But in the benign list of non-advertisement-driven (if not merchandised to the hilt) television pleasures is Thomas the Tank Engine. A British production, Thomas and Friends tells the cheery tales of Thomas and his chuffing-puffing friends of Sodor Island. Primarily a bunch of happy faces, (though sometimes scowls emerge) this bunch of anthropomorphized steam engines goes about their mildly engaging tasks with pluck. When pluck's in short supply, emotions and states-of-being also common to the pre-adolescent set (Thomas's primary viewing audience) surface: fear, shame, over-confidence and lolly gagging.

It's how Thomas (generally blameless) and his friends, Percy, Gordon, James, Tubby, etc. deal with their misdeeds that sows the seeds of learning for impressionable eyes. When a headstrong, snow-driving truck is egged on by her cargo, steam engine Duncan, into racing down snowy roads at breakneck speed, she not only shirks duty, but also endangers herself and Duncan. What young lass or lad, puffed up with the pride of being given a task but tempted by readily available distractions, hasn't wound up in similar straits? Listen well, kiddies, then, to Madge, who when facing certain doom at the edge of a cliff, sees the error of her ways and also remembers she's supposed to get Duncan to the yards so he can move stuff.

And so it goes on Sodor. Thomas and friends race around their tracks in oddly static live action - a model train set with no human hands apparent. Engine expressions change from smiles to frowns and back off-screen, with only moving eyes and speeding cars indicating life for these models. Their 'human' friends (Stationmaster Percival and various farmers etc.) never move an inch - only their mouths change (also off-screen) to indicate their temperament. It's a serenely beautiful set-up that's curiously appealing to kids and engagingly surreal for their caretakers. Don't forget, folks, you're supposed to watch with the kiddoes, so you can talk about it and keep your little ones from glazing over. At about nine minutes per episode, you won't be too sorely taxed, and the scant 50-minutes run-time for the Engines and Escapades disc (with six episodes) will almost race by.

On this disc are six 'Never Seen on TV' episodes: Duncan Does It All, Sir Handel In Charge, Cool Truckings, Ding-A-Ling, Skarloey Storms Through and Wash Behind Your Buffers. Kids will relate to themes such as facing a daunting task, facing something you're afraid of and asking for help when you aren't sure of an answer - salient topics adults might learn from as well. What is the exact appeal of Thomas's television presence? I'm not quite sure. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that every story is narrated and voiced by one reader, like listening to your mum or dad read a storybook. Regardless, if you can avoid the pull towards endless revenue-streams of Thomas merchandise, these benign stories are full of charm and wisdom. Their presence on DVD and Public Television in the States will also ensure your young viewers are spared barrages of snack food advertising.

The DVD

Video:
All Thomas episodes are presented in fullscreen, 1.33:1 ratio, and they look quite nice. The usual compression bugaboos are absent, and colors are rich and saturated. The image overall is very crisp and clear. This will look great on that hi-def set in your kid's bedroom.

Sound:
I'll wager this is in Dolby Digital Stereo, though experience tells me the French and Spanish tracks are in Mono Audio. Packaging plays it pretty close to the vest with such details, and the mix is not extremely active. Kids aren't looking for such things, and music and dialog are nicely balanced, with everything clear, audible without cranking the volume, and lacking distortion.

Extras:
Bonus Features are limited to a ten-minute Fireman Sam Episode: Fiery Finale, featuring stop-motion animation, a Harry Potter-lookin' kid, veddy British humor and some mild peril. Fireman Sam comes with English and French Language Audio Tracks. The rest of Thomas comes with English, French and Spanish Audio Tracks as well as Closed Captioning. Plus there's a little Song smack-dab in the middle of the Thomas episodes. The kid loved it.

Final Thoughts:
It's probably genetic that Western kids love Thomas, while other tots round the world must watch 30 seconds of an episode before they catch the bug. With simple, charming stories, cogent life lessons and large metallic trains subbing for kids in the narrative, (while adults are relegated to static authority figures who generally seem well pleased when the kids do good) the recipe for young success is golden. These 'Never Seen On TV' selections are just as good as anything we've seen on a Sunday morning, so this collection is Recommended for those in the family way.

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