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Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends

Series One

The first series of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends aired in Britain in 1984 and reached international television in the late 1980s and early 1990s, becoming very popular on home video in the 1990s. The first several seasons of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television show were based directly on the stories of the Reverend Wilbert Awdry's Railway Series, and in my opinion these early television series and original books make up the best forms that Thomas has taken. In particular, the first series covers stories that occur in the first eight books of the Railway Series including Henry being bricked up in the tunnel, the big engines going on strike, and the introduction of the first seven numbered engines on Sodor. It is comprised of 26 episodes, with the final episode in the series being a premise originally written for the show and also adapted into the Reverend's last Railway Series story, although it was a standalone story and not a traditional Railway Series entry.

In the original British English and American English dubs, Ringo Starr, the formal Beatle, provides the narration. Later on, George Carlin rerecorded the earlier series for later American releases. I like George Carlin's narration the most, and pretty much exclusively watch the portions of the show he dubbed anyways, so it works out well.

In Japan, characters had individual voice actors. The series aired on television starting in the fall of 1990 and appeared on VHS starting in Spring 1991. A page covering the first two series' release on VHS in Japan can be viewed here.

Thomas and Gordon/Thomas Gets Tricked (episode 1)

Thomas is introduced as a cheeky little engine that works at a big station. He bothers Gordon, the big express engine, who decides to get back at Thomas and one day when Thomas is slow to start Gordon quickly leaves with the express before Thomas has been uncoupled from the coaches after shunting them into place. Gordon pulls him along the main line behind the express until they reach the next station. Thomas decides to not tease Gordon so much. This episode is based on the first story in the Railway Series book Thomas the Tank Engine which introduced the character into the series (he did not appear in the first Railway Series book). In the United States this episode was retitled Thomas Gets Tricked.

Edward and Gordon/Edward Helps Out (episode 2)

Edward is sad about not being picked to pull trains, but the drivers feel sorry for him and take him out on a nice passenger train. The next morning, Gordon tells Edward to look out for him that afternoon with the Express, and Edward goes to shunt trucks in the yard. When Gordon comes by later, however, he has a line of freight cars, and he complains the whole way through the yard. Gordon ends up stuck on the hill and Edward has to come as a backer, which Gordon thinks is to no use. When Edward pushes him over the hill, Gordon steams off and forgets all about Edward. This episode is adapted from the stories Edward's Day Out and Edward and Gordon from the first Railway Series book.