TUGS: High Tide

THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS IN THIS BLOG POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF ZACK WANZER, AND NO ONE ELSE'S

High Tide

Written and Directed by David Mitton

One morning, Big Mac returns to the Star Dock having worked all night long and is covered in coal dust, much to Top Hat's amusement ("a floating sack of coal, no less"), although Warrior defends his friend. Captain Star has Top Hat work with Lord Stinker the garbage barge, much to his disgust - no wonder many people cast James as Top Hat in Thomas/TUGS parody clips; they're practically alike in personality! Sunshine, meanwhile, is assigned with Ten Cents to help at the storage depot and afterwards, he's to help O.J. to pick up the new propeller from Lucky's Yard (if I'm honest, it's kinda pointless since Sunshine is never seen working with O.J. in this episode). Big Mac and Warrior are sent to pick up the steel for the Steel Company's contract, working against Zebedee and Zak, although the highest tide in years is taking place - surely nothing can go wrong, right?

Big Mickey, the yard's biggest crane, roots for the Star Tugs as they leave whilst Zebedee and Zak decide to take a shortcut through the canal, mostly because Zak's engine sounds unhealthy. They are spotted by Big Mac and Warrior, and knowing that the Z-Stacks' plan is flawed - high tide, tall loads, and bridges do not mix - they decide not to worry about losing the contract - they have every reason not to do so as Top Hat is working with the rail barges Frank and Eddie alongside Lord Stinker, and he has a wider load. Top Hat and Zebedee confront and charge after each other, but everything goes wrong when the Z-Stack's load hits the low railway bridge - "That's real Zero thinking," Top Hat remarks.

Realizing their mistake, Zebedee and Zak race away to find help. Top Hat realizes that Puffa is about to pull the mail train over the bridge, and he uses Zebedee's steel to prop up the bridge just enough so Puffa can pass over the canal safely. However, his troubles are far from over - the bridge collapses, as does the steel, and a goods train is coming through! Lord Stinker then has an idea; he asks Top Hat to position him to save the goods engine from hitting the water. Luckily, Lord Stinker's plan works, and Top Hat now has newfound respect for him, promising not to complain about his smell again. The Steel Company isn't very happy about the damage the Z-Stacks have done to their rig, but they're pleased with the Star Fleet for doing their job properly, and they supply the metal to repair the bridge - everyone (but the Z-Stacks, obviously) wins.

This is the only episode out of the show where Ten Cents isn't the main star - he doesn't even take up a minute of screentime! It was nice to see an episode where other tugs besides him take up the foreground - Top Hat, Zebedee, Zak, Lord Stinker, all of them play off one another nicely. Although, like O.J. needing Sunshine's help, Zak's engine troubles weren't resolved in the end - in fact, it's not known how Captain Zero reacted to the incident. Other than those two problems, it's another really good episode.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

TUGS Episode Scorecard

1. Sunshine: 9
2. Pirate: 10
3. Trapped: 10
5. Quarantine: 9
6. High Winds: 9.5
10. High Tide: 9.5
12. Regatta: 9.5

TTTE S19E4: Henry Spots Trouble

I originally wasn't going to review this episode, but the more I thought about it, there was more to talk about than I initially believed.

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

Season 19, Episode 4

Henry Spots Trouble

Written by Davey Moore

Let's start off with the basic plot; Henry is afraid that engines will catch chicken pox when he sees the Fat Controller's grandchildren with chicken pox (why he'd let them out with a visible disease, I don't know, but let's just roll with it). Henry becomes more afraid when he sees Thomas, Paxton, and Gordon with spots on them and runs off in fear, screaming his smokebox off. It turns out it isn't chicken pox - Thomas got covered in mud, Paxton in diesel fumes, and Gordon in red paint (by the way, parent activists, it is red paint, not blood; do your research before making false accusations!) and that engines cannot be affected by chicken pox.

I'll give the episode credit where it's due; being afraid of chicken pox - or some other disease like, say, cancer, nausea, obesity, or diabetes - is a decent idea for a story. In fact, this is probably one of the few bad episodes of the show that's close to actually being good. No, really.

However, that brings me to the big green elephant in the room - Henry. In the Railway Series, he was seen as a more cynical character, very much a green Gordon (yeah, the early illustrations showed that which led to confusion, but that's not important). However, come season eight, he was seen as occasionally unintelligent and prone to worrying, and this was shown greatly in episodes like Henry and the Flagpole, Henry Gets It Wrong, and (especially) Henry's Magic Box.

I get what they were going for; they wanted to make Henry a distinct character from Gordon and James, make him the nice one of the mainline trio. Between 1951 and 1968, Henry didn't star by himself very often, even though he appeared in the most stories overall; one can guess that Awdry was so put off by Henry's troubles in the early days and deliberately shunted him aside, so to speak.

Let's look at the other six original engines, shall we? Gordon is pompous, James is vain, Thomas is cheeky, Percy is naive, Toby is stoic, and Edward is kind. Yes, I know it's one word to describe each character, but that's more or less their basic personality. What about Henry? Well, you could say (and I admit to liking this, if I'm honest) that he's a grump, but then, so is Gordon on occasion. In Christopher's books, it adds a bit to Henry's character and it's helped by his arguments with James in stories like Fire Engine and Overhaul, as well as the episode James and the Trouble with Trees. I'll talk about something similar when I get to reviewing Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough, cause I feel like I have some interesting thoughts to share on that episode.

Regarding Henry's worrisome personality, despite what I might have said and/or what you would think, it's not the fact that Henry's a worrier which bothers me; what really gets me is that it just felt a lot like "in your face" in the episode. I get it; he was in a bit of a panic when he saw Thomas and Paxton, and Gordon was very much the stone that collapsed the truck, but do you have to overplay it so much to the point it becomes annoying? Yeah, in the Barlow era, it was flanderized, but still.

Which brings me onto his role in The Adventure Begins - I know what you're going to say; the context said that Henry "was afraid of a few drops of rain". Granted, it did go like that, but in the story, Henry could've also been annoyed. What do I mean by this? If you make a character a worrier, you need to give them something so it doesn't become annoying - maybe Henry was pretending to be arrogant to hide his fears? You can draw your conclusions.

If you want a worrier character in your story, that's all fine and good, but you should ensure it's an established part of their personality and that there is more to him or her than being a worrywart. A good example I can think of is Marlin from Finding Nemo.

At the start, Marlin is carefree and excited about being a father, but when his wife Coral and all of their eggs (except one) are eaten by a barracuda, he becomes protective of the remaining egg, which becomes Nemo. It works because Marlin was concerned for Nemo's safety, and since he's his father, he has a reason to be worried. (That was probably the biggest issue I had with Somepony to Watch Over Me, but I digress.) Of course, besides being over-protective, he's expressed annoyance with Dory and her silly antics, he can't tell a joke without explaining the aspects behind it (remember, he's a clownfish), and most importantly, he loves his son Nemo as he's his remaining family. Throughout his journey, Marlin becomes more brave and confident, and decides to let Nemo live his life to the fullest when he grows up. That's what makes Marlin a likable character; he's three-dimensional.

But Henry in this episode? I would say he's somewhere between that and two-dimensional. (2.5-dimensional, maybe?) His worrywart aspect doesn't allow the rest of his persona to shine through, which is why it comes across as annoying to some people, even me (I'll get to that later on). In episodes like Bill or Ben? and Signals Crossed, he tells off the engine (Connor and Toby) who nearly crashed into him, and he was afraid of ending up in a wreck. In Kevin's Cranky Friend, he demands for Cranky to hurry up, and in Scruff's Makeover, he comments that he'd hate to be as dirty as Scruff.

Getting back to The Adventure Begins (I know this might seem minor or unimportant, but just bear with me on this), there's a line of dialogue that really bothers me; I don't know why, it just does:

"Oh, I don't worry all the time, Thomas; I hardly worry at all!"

Er, yeah, say that to Flatbeds of Fear.

How can I put this? Erm, it kind of feels to me that Henry is either a hypocrite, in denial, or it's some other third thing. When it comes to him hiding in the tunnel, they say he's afraid of having his paint spoiled. That, I can understand, but there doesn't seem to be much of a catalyst behind it. Actually, I think that's something that they didn't explain either; apply paint to a surface and it becomes wet. If the paint is still wet, and if so much as a drop of water hits it, the paint will end up smeared. Maybe Henry heard some workmen that if his new coat of paint were touched by water while it was still wet, it might get spoiled, and when he actually hides in the tunnel, he acts arrogant to hide his fears. (It might not be the best theory, but it's somewhat plausible in my view.)

As for Henry Spots Trouble? How could I fix it? It's actually very easy; if James were teasing Henry about being afraid, Henry snaps at him and claims he isn't afraid, and leaves in a huff. Then when he sees Thomas, he becomes a bit unsure of himself, more so when he sees Paxton, and then when he sees Gordon, Henry finally loses it. Had they gone done that route, I think it would've been much better.

On a side note, I want to talk about Emily's role; she's my favorite character, but does she serve any purpose to the episode? Not really, she just tells Henry that he worries too much, which is very much a complaint with many Thomas fans about Henry. Getting back to my idea for fixing it, maybe she could be one teasing him rather than James. I don't mean like Emily being rude to Henry, just a friendly, harmless tease is all, and he could've taken it the wrong way and left in a huff. And maybe afterwards if she apologized for upsetting him, there's a chance that then, Emily would've had a purpose. (It might also be her way of getting back at him considering Duck and the Slip Coaches, but maybe not.)

Lastly, I know this has nothing to do with anything, but the Fat Controller ripping his pants his not a SpongeBob reference; saying so is like saying breaking into song is a My Little Pony or Disney reference - it happens a lot in media and in real life... maybe. But I digress.

Overall, I wouldn't go as far as saying Henry Spots Trouble is the worst of the new era as I'd originally thought, but it's still pretty bad, and a shame that it's easy to fix as well. I mean, actually bad episodes like James to the Rescue, Wonky Whistle, and Sodor Surprise Day make this episode look like The Flying Kipper in comparison. If you liked this episode, that's all well and good - to each his own. But for me, I find it more groan-worthy rather than funny, but even so, I'd still take this over Henry's Magic Box any day.

TTTE Season 19: Week 1 + Scheduling Troubles

Oh, this was a long time coming. After a three-and-a-half month wait when six new episodes were released on DVD, and after a bunch of poor scheduling, we're finally into Thomas' 19th season! And we only got... four episodes? Oh well, better than nothing, I guess. So, without further confusion or delay, let's dig in!

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

Episode 1: Who's Geoffrey?

Written by Lee Pressman

The first time since season 14 that Thomas got the premiere episode, and unlike that episode, Who's Geoffrey? proved to be absolutely brilliant. One day, he's running late for Brendam Docks; unfortunately, he runs into a couple of trucks and they bump into Salty, causing a crate of rubber balls to break open and bounce about the docks. I love how comical this is, especially when a ball lands in a workman's mug and knocks another workman's clipboard away. Oh, and we get to hear one truck speak by himself - genius! Thomas tries to leave, but Cranky catches him, and the tank engine says it was caused by Geoffrey, a big, mainland steam engine - yes, I know he said "steamie" and not "steam engine", but that's what I'm going for.

Later, when Thomas picks up Annie and Clarabel at the Steamworks, he tells Victor that Geoffrey is red. Out on the mainline, it turns out everyone wants to find out and see Geoffrey, much to Thomas' dismay. Also, I'm not quite sure why James would claim there are too many red engines on Sodor - if Thomas had said Geoffrey was green, that would've been understandable; look at how many green engines we have on Sodor! Examples: Henry, Percy, Duck, Oliver, Emily, Peter Sam, Luke, Rex, Paxton, BoCo, Daisy, Scruff, Whiff, Derek, etc. (I'm not counting Gator, Samson, and Sam as they're visiting engines; Bear is also excluded as he's RWS-exclusive for now.) Meanwhile, the red engines (or at least, engines in a variant of red) are James himself, Mike, Flynn, Skarloey, Rheneas, Arthur, Harvey, Salty, and Norman. That's nine red engines (ten if you count Glynn, although he's probably scrapped by now, but I digress) compared to about fifteen engines in green! (I'm not counting the rest of the Skarloey engines in their RWS liveries, for the record.) Of course, James might be acting vain and claiming he should be the only red engine on Sodor, or maybe I'm just overthinking things.

Back to the episode; the Fat Controller has caught wind of this "Geoffrey" character and wants to see him, although Thomas is most reluctant to present "Geoffrey" to his controller. Well, since he's made him up, Thomas has dug himself into a deeper pit (no, not that one) and he's continued to dig deeper. How? By lying that he's hiding in Henry's tunnel (after the big green engine whistles nearby with a train) and then runs off, with Percy in pursuit with the Fat Controller on board. By the way, Bertie is at the crossing gates half open and half closed - where do I begin with this? That scene is just outright ridiculous! Why would Bertie have the right of way at the level crossing? Trains do not stop on a dime! They should be the ones having the right of way until the track is clear! If there weren't any crossing gates, it would seem dangerous, but at least, it'd make sense! Meanwhile, there's a cutaway with Spencer crossing over the Vicarstown Bridge - remember that.

After many miles (I believe) Thomas stops inside Henry's tunnel. The Fat Controller calls out and asks if Geoffrey is in the tunnel with Thomas, and the tank engine pretends to be Geoffrey by changing his voice. This is awfully similar to Toy Story, isn't it? In the movie, Woody is stuck with Buzz's detached arm (and unlike Thomas, Woody has Buzz with him, but the toys don't know this) and uses it to fool them into thinking that Buzz is with him (which, again, he actually is). Oh, and the faces Thomas makes are funny. It manages to fool the Fat Controller, but Spencer approaches fast, causing Thomas, Annie and Clarabel (who are still with him; that I should have mentioned earlier) to race out of the tunnel, and when Spencer reveals he didn't see any Geoffrey, Thomas admits that he made him up to get out of trouble. The Fat Controller scolds him for causing chaos, and reminds him not to do something so silly like that in the near future - besides, everyone gets into accidents, even him (which we'll get to). The ending with Thomas crashing into... something... is a bit ridiculous, as is the ball bouncing near Spencer at the end.

Arc Productions have upped the animation to 11; Spencer now has an express headcode (something Gordon should have too), and the renders look and feel like real locomotives. For the voice acting, I can now see that John Hasler does good as Thomas (I haven't seen the UK dub of The Adventure Begins; make of that if you will) for the UK. Joseph May is fine, and he does make Thomas sound suspiciously like a cross between Kermit the Frog and Peewee Herman. For Percy, Christopher Ragland now voices him for the US, and Nigel Pilkington for the UK (must be a bit of relief for Keith Wickham, I reckon). I like Percy's new US voice, but his new UK voice could take a while getting used to. As for James being voiced by Rob Rackstraw in the US, I really like it as his previous voice made him sound too old. (At some point, I should do a poll on which English voices you prefer.)

On whole, a good way start off the season.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Episode 2: The Truth About Toby

Written by Davey Moore

And speaking of good starts...!

Not really sure why we were given an introduction to Toby; we should be past this by now. Anyway, the story really begins with Henrietta expressing her concern when Toby's sideplates begin rattling and suggests that he go to the Steamworks, but Toby has too much work to do and doesn't bother having them checked; instead he takes his trucks of scrap to the scrapyards. Henrietta again nags him to fill up with coal, which, again, Toby dismisses. I love how Henrietta's portrayed; she's very much an overprotective wife (please don't take this the wrong way) because she cares for Toby's sake. Toby pays the price for not listening and runs out of coal at the scrapyards - once again, very relatable, men; don't listen your nagging wife (even when she's right) and you'll be sorry you didn't listen (please don't take this as the episode's moral).

Edward passes by, but Toby doesn't stop him to ask for some coal. When Thomas passes by, Toby calls out to him, but doesn't get a response - he thinks Thomas couldn't see him, so Reg moves some scrap out of the way. Edward passes by once again, and Toby calls out to him, but because of the noise Reg is making scrunching up scrap, Edward is unable to hear. I love this bit of dialogue: "Reg! Reg! REEEEEG!!" I swear, a lot of dialogue made me laugh - it was performed brilliantly. Reg decides to try and get an engine to stop by waving a piece of red scrap (he said brightly colored, but I'm going for red, as it was the color of the broken car) like a flag. Unfortunately, it slips, almost hitting Henry, who simply continues.

At the docks, Edward remarks that whenever he passes the scrapyard, Toby's still there. Salty then suggests that Toby is being scrapped, much to the engines' horror. Later, when Thomas passes by once more, Reg lifts up Toby, much to the tram engine's shock, but it fails badly and Thomas thinks Toby is going to be scrapped. Could he have stopped to help Toby? Well... he could've, but he has work to do, as did Edward and Henry. One of them could've simply mentioned this to the stationmaster at the next station (Crosby, Wellsworth or Maron, take your pick), who could've then told the Fat Controller in turn. By the way, if there's anything else I like, it's a healthy dose of dark humor, as it wasn't what is appeared to be when Reg lifted Toby...!

The news quickly spreads across Sodor (with lovely transitions to boot), but Henrietta denies this and insists that Toby is fine. Emily brings her to see Toby, and Henrietta scolds her engine for not taking on coal - could he have done so? Sure, and so could've his crew, but Toby's an older engine; I guess it's a case of old people forgetting to do something important, which, again, is relatable. Emily lends Toby some of her coal and the Fat Controller declares that Toby will never be scrapped, much to the engines' relief. One other thing though; why were the rattling sideplates never addressed again until now?

So Toby's got a new voice for the UK audience - Rob Rackstraw, who also voices James for the US market. Toby's new voice is fine; it may take a while to get used to. They could've done a bit more with the story, but on whole, I was content, especially as a lot of moments were pretty funny. I'd probably rank this about the same as the previous episode.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Episode 3: Lost Property

Written by Helen Farrall

At Knapford station, the Fat Controller tells Thomas that there will be an inspection of the railway first thing tomorrow - meanwhile, Annie and Clarabel have had their passengers leave stuff inside them, and the Fat Controller decides to bring them to the Lost Property Office, and plays with a paddle-ball until he hits himself in the eye by mistake. Ouch! I'll bet that had to suck for him; of course, this is slapstick, and as long as injuries are self-inflicted or actually played for a laugh (and not in a cringing way like, say, The Splinter), that's good enough for me. In the morning, the inspectors first ride with Thomas; as he's got a lot of jobs to do, Thomas is sure everything will go smoothly (he didn't exactly say that, but that's how I view his statement; take that as you will), but unfortunately for him (and the Fat Controller), anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, especially when he starts off a little too suddenly.

And Thomas' problems don't stop there; Annie's window is unable to open, some naughty children make fun of the Fat Controller in front of the inspectors, one of them pulls the emergency cable for fun, cows crossing the track, and presumably a bunch of stuff that occurred off-screen. The children acting like brats doesn't bother me as it's a common occurrence, I'm sure - plus, they added to Thomas' troubles and it motivated him to try to impress the inspectors despite his constant delays, all of which happened out of his (and the Fat Controller's) control. Eventually, Thomas' inspection is complete, and the Fat Controller joins the inspectors aboard Duck's train (why he isn't using the slip coaches, I'm not sure, but there you go) whilst Thomas goes off to do the rest of his jobs.

Later in the day, Annie and Clarabel have noticed that the inspector with the mustache has lost his pocket-watch and tell this to Thomas, who decides to return it to the inspector, afraid of the railway getting a worse report. Out on the mainline, they pass Gordon with the inspectors on board and chase after him. Luckily, Thomas manages to catch up to Gordon and his driver returns the pocket-watch, much to the inspector with the mustache's delight - it had been given to him for twenty years of working for the railway company. He thanks Thomas for returning it to him and promises that the railway will receive a glowing report. Thomas returns to his branchline and the inspectors leave on board Gordon, who starts too quickly and apologizes for it. And apparently, the Fat Controller didn't learn from his incident yesterday... "Ohhh, not again!" Poor Topham! XP

Out of the episodes we've seen so far, to me, this is the funniest. It's a pretty simple story, but it has a lot memorable moments to keep things interesting, mostly the comedy involving the Fat Controller - just goes to show there's a more buffoonish side to him other than being strict but fatherly. And the moral is also very strong; if something is lost, it's best to return it to its owner, which Thomas did. Also, the use of human interaction is utilized brilliantly - just a shame two certain people in an engine's cab didn't talk...! Something tells me the Fat Controller ought to stay away from paddle-balls in case he gets another black eye. :P

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Yes, I know I've skipped Henry Spots Trouble - I'll get to it, just not here as I've another monkey to deal with. (If you're wondering, the episode's default rating is 3/10.)

Now, I have a lot of issues with how season 19's first week came down; the first is the fact that it took even three to four months to even air the first episode! It doesn't help by the fact that Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure takes place after season 19, and yet it airs before! Why is that? That is a similar problem I have to Friendship Games airing alongside the second half of season five. At least with Equestria Girls and Rainbow Rocks, they premiered AFTER their respective seasons, but to have the third movie air ALONGSIDE its season doesn't make much sense.

Then there's the fact that after Henry Spots Trouble, we get the season 17 episode The Afternoon Tea Express, and the Monday afterwards, season 16 has a rerun... and why?

With season 16, all episodes (including the winter-themed episodes) aired together except for The Christmas Tree Express, which was held back for December... which makes no sense when the other three aired alongside the other sixteen episodes! With season 17 in 2013, ten episodes aired in June (most likely to avoid spoilers surrounding King of the Railway), five more came in September/October, Too Many Fire Engines aired on November 5, and the four winter episodes aired in December. After that came the last six episodes on DVD in March 2014. With season 18 in 2014, however, the first sixteen aired together in August and September, leaving the four winter episodes in December, and the last six episodes on DVD in January 2015. Now, with season 19, we get four episodes this month, and after that, I imagine, a hiatus while we get reruns of bad episodes from the Nitrogen era.

And the big reason for this? It's poor scheduling on the distributors' part. I'm not going to be negative about season 19 just because it's taking so long to air; I'm going to blame it on the distributors for not planning ahead; if the season does poorly, then they'll have no one to blame but themselves.

Thomas and Friends Season 19 Scorecard:

1. Who's Geoffrey?: 8

2. The Truth About Toby: 8

3. Lost Property: 9.5

4. Henry Spots Trouble: 3

Toby's Worst Moments

Some time ago, I did Henry's five worst moments; this time, it's Toby's turn to have five of his worst moments reviewed.

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

It's hardly a shock to many that some characters are tricky to write for. Sometimes, they get it right in episodes like Old Reliable Edward, but at other times, they screw them up in the likes of Edward Strikes Out. Let's see what happened to Toby, shall we? And we're starting off with a classic episode here!

Season 5, Episode 10
Toby and the Flood
Written by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton

Like I've said, I do not hate the classic series; it just has some duds here and there. This is one of them. It's been raining heavily for days, and the river close to Toby's branchline has risen due to the rain, and Toby has been sent to inspect the dam, which prevents the river from overflowing. Why they couldn't ask for a few inspectors and they ask for Harold instead, I'll never know. Oh, and a railway is built over the dam because why not. All of a sudden, the dam begins to break up.

At the old wooden bridge, Percy waits anxiously for Toby, and he slowly crosses the bridge and stops... because the plot demands for him to do so. Why? If he'd run out of coal or water, it would've made sense. Anyway, the dam collapses and the bridge breaks with Toby on top. How? Granted, he isn't as weighty as Percy, but he's not a sack of feathers either!

Anyway, Percy and Harold go off to rescue Toby from going over the edge of a waterfall. Harold lowers a rope to Toby's crew... over his buffer instead of, oh I don't know, the bridge? That would be the logical thing to do. And why a rope? Why not a chain? Then again, I'd hate to be the guy who'd have to catch it. Toby is safe, and when the rain stops and the dam is repaired, he's praised for his courage. Wait, what? Percy and Harold did the rescuing! And Percy says he could've never been so brave, even though he was in the previous episode! (Put Upon Percy, to be exact.)

Yeesh. The plot's a right mess there. Unlike Snow, it does treat a serious issue like a serious issue, and Percy showing bravery to help his friend is admirable. But that's it. I wouldn't say it's terrible, but it is seriously flawed. But that wasn't the worst they gave Toby for several years...

Season 9, Episode 12
Toby Feels Left Out
Written by Simon A. Brown

If anyone were ever questioned as to what Toby's worst episode is, I'm sure this would come to your mind when you think about bad Toby episodes. But is it the worst overall? Not really, but the message it tells us? Well, let's find out.

The Fat Controller tells his engines that the Sodor Museum will be opening soon. Insert "what's a Percy" joke that adds nothing to the episode with Gordon promptly correcting him. The Fat Controller says that all his engines will get a repaint, and when James tells this to Toby, the red engine thinks the tram engine must've been left out, and that causes Toby to worry; will he be a museum piece? Actually I can answer that by saying how dumb this is - Toby could've simply brushed off James' snarky comment instead of mulling it over. Toby tells this to Thomas, who suggests that he tell the Fat Controller. Wait, Thomas making a smart suggestion? I haven't seen that in a while, but sorry, it doesn't make up for what's next.

Thomas says that really useful engines are hard workers, which gives Toby the idea that if he works hard, he won't be in a museum. When Emily goes for a repaint, Toby volunteers to take her train of flour for her. At the docks, Toby runs off before the Fat Controller can talk to him, and at Knapford, he volunteers to take Annie and Clarabel for Thomas (what about Henrietta, who isn't mentioned in this episode?) and later, coal trucks for James and works at the quarry for Percy.

At the quarry, Toby spots the Fat Controller, and he runs off yet again, but he runs onto a siding into a rock, because... rock, and derails, damaging his cowcatcher and axle. The Fat Controller confronts Toby, who sadly explains everything. The Fat Controller assures Toby that he'll never be put in a museum, and that he has a special job for Toby - he's taking visitors to the museum for the grand opening. Toby is soon repaired and picks up the visitors (in a coach that isn't Henrietta)

So what was the message the episode conveyed - old people are hopeless pessimists? What the chuffing hell?! Saying old people are useless is completely insulting - they teach us life lessons about their past and they can help provide history of the world before our time. Not only has the show insulted disabled people (James to the Rescue), the homeless (Day of the Diesels), and people of different races (pretty most of S14-16), they've now insulted elderly people! How can it possibly get worse? Also, on a side note, the museum coach looks incredibly lazy - it's just a red brake coach repainted!

Do you see the similarities? You can draw your conclusions.

So yeah, on whole, Toby Feels Left Out was horrendously bad. Of course, after his two surprisingly good roles in season 10, it got worse...

Season 11, Episode 16
Toby's Triumph
Written by Abi Grant

Does anyone even remember this episode? All Toby does is worry about taking Alicia Botti and along the way, he gets himself messy. That's it. Why did she fret about Toby being dirty when she could've simply boarded Henrietta without concern? (Oh wait, I haven't reviewed that episode yet.) Also, isn't the Fat Controller important since Toby has taken him places in the past?

The episode is so dull and boring there's really not much I can say here. The only positive is that it didn't introduce a character so bratty you want him scrapped so... it's somewhat an improvement? (I don't think that's much, really, but there you go.)

Yes, I know I've skipped Toby's Special Surprise - I'll get to it, just not here.

Season 13, Episode 11
Toby's New Whistle
Written by Louise Kramskoy

Sweet mother of Gresley, where do I begin with this? Well, we don't need that stupid introduction and over-exposition for one thing! Anyway, Toby is at the Steamworks because is bell is rusty and needs to be cleaned. For the time being, he's given a three-chime steam whistle, according to James, but Toby doesn't like the whistle he's given, especially as it's very loud. Honestly, aren't whistles meant to be loud? That's the point - to alert people you're coming! The Fat Controller assigns Toby to pick up Lady Hatt at Knapford because... well, I don't know! The writer didn't establish that! I will say this though; Louise Kramskoy is pretty much Natasha Levinger if she didn't give a damn about the characters she wrote for in every one of her episodes (three to be exact; this, Thomas and the Runaway Kite, and the next episode I'll get to).

Out on the mainline, Toby decides to puff slowly so he won't have to use his whistle, which doesn't work when Gordon is behind him with the express (why is that?) and even less when he comes across some cows on the line. Seriously? Toby has encountered animals before and most likely since this episode - he should know how to move them without anyone getting hurt! And you're telling me he doesn't know how to move animals? Even if he was newly built, that cannot be defended whatsoever! And yeah, calling the farm workers for help was just as effective as glue keeping a real locomotive together - not at all. Oh, and why did nobody else come across the cows while Toby was looking for help?

Speaking of which, after failing yet again to move them with his cowcatchers, Thomas comes around the bend towards the cows, but Toby manages to blow his whistle (about time he did so) and stop Thomas from colliding with the cows. And why keep referring to it as a three-chime steam whistle? Just calling it a whistle is enough! Finally, they manage to get the cows to move back into their field when Toby remembers his pointless task. They come across the Fat Controller, who says that Lady Hatt is now riding with Gordon (on a sidenote, why does he not refer to her as his wife?). Toby notices a fallen tree (why did Fat Hatt not see it?) and that Gordon is heading towards it, so Toby blows his whistle again and Gordon stops just in time. By the way, the tree incident is never mentioned again for some reason.

After that, Toby gets his bell back, happy to have just a bell. Do I really need to say more about how stupid this episode is? There are so many problems that the episode is utterly unwatchable.

Season 14, Episode 5
Toby and the Whistling Woods
Written by Louise Kramskoy

Yeah, this is her third and final script for the show, and boy is it bad. Then again, the last three episodes were also fairly bad and Toby and the Flood was just meh.

The Fat Controller has given Toby a "special" special - delivering coal for the Duke and Duchess of Boxford by teatime going through the Whistling Woods as a tree has fallen on the other track, which they're not going to bother expanding upon because... reasons. At the junction, he encounters Thomas and James shunting without explanation. It's a bit of a shocker there that James is actually showing concern for Toby - considering his later actions next season, that's... yeah. However, Toby doesn't want to admit that he's afraid even if he wants their help.

Of course, Toby's afraid of the Woods, especially when he hears strange noises - what do you notice about the first strike? The animation of Toby coming around the bend and back again is very much the same angle. And it feels like it was played in reverse if it weren't for the steam from Toby's funnel. Same thing can apply to strikes two and three. Hell, even the dialogue is as repetitive as the footage! Is there any excuse to this lackluster animating and writing?!

Nitrogen produced two specials, one season, and four episodes before this episode and two seasons and specials and fifteen episodes after, and yet the animation was never that lazy (except maybe in Charlie and Eddie, but I'll get to that and Play Time soon enough)! Arc has a lot to deal with, and yet they manage fine! For the most part, their animation and angles are unique in every production, and they did reuse animation every now and then, which is forgivable. In this episode? That I can't vouch for at all.

Eventually, Toby gives in and lets Thomas and James come with him, leaving the trucks behind in a mess that's also never resolved. Then he sees what made those strange noises - a snowy owl, the waterfall (it looks so lovely you'd think it was live action), and the wind. And blah, blah, blah, Toby makes his delivery to the Duke and Duchess.

Final Thoughts

What the hell had they done to you back then, Toby? You went from being a wise tram engine to a downright coward in the space of a few years! Surprisingly, Sharon Miller was only behind six episodes featuring Toby, none of which I featured - Toby's Special Surprise (which I'll get to), Tram Trouble (which I won't do), Toby and Bash (which I'll also get to), James to the Rescue (which I've already done), Big Belle (which I'll also also get to), and The Christmas Tree Express (Toby's worst episode). Luckily, they managed to salvage Toby in Signals Crossed and he appears to have come back full force in season 19, which I'll get to next week. I just hope they do something similar for Henry in the next couple of seasons...

Episode Ratings:

Toby and the Flood: 3 out of 10

Toby Feels Left Out: 1.5 out of 10

Toby's Triumph: 1 out of 10

Toby's New Whistle: 1 out of 10

Toby and the Whistling Woods: 1 out of 10

Thomas and Friends Season 5 Scorecard

3. A Better View for Gordon: 9.5
5. James and the Trouble with Trees: 8.5
6. Gordon and the Gremlin: 7
10. Toby and the Flood: 3

13. Stepney Gets Lost: 5.5

14. Toby's Discovery: 5

15. Something in the Air: 9
16. Thomas, Percy and Old Slowcoach: 10

18. Oliver's Find: 7

25. Rusty and the Boulder: 5
26. Snow: 1

Thomas and Friends Season 9 Scorecard

2. Thomas and the Rainbow: 1.5

7. Respect for Gordon: 8

10. Rheneas and the Dinosaur: 1
12. Toby Feels Left Out: 1.5

16. Henry and the Flagpole: 2.5

22. Skarloey the Brave: 1

24. Thomas and the Golden Eagle: 1

Thomas and Friends Season 11 Scorecard

6. Gordon and the Engineer: 9.5
10. Thomas and the Big Bang: 1
11. Smoke and Mirrors: 1
12. Thomas Sets Sail: 1
13. Don't Be Silly, Billy: 0.5
16. Toby's Triumph: 1
17. Thomas and the Runaway Car: 8.5
18. Thomas in Trouble: 7
22. Sir Handel in Charge: 1.5

Thomas and Friends Season 13 Scorecard

2. The Lion of Sodor: 1.5

3. Tickled Pink: 9

5. Slippy Sodor: 1.5

9. Time for a Story: 1
11. Toby's New Whistle: 1

12. A Blooming Mess: 7.5

13. Thomas and the Runaway Kite: 0.5

15. Splish, Splash, Splosh!: 0.5

18. Henry's Good Deeds: 1

19. Buzzy Bees: 0

Thomas and Friends Season 14 Scorecard

1. Thomas' Tall Friend: 1
5. Toby and the Whistling Woods: 1

7. Diesel's Special Delivery: 1

8. Pop Goes Thomas: 0.5

11. Being Percy: 8

12. Merry Winter Wish: 1.5

13. Thomas and the Snowman Party: 0

16. Thomas and Scruff: 0.5

17. O the Indignity: 3

20. Henry's Magic Box: 0.5

TUGS: High Winds

I am running low on new introductions, people - will happy Thursday do? Ah well, there's trouble about with the High Winds of Bigg City Port!

THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS IN THIS BLOG POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF ZACK WANZER, AND NO ONE ELSE'S

High Winds

Written and Directed by Chris Tulloch

Early one morning, there are warnings about high winds approaching Bigg City Port. Ten Cents and Sunshine notice Zebedee passing through with a long line of barges when suddenly, one of them comes loose. Luckily Ten Cents manages to keep it from floating adrift, but Zebedee tells them that if Captain Zero hears about this, he would not be happy. Then again, when is he not happy? :P Meanwhile, unbeknownst to everyone, the steam tramper Johnny Cuba slips into Bigg City Port, and as he enters, he knocks the Coast Guard aside, leaving him trapped on some rocks.

Zebedee encounters Johnny Cuba, who demands that the Z-Stack bring him into the harbor - as it turns out, something that happened between Captain Zero and Johnny Cuba. Even though Zebedee's a bad guy, you can't help but feel sympathy for him - he wants to help Cuba, but he doesn't want to anger his Captain, very much like Paxton in The Missing Christmas Decorations where he's forced to working with Diesel 10.

Earlier on, O.J. had told the Star Switchers to bring in Scuttlebutt Pete, and as they're doing so, Zebedee is conflicted on what to do when he sees them struggling. He helps them out after Ten Cents did with his barges, which is a good gesture - if you help people out of a situation, they'll most likely help you as well, even if you aren't the best of friends. Afterwards, Zebedee brings in a coal barge for Johnny Cuba, and the tramper demands that he returns in the night. Oh, and Top Hat observes the Z-Stack taking the barge and goes to speak with Captain Star about this.

Meanwhile, Warrior informs Big Mac that Sally Seaplane told him about Hercules bringing in the Princess Alice - she's been damaged at sea. Zebedee soon finds the Coast Guard stuck on the rocks and helps him out; he's not pleased that the Z-Stack has helped Cuba, but since he's helped the Coast Guard as well, the latter lets it slide. Zorran, however, is displeased with Zebedee for helping the Star Tugs, even more so when Zorran helps them keep Princess Alice under control! (Kind of strange that Top Hat isn't there helping his co-workers; maybe he was with Captain Star at the time?)

Zebedee later meets with Johnny Cuba again, but both are confronted by Hercules; Johnny tries to escape, but Zebedee stops him from getting away, and the gangster tramper is arrested, with Hercules and Zebedee both praised for their actions. Ten Cents and Sunshine also thank Zebedee for helping them, and Ten Cents offers him to join the Star Fleet, but Zebedee refuses - "today was today, okay?!"

I'm surprised by the number of deleted scenes in this episode; Captain Zero giving his tugs their tasks, Johnny Cuba telling Sunshine to scram, he and Ten Cents telling the Coast Guard about Johnny Cuba, Sally talking to Warrior, and the ending which the Coast Guard explains everything to Captain Zero. The episode had been written up at the last minute when another script was deemed impossible to film due to budgets. Had they made this episode today, just imagine how the original episode would have looked in CGI! (Speaking of which, is the TUGS CGI project still going on?)

Apart from a couple of minor issues, this is yet another great episode in the show and it shows that even bad guys like the Z-Stacks can have good streaks in them as Captain Star pointed out.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

TUGS Episode Scorecard

1. Sunshine: 9
2. Pirate: 10
3. Trapped: 10
5. Quarantine: 9.5
6. High Winds: 9.5
12. Regatta: 9.5

Which New Series Characters are Likely to Return?

Here's the third part of the characters I feel are most likely to return into the CGI series. This time, it's those from seasons 9-12!

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

Least Likely: Billy

Don't even think about him. He was a complete brat in his sole appearance and he never appeared again (thankfully). We've already got a tank engine of his shape that's appealing and we don't need another.

11. Colin

We've got Crovan's Gate, Ulfstead Castle, and the Blue Mountain Quarry for both standard and narrow gauge engines to meet up - why do we need a fourth with the Wharf? Unless they can move Colin somewhere else, he's a no-go for returning.

10. Flora

Yes, there wouldn't be much point in having another steam tram on Sodor, but I find it a shame that Flora never had her personality expanded upon. By the way, I am still not going to review Tram Trouble.

9. Madge

Both of her starring roles in season 11 were alright, but Madge has no explanation behind her lateness. If they do give an explanation - say, she's got too much work to do - that'd be nice.

8. Mighty Mac

I'm not too sure about him. It's kind of odd that one double-ended Fairlie locomotive would have two personalities, and you'd have to bend the rules too much to make a story work. Unless they have a good idea, I'm not sure how Mighty Mac will fare. However, I could picture him working at the Blue Mountain Quarry...

7. Jeremy

I don't see the issue with the Sodor Airport - it's helped the island move with the times. I mean, we've got diesel traction and a high-speed train, so why not a jet plane or two? And since Jeremy is a bit of a blank slate, they could give him any persona they like. Oh, and on a side note - why are his eyes on the windscreen?

6. Freddie

His starring roles weren't all that good, I'll admit, but I have an interesting thought - don't we need more engines up at the Blue Mountain Quarry? I think Freddie would be a good addition helping Luke up there along with Mighty Mac.

5. Hank

Yes, he's an American engine and wouldn't fit on British rails... and yet I feel he's got a bit of potential in him. He's a Pennsylvania-built locomotive and Connor is a New York-built locomotive... you can see where I'm going with this, right? Plus, it would be interesting to have a different kind of rivalry in the show.

4. Neville

Neville was lucky to be featured in the CGI series... but sadly, it was only his face made into CGI. The Southern Railway Q1 might not have looked pretty, but they were tough, versatile locomotives, their only weak point being their brakes which could make for good storytelling.

3. Hector

He was a very strong character in his two starring roles in seasons 11 and 12, but sadly was dropped after that. What's the problem with having a truck going against the unwritten philosophy of causing mayhem for the engines? Yes, we already have Toad, but he's a brakevan. Hector could also work well at Crosby with Logan... if he ever makes a return, and it'll be sad if he doesn't.

2. Dennis

I know what you're saying - "Ohh, he's a Daisy clone! He's useless!" Actually, you're missing a key point: Daisy was willing to do the jobs that suited her needs, but it was only after Percy's accident that she was willing to work. Dennis, meanwhile, was cunning and played tricks on Thomas to get out of work before he was found out.

To my way of thinking, Dennis is better than Norman, who is incredibly uninteresting and pointless. Yes, Norman has a unibrow, but it isn't enough to make him distinct.

Most Likely: Molly

If I'm honest, my fondness for Molly has waned a little bit in recent years, but even then it's never gone away. Firstly, her model is beautifully crafted and one of the best in my view. I don't see why her yellow livery is an eyesore; I mean, Thomas is painted blue, an inauthentic livery for an E2 (so is pink for a dock tank, but I digress), and yet nobody seems to care about it. Plus, if they can paint a Gresley N2 purple (Ryan) and a Stanier 8F red (in real life), why not paint a Claud Hamilton yellow?

Another reason she's on the top spot is her personality - she's sensitive and has the peacekeeper attitude. I personally feel they could add a few traits from Fluttershy from FiM and Sadness from Inside Out to make Molly feel a little more complete.

TTTE Season 6: Jack Jumps In, A Friend in Need

Since Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure is coming out on DVD in a few days, I thought it'd be appropriate to review the episodes that introduced the Pack to the show, which later led to a spin-off that, sadly, didn't last very long. So, here I go with Jack Jumps In and A Friend in Need!

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

Before I jump in, let's get a few similarities out of the way:

1. Both episodes were written by Phil Fehrle, Abi Grant, and Jonathan Trueman.
2. Both episodes were directed by Steve Asquith.
3. Both more or less follow the same story, and served as the last story arc until season 15 (and yes, I'll get to it soon enough).

And yes, it's a spin-off with similarities to Bob the Builder. I say who cares anymore by this point? There are other shows with similarities to Thomas and yet no one gives a damn. Why should the Pack spin-off be any different?

Before I get into any further debate, let's just begin.

Episode 7: Jack Jumps In

The story starts off with Thomas picking up a special from Miss Jenny Packard - it's Jack the front loader, and Thomas is to take him to the quarry. Pretty funny how Thomas and Jack brag about their abilities before Miss Jenny sends them off, isn't it? By the way, you'll notice Thomas has a larger model to fit with Jack's, and the tank engine's face just looks... off putting. I mean, it's darker, and his teethed grin is different, as are the eyebrows and nose. This won't affect my rating, for the record, I just want to point this out.

Anyway, Thomas brings Jack to the quarry - along with a reminder to look out for Max as he's trouble - and Jack is eager to help. He approaches Oliver, who suggests he help Bryon, who suggests he help Kelly. Isobella snaps at Jack for getting her paint dirty, and then she and Kelly (who is a boy, I should note) suggest that he sees the foreman, who sends him to work with Alfie. Then when Max comes along, Jack tells him off for bullying to which Alfie is grateful. That is a very strong message for kids - stand up to bullies when they're harassing you... and tell a superior, in that order, which they missed, but I digress.

Later, when Oliver is sent to move some rock, Jack volunteers to help, but he tips over on an edge and crashes on his side. Miss Jenny is displeased with him jumping in where he doesn't belong, and hopes that he'll improve on his behavior tomorrow. Jack feels sad, but after some comfort from Isobella, Alfie, and Thomas, he feels a little better. I'll get to my final thoughts after reviewing part two.

Episode 8: A Friend in Need

The next day, Thomas is taking a short train of empty trucks along the line. Meanwhile, the Pack are widening the road beneath the old quarry bridge and Jack is doing his best to obey the rules, but he still fears that he won't stay as a member. Very clever use of face changing, by the way - how do they do it? Also, we're introduced to Ned, and it's funny how when Max snaps at him to be careful, Ned apologizes with a cheery tone in his voice.

After Thomas passes by, Oliver is called up to move some top soil, but Jack is about to do it instead when he stops and remembers Miss Jenny's warning and his accident from yesterday. That gets right what seasons 9-16 didn't - the main character remembers their incident and learns not to repeat their past mistakes. That is how characters learn their lesson by remembering their mistakes and not being let off the hook by fixing their errors to result in a contrived ending.

Later, Ned moves under the bridge as carefully as he can, but he accidentally knocks loose the keystones, and the bridge begins to collapse. To Jack's horror, Thomas is coming with his trucks and quickly props up the bridge and holds on. Unrealistic, yes. Important? No, because Jack was determined to save his friend from having an accident. Thomas backs away safely, and Jack moves just as the bridge collapses. Jack is brought back to the yard, afraid of getting into trouble, but Miss Jenny praises his heroic actions and welcomes him into the Pack.

Overall

Why did this spin-off not take off? I think it would've been great to see more stories that are not focused on the railways - there's more to Sodor than the trains, after all. There was going to be a spin-off about Bertie and Harold that sadly never took off - the Pack could've been its final form. Would I like to see more of them? Without a doubt, yes! Both feel like they could fit in with the current series, and I'd happily take them over the likes of Sodor Surprise Day any day.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Thomas and Friends Season 6 Scorecard

7. Jack Jumps In: 10
8. A Friend in Need: 10
10. Twin Trouble: 7.5

12. Scaredy Engines: 3

17. Gordon Takes a Tumble: 8.5

24. Dunkin Duncan: 8

25. Rusty Saves the Day: 2.5

26. Faulty Whistles: 8.5

Which Classic Road Characters are Likely to Return?

Last month, I shared my thoughts on which classic rail characters should return; this time, we're going on the roads to see who else should come back! This list was a bit harder to make than last time, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on who you think are likely to make a comeback.

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

Least Likely: Bulstrode

Like Smudger, Bulstrode was only intended to appear in one story. Unlike Smudger, however, Bulstrode was actually a major player in the only story he appeared in. I'm hardly surprised he ranked last considering his attitude - who would want to see him return?

8. Thumper

Only appeared in one episode, had no speaking lines (or personality, for that matter), and has a very unusual design. Davey Moore called Rusty and the Boulder a personal favorite and told us to look out for Boulder. And with rabbits making small appearances (you'll understand if you've seen Bambi), I'm not really sure whether to believe him or not.

7. Mrs. Kyndley

She's the only human character in the classic series who hasn't been rendered in CGI (Jem Cole has been made in CGI, by the way), and she proved a great help in Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas even when sick in bed.

Why didn't she rank higher? As much as I would love to see more human interactions, I think storytelling with her would be a bit on the limited side, even if they recreate the aforementioned story in CGI.

6. Caroline

After her brief stint in season four, she's made an appearance in Lady Hatt's Birthday Party in season five, and after that... nothing. I feel the roads could use more female presence, and should Caroline return, maybe she's the crotchety old lady griping about the young vehicles?

5. Bulgy

Huh, I should take a look at Bulgy Rides Again in the near future. He was rude and bad-tempered at first, but later on changed his ways. Apparently before that, he was friends with Diesel. What if they made Bulgy more of a neutral character - sometimes, he wishes to take over the railways, but at times, he's willing to help despite his prejudice?

4. George

And speaking of anti-railway characters...!

We already got a few characters who are anti-steam, and that gets old - why not someone who's anti-rail if they don't go for Bulgy reverting to his original persona? George proved to be a right bully to those surrounding him, but why not have him show a good streak for once? Plus, he'd be a great contrast to a certain Pack member, but more on this later.

3. Elizabeth

Like Duncan did for the Skarloey engines in season 18, Elizabeth would do for the roads - a right grump amongst your cheery peers. However, Elizabeth is also strict and won't tolerate rudeness or nonsense, but she's also willing to help younger vehicles out of a jam.

2. The Remaining Pack Members

With Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure bringing out the return of Alfie, Oliver (not the tank engine), Max and Monty, why not make the group feel more complete, especially as Miss Jenny hasn't appeared in the CGI series yet (she appeared in Percy and the Bandstand, but it doesn't count as it's technically a model episode)? I'm also listing here which members are most likely to reappear:

1. Buster - If they render George into CGI, then they could clone it and recolor it to make Buster, and a story with both steamrollers would be pure brilliance, I imagine.
2. Kelly - More or less, he's the road equivalent to Edward, only he's a bit of a worrier for the younger vehicles' safety. Since he's the oldest Pack vehicle, I imagine he has fond memories of Miss Jenny's father.
3. Ned - He's the Thomas equivalent to Warrior from TUGS - clumsy, yet lovable. He even proved helpful when Oliver couldn't knock down the building. And yes, I think it might be interesting to see him interact with Marion.
4. Byron - He hasn't done much in the spin-off, and it would've been nice to see how Bossy Byron would've gone.
5. Patrick - It was a great shame he only appeared in one episode, and the other scripts he was meant to star in were never adapted either.
6. Isobella - She's essentially an Elizabeth clone with different paint, and with a hint of James in her persona, but her one starring role does show she's willing to help her friends, even if it means getting dirty. Add more to her personality, and that would be great.
7. Nigel - He was confirmed to appear, but never did. He only exists as concept art, which is a bit of a shame but at least it's something. Since he's a blank slate, I bet the writers could have fun with him!
8. Nelson - He didn't really do much in his starring role; he helped Thomas out and was rewarded with Percy carrying him home, bringing him back to square one. With more addition to his personality, that'd be brilliant.

Most Likely: Terence

Yeah, a pretty obvious choice, isn't it? Terence is the only series one character (not including Mrs. Kyndley) who has not appeared in CGI. If they do adapt his story (and Bertie's) for a possible sequel, Terence is likely to make more appearances, especially considering the farms of Sodor. Plus, with his caterpillar tracks, he's very adaptable and can help out in a jam, as Thomas and Bertie both found out.