PBS Retro is a free ad-supported American digital streaming broadcast channel on Amazon Freevee, Plex, Roku and Vizio WatchFree+ which was launched on 23 April 2024. It airs a variety of classic PBS Kids programming, including Thomas & Friends which currently airs Series 8, 9, 10 and 11 in the half-hour airing format. Selected episodes from Series 6 and 7 also air as part of the half-hour airings of Series 8 and 9.
Airings
Trivia
- This channel marks the first of a few things:
- The first time that Thomas & Friends half-hour airings from the model era have aired on TV in the US since 2013 and the first time they've aired on TV anywhere in the world since they last aired on Nick Jr. in the UK around spring 2015.
- The first time Thomas & Friends has been aired on a PBS-owned channel since the end of 2017.
- The first time that Mattel has partnered with PBS since 2018.
- Generally, the airings use their original masters from their 2004-2007 PBS Kids and Treehouse TV syndication runs. As such, the airings are presented in the 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio. However, there are some noteworthy differences:
- The airings open with the 1971-1984 PBS ID.
- During the airings, there are two ad breaks; one after the first story, and the other after the Learning Segments preceding the last story. Sometimes there would be an extra ad break after one airing is over before either starting the next airing or a different program.
- The end of Series 8 episodes have the CPTV logo shown on a black background with an animated gradient, while the PBS Kids airings used the normal 2004 logo. This may have been an early prototype given the airings were sourced from the master prints. They would use the normal 2004 logo starting with Series 9.
- The airings are presented in 29.97fps progressive scan, even though the original airings were interlaced and could be viewed in 60fps.
- The airings are presented in mono with only the left channel of the stereo mix playing in both the left and right channels.
- The airings are presented in a 576p resolution, as opposed to the standard 480i resolution that the airings were initially presented in.
- What's the Matter with Henry? features a different title card on PBS Retro than the title card used in the initial and updated PBS Kids and Treehouse TV airings.
- Tuneful Toots & Duncan and the Old Mine both use their redubbed versions where Rusty is referred to as male.
- Favorite Places has a major audio glitch during the opening segments, which is an error with the master itself.
- Big and Small uses an early screening master, this master features the 2007 HiT Entertainment logo in the top left corner (albeit blurred out) as well as featuring the closing segment of Thomas' crew cleaning him up after the day's work after the CPTV logo and credits.
- New Friends has a small visual glitch during the final shot of the Welcome to the Island of Sodor intro.
- Sights and Sounds cuts out too early, causing the PBS Kids ID to end after the kids say PB- it then cuts straight to black as usual.
- Fun and Games has a minor audio glitch at the beginning of Toby's Triumph, which is an error with the master itself. It also cuts out too early just like Sights and Sounds, causing the PBS Kids ID to end after the kids say PB- and cutting to black.
- The first Series 9 block, Colors, was originally scheduled to air on 5 May 2024 but was strangely pulled from the schedule on 26 April and was replaced with the second Series 9 block, Caring for unknown reasons.
- The Series 9 airings includes the full opening of Thomas' crew getting him ready for the day's work, indicating the masters shown on PBS Retro are from later re-airings after the premiere of Series 10. However, Nick Jr. UK and Treehouse TV airings of Series 9 included these same full openings when they first aired in 2005.
- The original shots from the Series 11 episodes Dirty Work, Hector the Horrid!, Thomas and the Spaceship, Don't Be Silly, Billy, and Hide and Peep can be seen due to the airings associated with them being the original masters.
- On Plex, a couple of episodes have errors on their listings
- Thomas and the Firework Display is referred to as Thomas and the Fireworks.
- Strength is listed as only containing the episode Thomas and the Birthday Mail and the title and description contain no mention of Duncan's Bluff
- Fun and Games is listed as containing Don't Be Silly Billy/Fun & Games. However, the description does contain mention of Edward and the Mail even though the title doesn't match the episode title.
- Since 27 August 2024, Differences has been accidentally listed with the description of the Series 15 episode Edward the Hero on the Roku version of the channel.
- As of January 2025, PBS Retro, Sensical Jr., and Hot Wheels Action are the only channels which currently air Thomas & Friends live in the US.
Gallery
Intermissions
Promotional Footage
Title Cards
Videos
Roku TV - PBS Retro Promo