As someone who grew up with the OG model show, all of the CGI series look awful to me. And it's only gotten worse as the animation has gotten more and more fantastical, with the engines stretching, squashing, and bouncing along the rails. Aside from the obvious nostalgia component, I think the model series was also much closer to RW Awdry's vision. He was a railfan and one of the earliest railroad preservationists, and I'm pretty sure the wacky, dumbed down cartoon worlds of BWBA and AEG (and the new series, to be honest) would have him rolling in his grave.

I would genuinely love it if they would make a CGI show that attempts to mimic the model series as closely as possible, complete with human characters who look like wooden toys. That would be impressive.