Thomas & Friends (1984)
Audiences like it.
The FilmyChill Score combines audience ratings and critics' reception, and updates twice a day. No studio or platform can pay for a score. How the score works
Thomas & Friends is streaming in New Zealand on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video.
What the audience says
Thomas & Friends is a solid, watchable English series that mostly delivers on what it promises. It holds a 6.8/10 on TMDB from 159 ratings, right around average territory.
Is it worth starting?
This is 24 seasons deep — English animation with kids threaded through. Starting now means a backlog — worth knowing before you press play.
- Why
- 6.8/10 from 159 ratings — well received so far, on a modest sample.
- Skip if
- a backlog this size is the opposite of what you're after
- Best for
- A proper binge, once you've got the weeks for it
Story
Thomas & Friends is a British children's television series, which had its first broadcast on the ITV network on 4 September 1984. It is based on The Railway Series of books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry. These books deal with the adventures of a group of anthropomorphised locomotives and road vehicles who live on the fictional Island of Sodor. The books were based on stories Wilbert told to entertain his son, Christopher during his recovery from measles. From Series one to four, many of the stories are based on events from Awdry's personal experience.
Good to know
| Runtime | ~5 min per episode |
| Genre | Animation / Kids |
| Language | English |
| Best screen | Stream at home |
Director
Britt Allcroft
Cast
Where to watch in New Zealand
Included with a subscription — no extra charge on these platforms.
Availability as of 27 Sept 2026 — platforms may change over time.
More: Everything new on Netflix · All Netflix titles in New Zealand
Trailer
If you liked this
