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Friday, March 20, 2015

TTTE S5E13 - Stepney Gets Lost

As this is Stepney's last speaking role to date, and since I reviewed his book, I feel it's high time I put his final episode to bed.

THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS IN THIS BLOG POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF ZACK WANZER, NOT THE THOMAS FANDOM IN GENERAL

Season 5, Episode 13
Stepney Gets Lost
Written by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton

At the start, it's mentioned that Stepney works closely with Rusty and is never mentioned again. They could've said he works on the Bluebell Railway, but no, especially when the Fat Controller asks him to help with Toby and Mavis at the quarry since Stepney is in need of a change. Toby and Mavis are pleased to have Stepney helping them, and he works hard shunting trucks. Later in the day, the foreman asks if Stepney can take a night special to the building site at a new branchline, and he does, but without asking the Fat Controller - shouldn't the foreman have asked him?

That night, Toby and Mavis tell Stepney to take care as he leaves. He makes the delivery of rock and stone safely, but as he heads home, the fog rolls in, making the atmosphere spooky. He passes a green signal, unaware that it's not meant for him and he ends up in the scrapyards. The driver and fireman leave for help, but Stepney is suddenly ambushed by Arry and Bert, and they take him to the smelters shed to be scrapped. Just before the grabber can take hold of the frightened tank engine, Stepney is saved at the last moment by the Fat Controller and his crew, and he goes home safely, knowing there's no place like home.

Like Rusty to the Rescue, I don't like how Stepney is treated like a Sudrian engine. It's lucky that City of Truro and Flying Scotsman weren't given the same treatment, as it could've been worse for both of them. Big props (so to speak) on the atmosphere of the scrapyards, almost like hell on earth for steam engines. This was Arry and Bert's debut, and they are lucky to make future TV appearances, even if I don't like them. As for the story, I believe it has the same problem with Rusty to the Rescue - the story is good, but the choice of characters is wrong. In the case of Stepney Gets Lost, it could've gone to Oliver considering Escape and Arry and Bert's bio, and the episode would've more or less been the same, maybe better.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10

I'd forgotten to put Toby's Discovery and Rusty and the Boulder on the scorecard in my Something in the Air review due to carelessness. Both get 5/10 ratings due to their controversy, and the fact that I don't want to anger either side.

Thomas and Friends Season 5 Scorecard
13. Stepney Gets Lost: 5.5
14. Toby's Discovery: 5
15. Something in the Air: 9
25. Rusty and the Boulder: 5

1 comment:

  1. He was going to be picked up and dropped in the smelters pit

    ReplyDelete