TUGS

Infobox Television
show_name = TUGS


genre = Animated television series
creator = Robert D. Cardona David Mitton
voices = Patrick Allen Simon Nash Shaun Prendergast Chris Tulloch
narrated = Patrick Allen
theme_music_composer = Junior Campbell Mike O'Donnell
country = UK
language = English
num_series = 1
num_episodes = 13

producer = Robert D. Cardona
camera = Multi-camera
runtime = approx. 15 - 20 minutes

network = flagicon|UK ITV
flagicon|Australia ABC
picture_format = PAL (576i)
audio_format = Monaural
first_aired = April 4
last_aired = June 27, 1989cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/18678|title=TUGS airdates|publisher=BFI.org.uk|accessdate=2007-08-28]

related = Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Salty's Lighthouse

website =
imdb_id = 0765798
tv_com_id = 22620|

"TUGS" is a British children's television series, first broadcast 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 tugboat 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. Music was composed by Junior Campbell and Mike O'Donnell, who also wrote the music for "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends".

Following the initial airing of the series throughout 1989, television rights were sold to an unknown party, with all models and sets from the series being sold to Britt Allcroft. Heavily modified models were used in "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" from 1991 onwards, and some footage from the original program was dubbed over and repackaged in American animated television show "Salty's Lighthouse". Both producers later moved on to other projects, and although a second series was discussed, there were no further episodes.

Format and Animation

The series consisted of nine fifteen-minute and four twenty-minute episodes, each 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.cite web|url=http://www.toonhound.com/tugs.htm|title=Toonhound - Tugs|publisher=Toonhound.com|accessdate=2008-09-17] The series was animated using live-action models, which were seen as the most realistic method of portraying real tugboats.cite web|url=http://biggcity.tripod.com/id20.html|title=Behind the Scenes|publisher=Bigg City Port website|accessdate=2007-08-28] 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".

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"

List of Characters

The Star Fleet

The "good guys" of the series, the Star Fleet likes to follow the rules and get the job done the right way.

* Ten Cents
* Big Mac
* O.J.
* Top Hat
* Warrior
* Hercules
* Sunshine
* Captain Star

The Z-Stacks

Devious, tricky and scheming boats. They are always finding ways to hinder and infuriate the Star Tugs, their great rivals. As such, they are the main villains of the series.

* Zorran
* Zebedee
* Zak
* Zug
* Zip
* Captain Zero

Other notable characters

* Grampus
* Izzy Gomez
* Lillie Lightship

ee 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, research from members of numerous forums have deemed the following to be an accurate list:
*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
*Timothy Bateson as O.J.
*Sean Barrett as Warrior
*Lee Cornes as Grampus
*Mike Mulloy as Captain Zero, Zug and Izzy Gomezcite web|url=http://www.tv.com/tugs/show/22620/cast.html?
|title=TUGS Cast and Crew|publisher=TV.com|accessdate=2007-08-27]

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
*Buzz Books
*Thimbles
*Card Game
*Publicity Pack
*Activity Books
*Bath books
*Magazines

ee also

* Thomas the Tank Engine
* List of TUGS episodes
* Theodore Tugboat

References

External links

* [http://www.tv.com/tugs/show/22620/summary.html?q=Tugs&tag=search_results;title;1/ TUGS at TV.com]
* [http://www.tugs.wikia.com/ TUGS Wikipedia]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/tugsworld/index.htm/ TUGS World (Fan Site)]
* [http://biggcity.tripod.com/ Bigg City Port (Fan Site)]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/tugsfan7/ STARTUGS (Fan Site)]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/tugsmediadock/index.htm/ Tugs Media Dock (Fan Site)]
* [http://thisistugs.tripod.com/index.html/ THIS IS TUGS (Fan Site)]
* [http://www.geocities.com/ladymcalpine2001/tugsdevotion_index.html/ TUGS Devotion Online (Fan Site)]
* [http://sodor.proboards77.com/index.cgi/ The New Sodor Island Forums (Also unofficial TUGS forums)]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765798/ IMDB Profile]
* [http://www.toonhound.com/tugs.htm Review of "TUGS"]