Season 18

[seanrail]

Here is the section for Season 18 of Thomas & Friends coming in 2014. Place episode suggestions, episode reviews and what classic series characters you want to see making a return to Season 18.

[PaulGWR]

I'd like to see Donald and Douglas in the new season .

[therailwayinspector]

I'd put money on Oliver coming back personally...

[Shawn]

Maybe we will get 3-4 returning characters a series....

[thomasj219]

That's what I was thinking, with Brenner at the helm I'd say Donald Douglas, Oliver, & BoCo if we get four.

[Cirkit:)]

Don't forget about the off-rail characters!
Brenner reintroduced Duck, Harvey, Bill and Ben, but he did also bring back Jack as well.

I think if anyone on the road is to return it ought to be Terrence the Tractor(whose Bachmann model looks terrific), or perhaps Alfie to join Jack?

There was a picture of some wooden railway items in prototype stages that showed Bulstrode with a CG-looking face.. kind of doubt he'll return though.

My bet for engines is that Arthur will make a return at some point in the future, seeing how his line is already rendered and all, or perhaps we'll be totally surprised. Never know!

[TobyTheTram16]

I'd too like to see the return of ff road characters, like Terrance.

[seanrail]

If I could see anyone returning anytime soon, I can see the following (not all in one season):

Terence - I whole heartedly agree on Terence making a comeback.  I can see him being one of those old nostalgic characters who comes out of nowhere to make older fans happy, much like Duck was.

Trevor - They have his CGI model finished but haven't really given him a proper role, besides the brief cameo in season 15 and the intro on the show.  

Donald and Douglas - Seeing as how Duck and Bill and Ben are in the show, I feel these two are almost inevitable if they want to bring back more engines from the classic era.  Other ones I'd feel are out of the question just due to a larger lack of recent appearances (like BoCo) or even if one like Oliver because it wouldn't make sense to avoid the Scottish twins 9 and 10, yet jump right into 11.  

Duncan - I can see the show going on without Freddie, Mighty Mac, and even Duke but they really can't keep doing narrow gauge without Duncan since he is very iconic to the NG railway.  Plus mentioning him in Don't Bother Victor like he was there was a tease.  I'm almost positive he'll make a comeback at some point.  

Murdoch - Murdoch remained fairly iconic in the season 7 era and made a few brief appearances throughout the model era following that.  I'd be interested in seeing how that would turn out.

Arthur - See Murdoch.

Molly - Out of all the characters who were introduced in seasons 9-12, Molly is the only one I can see coming back.  Despite lack of appearances, (and lack of personality, IMO) Molly was fairly iconic to the show before the switch to CGI, which could be due to her design (particularly color as you would find her in ads/websites with Thomas, Percy, James, and her in them).

What about Oliver and Toad?

[seanrail]

What about Story Title ideas? what do we think should make good stories for Season 18?

here are some of my ideas:

Daredevil Duncan: Duncan likes to rock and roll and race fast on bumpy track which can often lead to trouble, but he soon learns there is a time and place for everything when he tries to stop a train of runaway trucks.

Sprang a Leak: Diesel teases Thomas after Thomas' siderods snap and punctured his water tank during an early morning commute, but the tables are soon turned against Diesel when his fuel tank leaks.

The Stephen Chief (based on Walt Disney's Peter Pan): when the pantomime 'Peter Pan' comes to the town hall, Bridget Hatt is excited, but her brother Stephen has one thing stopping him from going to see it, his phobia of red Indians because of a somewhat grizzly scene in the play. So he must overcome his phobia to take Bridget to see the play which is not easy when Bash, Dash and Ferdinand use his phobia as an advantage for mischief which could result in a forest fire on Misty Island.

[PaulGWR]

Duck and diesel part 2: diesel remembers his first brush-up with Duck years ago and wants to cause more trouble with him again

Donald, Douglas, and trouble: Donald and Douglas have to work alone for a few months to work on Duck and Edward's branchlines but their separation upsets a precious balence that needs to be preserved

[Chaz]

What about Oliver and Toad?

Donald and Douglas - Seeing as how Duck and Bill and Ben are in the show, I feel these two are almost inevitable if they want to bring back more engines from the classic era.  Other ones I'd feel are out of the question just due to a larger lack of recent appearances (like BoCo) or even if one like Oliver because it wouldn't make sense to avoid the Scottish twins 9 and 10, yet jump right into 11.  

[Zorran202]

I'm hoping an engine like Duke returns, because now that we have an Earl (Sir Robert Norramby), who would be the new/current grace that Duke knew back in the day, maybe (or more rather if they made a story like that, I'd like to see how they'd handle that).

I definitely agree with the other characters (Donald, Douglas, Oliver, Toad, Terence, Trevor, Duncan, Murdoch, Arthur, and BoCo) that should return sometime. Although I don't believe they'll all return simultaneously, they'll return eventually for sure, with the new team that brought back Duck, Harvey, Bill and Ben in the show.

I'm hoping some of the female characters like Madge and Molly return and/or characters like Rosie and Mavis have starring roles to themselves...

[Fergusfan17]

Don't forget about the off-rail characters!
Brenner reintroduced Duck, Harvey, Bill and Ben, but he did also bring back Jack as well.

I think if anyone on the road is to return it ought to be Terrence the Tractor(whose Bachmann model looks terrific), or perhaps Alfie to join Jack?

There was a picture of some wooden railway items in prototype stages that showed Bulstrode with a CG-looking face.. kind of doubt he'll return though.

My bet for engines is that Arthur will make a return at some point in the future, seeing how his line is already rendered and all, or perhaps we'll be totally surprised. Never know!

Ned?

Cover for the new movie suggests this......

[seanrail]

It is also confirmed that the blue tank engine in the background of some books based on the special 'Tale of the Brave' is name Timothy.

[Zorran202]

http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/Timothy (to see a rough sketch of him in TnP form)

Now it's not confirmed just yet, but from what I could gather from the vague looking pic from a children's book (http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Brave-Thomas-Friends-Golden/dp/0385379153), he might be based off of this basis (very first pic on the site): http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/articulateds/articulated02.htm