ThomasNATION Classic Reviews - Edward the Great

April 06, 2024


 While it is true that we did get Edward episodes in the HIT Era of Thomas & Friends, many fans don't even count these because his character is just completely and utterly wrong to the point where they don't even consider it Edward.  Many fans detest Edward in the HIT Era because he's usually always portrayed as old and pathetic and full of self doubt of which you can all blame on the HIT Era Production Bible for that one.  "Edward the Great" is the only one that I and many others would call decent, but it still suffers from the fact everyone thinks Edward is a pathetic loser.  And then, you get ones like "Edward Strikes Out" where Edward just acts like a jerk for no reason.  This isn't Edward, this is just James in Edward's clothing.  As far as I'm concerned, the only eras that get Edward correct are the Classics and the Brenner Era to an extent where he's aged, wise and experienced.
This is where I can understand the struggle that comes with writing for him.  Stories with lessons come from having a flawed protagonist that makes a mistake and learns from it and thus the audience as well.  You can't write Edward as super flawed, because then he'd be out of character as per the HIT Era.  So since it's in Edward's character to not make mistakes, he has very few stories.  Some people might say that makes Edward a bland as well as half-baked and uninteresting character since there's not really that much to him on the surface, but I wholeheartedly disagree.  That is why for today's review, I would like you all to join me in cheering on the one and only "Edward the Great"!

EDWARD THE GREAT: Edward has a race with Spencer to the Duke and Duchess of Boxford's summer house

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"Edward felt like the pride of the Sodor railway, and he was right" 
    Nice.  Another great story and this time, it borrowed material from an old story "The Tortoise and the Hare". While it isn't an original work especially when this story had already been adapted in the Jack and the Pack spin-off episode that was quite literally called "The Tortoise and the Hare", the use of the characters reflecting Aesop's fable was cool.  Edward certainly acted accordingly, minding his own business and doing what he could do at his own pace unlike Spencer who was too narrow-minded to see his own hubris although part of the delays were because of the Boxford Couple wanting to stop and smell the roses.
Granted, while this isn't the first time Edward or Spencer have been voiced by Michael Angelis or Michael Brandon depending on if you watched his dubs of Season 7, it is for some of you in the fandom and both are great. But if I really had to choose, I'd go with Angelis' dub as a way of honoring the franchise's British roots.  Angelis voicing Edward sounds classic in his own way, and his voice for Spencer is on point with Michael Brandon's version from Season 7.  Both make him sound very upper-class.  But speaking of Spencer, since when does he sound like a jet plane?  Maybe that was the reason why the "Steamies vs. Diesels" home media release says he sounds like a diesel. I would say that there is no bell, but I think it was in the cab.  On top of that, most people might say that Spencer's real-life basis don't have bells yet there are many British locomotives that are fitted with bells and one of Spencer's counterparts "Dominion of Canada" is an example.
The visuals to this episode were also pretty fun. Knapford Station, Henry's Tunnel, Gordon's Hill and the Flour Mill return. Then, there's the Boxfords' Summer House.  It certainly must be cool having your own private engine, and the line that runs to your own house.  It was also neat that fans get to see little tidbits of UK history like a poster of the White Star Liner.  Music was also awesome.  Ed Welch and Robert Hartshorne are really perfecting their themes for these characters.  Edward's is played at all kinds of paces as well as being interchanged with Spencer's whenever he passes by him.  All handled very well, just like this episode in a nutshell and that is why I'm giving "Edward the Great" a rating of a 4/5.

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