Thomas and Friends Season 9: Poll Winners Batch #2

Here's the next batch of poll winners for season nine!

Episode 4: Thomas' Milkshake Muddle

Written by Marc Seal

I know it might sound silly when you first hear it, but milk can be turned into butter, although I don't think that a train carrying milk churns in open wagons would be a recipe in doing so. :P

But... that's it. The episode itself is pretty dull. Seriously, why would anyone send for a locomotive to deliver ingredients to make ice cream and cakes? It'd make more sense if they were made before the day of the party, but I bet that those at the ice cream factory and bakery are very poor at planning ahead.

Episode 8: Thomas and the Birthday Picnic

Written by Sharon Miller

Ah yes. Sharon Miller's first ever script, and the first to refer to Dowager Hatt by name. Maybe it's a coincidence that Miller always seems to write for Dowager so brilliantly, even in some of the show's bad episodes (possibly except for Fiery Flynn). And yes, this featured the three strikes formula with Thomas looking for places for the Hatt family to have their picnic, and it isn't so bad during season nine, but mostly, we didn't know what they'd have in store for us.

Of course, I'm not too sure as to why the Fat Controller didn't plan ahead for his mother's birthday - surely he'd plan ahead better than that? And why were the Steam Team at Tidmouth Sheds when they could've had work to do? And yes, the rhyming and alliteration is obvious. An alright episode on the whole, but they should've toned back on the rhyming.

Episode 14: The Magic Lamp

Written by Sharon Miller

I've read some... interesting things about this episode. I'll take a look at what's going on and go from there.

First, there's Proteus. Yes, he is Sir Handel in a yellow coat of paint and with a different face. He appeared for about five seconds and (other than the form of a statue in season 12) that was it. Considering they used Rheneas' model for Smudger in Granpuff (and the fact that they both appeared in same episode, not in the same scene, obviously), why couldn't they have done the same for both Sir Handel and Proteus?

And that's where my mixed feelings for this episode continue. Why would Peter Sam scoff at a story? Isn't he supposed to be optimistic? Getting back to my previous point, Sir Handel would've fit that role better since he's a more cynical character. Surprisingly, Skarloey is close to his true persona here. Of course, like Thomas and the Birthday Picnic above, it does have the three-strikes formula in play here.

Like Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out, we got a season four model making an appearance - it's Peter Sam's old model when we see him and Harold in the same shot. I'm surprised that nobody brings that up. And how would believing in magic help you go far? I'm reminded of a quote from Zootopia by Chief Bogo - "Life isn’t some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and your insipid dreams magically come true. So let. It. Go."

Having gone over this episode, I can say that I don't like it that much. Peter Sam felt out of character, and the story just didn't suit him at all.

Episode 26: Flour Power

Written by Abi Grant

As a closer to season nine, it feels rather weak. Yes, it establishes Thomas as a hero and Diesel as an antagonist, but Diesel just comes off as childish in teasing Thomas. (By the way, he has a bunker, not a tender - you don't even need a picture to understand that he's called Thomas the Tank Engine!) Also, Thomas getting his own back at Diesel feels too much like Ghost Train, except that Percy got covered by lime by accident and it made sense for the story. Why would flour just be dumped haphazardly into trucks like that rather than be loaded in sacks?

Oh, and we got an appearance an ERTL Percy in the child's bedroom - that's a nice little Easter egg... or should it be Halloween egg, in this case?

Thomas and Friends Season 9 Scorecard

1. Percy and the Oil Painting: 7
2. Thomas and the Rainbow: 1
3. Molly's Special Special: 8
4. Thomas' Milkshake Muddle: 3
5. Mighty Mac: 2

7. Respect for Gordon: 8
8. Thomas and the Birthday Picnic: 6

10. Rheneas and the Dinosaur: 1
11. Thomas and the New Engine: 3
12. Toby Feels Left Out: 1
13. Thomas Tries His Best: 9
14. The Magic Lamp: 3

16. Henry and the Flagpole: 3
17. Emily Knows Best: 7
18. Thomas' Day Off: 8
19. Thomas' New Trucks: 7

22. Skarloey the Brave: 1
23. Saving Edward: 2

24. Thomas and the Golden Eagle: 1
25. Keeping Up with James: 8
26. Flour Power: 4