Well, here we are, the premiere of Thomas & Friends Season 20. It's kind of crazy, I still remember watching the third and fourth seasons when I was a kid and they were they latest. Now, I've been talking about doing reviews on new Thomas & Friends episodes since around Season 17, but I've never got around to it. Fortunately, I put it on my agenda as soon as the new episodes were announced and today the first one broadcast, "Sidney Sings."
Lee Pressman wrote this season premiere, the same scribe that brought us such gems as "Gordon and Spencer" and "Snow Place Like Home." This episode had all the charm and wit that we've come to expect from him. It also finally made use of Sidney, who has existed for 5 years and never got his own episode, (though he did get a role in "The Missing Christmas Decorations" a few years ago, which was neatly referenced in today's installment.)
While we may not have seen Sidney much before, a humorous scene at the beginning of the episode involving the Earl gave clear indication that Sidney does get out and about, apparently causing confusion and delay with his forgetfulness.
There was a healthy amount of rhyming and singing used in the episode, and it was part of the episodes' charm, unlike some of the dreaded installments of the "dark ages." The once-infamous three strike formula was also put to use here and wasn't too painful, though my only complaint regarding this episode would be the lag in the middle, so perhaps the formula was a bit of stretch for this particular plot.
Though, in a refreshing twist, the three strikes set up led to a rather humorous and usefully serendipitous surprise ending to the episode leaving everyone happy and Sidney completing his initial job he was tasked with, even if he was completely ignorant of what was going on.
It really goes without saying, but as always the animation was fantastic, living up to everything we expect from Arc. I can't wait to see these new episodes on DVD, and an eventual release on Blu-ray would be fantastic, though I'm not sure how likely that is to happen.
Overall, the episode was a good season opener and was plenty of fun, I give it a 7/10 rating.
On that note, bring on the rest of the season!
No comments:
Post a Comment