THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS IN THIS BLOG POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF ZACK WANZER, NOT THE THOMAS FANDOM IN GENERAL
I was going to do the three reviews separately, but due to lack of time, I'll just shove them all into one post, plus, I might do something special for blog #125 (any ideas?) So, without any further delay, let's get onto season 9's Respect for Gordon, season 11's Gordon and the Engineer, and season 14's O the Indignity.
Respect for Gordon
Written by James Mason
After a totally not-pointless introduction, we see Gordon having a washdown when he hears a knocking noise in his... firebox? As it cools down? Can someone please explain to me how it's possible? Anyway, Thomas and Percy tease him about it, much to Gordon's annoyance. He's further infuriated by Emily and Diesel teasing him as well. In the latter's case, that's actually close to his original persona. Fed up with their teasing, Gordon becomes bossy, er, bossier than usual, and the engines respect him even less. Definitely a good message there; being bossy doesn't give you respect - in order to gain respect, you have to give respect to others.
When Gordon expects Emily to whistle at him, she doesn't, and he gets crosser still; so cross that he speeds past a red signal (his crew should've been involved!) and crashes into tankers filled with jam. Now where have I seen that before...? Percy, James, and Thomas all tease him (a three striker that lasts around twenty seconds, and it's pointless) until Edward takes Gordon to the works. It takes a while to clean the jam off of Gordon (by the way, he is THE engine) and Henry and Emily take the express for him for the time being. While he's at the works, Gordon has the rattle in his firebox fixed, and when he comes back, he apologizes for his foolish behavior and all is forgiven.
Despite the flaws I've mentioned, this is a really good episode. Even after season four, Gordon seems to get a lot of good episodes. The plot has some resemblance to the magazine story Thomas and the Whistle in 1989, where Thomas blows his whistle to show respect to Gordon, but his whistle jams, much to Gordon's annoyance. The moral is probably the episode's strongest point, like I said, that respect is a two-way street - give and receive.
Season 11, Episode 6
When Gordon expects Emily to whistle at him, she doesn't, and he gets crosser still; so cross that he speeds past a red signal (his crew should've been involved!) and crashes into tankers filled with jam. Now where have I seen that before...? Percy, James, and Thomas all tease him (a three striker that lasts around twenty seconds, and it's pointless) until Edward takes Gordon to the works. It takes a while to clean the jam off of Gordon (by the way, he is THE engine) and Henry and Emily take the express for him for the time being. While he's at the works, Gordon has the rattle in his firebox fixed, and when he comes back, he apologizes for his foolish behavior and all is forgiven.
Despite the flaws I've mentioned, this is a really good episode. Even after season four, Gordon seems to get a lot of good episodes. The plot has some resemblance to the magazine story Thomas and the Whistle in 1989, where Thomas blows his whistle to show respect to Gordon, but his whistle jams, much to Gordon's annoyance. The moral is probably the episode's strongest point, like I said, that respect is a two-way street - give and receive.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Gordon and the Engineer
Written by Paul Larson
We get an introduction about signals, which actually isn't a bad thing - it gives an explanation to their importance to a railway. The Fat Controller tells Gordon about a broken set of points (he doesn't say where) and he wants an engineer (to be picked up at Maron) to fix them. A lot of engines are stuck unless the points are fixed; at Maron, Gordon picks up who he thinks is the engineer, and he passes by Donald and Douglas on his way to the broken points. However, upon arrival, the "engineer" is actually a carpenter, leaving Gordon in a very awkward predicament.
Under a suggestion by Thomas, Gordon does down the little blue engine's line tender first without his coaches, but Douglas is in his way, and in his way is Donald. Then Gordon suggests that they help in taking the engineer station to station and back to Gordon again, who then delivers the engineer to fix the points, and the railway is back in service once more.
In a time when parties were commonplace on Sodor, an episode about railway equipment was always a nice breath of fresh air. The lack of three strikes is also refreshing, and it's good to see Donald and Douglas doing something for the first time in four years - here's hoping their return in CGI is a grand one as well! It isn't perfect, but the story is still quite solid, I believe. I'm glad to consider this episode a true favorite.
Season 14, Episode 17
Under a suggestion by Thomas, Gordon does down the little blue engine's line tender first without his coaches, but Douglas is in his way, and in his way is Donald. Then Gordon suggests that they help in taking the engineer station to station and back to Gordon again, who then delivers the engineer to fix the points, and the railway is back in service once more.
In a time when parties were commonplace on Sodor, an episode about railway equipment was always a nice breath of fresh air. The lack of three strikes is also refreshing, and it's good to see Donald and Douglas doing something for the first time in four years - here's hoping their return in CGI is a grand one as well! It isn't perfect, but the story is still quite solid, I believe. I'm glad to consider this episode a true favorite.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
O the Indignity
Written by Sharon Miller
Insert generic monologue #37. Seriously, just cut to the damn chase, will ya? Gordon takes his express coaches to the Steamworks because their wheels are wobbly - shouldn't they be due for refurbishment, if that's what he means? - and he has to pick up the inspector at Brendam by tea time. Still at the Steamworks, Gordon meets with Whiff and Scruff; the former is with the latter whose bufferbeam has broken. Jeez, how long has Scruff been on Sodor - a day, and he's already had an accident? Also, Gordon should know who Whiff is by now considering Misty Island Rescue - then again, their scene was pointless and went absolutely nowhere. The Fat Controller then has Gordon be in charge of the Waste Dump for the day, because... reasons.
At the dump, Gordon hears Spencer's whistle and hides, and does the same thing when James and Diesel show up - three minutes of nothing happening, until the Fat Controller shows up on Thomas (Whiff and Scruff tagging along) when Diesel arrives. Rule of thumb - shoehorning in Thomas because he's the main character is pointless, and it will mark down an episode by one point... if I feel like it. The Fat Controller scolds Gordon, who is apologetic for slacking on the job. Oh, big surprise here...(!) Gordon offers to help Whiff by shunting the trucks to the rubbish crusher while Whiff picks up the inspector at Brendam Docks. Soon, the waste dump is all tidy
Despite having nothing to do with anything, Whiff pulling coaches is one of the better parts of the episode, considering Aerolite was a saloon engine. What's strange is that Spencer, James, and Diesel could've seen Gordon, and yet they seemingly can't. Are they blind or something? It's the same old, same old considering it's a Nitrogen episode. The episode may have worked better for James, considering he doesn't like being dirty, as well The Fat Controller's Bedtime Story from a 2013 magazine, issue 657. The episode had a decent idea for story, but it was let down by the typical writing flaws. On whole, I don't hate the episode, but it was more... on the meh side.
At the dump, Gordon hears Spencer's whistle and hides, and does the same thing when James and Diesel show up - three minutes of nothing happening, until the Fat Controller shows up on Thomas (Whiff and Scruff tagging along) when Diesel arrives. Rule of thumb - shoehorning in Thomas because he's the main character is pointless, and it will mark down an episode by one point... if I feel like it. The Fat Controller scolds Gordon, who is apologetic for slacking on the job. Oh, big surprise here...(!) Gordon offers to help Whiff by shunting the trucks to the rubbish crusher while Whiff picks up the inspector at Brendam Docks. Soon, the waste dump is all tidy
Despite having nothing to do with anything, Whiff pulling coaches is one of the better parts of the episode, considering Aerolite was a saloon engine. What's strange is that Spencer, James, and Diesel could've seen Gordon, and yet they seemingly can't. Are they blind or something? It's the same old, same old considering it's a Nitrogen episode. The episode may have worked better for James, considering he doesn't like being dirty, as well The Fat Controller's Bedtime Story from a 2013 magazine, issue 657. The episode had a decent idea for story, but it was let down by the typical writing flaws. On whole, I don't hate the episode, but it was more... on the meh side.
Rating: 3 out of 10
Thomas & Friends Season 9 Scorecard (out of 10 possible points)
7. Respect for Gordon: 8
Thomas & Friends Season 11 Scorecard (out of 10 possible points)
6. Gordon and the Engineer: 9.5
13. Don't Be Silly, Billy: 0.5
17. Thomas and the Runaway Car: 8.5
13. Don't Be Silly, Billy: 0.5
17. Thomas and the Runaway Car: 8.5
Thomas & Friends Season 14 Scorecard (out of 10 possible points)
17. O the Indignity: 3
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