Season 16 Boost or Bust?

[TheJJ]

                                                                   Season 16 Boost or Bust?
                                                             
This season was a definite up from the past season, that season being season 15.
Ups?
Returns
*Characters (Narrow Gauge FINALLY)
*Characteristics....Spencer showed Arrogance, Edward age etc
*Specials-For one of the episodes Henry, Edward, and Thomas were the special choices even though Thomas got it usually Gordon, James, or Percy replaces Edward and Henry.
*The Old Theme
*That new car caught my interest I DON'T KNOW WHY...he was cool.
*History-It showed a young Sir Topham Hatt and Edward who was one of the first there.
*Graphics
*Longer expresses...Gordon had like 5 coaches. Haven't seen that in awhile
*It even said Thomas on his branch line, Henry with the Flying Kipper...etc etc.
*A sense of story telling
"What do you mean by that?"
Well my major complaint ever since Season 9 was the show based too much on repetition, the 3 strike system, ridiculous rhymes, and focusing too much on teaching lessons and not enough story telling Season 1-6 told stories with that hidden sense of don't make that mistake or keep you promises "no matter what the weather". Basically the reason those were the best days of Thomas...in some instances I felt that alittle more in the episodes. It will be slow but Thomas and Friends will be the show we all know it can be with that 110% effort on the part of the writers.
Downs?
*There was still repetition even though less then usual there was
*Stafford...REALLY? I mean I know it's to make money off of toys but he seems kinda pointless. Why buy an unreliable engine? Come on Sir Topham Hatt!
*The sense that when Thomas said we can't "mess around, joke around," something like that he was a hypocrite of the past 8 seasons.
*The Engines still seemed really dumb
*Where was TOBY?!?! He barely got TV time.
I made the season sound pretty good, but what do you think?
(Leave all comments below)

[ThomasFan247]

I really enjoyed season 16 compared to seasons 11-15. It reminded me of season 8, which I thoroughly enjoyed because it still resembled some nostalgia of the original series. Honestly, it wasn't the best, but it was still much better compared to all the other CGI seasons.

[Cupix the Azelf]

How is Stafford bad? I know it's your opinion, but he's the first Electric engine in the series and many people praised him for many reasons, like...
1. His number 1917 was actually the year his real-life basis was built in which was a clever use. Who knows, he could be a real engine like Stepney and Flying Scotsman. http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120303043432/ttte/images/8/8a/Stafford%27sbasis.png
2. Unreliable? You call shunting the arrogant Spencer back to the station unreliable?
3. His voice goes great with him and he's friendly too.

And about that "Car" thing... his name is Winston.
I like Winston a lot, he looks cute and the red paint goes good on him. He's actually a Type 4B two seat Wickham Trolley. But he does look so much like a Car, even has a Car horn. I like to call him a Car on rails, you know. XD
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120318042419/ttte/images/a/ac/Winston%27sbasis.jpg

Above all, Season 16 isn't that bad to me. I like Stafford and Winston, they're my fav CGI characters to date.

[TheJJ]

@Cuplix the Azelf
I simply meant through the episode he continued to stall, and stall, and stall (well run out technically).
Basically that's what I found unreliable. The position they had him in simply wouldn't work for him.
Shunting would work as long as the charger was nearby WHICH BRINGS UP A QUESTION if the battery keeps running out how does he make it back to be recharged? It didn't say someone pushed him. To me it seemed like a repeat of the episode where Toby ran out of water and James how to push him...it feels like that alittle.
Overall I did find him useless. BUT LIKE YOU SAID it was my opinion + I didn't know all about the # and stuff.
THANK YOU! WINSTON IS NOW IN MY FAVE FIVE OF CGI's.

[Cupix the Azelf]

Well, even if it wasn't stated, it was more likely he was shunted back to the charge station.
You never know he could've been travelling with Spencer for a while and he could be running on a low battery or something.
Sometimes they have reasons why they do these things in episodes.

Also, you're welcome on the Winston info.

[Cheeky_ULP]

Stafford has no merchandise even announced yet. How is that going to make HiT any money?

[fighter4luv]

The episodes did improve in the latest season. I loved the episode when they actually had the original Thomas tune playing at one point. great idea by the writers and directors. I'm excited to see what we get from the new season with the new animators... would be awesome if they started getting closer to the original faces for the engines... I can dream

[TheJJ]

Stafford has no merchandise even announced yet. How is that going to make HiT any money?

Just becuase a toy hasn't been announced yet doesn't mean they won't make one.

[Stepney the 'Bluebell' Engine]

I personally think Series 16 was a bit of an improvement to the previous few, despite some of the episodes having some rather silly story lines. I'm much rather looking forward to the production of Series 17, and hope that the new animators will give the engines back their proper looks, the faces really are a bit iffy on some characters..

[Cheeky_ULP]

Stafford has no merchandise even announced yet. How is that going to make HiT any money?

Just becuase a toy hasn't been announced yet doesn't mean they won't make one.

But he doesn't yet, so that's a weak point.

[DinoNTrains]

I apologize for butting in (if I am), but I must say that Season 16 was much more enjoyable than Season 15. By the way, JJ96, you said the old theme returned. Where and when? I'm just curious. But yeah, I agree with many points you presented like longer expresses, Henry and the "Kipper", etc.

[TheJJ]

I apologize for butting in (if I am), but I must say that Season 16 was much more enjoyable than Season 15. By the way, JJ96, you said the old theme returned. Where and when? I'm just curious. But yeah, I agree with many points you presented like longer expresses, Henry and the "Kipper", etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjT7Bz0icSM
7:30-(some other stuff)-at the end
It was alittle difficult to make out but you can tell if you listen.

[DinoNTrains]

WOW! You're right! I've never noticed that before. Thanks for pointing that out.

[TheJJ]

Well that I can't take credit for. I saw it in a comment on Youtube. But reading it from this thread You're Welcome.

[DinoNTrains]

On a somewhat different note: is it me, or are some elements of the new writing style starting to take effect on the series? I mean with the Thomas theme, Henry and "the Kipper", etc. (I think that it seems the production team behind Thomas has been listening to our [the fans'] suggestions )