- "Well, I'm Theodore T. Tugboat and I'm not a put-put!"
- — Theodore's protest to Benjamin Bridge
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| Theodore and the Big Harbour | |
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| Air date |
July 30th 1993 |
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Theodore and the Big Harbour is the twentieth and last episode of the first season.
Plot
Theodore Tugboat was coming into port. He was small and wearing a red baseball cap. When he saw the Big Harbour, it seemed so big and very nosily, bustling with pride. Some tugboats were docking a cargo ship nearby. Theodore knew that the controller would be waiting for him, so he rushed over to the Dispatcher. Theodore talked to the Dispatcher, which the Dispatcher said he was small, but Theodore was saying that he's a really good-worker, and he was ready for his first job, but the Dispatcher told Theodore that there wasn't any work for him at the moment, so he suggests that Theodore could explore around the Big Harbour. Theodore knew that he had to know where everything is and learn new things. Theodore was just about to explore the Big Harbour when he stumbled upon two ferries; who's names were Phillip and Filmore, the ferry twins. Theodore questions if they're lost, but the ferry twins say no, much to Theodore's questioning. After all that talk, he stumbled upon a big, humongous and immense bridge who's name was Benjamin Bridge. Benjamin Bridge talked in a very bold voice. Benjamin Bridge also called Theodore a little put-put. Theodore protested to Benjamin, but Benjamin still told his riddle, as he always does. He always likes to tell jokes and riddles of course, but the name-calling made Theodore cross, and he rumbled away madly.
It was getting dark, and Theodore was looking around some scary shadows around the Big Harbour. It didn't seem like Theodore's old harbour at all. Suddenly, Theodore heard a voice which made him jump, but then he saw that it was only a tug. The tug's name was Hank. Hank suggests that they go over to explore the sandy beach near Willy's Island, but Theodore had his mind made up, and says that he is looking for his spot. Hank wants Theodore to share the dock with him, but Theodore insists on having his own dock, as Theodore has his very own dock independently at his old home. Hank says that the rule is that everyone shares a dock. Theodore glanced around at the scary shadows again. Theodore at last took the offer to share the dock with Hank.
While Theodore was in his dock, he felt like the Big Harbour was going to take a lot to getting used to. Theodore made a happy thought that tomorrow, the Dispatcher will have a special job for him, and with that last happy thought, Theodore pulled his baseball cap down and went silently asleep.
The next morning, the tugs woke up for their morning work meeting. The Dispatcher announced that a big oil tanker was coming into the Big Harbour. The tugs set off, but Theodore and George were left behind. Theodore blew up smoke to get the Dispatcher's attention. The Dispatcher told Theodore that he will be working with George, a very strong tug. As they both rumbled away to guide the container ship out of the harbour, Theodore sighted some glorious and impressing words on the back of George's hull. It read: "The Valiant" That was the most impressive words Theodore had ever imagined, and then he sailed off, along with George.
The tugs arrived at the cargo ship's dock later that day. Margaree Pride, a big cargo ship was waiting for the tugs to take him to the mouth of the harbour, along with Pearl, the pilot boat. When Pearl met Theodore, she said that he was a little smaller than they expected. So Theodore was about to race in front but, much to his surprise and dismay, George went in front as if he were going to pull. Theodore started to get very concerned, and a bit dismayed and sad. He tried explaining to Pearl that he's not a pusher, he's a puller. Pearl didn't believe it at first, but then questions Theodore a bit of his ability to pull Margaree Pride. Theodore stared up at the great cargo ship. Theodore says 'no' to Pearl, but then says that he has pulled barges multiple times before. Pearl then says that Geroge is more experienced to pull a great cargo ship like Margaree Pride, which makes Theodore sad. It seemed like to him that all those new things in the Big Harbour were turning out all wrong for Theodore. Theodore slowly buttoned on his tow rope to the ship, and once more, they headed off towards the harbour mouth.
The big ship was heavy, and the two tugs puffed and pulled and even pushed their hardest to move the container ship. Benjamin Bridge eyed the two tugs and laughed. He thought Theodore said that he was a puller, but he looked like a put-put to Benjamin. Theodore got infuriated and blew up so much smoke to Benjamin, and Benjamin Bridge let out a huge sneeze.
At last, they got the cargo ship heading towards the ocean, going home. Theodore at first felt a little depressed, missing his old harbour. He then spotted Emily, a tug, heading out towards the ocean. Theodore thought that maybe Emily wants to leave, too. But then Theodore assumes that Emily cannot go out on the ocean, as if she could get easily lost or get caught in a big storm. Theodore blows his whistle as hard as he can, as Emily passed Bedford buoy. Emily thought that Theodore was honking to say goodbye, and Emily blew her horn back. Suddenly, Theodore tugboat knew what he had to do. Emily was being pulled by Theodore tugboat back to the Great Ocean Dock. The Dispatcher was concerned. Theodore quickly reports to the Dispatcher that Emily was going out on the ocean, but Theodore saved her. George began to laugh so hardly that his cap shook down over his head and eyes. Hank then blurts out that Emily is a v-tug. The Dispatcher explained everything. The tugs that had their v words like Emily, the Vigorous and George, the Valiant have the rights to go out on ocean duties. In fact, Emily was going all the way to Spain to move a barge and bring in visiting ships. The Dispatcher told Theodore that Theodore assumed about Emily going out on the ocean. It turned out that Theodore was actually just the kind of tugboat they needed in the Big Harbour. The tugs let Emily finally get to work.
Theodore gazed out on the ocean later that day, thinking about v words and if Theodore could be an ocean tug. Just then, Hank pulls up and tells Theodore about that Emily was a harbour tug like Theodore and Hank was, but they have to learn lots of things before they could be ocean tugs, like pulling ships and moving barges. Hank then suggests that they could go practice, but Theodore dismisses it and asks if it could happen a later time, but then Theodore really wanted to see the sandy beach like Hank mentioned the day before. So the two allies went to the sandy beach. Theodore then thought that the Big Harbour was not so big when he first entered in.
Characters
- Theodore
- Emily
- George
- Hank
- Pearl
- Phillip and Filmore
- Benjamin Bridge
- The Dispatcher
- Foduck (does not speak)
- Margaree Pride (does not speak)
- Bedford (not named, does not speak)
- Lilly (cameo)
- The Grain Ship (cameo)
- Petra (mentioned)
- Rodney (mentioned)
Trivia
- Originally this was supposed to be the first episode, but was changed to air as the last episode of the first season.
- Foduck does not have his V-Word in this episode, so the episode takes place before Foduck The Vigilant.
- Theodore, Hank, Emily, George, Foduck, The Dispatcher, Phillip, Filmore, Benjamin, Pearl, and Margaree Pride are introduced in this episode, timeline wise.
- Theodore is introduced in this episode, despite the fact that this was the last episode to air in the first season.
- Pre-filmed footage in this episode was later used for Foduck Stays Home.
Goofs
- When Theodore is returning to the docks, a gap in his mouth plate is seen.
- Even though Theodore and Hank are supposed to be sleeping, their caps are not covering their faces properly, so their eyes are clearly seen still open.
- The same gap is seen on George when he rolls his eyes, and Emily's closeup.
- The Harbour Master claims to be going back to work, but was doodling.
- Most of the characters in this episode are out of persona.
- Even though this episode was supposed to be the first episode of the series, it ended up being the last episode of Season 1.
- Theodore passes Lilly twice when he said, "The Big Harbour seems so...well...big!".
- Bedford's and Lilly's eyebrows are missing.
- The Dispatcher should have easily spotted Theodore when they first meet.
- When Philip and Filmore say "We're not lost", they pass each other, but when they says "Because we're ferries!" they pass each other again.
- George's v-word is different in the close ups.
- Emily should have been outside the harbour long ago since she left on the morning work meeting.
- The narration says that Emily passed the last marked buoy in the harbour but there is only one buoy in the harbour.
- When the tugs are honking near the end, Foduck's whistle can be heard even though he is not there.
- When Theodore says "Going out on the ocean" Philip or Filmore is moving in the background but when Theodore says "a V", the ferry has stop moving and then begins to move again when Hank approaches.
