Thomas The Tank Engine - Blog Posts
Edwards exploit?
Man, what is there to say about this one that hasn’t already been said?
I mean, one day some jamoke is gonna make a video saying that they don’t actually like this episode and that it’s lame, and a big user is going to foolishly give it exposure via bitching about it on Twitter, and the fandom will go up in flames (like, more so than the usual blowup). But me? Nah, even I’m not that contrarian.
Besides, I love it. It makes me happy, though perhaps for odd little bits that aren’t meant in any way to be the focus of the episode. Stuff like
Duck and BoCo’s angry faces
the shot of Edward with Bill and Ben
the shot right before the storm breaks out where Edward goes under the bridge—the curvature of the track there is absurd, but screw realism, it makes the train look so sinuous and pleasing
the sheer blackness of the night in the final scene or two with the brilliant white lights
Also the shot of the train on its way again during the “and he listened happily to Edward’s steady beat, as he forged slowly but surely ahead” line, it’s just such a thoroughly pleasing little bit—I keep meaning to make a good gif of it some day because visually those two seconds are definitely among some of the most comforting in film history. Why must Edward be so friend-shaped. I’m asking really.
Caption 1: seriously, this one bit of track curves right-left-right-left three times, WHY
Caption 2: "Okay, David, catch me at my good angle! 😇"
Yes, everyone who’s been in the fandom for six months probably already knows the “inaccuracies” in the adaptation, but I’m not too hung up on them. Like it’s very cool that we have so many Trainz adaptations and Exploit!models where people literally destroy their overpriced 2Ps for the accuracy?? and I’m grateful and I’m satisfied with this fan content supplementing the episode. Besides, when I was a kid we only had select episodes from S1-3 on VHS, and man, stuff like Thomas’s bent front and Edward’s siderods taken off—that was honestly pretty metal for us. The Flying Kipper crash was obviously more serious, but as far as, like, “special effects” went? It was these two episodes that brought the macabre fascination, due to the visible damage. I can remember parents commenting on those two details too, in fact I think they brought it to our attention. Like wtf, they broke the toys! Wild! (Then we got into some Season 4 stuff and were spoiled for these more innocent days, lol. Peter Sam’s and Thomas’s head-on collisions took the damage portrayed on screen to a whole new level.)
Also, as I’ve mentioned before, while there are several sentences in the original text that I wish the adaptation retained (Edward being so thrilled when he gets the train moving that his wheels start to slip all over again, omg—my boy!), there are also a couple of cuts I agree with actually. I prefer the happy quietude of some of the moments in the end of the adaptation to the “cheers to the echo” of RWS.
Bertie’s little bit at the beginning is pleasant enough but also unnecessary, especially when you consider that this obligatory-cameo-to-meet-a-quota-of-Bertie-appearances-this-season replaces this immortal RWS opener:
Edward scolded the twins severely, but told Gordon it served him right. Gordon was furious.
Like, I am in no way excusing Gordon, but I do think this exchange is interesting context for the following scene. As in I don’t think Gordon really believes what he’s saying; when he’s piqued he sees everything in the most negative light; when he’s in a good mood all the sudden it’s “my dear Edward” and all that. Gordon said it himself to Sir Handel—he has a lot of feeeeeeeelings. Nobody understands that. ;)
Another small detail in this notorious scene that I think gets overlooked is Duck saying “You’re all jealous!” For one thing, I think he means they’re jealous that Edward got this job; the comment implies one of those standard tiresome arguments in the preceding week about who would get the enthusiasts’ train and then who should get the enthusiasts’ train. And I dunno, the thought amuses me. Perhaps because a few hours later in the storm Edward is audibly thinking that the whole gig was entirely overrated. (I feel like next time this sort of thing came up Edward would’ve been all like, “BoCo, do you want it? We don’t want a repeat of last time.” And BoCo’s all *affectionate eyeroll* “No one goes to the island of Sodor for a diesel-hauled railtour, Edward.”)
Now, for all I’ve overanalyzed the effect of the opening “station scene” and how the changes affect how people read the character dynamics, I must still give the TV adaptation major props—their changes make this scene far more interesting and just generally watchable. I mean, though I do enjoy the realistic sidings of the RWS illustration, the TVS blocking of the "action" here is iconic:
Plus omg, the drama of it all, I think the dynamic there of everyone talking about Edward while he’s just struggling to get that train started is a fascinating hook. (Certainly the writers of the show never got over this dynamic!) And, I have to admit, although it changes the characterizations a little, it’s not any huge stretch to have Gordon, Henry, and James be that shameless. It doesn’t distort the reality of RWS canon the way that Season 5 and beyond… *waves hand helplessly in the general direction of the mess*
However, and I wondered this even as a kid before I’d read any RWS, but in that scene why doesn’t Duck give the train a push to start? He’s Thomas and Percy’s successor at this point, so isn’t it part of his job? Always bugged me a bit, but then again these days I am amused to rationalize this and to imagine that Duck considers preventing the big three from bullying others to be among his duties, and in fact sometimes he gets so into it that he forgets some of the more bread-and-butter things. Yes, his old mates on the Great Western might be appalled at his new priorities, but then they didn’t have Gordon Henry and James to deal with, now did they??
Right, so like half of this post is now about the station scene... but honestly that’s fair. It’s worth saying again: The adaptation did a really good job with that. They take some pretty below-average obligatory set-the-stage RWS dialogue and somehow turn it into quite a memorable little scene. *tips hat respectfully*
Figured you fellas like my silly train doodles so I bring forth Percy!! I'm super happy to hear you guys like my train doodles !! :3