Of COURSE she understood it. You don’t mortgage your house to bring something to life if you don’t “understand” what makes it special. The thing is, Britt had MULTIPLE understandings of it.
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She understood it from the Awdry perspective - that trains in and of themselves have a natural appeal. She also understood that it’s not JUST appealing because it adheres to railway practices - it’s because the characters themselves are so captivating.
That’s why the characters are still so much fun in TATMR - because Britt understood what made people like them! Is TATMR itself in line with the original spirit of the books? Perhaps not - but that doesn’t mean she didn’t understand the appeal of the characters and world.
Britt had an insurmountable task of trying to merge these two worlds - Shining Time & Thomas - that had only had loose connections on TV. Now, she had to properly merge them - and on the big screen, too!
People have been moaning about TATMR “disgracing” Awdry for ages - and it’s never going to change. That’s fine - it doesn’t do much for me these days, though it holds a special place in my heart. Regardless of its reputation, you cannot say Britt didn’t understand and love the characters.
She loved them when she first discovered them; she loved them as she brought them to life; she loved them after she’d been unseated and lost her role in the show’s creation; and she loved them right up to her final moments.
The “appeal” of Thomas is something that can take so many forms. I don’t understand how people can like the books/show and NOT take interest in real railways - but they do! That’s what makes the CHARACTERS special - not whether there are magic buffers or Rule 55s.
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