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