Episode Rankings: Infinity Train

Infinity Train shouldn't have been canceled. It deserved to have its full eight seasons. Infinity Train was one of the best animated shows in the past decade, balanced a gripping mystery with some compelling personal stories. Each season was great, and it's a shame we didn't get to see the full story. Here's my ranking of its episodes, hopefully so far:

1. The Tape Car (S2.09)
2. The New Apex (S3.10)
3. The Wasteland (S2.08)
4. The Hey Ho Whoa Car (S3.08)
5. The Engine (S1.10)
6. The Color Clock Car (S3.05)
7. The Number Car (S2.10)
8. The Ball Pit Car (S1.08)
9. The Mall Car (S2.07)
10. The Origami King (S3.09)
11. The Castle Car (S4.09)
12. The Cat's Car (S1.05)
13. The Toad Car (S2.04)
14. The Party Car (S4.06)
15. The Twin Tapes (S4.01)
16. Le Chat Chalet Car (S3.04)
17. The Chrome Car (S1.07)
18. The Campfire Car (S3.06)
19. The Lucky Cat Car (S2.06)
20. The Train To Nowhere (S4.10)
21. The Past Car (S1.09)
22. The Art Gallery Car (S4.07)
23. The Canyon Of The Golden Winged Snakes Car (S3.07)
24. The Astro Queue Car (S4.05)
25. The Map Car (S2.03)
26. The Crystal Car (S1.04)
27. The Parasite Car (S2.05)
28. The Grid Car (S1.01)
29. The Musical Car (S3.01)
30. The Debutante Ball Car (S3.03)
31. The Mega Maze Car (S4.08)
32. The Black Market Car (S2.01)
33. The Corgi Car (S1.03)
34. The Old West Car (S4.03)
35. The Jungle Car (S3.02)
36. The Family Tree Car (S2.02)
37. The Beach Car (S1.02)
38. The Unfinished Car (S1.06)
39. The Iceberg Car (S4.02)
40. The Pig Baby Car (S4.04)

Infinity Train (Book 4)

Infinity Train was supposed to have eight seasons. Right now, it has four, cancelled right in the middle of its run, and that's just heart-breaking. Seasons 2-3 were already so good, imagine how amazing the later seasons could be. I'm still holding out hope, but it just hurts that the show ended so early, let alone on such a table-setting season.

Book 4 of Infinity Train is a much different season than the first three, taking a more light and character-driven tone. There isn't as much emphasis on the mysteries of the titular train, rather this season focuses on Ryan and Min-Gi, presumably the first case in which two people enter the train at the same time. These two were childhood friends, but had a massive falling out, so now they're on the train to mend their relationship. I thought their storyline was alright, the first episode did a good job of establishing the conflict and their dynamic throughout the season remained entertaining, but I feel like this was probably the least interesting book for me. I think it's because the show doesn't really do anything new, it doesn't have the mystery of Book 1, the existentialism of Book 2, or the moral ambiguity of Book 3. It's about two normal people on the train with no twists to the formula, so we already know they're going to escape, unlike the other seasons where it really feels like the characters have to earn their escape. Book 4 was fun, but it just wasn't as ambitious.

Of course, there has to be the comic relief denizen, and this season gives us Kez, who I actually really love. Her snarky attitude and the fact that the whole train seems to hate her is just so funny and entertaining, at least until the show starts exploring how her lackadaisical attitude impacts everyone she meets. Honestly, Kel was the real star of the show this season. As for the train, probably the most interesting aspect of the season for me is that it's a prequel, so we get to see Amelia take over as conductor in the background of the season. However, that's the only real bit of lore we get this time. The rest of the season is purely personal, and has a much lighter tone as a result, which isn't all a bad thing, we did all get some cool cars like the "astronauts on a line" car. It's pretty obvious why this is the case, Book 4 was meant to be a breather season that set the tables for Book 5, which is also why the fact that the series is cancelled is so frustrating. Book 4 isn't a bad season, it's still well-written and emotional with some really great episodes, but as a final season without the follow-up it needs, it sticks out like a sore thumb. And if Book 5 does somehow come out, I may even re-review this one with that added perspective, but in the context of a final season, Book 4 just feels lacking.

While the season wasn't as compelling as the first three, it still had some pretty great episodes:

The Twin Tapes: This was a really unique premiere for the series, focusing entirely on the lead's lives outside of the train. Watching Ryan and Min-Gi slowly fall apart was just plain uncomfortable, and the split screen in the middle of the episode did a great job of showing how their lives were going in different directions. And the reveal that the season was a prequel is pretty cool too.

The Party Car: The bathroom scene was one of the most effective moments of bonding between Ryan and Min-Gi. Even though they were able to play a concert yet, seeing them just jamming out in the tub was incredibly sweet. We also get our first big hint that Amelia is taking over the car.

The Castle Car: This was easily my favorite episode of the season because of how it truly explores how Kez's attitude can negatively impact the people around how, how for all of her mistakes, she never truly apologizes. It all goes into making her such a fascinating character for me. Also the ending with Amelia having officially taken over the car was just plain awesome.

The Train To Nowhere: While it wasn't as intense as the other finales, it did a good job at tying everything up. Kez finally apologizing was great, Ryan and Min-Gi mending their relationship was sweet, and overall, this was a pretty heartwarming ending. Maybe not the best series finale, but a good ending to the season.

Overall, Infinity Train's final (hopefully for now) book was meant to be a simple breather season with a light-hearted tone and a simpler story. It's not as intense as Books 1-3 but it's not meant to be and it was a fun watch regardless with probably the best denizen in the series. But it wasn't the best pick for a final season, and it sticks out because of it.

3/5 Stars

My ranking of the seasons, hopefully for now, is:

2 > 3 > 1 > 4

My ranking of the finales, hopefully for now, is:

3 > 1 > 2 > 4

Favorite Episode: The Tape Car

Infinity Train (Book 3)

While I absolutely loved Book 2 of Infinity Train, it was pretty similar to the first and it was time for something different. Book 3 takes a massive risk by making the protagonists insanely unlikable, but I think it paid off.

The main protagonists of this book are none other than Grace and Simon from The Apex, who get stranded away from The Mall Car and are forced to work their way back through the train. What makes this season so interesting is that Grace and Simon were villains last season, and they still are. They have misguided philosophies and cruel actions, and the season starts with them destroying the "Unfinished car" from the first season. They think One-One is the "fake Conductor" of the train, they try to manipulate other kids to their philosophies, and they think poorly of everyone without a number. The show doesn't sugarcoat this fact, these characters are villains, they do awful things, and even though we learn more about their pasts, it doesn't erase their misdeeds. It's easy to absolutely despise Grace and Simon because of this, but I still enjoy watching them. These two leads gain new perspectives on the train throughout their journey, and it's fascinating to watch them evolve in different ways, with Grace regretting her actions and Simon doubling down on them. The second half of the series is particularly compelling as they start to drift apart and turn against each other.

Just as fascinating is Hazel, a passenger who was brought on the train at a very young age and has been raised by a gorilla named Tuba, and has a number that has somehow been turned off. She and Tuba are the token good counterparts of Grace and Simon and not only spark their development, but serve as compelling characters with affecting backstories of their own. As for the train itself, we continue to learn a lot more about how it works, particularly the backstory and name of The Cat. Amelia also makes a much larger appearance here as we see how she's trying to get her number down, while also giving Grace and Simon the big news that she's the false conductor. My only issue with this season compared to the last two is that the cars aren't nearly as inventive this time around, but it's understandable given that the character work takes priority during this book.

This is needless to say at this point, but pretty much every episode was great. These are the highlights, though:

Le Chat Chalet Car: I did not expect this episode's twist. Every person on the train had some sort of guardian, Simon's was The Cat, and she left him to die at 10 years old. No wonder he joined the Apex, and it does a lot to explain more about The Cat and how Simon ended up the way he is. Oh, and the joke about a blizzard being the Randalls having a snowball fight is just the most perfect thing ever.

The Color Clock Car: This episode was just plain painful. The color maze car itself was pretty fun as Simon and Tuba seemed to start to bond, only for Simon to kill Tuba. I thought Simon would at least keep it a secret, but nope, he gloats about it pretty much solidifying the fact that he's not gonna have a change of heart. We also get Hazel turning into a turtle out of grief, adding even more ambiguity to who she really is.

The Hey Ho Woah Car: All of the lingering tension between the group completely explodes during this uncomfortable episode. Amelia reveals she's the False Conductor, Simon learns Hazel's a turtle and that Grace kept it a secret, Hazel learns she's a failed clone of Alrick, and Grace tries to save face by insulting Hazel. It's a relentless eighth episode of the show where absolutely everything goes to hell.

The Origami Car: After constantly being told about their backstories, we're finally shown what really happened with Grace and Simon as the former gets trapped in her old memories. We learn how Grace's parents were like, how she met Amelia, and how The Cat deserted Simon. I was also surprised to find that Hazel left, for good, and she doesn't come back for the rest of the season. Grace ruined things with her.

The New Apex: This is easily the most intense and wince-inducing episode of the show. Wanna know what happens when a Grom kills you? Wanna know what happens when you drag the memory tape out of your head?! The final battle between Grace and Simon was tense and left me breathless as they both nearly fall off the train multiple times, and Simon's entire death sequence was absolutely shocking. This was a great finale and easily the best episode of the season, marking the end of The Apex for good.

Overall, Book 3 of Infinity Train takes a big risk by making the protagonists villains, but it absolutely works. The characters are compelling, the darker tone is a breath of fresh air, and the ending is absolutely stunning. I think Book 2 was still my favorite overall, but the fact that this one was nearly as good is just plain impressive to me.

5/5 Stars

Infinity Train (Book 2)

Being an anthology series, Book 2 of Infinity Train takes place with an entirely new cast and has an entirely new story. However, it doesn't lose the magic that made the first book great, rather it's actually better, with a strong protagonist and an added dose of intensity.

Infinity Train's second book revolves around Mirror Tulip (who I'll refer to as Lake since that's the name she chooses by the end of the season), as she tries to help a person named Jesse leave the train while evading the Reflection Police. Tulip was an alright protagonist for Book 1, but Lake was so much more compelling. While the train itself had less mysteries, the question of how she could escape the train kept me intrigued. I also really liked the Reflection Police as villains, every time they appeared, the show turned intense really fast. But what I especially loved was her conflict about trying to become her own person separate from Tulip and the Flecs, it's one of the first time I see a character try to figure out their identity to this much of an extent. The second half of the season is even better as Lake really starts to doubt herself thanks to the police and the fact that she can't leave the train through the usual portal, yet she still continue to assert that she is her own person and she will find a way to get off the train regardless, she's just such a good character!

As for the other characters, I'm don't think I like them as much as One-One and Atticus, but they're pretty good too. Jesse was a bit annoying at first, but the more I got to know him, the more likable he became (Lake had the same opinion in the show, so I think that was probably intended). He was a very different character than Tulip, with a different conflict about being  As for Alan Dracula, he wasn't nearly as good as Atticus, but his shapeshifting antics got a giggle out of me more often than not. As for the train itself, the cars this time around were really unique at times, like the hand-drawn map car and the hilariously blunt "kick the Toad" car. The latter half of the season also gives us tons of neat lore about how the memories are extracted for the tapes and how the numbers are printed, but the best new piece of lore was the introduction of the Apex, a group of delinquent humans that want the highest number they can get and hate those who don't have numbers, called "nulls". They're not only a cool piece of lore, but a great way for Lake to confront the fact that she doesn't have a number and for Jesse to deal with his past faults.

Once again, most of the season was great, but these episodes were the highlight:

The Toad Car: This was the first excellent episode of the season because it finally stuck Jesse and Lake in a room together and had them actually try to get to know each other. The looming threat of the Reflection Police outside the car and the lack of trust that Jesse and Lake had for each other made it a really tense episode, but the "kick the Toad" joke added a good amount of levity.

The Mall Car: Knowing what we know about the Infinity Train at this point, the goal of the Apex seems so bizarre, but that's what makes them so fascinating. I already mentioned how this storyline benefits the story arcs for both Lake and Jesse, but what I especially love is the "Ball Pit Car"-esque downer ending which has Jesse forced to leave Lake at the mercy of the Reflection Police. The Mall Car was an excellent episode that kicked off the nearly flawless final stretch of the season.

The Wasteland: Easily the best episode of the series thus far, The Wasteland actually brings Lake outside of the train for most of its runtime, and it's weird, as we learn that you can't walk too far away from the train without it suddenly pulling you back. We also get the climactic confrontation between her and Mace where he gets her to doubt whether or not she's an actual person only to be killed off in the most brutal scene of the whole show.

The Tape Car: The Wasteland alone would have made this season better than the first, but the sheer lore dump that is The Tape Car was nearly as impressive. I did not expect to learn nearly as much about how the train works as I did, but the reveals of how the tapes and numbers are formed were so cool. Lake's breakdown after not getting a number was absolutely heartbreaking and One-One's return in the Steward suit was an exciting hook for the finale. We even get Alan actually developing and helping out for a change, and it's great!

The Number Car: I wouldn't say this finale was as good or as thoroughly surprising as the first season's, but it was definitely cathartic. Jesse returning to the train was a genuine surprise because I didn't think it was possible, but it ended up causing a hilarious and terrifying paradox that implies that there are some serious flaws with the way the train was programmed. The final battle with Sieve was intense, and Lake finding a clever way to leave was satisfying. And of course, this is the episode where Lake decides her name, a perfect resolution for one of the best characters I've seen in quite a while. 

Overall, while it lacks the freshness and quirkiness of the first book, Book 2 of Infinity Train was generally a marked improvement with an amazing protagonist, an incredibly second half, some really neat cars and train lore, and a general sense of intensity.

5/5 Stars

Infinity Train (Book 1)

Infinity Train has had a rocky history these past few years, starting out as a five-night-event, only to be revealed to be an anthology series with eighth seasons planned. It got cancelled and brought back several times over only to be officially cancelled with Book 4. With the show about to end, I decided to finally give it a watch, starting with the first book.

Infinity Train is an anthology series about a mysterious train in a deserted wasteland where every car has some sort of weird gimmick. It's a solid premise that allows for a lot of different stories with a lot of different characters, realistically you can make as many episodes as you can come up with different cars in the train. Book 1 of Infinity Train is a pretty great pitch for this premise, centering around a teenager named Tulip who tried running away from her house to game design camp only to stumble onto the titular train, kickstarting a short ten-episode season where she tries to get to the engine and find a way to escape. I was initially concerned when I discovered that each episode is around ten minutes, and the first episode, while pretty great, was incredibly overwhelming and fast-paced. I think that was on purpose though, and the pacing slowed down a bit as the season progressed, as we learn more about Tulip, the train, and its quirky set of inhabitants. And by the end of the season, everything manages to be tied up in a satisfying and thoroughly surprising ending. I still wish the episodes and season were a bit longer just to see more cars and spend more time with the cast, but Book 1 was definitely a completely story and its movie length also made it feel like no time was wasted. 

Speaking of which, the characters are pretty great, especially Tulip! The concept of a kid dealing with divorce isn't anything new, but Infinity Train manages to explore how Tulip was affected by it in ways I haven't seen in many other kid shows. Tulip is abrasive at the start of the show because she still hasn't come to terms with her parents' divorce, she rushes through the train and initially finds everyone on it to be a bit of a nuisance. However, her character development as she learns to accept change and her parents' divorce is incredibly compelling and well-done. The other characters, like One-One and Atticus, are also very enjoyable and while they might serve as comic relief at first, they do have their important roles to play in the plot. But while I like the characters, the train itself is the real star of the show. There's a ton of inventive cars, memorable inhabitants (like the Randalls and crystal dudes), and intriguing mysteries set up in the pilot, and the show strikes a perfect balance between giving the viewer answers and just leaving certain bizarre moments unanswered. The animation is also pretty solid, the characters and well-drawn and expressive, but what I really like is the synthwave background music that really gives a surreal and mysterious vibe to the show.

While most of the episodes were at the very least solid, these were some of the highlights:

The Cat Car: For me, The Cat Car was definitely the first showcase of how emotional this series could get, revolving around Tulip forced to confront some of her worst memories. We already knew from the pilot that she didn't handle her parents' divorce well, but this episode shows how in denial she was about it, and while she does end up accepting what happened, it doesn't make it sting any less. It's an inventive, gutting, and oftentimes creepy episode that really won me over.

The Chrome Car: This episode was an absolute trip, the titular mirror-filled car led to a ton of unique visuals and trippy reflections. But easily my favorite part was Mirror Tulip herself, she had a really interesting conflict and I like how through her years of being Tulip's reflection, she ended up knowing her better than even she did. 

The Ball Pit Car: Talk about Mood Whiplash. This episode lures you into a sense of security with its goofy ball pit antics, only for the Conductor to appear and ruin everything. The second half of this episode was insanely intense and devastating, as the otherwise happy car is slowly destroyed and characters are presumably killed. While Atticus getting turned into a bug wasn't great, it says a lot that I genuinely believed they killed off the dog.

The Engine: This was a pretty great finale to the first book of Infinity Train, bringing everyone's storylines to a satisfying conclusion. I knew there was something special about One-One, but him being the train's original conductor still surprised me. The final battle was fun and utilized a lot of plot points from the past season, the reveal of Amelia's number was genuinely chilling, and the hook for Book 2 with Tulip's reflection still being missing left me excited.

Overall, Infinity Train's first book was pretty great. It's a strong self-contained story with an interesting hook, great characters, and a solid ending. The only issue is that I wish it was longer, but hey, that's what the next books are for, right?

4/5 Stars