Race to the Rescue (Thomas & Friends)

"Race to the Rescue"
Flynn just isn’t going to be better after the previous season finale, is he?
Series: Thomas & Friends Part of Season: 16 Episode Number: 1 Air Date: February 20, 2012 (UK) April 8, 2012 (US) Writer: Sharon Miller Director: Greg Tiernan Previous episode: Fiery Flynn (Season 15) Next episode: Ol' Wheezy Wobbles

"Race to the Rescue" is the premiere episode of the sixteenth season of Thomas & Friends.

Plot

Flynn can run on the roads again, but he is nervous because his wheels wobble and does not want to be teased.

Why It Needs to Be Rescued

1. Like the previous episode, "Fiery Flynn," this episode completely insults the intelligence of firefighters in the most distasteful way possible.
   • It should be noted that the way this episode writes firefighters as incompetent, useless idiots through one character is not funny. It is insultingly and despicably unfunny. Worst of all, the episode never takes itself seriously, and we all thought CGI Fireman Sam was bad.
2. Like almost every episode in the Sharon Miller era, alliteration and narration are used extensively, which is annoying.
3. Unrealism:
   • In the introduction, Thomas passes a switch and James follows Thomas without stopping. The points change too quickly for this to happen.
   • The road/rail changeover track Flynn uses is too short and does not end in buffers.
   • Bertie asks Flynn to put water into the former's engine to cool it down.
4. It is unexplained why Flynn is being repaired at the Sodor Steamworks instead of the Search and Rescue Centre.
   • It is also unexplained why Thomas is at the Steamworks besides shoehorning purposes.
   • Flynn asks Victor if his road wheels are fixed, even though the workmen are clearly fixing them.
5. Unfunny attempts at humour:
   • Flynn wobbles all over the road when he uses his road wheels for the first time.
   • When Charlie sees this, he calls Flynn a "big red wobble on wheels". This phrase is clumsy and is said 8 times in the episode. A better phrase would be "big red wobbler on wheels".
6. Predictable Storyline: Flynn gets offended by Charlie calling him a "big red wobble on wheels" and the former decides he can only use the rails. When he arrives at the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre, Rocky tells him he has to fight a fire at the Fat Controller's shed (the same one from Day of the Diesels), and taking the road is the fastest way to get there. Based on the storyline of "Fiery Flynn", it is easy to guess what happens next.
7. Flynn cares more about being called a "big red wobble on wheels" than fighting the fire at the Fat Controller's shed and helping Butch and Bertie.
8. Plot Hole: Flynn could have fought the fire from the rails.
9. It gives out a bad moral that you should not take your work seriously and take your time to complete an urgent task.
10. This episode began Season 16, an already awful season, on a lousy note.

Redeeming Qualities

1. The CGI animation by Nitrogen Studios is nice.
2. Good narration by both Michael Brandon and Michael Angelis, as usual.
3. There is less rhyming than usual.
4. There are only two strikes instead of three.
5. Flynn redeems himself at the end of the episode by fighting the shed fire and helping Bertie and Butch. Even though he did, it's not saving the fact this does not excuse this episode.

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