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'''TUGS''' was a British children's television series of thirteen episodes, which first broadcasted in 1989. It was created by the producers of ''Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends'', Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton, and only 13 episodes were made. It dealt with the adventures of two subanthromorphized tug fleets, the Star Tugs and the Z Stacks, who compete against each other in the fictional Bigg City Port. It is set in the 1920s, during the booming business era of the "Roaring Twenties". It was produced by 'Tugs Ltd', for TVS and Clearwater Features.
Following the initial airing of the series throughout 1988-1989, television rights were sold to an unknown party, with all models and sets from the series being sold to Britt Allcroft. These models - albeit heavily modified - were used for Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends from 1991 onwards. Both producers later moved on to other projects, and after speculation of a second series, it has since never been produced.
Format and Animation
Each episode consisted of a fifteen-minute (9 episodes) or twenty-minute (4 episodes) story, told by the show's narrator, Captain Star (voiced by Patrick Allen).
Filming and production of the series took place throughout 1987-1988, in West London's Shepperton Studios. The series was animated using live-action models, which were seen as the most realistic method of portraying real tugboats.[2] Each model was mounted on a wheeled chassis, which were then pulled through the water using transparent string. Remote control devices were initially tested in operating the machines, but the tugboats became too heavy and unable to move through the water. Remote controls were instead used to power other devices, such as the moving eye features of the models and some static cranes.
Episodes
Tugs first aired on ''Children's ITV'' in Britain, and then on Australia's ''ABC'' network. Talks of a second series were never finalised, and eventually all plans to create a follow-up were dropped. Redubbed and heavily edited footage later resurfaced as part of another children's series, ''Salty's Lighthouse''.
Thirteen episodes of ''TUGS'' were produced and aired. The series was considerably darker in tone than many other children's television programmes, with plots involving crime, violence, and underhanded tactics. The characters' dialogue, too, was somewhat mature for a children's series, featuring slang and terminology not normally directed at children. Characters would often insult each other, as well as use historical and maritime terms.
The series, as described on TV.com, aired as follows:
★ '"Sunshine"'
★ '"Pirate"'
★ '"Trapped"'
★ '"4th of July"' (also known as '"Regatta"')
★ '"Munitions"'
★ '"Warrior"'
★ '"High Tide"'
★ '"Quarantine"'
★ '"Ghosts"'
★ '"Jinxed"'
★ '"High Winds"'
★ '"Up River"'
★ '"Bigg Freeze"'
Major characters
Star Tugs: Big Mac and Sunshine working Up River
The Star Fleet
Ten Cents
Main articles: Ten Cents (TUGS)
Ten Cents is a lively and cheeky young cockney harbour switcher tug with a heart of gold. He is often considered the main character of the series, having being featured prominently in most episodes. Ten Cents almost always works with Sunshine, and the two are inseparable.
Big Mac
Main articles: Big Mac (TUGS)
Big Mac is one of the fleet's strongest and roughest tugs. Despite his blunt and abrupt exterior, he is a kind and loyal tug who never likes to hurt others' feelings, and will always stand up for those in trouble. Despite fan speculation that he is Warrior's brother - this was never confirmed in the program. They are, however, good friends, and always look out for each other.
O.J.
Main articles: OJ (TUGS)
The fleet's (and indeed, Bigg City Port's) only paddle steamer, the wisest and oldest tug of them all; OJ is genuinely respected by everyone in the port. He is good natured, and despite his increasing frailty, is the Star's quickest thinker. OJ is loyal to his comrades, and to Captain Star.
Top Hat
Main articles: Top Hat (TUGS)
Top Hat is a stuck-up, snobbish railway tug. He wears a top hat and monocle, and loathes dirty work. His fellow Star Tugs have somewhat mixed feelings towards him - although they dislike his attitude, they acknowledge that he is a hard worker. He is the greatest wit of the fleet, but he can be quite hypocritical when it comes to acts of bravery.
Warrior
Main articles: Warrior (TUGS)
Warrior is the Stars' third strongest tug. He is rather dense and clumsy and in one episode (named after him) he tries to do something about this. Warrior has good points to him - he is brave, helpful and good-hearted, and is loved and cherished by his peers. His closest friend and greatest defender is Big Mac.
Hercules
Main articles: Hercules (TUGS)
Hercules is the most mysterious of all the Star Tugs. He is an ocean-going tug, and so is often out of the port for long periods of time. He is vain, and vague, and thinks he is cleverer than he is in reality. He can always be found in the estuary with his sweetheart Lillie Lightship. Even the Z-Stacks know not to antagonise him when he is in port - he is the strongest Star by far. Tugs fans consider him the most undeveloped of all the major characters, but maybe this suits his personality.
Sunshine
Main articles: Sunshine (TUGS)
Sunshine is the star's newest recruit. He was originally from Up River, where he worked for the Salvage fleet (often heard about but never seen). Captain Star initially employed Sunshine on a temporary basis, but after the events of the first episode decided to make him Star No. 7. Sunshine is shy and bashful but strong-willed despite his size. He mainly works with Ten Cents, his best friend.
Captain Star
Main articles: Captain Star (TUGS)
The proud owner of the Star Tugs, Captain Star narrates the series in past tense. His distinctive voice is provided by Patrick Allen, a veteran voice actor. Captain Star appears in every single episode. He can be gruff, but is always fair. The Stars respect their leader, and are proud to be a member of his fleet.
The Z-Stacks
The devious, tricky and scheming boats. They are always finding ways to hinder and infuriate the Star Tugs.
Zorran
Main articles: Zorran (TUGS)
The most devious Z-Stack of them all, and therefore their leader. Zorran is cunning and malicious. He is a scheming bully who will do absolutely anything to get ahead, and doesn't care who gets hurt along the way. All the other Z-stacks are secretly afraid of him.
Zebedee
Main articles: Zebedee (TUGS)
Zebedee is an easy-going tug who often winds up the Stars for one reason or another. He is a very complex character, and beneath his tough exterior is one of the only Z-Stacks to have a conscience. This depth was explored in the episode ''High Winds''.
Zak
Main articles: Zak (TUGS)
Zak is a devious and revolting tug, who, unlike any of the others, was never really explored within the episodes. He is quite a violent character - for instance, he once suggested that the best way to deal with the Stars was to "blow them up". He considers himself something of a schemer, but doesn't really think his plans through. He mainly works with Zebedee.Although it seems Zak has many appearances, he had his own episode, High Tide.
Zug
Main articles: Zug (TUGS)
Zug is an ambitious young tug, and one of the Z-Stack switchers. He mainly works with Zip, the other switcher, and likes to think of himself as the intelligent one. Compared to Zip, he certainly is intelligent. However, compared to anyone else, he is not. He comes up with devious plans for him and Zip to use, though the plans usually fail.
Zip
Main articles: Zip (TUGS)
Zip the Harbour switcher is rather dense. He often has to leave Zorran or Zug to do the thinking for him and he is a sheep who follows orders bluntly, but loyally. He usually works with Zug his best friend.
Captain Zero
Main articles: Captain Zero (TUGS)
The devious and scheming owner of the Z-Stack fleet. He is known to have criminal connections. He only appears in a very small number of episodes, and is quite bad tempered. He is voiced by British actor Mike Mulloy.
Other Notable Characters
Grampus
Main articles: Grampus (TUGS)
Grampus is a naval midget submarine, who enjoys his free time spent underwater. He is a valuable asset to the Stars, as he is capable of all sorts of tasks that the tugs can't perform. He finally joined the fleet in the episode 4th of July.
Izzy Gomez
Main articles: Izzy Gomez (TUGS)
Izzy is a scheming tramp steamer who is friends (of a sort) with both the Star Tugs and the Z-Stacks. He will often try to convince tugs to tow him into port for free, or at least for a cut-price rate, and is not above trying to sneak in against the law. However, he does have a good streak that was revealed in Sunshine, so he is perhaps more of a rogue than a villain. He has a strong Mexican accent and wears a sombrero.
Lillie Lightship
Main articles: Lillie Lightship (TUGS)
Lillie is a vivacious bright young ship, with a long standing affection for Hercules. She is the only major female character in the series. All of the tugs appear smitten with her, and she knows it! The charming lightship is always to be found at Dender Rocks, guiding their way home with her bright light.
See also
★ Minor tugboat characters in TUGS
★ Other Vessels in TUGS
★ Cranes in TUGS
★ Barges in TUGS
★ Other Characters in TUGS
★ TUGS Liner Characters
Cast
Unfortunately, the cast of TUGS was never credited. Despite this, TV.com and Sodor Island Forums have revealed the following:[3]
★ Patrick Allen as Captain Star
★ Simon Nash as Ten Cents
★ Shaun Prendergast as Sunshine and Zak
★ Chris Tulloch as Zorran
★ John Baddeley as Top Hat and Zip
★ Nigel Anthony as Hercules, Big Mac and Zebedee
★ Lee Cornes as Grampus and Coast Guard
Merchandise
TUGS Merchandise was rather common in the early 1990s. Some of that merchandise includes:
★ Ertl models - Ten Cents and Sunshine are the only known models (although Ertl were supposed to release all of the Star Tugs).
★ 13 Photo Books - Different titles for the TV series such as Ghost Fleet (Ghosts), Warrior's Longest Day (Warrior) and Bigg City Freeze (Bigg Freeze)
★ 2 Annuals
★ VHS Videos
:Sunshine/Pirate
:Trapped/Ghosts/High Winds
:Jinxed/Quarantine/Up River
:Bigg Freeze/Warrior/High Tide
:Munitions/4th of July
'Note on the Videos:' The versions of the episodes on the videos were significantly edited for unknown reasons. Many original scenes had been extended/deleted and the program now had two different alternate title sequences
★ Jigsaw
★ Bed set
★ Board Game
★ Thimbles
★ Card Game
★ 5 Buzz Books - ''Kidnapped, Run Aground, Nothing to Declare and Treasure Hunt"
★ Publicity Pack - Ultra Rare!
★ Activity Books
★ Bath books
★ Magazines
Trivia
★ Captain Star (as the narrator), Ten Cents, Sunshine, Big Mac and Top Hat were the only characters who appeared in every episode.
★ "Up River" is the only episode not to feature the Z stacks.
★ Captain Zero only ever appeared in 3 episodes, in two of which he had speaking roles.
★ There is an American adaptation of TUGS called ''Salty's Lighthouse'', in which several characters have different voices, names, occupations and alliances, and some male characters are considered female. Because of this, ''Salty's Lighthouse'' is not official canon of TUGS.
See also
★ Theodore Tugboat (Canadian series similar to TUGS)
References
1. TUGS airdates
2. Behind the Scenes
3. TUGS Cast and Crew
External links
★ IMDB Profile
★ Review of ''TUGS''
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