Recap / Thomas And Friends S 1 E 9 Troublesome Trucks

Adapted from: James the Red Engine, "Troublesome Trucks"

U.S. Title: Foolish Freight Cars

Air date: November 6th, 1984

James is brooding in Tidmouth Sheds, having not been let out to push coaches or trucks for several days. He deeply regrets ever having bumped his coaches and breaking a hole in their brake pipes, that had to be mended with a passenger's bootlace. He wonders if the Fat Controller will let him out again so people can see his red coat.

The Fat Controller arrives at Tidmouth sheds, telling James that although he can see how sorry James is, he has caused his railway a lot of trouble, as people are laughing at it, something he doesn't like at all. James tells the Fat Controller that he will try hard to do his best. The Fat Controller is pleased to hear this and decides to let James out, giving him the job of pulling some trucks for him. A delighted James puffs out of Tidmouth Sheds, ready to do his job.

When James arrives at Knapford Station, Thomas shunts the Troublesome Trucks into place, then teases James about the bootlace incident, running off laughing. This makes James so cross that he bumps the Trucks, who complain that they want a proper engine, not a red monster. James takes no notice of this and starts as soon as the guard is ready. He tells the Trucks to come along, but they refuse. James doesn't care and pulls the screeching Trucks sternly out of Knapford Station.

The Trucks try their hardest to make James give up, but James keeps going. The journey isn't easy, as sometimes the Trucks slip their brakes on, making their axles run hot. Each time, the trouble had to be put right, and each time, James started again, determined not to let the Trucks beat him. The Trucks tell James to give up, saying he can't pull them, but James is determined to prove them wrong.

James soon comes to Gordon's Hill, where his driver tells him to look out for trouble, as they'll go fast and get the Trucks up before they know it. He then tells James not to let the trucks stop him. James goes faster and is soon halfway up the hill, feeling determined but still asking if the top will never come. Suddenly, half of the trucks break away from James' train, making the journey easier. James reaches the top of the hill, feeling as though he had easily gotten the train up. His driver shuts off steam, realising why their journey was too easy; half of the trucks had broken away and were now rolling backwards down the hill. Fortunately, the guard had managed to stop the runaway trucks and got out of the brake van to warn approaching engines like Edward.

When James realizes that the half of trucks had broken away from his train, he goes back down the hill to collect them. He is not happy with this, saying they could have caused an accident. Edward sees James and asks him if he needs help. James politely declines, saying that he will do the job himself. Edward tells James not to let the trucks beat him, as he's doing well.

James tries again, pulling the trucks as hard as he can as he climbs Gordon's hill. At last, he reaches the top and successfully makes it down the other side.

After reaching his destination safely, James rests in the yard to get a drink of water. Edward pulls up to him, and to James' shock, the Fat Controller is onboard. James is worrried what the Fat Controller would have to say about his performance. After all, he had bumped the trucks and half of them broke away the first time he tried to go up Gordon's Hill. To his surprise, the Fat Controller is smiling. The Fat Controller tells James that he had seen how well James had made the most troublesome trucks on the line behave. He decides that after that performance, James deserves to keep his red coat.

Tropes featured in the episode (YMMV here):

• Alliterative Title: For the UK version. Mixed for the US version, as the word "Cars" throws the subtitle off.
• Berserk Button: James was cross when Thomas reminded him of the bootlace incident.
• Bowdlerise: When The Fat Controller was talking to James in the beginning.
  • UK version:
  The Fat Controller: I see you are sorry, James. I hope now that you will be a better engine. You have given me a lot of trouble. People laughing at my railway and I don't like that at all.
  James: I'm very sorry, sir. I will try hard to behave.
  The Fat Controller: That's a good engine. I want you to pull some trucks for me.
  • US version:
  The Fat Controller: I know you are sorry, James, and I know, too, that you want to be a useful engine. People are laughing at my railway and I do not like that at all.
  James: I will try hard to do my best.
  The Fat Controller: That's a good engine. There's nothing like determination. I want you to pull some freight cars for me.
• Chew-Out Fake-Out: James thought that after the breakaway with half of the trucks, the Fat Controller is sure to be angry with him again, but thankfully, he wasn't.
• Composite Character: Thomas takes the place of an unnamed tank engine from the original book.
• Determinator: James didn't let the trucks' tricks succeed in heading to his destination.
• Downer Beginning: The episode begins with James alone in the sheds feeling miserable over the trouble he's caused in the previous episode. It wasn't until the Fat Controller allows him out to pull trucks.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: After successfully pulling the goods train, James regains the approval of the Fat Controller, and is allowed to keep his red paint.
• Go to Your Room!: In the beginning, James had been in the sheds as punishment for the bootlace incident. He was let out after apologizing to the Fat Controller.
• Hannibal Lecture: The troublesome trucks keep taunting James over pulling them along, even up the hill.
  The Trucks: Give up! Give up! You can't pull us! You can't! You can't!
  • Shut Up, Hannibal!: James, however, is undaunted over his trucks' taunts, resolving to get the goods to their destination.
    James: I can and I will. I can and I will.
• Jerkasses: The trucks, as the name implies, spend the entire episode insulting James and trying to sabotage the journey.
  Trucks: Oh, oh, oh! We want a proper engine! Not a red monster!
• My God, What Have I Done?: James felt remorseful and even cried about causing trouble with the coaches as well as upsetting the Fat Controller.
• Once Done, Never Forgotten: Thomas teases James about his incident with the bootlace, much to his ire.
  Thomas: Here are your trucks, James. Have you got some bootlaces ready?
• Rail-Car Separation: When James gets halfway up Gordon's Hill, the Troublesome Trucks in the second half of his train break away. The guard manages to stop the train and warn approaching engines until James goes back to re-couple the missing trucks.
• Redemption Quest: James pulling some trucks as ordered by the Fat Controller.
• So Proud of You: In spite of all the trouble James has caused previously, the Fat Controller applauds him for making the most troublesome trucks on the line to behave.
• Stock Footage: Footage from "Thomas and the Trucks" is used.
• Tears of Remorse: James shows these in the beginning of the episode. It's the first instance in the series that an engine is seen crying in tears.
• This Is Something He's Got to Do Himself: Edward offers to be James' banker for his train, but James politely declines. Edward understood this and encourages James not to let the trucks stop him for the second time.
• Triumphant Reprise: A slower, more dramatic version of James' jazz theme from the previous episode is used throughout his struggle with the trucks.

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