Wednesday 5 September 2012

S2 Ep.8: Duck Takes Charge

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINION AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

DUCK TAKES CHARGE
Originally Written by
The Rev.W.Awdry


Adapted for Television by
Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Air Date:
2/10/86

Plot:
The work in the yard is too heavy for Percy and had brought in a new engine to help him, much to the bigger engines dismay and they began to order him about. The next day the new engine arrived, his name is Montague, but his nickname is called 'Duck' as everyone says he waddles a lot and he's used to the name. The bigger engines want to have some fun and order him about. So Percy and Duck came up with a plan. They block the sheds and the big engines were cross. Duck told the Fat Controller that the big engines were ordering him and Percy about and that they should only take orders from him.
Afterwards, Percy was sent to Thomas' branch line as Duck is left to do the work alone.

PRO:
- Ringo's quacking noise was funny.
- The LMS Black 5 was a nice touch in the Fat Controller's office.
- The close ups of Gordon and James' whistles were great too.

CON:
- Percy and Duck were not on points outside of Tidmouth sheds.
- How many offices does the Fat Controller have?

Back when I was a kid, this episode scared the living daylights out of me. All because of the Fat Controller snapping 'Silence' loudly, I've confronted my fear and this episode is still enjoyable. Although, Duck doesn't have the shade of Great Western Railway (GWR) green he still does look like a real GWR 57XX Pannier tank engine, but with less detail (like his safety valve being green) and minus his RWS number:


The quacking noise by Ringo Starr was a nice and comedic touch and the Fat Controller having a picture of the LMS Black 5 was a nice touch in his office as well, but how many offices does the Fat Controller have in this show? First he has one at Knapford, then Vicarstown and now Tidmouth, how many offices does he have? And that goes to the confrontation the sheds. It says that Percy and Duck were standing on some points, when really we see Percy on a turntable and Duck being near one of the berths. But the whistles of Gordon and James up close are a nice touch too.

Rating: 4/5