ThomasNATION Classic Reviews - Wrong Road
March 08, 2025
So not many people know this, but this was one of my favorite episodes as a child. I used to have this one on a loop all the time. However, while I watched it over and over as a kid, it has been a while since I've seen it as an adult, so I have no idea if it holds up or not. So, let's dive in and ask "is it as strong as from when I was young?" Let's begin.
Gordon's upset over BoCo being able to work beyond Edward's branchline, deeming branchlines vulgar. However, after a mixup with a green hat results in a delay, Edward and Gordon are both sent down, you guessed it, the wrong road.
Railway realism isn't something I typically praise a Thomas episode for in its later seasons, since when you factor in Sodor is a world of talking vehicles, you can expect a few artistic liberties. However, keep in mind I said "later seasons", since the first two seasons nailed his aspect. This is no exception. They go into detail on why engines like Gordon can't go down branch lines, and with an engine with an ego like Gordon's, it's pretty funny how he sees it more as a personal attack.
But the real star of the episode here is Gordon's arc. He starts off complaining about BoCo going on the main lines, but at the end he learns his lesson after Bill and Ben tease him...and by tease, I mean subtly threaten to kill him. That's just hilarious. But at the same time, having BoCo save him at the end (well, not save, it makes sense in context) is a nice way of Gordon getting his own. It's not the best arc out there, but it is nice.
Overall, Wrong Road is a pretty fun episode. The railway realism is on point, the comedy is surprisingly funny and Gordon's arc is really nice. Is it the best episode of Season 2? Not quite, but it is among my top ten. It holds up greatly from my childhood and as such gets a 4.5/5.
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