again to the coaling plant, where Billy shunts trucks into Percy, who gets covered in coal as a result of Billy's ignorance and complete stupidity. Why didn't his driver stop Billy from doing such childish behavior?! Oh wait, drivers and firemen don't exist in this episode; they're completely forgotten about just for the sake of the story. By the way, don't remind me of a season six episode that's actually good in the middle of a really bad one from season 11. And how does Percy know Billy?
When Billy calls Thomas bossy again, the little blue engine is fed up and leaves Billy to do what he likes, only for the brat to run out of coal and water at the same time. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Soon, Thomas brings Billy to the water tower where Billy agrees to allow Thomas to help him do his jobs properly. No, it doesn't make the situation better; it makes it worse since the Fat Controller should be involved and scold Billy for his childish behavior! Also, the moral is extremely forced.
Honestly, why does this episode not get more hate? The morals are terrible (if you disrespect those trying to help you, they'll come to your rescue no matter how selfish you were), the three strikes are obvious, and Billy is such an annoying brat; he just gets away with his bad behavior and got no scolding from the Fat Controller! Billy was there for merchandise only, and he's got no potential as far as I'm concerned. If you had Billy actually get punished for his actions, had drivers and firemen involved, remove the alliteration, rhyming and three strikes formula, then the episode could've worked!
This is probably one of the worst ways ever to give a first impression of a new character for a show. Okay, not THE worst way, but it is at least up there.
Rating: 0.5 out of 10
Thomas & Friends Season 11 Scorecard (out of 10 possible points)
13. Don't Be Silly, Billy: 0.5
Man, this episode is in my opinion the worst episode of the entire model era. Even worse than "Push me, pull you!". I absolutely hate this episode as much as I hate this orange ungrateful and annoying brat. Thank god he's a pointless one-off because he has no redeeming quality to make him likeable again after this impression on his debut episode...
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