Flash Bang Wallop! (Thomas & Friends)
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 Not as bad as the first five episodes, but this one proves that this little blue tank engine's ego can be larger then any express train.
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"Flash Bang Wallop!" is the sixth episode of the 16th season of Thomas & Friends. It aired on February 21st in Australia first, then February 27th the UK, April 15th in Japan, September 2nd in the US, and November 12th, 2012 in Germany, all in the exact same year.
Plot
In order to be in the newest book about railway engines, Thomas wants to be in the most photographs by hogging the engines' chances to having their photograph taken and causing havoc.
Bad Qualities
- It's Thomas & Friends' answer to "Brian Writes a Bestseller", but instead of a bestselling book, it's a photography book.
- Thomas is unlikeable in this episode, the way his attitude of wanting to be in the most photographs shows how selfish and egocentric Thomas can be.
- There are only two noticeable plot holes:
- How did Thomas not realize that he caused Percy and James to crash despite realizing he was responsible for making the Photographer drop his camera?
- Why doesn't the Photographer go and get a new camera if he says there's a new one at the docks?
- The crashes in this episode are not even necessary or ever needed in this episode to begin with:
- The first crash is a complete rehash of the crash in "Thomas, Percy, and The Coal" from Season 2. To be fair, it does give out some nostalgic value depending on your opinion of the first crash.
- The second crash isn't even that interesting or special, and it feels so forced since the story itself wanted to show how unreasonably irresponsible Thomas is towards James. Not to mention, the buffers are meant to stop engines from crashing. Not make the engine crash unless if the buffers are either unstable or easy to break, which makes this crash pointless because James can easily bump into them with his bufferbeam unless the buffers aren't strong enough to bump him and his train. If James was going at top speed, then that would make more logical sense.
- The third crash isn't even a crash at all. It's Thomas's puff causing the Photographer to drop his camera.
- Gordon, while more tolerable than Thomas, is no better as he reverts back to his S8-13 flanderization. He also boats about wanting to be in the most photographs and also showcases his ego.
- There are two errors present in the episode:
- One error is a consistency error between two engines. When Thomas collects Rocky, the points are set against him. The same thing also happens when Percy enters the siding.
- The other error is actually an animation error. When the engines gather at Knapford near the end of the episode, the brown and white house on the far right side of the screen is layered behind the house which is supposed to be behind it.
- As usual, the rhyming and narration never shut up.
- Completely missed opportunity and wasted potential: This episode would have focused on both Thomas and Gordon just to prove who would have the most photographs to be taken from the Photographer until both engines learn a lesson in the end. But nope! Throw that away just to make a story about Thomas being egocentric.
- Half bad ending with a completely poor payoff: Despite Thomas's selfish idiocy, Thomas still gets to be in the front cover of the book after the damage he has done to Percy, James, and the Photographer, even though he literally destroyed/ruined every single bit of the Photographer's work and got in Percy and James' ways.
- Giving Thomas what he wants for his selfish stupidity is not a punishment.
- The episode's moral is just plain dumb. If you show some selfishness and egocentric behavior, you still get what you want in the end.
Good Qualities
- The animation is okay, though the visuals are really good.
- The voice acting is great as usual for both English dubs respectively.
- There are brake vans on almost every single train the engines are pulling.
- James, Percy, and Henry are still likable.
- Percy and Henry aren't flanderized like they usually are.
- As annoying they are, at least the three strikes formula seemed much shorter this time.
- The Fat Controller scolds Thomas for his actions and rightfully so. Though the end result doesn't fully do justice for James and Percy.
- The first two minutes are actually really good. The best part about this episode is the part where the Fat Controller holds a book where he shows his engines other engines from other railways.
- There are even two pictures of two engines. The City of Truro (which shows respectful homage to the Railway Series story, "Domeless Engines" and the third season episode, "Gordon and the Famous Visitor") and Beyer Garratt.
- Half good ending: Thomas fixes all the damage he has done to both James and Percy, gets to see the new book the Photographer made despite that being done to have him get what he wanted for all his pure idiocy.
Reception
"Flash, Bang, Wallop!" received mostly mixed reviews from critics and fans alike. Some fans praised the episode (or had mixed thoughts on the episode) for its crashes, and the use of real life engines present on the book the Fat Controller was holding. While the criticism was directed towards Thomas's stupidity and overly selfish and jerkish attitude (obviously), the usual repetitiveness, as well as the unnecessary narration and rhyming.
Trivia
- This episode's title is based on the song "Flash Bang Wallop" by British rock musician, Tommy Steele.
- As mentioned in the Good Qualities section regarding the first two minutes, one of the photographs in the "Great Railways" book is of an R.R.'s Class 14A 2-6-2+2-6-2 Beyer-Garratt and another is of City of Truro. The front cover shows a Fowler 0-4-0 Diesel-mechanical locomotive.
- Even though he only appears in the book, this marks City of Truro's first appearance since the eighth series episode, "Edward the Great", where he appeared in only a picture inside one of Spencer's coaches.
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