On July 19, 2007, HiT Entertainment, the owners of the Thomas & Friends series at the time, announced that Irish actor Pierce Brosnan would be the new narrator of the series, starting with a new hour-long special titled The Great Discovery, and would be the narrator for both the British and American versions of the show. Brosnan stated he was excited at the prospect of narrating the series he had watched with his children. HiT CEO Bruce Steinberg stated that Brosnan would be a "unique voice that children and parents around the world will recognise and trust", and credited the current narrators, English actor Michael Angelis, and American actor Michael Brandon, for laying the foundation for future narrators of the show.[1][2][3]
Filming of the special took place at Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, England, where it had been filmed since its second season. The film was released on September 9, 2008, in the United States, and September 20, 2008 in the United Kingdom, with Brosnan narrating both versions. Although it would be announced that he would be the permanent narrator for the series, he did not return for the following season of the series; instead, Angelis and Brandon reprised their roles as narrator for the British and American versions of the show respectively.
Plot
Irish actor Pierce Brosnan narrates this special; his only role in the Thomas & Friends series.
As the island's annual "Sodor Day" is approaching, Thomas and James head to the wharf, awaiting duties from The Thin Controller. Upon arriving, Thomas is sent to collect timber with Duncan, one of the island's narrow-gauge engines, who teases Thomas for not knowing his way around the hills. Duncan then tricks Thomas by leading him down a path which requires crossing an old bridge. As Thomas attempts to cross the bridge, several portions fall off into the ravine below, before the bridge ultimately collapses entirely. Once he retreats from the scene, he takes an alternate path, this time leading him to a well-preserved, overgrown, and abandoned town. Word quickly spreads across the island, and eventually reaches The Fat Controller, who tells Thomas the town is Great Waterton.
The Fat Controller orders a complete restoration of the town, and orders Thomas in charge of the process, and introduces a new tank engine named Stanley to do Thomas' normal work while he is in charge. While the other engines become fond of Stanley, Thomas grows increasingly jealous when he sees Stanley doing his work and getting along with the engines so well. Thomas finds Stanley in his berth at Tidmouth Sheds later on in the night, and furiously leaves to sleep elsewhere for the night. The next day, Thomas derails and rolls down an embankment. He is sent for repairs, and Stanley takes over his duties, much to his chagrin. Upon being repaired, Thomas returns to the town, where Stanley is performing his duties. Thomas decides to play a trick on Stanley, and asks him to carry a load of trucks that is far too heavy. As Stanley pulls the train, it uncouples from him, rolls down the tracks, and crashes into a brick standpipe tower, causing it to collapse to the ground, sending dust and debris flying across town.
When The Fat Controller announces that there may be a setback in the restoration of the town, the engines grow furious with Thomas, who avoid talking to him as they leave for the night. While Thomas is clearing off some of the debris alone, he bumps into a truck that leads into an abandoned mine, which he then chases throughout it. However, at one point, there's a fork in the track, and the truck goes down one set of rails, and Thomas unknowingly goes down the opposite path. As he carries own down the track, the tunnel ahead of him is blocked. He attempts to brake, but it fails, and Thomas crashes through the boarded up tunnel and lands in a river-like body of water, where he then begins to float away. The next morning, Thomas is nowhere to be found. The engines search for him to no avail. The Fat Controller declares Thomas as missing, and orders a large-scale search. After floating in the water in the mine for a period of time, Thomas then collides with a wall of bushes, flies across a ravine, and after rolling down a hill, settles at the bottom of it next to a set of rails, unable to move. As the engines continue searching for him, Stanley reflects on how Thomas must have felt seeing him getting along with his friends and doing his duties.
Stanley decides to venture himself to find Thomas. In doing so, Stanley stops on the tracks and blows a long and loud whistle. Thomas, hearing the whistle, musters up enough strength to blow a whistle back, which Stanley hears, and immediately rushes towards. Stanley sees Thomas at the bottom of the hill near the rails, and helps him out, but while doing so, bursts a valve in his boiler. Thomas uses some of Stanley's coal and brings Stanley back to Great Waterton, and word immediately spreads that Thomas has been found. At the conclusion of the film, after the restoration had been completed, Stanley offers Thomas the opportunity to bring the mayor of Sodor to Great Waterton. While the festivities carry forward, Thomas reflects on the importance of his friends.
Reception
Brosnan was praised for his narration by the media and by HiT Entertainment. Common Sense Media rated the film 4 out of 5, stating that it teaches lessons about jealousy and leadership through Thomas' adventures throughout it.[4][5][6]
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