The Second Opinion

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUp-Kgb2f7o

Cleaned up and repackaged, here’s my review of a little made-for-TV holiday special that’s faded from the public consciousness a little more than I can approve of.

In 1989, PBS began airing Shining Time Station, combining the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends with a story about family and friends coming together to reopen an old train station, where the children in the group would have little adventures. The stories of Thomas were told by a magical little gaurdian of sorts named Mr. Conductor, who lived in the signal house painted on the mural and befriended the kindred spirits in the group, keeping himself a secret from the rest. Some of it was destined to age, and its dependence on child actors might have been a weakness, but it carried some dignity. It clearly respected the hard work and tradition behind the railroad, and its writing, though hardly in a league of its own, could actually be very smart and sincere. On top of that, the adult actors – a mix veterans who’d seen their heyday, little known performers ready to show what they could do, and just a few in the middle of their distinguished careers – were all invested and created some colorful personalities. (One worth mentioning is the memorable swindler named Schemer, the career peak of actor Brian O’Connor, who was actually pretty funny.) It netted a few awards during its three-season run before the terrible, studio-butchered movie Thomas and the Magic Railroad capped it off in 2000, unfortunately tarnishing the series’ reputation. Read the rest of this entry →