Digs & Discoveries is a not-quite-movie from the Thomas & Friends series. Although it was marketed and released as a "2-part special", it's really just two extended episodes ("All Tracks Lead to Rome" and "Mines of Mystery") stitched together.
Thomas travels to Italy, where he’s introduced to the country’s rich, ancient history. While working on the Italian railroad, Thomas meets Stefano the Super Cruiser and runs into his old friend Gina, just in time for her to come to his rescue after his curiosity leads to trouble. Determined to make an amazing discovery, Thomas find himself lost down an old mine where he uncovers the legendary Lost Engine, Lorenzo!
The duology was released on July 7, 2019 for a week-long engagement at Drayton Manor's 4D Theatre (where the UK Thomas Land theme park is located), and released on DVD there (as an hour-long special with the episodes "Lorenzo's Solo" and "Too Loud, Thomas!" bundled in) on October 7. Meanwhile, the US aired "All Tracks Lead to Rome" as a standalone episode on September 21, with "Mines of Mystery" airing on the 28th, while the UK aired the former episode on December 21 and the latter episode on the 22nd. Canada aired the whole thing on August 16, 2019.
Digs & Discoveries provides examples of:
- Art Shift: The story of the lost engine is told by abstract wall art.
- Base on Wheels: Stefano is a Cool Boat and Cool Car at once, and can carry other vehicles on and inside him.
- Berserk Button:
- Gina doesn't take too kindly if you say anything insulting about Italy.
- She also gets offended if you ever say she Huffs and Puffs.
- Big Fun: Engines look forward to Stefano, whether it be riding with him or hearing his stories.
- The Bus Came Back: Gina, who first appeared in The Great Race, returns.
- Call-Back: Jack mentions the events of Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
- Cartoon Creature: Stefano is possibly the most egregious example in the series to date. Not only is he designed to carry cargo, road vehicles, and rail vehicles - both in his hull and on his deck - he's also able to move on water, drive on land, and operate a crane and winch all under his own power. The closest real-world match for him is the Pelican
, a half-track amphibious transport developed by the US military during World War II, but it was never actually built and did not have a crane. - Character Catchphrase: Gina tends to say "You're the expert Thomas" in her snarky way.
- Covers Always Lie: Gina is shown front and center on the DVD cover, but she's not the main character of the movie; Thomas is, obviously.
- Deadpan Snarker: Gina often snarks about how Thomas is such an expert.
- Didn't Think This Through: Lorenzo's curiosity causes him to wind up in a mine
- Gentle Giant: Stefano is huge and imposing, but a friendly machine that loves to help out however he can.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Lorenzo and Beppe are essentially inseparable. This is carried into the main series.
- Imagine Spot: Thomas has two; one where he competes against Gina in a chariot race, and another parodying Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Italians Talk with Hands: Mia from the museum gesticulates a lot.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Thomas tries to be an expert of Italy, but fails.
- Mentor Archetype: Beppe looks up to Lorenzo and wants to be like him.
- Musical Nod: During the trip to the museum site, a brief instrumental version of "The Work Song" (a song from the short lived Jack and the Pack Spin-Off series) plays.
- Running Gag: Thomas failing to pronounce "archaeology".
- Shout-Out: The second fantasy sequence is a reference to Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Spaghetti and Gondolas: This has basically everything Italian in one 'movie', from opera, to the Leaning Tower Of Pisa, to Rome, etc.
- Special Edition Title: The special uses the standard season 22 opening, but the title now reads "Digs & Discoveries" instead of "Big World! Big Adventures!".
- The Storyteller: Stefano. He brings stories from the different harbors of Italy and shares them with the engines and vehicles he meets.
