Thomas & Friends (series 13)

Thomas & Friends (series 13)
Country of origin United Kingdom, Canada
No. of episodes 20
Broadcast
Original channel Five
Original run 25 January 2010 
19 February 2010
Home video release
DVD release date 13 February 2012

Thomas & Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends) is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W. Awdry.

This article lists and details episodes from the thirteenth series of the show, which was first broadcast in 2010. This series was narrated by Michael Angelis for the UK audiences, although Michael Brandon narrates the episodes for the US audiences. Mark Moraghan later re-narrated "Snow Tracks" for the Santa's Little Engine DVD.

This was Marion Edwards' first series as executive producer.

Following the release of feature-length special DVD Hero of the Rails in September 2009 and the theatrical and video releases of select episodes. This series introduces computer-generated imagery as a replacement for the show's long-standing model animation, as well as a voice cast rather than an individual actor's narration. [1]

Production

Beginning with this series, Nitrogen Studios began providing the animation.

Director Steve Asquith had left the show after the previous series after working on twelve series and directing five series, while Simon Spencer also stepped down as producer. Christopher Skala was joined by Marion Edwards as executive producer. Ed Welch was replaced by Robert Hartshorne, after he left after The Great Discovery. Greg Tiernan and Nicole Stinn replaced Asquith and Spencer as the director and producer.


Episodes

On 7 November 2009, 4 select episodes were screened theatrically in an event called "Splish, Splash, Splosh". The episodes were then released on DVD of the same name in the US, which is due to be released in the UK on 1 March 2010. Another event, "Thomas and the Runaway Kite", showed a further 4 episodes, again in the US. Series 13 forgot to put the same Play-Along game, Dots-to-Dots, telling which engine it is, same music video from Series 8-10, and a recurring mini-story which features major locations and recaps episodes from Series 8-11 that take place at the location during the middle of the Series 13 in the US. Only the song, "Sounds", and "Determination" from Ed Welch during Series 13 after the story. The Season aired in the US on September 4, 2010.[2]

# Total UK/US title Directed by Written by Original air date TV order
1322"Creaky Cranky"Greg TiernanSharon Miller25 January 2010601a
After Thomas teases him for creaking, Cranky boasts that he is stronger than the little tank engine. Thomas attempts to prove him wrong by bringing heavy loads for Cranky to lift. When that fails, he suggests that Cranky attempts to lift him, which ends in disaster.
2323"The Lion of Sodor"Greg TiernanMark Robertson26 January 2010604b
Thomas is given the job of transporting a crate containing a very special statue called "The Lion of Sodor". Believing it to be a real lion, Thomas vows to take extra special care of it, making sure it is comfortable.
3324"Tickled Pink"Greg TiernanAllan Plenderleith27 January 2010602a
James is sent to the Steamworks to have a new coat of paint. However, an emergency forces him to take a train before he has been finished, leaving him covered in his pink undercoat. Believing the others will laugh at him, James attempts to hide wherever he can.
4325"Double Trouble"Greg TiernanSharon Miller28 January 2010601b
It's the Fat Controller's birthday, and Thomas is sent to Maithwaite early to collect the Fat Controller and Lady Hatt to take them to the party. However, when Thomas arrives, he is very surprised to see the Fat Controller already there - and that he has a moustache and a strange change in personality.
5326"Slippy Sodor"Greg TiernanMark Robertson29 January 2010602b
Thomas has a cracked funnel and goes to the Sodor Steamworks for a replacement. The only funnel left is strangely shaped, and Thomas feels embarrassed. This leads to more problems when he is asked to take some bubble liquid to Mr Bubbles' clown show.
6327"The Early Bird"Greg TiernanDavid Richard Fox1 February 2010603b
Percy is at the Sodor Steamworks for repairs, so the Fat Controller puts Thomas in charge of the mail run. Thomas is excited about doing it and ignores Gordon's advice to ask Percy how he does it. Attempting on his own, Thomas makes the crucial mistake of whistling loudly, disturbing the sleep of others.
7328"Play Time"Greg TiernanSharon Miller2 February 2010603a
Thomas is going to the docks to collect Alicia Botti when Percy tells him about a new engine named Charlie - "The most fun engine ever!" When Thomas meets Charlie, he decides to prove how fun he really is.
8329"Thomas and the Pigs"Greg TiernanAllan Plenderleith3 February 2010604a
Farmer Trotter asks Thomas to collect some straw for the piglets, which are soon to be born. But on the way, Thomas sees other things he thinks the piglets will like. He collects so much of them that he runs out of room on his flatbeds to put straw on.
9330"Time for a Story"Greg TiernanMiranda Larson4 February 2010605a
A batch of new story books are to be delivered to the library for the schoolchildren's storytime and the Fat Controller gives this special job to Thomas. Thomas is so excited about delivering the books that he leaves before they are properly restrained, which leads to disaster as he travels along a bumpy track.
10331"Percy's Parcel"Greg TiernanRobyn Charteris5 February 2010605b
It is Dowager Hatt's birthday and Percy feels upset when The Fat Controller doesn't give him an important job. After being comforted by Mavis, Percy is given an important job - to deliver a parcel to Knapford Station. Because she told him to do so, however, he goes to show Mavis first.
11332"Toby's New Whistle"Greg TiernanLouise Kramskoy8 February 2010610a
Toby's bell is broken, and as there are none spare, he has to make do with a whistle instead. Toby is even more put off when James explains that it is a very loud 3-chime steam whistle, as the old tram engine hates loud noises.
12333"A Blooming Mess"Greg TiernanMiranda Larson9 February 2010608a
Knapford Station is being redecorated. When Mavis does not say hello, Emily assumes she is sad and chuffs to the quarry to cheer her up with some of the new flowers, only to cause Edward and Thomas to crash..
13334"Thomas and the Runaway Kite"Greg TiernanLouise Kramskoy10 February 2010609a
It is the day of the Sodor Kite Festival and Thomas must collect the winner's cup. However, he ends up taking a detour when Stephen and Bridget Hatt lose their kite, which he offers to catch, ignoring his friend's offers to help whilst doing so.
14335"Steamy Sodor"Greg TiernanSharon Miller11 February 2010606b
While Victor is visiting the narrow gauge engines at the Transfer Yards, Thomas is put in charge of the Sodor Steamworks. Thomas feels very excited; so excited in fact that he doesn't listen to Victor's instructions to ask the engines about their problems or to ask for advice from Kevin. As a result, he ignores the engines and confuses Kevin so much, he ends up making a mess of the Steamworks.
15336"Splish, Splash, Splosh!"Greg TiernanSharon Miller12 February 2010607a
Thomas has invented a new game called "Splish, Splash, Splosh!", which involves running through puddles and splashing other engines. When he is given an important job, he finds himself unable to resist playing it again.
16337"The Biggest Present of All"Greg TiernanSharon Miller15 February 2010606a
Hiro, the Master of the Railway, is returning to Sodor for a visit. Thomas is eager to find a present for him - so eager, in fact, he forgets to tell everyone to meet at Knapford Station.
17338"Snow Tracks"Greg TiernanAlan Hescott16 February 2010607b
A snowstorm has covered Sodor, and Thomas and Gordon are given important jobs. While doing his job, Gordon decides to take the shorter, hilly route because he thinks he is special and stronger. This promptly leads him into trouble.
18339"Henry's Good Deeds"Greg TiernanAlan Hescott17 February 2010608b
After Thomas performs a good deed for Farmer McColl, Henry, who is taking a nesting pole for a rare bird called the Sodor Warbler, decides to try and do a good deed too. However, all of his attempts go horribly wrong. In the end, however, he manages to do a good deed without even realising.
19340"Buzzy Bees"Greg TiernanSharon Miller18 February 2010609b
Thomas is given the task of delivering beehives to Farmer Trotter. He decides to take the route past a field of flowers, only for the bees to escape.
20341"Hiro Helps Out"Greg TiernanSharon Miller19 February 2010610b
The Fat Controller is rather busy - so busy he doesn't tell the other engines their jobs. Hiro decides to help him by giving the others their jobs, but this only results in a big muddle.

Voices

After the release of Hero of the Rails, almost all of the voice cast's character roles have been confirmed.

Actor Region Role(s)
Michael Angelis UK The Narrator
Michael Brandon US Diesel, Mr. Bubbles, The Knapford Stationmaster, and The Narrator
Martin Sherman US Thomas and Percy
Ben Small UK Thomas and Toby
David Bedella US Victor and The Mayor of Sodor
Teresa Gallagher UK Emily, Rosie, Mavis, Lady Hatt, The Teacher, Bridget Hatt and her Friends
William Hope US Edward, Toby, Rocky, Stephen Hatt, Farmer McColl, Farmer Trotter, and The Maithwaite Stationmaster
Togo Igawa UK/US Hiro
Jules de Jongh US Emily, Rosie, Mavis, Lady Hatt, The Teacher, Bridget Hatt and her Friends
UK/US Alicia Botti
Mark Moraghan US The Narrator Re-dubbbed "Snow Tracks" for Santa's little engine DVD only
Kerry Shale US Henry, Gordon, James, Kevin, Sir Topham Hatt, Sir Lowham Hatt, and The Maithwaite Stationmaster
UK Diesel
Keith Wickham UK Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Sir Lowham Hatt, Mr. Bubbles, The Fat Controller, and The Mayor of Sodor
UK/US Dowager Hatt
Matt Wilkinson UK Spencer, Victor, Charlie, Rocky, Cranky, Kevin, Stephen Hatt, Farmer McColl, Farmer Trotter, The Maithwaite Stationmaster, The Knapford Stationmaster, and The Bird Watcher
Glenn Wrage US Spencer, Charlie and Cranky

A HiT Entertainment press release from 2007 stated that "three upcoming Thomas and Friends television series" would be narrated by Pierce Brosnan.[3] Although the statement was made prior to Season 12, HiT confirmed that Brosnan would only appear as a guest narrator on The Great Discovery.

Music videos

iTunes Release

'Thomas and Friends: Splish,Splash,Splosh' was released in the UK iTunes Store on 1 March 2010. It consisted of four episodes, which were:

The programme can be bought as a series or individual episodes.

References

  1. Gary Strauss (18 June 2009). "All aboard a refurbished 'Thomas the Tank Engine'". USA Today (McLean, Virginia: Gannett Co. Inc.). Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  2. http://www.ket.org/tvschedules/episode.php?nola=THOF++000601&layout=popup&framed=1
  3. "Pierce Brosnan Announced As New Narrator For Thomas & Friends" (PDF). (Press Release). HIT Entertainment. 19 July 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-22.