Mmm, go ahead and send me what you intend to post and then I could approve it before then.
Massively Multiplayer: Gaming In The New Millennium
- Thread starter RySenkari
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Mmm, go ahead and send me what you intend to post and then I could approve it before then.
Oh also if you want i can send some mroe who notes since i assime its about that time
Winter 2010 (Part 1) - A New Decade Of Games Begins
It's normal for game companies to see January as a sort of "cooling off" period, a time when sales would be down from the holiday season, players would be catching up on titles that they missed out on from the end of the previous year, and it wasn't necessarily a good time to launch major new games. There were, of course, always exceptions to this rule, and in 2010, several companies chose to launch new IPs or highly anticipated franchise titles in the hopes of scoring big at the start of the brand new decade.
The Nintendo Sapphire saw the launch of a brand new Nintendo IP, Mystery Of Skysoul. Its protagonist, a winged angel named Clyde, was compared by many Nintendo fans to Pit from Kid Icarus, but the game itself was more Zelda than Kid Icarus, as Clyde could descend from his home on the floating island of Skysoul to invade enemy dungeons, retrieve treasures, and save people who had been captured by the mysterious Gouls, a subterranean race of rock creatures who had arisen from the underworld to take over the realm. Clyde could find a variety of weapons, both laying around in chests and dropped by the Gouls, and the game even had rail-shooter segments in which Clyde had to battle his way to Earth or ride a vehicle inside one of the game's dungeons. With its 12 interconnected dungeons, each featuring a different theme, different enemies, and its own tough boss fight, Mystery Of Skysoul reminded some players of ActRaiser 2, Enix's attempt to take its famed action/sim series into the platforming realm. While Skysoul was nowhere near as difficult, it did share some thematic motifs, with each dungeon representing a different flaw in humanity. The game was fairly dark for a Nintendo IP, coming in at a Teen rating, though Nintendo itself barely had input into the game and it was actually developed by a new American studio called Interflux. Interflux itself wasn't owned by Nintendo, and Nintendo didn't opt to buy the studio at any point, though it did still maintain control over the Skysoul IP.
The most hyped game of the month belonged to the Apple iTwin, which saw the launch of Downhill 2, the sequel to its acclaimed skiing-based launch title. The original Downhill was considered an innovator in terms of motion controls, allowing players to use the iTwin's dual controllers as if they were real skis to maneuver their way down slopes and pull off tricks. Downhill 2 featured improved graphics and improved motion controls, while also introducing a rudimentary storyline meant to capitalize on the success of Thrillseekers, which saw the protagonist (either male or female), befriending a pretty skiing instructor who helped them qualify for a tournament, only to run afoul of a group of arrogant skiing champs and end up in danger. The storyline was rather cheesy and silly, but also strangely endearing, thanks in large part to Ashlyn Selich's vocal performance as the instructor and the game's surprisingly strong musical score. January 2010 also saw the release of the latest game in the King Crab saga, King Crab: Too Clawsome! Apple leaned hard into the kid demographic with this game, filling the new title full of cheesy jokes, goofy characters, and features designed to ease the game's difficulty for new players. Despite all these additions, the game itself was a strong platformer, with creative level design and enemies that required a bit of strategy to defeat, despite the game holding the player's hand through some of these encounters. It wasn't quite as highly regarded as the recent Sonic games, but it did sell well, and along with Downhill 2 helped the iTwin to set a strong tone for the decade. On the iPod Play, Vectorman 3 proved to be a major hit, scoring the best reviews of the month for its brilliant action platforming throwback style. The game's updated graphics were gorgeous, and Vectorman had a huge variety of new moves, while the game saw the return of fan favorite NPC characters such as Vectorman's "love interest" Ellen. The orbot villains from previous games were discarded in favor of a brand new army of robotic foes that could adapt to the player's playstyle as levels progressed, meaning that players would be unable to frequently use the same moves over and over to win and forcing them to change up their strategies. Vectorman 3 did a majority of its sales on the iPhone, continuing to push Apple's mobile device market and showing that people were starting to prefer the iPhone as their handheld Apple device of choice.
The multiplatform scene didn't see any significant hits, but did see a number of brand new IP launches from a variety of genres. The Yakimauga Horror, a survival horror game expected to be the month's biggest selling game, was a bit of a flop, scoring well in reviews but not doing so well amongst players burned out by Mackinac Nightmare, an equally good game with a similar premise of hunting down a killer force in a national park. Goodship Salvation, which came out on the Sapphire and iTwin, borrowed heavily from elements of strategy RPGs like Disgaea and western simulation RPGs such as Selene to create one of the more unique games of its day: a game in which the protagonist, a ship captain, must build relationships with the crew and passengers on a massive interstellar cruise ship, before building a party and deploying to planets to battle all sorts of interstellar villains. The game featured an anime aesthetic and never took itself too seriously, but scored great reviews and proved to be a hit niche game in North America an Japan. Then there was Sin Wagon, a racing/car combat game released for the Sapphire and iTwin. The game starred a female protagonist, Debby LaFleur (voiced by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks), and took place on a rural Route 66 town during the 1950s. The player, as Debby, had to acquire and customize a fast muscle car, then race against a variety of people in a series of races up and down the highway. In the meantime, Debby also investigated a crime ring, Dukes Of Hazzard-style, and even found love with a down on his luck mechanic. The game's rockabilly soundtrack and definite feminist undertones made it a surprise hit amongst a wide variety of players, with some calling it "Thrillseekers meets Dirty Doggs". Despite somewhat mediocre reviews, it became the second best selling new multiplatform title of the month, and launched a fairly popular franchise.
The 2000s ended with a bang with games like Final Fantasy XII, Bayonetta, and Duality, and while the 2010s didn't start out quite as strong, the wide variety of successful games released in January 2010 sent an immediate message: if the game industry had anything to say about it, the 2010s would be the biggest decade for video games ever.
-from a December 30, 2014 article on Games Over Matter
The Nintendo Sapphire saw the launch of a brand new Nintendo IP, Mystery Of Skysoul. Its protagonist, a winged angel named Clyde, was compared by many Nintendo fans to Pit from Kid Icarus, but the game itself was more Zelda than Kid Icarus, as Clyde could descend from his home on the floating island of Skysoul to invade enemy dungeons, retrieve treasures, and save people who had been captured by the mysterious Gouls, a subterranean race of rock creatures who had arisen from the underworld to take over the realm. Clyde could find a variety of weapons, both laying around in chests and dropped by the Gouls, and the game even had rail-shooter segments in which Clyde had to battle his way to Earth or ride a vehicle inside one of the game's dungeons. With its 12 interconnected dungeons, each featuring a different theme, different enemies, and its own tough boss fight, Mystery Of Skysoul reminded some players of ActRaiser 2, Enix's attempt to take its famed action/sim series into the platforming realm. While Skysoul was nowhere near as difficult, it did share some thematic motifs, with each dungeon representing a different flaw in humanity. The game was fairly dark for a Nintendo IP, coming in at a Teen rating, though Nintendo itself barely had input into the game and it was actually developed by a new American studio called Interflux. Interflux itself wasn't owned by Nintendo, and Nintendo didn't opt to buy the studio at any point, though it did still maintain control over the Skysoul IP.
The most hyped game of the month belonged to the Apple iTwin, which saw the launch of Downhill 2, the sequel to its acclaimed skiing-based launch title. The original Downhill was considered an innovator in terms of motion controls, allowing players to use the iTwin's dual controllers as if they were real skis to maneuver their way down slopes and pull off tricks. Downhill 2 featured improved graphics and improved motion controls, while also introducing a rudimentary storyline meant to capitalize on the success of Thrillseekers, which saw the protagonist (either male or female), befriending a pretty skiing instructor who helped them qualify for a tournament, only to run afoul of a group of arrogant skiing champs and end up in danger. The storyline was rather cheesy and silly, but also strangely endearing, thanks in large part to Ashlyn Selich's vocal performance as the instructor and the game's surprisingly strong musical score. January 2010 also saw the release of the latest game in the King Crab saga, King Crab: Too Clawsome! Apple leaned hard into the kid demographic with this game, filling the new title full of cheesy jokes, goofy characters, and features designed to ease the game's difficulty for new players. Despite all these additions, the game itself was a strong platformer, with creative level design and enemies that required a bit of strategy to defeat, despite the game holding the player's hand through some of these encounters. It wasn't quite as highly regarded as the recent Sonic games, but it did sell well, and along with Downhill 2 helped the iTwin to set a strong tone for the decade. On the iPod Play, Vectorman 3 proved to be a major hit, scoring the best reviews of the month for its brilliant action platforming throwback style. The game's updated graphics were gorgeous, and Vectorman had a huge variety of new moves, while the game saw the return of fan favorite NPC characters such as Vectorman's "love interest" Ellen. The orbot villains from previous games were discarded in favor of a brand new army of robotic foes that could adapt to the player's playstyle as levels progressed, meaning that players would be unable to frequently use the same moves over and over to win and forcing them to change up their strategies. Vectorman 3 did a majority of its sales on the iPhone, continuing to push Apple's mobile device market and showing that people were starting to prefer the iPhone as their handheld Apple device of choice.
The multiplatform scene didn't see any significant hits, but did see a number of brand new IP launches from a variety of genres. The Yakimauga Horror, a survival horror game expected to be the month's biggest selling game, was a bit of a flop, scoring well in reviews but not doing so well amongst players burned out by Mackinac Nightmare, an equally good game with a similar premise of hunting down a killer force in a national park. Goodship Salvation, which came out on the Sapphire and iTwin, borrowed heavily from elements of strategy RPGs like Disgaea and western simulation RPGs such as Selene to create one of the more unique games of its day: a game in which the protagonist, a ship captain, must build relationships with the crew and passengers on a massive interstellar cruise ship, before building a party and deploying to planets to battle all sorts of interstellar villains. The game featured an anime aesthetic and never took itself too seriously, but scored great reviews and proved to be a hit niche game in North America an Japan. Then there was Sin Wagon, a racing/car combat game released for the Sapphire and iTwin. The game starred a female protagonist, Debby LaFleur (voiced by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks), and took place on a rural Route 66 town during the 1950s. The player, as Debby, had to acquire and customize a fast muscle car, then race against a variety of people in a series of races up and down the highway. In the meantime, Debby also investigated a crime ring, Dukes Of Hazzard-style, and even found love with a down on his luck mechanic. The game's rockabilly soundtrack and definite feminist undertones made it a surprise hit amongst a wide variety of players, with some calling it "Thrillseekers meets Dirty Doggs". Despite somewhat mediocre reviews, it became the second best selling new multiplatform title of the month, and launched a fairly popular franchise.
The 2000s ended with a bang with games like Final Fantasy XII, Bayonetta, and Duality, and while the 2010s didn't start out quite as strong, the wide variety of successful games released in January 2010 sent an immediate message: if the game industry had anything to say about it, the 2010s would be the biggest decade for video games ever.
-from a December 30, 2014 article on Games Over Matter
The Amazing Race, Season 16
The Amazing Race: Season 16: More of the Last.
Frankly this season and the previous season weren't exactly winners. Though I'm getting ahead of myself. This season was not the greatest to continue on, though considering the season before it, this one was brilliant. Though it must be said that this season and the previous one were the only seasons of the show not to win the Emmy for best Reality Show Competition, since that category began.
This season was filmed between November and December 2009.
The Cast
Jet and Cord: Brothers and cowboys. They were easily one of the most popular aspects in an otherwise unpopular season. There are some aspects that I will touch on in the review section.
Carol and Brandy: Dating couple. Brandy was an acerbic personality, though not without reason. They were most seen fighting with....
Brent and Caite: Dating models. Normally I wouldn't mention this but her last name is Upton. No, she is not the same Kate Upton that has appeared in Sports Illustrated numerous times, with a film career she just started. No, this one (who's first name is spelt differently) is famous for giving a rather nonsensical answer at the 2007 Miss Teen USA Competition (she was Miss Teen South Carolina). And also apparently her and Brent broke up by the time this season started filming, which might explain the fighting.
Louie and Michael: Cops and best friends. They drove me crazy. They seemed to just want to stir up trouble amongst the other teams.
Jody and Shannon: Grandmother and granddaughter. They seem nice for all that we saw of them.
Dan and Jordan: Brothers. Jordan's gay, Dan's straight. Dan made it clear from the start that he wasn't a fan of the show and that he hated traveling. The only reason he came on was to support his brother.
Monique and Shawne: Moms and attorneys. They were a delight. They brought some much needed humour to the show.
Dana and Adrian: Married high school sweethearts. A somewhat good team though not the most physically strongest.
Jordan and Jeff: Dating. Fans of Big Brother already know these two. And the fact that they are not very bright. Like Allison and Donny in season 5, I feel that these two were forced on the show. Unlike Allison and Donny, I kind of like these two.
Joe and Heidi: Married. The first married Asian-American team, Joe comes across as a jackass and Heidi a doormat. Though they aren't all that bad, first impressions are hard to shake.
Steve and Allie: Father and daughter. They were one of the more fun teams on the show.
The Race
Leg #1: "I'm one fast Granny!"
Original Air Date: February 14, 2010.
Starting in Los Angeles, California, and getting $250, teams are told to fly to Santiago, Chile. On arrival, they have to take a bus to Valparaíso. Then, after a brief unaired stop at Wulff Castle, teams get to the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to cross a tightrope the length of a football field to the other side of the valley to get their next clue.
Once done, teams have to ride a funicular to their next clue. I suspect that this next clue was a Detour but, for whatever reason, the show never labels it as such. Anyway, teams now have to pick up four paint cans, paint brushes and a ladder and find a group of painters next to a house the same colour as their paint. Then they have to paint a portion of the house to get their next clue. Teams then head to the Pit Stop: Palacio Baburizza.
1. Monique and Shawne 10:22 A.M. Won a trip to Vancouver, British Columbia.
2. Jordon and Jeff 10:33 A.M.
3. Jet and Cord 10:58 A.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 11:25 A.M.
5. Steve and Allie 11:30 A.M.
6. Brent and Caite 12:15 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 12:47 P.M.
8. Carol and Brandy 1:11 P.M.
9. Louie and Michael 1:20 P.M.
10. Dana and Adrian 1:36 P.M.
11. Jody and Shannon 2:00 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #2: "That is one ornery cow!"
Original Air Date: February 21, 2010.
After receiving $200, teams are told to go to Puerto Varas, by bus, via Santiago. Once there, teams have to go to Isla Margarita, in Todos los Santos Lake in Vicente Perez Rosales National Park where they find the Detour: Llama Adoration or Condor Consternation. In Llama Adoration, teams go to a farm and put a basket and a scarf on a llama. In Condor Consternation, teams travel to a beach, put on shoes that resemble birds' feet and, using a hang glider like condor costume, glide to their next clue.
Teams then have to make their way to Onces y Cabañas Bellavista, where they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to get the ingredients for kuchen(a German cake. Chile has a lot of German immigrants apparently): a plate of butter, a bowl of sugar, a bag of flour, a baker's dozen of eggs and a cup of milk straight from the cow. Once they deliver the ingredients to the baker, they get a piece of kuchen and their next clue. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Gruta de la Virgen in Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus.
1. Jet and Cord 11:15 A.M. Won a pair of sailboats.
2. Carol and Brandy 11:36 A.M.
3. Joe and Heidi 11:37 A.M.
4. Brent and Caite 12:33 P.M.
5. Dan and Jordan 12:45 P.M.
6. Jordan and Jeff 12:59 P.M.
7. Monique and Shawne 1:01 P.M.
8. Steve and Allie 1:15 P.M.
9. Louie and Michael 1:38 P.M.
10. Dana and Adrian 2:03 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #3: "He has a good poker face."
Original Air Date: February 28, 2010.
Getting $180, teams have to go by bus to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Once there, they have to go to El Boliche Viejo, where they will play a game of five card stud against the Travelocity Roaming Gnome. Yes really. Once they win the game they have to take the gnome, which has the next clue on the bottom, to Pena Gaucha where they run into the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to choose a station and lasso a target 18 feet away and drag it towards them. This causes Jet some degree of embarrassment when he doesn't get it on his first try.
Next, teams have to go to Puente Nirihuau, where they get the Detour: Horse Sense or Horse Power. In Horse Sense, teams are given a set of coordinates from a bandit and, using a standing a stationary compass for navigation, find a bag of loot in the field. Then they have to give the bag to the lead bandit. If the markings on the bag match the coordinates they got they will get their next clue. In Horse Power, teams had to play polo on a wooden practice horse. If they could score a goal in nine strokes pulling the horse across the field as they do, they get their next clue. Teams then go to the Pit Stop: Estancia Fortin Chacabuco.
1. Jet and Cord 11:33 A.M. Won a trip to Patagonia
2. Monique and Shawne 11:59 A.M.
3. Brent and Caite 12:15 P.M.
4. Jordan and Jeff 12:22 P.M.
5. Brandy and Carol 1:00 P.M.
6. Steve and Allie 1:01 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 1:17 P.M.
8.Dan and Jordan 1:36 P.M.
9. Louie and Michael 1:47 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #4: "We're no longer in the Bible Belt."
Original Air Date: March 7, 2010.
Receiving $200, teams have to fly to Frankfurt, Germany. From there they have to take a train to Hamburg. Here, teams have to go to Jungfernstieg where they run into an Intersection (the first and thus far only time it's been used since season 11).The two teams are forced to go together to the Port of Hamburg where they have to do a Roadblock together. In this Roadblock, one team member from each Intersected team has to do a tandem bungee jump from a bungee crane. After this the Intersection is complete.
Teams then go to a statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I at Altonaer Rathaus where they find the Detour: Soccer or Sauerkraut. In Soccer, teams go to the Adolf-Jager-Kampfbahn Stadium and kick a ball from the penalty mark in five targets in the goal. In Sauerkraut, teams have to go to the Alt Hamburger Burgerhaus and eat an entire plate of sauerkraut while a band plays the Sauerkraut Polka. If they aren't finished by the time the song ends, they have to start again with a new plate. Teams then go to the Haifisch bar where they have to share a boot of beer. Then they go to the Pit Stop: Outside the Indra Musikclub in Beatles-Platz.
1. Monique and Shawne 4:30 P.M. Won two $5,000 preloaded Discover Cards.
2. Steve and Allie 4:35 P.M.
3. Jet and Cord 5:15 P.M.
4. Jordan and Jeff 5:16 P.M.
5. Brandy and Carol 5:40 P.M.
6. Dan and Jordan 5:42 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 6:01 P.M.
8. Brent and Caite 6:07 P.M. NET ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #5: "Who's side are we on again?"
Original Air Date: March 14, 2010.
Getting $310, teams are taken by bus to Les Monthairons during the Pit Stop. Teams are then told to go to a local bakery where they have to buy a loaf of French bread with their next clue baked inside it. Teams then go to La main de Massiges where Brent and Caite have to face their Speedbump (reinforcing a WWI trench wall with branches) before they join the other teams for the Detour: In the Trenches or Under Fire. For both tasks, teams have to dress up like World War I-era American soldiers.
In the Trenches requires teams to travel through the trenches to a telegraph station and decipher "We will prevail. Vive la France." from Morse Code and present it to the French Sergeant. Under Fire requires teams to move 100 feet under barbed wire to get "The war is over. Vive le Liberté." from someone in a foxhole and present that to the sergeant. Teams then have to travel south to the U-Turn (which no one uses) and get their next clue. Teams then have to go to the Church of Massiges. Here they have to change out of their WWI uniforms and into early 20th-century French bicycle riding gear (complete with fake moustache) and ride an antique bike four miles to the Pit Stop: Eglise Saint-Etienne de Wargemoulin.
1. Steve and Allie 1:22 P.M. Won two 55'' HD TVs.
2. Jet and Cord 1:45 P.M.
3. Jordan and Jeff 2:01 P.M.
4. Monique and Shawne 2:15 P.M.
5. Carol and Brandy 2:43 P.M.
6. Dan and Jordan 3:00 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 3:11 P.M.
8. Brent and Caite 3:59 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #6: "Why are we visiting a statue of Noah's wife?"
Original Air Date: March 21, 2010.
After getting $200, teams have to find a statue of Joan of Arc in front of the Notre Dame de Rheims and look for a woman playing a musical saw. The cork she gives them will lead teams to the Leclerc Briant Winery where they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to rappel 100 ft into the chalk cellars of the winery and find a bottle marked with a red and yellow flag. Then they have to open the bottle with a saber for the clue.
After this teams have to get to Chateau de la Marqueterie for the Detour: Tower or Terra. In Tower, teams have to stack 680 champagne coupes (glasses) 15 levels high with one at the top. Then they have to pour a magnum of Taittinger champagne onto the top of the pyramid, all without breaking a glass. In Terra, teams have to search a one square kilometer area of vineyards for a grape cluster with a red flag on it. Then teams go to the Pit Stop: La Maison Galice.
1. Dan and Jordan 1:23 P.M. Won a trip for two to Cancun
2. Monique and Shawne 1:34 P.M.
3. Jet and Cord 2:05 P.M.
4. Carol and Brandy 2:17 P.M.
5. Joe and Heidi 2:34 P.M.
6.Steve and Allie 2:57 P.M.
7. Jordan and Jeff 3:19 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #7: "This is not what I thought it would be."
Original Air Date: March 28, 2010.
Getting $78, teams are told to fly to Victoria, Mahe, The Seychelles. On arrival, teams have to go to a kiosk outside the airport and take a number for a helicopter ride. The first three teams leave an hour before the last three teams. When teams land in La Digue, they have to find L'Union Estate, where they get the Detour: Turtle Toddle or Ox Trot. In Turtle Toddle, teams have to use a banana to lead a 100 year old, 500 pound turtle along a marked path. Then they have to deliver a bunch of bananas to a fruit merchant to get their next clue. In Ox Trot, teams have to pull a cart to a clearing and load it with coconuts. After hitching an ox to the cart they have to deliver the coconuts to the same fruit merchant as the other Detour.
After the Detour, teams have to choose a boat and go to a marked buoy by St. Pierre Island where the captain will give them the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to dive into the ocean to retrieve one of seven bottles tied to the bottom. After getting to shore, teams have to empty the bottle's contents and put together the puzzle. It's the map to the Pit Stop: Paradise Sun Hotel.
1. Steve and Allie 10:10 A.M. Won a dinner on the Seychelles beach, massages, all the 7-Up they can drink, and $7,000 each.
2. Joe and Heidi 10:40 A.M.
3. Monique and Shawne 11:13 A.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 11:20 A.M.
5. Jet and Cord 12:01 P.M.
6. Carol and Brandy 12:12 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #8: "James Bond has got nothing on us."
Original Air Date: April 4, 2010.
Receiving $110, teams have to fly to George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Once there teams have to the Snake Temple, where they get the Detour: Buddhist Tradition or Chinese Custom. In Buddhist Tradition, teams make their way to Tien Kong Than Temple then carry a bunch of joss sticks to the top. After arranging them correctly, teams had to light them to get their next clue. In Chinese Custom, teams have to make their way to the George Town Esplanade and run participate in a Chinese New Year tradition by running the esplanade while balancing a large flag on their foreheads. If both team members do it without letting the flag fall, they get the next clue.
Teams then have to go to Teluk Behang, where Carol and Brandy face their Speedbump. In this Speedbump, Carol and Brandy have to go to a spice garden, finding a woman crushing spices for tea. Then, entirely by smell, they have to pick the right prepared tea, which they have to serve to a guru in a swing. Once he finishes the tea, they can join the other teams at the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to prepare a traditional Hindu offering called a float. To do this they have crack open coconuts until they find one with coloured flesh, then build the float and give it the head priest who will send it out to sea. Then teams go to the Pit Stop: Pinang Peranakan Mansion.
1. Jet and Cord 2:11 P.M. Won a trip for two to Maui, Hawaii.
2. Dan and Jordan 2:33 P.M.
3. Steve and Allie 3:02 P.M.
4. Monique and Shawne 3:15 P.M.
5. Joe and Heidi 3:19 P.M.
6. Carol and Brandy 3:30 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #9: "It was a dumb day."
Original Air Date: April 11, 2010.
After getting $210, teams have to go by bus and train to Singapore. On arrival, teams have to go to the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, where they get their next clue from the host of The Amazing Race Asia, Allan Wu. Teams can go after the only Fast Forward: going to the Singapore Flyer Ferris Wheel and use a ladder to climb from one capsule to another at the very top of the wheel (which Monique and Shawne do). Or do the Detour: Pounding the Drums or Pounding the Pavement.
In Pounding the Drums, teams have to go to Speaker's Corner and learn a complex drum routine. Once they have learned it well enough, they have to perform it with a dance troupe to get their next clue. In Pounding the Pavement, teams have to travel to an area of Rochor Road and get chairs, an umbrella, a loaf of bread, wafers and 10 boxes of ice cream. Then they have to find a marked ice cream stall and sell 25 Singapore style ice cream sandwiches for S$1 each. Teams then have to go to Istana Park where the U-Turn is (which no one uses) and a clue telling them to head to the ASL Marine Shipyard. Here teams find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to count all 521 links in a chain while dealing with the noise around them. Then teams have to MegaZip Adventure Park, where they have to ride a 1,476 foot long zip line. After that, it's time to go to the Pit Stop: Marina Barrage.
1. Monique and Shawne 11:07 A.M. Won a pair of motorcycles.
2. Steve and Allie 12:17 P.M.
3. Jet and Cord 12:30 P.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 1:00 P.M.
5. Joe and Heidi 1:16 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #10: "This is not something I want to wear."
Original Air Date: April 25, 2010.
Getting $190, teams have to fly to Shanghai, China. Once there, they have to go to Zhujiajiao where they run into a Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to make a kilogram of noodles. Once they have been prepared correctly they will get the next clue from He Pingping, the shortest person in the world at the time.
Teams then have to go to a fashion studio in Taikang Lu. There they have to match articles of clothing to a sketch they are given. After that, teams have to get to Hongkou Stadium, where teams run into another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who didn't do the first Roadblock has to put together a 96 piece puzzle then take it to fans in the bleachers. If put together correctly, they flip it over to get a seat number where their next clue is. Then they go to the Pit Stop: Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, where they meet Bao Xishun one of the world's tallest men at the time.
1. Jet and Cord 1:12 P.M. Won a trip for two to Alaska.
2. Dan and Jordan 1:27 P.M.
3. Monique and Shawne 2:09 P.M.
4. Steve and Allie 2:20 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #11: "Getting the buns a good workout."
Original Air Date: May 2, 2010.
After getting $45, teams are told to go to the Waibaidu (or Garden) Bridge. From there, they have to get to Longhua Temple, where Steve and Allie must complete their Speedbump. This Speedbump requires Steve and Allie to throw coins into the top of a large incense burner in the temple. Then they can join the other teams at the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to go into the temple's Arhat Hall and count all of the golden statues (most of which are the Gautama Buddha). If they guess 523, they get the next clue. If not, they have to wait 10 minutes to try again.
Teams then had to ride a motorcycle taxi to Yuyuan Garden, where they find the Detour: Pork Chops or Pork Dumplings. In Pork Chops, teams have to enter an art stone store and find look through hundreds of stone stamps called chops for two with a pig on it and one with their names on it. In Pork Dumplings, teams have go to the Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, pick up ten orders of pork dumplings then deliver them around the market. Then teams go to the Pit Stop: Riverside Promenade.
1. Monique and Shawne 3:07 P.M. Won a trip for two to the Spanish Coast.
2. Jet and Cord 3:25 P.M.
3. Steve and Allie 3:45 P.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 4:05 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #12: "One last rodeo."
Original Air Date: May 9, 2010.
Gaining $220, teams are told to fly to San Francisco, California. On arrival, teams have to make their way to Battery Godfrey Park. Teams then have to solve a riddle that points them to Coit Tower, where the Roadblock is. In this Roadblock, one team member has to climb the tower using an ascender, get their clue then get lowered to the bottom. Teams then have to go to the Yoda statue at the Letterman Digital Arts Centre.
There one team member has to put on a motion capture suit, then their partner has to direct them through a virtual course based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The team member in the motion capture suit has to spin in a circle to get the clue to the Tonga Room. Once there, teams have to take a trunk to the Great American Music Hall. Here teams have to put the previous legs of the race in the order teams were eliminated in. Then teams are given the poem Jack Be Nimble with "candlestick" missing. They have to figure out that the finish line is: Candlestick Park.
1. Jet and Cord WIN.
2. Monique and Shawne PLACE.
3. Steve and Allie SHOW.
The Review
Season 16 wasn't as bad as season 15, but it was down there. It's number 23 for me. Fans tend to agree with, me though oddly this season did produce one of the most popular teams to win the race in Jet and Cord. Though Dan and Jordan don't like them, mainly because they, apparently would spout homophobic slurs at them when they knew the cameras weren't on.
This was also the first season of the show not to win Best Reality Show Competition at the Emmys. Still it did well enough in the ratings to get another two seasons. And I'll let you know how the first of those seasons goes next time.
-Globetrotting: An Amazing Race Blog by R.C. Anderson on the website Reality Rewind, December 19, 2016.
Frankly this season and the previous season weren't exactly winners. Though I'm getting ahead of myself. This season was not the greatest to continue on, though considering the season before it, this one was brilliant. Though it must be said that this season and the previous one were the only seasons of the show not to win the Emmy for best Reality Show Competition, since that category began.
This season was filmed between November and December 2009.
The Cast
Jet and Cord: Brothers and cowboys. They were easily one of the most popular aspects in an otherwise unpopular season. There are some aspects that I will touch on in the review section.
Carol and Brandy: Dating couple. Brandy was an acerbic personality, though not without reason. They were most seen fighting with....
Brent and Caite: Dating models. Normally I wouldn't mention this but her last name is Upton. No, she is not the same Kate Upton that has appeared in Sports Illustrated numerous times, with a film career she just started. No, this one (who's first name is spelt differently) is famous for giving a rather nonsensical answer at the 2007 Miss Teen USA Competition (she was Miss Teen South Carolina). And also apparently her and Brent broke up by the time this season started filming, which might explain the fighting.
Louie and Michael: Cops and best friends. They drove me crazy. They seemed to just want to stir up trouble amongst the other teams.
Jody and Shannon: Grandmother and granddaughter. They seem nice for all that we saw of them.
Dan and Jordan: Brothers. Jordan's gay, Dan's straight. Dan made it clear from the start that he wasn't a fan of the show and that he hated traveling. The only reason he came on was to support his brother.
Monique and Shawne: Moms and attorneys. They were a delight. They brought some much needed humour to the show.
Dana and Adrian: Married high school sweethearts. A somewhat good team though not the most physically strongest.
Jordan and Jeff: Dating. Fans of Big Brother already know these two. And the fact that they are not very bright. Like Allison and Donny in season 5, I feel that these two were forced on the show. Unlike Allison and Donny, I kind of like these two.
Joe and Heidi: Married. The first married Asian-American team, Joe comes across as a jackass and Heidi a doormat. Though they aren't all that bad, first impressions are hard to shake.
Steve and Allie: Father and daughter. They were one of the more fun teams on the show.
The Race
Leg #1: "I'm one fast Granny!"
Original Air Date: February 14, 2010.
Starting in Los Angeles, California, and getting $250, teams are told to fly to Santiago, Chile. On arrival, they have to take a bus to Valparaíso. Then, after a brief unaired stop at Wulff Castle, teams get to the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to cross a tightrope the length of a football field to the other side of the valley to get their next clue.
Once done, teams have to ride a funicular to their next clue. I suspect that this next clue was a Detour but, for whatever reason, the show never labels it as such. Anyway, teams now have to pick up four paint cans, paint brushes and a ladder and find a group of painters next to a house the same colour as their paint. Then they have to paint a portion of the house to get their next clue. Teams then head to the Pit Stop: Palacio Baburizza.
1. Monique and Shawne 10:22 A.M. Won a trip to Vancouver, British Columbia.
2. Jordon and Jeff 10:33 A.M.
3. Jet and Cord 10:58 A.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 11:25 A.M.
5. Steve and Allie 11:30 A.M.
6. Brent and Caite 12:15 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 12:47 P.M.
8. Carol and Brandy 1:11 P.M.
9. Louie and Michael 1:20 P.M.
10. Dana and Adrian 1:36 P.M.
11. Jody and Shannon 2:00 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #2: "That is one ornery cow!"
Original Air Date: February 21, 2010.
After receiving $200, teams are told to go to Puerto Varas, by bus, via Santiago. Once there, teams have to go to Isla Margarita, in Todos los Santos Lake in Vicente Perez Rosales National Park where they find the Detour: Llama Adoration or Condor Consternation. In Llama Adoration, teams go to a farm and put a basket and a scarf on a llama. In Condor Consternation, teams travel to a beach, put on shoes that resemble birds' feet and, using a hang glider like condor costume, glide to their next clue.
Teams then have to make their way to Onces y Cabañas Bellavista, where they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to get the ingredients for kuchen(a German cake. Chile has a lot of German immigrants apparently): a plate of butter, a bowl of sugar, a bag of flour, a baker's dozen of eggs and a cup of milk straight from the cow. Once they deliver the ingredients to the baker, they get a piece of kuchen and their next clue. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Gruta de la Virgen in Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus.
1. Jet and Cord 11:15 A.M. Won a pair of sailboats.
2. Carol and Brandy 11:36 A.M.
3. Joe and Heidi 11:37 A.M.
4. Brent and Caite 12:33 P.M.
5. Dan and Jordan 12:45 P.M.
6. Jordan and Jeff 12:59 P.M.
7. Monique and Shawne 1:01 P.M.
8. Steve and Allie 1:15 P.M.
9. Louie and Michael 1:38 P.M.
10. Dana and Adrian 2:03 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #3: "He has a good poker face."
Original Air Date: February 28, 2010.
Getting $180, teams have to go by bus to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Once there, they have to go to El Boliche Viejo, where they will play a game of five card stud against the Travelocity Roaming Gnome. Yes really. Once they win the game they have to take the gnome, which has the next clue on the bottom, to Pena Gaucha where they run into the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to choose a station and lasso a target 18 feet away and drag it towards them. This causes Jet some degree of embarrassment when he doesn't get it on his first try.
Next, teams have to go to Puente Nirihuau, where they get the Detour: Horse Sense or Horse Power. In Horse Sense, teams are given a set of coordinates from a bandit and, using a standing a stationary compass for navigation, find a bag of loot in the field. Then they have to give the bag to the lead bandit. If the markings on the bag match the coordinates they got they will get their next clue. In Horse Power, teams had to play polo on a wooden practice horse. If they could score a goal in nine strokes pulling the horse across the field as they do, they get their next clue. Teams then go to the Pit Stop: Estancia Fortin Chacabuco.
1. Jet and Cord 11:33 A.M. Won a trip to Patagonia
2. Monique and Shawne 11:59 A.M.
3. Brent and Caite 12:15 P.M.
4. Jordan and Jeff 12:22 P.M.
5. Brandy and Carol 1:00 P.M.
6. Steve and Allie 1:01 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 1:17 P.M.
8.Dan and Jordan 1:36 P.M.
9. Louie and Michael 1:47 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #4: "We're no longer in the Bible Belt."
Original Air Date: March 7, 2010.
Receiving $200, teams have to fly to Frankfurt, Germany. From there they have to take a train to Hamburg. Here, teams have to go to Jungfernstieg where they run into an Intersection (the first and thus far only time it's been used since season 11).The two teams are forced to go together to the Port of Hamburg where they have to do a Roadblock together. In this Roadblock, one team member from each Intersected team has to do a tandem bungee jump from a bungee crane. After this the Intersection is complete.
Teams then go to a statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I at Altonaer Rathaus where they find the Detour: Soccer or Sauerkraut. In Soccer, teams go to the Adolf-Jager-Kampfbahn Stadium and kick a ball from the penalty mark in five targets in the goal. In Sauerkraut, teams have to go to the Alt Hamburger Burgerhaus and eat an entire plate of sauerkraut while a band plays the Sauerkraut Polka. If they aren't finished by the time the song ends, they have to start again with a new plate. Teams then go to the Haifisch bar where they have to share a boot of beer. Then they go to the Pit Stop: Outside the Indra Musikclub in Beatles-Platz.
1. Monique and Shawne 4:30 P.M. Won two $5,000 preloaded Discover Cards.
2. Steve and Allie 4:35 P.M.
3. Jet and Cord 5:15 P.M.
4. Jordan and Jeff 5:16 P.M.
5. Brandy and Carol 5:40 P.M.
6. Dan and Jordan 5:42 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 6:01 P.M.
8. Brent and Caite 6:07 P.M. NET ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #5: "Who's side are we on again?"
Original Air Date: March 14, 2010.
Getting $310, teams are taken by bus to Les Monthairons during the Pit Stop. Teams are then told to go to a local bakery where they have to buy a loaf of French bread with their next clue baked inside it. Teams then go to La main de Massiges where Brent and Caite have to face their Speedbump (reinforcing a WWI trench wall with branches) before they join the other teams for the Detour: In the Trenches or Under Fire. For both tasks, teams have to dress up like World War I-era American soldiers.
In the Trenches requires teams to travel through the trenches to a telegraph station and decipher "We will prevail. Vive la France." from Morse Code and present it to the French Sergeant. Under Fire requires teams to move 100 feet under barbed wire to get "The war is over. Vive le Liberté." from someone in a foxhole and present that to the sergeant. Teams then have to travel south to the U-Turn (which no one uses) and get their next clue. Teams then have to go to the Church of Massiges. Here they have to change out of their WWI uniforms and into early 20th-century French bicycle riding gear (complete with fake moustache) and ride an antique bike four miles to the Pit Stop: Eglise Saint-Etienne de Wargemoulin.
1. Steve and Allie 1:22 P.M. Won two 55'' HD TVs.
2. Jet and Cord 1:45 P.M.
3. Jordan and Jeff 2:01 P.M.
4. Monique and Shawne 2:15 P.M.
5. Carol and Brandy 2:43 P.M.
6. Dan and Jordan 3:00 P.M.
7. Joe and Heidi 3:11 P.M.
8. Brent and Caite 3:59 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #6: "Why are we visiting a statue of Noah's wife?"
Original Air Date: March 21, 2010.
After getting $200, teams have to find a statue of Joan of Arc in front of the Notre Dame de Rheims and look for a woman playing a musical saw. The cork she gives them will lead teams to the Leclerc Briant Winery where they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to rappel 100 ft into the chalk cellars of the winery and find a bottle marked with a red and yellow flag. Then they have to open the bottle with a saber for the clue.
After this teams have to get to Chateau de la Marqueterie for the Detour: Tower or Terra. In Tower, teams have to stack 680 champagne coupes (glasses) 15 levels high with one at the top. Then they have to pour a magnum of Taittinger champagne onto the top of the pyramid, all without breaking a glass. In Terra, teams have to search a one square kilometer area of vineyards for a grape cluster with a red flag on it. Then teams go to the Pit Stop: La Maison Galice.
1. Dan and Jordan 1:23 P.M. Won a trip for two to Cancun
2. Monique and Shawne 1:34 P.M.
3. Jet and Cord 2:05 P.M.
4. Carol and Brandy 2:17 P.M.
5. Joe and Heidi 2:34 P.M.
6.Steve and Allie 2:57 P.M.
7. Jordan and Jeff 3:19 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #7: "This is not what I thought it would be."
Original Air Date: March 28, 2010.
Getting $78, teams are told to fly to Victoria, Mahe, The Seychelles. On arrival, teams have to go to a kiosk outside the airport and take a number for a helicopter ride. The first three teams leave an hour before the last three teams. When teams land in La Digue, they have to find L'Union Estate, where they get the Detour: Turtle Toddle or Ox Trot. In Turtle Toddle, teams have to use a banana to lead a 100 year old, 500 pound turtle along a marked path. Then they have to deliver a bunch of bananas to a fruit merchant to get their next clue. In Ox Trot, teams have to pull a cart to a clearing and load it with coconuts. After hitching an ox to the cart they have to deliver the coconuts to the same fruit merchant as the other Detour.
After the Detour, teams have to choose a boat and go to a marked buoy by St. Pierre Island where the captain will give them the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to dive into the ocean to retrieve one of seven bottles tied to the bottom. After getting to shore, teams have to empty the bottle's contents and put together the puzzle. It's the map to the Pit Stop: Paradise Sun Hotel.
1. Steve and Allie 10:10 A.M. Won a dinner on the Seychelles beach, massages, all the 7-Up they can drink, and $7,000 each.
2. Joe and Heidi 10:40 A.M.
3. Monique and Shawne 11:13 A.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 11:20 A.M.
5. Jet and Cord 12:01 P.M.
6. Carol and Brandy 12:12 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #8: "James Bond has got nothing on us."
Original Air Date: April 4, 2010.
Receiving $110, teams have to fly to George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Once there teams have to the Snake Temple, where they get the Detour: Buddhist Tradition or Chinese Custom. In Buddhist Tradition, teams make their way to Tien Kong Than Temple then carry a bunch of joss sticks to the top. After arranging them correctly, teams had to light them to get their next clue. In Chinese Custom, teams have to make their way to the George Town Esplanade and run participate in a Chinese New Year tradition by running the esplanade while balancing a large flag on their foreheads. If both team members do it without letting the flag fall, they get the next clue.
Teams then have to go to Teluk Behang, where Carol and Brandy face their Speedbump. In this Speedbump, Carol and Brandy have to go to a spice garden, finding a woman crushing spices for tea. Then, entirely by smell, they have to pick the right prepared tea, which they have to serve to a guru in a swing. Once he finishes the tea, they can join the other teams at the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to prepare a traditional Hindu offering called a float. To do this they have crack open coconuts until they find one with coloured flesh, then build the float and give it the head priest who will send it out to sea. Then teams go to the Pit Stop: Pinang Peranakan Mansion.
1. Jet and Cord 2:11 P.M. Won a trip for two to Maui, Hawaii.
2. Dan and Jordan 2:33 P.M.
3. Steve and Allie 3:02 P.M.
4. Monique and Shawne 3:15 P.M.
5. Joe and Heidi 3:19 P.M.
6. Carol and Brandy 3:30 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #9: "It was a dumb day."
Original Air Date: April 11, 2010.
After getting $210, teams have to go by bus and train to Singapore. On arrival, teams have to go to the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, where they get their next clue from the host of The Amazing Race Asia, Allan Wu. Teams can go after the only Fast Forward: going to the Singapore Flyer Ferris Wheel and use a ladder to climb from one capsule to another at the very top of the wheel (which Monique and Shawne do). Or do the Detour: Pounding the Drums or Pounding the Pavement.
In Pounding the Drums, teams have to go to Speaker's Corner and learn a complex drum routine. Once they have learned it well enough, they have to perform it with a dance troupe to get their next clue. In Pounding the Pavement, teams have to travel to an area of Rochor Road and get chairs, an umbrella, a loaf of bread, wafers and 10 boxes of ice cream. Then they have to find a marked ice cream stall and sell 25 Singapore style ice cream sandwiches for S$1 each. Teams then have to go to Istana Park where the U-Turn is (which no one uses) and a clue telling them to head to the ASL Marine Shipyard. Here teams find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to count all 521 links in a chain while dealing with the noise around them. Then teams have to MegaZip Adventure Park, where they have to ride a 1,476 foot long zip line. After that, it's time to go to the Pit Stop: Marina Barrage.
1. Monique and Shawne 11:07 A.M. Won a pair of motorcycles.
2. Steve and Allie 12:17 P.M.
3. Jet and Cord 12:30 P.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 1:00 P.M.
5. Joe and Heidi 1:16 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #10: "This is not something I want to wear."
Original Air Date: April 25, 2010.
Getting $190, teams have to fly to Shanghai, China. Once there, they have to go to Zhujiajiao where they run into a Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to make a kilogram of noodles. Once they have been prepared correctly they will get the next clue from He Pingping, the shortest person in the world at the time.
Teams then have to go to a fashion studio in Taikang Lu. There they have to match articles of clothing to a sketch they are given. After that, teams have to get to Hongkou Stadium, where teams run into another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who didn't do the first Roadblock has to put together a 96 piece puzzle then take it to fans in the bleachers. If put together correctly, they flip it over to get a seat number where their next clue is. Then they go to the Pit Stop: Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, where they meet Bao Xishun one of the world's tallest men at the time.
1. Jet and Cord 1:12 P.M. Won a trip for two to Alaska.
2. Dan and Jordan 1:27 P.M.
3. Monique and Shawne 2:09 P.M.
4. Steve and Allie 2:20 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #11: "Getting the buns a good workout."
Original Air Date: May 2, 2010.
After getting $45, teams are told to go to the Waibaidu (or Garden) Bridge. From there, they have to get to Longhua Temple, where Steve and Allie must complete their Speedbump. This Speedbump requires Steve and Allie to throw coins into the top of a large incense burner in the temple. Then they can join the other teams at the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to go into the temple's Arhat Hall and count all of the golden statues (most of which are the Gautama Buddha). If they guess 523, they get the next clue. If not, they have to wait 10 minutes to try again.
Teams then had to ride a motorcycle taxi to Yuyuan Garden, where they find the Detour: Pork Chops or Pork Dumplings. In Pork Chops, teams have to enter an art stone store and find look through hundreds of stone stamps called chops for two with a pig on it and one with their names on it. In Pork Dumplings, teams have go to the Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, pick up ten orders of pork dumplings then deliver them around the market. Then teams go to the Pit Stop: Riverside Promenade.
1. Monique and Shawne 3:07 P.M. Won a trip for two to the Spanish Coast.
2. Jet and Cord 3:25 P.M.
3. Steve and Allie 3:45 P.M.
4. Dan and Jordan 4:05 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #12: "One last rodeo."
Original Air Date: May 9, 2010.
Gaining $220, teams are told to fly to San Francisco, California. On arrival, teams have to make their way to Battery Godfrey Park. Teams then have to solve a riddle that points them to Coit Tower, where the Roadblock is. In this Roadblock, one team member has to climb the tower using an ascender, get their clue then get lowered to the bottom. Teams then have to go to the Yoda statue at the Letterman Digital Arts Centre.
There one team member has to put on a motion capture suit, then their partner has to direct them through a virtual course based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The team member in the motion capture suit has to spin in a circle to get the clue to the Tonga Room. Once there, teams have to take a trunk to the Great American Music Hall. Here teams have to put the previous legs of the race in the order teams were eliminated in. Then teams are given the poem Jack Be Nimble with "candlestick" missing. They have to figure out that the finish line is: Candlestick Park.
1. Jet and Cord WIN.
2. Monique and Shawne PLACE.
3. Steve and Allie SHOW.
The Review
Season 16 wasn't as bad as season 15, but it was down there. It's number 23 for me. Fans tend to agree with, me though oddly this season did produce one of the most popular teams to win the race in Jet and Cord. Though Dan and Jordan don't like them, mainly because they, apparently would spout homophobic slurs at them when they knew the cameras weren't on.
This was also the first season of the show not to win Best Reality Show Competition at the Emmys. Still it did well enough in the ratings to get another two seasons. And I'll let you know how the first of those seasons goes next time.
-Globetrotting: An Amazing Race Blog by R.C. Anderson on the website Reality Rewind, December 19, 2016.
BONUS: Thomas The Tank Engine Animated Series Season 1, Part 1
"Entering phase two of the Awdry Cinematic Universe."
- A Youtube Comment on an ad for an appearance by the Rev. W. Awdry's more obscure literary creation, Belinda the Beetle.
"I was asleep the whole time, but I did hear my brother Oscar say he was going to Sodor. Is this my new line in Pole Land?"
"What Land?"
"I think he means Poland, Henry. And I'm sorry, Thomas. But I think you may have ended up in the wrong place."
- Thomas (John Hasler) meeting Henry (Tim Whitnall), and Edward (Eric Idle), The New Shunter
"I love the feeling when I blast down the mainline,
Pulling my daily express!
I'm making Sir Nigel Gresley proud,
With my every day success.
I call the Island of Sodor my home,
A paradise where engines roam.
Each have a color they call their own,
But I know you already know what color I am...
I'm big, blue, and proud!"
- The intro to "Big, Blue, and Proud." Sung by Gordon (Kerry Shale), Thomas and Gordon.
"Get of us two or four, or six, or eight!
We'll shunt your trucks and haul your freight."
-A part of "One Size Fits All." Sung by James (Rob Rackstraw), The Last Straw.
"Well, Thomas, you are an odd engine. But I must say, you fry a good fish."
-The Fat Controller (Ringo Starr), Thomas Goes Fishing.
*The scene opens to the first illustration of RWS Volume 2: Thomas the Tank Engine.*
VO: First, he was a drawing.
*The scene cuts to the first shot of the TV Show's first episode, Thomas and Gordon.*
VO: Then, he was a model.
*The scene cuts to Thomas pulling a row of trucks around a bend. Thomas resembles his CGI model that was introduced in OTL's Season 23. Visible safety valves are also placed on his boiler in front of his iconic whistles.*
Thomas (John Hasler): Come Along! Come Along!
VO: Now, see Thomas' story the way it was meant to be!
*James and Gordon are shown at Tidmouth Sheds at night. The former is largely the same as OTL's Season 23 CGI Model, but now is painted black with red stripes, and has a tender similar to Edward's with the steps. The latter also resembles his S23 CGI design, but with more elements to make him look like a primitive Gresley Pacific, like a tapered boiler.*
James (Rob Rackstraw): Is he (Thomas) alway this annoying?
Gordon (Kerry Shale): I wish I could say no.
*Cut to a montage of Alfred (98462), an LNER B12, and Cecil, an LNER B5 (87546)*
VO: All the untold stories...
Alfred (Tim Curry): That little tank engine really irritates me.
VO: Then, his ultimate triumph.
*Cut to Thomas taking James to the works.*
The Fat Controller (Ringo Starr): You, Thomas, will have a branch line all to yourself.
*The logo for this reboot shows. It's the same as the original Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends logo, but is now in more stylish colors. In the background plays the theme for the new show's theme: Go, Go, Thomas [1]*
VO: Coming to your Cartoon Network.
Ever since its announcement in 2010, the CGI reboot of Thomas the Tank Engine was highly anticipated by fans. Even more so when it was confirmed that Cartoon Network would be airing it at seven o'clock in the mornings, a perfect time for pre-school audiences and those going to work. The show would follow a general formula of a 30 episode season of 10-minute episodes. Season One was naturally the season where everything like the setting and most of the main cast is established.
From the get go, the fact the writing team intended to make it closer to the books is evident. The engine characters look far more like actual British steam engines than mere toys. Though mostly in the form of extra details like safety valves, handrails, and rivets. Many of the engines are also painted in liveries from the Railway Series, notably James in his black livery from before Thomas and the Breakdown Train, and Henry in his blue livery from Edward, Gordon, and Henry until Henry and the Elephant. However, several liveries are also made up, such as Thomas being painted in a lighter version of the Southern Railway's green (to the point that it is more teal), with white lining.
Premiering on January 14, 2010, viewers were treated to the beginning of the story. In contrast to most shows, the main character was not introduced in this show. Instead we got the episode "Edward and Gordon," an adaptation of the first half of RWS Book 1 "The Three Railway Engines."
Edward & Gordon: The episode starts off as NWR #2 Edward (Eric Idle) laments how little he is used on the mainline anymore. Gordon and Henry tease him about it along with Steven (Keith Wickham), a red SECR 4-4-0, and two other blue engines; LNER B12 #98462 "Alfred" (Tim Curry) and the LNER K3 Mogul #87546 "Cecil" (Jeff Bennett). A blue GNR J6 Class engine named Rita (Kate Higgins) and a red MR Johnson 2F named Mary (Emma Tate) take pity on the old engine. Later, Henry (Tim Whitnall) has boiler problems, and Cecil is not allowed to pull coaches after an incident the day before. As such, Edward is given the chance to pull the suburban train to Wellsworth instead. The next day, as Edward goes to shunt at Wellsworth again, Gordon (Kerry Shale) boasts about the sight he will be when he passes by Wellsworth with the express later. But Alfred has tricked Steven into dereailing before he could take a goods so Gordon must take it instead. Gordon is furious, and complains loudly as he rolls through Wellsworth. Edward tries to reason with him, but Gordon just ignores him and keeps on going, eventually getting stuck on a hill. Edward is sent to help, and pushes Gordon up the hill. Edward is initially disappointed that he was not thanked, but forgets about it when his crew promise him a new coat of paint as a reward.
The New Shunter: The writing team's first original story, and considered an excellent start to the Thomas the Tank Engine Saga. Picking up where Edward and Gordon left off, Edward has returned to shunting at Tidmouth when he overhears Rita taking to a new tank engine. The tank engine introduces himself as Thomas (John Hasler), coming from the Southern Railway as the number 113. He and his siblings had been built some time ago the replace the LB&SCR E2 engines, but they were shorter in length, much to the disgust of their E2 cousins, even going as far to mistreating Thomas and his brothers. Meanwhile Thomas' driver, Robert Johnson, is going for tea when he stops a runaway dog and gives it back to its owner, a blonde girl named Annie. As soon as Mr. Johnson returns to his engine, Rita agrees to show Thomas around. Thomas has a bad first day; he can't find his way around, he wanders into the path of mainline trains several times, and he is insulted by the big engines (Really Useful Engine). However, Rita is there to let him know things are not all the bad.
Thomas and Gordon: Thomas is repainted in his iconic blue and yellow number 1 with red lining. He later comes across a "Coffee Pot" named Glynn, who is on a disused because he is too weak to pull goods trains anymore. Thomas is also told to arrange some coaches for Edward to take down to Brendam. Quick to oblige, he goes into a siding to pick up some coaches, five orange four wheeled ones at that. While he shunts them their ringleader, the flirtatious Marie, introduces him to Lola and Tara; as well as the oldest of the coaches, who are un-named. Remembering the girl who his driver bumped into at Knapford, christens the oldest coach "Annie" after the girl his driver helped the day before. But after he notices Henry being woken up by his whistle, Thomas starts pulling pranks on the various engines who insulted for bad-mouthed him. Gordon is the constant victim of Thomas' pranks, so he conspires for revenge with Alfred and Cecil, and the next morning he pays Thomas back by dragging him behind the express. (Big, Blue, and Proud) [1]. Afterwards, Gordon is scolded for starting off so suddenly, as is Thomas for his cheeky behavior. Thomas returns home and apologizes to the rest of the mainline engines, who are thankfully more forgiving than Gordon.
Thomas' Train: After Gordon fooled him, Thomas begins to want to see more of the world. Having become fascinated with the change of scenery at Wellsworth. His chance comes when one day, Henry is unable to get steamed up and so Thomas gets his train ready. Whilst waiting, Thomas' fireman sees a woman named Clarabel fall down and helps her back up, and she kisses him in gratitude. Thomas is allowed to pull the train when Henry is unable to come, but in his excitement, he thinks he hears the guard blow his whistle, and Thomas leaves the coaches behind by mistake. In truth, it was a cruel prank by Alfred. He returns and fixes the mess, but is still teased over the incident. When stopping at Crovan's Gate, his fireman gets off to get some caffeine, and saves a red-haired girl from tripping off the platform and on to the tracks. As thanks the woman, who introduces herself as Clarabel, kisses him on the cheek. Later when James comes in with Marie and the other coaches, he christens the brake coach "Clarabel" after the woman.
Sad Story of Henry: Henry has just received some upgrades to his design, and is happy until Alfred and Cecil freak him out by saying his new paint will wash off in the rain. Eventually it rains while Henry is pulling a local, so he panics and stops in a tunnel. When his crew confronts him, Henry insists that it will spoil his paint. The Fat Controller, who is on the train, makes some admittedly pathetic attempts to get Henry out. Even Mary, who came down with a passenger train of her own, can't get Henry to move. As a last resort, the Fat Controller decides to brick him up in the tunnel. Needless to say, Henry soon comes to regret his idiocy and is teased by passing engines.
Thomas and the Trucks: With Henry trapped in the tunnel, the engines have to handle Henry's work as well as their own, which especially angers Alfred and Cecil. The Fat Controller has brought in another engine called James to help out, having bought him secondhand like most of the others. When it's revealed the his brake blocks are wooden, James (Rob Rackstraw) has to stand up for himself when Alfred and Cecil mock his inability to stop quickly enough. After Thomas' attempt at volunteering to help fails, Edward feels sorry for Thomas and lets him take his next goods train. Thomas does so, but gets pushed down the hill and nearly crashes (Troublesome Trucks). After the incident, the Fat Controller has Thomas and Edward restricted to Tidmouth yards so the latter can teach the former all about trucks.
Edward, Gordon, and Henry: Thomas and Edward are allowed out of Tidmouth to take a goods train to the other end of the line because Cecil burst a safety valve. Meanwhile, Gordon is pulling the express once again and announces his intention to taunt Henry to the two blue engines. But before he gets to the tunnel where Henry is bricked up, his safety valve bursts. Edward is is too weak to finish the run on his own, and Thomas suggests having Henry take over. However, Henry becomes too nervous again when it starts raining, so Thomas volunteers to push him all the way to Vicarstown. During the journey, Henry admits to Thomas why he hid in the tunnel, with Thomas helping him overcome his phobia (It's Only Water) [3]. Thomas also insists that he tell the Fat Controller the truth about why he did so, to which Henry promises. Once steamed up, Henry helps Edward take the express to its destination, and the passengers thank him for helping out, as does the Fat Controller. Henry explains everything to him, and The Fat Controller decides to sort out Alfred and Cecil. He also tells Thomas that a museum near Crovan's Gate has bought Glynn and will be displaying him. Meanwhile, Thomas helps a now-humbled Gordon to Crovan's Gate Steamworks, where Henry has asked to be repainted blue duly as a symbol of gratitude to Thomas and so he'll be like Edward and Gordon.
The Last Straw: At Wellsworth, Thomas is taking on water, and Alfred demands for his coaches - two of them being Annie and Clarabel. Thomas tells him to wait, but Alfred goes out and bumps the coaches violently. Along the way berating Thomas for his perceived laziness. He also insults James, who replies that he is the future of steam because while most of the bigger engines are too big and the smaller ones are too small, he is "just right" (One Size Fits All) [4]. Alfred then starts off in great haste at a criminally high speed. Cecil, meanwhile, bashes some trucks roughly at Knapford and causes them to derail on a crossover, which leads to a massive de-railment. The Fat Controller is furious with engines, and also to find that even before the crash, Alfred had made the clothes of people in the diner all filthy with food and drinks. So he takes away Alfred's name and demotes him to the Brendam Branch, then threatens Cecil with the same unless he cleans up his act. Thomas blames himelf, but the Fat Controller assures him that it wasn't his fault at all. Annie and Clarabel agree and want to work with an engine who is kind to them unlike Alfred.
Thomas and the Breakdown Train: While working at the yard in Wellsworth, Thomas encounters Jerome (Hugh Laurie) and Judy (Gabrielle Glaister), the new breakdown train. Rita explains that they were bought in to help clear up derailments and other serious accidents. A few days later, James is prepared to take a goods train for Crovan's Gate, but the trucks push him down a hill, causing his wooden brakes to catch fire. He races past in the yards, and Thomas gives chase to stop James, but ends up failing when the black engine crashes into a field. Thomas then goes back to fetch Jerome and Judy to help James. The Fat Controller later praises Thomas for his quick thinking and so do the other engines later that evening. The Fat Controller decides to let Thomas operate the branchline from Elsbridge to Ffarquhar with Annie and Clarabel, who he also agrees to make Thomas' personal coaches. Then, he will also have Glynn rebuilt and shunt in Thomas' stead at Vicarstown. Some time later, Annie and Clarabel are given new paint and are happy to be working with Thomas, as is Glynn who is pleased to have a new lease on life. James returns in his iconic red soon after, and Thomas' crew start to date the two women who inspired the coaches' names. (Really Useful Engine, Reprise). As Thomas rolls out of Ffarqhuar, his image morphs into one in the style of C. Reginald Dalby as illustrations from the original books roll over the credits.
James & The Coaches: The episode starts off as James returns from the works after his accident. He is now painted red, and also more confident and upbeat (Back In Style) [5]. Upon returning to Tidmouth, the Fat Controller gives him the job of working with Edward on a passenger train Henry was too ill to pull. James is excited, but while showing off to the passengers, he drenches the Fat Controller's new hat in steam. When he realizes this, he runs off early with Edward to the point they miss a station. The next day, James is threatened with being repainted blue if he doesn't behave. This makes James furious and rough with the coaches until a brake pipe is broken and has to be fixed with a bootlace.
Thomas & The Guard: After his behavior in the last episode, James is shut up in the sheds. So Henry is ordered to take the first local train of the day instead. Meanwhile, Thomas is fed up with the mainline engines constantly running late (We're Late) [6]. So when Henry ends up late due to system problems, Thomas starts off quickly only to leave the guard. Thomas does not realize this until he is at a signal where the guard finally catches up.
Thomas Goes Fishing: Thomas often sees people fishing in the river and wants to go fishing too. The other engines scoff at him but Thomas still dreams of doing so (Gone Fishing). He gets his chance when he discovers the water tower at Elsbridge is out of order and Thomas' crew fill him up with river-water. However, Thomas experiences pains and an inspector soon discovers some fish in Thomas' tank. They fish them out and have a supper of fish and chips. The Fat Controller tells Thomas to never fish again - Thomas heartily agrees. Before he leaves, the Fat Controller praises the driver for being and old fellow, but "frying a good fish."
Troublesome Trucks: A few days later, James is let out when it is clear he is remorseful. As his first job out, he is to take a mixed goods to Vicarstown. While waiting for his train at Vicarstown, Mary warns James about the brakevan Dominic (The Spiteful Van) [7], who leads the trucks in making the lives of goods engines very difficult. Then, a little tank engine teases James about his incident [8]. Under Dominic's wheel, the trucks play tricks on James and break away on Gordon's Hill, but James tries again and with some support from Edward, gets the train to Killdane. The Fat Controller is pleased and allows James to keep his red paint.
James and the Express: Despite his success with Dominic and his gang of trucks, James is still teased by Gordon and Henry. But James gets his chance to again prove himself when Gordon accidentally ends up on the wrong line and is forced to return to Knapford. James is rostered to take the express in the big engine's place. The journey goes smoothly and the passengers praise him, as does The Fat Controller (Somebody Has to be the Favorite) [9]. The latter promising James to let him pull the express again in the future.
Thomas, Terence, and the Snow: While working on his branchline in the fall. Thomas meets Terence the tractor (Tom Stortoun) and makes fun of his caterpillar tracks. When winter comes, Thomas treats his snowplough awfully and it has to be repaired. They cannot fix it in time for his first train and Thomas, over-confident, recklessly charges at a snowdrift outside the tunnel and sticks there. He cannot get out, so a bus comes to take his passengers home and Terence pulls him and Annie and Clarabel out (Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover). Thomas apologizes to Terence and returns home.
Thomas & Bertie: A few days after the last episode, while the snow begins to melt, Thomas meets the red bus from the events of his accident. The bus introduces himself as Bertie (Keith Wickham), and teases Thomas about being slow. Eventually, it turns out Thomas' driver and Bertie's owner are cousins, so they decide to have a race (Let's Have A Race). Thomas gains the lead at a level crossing, but Bertie then gets in front after Thomas has to stop to collect passengers and only stops to rub it in. Thomas gains the lead again after Bertie stops for a traffic light and although Bertie creeps in front, Thomas, with a burst of speed, rushes into Hackenbeck in style. Bertie congratulates him when he comes in and the two become friends.
[1] A song from OTL's Special Hero of the Rails.
[2] Loosely based on a fan song IOTL: Shown here.
[3] A slow, orchestral piece based loosely on Henry's theme.
[4] A song the borrows a bit of its beat from "In the Navy" by the Village People.
[5] Essentially a MoTown-style fusion of James' original theme and the lyrics similar to "I'm Still Standing"
[6] A frantic song similar in tune to the "We're Late" skit from Animaniacs.
[7] A song similar to a mix of CB from Starlight Express and Mr. Mistoffoless from Cats.
[8] Said tank engine is a German BR 08 0-6-0T. A reference to the Marklin model trains that were used as props in the original show's first season.
[9] A song from OTL's Special Journey Beyond Sodor. But tweaked to portray James in a more positive light.
NOTE: IOTL, Rita, Mary, Steven, and the proposal of a RWS musical re-adaptation are based on ideas from the DeviantArt user RailfanBronyMedia.
- A Youtube Comment on an ad for an appearance by the Rev. W. Awdry's more obscure literary creation, Belinda the Beetle.
"I was asleep the whole time, but I did hear my brother Oscar say he was going to Sodor. Is this my new line in Pole Land?"
"What Land?"
"I think he means Poland, Henry. And I'm sorry, Thomas. But I think you may have ended up in the wrong place."
- Thomas (John Hasler) meeting Henry (Tim Whitnall), and Edward (Eric Idle), The New Shunter
"I love the feeling when I blast down the mainline,
Pulling my daily express!
I'm making Sir Nigel Gresley proud,
With my every day success.
I call the Island of Sodor my home,
A paradise where engines roam.
Each have a color they call their own,
But I know you already know what color I am...
I'm big, blue, and proud!"
- The intro to "Big, Blue, and Proud." Sung by Gordon (Kerry Shale), Thomas and Gordon.
"Get of us two or four, or six, or eight!
We'll shunt your trucks and haul your freight."
-A part of "One Size Fits All." Sung by James (Rob Rackstraw), The Last Straw.
"Well, Thomas, you are an odd engine. But I must say, you fry a good fish."
-The Fat Controller (Ringo Starr), Thomas Goes Fishing.
*The scene opens to the first illustration of RWS Volume 2: Thomas the Tank Engine.*
VO: First, he was a drawing.
*The scene cuts to the first shot of the TV Show's first episode, Thomas and Gordon.*
VO: Then, he was a model.
*The scene cuts to Thomas pulling a row of trucks around a bend. Thomas resembles his CGI model that was introduced in OTL's Season 23. Visible safety valves are also placed on his boiler in front of his iconic whistles.*
Thomas (John Hasler): Come Along! Come Along!
VO: Now, see Thomas' story the way it was meant to be!
*James and Gordon are shown at Tidmouth Sheds at night. The former is largely the same as OTL's Season 23 CGI Model, but now is painted black with red stripes, and has a tender similar to Edward's with the steps. The latter also resembles his S23 CGI design, but with more elements to make him look like a primitive Gresley Pacific, like a tapered boiler.*
James (Rob Rackstraw): Is he (Thomas) alway this annoying?
Gordon (Kerry Shale): I wish I could say no.
*Cut to a montage of Alfred (98462), an LNER B12, and Cecil, an LNER B5 (87546)*
VO: All the untold stories...
Alfred (Tim Curry): That little tank engine really irritates me.
VO: Then, his ultimate triumph.
*Cut to Thomas taking James to the works.*
The Fat Controller (Ringo Starr): You, Thomas, will have a branch line all to yourself.
*The logo for this reboot shows. It's the same as the original Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends logo, but is now in more stylish colors. In the background plays the theme for the new show's theme: Go, Go, Thomas [1]*
VO: Coming to your Cartoon Network.
Ever since its announcement in 2010, the CGI reboot of Thomas the Tank Engine was highly anticipated by fans. Even more so when it was confirmed that Cartoon Network would be airing it at seven o'clock in the mornings, a perfect time for pre-school audiences and those going to work. The show would follow a general formula of a 30 episode season of 10-minute episodes. Season One was naturally the season where everything like the setting and most of the main cast is established.
From the get go, the fact the writing team intended to make it closer to the books is evident. The engine characters look far more like actual British steam engines than mere toys. Though mostly in the form of extra details like safety valves, handrails, and rivets. Many of the engines are also painted in liveries from the Railway Series, notably James in his black livery from before Thomas and the Breakdown Train, and Henry in his blue livery from Edward, Gordon, and Henry until Henry and the Elephant. However, several liveries are also made up, such as Thomas being painted in a lighter version of the Southern Railway's green (to the point that it is more teal), with white lining.
Premiering on January 14, 2010, viewers were treated to the beginning of the story. In contrast to most shows, the main character was not introduced in this show. Instead we got the episode "Edward and Gordon," an adaptation of the first half of RWS Book 1 "The Three Railway Engines."
Edward & Gordon: The episode starts off as NWR #2 Edward (Eric Idle) laments how little he is used on the mainline anymore. Gordon and Henry tease him about it along with Steven (Keith Wickham), a red SECR 4-4-0, and two other blue engines; LNER B12 #98462 "Alfred" (Tim Curry) and the LNER K3 Mogul #87546 "Cecil" (Jeff Bennett). A blue GNR J6 Class engine named Rita (Kate Higgins) and a red MR Johnson 2F named Mary (Emma Tate) take pity on the old engine. Later, Henry (Tim Whitnall) has boiler problems, and Cecil is not allowed to pull coaches after an incident the day before. As such, Edward is given the chance to pull the suburban train to Wellsworth instead. The next day, as Edward goes to shunt at Wellsworth again, Gordon (Kerry Shale) boasts about the sight he will be when he passes by Wellsworth with the express later. But Alfred has tricked Steven into dereailing before he could take a goods so Gordon must take it instead. Gordon is furious, and complains loudly as he rolls through Wellsworth. Edward tries to reason with him, but Gordon just ignores him and keeps on going, eventually getting stuck on a hill. Edward is sent to help, and pushes Gordon up the hill. Edward is initially disappointed that he was not thanked, but forgets about it when his crew promise him a new coat of paint as a reward.
The New Shunter: The writing team's first original story, and considered an excellent start to the Thomas the Tank Engine Saga. Picking up where Edward and Gordon left off, Edward has returned to shunting at Tidmouth when he overhears Rita taking to a new tank engine. The tank engine introduces himself as Thomas (John Hasler), coming from the Southern Railway as the number 113. He and his siblings had been built some time ago the replace the LB&SCR E2 engines, but they were shorter in length, much to the disgust of their E2 cousins, even going as far to mistreating Thomas and his brothers. Meanwhile Thomas' driver, Robert Johnson, is going for tea when he stops a runaway dog and gives it back to its owner, a blonde girl named Annie. As soon as Mr. Johnson returns to his engine, Rita agrees to show Thomas around. Thomas has a bad first day; he can't find his way around, he wanders into the path of mainline trains several times, and he is insulted by the big engines (Really Useful Engine). However, Rita is there to let him know things are not all the bad.
Thomas and Gordon: Thomas is repainted in his iconic blue and yellow number 1 with red lining. He later comes across a "Coffee Pot" named Glynn, who is on a disused because he is too weak to pull goods trains anymore. Thomas is also told to arrange some coaches for Edward to take down to Brendam. Quick to oblige, he goes into a siding to pick up some coaches, five orange four wheeled ones at that. While he shunts them their ringleader, the flirtatious Marie, introduces him to Lola and Tara; as well as the oldest of the coaches, who are un-named. Remembering the girl who his driver bumped into at Knapford, christens the oldest coach "Annie" after the girl his driver helped the day before. But after he notices Henry being woken up by his whistle, Thomas starts pulling pranks on the various engines who insulted for bad-mouthed him. Gordon is the constant victim of Thomas' pranks, so he conspires for revenge with Alfred and Cecil, and the next morning he pays Thomas back by dragging him behind the express. (Big, Blue, and Proud) [1]. Afterwards, Gordon is scolded for starting off so suddenly, as is Thomas for his cheeky behavior. Thomas returns home and apologizes to the rest of the mainline engines, who are thankfully more forgiving than Gordon.
Thomas' Train: After Gordon fooled him, Thomas begins to want to see more of the world. Having become fascinated with the change of scenery at Wellsworth. His chance comes when one day, Henry is unable to get steamed up and so Thomas gets his train ready. Whilst waiting, Thomas' fireman sees a woman named Clarabel fall down and helps her back up, and she kisses him in gratitude. Thomas is allowed to pull the train when Henry is unable to come, but in his excitement, he thinks he hears the guard blow his whistle, and Thomas leaves the coaches behind by mistake. In truth, it was a cruel prank by Alfred. He returns and fixes the mess, but is still teased over the incident. When stopping at Crovan's Gate, his fireman gets off to get some caffeine, and saves a red-haired girl from tripping off the platform and on to the tracks. As thanks the woman, who introduces herself as Clarabel, kisses him on the cheek. Later when James comes in with Marie and the other coaches, he christens the brake coach "Clarabel" after the woman.
Sad Story of Henry: Henry has just received some upgrades to his design, and is happy until Alfred and Cecil freak him out by saying his new paint will wash off in the rain. Eventually it rains while Henry is pulling a local, so he panics and stops in a tunnel. When his crew confronts him, Henry insists that it will spoil his paint. The Fat Controller, who is on the train, makes some admittedly pathetic attempts to get Henry out. Even Mary, who came down with a passenger train of her own, can't get Henry to move. As a last resort, the Fat Controller decides to brick him up in the tunnel. Needless to say, Henry soon comes to regret his idiocy and is teased by passing engines.
Thomas and the Trucks: With Henry trapped in the tunnel, the engines have to handle Henry's work as well as their own, which especially angers Alfred and Cecil. The Fat Controller has brought in another engine called James to help out, having bought him secondhand like most of the others. When it's revealed the his brake blocks are wooden, James (Rob Rackstraw) has to stand up for himself when Alfred and Cecil mock his inability to stop quickly enough. After Thomas' attempt at volunteering to help fails, Edward feels sorry for Thomas and lets him take his next goods train. Thomas does so, but gets pushed down the hill and nearly crashes (Troublesome Trucks). After the incident, the Fat Controller has Thomas and Edward restricted to Tidmouth yards so the latter can teach the former all about trucks.
Edward, Gordon, and Henry: Thomas and Edward are allowed out of Tidmouth to take a goods train to the other end of the line because Cecil burst a safety valve. Meanwhile, Gordon is pulling the express once again and announces his intention to taunt Henry to the two blue engines. But before he gets to the tunnel where Henry is bricked up, his safety valve bursts. Edward is is too weak to finish the run on his own, and Thomas suggests having Henry take over. However, Henry becomes too nervous again when it starts raining, so Thomas volunteers to push him all the way to Vicarstown. During the journey, Henry admits to Thomas why he hid in the tunnel, with Thomas helping him overcome his phobia (It's Only Water) [3]. Thomas also insists that he tell the Fat Controller the truth about why he did so, to which Henry promises. Once steamed up, Henry helps Edward take the express to its destination, and the passengers thank him for helping out, as does the Fat Controller. Henry explains everything to him, and The Fat Controller decides to sort out Alfred and Cecil. He also tells Thomas that a museum near Crovan's Gate has bought Glynn and will be displaying him. Meanwhile, Thomas helps a now-humbled Gordon to Crovan's Gate Steamworks, where Henry has asked to be repainted blue duly as a symbol of gratitude to Thomas and so he'll be like Edward and Gordon.
The Last Straw: At Wellsworth, Thomas is taking on water, and Alfred demands for his coaches - two of them being Annie and Clarabel. Thomas tells him to wait, but Alfred goes out and bumps the coaches violently. Along the way berating Thomas for his perceived laziness. He also insults James, who replies that he is the future of steam because while most of the bigger engines are too big and the smaller ones are too small, he is "just right" (One Size Fits All) [4]. Alfred then starts off in great haste at a criminally high speed. Cecil, meanwhile, bashes some trucks roughly at Knapford and causes them to derail on a crossover, which leads to a massive de-railment. The Fat Controller is furious with engines, and also to find that even before the crash, Alfred had made the clothes of people in the diner all filthy with food and drinks. So he takes away Alfred's name and demotes him to the Brendam Branch, then threatens Cecil with the same unless he cleans up his act. Thomas blames himelf, but the Fat Controller assures him that it wasn't his fault at all. Annie and Clarabel agree and want to work with an engine who is kind to them unlike Alfred.
Thomas and the Breakdown Train: While working at the yard in Wellsworth, Thomas encounters Jerome (Hugh Laurie) and Judy (Gabrielle Glaister), the new breakdown train. Rita explains that they were bought in to help clear up derailments and other serious accidents. A few days later, James is prepared to take a goods train for Crovan's Gate, but the trucks push him down a hill, causing his wooden brakes to catch fire. He races past in the yards, and Thomas gives chase to stop James, but ends up failing when the black engine crashes into a field. Thomas then goes back to fetch Jerome and Judy to help James. The Fat Controller later praises Thomas for his quick thinking and so do the other engines later that evening. The Fat Controller decides to let Thomas operate the branchline from Elsbridge to Ffarquhar with Annie and Clarabel, who he also agrees to make Thomas' personal coaches. Then, he will also have Glynn rebuilt and shunt in Thomas' stead at Vicarstown. Some time later, Annie and Clarabel are given new paint and are happy to be working with Thomas, as is Glynn who is pleased to have a new lease on life. James returns in his iconic red soon after, and Thomas' crew start to date the two women who inspired the coaches' names. (Really Useful Engine, Reprise). As Thomas rolls out of Ffarqhuar, his image morphs into one in the style of C. Reginald Dalby as illustrations from the original books roll over the credits.
James & The Coaches: The episode starts off as James returns from the works after his accident. He is now painted red, and also more confident and upbeat (Back In Style) [5]. Upon returning to Tidmouth, the Fat Controller gives him the job of working with Edward on a passenger train Henry was too ill to pull. James is excited, but while showing off to the passengers, he drenches the Fat Controller's new hat in steam. When he realizes this, he runs off early with Edward to the point they miss a station. The next day, James is threatened with being repainted blue if he doesn't behave. This makes James furious and rough with the coaches until a brake pipe is broken and has to be fixed with a bootlace.
Thomas & The Guard: After his behavior in the last episode, James is shut up in the sheds. So Henry is ordered to take the first local train of the day instead. Meanwhile, Thomas is fed up with the mainline engines constantly running late (We're Late) [6]. So when Henry ends up late due to system problems, Thomas starts off quickly only to leave the guard. Thomas does not realize this until he is at a signal where the guard finally catches up.
Thomas Goes Fishing: Thomas often sees people fishing in the river and wants to go fishing too. The other engines scoff at him but Thomas still dreams of doing so (Gone Fishing). He gets his chance when he discovers the water tower at Elsbridge is out of order and Thomas' crew fill him up with river-water. However, Thomas experiences pains and an inspector soon discovers some fish in Thomas' tank. They fish them out and have a supper of fish and chips. The Fat Controller tells Thomas to never fish again - Thomas heartily agrees. Before he leaves, the Fat Controller praises the driver for being and old fellow, but "frying a good fish."
Troublesome Trucks: A few days later, James is let out when it is clear he is remorseful. As his first job out, he is to take a mixed goods to Vicarstown. While waiting for his train at Vicarstown, Mary warns James about the brakevan Dominic (The Spiteful Van) [7], who leads the trucks in making the lives of goods engines very difficult. Then, a little tank engine teases James about his incident [8]. Under Dominic's wheel, the trucks play tricks on James and break away on Gordon's Hill, but James tries again and with some support from Edward, gets the train to Killdane. The Fat Controller is pleased and allows James to keep his red paint.
James and the Express: Despite his success with Dominic and his gang of trucks, James is still teased by Gordon and Henry. But James gets his chance to again prove himself when Gordon accidentally ends up on the wrong line and is forced to return to Knapford. James is rostered to take the express in the big engine's place. The journey goes smoothly and the passengers praise him, as does The Fat Controller (Somebody Has to be the Favorite) [9]. The latter promising James to let him pull the express again in the future.
Thomas, Terence, and the Snow: While working on his branchline in the fall. Thomas meets Terence the tractor (Tom Stortoun) and makes fun of his caterpillar tracks. When winter comes, Thomas treats his snowplough awfully and it has to be repaired. They cannot fix it in time for his first train and Thomas, over-confident, recklessly charges at a snowdrift outside the tunnel and sticks there. He cannot get out, so a bus comes to take his passengers home and Terence pulls him and Annie and Clarabel out (Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover). Thomas apologizes to Terence and returns home.
Thomas & Bertie: A few days after the last episode, while the snow begins to melt, Thomas meets the red bus from the events of his accident. The bus introduces himself as Bertie (Keith Wickham), and teases Thomas about being slow. Eventually, it turns out Thomas' driver and Bertie's owner are cousins, so they decide to have a race (Let's Have A Race). Thomas gains the lead at a level crossing, but Bertie then gets in front after Thomas has to stop to collect passengers and only stops to rub it in. Thomas gains the lead again after Bertie stops for a traffic light and although Bertie creeps in front, Thomas, with a burst of speed, rushes into Hackenbeck in style. Bertie congratulates him when he comes in and the two become friends.
[1] A song from OTL's Special Hero of the Rails.
[2] Loosely based on a fan song IOTL: Shown here.
[3] A slow, orchestral piece based loosely on Henry's theme.
[4] A song the borrows a bit of its beat from "In the Navy" by the Village People.
[5] Essentially a MoTown-style fusion of James' original theme and the lyrics similar to "I'm Still Standing"
[6] A frantic song similar in tune to the "We're Late" skit from Animaniacs.
[7] A song similar to a mix of CB from Starlight Express and Mr. Mistoffoless from Cats.
[8] Said tank engine is a German BR 08 0-6-0T. A reference to the Marklin model trains that were used as props in the original show's first season.
[9] A song from OTL's Special Journey Beyond Sodor. But tweaked to portray James in a more positive light.
NOTE: IOTL, Rita, Mary, Steven, and the proposal of a RWS musical re-adaptation are based on ideas from the DeviantArt user RailfanBronyMedia.
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I can see why you were chomping at the bit to get this posted, well done Andrew.
AeroTheZealousOne
Monthly Donor
Wish granted. I like this contribution! Do keep in mind that while this timeline isn't particularly railroad-centric, a little world-building here and there never hurt anyone. Minor things like this that allow me to picture this world so similar and so different to ours are why I love this timeline so much.
thanks. Speaking of which I actually have several train themed TLs here and there. If you want to see them just follow me.
I have ideas that include a tourist line out of the N&W Branch if you like.
AeroTheZealousOne
Monthly Donor
I spoiler-marked the below since it's a little long, and even if it isn't long enough that it's justified, I felt it right, at the bare minimum.
I read Player Two Start back in 2017, and its sequel that we all are following now, the first part of Massively Multiplayer (i.e. this thread) is one of the main reasons I actually signed up and joined this website back in 2017. Being able to create a world so realistic and somewhat personal, even if it's a world that I wouldn't be born into (not to mention one that even if I was born into it, the butterfly effect would make me a completely different person from the one who's writing this now), is one of the writing skills that I find myself unable to replicate, yet one of the things I cannot say enough good things about.
By golly you have created one of my favorite alternate history timelines on this site, and I must say it is the first one that I have felt a personal relation to, from the news reports to the different and similar video games to every god damn thing in this world. Sometimes I can picture my life unfolding during some of these events, even when said life would be far from what it is in our world. And with the 2010s coming up, the era where a number of us grew up and are growing up, I am sure other people will feel similarly, even with the world being barely recognizable. I mean, it's the same world with Caesar and Rome, Charlemagne, the Black Death, Columbus sailing to America, the Renaissance, the Imjin War, the Spanish Inquisition, Frederick the Great, The Founding Fathers and the American and French Revolutions, Napoleon, Lincoln, Hitler, Stalin, the Cold War... And near the turn of the millennium, the world begins to diverge, and before I realize it the future is built on our same past, just with minor ripples leading to major ripples and poof, certain ideas come into being, others never do, and some in spite of everything remain unchanged, or barely changed. The day-to-day lives of people are so different, and at the same time they don't change. I apologize that of course we all realize this but it's sort of like some surreal re-epiphany I've had.
I haven't contributed much of anything as of yet simply because I haven't had much inspiration, and primarily this is your universe, your story, one that isn't mine and one I feel so close to yet one I feel so distant from. I mean, if I were dropped into this world today at any point from 1991 to 2021 there would be no one my age that I know, and with the various life situations meaning I am my own person alone in the world, I could imagine consoling myself with the mediums of this world, some familiar, and others brand new adventures. Some things I would never be able to experience or hear again, but with numerous other possibilities, perhaps I could find both solace and a meaning for myself, even as a living John Doe, or even a per-prepared identity for this universe.
I want to apologize to you for going off on some existential nonsuch and causing you to read all of it, but I thought you would like to know that your work is inspiring, and even though I'm not sure what I've been inspired to do to help others or to pursue future ideas, realizing the essence of minor changes on a human level is something no other timeline has done for me except for this one.
I have so much to say and so much more I want to convey, but for the moment I'm at a loss for further words. And for all of this, from showing us what could have been, the good, the bad, the ugly, the inevitable, and everything in-between, I thank you, @RySenkari.
By golly you have created one of my favorite alternate history timelines on this site, and I must say it is the first one that I have felt a personal relation to, from the news reports to the different and similar video games to every god damn thing in this world. Sometimes I can picture my life unfolding during some of these events, even when said life would be far from what it is in our world. And with the 2010s coming up, the era where a number of us grew up and are growing up, I am sure other people will feel similarly, even with the world being barely recognizable. I mean, it's the same world with Caesar and Rome, Charlemagne, the Black Death, Columbus sailing to America, the Renaissance, the Imjin War, the Spanish Inquisition, Frederick the Great, The Founding Fathers and the American and French Revolutions, Napoleon, Lincoln, Hitler, Stalin, the Cold War... And near the turn of the millennium, the world begins to diverge, and before I realize it the future is built on our same past, just with minor ripples leading to major ripples and poof, certain ideas come into being, others never do, and some in spite of everything remain unchanged, or barely changed. The day-to-day lives of people are so different, and at the same time they don't change. I apologize that of course we all realize this but it's sort of like some surreal re-epiphany I've had.
I haven't contributed much of anything as of yet simply because I haven't had much inspiration, and primarily this is your universe, your story, one that isn't mine and one I feel so close to yet one I feel so distant from. I mean, if I were dropped into this world today at any point from 1991 to 2021 there would be no one my age that I know, and with the various life situations meaning I am my own person alone in the world, I could imagine consoling myself with the mediums of this world, some familiar, and others brand new adventures. Some things I would never be able to experience or hear again, but with numerous other possibilities, perhaps I could find both solace and a meaning for myself, even as a living John Doe, or even a per-prepared identity for this universe.
I want to apologize to you for going off on some existential nonsuch and causing you to read all of it, but I thought you would like to know that your work is inspiring, and even though I'm not sure what I've been inspired to do to help others or to pursue future ideas, realizing the essence of minor changes on a human level is something no other timeline has done for me except for this one.
I have so much to say and so much more I want to convey, but for the moment I'm at a loss for further words. And for all of this, from showing us what could have been, the good, the bad, the ugly, the inevitable, and everything in-between, I thank you, @RySenkari.
- Status