Thomas & Friends: Season 9 & Calling All Engines (2005) in Retrospect - The Thomas Retrospective

[@IsleofPigsStudios]

Honestly, despite all of the crap that we give Calling All Engines, we should give it credit for the storm scene. It’s just AMAZING to look at

[@ToastTheThe]

Literally carries the entire film lmao

[@joshuaW5621]

Its quite impressive to watch.

[@Toysonicandfriends2]

I agree with that

[@dum_stuff_productions]

The storm scene is one of the best scenes if not the best, I did like D 10 in the movie but that can’t hold it up for me

[@Julia-i2m5u]

and the fight scene the music just hits hard imo

[@Trickshotter]

Season 9 is how rhyming should have been done, tastefully and not overly noticeable

[@pranavrao6370]

Or foregoing proper grammar.

[@ToastTheThe]

​@@pranavrao6370me when I feel badly

[@BriceInkling138]

Don't forget subtle, and not repetitive and annoying.

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

Or the 3 strikes formula

[@metallicman6342]

God I don't know why Sharon Miller wrote rhyming into those episodes and the early CGI seasons, what does rhyming accomplish?!

[@Calebtrain]

It is actually wild that Salty wasn’t a player in CAE, I’ve never thought about that before! On the subject, a funny detail that Brenden once pointed out to me, intentional or not, is that the workmen are typically always outside of Pinchy’s reach. As usual, a great comprehensive retrospective, and the shout-out at the end was a nice surprise-thank you kindly!!

[@trashman4286]

I haven’t seen it in a long time, but I’m pretty sure Salty is actually in the movie. Just in one of the shorts, where Thomas looks for Mavis and finds Salty at the docks by mistake. But the fact that that’s all they did is kinda criminal lol. So much potential

[@edwardsimp0524]

​​@@trashman4286Salty is also in the music video "Trying To Do Things Better".

[@IsleofPigsStudios]

Just realized the workmen part and honestly that’s really funny. Even the workmen are afraid of Diesel 10 and Pinchy

[@KraylebStudios]

​@@IsleofPigsStudiostbf Pinchy can only really hurt people as opposed to trains

[@mayoroicjre]

I also enjoyed Gordon's little arc in Calling All Engines going from hating having to sleep in a tent, to actually liking having a tent 😂

[@Sacc_the_bambaspis]

yeah but still who the f*ck puts the big expensive express engine under a tent

[@mayoroicjre]

@@Sacc_the_bambaspis The Writers lol. But in terms of canon.... Who knows. It would have made more sense for the engines to sleep at Knapford sheds, and then whoever couldn't fit would have to go elsewhere, like with Edward sleeping at the quarry.

[@GreenDinoRanger]

​@mayoroicjre Grasping at straws, but maybe Gordon got a tent because placing him somewhere with a shed would have added inconvenient travel time to his work schedule?

[@mayoroicjre]

@@GreenDinoRanger from Knapford yard to Knapford station? Doesn't seem like that much of a distance...

[@GreenDinoRanger]

@mayoroicjre That kind of logic will see you sleeping under a tent! Nah, thanks for correcting me. It's been about 14 years since I last watched CAE, so I'd forgotten where they stuck Gordon.

[@SgtAJ218]

42:02 Honestly, I didn't get the meme at first. But after looking it up, I finally understood what it is, and I realized it was from Phineas and Ferb, another one of my favorite shows from my childhood. Good one, Unlucky Tug.

[@diabeticman2194]

Diesel 10 grabbing the V in review out with pinchie is a nice touch, looking forward to watching the review!

[@IsleofPigsStudios]

PINCHY STOLE THE V

[@TheBandit025Nova]

@@IsleofPigsStudiosHe probably likes number 5 movies

[@IsleofPigsStudios]

@@TheBandit025Nova Hard to blame him, Empires Strikes Back exists and that movie is amazing

[@Iron_Blood_Enjoyer1933]

42:09 The fact this one-off line from "Across the 2nd Dimension" has become a popular meme in internet culture, it just goes to show that even a decade after it's conclusion, 'Phineas & Ferb' can still live on in people's minds.

[@dylanlyles9453]

Also on this day is the 5-year anniversary of Milo Murphy's Law Season 2 Episode 5: Cake 'Splosion / Lady Krillers! Which in the second half has Peter Fonda (the guy who played Burnett Stone in TATMR) himself as the movie director!

[@Gametoon05]

Truly an iconic show, still holds up after 16(17 in August) years.

[@dylanlyles9453]

@@Gametoon05 Did you hear that it's coming back this summer with a 5th season?

[@Gametoon05]

@@dylanlyles9453 Yes, and I"m really excited.

[@dylanlyles9453]

@@Gametoon05 Me too! Also, Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension is a better 2011 animated movie than Day of the Diesels. Boom! Send tweet!

[@DanGamingFan2406]

This season was mostly a huge miss, some nice scenes here and there, but that's it. Except, for "Respect for Gordon." I love how it fully utilized the longer runtime to tell a story that felt straight out of the early days, where no one's in the right, and everyone learns a lesson. It does a good job showing what earning respect really means, and what it means to be a team. I know Tug has said it before, but I agree. It's the best of the HIT Era.

[@GreatEasternStudios123]

What? 10 good EPS are there

[@Gametoon05]

I'd say a quarter of the season was good, a quarter was okay, and half was terrible.

[@ShortPuff]

I still prefer s8. But i do think s9 does a better job expanding on certain stories, environmentss, and characters.

[@shocksound9]

Gordon never had a miss until S17

[@ToastTheThe]

​@@shocksound9nah a lot of the post-season 11 Gordon eps are misses

[@usualblokeluke]

Honestly yeah Series 9 is the best of what the HIT model series has to offer, yet despite a couple good and bad episodes, there's nothing about it that warrents either high praise or bitter hatred. A lot of it is just there. 21:32 Thank you very much for the shout out! It made my day

[@joshuaW5621]

Congratulations Luke. You’re officially famous.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

Hey Luke, can you dedicate a section into your remainder of the hit era seasons at keast in one video the lack of crews and their hindrance on the stories?

[@noahcharles2274]

U and Tug r my favourite Thomas ‘Tubers. 🥰

[@QJ89]

How could an episode like 'Thomas & The Rainbow' be nominated for a BAFTA?

[@olivermensinger6022]

I saw your short.

[@jonathanadair6847]

Respect for Gordon is one of the few HiT era episodes that is a true masterpiece.

[@shocksound9]

It was 50% good episodes

[@RealMcSpoon]

Idk why, I’ve always liked ‘The Wishing Tree’ because it’s so nostalgic

[@LegendaryCaptain]

Large percentage of the great Hit episodes are Gordon or James episodes I'm predicting James is getting MVP season 10

[@jonathanadair6847]

@@LegendaryCaptain With a season that has “Duncan’s Bluff” and “James the Second Best” in it, it’s a possibility.

[@randomnessetc5600]

Why didn't you reference that Respect for Gordon and also Squeak Rattle and Roll almost feel straight out of Gordon aging arc in the RWS?

[@nicky2stars]

Ok, but the scene when the Steamies and Diesels were getting revenge on each other was iconic as a kid.

[@Vesuviusisking]

I still remember that 😂

[@LegendaryCaptain]

One attention to detail I love is how Edward DIDN'T attack any of the diesels during that montage since he wouldn't stoop that low unlike the others with how reactive they are

[@QJ89]

"Steamies": Ugh, such an ugly term. While the model work was good, I Never liked the writing from this era.

[@fanofeverything30465]

It's iconic to me now

[@RambunctiousReptilian]

I love how unlike everyone else, Henry just straight up derailed Diesel into a hole and called it a day.

[@killdozer7792]

I've always imagined that "Saving Edward" may have been better if Thomas was the one who thought Edward was going to be scrapped, which would admittedly be something that concerned him considering Edward was one of his first friends... but at the same time, Edward doesn't want Topham to know about his problems simply because we doesn't want to come across as a bother. He feels like the sort of engine who'd just try to brush off any problem he had with something along the lines of "Oh, it's nothing really", simply because he DOESN'T want to make anyone worry, because he doesn't want to make it look like he's being a nuisance. Then the moral of "you should just be honest, no matter how hard it may seem" would work better. Edward was trying too hard to undersell what could have been a big problem, whilst at the same time, Thomas was definitely overselling the situation and fearing the worst.

[@AndrewTheRocketCityRailfan4014]

I feel like that episode could have been HIT’s version of Edward’s exploit if they decided to portray him like in the books.

[@jordenfilmz]

Yeah that sounds more fitting if Thomas was the one to worry about Edward and Edward assuring him that he has nothing to worry about. But if this was the classic series, this would’ve worked better as a Bill and Ben story and they would be the ones to worry about Edward being scrapped and it would’ve taken place in S3 or S5 or something, anything would’ve been better than how it played out in the original episode.

[@nathanchan4653]

The best way to describe Mighty Mac is that they’re basically the CatDog of Thomas who hate each other’s guts despite they share their own guts (boiler, firebox etc)

[@Werdna-ob2ul]

I was not expecting so much positivity with this Season's Retrospective. S9 is definitely one of my favorite seasons. It ironically also came out the same year I was born.

[@bennettlalamentik9123]

Fun fact: There was a deleted scene in Calling All Engines, where Thomas saw the windmill destroyed.

[@DukLoverEKT]

I know it’s been said before, but it would’ve made the scene a whole lot more impactful if they showed that

[@bladeobrian2144]

I swear, considering how far away this season is from the RWS in every other facet, the Thin Controller being introduced in this season is kind of mind boggling. Also, I remember 11 year old me basically getting conned into thinking that CAE was a TATMR sequel.

[@jinkwon8410]

19:40 Don’t be so mean Tug! Pinchy was just feeling awkward! This was his first film role after a long time!

[@extrahistory8956]

D10 (after the shot was filmed): "No no Pinchy, you did fine." Pinchy (through morse code): "But you saw how awkward I stood there? They crew didn't even give me a chance for a reshot!" D10: "Sigh, yeah... but you know they have to make more content now. If only HiT didn't crunch our production time none of this would be happening."

[@fanofeverything30465]

​@@extrahistory8956Pinchy (through morse code): I can't do it if they rush me

[@SonicJrandSarah]

When Sir Topham Hatt says "He must go to the scrapyard tomorrow", it doesn't sound like he ended his sentence, indicating that Percy didn't listen to the conversation after hearing that part. I think that it goes like this. "Percy has been late too often this week. He must go to the scrapyard tomorrow (After Percy stops listening) to collect scrap for the smelters, and then pull the mail train all week."

[@llewelynshingler2173]

The UK dub missed that memo

[@redstreak9430]

Another weird thing about CAE was that some of the educational segments are “canon” to the story in which what happens in them vs being “filler” like how they usually are. The most infamous is the one where it encourages viewers to pick the “wrong” car for Diesel in one of Thomas’ pranks.

[@PurpleTrainPictures]

15:57 Bill and Ben’s chance had come to take Gordon to the harbour and dump him in the sea 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@whytheheckarewedoinginhere1886]

Imagine everyone still fighting but didn't hears Gordon screaming for help while Bill and Bill who probably came to help just saw the fight and thought "well, we better get our payback to a certain big blue engine" then they just sneak behind Gordon then pull him without his driver and fireman who probably wondering if they so take a holiday without knowing Gordon screaming like "GUYS, HELP!". 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@Dalek44]

19:51 Diesel 10: "We did 20 takes and that was the best one."

[@joshuaW5621]

He probably thought it was funny.

[@mmx3374]

Babe, wake up. New episode of The Thomas Retrospective just dropped!

[@fanofeverything30465]

Okay honey

[@AudreyLocomotion]

"I want a divorce, love."

[@Dduedulz]

“Unlucky Tug’s new Thomas Retrospective and chill?” -baddie

[@MatthewMiranda-l2t]

That Fight Scene lives in my head rent free

[@AudunAagre]

Best part of the movie.

[@Gametoon05]

It's so funny, it's really one of the only moments in the movie I enjoy.

[@superalex120]

I agree that is the best part

[@kylehanna8001]

21:32 You Mentioned Usual Bloke Luke! That was really kind of you, The Unlucky Tug

[@dcbandit]

Oof, Gordon's possible fate reminds me of an engine that was pretty much used as playground for kids for a while in Anchorage Alaska. Eventually they closed it off and put a tall fence around it, but for a time, the poor engine was suffering that same fate.

[@JonathanPan-d8u]

Lol I remember seeing a video of Sir Handel coming up with the stories for the narrow gauge engines, telling the script writers, and Skarloey and Rheneas being shocked by how they're potrayed as children

[@joshuaW5621]

That idea sounds so funny to me.

[@fanofeverything30465]

Can you link us to it

[@saylorprice1717]

I died when you flashed Bill & Ben talking about dumping Gordon in the sea, but at the same time I was like OMG that’s PERFECT!! 🤯😂

[@thethomasthetankenginechan4055]

Honestly Thomas sometimes being the voice of reason and sometimes cheeky is similar to Season 5. He was still cheeky in Season 5 (Toby’s Discovery, Put Upon Percy and Snow) but also very mature.

[@thesudriana016]

Finally some more love for Thomas & the Statue. As a kid, I wasn't a fan of this one. But as I got older, it started to grow on me and has become another favorite ep of mine from S9. Respect for Gordon is also my No. 1 favorite episode of this season. Also, Henry & the Flagpole and Thomas & the Toy Shop are two guilty pleasure episodes of mine that I can rewatch back-to-back because of how Henry was portrayed as an actual character (almost yeah, but I don't care). Anything's more enjoyable than the Wishing Tree or Lucky Trucks concept.

[@joshuaW5621]

This season kinda grew on me too.

[@NitroIndigo]

You've finally caught up with Usual Bloke Luke!

[@jacobunderwood5206]

The REAL Great Race

[@joshuaW5621]

Luke’s version of the movie is definitely the superior.

[@Gametoon05]

Tug will be the real winner, though, because he's reviewing the entire series, while Luke is skipping BWBA. It's understandable why, but still.

[@victorgaminglounge3967]

@@joshuaW5621 Agreed and he took inspiration from the Trampy Movies. Which I did the same thing for a story that I'm writing on right now.

[@fanofeverything30465]

Who do you think will reach Season 21 first

[@hiattgrey9161]

I'm glad you shoutout to Usual Bloke Luke's rewrite of Calling All Engines!

[@inaciosthirdstudio]

I’m not sure why but the rhyme gimmick that Sharon Miller is known for makes me wonder if she got some inspiration from Dr. Seuss. At least that’s how it feels like to me.

[@cristiantiniguar-sevilla467]

Unfortunately inspiration and execution are two very different things.

[@inaciosthirdstudio]

Yeah. I guess it was unanimously implied that Sharon Miller should’ve thought twice before writing the same formula repeatedly season after season.

[@joshuaW5621]

@@inaciosthirdstudioit wasn’t her fault. Abi Grant and the HiT executives are to blame for it all.

[@LimpBizkitMix]

Even as a kid seeing that wood fall on Diesel 10 was hilarious And the fact that Neville has a total of 4 lines in the show, with two of them literally being the same word, is perhaps the most notable instance (aside from Norman) of “yeah this character’s just for toys”

[@joshuaW5621]

At least he has more lines than Thumper.

[@karenfan010]

the season nine engines have been given a bit more love recently. Carson’s video workshop made two stories revolving around dennis, ilovetrians323 made a pretty hilarious christmas special staring mighty mac, and dcg12b made a story explaining molly’s past. it goes to show that the members of the fandom care more then the owners of the franchise themselves.

[@DavidBContentExtravaganza3967]

And to expand upon them with focus on traits like Molly's shy nature.

[@LegendaryCaptain]

I can't remember who but someone made Neville an engine for Edward's branchline. Ngl respect to fan creators for giving spotlight to so many like Derek, Bertram, Arthur, Fergus and Murdoch

[@karenfan010]

@@DavidBContentExtravaganza3967I think your talking about nwr1991.

[@DavidBContentExtravaganza3967]

@@karenfan010 Really?

[@AndrewTheRocketCityRailfan4014]

I love the moments where Henry’s jerk side and faces come out in both the season and special. I haven’t seen it in awhile but in CAE, Henry is easily the rudest and most like his classic counterpart he’s ever been in the HIT Era

[@LegendaryCaptain]

Henry was pretty brutal with how he slammed diesel in the fight scene 😂

[@whitelionstudios1786]

Honestly the way Diesel Ten “shrugs off” the wood piece basically whacking his face in that one scene kind of just adds to how tough of an engine he is in a way, and it shows he likes doing such work

[@Xalerdane]

“Heh-heh, ow.”

[@whitelionstudios1786]

@@Xalerdane exactly

[@dabluepittoo-aqua4213]

I actually quite like Molly as a character. In my eyes she's quite relateable, being an engine that struggles with anxiety. Basically a CGI Henry toned down a bit. As someone who deals with anxiety issues, I get how Molly feels. She has a lot of story potential too and her design is excellent.

[@joshuaW5621]

I’d love to see her paired with Rebecca for an episode.

[@Silvertardis]

There's actually a very compelling fan-made episode made by dcg12bTrains titled 'Former Express Engine' which gives Molly a backstory. I definitely recommend checking it out.👍 There's just something so wholesome about Molly and the potential dynamics she could have with characters like James, Emily, Toby, Edward, even Gordon are just so compelling.

[@ThighFish]

@@joshuaW5621 i.e. her ripoff

[@jztrains3794]

42:09 The unlucky tug is Doofenshmirz confirmed

[@KalaschniKlown]

4:22 Tug…that background music unlocked so many memories I thought were lost forever. Thanks for choosing that music, the Aether is one of the best Minecraft mods of all time.

[@gabes3dworldofficial]

Emily, in the first half of the movie: shut up thomas. im trying to sleep! Emily, in the second half: dang, i sure miss, thomas

[@foxycat5110]

Unlucky Tug: Talks about Lady's appearance in CAE and says this is how he imagines her. Oh, you're not the only one. From the Thomas fan-works I've seen, this iteration of Lady caught like wildfire with all of us!

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

I believe the storm scene is easily the best scene of CAE. Also if I were to ever do my own version of the movie, I would absolutely cut ALL the learning segments entirely and the songs to only have the movie parts 14:15

[@amitysluzara2022]

Diesel 10 grabbing the v in the title is just incredible

[@beekajoo]

Honestly, Neville is my favourite character, right there with Edward, since i feel really nostalgic for him, but i still think they did him dirty by making him say 4 WORDS.

[@joshuaW5621]

At least he had more lines than Ivo Hugh, Bertram and Thumper.

[@85741Productions]

I am a big fan of Mighty Mac and the Ffestiniog Railway's Double Fairlie's in general. 52:10 I really love that Tug loves their episode.

[@85741Productions]

PS. Update: I just made a music video dedicated to Mighty Mac (technically to the Ffestiniog's Double Fairlie's in general): Link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3LPgIporc-NrJY

[@jordanlowman6924]

This episode of S9 and CAE was so complete and definitely in my opinion the most entertaining part of the Hit Era. We all definitely needed this and we wouldn’t live without it. Major props to you, Nick, congrats. 🤩🤩🤩

[@ChristopherFF07]

"DEAR CHRISTOPHER" MY NAME'S CHRISTOPHER, and when I was a little boy I was obsessed with Thomas. I could cry honestly cry...

[@LXX__Dracael]

Nice coincidence.

[@ryanangelastro504]

Coincidence? Yeah probably.

[@asafjuarez1]

34:06 “The real Duncan we know wouldn’t be sad about this” had me😂😂😂

[@AJOlaks]

The storm scene is genuinely one of the best model scenes ever Plus I love how Gordon actually ended up liking his little tent by the end

[@BigLightning4360]

Very thoughtful of you to mention Usual Bloke Luke!

[@razvandobos9759]

I just wish Dennis appeared in CGI Thomas, especially Day of the Diesels. And I’m surprised Salty and BoCo didn’t appear in Calling All Engines. They would side with Thomas as they’re the good diesels. I think Salty would be the best diplomat (better than Mavis) in solving the whole Steamie-Diesel conflict with his laid back and doesn't-take-crap-from-anyone personality. Along with Bo-Co. Diesel 10 would be upset towards him though. And I would've loved to see Class 40 and Splatter and Dodge appear too.

[@joshuaW5621]

I think the reason BoCo didn’t appear was because he used Daisy’s face masks and chassis, hence why they never appeared on screen together (with the exception of Rusty to the Rescue, but they used a dummy chassis for one of them in that episode).

[@DavidBContentExtravaganza3967]

If that happened, Dennis could be paired up with Daisy after she returns later on because she used to be lazy and could teach Dennis how to be better.

[@LegendaryCaptain]

I think Duck should've been used in CAE since he was the OG in the steamies vs diesels conflict I think in the engine fighting montage I could see him bumping into diesel due to the events of dirty work and diesel does it again.

[@audreychambers3155]

Neville is not forgettable. I straight up had a nightmare about him as a kid. I hate his creepy face.

[@gilbertmartinez57]

I love the foggy atmosphere in The Magic Lamp as well as the tunnel scene in Bold and Brave! The music in that scene gives me goosebumps every time! These are probably the only instances in the HIT era where they played with tone!

[@MilkTruck1210]

You give me a sense of nostalgia, a time long gone, a time when everything was easier, where I am not as tired as now. Thank you for making videos

[@IsleofPigsStudios]

2:36 Ah crap… we’ll be in for it. But that’s a story for another day…

[@eastlancsesteem]

Molly the Yellow Engine is memorable imo because of her face and design. I used to have a crush on her when I was little. 😂

[@mastermaker352]

Molly and Neville are very fascinating characters for me as well.

[@umairashraf5167]

Hey man,don't take it personally but that's kinda weird ngl

[@DraconicLeafTalarus]

Ever since I first saw your video talking about Respect For Gordon, I’ve been looking forward to you finally reaching this season. Respect For Gordon and Mighty Mac place among some of my top favorite episodes and I was glad you saw them as gems as well!

[@Mech4]

It's interesting to me watching all these videos as someone who only saw the first 3 seasons of Thomas back in the early 90s. Even at the time I had a great amount of respect for the effort and detail put into the sets, which later encouraged me to get into Warhammer and tabletop miniature modeling. My favourite characters have to be Bill and Ben. Probably with Mavis as a close second.

[@gkingGabe72]

34:43-34:53 This season proves that the Skarloey Railway characters were at their peaked in Season 4. There are moments were their true characters are present, but they are overshadowed by HIT's decision to make them babies. Imagine what HIT would have done with the Arsedale Railway engines. And as harsh as this sounds, I'm glad Duke wasn't brought back during the HIT Era. He's the only narrow gauge character who wasn't written out of character. I am so glad they were fixed in the CGI Series. Just wish they had more episodes during that time.

[@joshuaW5621]

I’d hate to see them turn Duke into a child. What they did to Skarloey and Rheneas was already bad enough.

[@thomastugsfan8463]

@@joshuaW5621 I'm sure Duke would not be turned into a child, if we go by the HIT Bible bios, Skarloey and Rheneas were said to be Rusty's age and younger than Sir Handel, while Duke is still said to be the oldest narrow gauge engine.

[@gkingGabe72]

​@@thomastugsfan8463Interesting idea, but I'm glad Duke was spared.

[@dakotahrickard]

Having my soul gently smooshed by watching plenty of this season's episodes thanks to a loving gift to my children, I can say definitively that the U.S. release's best line is "... and so am I," which Duncan says at the end of his titular episode. The worst is ... everything about Skarloey The Brave, in my opinion. This was actually my first exposure to the Narrow Gauge engines, I think. I didn't see anything after Season Three or so until I was an adult, and I didn't care enough to figure out which season the discs my kids got came from. It was only much later that I saw the Narrow Gauge guys on Prime Video and learned to love them. Great video, and thanks for suffering for our sake.

[@UsefulEngine11]

I've been waiting for this retrospective on this season for a while now! I honestly love season 9 purely for the fact that there are a few gems. I love characters like Mighty Mac, and Dennis and even Molly and Neville despite them not having much personality but as a fan can decide what their personalities are. And all around there are generally some good episodes in this season. I was surprised when you mentioned the narrow gauge engines you didn't talk about Sir Handle being absent but then again he's been absent since season 5 so I guess we'll have to wait for you to touch on that next season. Absolutely love this one Nic keep up the good!

[@SuperCosmicMutantSquid]

Okay, there is something about Rusty I *HAVE* to say..... ..... They REALLY gave Rusty such a detailed philtrum (lip ridge) it almost gives Rusty a RABBIT LIKE look. It's especially hilarious in a lot of the more exaggerated expressions.

[@TheBandit025Nova]

Unlucky Tug: I have two nickels Me: Would you like an Dime

[@dadocta5168]

45:04 I was not expecting that for the MVP award. I was certain Mighty Mac would win. Curious moving forward if James will win for Searons 10 & 12.

[@IsleofPigsStudios]

And at the same time, this is the first Season Retrospective where a character who won an MVP award in a previous season wins an MVP award again

[@fanofeverything30465]

​@AidniccWe get two stories decated to his rivalry with Thomas, we get to see his dynamic with Edward and we get introduced to his rivalry with Duncan

[@NitroIndigo]

@@IsleofPigsStudios "Percy, why does Tug let you have two MVP awards?"

[@dadocta5168]

@Aidnicc But season 12 is arguably his biggest character moment where his prejudice towards the trucks is finally resolved (Something TUG overlooked in his "Complete" Histoy of James).

[@dadocta5168]

@Aidnicc Well thanks, but then Thomas & Percy should have been the MVP multiples times right?

[@RickAtanga2023]

3:49 Here's an interesting fact, if I'm not mistaken, the first time this practice was done was in the Latin dubbing of the series, where a female voice would say the title of the episode and then the narrator begins with the story, I don't know if it would have been done. In other countries like this before season 9 but here in Latin America it has been done before.

[@a-Tom-ic]

26:42 on that point I find it so bizarre that they decided to almost throw away the drivers at this point, I know they do later on but in seasons 1, 2 and 3 primarily they acted as the engine’s guide and connected them with human affairs that, quite rightly, puzzle the engines and lead to them making their own interpretations of whatever was said, going wrong and then being corrected by the engine crew. I miss the soul of the drivers that was so prominent in those early episodes, they had such a wholesome bond to their engines

[@emersoninfinitystone5785]

Out of Season 9, or any Hit-Era episode in general for that matter... *Thomas' Milkshake Muddle* has always been a guilty pleasure for me. Aside from the obvious gimmicky location that is the Ice-Cream Factory, it's a pretty decent plot in my opinion that teaches us that making a mistake can also be the solution to a problem.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

A great use of the bakery and its a location that isnt really gimmicky to me since all those crumpets and bread need to come from somewhere

[@emersoninfinitystone5785]

@@Thomasmemoryscentral Agreed. If a location as simple as the Flour Mill can exist, so can a bakery.

[@selinapersaud7629]

I think the same way.

[@nathanchan4653]

33:41 to 33:51 Maybe because since the “Pop Special” story, that is basically the personality they chose for Duncan

[@jordanlowman6924]

I also really love how in Respect for Gordon, Gordon makes up his own alliterated self motivation, “I’m the strongest and the best! Strongest and best, strongest and best, cleanest and fastest and pull the express!”

[@FireStormDel]

While just a small note in the bigger picture, the fact Rusty was going to be made female before they went back on that reminds me of how its been said Edward was going be changed to be called Alice and have a pink paint scheme at one point before Britt said no. While I don't know how true the Edward story is, the way it'd have been for Rusty is kind of interesting in that it'd be done to someone who wasn't referred to as male or female until then.

[@joshuaW5621]

Fun fact, I initially thought Skarloey and Rheneas were girls when I was small due to their names.

[@koolmckool7039]

@@joshuaW5621 Same. At least for Rheneas, I have the excuse that it sounds like the name Rene, and the only person I knew with that name was a woman.

[@primrosevale1995]

I cannot believe I did not notice Salty wasn't in CAE until now. Personally I think it could work much better as a rail vs. road movie about the construction of the airport’s rail network to prevent it being only accessible by road, accentuating the message of working together towards a common goal. Also I really think the story would really benefit if there were two mains, a steam engine and a diesel who get along well, with the latter letting the former know when they mess up and that gets them to reconsider instead of a dream. Imagine if Thomas *and* Mavis were the stars of this movie.

[@TheBlueE2]

He has a single throwaway frame in the whole special in "Trying to do things better", but it hardly counts given its just a deleted scene frame in a song

[@thesudriana016]

Honestly, having a rail vs. road movie actually works in its favor. If I'm correct, most airports are accessible by road (w/ only some underground trains in between terminals). With Sodor's railways being accessible to the airport, it could be the complete opposite.

[@Jam-Jar1]

Honestly this proves how underrated the HIT era can be.

[@suvanisgood]

They should've given those new characters Molly, Neville and Dennis more stories

[@matthwe3468]

All of these go straight to my Thomas playlist. I enjoy them so much.

[@thebatterymill]

I believe Calling All Engines started work earlier - copyright date of 2004, and it was already being shot as of that August

[@shivamkamil1581]

Season 9 being better than Season 8 is an interesting take, not one I see often. In the end, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself more this time around.

[@barneyward6448]

There's something else rather noticeably from this season that is reused in the Brenner era too. The whistle sounds of Mighty Mac get reused for the whistles of the Small Railway Engines when they were finally brought to screen in Series 20.

[@joshuaW5621]

I think they were also used for Rebecca too.

[@Xman-KO50]

Thomas and the statue and respect for Gordon are actually some of the first episodes I’ve watched in the series and there pretty much the reason why I’ve watched Thomas and kept this “kids show” in my life for well forever. Obviously the books and seasons 1-5 are better but those two will always have a spot in my favourites. Very good choice lucky tug.

[@joshuaW5621]

What about seasons 6 and 7? They’re part of the classic era too.

[@Xman-KO50]

@@joshuaW5621 that’s a good point.

[@ThomasTheorist]

Ah I see you fixed the Peregrine Percival part, Very cool as RLM would say

[@NitroIndigo]

What was the original issue?

[@IsleofPigsStudios]

22:53 Taking a quote from Usual Bloke Luke’s Season 9 Review. “I know his type. Racist.”

[@olivermensinger]

This is the best H.I.T. season... which is kind of like being the tallest dwarf.

[@Gametoon05]

I think season 11 was the best one.

[@daultonmahley4211]

Cmon Heathers!

[@fanofeverything30465]

​@@Gametoon05I think Season 8 was

[@olivermensinger]

@@daultonmahley4211 I'm a theatre major, so I had to.

[@joshuaW5621]

I’m leaning towards season 8.

[@francismckenna7338]

Percy is laying facts in this season

[@doctorwhosit3896]

These new characters that were introduced in season nine deserve stories of their own. These characters are actually pretty detailed and the merchandisers decided to put a lot of effort into these characters products. Their merchandise is pretty detailed.

[@q.h.s5051]

You’re so much nicer to this season than I always was. I was a toddler-young kid when these we’re on TV and readily available around and I had access to any Thomas era I wanted to find at the time, the compilation VHS DVDs and tapes, Best of DVDs and tapes, and any classics that would come on TV. More times than not I’d pick episodes to watch because they felt different and I loved them more, I loved the stories, the looks of the older seasons, the characters, the music, and so much more! I remember whenever the show would come on PBS I’d get excited but then see it was a HIT episode… I’d actively ignore the broadcast until a classic episode came along in the middle then it’d be a good time. I tried multiple times from childhood to a few years ago to give this era another try including calling all engines but man it just didn’t work for me. I never liked the characters introduced (besides Rosie, Hiro and Victor), I hate the music so much, I never liked the stories (besides the Gordon centered ones), and I can’t stand the steam vs diesel storylines at all. Even as a kid these episodes or movies just never worked for me one bit (except The Great discovery, Hero of the Rails, Adventure begins, and some other CGI movies)

[@mallardtherobloxengine6339]

49:09 “Im ThE bRaVeSt EnGiNe In AlL tHe WoRlD” He called.

[@Kaiden_Has_a_Youtube]

I just realized that Mighty Mac is technically (and it's a bit of a stretch) the closest we get to a Culdee Fell engine in the model series.

[@horridJ]

Season 9 (and calling all engines) IS FINALLY HEREEEEE!!!!

[@MasterOfTheLemons]

Still love your vids man, keep it up! They're honestly such a lovely constant in the community.

[@jerrysgardentractorsengine2243]

“Thomas is more of a machine now, designed to churn out content every year” perfectly encapsulates what has become of Thomas the last 5 years

[@ThompsonSteamtrain]

I find Neville very interesting character because he’s a Q1 class locomotive in real life.

[@benjaminholmertz4827]

Calling All Engines definitely could be rewritten as any of these seasons HiT put out but they still had their moments of course. They for the most part definitely had characters in character and other times did not but then again we all act up occasionally.

[@GamerTTTEBrony]

I feel like the best way to describe Season 9 compared to Season 8 is probably "higher highs, lower lows." Season 8 I feel like hovers mostly just around the "okay"/tolerable range, and while Season 9 does have some improvements (use of secondary characters like the Skarloey Railway engines) and some better episodes (Respect for Gordon and also gonna add Percy and the Oil Painting to the mix), it's also where I feel like a lot of the issues of the rest of the HiT and Nitrogen era would become more noticeable at the very least.

[@ryanfuller912]

I think the reason why some of the title cards weren't real out loud on the Thomas And The Toy Workshop DVD, was so that they could trick the audience, and also because it was Anchor Bay. Also I remember watching Thomas and the Statue on that DVD, and it didn't seem that interesting to me at first. But after realizing that Thomas' true character is a cheeky prick, this might have become my favorite Thomas focused episode of the HiT Era. I love how he gets a big head over the statue thinking it's him, and I love Percy's explosion at him. I've seen some people say that they hate this episode and I don't understand why? I'm starting to believe it's an underrated gem.

[@GresleyStanierProductions35]

I remember watching TTTE S9 and Calling All Engines since childhood.

[@IsaacWhittakerDakin]

Would love to see a Top 10 best HIT era episodes video one day, I'm sure there's gems in there!

[@Vienna3080]

This was the era I grew up on, and I have a lot of nostalgia for it

[@anternet104]

32:07 tbh you could just say the dementia’s finally caught up to them and I’d say it’s work pretty well lmao

[@asafjuarez1]

I was just used to Michael Brandon’s Narration ever since I grew up watching the show😂

[@Gametoon05]

Hearing Monkey Ball music in a Thomas video is a random combination I didn't expect. 🤣

[@1993seanmcg]

I really appreciate that Calling All Engines is more nuanced than Magic Railroad in how diesels are portrayed. It’s almost like Calling All Engines was meant to fix the issues that Magic Railroad had in just making the diesels black-and-white villains with no humanity. I have a theory that because Magic Railroad and several animated films (specifically the early Pixar films) were made before September 11, 2001, where those films before were always about defeating a greedy gang of villains and that violence ends up saving the day. But I personally think 9/11 made America more humble and while a couple of films that were wrapping up production during 9/11 still had these cliched villains with acts of violence and killing, I respect the Disney films and shows like Thomas that changed their morals and views on villains after 9/11. That could be why Season 7 lacked sound effects during the crashes and added slide whistle sounds, since Season 6 was already wrapping up production during 9/11. But by Season 8 onwards, they brought the sound effects back. But I think Calling All Engines and the Disney films that were coming out during the mid to late 2000’s had more nuanced stories, characters and less focus on characters punching each other in the face to solve their problems by defeating greedy gangs of black-and-white villains. Those reading this might laugh and scoff at these examples but these were childhood favorites of mine and I remember them coinciding with Calling All Engines, Disney’s films at the time, Chicken Little and Bambi 2 have more focus on characters learning about each other, living their lives and connecting with one another. There’s still exciting action and chase scenes, but these films along with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (and his many films and shows) connected with me back then and still to this day, because it’s the same reason why I love the classic era of Thomas. During that same time in the 2005-2009 era, some of my favorite Thomas DVDs were James Learns A Lesson and A Big Day For Thomas, along with the VHS tapes from my early childhood like Thomas’ Trackside Tunes and Best of Percy. The stories in those videos, and many others I watched, were very slice-of-life. They help me as I go through my journey in life. When James Learns A Lesson was released on DVD for the first time in 2005, I got that DVD for Christmas in 2005 and watched it throughout the Spring of 2006, it was my first Ringo Starr narrated video and it was also the same time I first saw the Bambi: Special Edition VHS from 2005 and around that time, I first saw Bambi 2. And seeing the other classic films being fully restored and released on DVD like 101 Dalmatians in 2008 and the Winnie the Pooh movies, it made me appreciate the more laid back stories and slice-of-life Disney films and Thomas DVDs