Season 17

[Fergusfan17]

What do y'all think of season 17 so far?

[Shawn]

I haven't seen it because its not on YouTube yet!

It sucks living on an island.

[Fergusfan17]

How's fergus?

[Shawn]

He's coming.  I've got the wheels the correct colour!

[mrrailroad]

I hope the storylines are good now with Andrew Brenner on the team

[Fergusfan17]

All of them are on YouTube now and I must say they are FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's a link.
http://m.youtube.com/#/playlist?list=UUqj_VTvbIomcVdPnVQXQkfw
SPOILERS!!!
Enjoy.
P.S.- New narrator, in case you were wondering

[TobyTheTram16]

I quite like them in my oppinion

[SodorAdventures]

Honestly, the animation of this multi-million dollar show was amateurish. There were soooo many spots where smoke was in the background, or shadows were messed up, or just awkward shots. The narration was better, but personally, I thought it was better than 16. However, it had the same boring plot lines, and the setting (on the island) remained the same for the whole episode. Honestly:

season 16 7/10
Season 17 7.0001/10 REVISION: 8/10

  EDIT: I like the new one much better, just not the animation!

[ScotNick]

Yeah, Kellsthorpe Station is back! Sometimes the pictures are a little bit blurry, but the track bed looks better than in Season 16!

[TrainFan97]

Wow! I already enjoy season 17! Mr. Brenner is as good as his word! At least the "3 strikes" are only brief, and not the whole episode.

[JLK2707]

Great! But what happened to Michael Brandon and Michael Angelis?

[therailwayinspector]

I've seen all the episodes and Gordon Runs Dry is my favourite of them, but it's hardly 'wow' material.

*SPOILER ALERT*

The animation is different and there's something about it that just looks wrong (the 'lighting' perhaps but I can't pinpoint exactly what I dislike about it.) That said, Gordon Runs Dry it actually looked better.

A lot of people have praised Kevin's Cranky Friend. I fail to see how it is so great- the three strikes is there in your face- Cranky says No three times and Kevin feels bad leading to the event that happens (which I could see happening the day the synopsis was revealed), afterwhich Cranky 'feels badly and confesses he thought he didn't need help but he does.' If it had been a story by Miller that would have been criticised to the moon and back.

Wayward Winston, oh dear. The only interesting part was when there were two tracks down the hill but three at the top- only interesting as it amazes me how the animators failed to notice that. Thomas chasing higgildy piggildy all over. The three strikes was there but less obvious- Winston passes Gordon, Paxton then the danger appears!

Steamie Stafford. All I have to say is I feel sorry for Stafford's voice actor having to make all those childish noises. The idea of the story was good, the delivery of it was not.

Scruffs Makeover. Three strikes. He tries to do three different jobs before realising that the dump is the only place for him. Would have been more interesting if he had been doing his work daintily around the dump before getting a stern talking to for Whiff.

Gordon Runs Dry. A nice use of railway realism- 'The Local', station announcements- a welcome change. As for the story, why Paxton's signal was green in the first place anyway baffles me. A rock wouldn't have flown out as it had nor done the damage it did. However, Gordon trying to keep his express an express was good, but any loss of water so quickly would be sure to ring alarm bells. Three strikes again- three water towers before the trouble happens. These negatives aside, there was something about it that just made it that little bit better than the other 4 stories. It might have been the series 1 reference, be it intentional or accidental, I just loved the shot I've attached an image of.

Now for some major irks.
Thomas. Every episode. Was it REALLY that necessary to crowbar him into every episode? We need less of Thomas and more of 'the friends', even for smaller parts.
Steamworks also seemed to be shoehorned in unnecessarily.
The realisation/announcement of the 'moral' at the end also annoys me.

Overall, the writing is an improvement over the past series. But there is still a LONG way to go.


Possible classic reference?

[thomasj219]

I agree with most of those points, the formula was there but not obvious. I have a feeling it will get better as we go along. Gordon Runs Dry was also my favorite, if I had to rank them.

1. Gordon Runs Dry
2. Kevin's Cranky Friend
3. Scruff's Makeover
4. Wayward Winston
5. Steamie Stafford

Ironically the same order as the DVD.

Now seeing the animation more closely I agree that there is something off about it, but like you I can't pinpoint exactly what. The express coaches look a bit strange from the back, narrow. Regardless I see a bright new future for Thomas and Friends, but as you know some will just never be satisfied.

[SodorAdventures]

True, very true.

[Chaz]

I was honestly impressed with what I saw with season 17.  The only episodes I didn't really like were Scruff's makeover and Steamie Stafford.  Gordon Runs Dry and Wayward Winston I found to be very enjoyable episodes and Kevin's Cranky Friend I liked simply due to the humor from both of the cranes.  

Thoughts on each of the episodes:

Gordon runs dry - 10/10 - No fault on my card with this episode whatsoever, to be honest.  I loved how everyone was in perfect character and I liked how Paxton played a decent role too.  I especially liked how Gordon was complaining to Thomas about why he doesn't fetch his own coaches (Season 1 reference anyone?), not to mention the picture provided by railwayinspector showing the angle of Gordon going by the stream.  It's quite clear that Andrew Brenner has done his homework while writing this episode!  
Kevin's Cranky Friend - 7/10 - I'd normally look down at episodes like this, but this episode got me to laugh.  It's interesting seeing Kevin and Cranky interact with one another, and their relationship throughout the episode was quite enjoyable.  
Scruff's makeover - 5/10 - This episode was honestly kind of boring, and extremely predictable.  I like how Annie and Clarabel spoke and how Gordon, James, and Henry were together at the shed giving Scruff a hard time.  They seemed to be in perfect character in that scene.  Outside of that I can't say I found the rest of the episode entertaining.  
Wayward Winston - 9/10 - I know a lot of people didn't like this episode but I honestly found it to be really enjoyable.  I would have given it a perfect score if they ended the episode with Bertie still waiting at the railroad crossing providing some comic relief.  Outside of that though, I love how Percy was explaining to Winston about why engines need drivers, (totally contradicts everything in seasons 8-16).  My favorite part of the episode has to be where right as Sir Topham Hatt confronts Winston and Winston defends himself by saying that Sir Topham Hatt didn't leave his brakes on... the reactions from everyone in that scene were what made this episode worth watching, IMO.
Steamie Stafford - 2/10 - The only thing I liked about this episode was how they called the cattle wagons livestock cars.  The rest of this episode was really silly and honestly not my cup of tea.  I don't plan on watching it twice.  

So in my opinion... so far so good!  Looking forward to the rest of this season!