I can’t believe they filmed an entire season in Mexico

The fact that the kids get a day off school to look for Thomas in TGD is enough for me to call em lucky bastards

Fun fact: Tom Hanks visited the studio room where Season 11 was still in production while production of the film “The Da Vinci Code”. He in fact loved Thomas and had a good time seeing all the models and sets in action. Imagine if he was the narrator for The US dub of The Great Discovery?

Hector the Horrid was honestly one of Brandon’s best performances. He makes Hector sound so intimidating.

* I believe the point of Whiff's basis being Aerolite is the juxtaposition of a private passenger engine doing really menial dirty work, it was probably funny to the concept artists deciding character basises to make such a glamorous engine be so opposite to that in character

Honestly, seeing season 11 of Thomas being it’s final season for all models just feels like saying goodbye to an old friend because you remember all the fun times you’ve had before hand.

It really is a shame how uninspired sets were in this era, they are serviceable but not memorable (though like you say, those BG hills do help). That said, I think TGD did catch a second wind with Great Waterton, the Bridge, and the mine. You could tell there was ambition there, and that matters!

"And his character was never meant to go far" (Billy runs out of water) That got a chuckle out of me 😂

There is actually an explanation for the yellow tint in season 11. During an event in Birmingham (the same place the season 10 bloopers came from) Simon Spencer talked about the show using the aforementioned yellow tint to give off the effect as if Thomas was still being recorded using film stock. Whether or not it did so successfully is up for debate but it is a neat little fact.

I like that Thomas and Gordon’s alliance was resurfaced this year, and I like Henry, Gordon, and James making fun of Emily with Wiff in “Emily and the Rubbish.”

I'm surprised he didn't mention how 'Thomas and the stinky cheese' got partially remade into a CGI animation test, before the show went full CGI!

And thus, we're ending with the full model era. Everyone has a piece of it in our hearts, whenever it's from great writing, beautiful scenography, or impresive modelwork.

The Great Discovery is easily one of the best specials from the Star Wars franchise

I want to give a special shoutout to Thomas and the Storyteller from this season for how it sort of subverts both the 3 strikes formula and the "special special" tropes. None of the "strikes" Thomas makes in this episode are really actual mistakes. They all involve him interrupting his special plans in order to help his friends get their jobs done. James' and Emily's incidents that Thomas helps with involve legitimate safety concerns (a broken side rod and a broken whistle), and each time, Thomas immediately decides to help all of them instead of rushing off to get his own "special" work done and leaving them stranded, which we've seen in other HiT episodes. In doing all of this, Thomas runs out of time to actually show the storyteller the "special" places on Sodor, and he is thus worried that the storyteller won't have a grand story to tell at the library's opening. But she reassures him that the day they did have helping others will make a wonderful story of its own. And the episode itself proves her right. The episode isn't very flashy, but it purposefully isn't trying to be. Any opportunities for special locations or fancy gimmicks that we typically expect from this era are all constantly subverted by Thomas choosing to help his friends out first and foremost. It instead shows a rather mature, considerate Thomas selflessly helping others and still being rewarded for it. A very underrated episode IMO. I also like how in "Dream On", Thomas comes to the realization of being content with who he is on his own without getting into some big accident. And in the end, he is still able to help the Duke of Botsford by simply being there to help when he is needed.

I'm still impressed at how the Tug manages to make these individual retrospectives for these later seasons so long yet not be dragged out, despite it seeming at first that there's nothing really special to talk about with these seasons of the show

The great discovery is the best Thomas movie ngl🎉

Season 11 feels like the season where they're the most comfortable writing "HiT era". All the newbies have personalities that feel like they matter, S11 makes better use of S10's newbies than 10 did of 9's, most episodes want to remind you that there's a whole world outside of the Steam Team, a good chunk of Thomas-centered episodes feels like "Thomas" episodes, the three strikes is put to better use than in S10 (and not as often)and it feels like they've gotten the hang of world-building and bringing things back. Not to mention, The Great Discovery is, well, great! And honestly S11 and TGD are fun. They're just fun! 21:29 I feel like that's because they deleted a scene of Gordon passing by just as James did. There is an unused "disgusted" Gordon face that supports this. 38:26 I think that's the point and it makes him more admirable. The joke is completed by having Emily and Spencer in the episodes. Each basis for all three are at the National Railway Museum. And I think it does inform his character. The CGI series makes him an older character, with a similar voice to Edward. We see in O the Indignity and Whiff's Wish that he actually does jump at the chance to be admired deep down, even though he is perfectly happy working with garbage. This contrasts with Scruff, who never cares about being admired, never did prestigious work in the past, and would avoid the spotlight entirely. After all, one runs away from being washed, while another accepts it. The contrast between Whiff and Scruff is a lot like the contrast between Skarloey and Rheneas when you think about it. To repost what I once said on Twitter, while Skarloey/Whiff are the more developed characters, I think I like the general personalities of Rheneas/Scruff more. Whiff and Skarloey are both really old and wise, gentle and easy-going but stern when need be, and quite knowledgeable about history. They're both a lot more mature than the louder engines but ultimately can still have fun. Neither are fussed about appearances, despite having once been the grandest thing ever back in the day, they literally don't care. They're just good workers above all else, no matter how dirty or smelly the job, and neither care about the opinions of others. Scruff and Rheneas are both tough, scrappy workers who value function most of all and not even the least bit about form. While Whiff/Skarloey will accept a polish or wash if they have the time, Scruff/Rheneas will flatly reject it. They don't care about being recognized for their work, and neither is good with being the center of attention and are rather awkward and uncomfortable when being put on the spot, often just fading into the background willingly. They have zero other aspirations other than to do their work and get it done, never giving up, and offering assistance to those who are struggling with it (see The Switch and O the Indignity)

"Thomas, You're the Leader of the Tracks!"

I loved how The Great Discovery expanded on the lore of Sodor with Great Waterton.

Congrats on beating Usual Bloke Luke to Season 11. Wasn’t expecting Thomas to win MVP this year, my guess was his trophy coming from S19, between TAB and Lost Treasure, though I could be wrong in connecting both films to the season.

Season 11 is *UNDOUBTEDLY* a Season of last's...

In Tug’s opinion, the MVP awards for each season of the Model era rightfully go to… : Season 1: Henry Season 2: Edward Season 3: Duck Season 4: Peter Sam Season 5: Sir Topham Hatt Season 6: Percy Season 7: Arthur Jack and the Pack: Oliver (the excavator) Season 8: Emily Season 9: Percy (again) Season 10: James Season 11: Thomas (tho based on Tug’s analysis, I’d argue that Gordon deserves the status more) I wonder which character will end the series with the most MVP awards to their name?

Your Aerolite based pitch on Whiff getting a riches to rags story is, funnily enough, exactly what I did in my 'Emily's Rubbish' rewrite. That's just amazing.

31:15 honestly I like how unlike lost treasure thomas doesn’t try to deny fault and blame others like the jerkass he usually is, he knows he screwed up and there was no way out of it.

Michael Brandon's KEEP AWAY!!!!! was the scariest thing I've seen in the show since James's EEEEEEEEEEE from Buzz Buzz. That was impressive. Oh boy, season 12 is next. Strap yourself in, folks.

Gordon and Thomas’s alliance appearing here is really nice to see again. Helps me remember the old days. I LOVE Gordon feeling upset for Thomas when he breaks down

The great discovery is low key, a favorite of mine

I personally have never minded the yellow tint S11 has. It gives the season its own unique look against the rest of the HIT era. The yellow tint gives it sort of a warm, cozy look that’s less corporate and plain than S8-10 and especially S12. I get why people don’t like it, but I can look at the season just fine. The shot direction this season was also much more interesting to me compared to the rest of the hit era, especially in Thomas and the spaceship. Some really interesting angles in that one S11 pales in comparison to the classic seasons, but I can’t help but enjoy this season more than the rest of the hit era. The pace isn’t as dull as the rest of the era

I'm shocked you didn't mention the lack of brake vans in this season.

"I spent all night looking for Percy's space ship, and the airport is only half finished!" It's like those edits putting Carlin stand up over his narration in the first four seasons

29:52 Idk, Thomas blowing that boot off his smokebox is quite funny. Especially how you can see it falling into the void in the background.

"Thomas' lamp lens is more clear in the original shots and more grey and muddy in the Great Discovery and the reshoots" How is the autism going, TTTE fandom? Is it fun? It looks fun

Season 11 has some classic in terms of a handful of good episodes and it felt like a significant improvement than 9 and 10. The Great Discovery will always my favorite Thomas movie and it was like the last hurrah of the model series which brings me back to love nostalgia!

Thomas and the Magic Railroad is actually the first time they used actual performers (okay, w/ the exception of Really Useful Engine for they reused the kids' chorus, but they had an actual performer w/ them), so The Great Discovery marks the second time from this point onwards in the show they used this trend.

I think Thomas should've gotten the MVP for Series 9. I think Gordon should've gotten the MVP for this season.

Yeah!!! Thomas got MVP finally. I honestly have a feeling that Thomas will also get the MVP award in season 12 since he still maintains his same personality as this season

Season 1: complete Season 2: innovative Season 3: big Season 4: comfy Season 5: peak Season 6: cute Season 7: eye of the storm Season 8: milquetoast Season 9: peaks and valleys Season 10: drawn out Season 11: routine.

Getting Pierce to narrate was honestly the best thing Hit ever did and it’s a shame it didn’t stick.

Actually the reason for the yellow tint was HiT wanted to appeal to Mexican viewers, so they edited it in so the show would feel more familiar to them.

5:51: Don’t forget Season 6’s weird method of handling 16X9. The first 6 episodes are 4X3, with some shots in them being 16X9. And, then, the remaining 20 episodes are ALL widescreen.

The End of The Great Discovery was perfect, it felt like a true goodbye to the full model Thomas, with all the engines together, celebrating a joyful occasion. The absolute perfect sendoff the models before CGI was incorporated into the show

This is the best season to come out of the HiT era in my opinion. I also have a soft spot for the great discovery. I remember seeing it when it came out

Lowkey, kind of expected Gordon to get the MVP Award, since he alongside James are the more consistint characters in the Hit Era. They're Episodes really are the standout.

“All the narrow gauge engines appear here” except Duke

"I've spent all night looking for Percy's Spaceship and the Airport is only half finished" is probably one of the best transitions I have seen between two completely different episodes or such

I think it’s a shame that Pierce Brosnan didn’t continue narrating the show after TGD, he’s great. Given the poor quality of S12-16 though, maybe it was for the better.

*SPOILERS!!!!!* OMG THOMAS GOT THE MVP WHAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?! Congrats Mr. Blue Choo Choo you’ve done it!

I find it appropriate that Thomas, the main character himself, gets the MVP award for the final all-model production.

1:42 One notable thing about the new version of the Roll Call. in the S8-10 version, Edward was pulling the breakdown train. In the S11 version, hes now pulling Rocky.

PBS Retro has honestly made me appreciate many season 11 episodes a lot more.

Emily's Rubbish is like that episode where karma finally reaches her bad deeds from the Hit era and in the CGI series she gets better.

The great discovery is genuinely one of my favorite movies if not THE favorite thomas for me :D

I think Stanley never got an episode focused on him because he was always built to be this Ned Flanders type. Typically a Simpsons episode with Ned would be about homer realizing he’s fine not being where Ned is or how he shouldn’t hate Ned because he’s more successful in every aspect of his life.

Here’s my head canon for Whiff Whiff was the inspection saloon engine back in his younger days as he is literally too light to do branch line work (despite he has the tractive effort of a GWR Manor). But after the Second World War, the need of his inspection saloon became redundant and he is left with very little to do as the inspection saloon coach he used to haul was scrapped. He became used to shunting trucks filled with rubbish and refuse which is why the LNER and BR locomotives really didn’t want to be anywhere near him. Basically Whiff is the Pepe LePew of the Thomas universe

33:08 The Thomas in the mine scene is the best 'Model Train in water' sequence I've ever seen in all seasons of the franchise.

Nick's Favorite episode of each season: Season 1: The Flying Kipper Season 2: Edward's Exploit Season 3: Escape Season 4: Special Funnel Season 5: Duncan Gets Spooked Season 6: No Sleep for Cranky Season 7: Gordon and Spencer JATP: Thomas' Trusty Friends Season 8: Squeak, Rattle, and Roll Season 9: Respect for Gordon Season 10: James the Second Best Season 11: Gordon and the Engineer

48:10 I respectfully disagree, Sir Handel is pretty in character in this episode. This is basically Classic Sir Handel. I argue this episodes also basically a relaxing slice of life episode. This episode basically takes a break from all the crashes. I also loved the Engines and Escapades DVD, I’m a person of loves the DVD.

After a stressful morning. There is nothing like drawing superheros. And listening to The Unlucky Tugs relaxing videos.

Gordon and the engineer is a peak episode from season 11, no cap.

Now i'd love to see a fan episode that explores Whiff's life before sodor and how he discovered his enjoyment of the more menial work

Series 1: Complete Series 2: Innovative Series 3: Big Series 4: Comfy Series 5: Peak Series 6: Cute Series 7: Eye of the Storm Series 8: Milqetoast Series 9: Peaks and Valleys Series 10: Drawn Out Series 11: Routine Now what would be the word to define The Great Discovery?

I have wonderful memories of The Great Discovery, so I'm glad I watched that a lot more than series 11, which I didn't see all of. And I have to say Pierce Brosnan is a pretty good narrator! 🙂 I've really gotta watch the good episodes, but wow, they were re-shot? I never knew that! Nor the yellow tint on the screen.😮 Great work explaining it all, Nic. I appreciate it, even crediting everybody else going into concept and footage of Pierce Brosnan reading Thomas to his children. 👍

Watching this retrospective whilst on holiday to the UK, having just taken a ride on Dolgoch at Talyllyn the other day for the first time. The vibes are real

The Unlucky Tug never disappoints, even when the season he's covering does. Farewell to the all-model era. I have been really anticipating this episode, and how perfect that it came out just in time for when I'm about to embark on a long-awaited family road trip to the west. Can't wait for what's to come, especially for Season 12 with those terrifying faces, both digital and off-camera. Eek.

Did anyone catch, that Tug changed his opinion on Stanley, he actually said he didn’t care for Stanley in the every movie ranking vid! I guess opinions do change

BRO! This is my day! My bachmann Edward just came in and now this! I am living good

40:28 Which I find rather odd, as Billy (And Charlie later on) are based on the Manning Wardle L class. Meanwhile, Stanley is of Hudswell Clarke origin. If they had made Stanley onto a larger tank engine, like a SR Z class 0-8-0 tank engine or a GCR 9N/LNER A5 class 4-6-2 tank engine, then all the larger and stronger than Thomas talk would be justified.

Isn't the purpose of Thomas and James are racing to end with Thomas being second, and then as a result finding Great Waterton?

46:46 I wonder if someone's going to remake Cool Truckings into a Season 4 or 5 episode, because since you said that Madge is like a mother character in the HiT era, maybe she can work in Season 4 to mentor Sir Handel or Duncan alongside Skarloey. 53:34 New Sodor's Finest? WOOOOOOOO YEAH BABY THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!

Well looks like he passed Usual Bloke Luke

The Great Discovery was THE Thomas movie as a kid. A lot of my fondness for it is probably childhood nostalgia, but they really went all out with it. The Rolling River Bridge collapse, and the mine chase, and of course the Sodor Day celebration at the end, are just so damn wonderful. I actually rewatched the season in full a few months back, and I agree with the better episodes being grouped at the start. Reality set in really quick afterwards lol. Another banger retrospective tug! Definitely excited for the next one!

The Goat Discovery still remains my favourite Thomas movie/special. It's pure model Thomas magic and probably the most unique special of them all. God, I love that special so much. Glad to see it get the recognition it deserves. As for Season 11, it kinda felt like both Gordon's and Thomas' year. Kinda wish we saw the two together in the books again post-Gordon The Big Engine so we can see the continuation of their allience. I personally imagine it'd play out like their friendship did in this season.

I do agree about the side characters getting more focus, I honestly think they should ditch the steam team and the narrow gauge engines and give all of these characters lead roles

I think the Thomas and Stanley Rivalry was inspired by Toy Story.

The great discovery , Sodors legend of the lost treasure and Thomas and the royal engine are peak fiction in my opinion

Great Waterton is so fun to headcanon for, especially for fitting it into a Railway Series world. I’ve created an entire railway for it in my headcanon that lasted between the S&M and the NWR, and made that quarry near Rheneas into a version of the Blue Mountain Quarry.

Pierce Brosnan sounds like he's doing ASMR.

Hector The Horrid Is My Favorite S11 Episode. And I'm Glad You Gave That Episode A Shout. I'm Proud Of You To Mention It! Great Video! -MRS '24

As someone who's been out of the loop regarding Thomas lately, this is my first time hearing about the documentary on the movie, and I'm sure glad I have something else to watch while I wait for that Season 12 review.

9:05 *"Sodor looks more post-apocalyptic."* That is such a hard hitting line to hear after just coming off reading the absolutely emotional fan-fiction "The Island's Swansong" written by The Knight Train on Wattpad. One of the best things about The Great Discovery for me was in the marketing. I still remember the joy on my face in 2008 when i first got the DVD on Christmas, not just because i was excited about owning the new movie, but the case itself was in a special "Gold" plastic with metallic finish. I still have it mint condition. It just made this movie feel all the more magical, and i think what makes it so special is that i believe it's the only DVD release anywhere to ever come with such a unique case. Really it was a great move... what better way to symbolise the end of the model series then by having the all final production literally gift wrapped to us in gold, because HIT knew that's what they'd struck. Season 11 while meh for the most part is defiantly a noticeable upgrade from Season 10, not only do i like how it retains Thomas & Gordon's alliance, most the episodes i honestly can't bring myself to hate for just how silly they are in concept, i really love that Micheal Angelis gave Billy a scouse accent; much like himself being Liverpudlian it's rather fitting. Plus this season has unquestionably Thomas' best smiling face mask since Season 4, something about just screams Awdry perfect. If i had to nitpick anything minor though it'd be in *Emily's Rubbish* how Emily can't move 6 trucks on her own?, granted she was trying to reverse on top a set of points which would've added to the slipping, combine that with the fact the Stirling Singles actually had traction issues in real life, it gives a pretty logical reason for her struggling, a nice hidden detail you might say.

Thomas' arc in the great discovery is like inside out.

Me personally I love how they made Stanley in Hit era

Imagine Brosnan’s kids’ reactions when they found out that their father was chosen to narrate a Thomas movie, a movie revolving around the same little blue tank engine that their father told them bedtime stories about.

Madge spraying the police man in snow is so funny. I can’t stop laughing at all.

The Great Discovery is one of the best movies. Change my mind

Whiff gives me a serious Kyle’s causing Kyle vibe. Every time Emily tries to loose him he comes back to her annoyance, much like Kyle’s cousin Kyle in South Park

The Great Discovery is SUCH a nostalgia trip for me. God I have so many memories of seeing this movie so many times both in the theater and on DVD. That ending song brought me to tears when I first heard it, and it still does today. The scene where Thomas pushes a broken down Stanley where Thomas’ HiT theme swells sends chills down my spine. Another splendid video Tug. Well done! Edit: 41:15 as Rosie runs off, I always imagined Thomas as thinking ‘ok that’s it buddy! You think you can scare her and get away with it? I don’t think so; now you’ve really f*cked up; now I’m PISSED!’

Congratulations for Thomas to finally get the MVP Award✨ Season 11: it was an okay season, not quite the best for a final all model season in my opinion, but it still has its moments:) The Great Discovery: ABSOLUTELY ENJOYABLE!!!! It can’t be an understatement how the production team went *ALL OUT* with this special! You have a great story and nice characterization of Thomas, but the fact Almost all the Standard Gauge engines appear, Narrow Gauge engines, Jack and the Pack Appears, so many new sets and props, even something as simple as having cameo appearances of characters we haven’t seen a lot of, to think they could’ve just cobble together something half ass and just call it a day but NOPE, they made a celebratory special to mark the end of a Era that had begun in 1984! Answer for the Thomas and James Racing song: I think the point of the song is to show just HOW FAR the 2 raced across the Island to reach the Narrow Gauge Railway up in the mountains. This isn’t like how in episodes where they get there in like a couple of seconds of screen time, No, they had to travel a great distance at high speed to get there, and it clearly shows seeing how when they finally reach it, James’ cheeks were blushing red from exhaustion.

For me Madge was a mother when the skarloey engines where still young. But now, shes an grandma that will do fun stuff with you and love you no matter what.

Tug has just completed the 65th anniversary DVD boxset with His retrospectives

Engines and Escapades was actually one of my favourite DVDs as a kid. Granted i didn't know what true quality was as a kid sooooooooo. Also kinda ironic how they went to the whole effort of switching to HD for filming yet to date, the HD masters of S11 haven't been released.

Fun fact: Whiff is the only Hit Era newbie to still be in the show up to all engines go.

While I was born in 2009,I explicitly remembered watching the Great Discovery,as well as Engines and Escapades,quite a bit as a toddler/young child. I'm happy that you're essentially doing the only Thomas model era movie I've ever watched,the other ones I've watched were all of the Miller Era movies.

Fun fact, when I first saw the title of the Season 7 episode, The Runaway Elephant, I was expecting it to be an actual elephant that was running away. But then when I watched the episode and we found out it was a statue, the plot of Thomas and the Runaway Car was what I thought we'd be getting for that one.

I always love these retrospectives, I can't wait to see how you tackle season 12 as that season is pretty nostalgic for me.

Honestly, it’s a shame that Madge was relegated to only the seasons. With a little bit of re-tooling I’m sure she could’ve worked in CGI. You can keep her motherly side when she interacts with less mature characters like Duncan or Luke, but you could also lean into that free spirited side that we see in cool truckings as she comes across his the type to “get her hands dirty to get the job done”

The Great Discovery is my favorite Model Series Thomas movie. Pierce Brosnan being the movies narrator was a surprise, and I liked his performance. TGD being his only narration role in the series makes it very memorable. The story is the best one out of HIT's model series era. TGD feels like a movie for the Classic Series. Ironic how this is more like a Classic Series movie than Thomas and The Magic Railroad. Thomas rediscovers an abandoned town and helps out with a restoration feels like something pulled straight out of Season 5. The Collapsing Bridge and Morgan's Mine scenes also have that Season 5 feeling. Thomas getting a massive ego, getting jealous of Stanley replacing him, playing a trick on Stanley, and then gets shunned by the others are all in character for him. I'm glad he realizes how much he screwed up, makes up with Stanley and the others, and even giving up his special job to Stanley. As it stands The Great Discovery gets a 9/10 from me. If the team added in Classic Series favorites like Duck, Oliver, BoCo, and Duke in the background, and if the movie had a Mike and Junior inspired soundtrack, then this would be a wonderful finale to The Model Series Era of Thomas and Friends.

the little engines got ready too... (has a damn heart attack while saying "Peep")

Gordon got snubbed of an MVP That’s all I’m saying

Oh boy, here comes the Season 12 retrospective coming soon.....