Harken back to your youth, folks. You undoubtedly watched at least one (1) episode of Thomas The Tank Engine. If you were me with a train-obsessed cousin, you watched 4570 episodes and were also forced to play trains, and if you refused you got smacked across the head with said train. Thanks, Tim.
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You’ll also likely remember a cast that was dick-heavy. I know, it’s 7.30am and I’m talking about train dicks. I’M SORRY. In short, pretty much all the regular train characters were male.
Just in case any of you are fucking Thomas The Tank Engine uber-nerds, YES I know there were gal characters. I did my research. It’s frankly been exhausting. I’ve found many girls. Annie and Clarabel, but they were coaches. No county. Ditto for Henrietta. There was Mavis, this boss of a diesel engine. That’s something.
But for the most part, it was ~DA BOIZ~ that dominated the show.
I feel like you’re going to make me deep dive on ALL the lady characters that have ever existed, and there have been quite a few, but I’m TIRED, OK? FINE FINE FINE. Belle, a firefighting engine from season 15 onward. Frieda, a German engine that I think was in one ep. Marion, a steam shovel. Gina a small tank engine from Italy. Emily, Lexi, Hannah, Daisy. Caitlin and Millie.
BUT ALSO, look at this:
Guys, I’m so tired. This has been a lot of train-related research so early in the morning.
Let’s just acknowledge that our MEMORIES of Thomas are boy engines and be done with it. Can I get to the news, now?
Basically, the new series of Thomas, called Thomas And Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! airs on Channel 5 in the UK next week, will feature a bunch of new international girl characters – Ilsa from Australia (a medical plane!), Hong-mei from China, Nia from Africa and Churubala, a female railway controller from India. The producers are calling them “strong girl characters”, according to Metro.
The United Nations was actually involved in the overhaul, as part of it’s sustainable development program. It’s the first time the UN has collaborated with a kids TV program, which is cool. The changes were made to represent the 40%+ female viewership of the show, to send a message of gender equality to the young audience.
The new series will see Thomas leave Sodor and head abroad, which makes zero sense – there aren’t train lines that just run across GIANT OCEANS, you stupid show. But it’s all part of the additional push for multiculturalism, which is nice. I’ll allow it.
