ThomasTales

ThomasTales is a children's animated series created by Big Zone featuring anthropomorphic engines in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity. This show seems to be most popular, but despite fans' doubts it was going to continue running, it was eventually cancelled around 2018.

## History

The show was created by Matt Vischer and Tyler Nawrocki when they wanted to create a series of videos teaching children about stories and lessons from the Bible, while making it fun and entertaining.

Matt originally started out in 1990 when he wanted to use candy bars as a basis. However, his wife objected the idea as she thought it was a bad influnce on kids. So when he watched Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends and when he saw Thomas, Percy, and James, he thought that was the best choice, engines. He chose these objects as he said they were easy to animate as compared to characters with limbs, clothes, or hair because of the limitations on 3D graphics during the early 90s.

Matt then joined with Tyler Nawrocki, who they both did puppet shows in Bible college. Phil did one on "The Princess and the Truck," but telling it from the truck's perspective, but never made it as a puppet show. Ultimately, the sketches Matt drew became the basis for ThomasTales.

The name itself came from Tyler Nawrocki, as he felt it was a good title as it was about engines telling stories.

While Toy Story is considered the first animation film to use computer imagery for film, ThomasTales is the first video series using that type of animation prior to the film's release.

The series started with only either one or two episode(s) per year, until the company grew and produced three videos per year as of 2014. Since then, no new episodes of the series have been produced, likely due to Big Zone being too busy making and focusing on the Netflix series.

In 2014, shortly after the release of Ruby and the Truck (the last episode to feature the original look of the characters), Netflix released 11 minute shorts exclusively along with new redesigns of the original cast. In a recent podcast, Matt says that they have colored iris' (similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog series) and their mouths are more dynamic. He also says that Henry's hair looks swirly.

## Episodes

1. Where's Thomas When I'm Frightened?
2. Thomas Wants Me To Ride With Them!?!
3. Are You An Engine?
4. Thomas, James & Percy
5. James and the Giant Red Balloon
6. The Trains Who Saved Christmas
7. Very Thomas Songs!
8. Merlin-Man! and the Monster from Brendam Docks!
9. Sir Topham Hatt and the Big Building!
10. Madame Emily
11. The End of Train Songs?
12. Merlin-Man and the Devious Diesel
13. King Merlin and the Truck
14. Nia: The Engine Who Became A Princess
15. James The Kindly Splendid Engine
16. The Ultimate Thomas Song Countdown!
17. Barney Sing-Along Songs and More!
18. The Train Of Christmas
19. The Wonderful World Of Enter-tunement!
20. The Ballad Of Little Merlin
21. Another Easter Carol
22. A TUGS' Tale
23. Island of the Sodor
24. Merlin and the Great Railway Show Race
25. Indiana Merlin and the Search for Sir Topham Hatt's Umbrella
26. Lord of the Engines
27. Sherlock Merlin and the Golden Treasure
28. Merlin-Man and the Bad Tugboat
29. Theodore: Tugboat Warrior
30. Merlin and the Great Exit
31. The Wonderful Island of Sodor
32. Thomas Swayer and Huckleberry Merlin's Big World, Big Adventure
33. Sir Topham Hatt and the Amazing World
34. Indiana Merlin and the Search for Daisy Bunny's Phone
35. Saint Nick: A Story of Joyful Giving
36. Picosito: The Little Boy That Woodn’t
37. Snow Right: A Girl After The Lord’s Own Heart
38. It's A Colorful Life
39. Twas The Evening Before Easter
40. Princess And The Rock Star
41. The Little Drummer Boy
42. Raven Hood And His Not-So Merry Men
43. The Payless Princess
44. The League of Incredible Engines
45. The Small Building That Stood
46. MacMerlin And The Stinky Sock Fight
47. Merry Merlin And The True Spark Of Christmas
48. Engines in Space: The Final Frontier
49. Engine Night Fever
50. Ruby And The Truck
51. Noah's Ark

## Feature Films

1. Barney: A ThomasTales Movie
2. The Pirates Who Do Nothing: A ThomasTales Movie

## Computer Games

1. Indiana Merlin and the Apple Monkeys
2. ThomasTales: The Mystery of Engine Island
3. Barney: A ThomasTales Game
4. ThomasTales: Engine Carnival
5. ThomasTales' Creativity City
6. ThomasTales: Dance, Dance, Dance!
7. ThomasTales: Merlin-Man and the Bad Tugboat Videogame

## Spinoffs

1. 3-2-1 Tugboats!
2. Merlin-Man: The Cartoon Adventures
3. ThomasTales in the Apartment
4. ThomasTales in the City

## Appisodes

1. 3 Builders
2. Royalty With A Fondness of Bath Toys
3. A Warrior's Tale
4. A Walled Situation

## Compilations

1. If I Sang A Goofy Song
2. Lessons From The Engine Caper
3. Lessons From The Engine Caper 2
4. Lessons From The Engine Caper 3
5. The Lord Made You Special
6. The Lord Loves You Very Much
7. Merlin Learns To Listen
8. Thomas Lends A Helping Hand
9. Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too!
10. Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too 2
11. Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too 3
12. Lettuce Love One Another
13. Goofy Little Thing Called Love
14. Happy Together!
15. ThomasTales: Live! Sing Yourself Goofy
16. Heroes of the Bible - Lions, Shepherds & Queens, Oh My!
17. Heroes of the Bible - Stand Up, Stand Tall, Stand Strong
18. Heroes of the Bible - A Baby, A Quest and the Wild, Wild West
19. Heroes of the Bible - A Selfish King, A Big Fish and a Great Cookie War
20. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: Do the Moo Shu
21. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: Dance of the Engine
22. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: I Love My Lips
23. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: I Can Be Your Friend
24. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: The Hairbrush Song
25. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: The Water Buffalo Song
26. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: Bubble Rap
27. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: A Mess Down in Georgia
28. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: Bellybutton
29. ThomasTales Sing Alongs: The Song of the Pudú
30. Enginez in the Sink - Sing Yourself Silly!
31. ThomasTales: Growing Generous Kids!
32. ThomasTales: Growing Patient Kids!
33. ThomasTales: Growing Faithful Kids!
34. ThomasTales: Growing Kindhearted Kids!
35. ThomasTales: Growing Courageous Kids!
36. ThomasTales: Growing Confident Kids!
37. All the Shows Vol. 1 - 1993-1999
38. All the Shows Vol. 2 - 2000-2005
39. All the Shows Vol. 3 - 2005-2010
40. All the Shows Vol. 4 - 2010-2013

## CD's

1. ThomasTunes
2. ThomasTunes 2
3. ThomasTunes: A Queen, A King and a Very Orange Engine!
4. ThomasTunes 4
5. ThomasTunes 5: A Kind Girl, A Harmonic Boy and a Misfit River-Rambler
6. A Very Goofy Christmas
7. And Now It's Time for Goofy Songs with Merlin
8. Christian Hit Music
9. Enginez in the Sink
10. ThomasTales Greatest Hits
11. Here I Am to Worship
12. Hosanna! Today's Top Worship Songs for Kids
13. 25 Favorite Goofy Songs!
14. Songs for a Princess
15. QBT Merlin: The Soundtrack
16. Jonas: A ThomasTales Movie Soundtrack
17. The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree
18. The Pirates Who Don't Do Nothing: A ThomasTales Movie Soundtrack
19. ThomasRocks!
20. ThomasTales Worship Songs
21. Thomas and Merlin Sing the 70's
22. Thomas and Merlin Sing the 80's
23. Thomas and Merlin Go Country
24. The Lord Made You Special!
25. The Lord Loves You Very Much!
26. Snow Right's Songs for Girls
27. 25 Favorite Very ThomasTunes
28. More 25 Favorite Very ThomasTunes
29. Even MORE 25 Favorite Very ThomasTunes
30. 75 Favorite Very Thomas Tunes!
31. 25 Favorite Sunday School Songs
32. 25 Favorite Christmas Songs
33. 25 Favorite Lullaby Songs
34. 25 Favorite Action Songs
35. 25 Favorite Toddler Songs
36. 25 Favorite Travel-Time Songs
37. 25 Favorite Bible Songs
38. Storytime with Thomas and Merlin - Volume 1
39. Storytime with Thomas and Merlin - Volume 2
40. All the Songs: Volume One