Thomas and Friends Season 15: The Remaining Episodes and Overall

Oh boy, here we go. The last episodes out of the worst-received season in Thomas history. Can those episodes prove that season 15 is worst? Or is it really a huge understatement?

All episodes written by Sharon Miller, except as noted.

Episode 5: Edward the Hero

"I'd like to be a hero, but I'm not sure if I'll be good at it." Actually, Edward, yes, you have been good at it before. Prime examples, Old Iron and Edward's Exploit, two of the show's greatest ever episodes, the former being my third favorite overall. And suddenly, we forget all about them solely because the story demands it.

To be fair, Edward actually is in character showing kindness to others... which is something, I suppose, but he really made a comeback in the season 18 premiere, Old Reliable Edward, which made nine minutes feel like half the runtime. With Edward the Hero, it felt like three times the length, and it's tedious to sit through. It's relatively harmless on the whole, but due to bad writing, I would not recommend this episode if you're a fan of the classics.

Episode 7: Happy Hiro

Let me make this perfectly clear: I. Do. Not. Hate. Hiro. Yes, I find him overrated, but saying he's a bad character would be a huge understatement. His portrayal in the Nitrogen era just makes him sound like an overgrown baby, and whilst he's portrayed nicely in the Arc era, Hiro just feels... two-dimensional and a bit bland.

In this episode? His depression feels a little over the top, but you know what bothers me? If he misses Japan (yes, I'll refer to it by name, and not just his homeland) so much, why doesn't he even go there? Unless he's a permanent resident for the mainland, it hasn't been made clear. The Logging Locos were very much morons, as was Charlie and his stupid table joke, which doesn't help this episode at all. If Thomas was concerned for Hiro, surely he'd have at least listened! If I wanted to see this plot done better, I'd just watch Missing Gator.

Episode 12: Spencer the Grand

Written by Jessica Sandys Clarke

Railways in the fog? Sounds like a great idea, but the execution? Erm, not so great.

Don't get me wrong, the fog looks wonderful in CGI, but it feels way too thick to enjoy the visual experience, almost like peanut butter. Some would say pea soup, but I digress. Maybe that's what they were aiming for, but it makes watching the episode rather frustrating.

And the problems don't stop there; railways run almost daily regardless of the weather! In fog, trains would have to run slower due to limited visibility, and a missed signal could be the difference between life and death. Misty Island is covered with fog a lot, and it gets on alright, so why can't Sodor? And if Spencer was running in fog, why doesn't he have lamps on? Thank goodness season 19 fixed that.

So yeah, it was a good idea, but it was executed poorly.

Episode 14: Stuck on You

A big highlight in a bad era - Butch talks for the first time since his debut in season five, thirteen years before. Knocking that aside, the plot is... typical, to say the least. However, at least the strikes were reduced to two rather than three, which is merciful. But how can pipes or a wheel be considered even emergencies, and how does Rocky know about them? And why would Butch's driver (if he existed) not know how a magnet worked? On a side note, the faces Butch made whilst he was trying to separate himself from Thomas (don't take it the wrong way) did look kind of... suggestive. Did they get scrap past the radar or something? Maybe it's just me.

Kind of amusing to watch, but really dull.

Episode 15: Big Belle

Remind me again; how did this rank as one of the worst on SiF's Season 15 Poll from 2015 and James to the Rescue among the best? What on earth is it that makes people hate this episode?

First point of contention is Belle as a character in this episode. Yeah, she was rather brash and overbearing to say the least, but Toby wasn't much better either. Rather than be a coward, he feels like a grumpy hermit who doesn't want to do anything fun. In fairness to the episode, and comparing it to Fiery Flynn, Belle wasn't needed for a serious rescue operation, and she never spent the entire episode spraying water pointlessly, possibly letting her tanks run dry. However, it is strange that whilst Toby ran away from her, Belle was the one apologizing... unless she was saying sorry for bothering him?

I wouldn't say it was one of the worst episodes overall, but it's more forgettable than flat-out terrible. A bit on the tame side, but yeah, very skippable. On a side note, isn't it ironic that Belle has 15 real-life surviving siblings, and that this was the 15th episode of the 15th season? Could be coincidence, though.

Episode 16: Kevin the Steamie

Written by Laurie Israel and Rachel Ruderman

If Big Belle made it onto the worst episodes of this season according to the SiF Poll, how come Kevin the Steamie didn't second time round? Let's get this outta the way: "Thomas and Percy didn't want Kevin to feel badly."

You know that moment in Equestria Girls where Sunset Shimmer scowls after looking at the clipboard (even though this was produced two years after this episode and written way better, but I digress)? I'm sure that's how many of us reacted when Michael (Angelis or Brandon) read that from the script he was provided. I honestly feel bad for the children who had to learn grammar from watching that crap!

But that aside, the real problem this episode faces is Kevin's actions, and the fact that he suffers zero consequences for playing in a dangerous environment! Actions like that could easily be imitated by kids, possibly resulting in a fatality! Also, why is oil called "gloopy goo"? It was in an oil drum, for Gawdry's sake!

Stay well away from this failure.

Season 15 Final Thoughts

Well, how could I sum up this season? Atrocious? Inappropriate? Morally bankrupt? All of them could be good matches, as well as lots of other things I can't be bothered to list. Every episode was poorly written - even the good ones were problematic - but the worst problem they faced was that they were written for children! They are impressionable, and they will imitate what they see on the screen, and the parents won't be around to help them learn right from wrong. I, personally, would never let my children watch this season, especially not Kevin the Steamie, James to the Rescue, or Fiery Flynn.

Thomas and Friends was a great show in its heyday - and right now, it is - because of the storytelling and fantastic morals. Neither were present during season 15 (except maybe in Edward the Hero), and it was that point we, the fandom, agreed that enough was enough, and it was time for the show to change. Thankfully, we got change for the better. Big ones.

Episodes from Worst to Least Bad

20. Fiery Flynn (-8/10)
19. James to the Rescue (-5/10)
18. Kevin the Steamie (-3/10)
17. Wonky Whistle (0/10
16. Up, Up and Away!
15. Tree Trouble (1/10)
14. Happy Hiro
13.Let It Snow
12. Percy's New Friends (2/10)
11. Gordon and Ferdinand
10. Spencer the Grand
9. Big Belle (3/10)
8. Percy the Snowman
7. Emily and Dash
6. Stuck on You
5. Toby and Bash (4/10)
4. Edward the Hero
3. Surprise, Surprise (5/10)
2. Henry's Happy Coal (6/10)
1. Stop That Bus!

Season 15 Overall Rating: 1.5/10