TTTE S21E16. Terence Breaks the Ice

Here's an episode I was excited for when I saw the cover for the Christmas on Sodor DVD, and when I saw the title for the episode. Mainly because of a certain character return. How does his return turn out?

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

510. Terence Breaks the Ice.
Written by: Lee Pressman.
Aired: 11 December 2017.

Terence is helping to cut down trees for the Christmas market at Tidmouth. Thomas arrives to collect them and Terence comments that he is wearing his snowplow, which he originally refused to do when he first met Terence. Since being rescued from a snowdrift by Terence, Thomas has learned the importance of wearing a snowplow. After reminiscing about when they first met, Thomas leaves with the trees.

Thomas stops at Knapford on the way to Tidmouth to speak to Sir Topham Hatt, who asks him where the huge tree he was meant to get for the Earl's Christmas fair at Ulfstead Castle is. As it turns out, Sir Topham Hatt never asked Thomas to get a huge tree, having forgotten to do so. Thomas promises to get a big tree once he has dropped off the load he already has.

Thomas returns to the forest and asks Terence for a large tree. Terence knows where the ideal tree is, but it is on the other side of a nearby pond that has been frozen over. Thomas advises against going over the pond, but Terence is not worried because of his caterpillar tracks. He gets to the other side of the pond, but leaves a huge crack in the ice.

After the tree has been chopped down, Terence goes back over the frozen pond. Thomas notices the ice cracking, but Terence chooses not to stop, as he is almost to the other side. He runs over the crack he left earlier and the ice breaks, leaving both Terence's rear end and the front of his trailer in the pond. After Farmer Finney has gotten out of Terence's seat, he yells for Thomas to go get help, but Thomas knows that this will take too long. He decides to pull Terence out on his own and has his driver attach chains to his plow. Thomas pulls Terence free of the water, but the trailer's hitch breaks and it sinks to the bottom of the pond, taking the tree with it. Terence apologizes to Thomas for his recklessness, but Thomas is not at all upset.


At the Christmas fair at Ulfstead, Terence apologizes to Sir Topham Hatt for losing the tree, but he is just happy that Terence is safe. Sir Robert Norramby arrives to unveil the replacement tree and, anticlimactically, turns on the lights to reveal that he only has a small tree, which has been put amid a stack of presents to give the illusion that it is massive in size. Nonetheless, he thanks Thomas and Terence for the tree and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas.


What better way to bring Terence back than making an episode centred around him? Might I say, Terence looks brill in CGi. Many of us have noticed that his widow's peak has been replaced with eyebrows. Who cares about that? All that matters is that he returned.

There was a reference to the Disney movie Bambi at the beginning when a deer and a rabbit were sliding along the frozen lake.

There was a very well done flashback to Thomas, Terence and the Snow when Terence the Tractor reminded Thomas the Tank Engine about the time they first met. And there was even more snow than the original story and the adaptation, just goes to show there are some things you can't do with models.

It was nice to hear Farmer Finney, Terence's driver, speak for the first time.

This episode is home to a reference to Titanic when the Christmas tree sank down in the part of the pond Terence the Tractor broke, and Terence the Tractor was wrapped in a blanket similar to Rose.

The one thing that is noticeable is that Terence is voiced by Tom Stourton, who also voices Duncan the Rock n' Roll Engine and Rex the Green Miniature Engine, since Terence's voice is just Duncan's with a Northern accent.

So overall, this was a well done episode. Not solely due to Terence's return, but because of how well executed it was.

My rating: 10/10.

Season 21 scorecard:

1. Springtime for Diesel: 9.5/10.

2. A Most Singular Engine: 9.5/10.

3. Dowager Hatt's Busy Day: 10/10.

4. Stuck in Gear: 9/10.

5. Runaway Engine: 9.5/10.

6. P.A. Problems: 9.5/10.

7. Hasty Hannah: 8/10.

8. Cranky at the End of the Line: 5.5/10.

9. New Crane on the Dock: 9.5/10.

10. Unscheduled Stops: 10/10.

11. Philip's Number: 9/10.

12. The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor: 10/10.

13. A Shed for Edward: 9/10.

14. The Big Freeze: 3/10.

15. Emily in the Middle: 7.5/10.

16. Terence Breaks the Ice: 10/10.

Season 21 so far: 8.9/10.