Shark Bytes

HiT totally killed the show. No doubt about it. The CGI has helped greatly though. I don't know why everyone is still complaining about the faces. I've been a fan since the beginning and Seasons 1-4 will always be the best. At least with these crappy new stories that the retarded HiT writers make up, the faces make it more entertaining and we forget about the crappy story somewhat.

I think Thomas the Tank Engine jumped the shark after they replaced Alec Baldwin with Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon. The storylines become horrible, they changed it from model animation to computer generation. I really dislike that. Now, there's like over 300 episodes, but the first 104 eps. were good times. George Carlin (1937-2008) and Ringo Starr were awesome. Nuff said.

I think Thomas JTS three times. Generally caused by people moving it away from what Awdry had created.

1. The movie - When Britt ALcroft lost control over the show, being replaced by people who didn't understand the show the way Britt had.
2. HIT taking over - Completely rewriting the show and almost forgetting everything (characters, history, etc) that the show had stood for.
3. The move to CGI (Coming soon) - Moving away from the model animation to computer generated images (CGI) perhaps in an effort to get renew interest in the show and most likely resulting in increasing more silly storylines i.e. Thomas being able to fly or giants attacking the engines or something like that.

Also I like to point out the Tom was never on the BBC (despite what the factfile says [see top right of this page]) In the UK it was on ITV first and now its on Five and Nick Jr.

Another favorite show of mine and even still today even though im 19. Thomas was my idol growing up i loved him. I think the show is the best show for little kids out there today because it teaches life lessons about teamwork/responsiblity/caring/helping others in need etc but my issue with the show was the narrators.

1. George Carlin was my favorite narrator because he seemed to care what he was doing his voices for the characters were the best and he showed a lot of heart and compassion for it. I will say this right now GEORGE CARLIN IS THE AMERICAN FACE AND VOICE OF THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE AND ALWAYS WILL BE IN MY MIND. I didnt mind Ringo Starr either because some of his voices for the trains were good sorta of like Carlin's but i felt he was too over the top and too obsessed with it especially in STS when in the first episode he told Matt "Well Your A Good Worker You Know Who'd Like U My Friend Thomas" Dude just tell the stories and kiss up later. Alec Baldwin was my second favorite and i know some of u will hate me for this but i liked him his voices were funny and he seemed to enjoy it Michael Brandon also is great too but when Michael Angelis narrated those 6 Season 7 episodes like 5 years ago i was like Holy Crap this guy is basically whispering. I cant stand Angelis's voice because he whispers too much and also he makes James sound like a girl on crack and makes Sir Topham Hatt sound like a gay inspector that has a really bad cold

I don't know about you guys but I thought that show was terrifying.

This was probably my favorite show as a kid. As an adult I can still say seasons 1-4 are great, but after that I feel the show looses its magical charm and is pretty awkward in places (eg. in Happy Ever After, Percy getting kissed by a human and then teased about it by the other engines was just... weird). After season four, major train accidents became a common novelty instead of an occasional part of a solid storyline (the S1 Dirty Objects episode was spectacular). The narration was pretty flat after season four as well. I'd have to say it jumped at season five.

I completely agree michael thomas jumped when season 8 came along with the new director and the awful new cameras the new music and the stories were now 8 minutes long. Anything after Season 7 just isnt thomas the tank engine for me. Too many new things at once.

I think it jumped the shark when Series 8 came about. Seasons 1-4 were great for me, and season 5 was very exciting. Series 6 was alright with the exception Baldwin forgot half the voices. Series 7 was good, with good characters and now(after S7), you can tell characters are made now only for new products. Brandon wont go down as a good narrator in my book, nor Baldwin in S6. Angelis did a very good job and the ORIGINAL music was fr better.

Ringo Starr was wonderful, George Carlin was brilliant. Alec Baldwin was so-so. Michael Brandon, however, is awful. His narraration is choppy, monotonous and condescending. And, I hate to say it, but the stories and situations are growing more stupid. Like, who the hell is dumb enough to put loose cocoa poweder in an open topped boxcar?!

A very nice show for little kids, it does it's job for the age group it's aimed at. Better then those TELLITUBBLIES that's for sure, THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE, not the show but the franchise itself has lated 60 years, why? The railway series was created in the 1940's.

Maybe I'm taking it too far but I have alot to say about this show.

In season 1, this show was what really made me happy when I was a little kid. Ringo Starr's narration was good but George Carlin made the show work well. He gave the charcters good voices and was perhaps the best narrator in the series.

All these other shows for kids like BOB THE BUILDER etc. All came along because THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE made it possible. Although the new episodes made the show loose some of it's luster, it's still popular today, and perhaps always will be as one of the longest running children's TV shows (Second only to sesame street.) Even though I don't watch it anymore but it really made me see the world in a diffrent way when I was a kid. All parents should let they're kids watch.

I'm too old for thomas, but I urge parents to let they're kids watch. It can teach them life lessons like honesty etc. Anyways, I'm done now.

After the great stories in seasons 1-4, the popular kids show became just a silly children's series, but it's still popular today, I can't argue with that though. I urge most parents to check it out. A great show with lots of products. Also, someone on page 2, said it was good for kids like SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS is, well Thomas And Friends is aimed for kids a little younger then what Spogebob is aimed for.

I'm much too old for THOMAS now but it's good for most parents to let they're kids ages (3-7) to watch it.

My kids like the show, they really like to let me waste my money when they see a new train, even though they could already have it. I gotta keep them away from the toy isle.