Railfan Brony Advent Calendar Day #5: James' Splendid Tales

It's time to review five more episodes featuring James the Red Engine!

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

Season 6, Episode 15

James and the Red Balloon

Story by David Mitton

Written by Jenny McDade

Thomas picks up a hot air balloon at Brendam Docks and delivers it to Dryaw station. James is unimpressed with the balloon, thinking it will take away their passengers. Everyone else, however, is amazed at the sight of balloon, and that includes Stepney, who shouldn't be here. At a level crossing, the balloon runs out of hot air and lands on top of James. The red engine is so scared that he lets off steam, which gets the balloon up in the air again. The Fat Controller praises his heroism, even if it was accident, and explains that while passengers will get rides in the balloon, they'll need a ride home on a train, much to James' relief, and sometimes wishes he could fly like the balloon... Hey, I've dreamed up stranger things in my time.

I've always liked this episode a lot. Other than that pointless appearance by Stepney, it could easily qualify as an Awdry story. In fact, we may have that with the book James and the Balloons. Plus, that scene with the balloon falling on James was just hilarious. One of season six's best, and an episode every Thomas fan must see at least once.

Season 7, Episode 7

James and the Queen of Sodor

Written by Paul Larson

Percy complains that his whistle is clogged; as he whistles, he accidentally sprays mud all over Gordon. Wait a minute - Percy was working at a quarry! Wouldn't he spray quarry dust? Come on, writers; details, details! Anyway, James collects the mayor much to Gordon's annoyance. Later, the Fat Controller needs an engine to pick up the Queen of Sodor and take it to the workshop. When Gordon asks if it's important, James volunteers to do so. Unfortunately for James, the Queen of Sodor is a dirty old barge, much to his disgust. But, he doesn't have much choice.

Later, as he's pushing the barge, its funnel hits a pipe and sludge pours out all over the ground, again, to James' disgust. Luckily, his paint isn't touched, and when the mess is cleared up, he takes the barge to the... smelters? And here's plot hole #2 - James taking the Queen of Sodor to the smelters when he was told to take it to the workshops. Can't we have consistency, please? Also, how does he not know of the barge if he's been on Sodor for years? James returns to the sheds with his paint spotless... but not for long. Percy accidentally blows quarry dust all over James, who thinks a washdown will make him splendid again, to which the engines groan.

Seriously, fix those two plot holes and the episode will be considered one of the best. It's still good, though, don't get me wrong.

Season 8, Episode 5

James Gets a New Coat

Written by Abi Grant

James is given a repaint and it makes him feel proud, and, I'm sorry to say this, boastful. Nobody is impressed with his boasting, not even Thomas... wait, hold up there! Thomas is actually wise for once?! Holy crap, that is an achievement, and we're only five episodes into the Barlow era! (At the time this aired, of course.) That's something we ought to see more often!

The next morning, Percy is working at the coal plant, waiting for James to help out. However, James insists on admiring himself and showing off his red paint for all to see... given that they actually give a damn, of course. Of course, poor Percy feels overworked, and by the time James shows up (after a bit of padding, of course), the red engine has to take a long line of trucks to the docks... with a brakevan to boot! The trucks misbehave and they send coal dust flying into James' face, and he ends up getting very dirty, so much that he tries to avoid being seen, but it's no use. Everyone can see him, and they laugh. Despite his embarrassment, even James laughs.

It's not one of season eight's best, if I'm honest. However, Thomas' portrayal was a pleasant surprise, so it raises my opinion a bit. Maybe if it were two minutes shorter, I'd like it a bit more.

Season 11, Episode 4

Dirty Work

Written by Wayne Jackman

I'll tell you what; the title for the season eleven episode makes more sense than it did on season two, in which it was re-titled Diesel's Devious Deed, which fits a lot better. Maybe the dirty work Diesel was doing was spreading lies about Duck? For the season eleven episode, it was the work James' friends were doing that was actually dirty. Anyway, onto the plot.

The Fat Controller says that the Mayor must be taken to the Festival of Lights at the Scottish Castle, and James jumps at the chance. Thomas, Percy and Emily have their own jobs to do, and if they finish on time, they could see the Festival. Emily asks James if he'll help out, but James declines and heads for the washdown. Percy, Thomas, and Emily later pass by asking for help again, but James once again refuses.

James later has flags fitted onto him, but when he shows up at the castle, his friends haven't arrived yet. James feels bad for not helping out, so he helps his friends get their jobs done for the show, getting dirty whilst doing so, but the Fat Controller doesn't seem to mind.

The episode on whole was... pretty eh to me. It did seem to push James' development in the right direction, which was sadly forgotten about in later episodes. If I rank episodes a 6/10, that means the episode's story is able to hold water, but there are problems that drag the score down, and there might be some dull, filler moments. Season eleven's Dirty Work pretty much fits the bill here; not an episode I'd watch constantly, but it's still quite nice.

Season 16, Episode 15

Muddy Matters

Written by Max Allen

I'm gonna say this outright; I do not view this episode as a ripoff to Wonky Whistle, just because animals end up in danger. That's a bit like saying Thomas Comes to Breakfast is a ripoff to A Close Shave just because an engine crashes into a building; remember that the circumstances were different, and to be a ripoff episode, at least half of the plot must be stolen. Muddy Matters didn't.

Speaking of which, let's get to the story. It's been raining hard on Sodor, and the Fat Controller needs an engine to take Farmer McColl's sheep to the farmer's fair, and whoever brings in the sheep will have their photograph taken on the Sodor Gazette. James volunteers to do the task, and he soon picks up the sheep and Katie the sheepdog. I'm not going to argue why she's in James' cab; they've had a dog in Thomas' cab before in Gordon and the Gremlin, so why should I fuss over it here?

James comes across a junction - one track is flat but wet and muddy, and the other is rusty and bumpy but dry. Yep, you guessed it, he takes the latter, and lock on the cattle van comes loose. He meets with Emily (with three coaches) at Maron, and this line of dialogue's actually quite funny:

"They might be... in the background!"

Suddenly, the sheep push open the door and escape. That scene right there put this episode higher than the ranks of Sodor Surprise Day and The Christmas Tree Express as one of the show's worst. However, there's a huge difference; James tried to do something about the runaway sheep, but he didn't want Katie's help and every time he came across a dirty track, he takes a dry, bumpy track. When Katie barks, the sheep come to her, but as James blows his whistle, they scatter away into a muddy field.

By the way, what's the bloody point in Thomas and Percy's appearance? They just appear because the story demands for them to do so!

Realizing Farmer McColl is waiting for him, James decides to get himself dirty to get the sheep and bring them to safety... with Katie's help. He makes it to the fair dirty but safe, much to the Fat Controller's shock, but James gets his picture taken anyway.

Okay, so is this episode as bad as people say it is? Well... not really. It does actually have some good moments, but there are bad ones as well. Nowhere near as horrendous as James to the Rescue, but it isn't one of the best either. So yeah, for me, it's just average.

Episode Ratings:

James and the Red Balloon: 10 out of 10

James and the Queen of Sodor: 7 out of 10

James Gets a New Coat: 6 out of 10

Dirty Work: 6 out of 10

Muddy Matters: 5 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
15. James and the Red Balloon: 10

17. Gordon Takes a Tumble: 8.5
18. Percy's Chocolate Crunch: 9
23. Edward the Very Useful Engine: 7.5

24. Dunkin Duncan: 8

25. Rusty Saves the Day: 2.5

26. Faulty Whistles: 8.5

Thomas and Friends Season 7 Scorecard

1. Emily's New Coaches: 10
4. The Old Bridge: 5.5
5. Edward's Brass Band: 6
7. James and the Queen of Sodor: 7
11. Bad Day at Castle Loch: 7

12. Rheneas and the Roller Coaster: 0

23. Gordon and Spencer: 10

Thomas and Friends Season 8 Scorecard

4. Henry and the Wishing Tree: 7.5
5. James Gets a New Coat: 6
6. Thomas Saves the Day: 8.5
7. Percy's Big Mistake: 3
11. Thomas and the Firework Display: 5.5
14. Edward the Great: 8
15. Squeak, Rattle and Roll: 7.5
21. Halloween: 9.5
22. You Can Do it, Toby!: 4.5
25. Too Hot for Thomas: 2

Thomas and Friends Season 11 Scorecard

4. Dirty Work: 6
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
14. Edward and the Mail: 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 16 Scorecard

2. Ol' Wheezy Wobbles: 1.5

5. Ho Ho Snowman: 1

8. Thomas Toots the Crows: 1
9. Bust My Buffers!: 1

10. Percy and the Calliope: 8.5

11. Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor: 1.5

13. Sodor Surprise Day: -10
15. Muddy Matters: 5

18. Don't Bother Victor!: 2

20. The Christmas Tree Express: 0.5