thomas the tank engine

has anyone caught the latest incarnation of thomas the tank engine on citv daily at a quarter past three? : even though it is now proper widescreen doesnt forgive the sacriledge of removing the theme music and introducing computer generated characters!! the voice over person makes you want to fall asleep. bring back ringo starr!

That programme is meant for the 0-5years age range. You can't seriously care about it (unless you happen to be of that age) can you?

er...man...things move with the times..its just great that thomas is still on tv and still well liked!!...but dont get me started on sooty and co..now that has been ruined...

Why not? I care that a programme I grew up with has been changed and bàstardised in such a way. I agree it is nothing like the original Ringo Starr series, but then again those series were greatly changed from the original books.

have you seen this latest version? and is this version still well liked?

Adopts Scouse accent :

'Thomas the tanked up engine rolled into the station'

Was that from a 'Spitting Image' ?

I watch it occasionally on Nick Jnr (Dear God, i'm watching Nick Jnr!!)

The computer generated characters are fine, if it makes it a more exciting show why not! But I was saddened to hear a new theme tune at the end considering right up until the late 90s the same theme was being used, and i don't think it's aged at all.

Is it possibly because the original people who made the show aren't making it anymore? As far as I know Nick Jnr themselves are actually producing it now.

I wasn't aware that Nick Jr were actually producing the programme, though within the recent years they are the ones that have been commissioning the programme to be made with CiTV getting in on the act somewhere, whether it be buying the terrestrial rights off Nick Jr putting money into production.

Up until this series though the theme tune and everything was the same, just with new stories. I have only watched the titles so far after watching Puffin's Pla(i)ce before I get the overwhelming power above me commanding for Countdown to be put on!

IMDb suggests that Nick Jnr have nothing to do with it. They may only be a distributor but it does have the Nick Jnr logo on the endcap.

It also said that ALEC BALDWIN narrated it from 1998-2003!

I watched a newer episode of TTTE a few months ago and the endcap was HiT and Nick Junior, they must have the UK rights or something to do with it, certainately more than ITV. Britt Allcroft Enterprises used to make it, but they sold out to HiT, when it was on ITV in the 1980's I think Central were involved somewhere.

It's also better with Ringo Starr doing the voices NOT Michael Angellis.

It's the same with Post Man Pat, my sister had it on the other day and the theme tune at the end has been dropped to "Can You Guess what's In His Bag"

Whatever the reason for the Americanisation , ITV are showing it because it's cheaper - I wouldn't mind betting. The old series ( whatever you think of Ringo ) was what is termed a " classic " in my book. But is anyone at ITV really capable of thinking above the " bottom line " ?