Opinions on SERIES 5 - THOMAS & FRIENDS Review 

I’ll always say that season 5 was basically Britt Allcroft giving the controls to David Mitton and saying ‘have fun’.

Season 5 is GOATED. I loved a lot of the episodes like Haunted Henry, Duncan gets spooked, Stepney gets lost, Busy going backwards, Oliver's Find, A Better View for Gordon, Rusty and the Boulder and Cranky bugs

Just gonna say this right now… Toby and the Flood is legit childhood trauma. That one still chills me everyday. The amazing set design of the the baked beans river, the damn and the town. The feeling that even though we know Toby will pull through, there’s still a slight doubt that makes me believe otherwise, that’s how beautiful this episode was and the score. Damn does that score when Toby crosses the bridge and the damn bursts. That solidified my love and fear of this episode making it one of my personal favourites. Also Henry’s theme in Something in the Air and Haunted Henry also chills me

Gonna be honest, I was busting up laughing at the "top 5 unintentionally scary episodes" segment. Honestly I never found the :O faces scary, just kinda silly, but the way you hammed them up is so hilarious, especially with James and the Trouble with Trees.

I feel like these "bad" or "forgettable" stories are better classified as "Slice of Life" stories. More laid back, less intensive. They're not bad, just a different formula.

10:20 What scared me as a kid was that they got Gordon's whistle wrong lol

Its interesting so many people say s5 scared them as kids. I always found the s1 and s2 episodes to be scarier when I was younger. The music was much more intense which made it more scary imo. The faces also scared me particularly in those seasons as well (I HATE the o face) but I still have a good place in my heart for those seasons lol

I would have put the closeup of the truck shouting "Oh look! Henry's spooked!" in the unintentional scares bit, still gets me! 🤣😮

I completely understand why you like Something in the Air. Setup is great, crash is great, but I hate Sir Topham Hatt in that one. He straight up blames Henry for a blunder that should have seen the dockmaster either fired or demoted

I like Alec Baldwin’s voice for James it’s perfect it’s fits his character well

I remember series 5 of Thomas the Tank Engine was from having the VHS tape called Spooks and Surprises which had a mix of episodes from that series which was okay, but I enjoyed some of the episodes from that VHS video. I recently watched all of the series 5 episodes in order and I didn’t realise how good it is, it’s not my favourite series but it still a good series. I have my top 5 episodes from this series but first I’m going to put my honourable mentions from this series. Honourable mentions: Horrid Lorry, A Better View for Gordon, Toby and the Flood, Double Teething Troubles, Stepney Gets Lost, Thomas Percy and Old Slow Coach, Oliver’s Find, Happy Ever After, A Surprise for Percy, Make Someone Happy My Top 5 episodes: 1. Busy Going Backwards - This is the best runaway from the entire show and it is filled with some funny moments too. What stood out in this episode was the music used for the runaway in the episode the William Tell them which made this stand out for a cinematic series. 2. Duncan Gets Spooked - In my opinion the darkest episodes in the show which left me chilling everytime I watch this and the music used is the best music used in a spooky episode. I know other fans love Haunted Henry better than this but personally Duncan Gets Spooked is my favourite from the spooky episode from this series. 3. Put Upon Percy - Gotta put a Percy episode in my top 5 as he is my favourite character of the show, as much as I enjoyed A Surprise for Percy, I prefer this episode even though I never watched it as a kid. What’s great about this episode is Percy character and the scene of the mine collapsing and Percy panicked by the danger happening around him. It was one of the many episodes this series that has a scenes that feels as thought it was a disaster movie but I love that as well Percy shows the bravery in him during a dangerous situation, something that took me by surprise with his character. 4. Haunted Henry - One of the episodes I remember from my Spooks and Surprises VHS tape, but what I like about this episode are the haunting visuals and the mystery for what Henry is frightened of in the episode 5. Lady Hatt’s Birthday Party - The funniest episode of the show and the best episode of The Fat Controller because not only we get to know him more as a character but because of the disasters he goes through to get to Lady Hatt’s party on time, and “Bother” makes me laugh everytime. A funny episode with a nice ending I’d describe this episode

S5 is a good season if you want a thrilling action packed season which quite a few episodes delivered on but quite a few suffered because the runtime was too short for that story

Five of the narrow guage oldies are back. Skarloey only has three speaking roles, Rheneas in the UK has two speaking roles but in the US has only one, Rusty plays a major part in the last three episodes and a spotlight episode in between, Duncan only has one story to himself and cameos in another, and Peter Sam never says anything. Duke's model is painted dark brown and given Smudger's face to make Bertram. And Sir Handel doesn't come back until season 10, even though his model was painted yellow and probably given Duck's face to make Proteus in season 9. Also I forgot to mention, Proteus is also one of those silent one-off characters.

Personally I think the scariest face in S5 was in the Old Slow Coach episode, specifically the one Thomas had in that shot of him and Percy arriving at the workmen's hut after it catches fire. Overall this is my favourite season of TTTE. I think it's a combination of clever humour, meme-worthy scenes, stunning visuals and my memories of watching the episodes when I was younger (though I still think that Rusty and the Boulder is out of place for this kind of show). Horrid Lorry is my favourite episode of the entire show.

Not many of the engines faces got me scared but some did stick in my mind. I remember a couple dreams/nightmares where Thomas has an accident and his face takes the whole "screen" in my dream. And some how it's always George Carlin narrating in my dreams, I remember ONE line of dream Carlin's narration that I can remember from when I was five or six that it woke me up and left me unable to go to sleep. That line? "He was salting and sassing. GAH!!!!" These lines were usually of Thomas' face (either that face from A Big Day for Thomas when he realizes he left the train behind, or that closed eye one for when Thomas busts through the brick wall) followed by a WHEESH of steam covering the screen and Dream Carlin saying "GAH!!!" like Gordon says as he wheeshes mud on James.

You forgot to mention Butch the Tow Truck (Breakdown Lorry). He first appeared in Season 5 and was named in Horrid Lorries. Him, Cranky, 'Arry and Bert were the only characters from that season to carry over into future seasons.

Oliver’s Find I find a genuinely underrated episode. I love it.

The faces always got me too! Also when they quick change Gordon's surprised face to eyes shut face freaked me out too, as well as Duncan's eyes shut tight face

Season 5 has to be my favorite model season for all the action packed moments and darkest themes

The visuals are super in this series and the music your review was funny and great as always!

It always saddens me they never brought back Derek, I would of loved to see some episodes with him and Boco also Haunted Henry used to scare the shxt out of me as a kid. I also agree with you with Bertram, they could of done that episode about Duke and Toby instead, Bertram was a blatant grab to sell Toys.

11:15..oh god, had a dreadful thought, imagine with some of the classic series were released in 3D and you see Gordon coming toward you as he's about to crash through the wall

Great stuff, as always. When you got to #2 on the list, I thought 'Ah, so Toby and the Flood' is #1, but I should've known it'd be the other Henry story!! Best of luck with Magic Railroad.

I heard Derek was going to appear in CGI for Day of the Diesels, but he didn't because the staff referred to him as "Paxman" and someone mistook it for "Paxton", meaning a new character instead of an old one

The Gremlin episode is a take things in stride kinda episode. Random things go wrong and the day is overall weird. There isn't an explicit cause ir someone to blame, so best you can do is laugh it off and keep going.

The reason why this has non-Awdry stories because Britt Allcroft had a different vision for Thomas and this season was meant to be a showcase to TATMR making it a warmup for that movie.

I'll agree that yeah, Series 5 has a lot of forgettable episodes like, for me, Rusty and the Boulder, but I like how experimental this series is and how many episodes we get that have nothing to do with the engines. The set design feels like a breath of fresh air, and while a lot of episodes are very crash happy, episodes like Make Someone Happy, Stepney Gets Lost, A Better View for Gordon and Something in the Air are some of my favorites. Plus, I like that this is the last series where the models have their shiny, glossy coats. It feels like the end of an era before we transition to the models we'd get for Series 6 and onward.

I'll agree with you on humor, "Lady Hatt's Birthday Party" is funny. Topham saying "Bother" a few times in both the UK and US dubs is humorous.

Season 5 is still a great series, but it's not as high as the first four seasons. I'll take it over any of the other eras. The episodes are great like Cranky Bugs, Duncan gets Spooked, etc. Alec Baldwin did a good job narrating. Still Season 5 was a great addition at the time where I was getting into Thomas during 1999 to 2000.

Luke: "Examples like: Gordon and the Gremlin..." . . My brain, immediately: "A-Woof-Woof!"

Season 5 is my favorite despite the forgettable episodes the music was some of the best and both narrators were really good. Plus I still have the vhs for races resuces and runaways

This is the first time I saw this review when I saw the thumbnail and watching it, you actually did a nice review on S5 and what standouts and flaws you pointed out amongst the fandom. As for me, I absolutely LOVE that season! So many things that are so brilliant, the production, the episodes (yeah all of them for me), the lighting, the music, the characters, etc. I'm kinda stuck on where to rank it as Number 1 since S4 is my favorite season or tie them as both, so I have it as my second all-time favorite season. For a few episodes you find mediocre like Gordon & the Gremlin (even though I find it underrated), I respect your opinion. I will admit, I too was creeped out by some scenes in childhood, but watching them again up to now, I actually found them both action-packed and awesome! As for David Maidment, I like to point out that he is truly my favorite railway consultant for Thomas & Friends. No offense to Sam Wilkinson for I will kinda learn to appreciate on some things he did too for the show in the Brenner era, but David actually handles the task very well with not only to ensure there are no howlers, but also with stories he have written based on real railway incidents which actually have strong Railway Series vibes to them (mostly A Better View for Gordon, James & the Trouble with Trees, Baa! and Double Teething Troubles) with that Awdry charm that I'm surprised the original creator never thought of himself. Then again that's just me. It's a shame HiT didn't let him stay on the show because it would've been more cool to hear what stories he have in mind. As for narration, I know you mostly grew up with Michael Angelis and I respect that. For me, I always love Alec Baldwin's narration (and I know I'm gonna be asked for this but) because he made the episodes in that season sound a lot more dramatic, sinister and exciting like Toby & the Flood, Haunted Henry, Cranky Bugs, James & the Trouble with Trees, etc. And I have grown up with him in childhood via my old VHS/DVDs like Cranky Bugs, Races, Rescues & Runaways, Make Someone Happy and Spills & Chills. As for new characters, I do like some of them like Derek, Cranky, Dowager Hatt, Old Slow Coach, 'Arry & Bert (before they got toned down later on sadly), The Horrid Lorries and Old Bailey. And for the oldie characters, it's great to see some have more development like Percy, Oliver, George, James, Thomas (with his maturity yet cheeky persona) and Toad. Overall, I really enjoyed this review.

Mrs. Kindley is seen briefly in James Goes Buzz Buzz in the scene at Tidmouth station in one shot next to Bridgette Hatt. She has more noticeable wrinkles there.

Bruh, I seriously thought I was alone on the shocked face closeups, at least for Buzz Buzz. I had nightmarish/weird dreams about the scene and George Carlin's "YEEEEEEEE!!!!" for weird reasons.

This was the only season when Knapford Station did not exist

Quite a few of these episodes I have vivid and fond memories. Busy going backwards, Thomas Percy and Old Slow Coach and Something in the air being the ones I can list off the top of my head. I also recall A Better View for Gordon, Cranky Bugs and Rusty and the Boulder traumatising me as a kid, but now they’re just cool.

I was scared by Gordon and James' angry faces as a kid.

Jesus Christ, when I was a kid I didn’t think the closeup faces were scary at all, as many train documentaries will show an engine running over the camera, but that last James face actually sent chills down my body. I wasn’t even squinting

The Ghost Engine from Duncan gets spooked, in my opinion, can now symbolically represent the original Thomas series, the literal spirit and soul of a franchise long forgotten and only told by people who’ve seen it. It’s those people who need to keep this legendary part of the franchise alive and well, and make sure normies understand why the original series is so great.

I wouldn't say the one-offs weren't created for merchandise purposes, but at the same time, it does seem like that. I also wouldn't blame Toby for being scared of what is believed to be a ghost, but I think it's more being brave.

Season 5 was best known for its chaos, cinematic styles and over the top crashes which is why it is my favorite season of the entire show! Alec Baldwin’s narrations actually suit the season very well considering the cinematic feel.

Side note: anyone else notice that Season 5 began to use the standard gauge models for the narrow gauge engines?

I don 't think ,,Gordon and the Germiln " and ,,Baah "are bad .I think are fun and solide episodes.

When Michael Angelis narrates the spooky episodes of series 5, he sounds like a serial killer. I prefer the US dub over the UK dub. Alec Baldwin sounded perfect for this cinematic series.

Season 5 is my favorite season.This season have so any great episode ,great sets and music .I like the new characters .The narrotion (Us,Uk,Ger) are great. My top 5 episodes: 5.James and trouble with the tree 4.Duncan gets spooked 3.Make someone happy 2.Haunted Henry 1.Put upon Percy Rating and Ranking: 1.Season 5:10/10 2.Season 3:10/10 3.Season 4:9,5/10 4.Season 2:9,5/10 5.Season 1:9/10

I do like Bertram, especially looks-wise, & I feel like what people usually portray him as, which is another gallant old engine, with a demeanor & personality similar to Sir Robert Norramby, suits him pretty well

Look man, I respect your opinion on S5, but this is my personal favorite season ever. Do pretend it’s flawless? No, but by God, the highs are sky high, and I will defend the action packed, cinematic episodes to the end.

Little Ghost Engine: *loses control* Duncan: Rubbish! Also Duncan: Take me back!

I think they gained a lot of creative freedom once they cast off the shackles of the railway series.

My opinion to season 3&5 in a nutschel: Season 3: This is brilliant . Season 5 : But I like this.

When I was little, I was scared of the light switch in my bedroom because it reminded me of Gordon.

This is a season I appreciate more the older I think I can confidently say it’s become my favorite season over the years. My top 5 5. Bye, George 4. Make Someone Happy 3. Duncan Gets Spooked 2. Busy Going Backwards 1. Something in the Air Least Favorite: Baa!

One way Baldwin improved on George's voice is fixing the sort of pidgin AAVE cliche in Caroline's voice to a more generic southernese. Safer ground for a white guy to imitate. As for Toby's ooc moments, I've decided that he suffered a stroke due to the stress of the damn incident and had a change of personality as a result

I couldn't find the other songs used in the description.

Season 5 is my favorite Thomas season as everything about this season is just outstanding and in my opinion the only original Thomas season done absolutely right! In my opinion, a perfect sequel to Wilbert’s books, sure a few stories may be unrealistic, but the stories they gave us, the characters, and of course the feel is absolute peak and the end of the golden era of Thomas the tank engine and friends!

I'll be honest, with your top 5 scariest scenes for you as a kid, those scared me too as a kid and honestly still scare me to this day, is just the fact that most of them are due to the close up of the shocked faces, but the ones that scare me the most is when they stare DIRECTLY into the camera, that's what scared me the most

You've only played four songs from this series. What about the other six. It Great to be an Engine. The Snow Song. Harold the Helicopter. Percy's Seaside Trip. Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining. Come for the Ride. All ten songs are my Thomas jams.

This Night train is my favorite Season 5 since I was young that i was riding the car.

I love night train so much it's my favorite song in the show

Even the very of the nighttime scene in Toby's Discovery is oh so scary.

Non-speaking one-off machine characters. City of Truro. Bertram. Tiger Moth. Thumper.

It’s not like the UK to be missing several music, cues, six etc. unlike us Americans for this season.

I thought that busy going backwards would be number 1 in your top 5 scary moments seeing how much face zooming it does

Butch did get his own story in season 16 of Thomas and Friends.

5:53 Well yes, in the episode Make Someone Happy I only remember seeing Tiger Moth. Not the episode itself. Horrid Lorry is simply based on real life as goods were transported by lorries over trains and *that's* why I love it. 10:49 Don't forget, the train was late and approached too fast.

I think someone may've mentioned this, correct me if they have, but the part in James and the Trouble with Trees, in the recently discovered "BTS" tapes, there was a shot of James's front small wheels still on the rails as he's braking...yet in the final version, they use a shot where his wheels were off

I always felt like your retrospectives of the classic series was a bit better than tugs, why simple, i feel like you treat them like actual seasons of the show being very critical and analising deeply their faults unlike tug(and many other fans)which mainly just says the positive parts of them not saying that his nor anyone elses reviews are bad far from it they are great but i feel you have this one up on them so, splendid job.

my top most favorite episodes from season 5 1 Put Upon Percy episode 9 UK Michael Angelis 2 Something in the Air episode 15 UK Michael Angelis 3 Duncan Gets Spooked episode 24 US Alec Baldwin Bestest Episode 4 Haunted Henry episode 11 UK Michael Angelis

did you know that my reboot show came out in 14th september 2020 the same day where season 5 was 22 years old

My favourite Thomas season!

I always found Gordon's alarmed face (9:07) the scariest part of the entirety of Thomas the Tank Engine (yes this face even scared me more than the Chinese Dragon) - I hated that face as a kid! I don't know why but it always terrified me even though Gordon was one of my favourite characters ever. Now as an adult I laugh every time I see it, because I genuinely find it amusing that I used to be scared of it - when it isn't really that scary. The Trouble with Trees with the super-close shot of James' shocked face also scared me - yet it never bothered me in other episodes - just that one. And the close shot of the bull in Gordon and the Gremlin was kinda scary for me as a kid.

8:55 That I will agree James face really scared me and I couldn't bare watch that episode until I got over it years later. I will agree that season 5 is great bit It did have some chills

I don't get afraid of James and the Trouble with Trees every time I rewatch it. Whenever go to RU-vid and rewatch the US video Make Someone Happy & Other Thomas Adventures, I'm always aware of what's to come.

You know what the crash in a Better View for Gordon reminds me of? The Harcourt Street crash in Dublin from Valentine’s Day 1900, which was very similar.

14:27 The fandom didn't name him. That's what all his merchandise refer to him as.

8:50 this song’s low quality variant made by Kanefan701 from 8 years ago gives me so much chills.

I'm from the US. I never forgot about Gordon and the Gremlin. I've seen that episodes on home media several times. It's not even close to unforgettable.

Well, now we know what classic painting to never get you a print of.

I remember when I was a kid I just thought that series 5 was just scary in general lol.

I just wish Derek and Old Slow Coach and Bertrand appeared more in Thomas. Especially CGI Thomas. Derek interested me the most. Would love to see how he would play out in Day of the Diesels. And even though Alec Baldwin was phenomenal in this Season, I kind of wish George Carlin narrated this season one last time. I just want to hear his Cranky voice and his voice of the 3 horrid lorries and Derek and Old Slow Coach.

Don’t get me started on the second half of James and the Trouble with Trees when James encounters a tree on the line.

I S W E A R they called Derek "Derek" in the show... at least in the US dub, like... 5 year old me k n e w his name was Derek because Edward was like "now don't you be mean to Derek you little demons" to those two little yellow hellspawn of locomotives.

Are you doing Series 6 and 7 next?

Night train is a great song. Nice choice.

The 2013 special King of the Railway might possibly have the closest thing to castle in Toby’s Discovery, unless it’s in a different location.

11:07 you're not the only one who got scared by this shot when you were a little kid back then, I got scared by this 😅

I totally agree with you Luke. Season 5 is overrated. I don't get how people can say that this is there favorite season. I'm not saying it's bad not by a long shot. But it could use some work. BTW Baldwin's narration was better then Michael Anglies but Anglies is still great.

Season 5 Is My Very Favorite Because It's Cinematic Form & Models Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Take Me Back, Take Me Back!!!

9:06 you said it began in season 3. But what about season 1 Thomas's Train where Thomas realises that he left his coaches behind?

1998 was radical and flashy.

Oh don't for get Toby & the Flood of Percys suprise face

14:44 & Tiger Moth (Until Season 9) & Dowager Hatt & Butch.

And also Butch which he didn't had a face In this Series until Series 15 and actually talks

Personally season 5 is the only season with no mediocre/bad episodes (in my opinion)

Hurry up with series 8 review. I can't wait for the Hit Entertainment series to start.

A good segment of this video was just dedicated to roasting poor Gordon and James. Seriously though, why were the models channeling that Scream painting so much?

Rusty and the Boulder is a great episode. Despite Thumper being a one-off silent character.

I think you forgot three of the 26 episodes were adapation of Andrew Brenner magazins.(,,Thomas and the Roumours " , ,,Something in the air" and ,,Thomas ,Percy and the old slow coach".)

13:12 - that one scared me as well lol :)

Out of the thirteen new characters introduced in season 5, only five them are mainstays. Cranky the Crane, Butch the Breakdown Lorry, Harry and Bert the Scrap Diesels, and Dowager Hatt who is not named yet for like eight seasons or so.