TTTE S3E25: Percy, James and the Fruitful Day + Season 3 overall

I'm going to review an episode with the Percy and James dynamic and it'll be my last Season 3 review on Thomas.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

77. Percy, James and the Fruitful Day.

Based on "Percy Gets Jammed" by Andrew Brenner.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 7 July 1992. AUS: 19 March 1993. US: 2 April 1993.

One day, James is waiting at the junction when Percy arrives with some troublesome trucks. James tells Percy that engines should always be on time while he puffs away. Percy thinks James is being bossy and ignores him. It is market day when James arrives at the harbour to see all the wonderful fruits from far away lands. James' trucks are filled and he sets off along the main line. On the way, he meets Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel and cannot resist boasting. Thomas knows that there will be trouble ahead for boastful James.

Back at the yard, Percy is busy shunting when the stationmaster tells his driver that James' brakes are jammed and that Percy has to go and help him at once. Percy quickly sets off and soon finds James stranded on the main line. Percy cannot resist laughing and teasing James. Percy's driver soon intervenes and asks Percy if he can push the trucks of fruit. Soon, Percy is coupled to the trucks and sets off. Percy is in a hurry and is not paying full attention to the line. He has not seen that the points has failed and that he has been diverted into a siding - until it is too late. Percy crashes into the buffers and gets covered in sticky fruit. The Fat Controller sternly reminds Percy that while the point failure is not his fault, his railway is not a jam factory.


That night in the sheds, all the engines are silent until Thomas reminds everyone that they are all Really Useful Engines.

This is one funny episode, especially when Percy crashed James' fruit train into a siding, and when all the squashed fruit covered him. Though there's one minor problem with this episode. Why were Annie and Clarabel in sidings instead of behind Thomas the Tank Engine? Unless they were being inspected in their siding.

But even so, the Percy and James dynamic is very well executed here and fun to watch.

My rating: 10/10.

Season 3 final thoughts:

Season 3 was, without a doubt, the best season of the show. Okay, it really did stick out to me as a kid, so I guess I'm being biased. The well done scenery, the way it moved away from adapting Railway Series stories even if Wilbert disapproved, especially of Henry's Forest, but I digress. And of course a few of the adaptations were loose, especially Tender Engines and The Trouble with Mud. And of course it would've been better if Thomas and the Evil Diesel, Super Rescue and Gordon Goes Foreign were adapted and Percy Takes the Plunge was held off for this season, but I digress. So again, Season 3 was, to me, the best of the show and I feel no season tops it. 

Season 3 episodes from least favourite to favourite:

6/10.

26. Tender Engines.

25. The Trouble with Mud.

7/10.

24. Diesel Does it Again.

7.5/10.

23. No Joke for James.

8/10.

22. Oliver Owns Up.

21. Time for Trouble.

8.5/10.

20. Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure.*
19. Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party.

9/10.

18. Mavis.
17. Toby's Tightrope.
16. Buzz, Buzz.

9.5/10.
15. Donald's Duck.

14. Bulgy.

13. A Scarf for Percy.

12. One Good Turn...

11. Percy's Promise.

10. Henry's Forest.

9. Thomas, Percy and the Dragon.

8. Gordon and the Famous Visitor.

10/10.

7. Percy, James and the Fruitful Day.

6. Thomas, Percy and the Post Train.
5. Heroes.

4. Escape!

3. All At Sea.

2. Trust Thomas.

1. Thomas Gets Bumped.

Season 3 average score: 9.5/10.

Final score: 9.4/10.