Apology Impossible (Thomas & Friends)
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 "Say sorry for cutting in and go back!"
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"Apology Impossible" is the 14th episode of the 22nd season of Thomas & Friends. It aired on September 20, 2018, in the UK and February 23, 2019, in the US.
Plot
Fed up with the other engines pushing him around, Philip refuses to give way when he and James end up facing each other on a double-track bridge. As James refuses too, it is stalemate. But with the bridge in danger of collapsing, someone needs to move.
Why It Owes Us an Apology
- James is at his absolute worst in this episode, as his arrogance, narcissism, and ego are all cranked up to 11. He constantly bullies Philip for no good reason and claims that because he is a steam engine and Philip is a small diesel engine, he is superior to him and feels like he shouldn't say sorry because it's like apologizing for being "bigger, faster, and more splendid" than Philip. Sure, James was also unlikeable in "James to the Rescue", but at least he learns a lesson in that episode about getting help, even when he needed it from Toby. Here, this episode basically strips away every redeeming quality he has left of his Seasons 21-22 flanderization and shows him at his lowest point.
- James scares Philip at the Docks, accidentally knocking over a barrel of oil onto the tracks and runs over it, spilling it and covering both of them in oil. He then blames all of this on Philip, even though Philip did not create the big mess. When Philip demands James apologize, he does, but only to his “beautiful, splendid paintwork" and NOT Philip.
- Then, in the very next scene, when Philip is waiting at the washdown to clean up his oil stain, James cuts directly in front of him.
- When the Fat Controller is about to ask James to deliver trucks of sardines, he slowly talks his way out of the job, ditching Philip to deliver the sardines.
- Later on, James ignores the workmen's warnings that the track ahead is under repair and that Philip is on the same side as him approaching from the other side. James then demands that Philip get out of his way and when Philip refuses, tells James to apologize for everything he has done so far, and demands that he move back so he can go through, he refuses and claims that he doesn't make mistakes and blames Philip for the mess they are in, proving that he cannot handle the slightest form of criticism.
- Apart from James acting completely at his worst, he feels completely miscast as the antagonist role of the episode. If this episode had 'Arry and Bert bullying him and bossing him about instead of James, this episode would be considered good by everyone, and this would ignore the "steamie vs. diesel" concept altogether. But no, this episode had to throw in James because for all we care, this episode does not understand who James is as a character whatsoever.
- This is a Philip torture episode. Even if you find Philip annoying yourself, even you can at least feel sorry for him because of how unreasonable James treated him for no good reason. Philip did absolutely nothing to deserve this.
- Not helping is that Philip saved James from falling off a bridge 3 seasons earlier in "Philip to the Rescue" and James is still disrespecting Philip in this episode.
- The episode is supposed to teach kids to not be afraid to take responsibility for their mistakes and apologize, but James' actions seem to teach them to do the complete opposite.
- Much like "Certifiable Super Sitter" from The Fairly OddParents, this is one of those episodes where the outlandish elements go into the nonsensical territory. Philip and James' argument leads to a backup on the bridge, as Rebecca, Paxton, and Thomas are stuck behind Philip which again, James blames Philip for. This puts too much stress on the bridge, making Paxton as well as Thomas' coaches, Annie and Clarabel, worry that the bridge will collapse if everyone stays where they are for too long.
- As with your typical BWBA episode, the fantasy sequence of the bridge collapse is unrealistic and ridiculous because in an earlier episode from Season 5, an engine fell of a bridge and drowned. So, if James, Thomas, Paxton, Phillip, and Rebecca were to actually fall in the water, they would die. Not to mention, this sequence serves as unnecessary filler you can skip over. Though the latter makes sense because if James would not move, then this would have happened anyway. No matter how ridiculous and silly it is.
- Like most episodes of the BWBA era, it has way too much bouncing animation that contradicts the realism of the previous seasons and the books. We get that Thomas was meant to act and be realistic, but do we need a repeat of what we just said?
- The way James eventually says, "I'm sorry for the other things to Philip." sounds like he is only guilty that he got caught by the Fat Controller and not because what he did in the episode was wrong, thus making his apology insincere.
- Speaking of the apology, Phillip forgives James WAY too easily despite said apology being completely insincere. Considering how awful James was in this episode due to his unfair treatment of Phillip, in addition to causing lots of confusion and delay, it may come off as "too little, too late" - and it may even make the viewer think that James crossed the Moral Event Horizon as well.
- While the ending is otherwise okay (see below), it is rather rushed - Sir Topham Hatt orders James to apologize, which the latter does insincerely, and all is forgiven. Additionally, James being forced to take trucks to the waste dump feels too lenient of a punishment considering that he bullied Phillip throughout the episode and caused a bridge backup due to refusing to move.
- This episode feels like the writer of the episode was trying to improve upon "James to the Rescue" but had no idea what the problem with that episode was. Thus, they ended up making a worse version of that episode.
- Overall, this episode not only destroyed some of the reputation that James had and sped up the second downfall of the original series, but it also officially started the downfall of the whole franchise, and it hasn't recovered since, especially since Mattel has pretty much screwed every fan over with the reboot Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go!.
Redeeming Qualities
- Okay ending: James eventually apologizes to Philip, Paxton, Rebecca, and Thomas, though the way he comes off is insincere.
- James also gets his comeuppance as he has to take trucks full of garbage to the waste dump: a task that the other engines make sure he doesn't talk his way out of.
- Everyone else is likable in this episode, including Philip, who also comes off as sympathetic.
- At least this episode does have a good moral. It provides a great concept for teaching kids to own up to their mistakes and apologize. Unfortunately, the way it was executed and showcased was horrible and the moral could at least be "standing up to bullies that pick on you" as shown in "Toad Stands By".
- As usual, the voice acting is decent.
- Philip standing up to James is justified and mature.
- While unexcused, James being horrid towards Philip at least makes sense, given his blind hatred of diesels.
- Although James blaming Phillip for covering him in oil at the beginning is still a tad mean-spirited, the face that the former makes when doing so is actually pretty funny since it is reminiscent of his angry face from the original model series.
Reception
"Apology Impossible" was panned by critics and fans of the series alike. It has gone on to become arguably the worst episode of the BWBA era as well as one of the worst episodes of the entire series. As of 2024, it received a 1.9/10 on IMDb.
Videos
Trivia
- The title is likely a reference to the Mission Impossible film franchise.
- This episode has no narration, with the exception of Thomas reading the title of the episode.
- This is the third time the Fenland Track bridge collapses. The first being in "Hero of the Rails", and in second being in "James to the Rescue". However, it collapses in a fantasy sequence rather than in the reality of Sodor.
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