The old boats being dead is actually really hilarious. They're literally just dragging Queen Ann's vacant corpse and pretending that she approved of all the fireworks thrown at her.
Fun fact Theodore Tugboat was so popular that they made an actual life size replica of Theodore that gave boat tours in the Halifax harbour for over 20 years.
I used to live a block away from the port where it was docked in Bedford when I was a kid, they sold it and moved it to somewhere in Ontario a couple years ago. They also have the entire set of the show on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax
I would love to see Tom do a deep dive on Fireman Sam, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet & Stingray; most "kid shows" from that era had some seriously dark undertones
Funfact: in the original script of the episode "Sunshine", it is revealed that Ten Cents and Hercules are actually brothers, that makes me think even more about the theory that the tugs breed.
i dont think that is neccesarily the case, from Thomas the tank engine (which i presume takes place in the same universe) you can kind of get that two sentient machines can be related if they are built at the same place by the same people at the same time.
The thought of "Puffa" being a dockworkers "trainsona" in order to roleplay with the tugs is both hilarious and terrifying. If someone took over as driver for a day would the tugs assume its a different train or that their friend has suddenly had a major mood shift? Say what you want, but because Puffa gained their love and respect the tugs put themselves in danger in order to save his life so, it's his win I guess?
it's a man who's going insane from just how bizarre kids' shows can be, and a man whose only solace is dragging his audience down with him, showing anybody who'll listen what it is thats been giving him such nightmares
As a childhood Thomas fan, I wish I'd have watched this in my youth. My favourite episode is High Tide, the unsurprisingly least messed up episode with the trains in it.
my personal headcanon as to why the humans never show themselves, is that the boats are actually a highly dangerous scp thing and the jobs they’re doing are just the humans’ way of keeping them busy edit: huh, looks like i was onto something
i honestly wish kids shows threw in fucked up deep lore like that on purpose just for the parents paying attention. make kids tv interesting for the parents stuck with it on dammit
13:32 Fun fact, the voice actor being forced at gun point to perform that "rap" is Scott McNeil, the same actor who played Piccolo in the first dub of Dragon Ball Z, about 4 characters in Reboot, at least five in Beast Wars, and the main villain in Scooby Doo 2 (you know, the guy who shouts "MYSTERY INCORPORATED!" in basically every scene) just to name some of his many, many voice credits. Don't know if this trivia makes this more or less depressing, but there you go lmao.
OH THERE’S LINERS AND BARGES AND GARBAGE TO TOW! GONNA BLOW THE OLD HORN JUST LIKE SO! TUGS ARE A-WORKING! THEY NEVER GO SLOW! GIVE THE BOAT A MINUTE AND BLOW MAN BLOWABLOWABLOW!
A lot of the explosions in Tugs reminds me of Thunderbirds, how they would show something getting blown up at the start of every episode to show off their animation style.
Very late, but one of the producers/directors of TUGS was David Mitton, who worked as a special effects technician (aka a pyrotechnics guy) on multiple Gerry Anderson shows including Thunderbirds
I loved the unnecessarily deep dive into Thomas earlier this year, and now this video is a real treat too. Great stuff. It’s also interesting to note that Tugs was apparently meant for slightly older kids, hence the prevalence of darker themes. It was also part of the reason it failed. Younger kids didn’t like the darker themes, older kids didn’t want to watch the funny boat show
@@georgeoliver8300 That just sounds like bad planning to me. The way that I imagine that going down is that an 8 year old would realize they're too old for Thomas, try Tugs as a replacement and find it unappealing, and then just disconnect from talking vehicle shows entirely.
@@av6624 eight was the dark age. To old for trains, to young for boats. You had to choose, grow up to fast or stay blissfully ignorant. Strive on ahead, or be left behind. Or just watch something else.
As a kid I remember someone showing me an episode of Tugs claiming it was a lost Theodore episode and that gave childhood me a bit of a complex as it was the closest thing to a real creepy pasta about creepy lost episodes I'd ever experienced
@@SamanthaLaurier So Tom's previous dark humor Surfshark sponsor ad on the Thomas the Tank Engine video got pulled by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority/Association). To be clear, Surfshark was okay with the dark humor commercial but someone reported it to the ASA which is why it got taken down later. You can still find the commercial on UA-cam, thanks to someone reuploading it.
Would love an entire video where tom debate's the difference between employees and slaves while progressively being more harsh to Eddie and Elliot throughout 😂
'Tugs is fine." You lie, Tom. Tugs is great. I'm 28 years old as of writing and I still sit down to watch it every now and then. Freaking loved this show. Ten Cents was the bomb. Billy Shupak was literally the bomb, and Hercules definitely fucks. That being said, Ghosts was a TERRIFYING episode that has scared me for life. 10/10 would trauma again
Agreed, the music and effects whenever the 'ghost boats' show up still creeps me the hell out to this day, but I liked the show as a kid and still sometimes like watching it now as an adult
Some fun answers to the questions that are legitimately canon: The liners are all referred to in early preproduction notes as "Queens", with the phrase 'queens of the seas' being taken literally and that when one arrives in port the little tugs are like bees catering to the queen of the hive. They do have individual character in the early docs such as the Duchess being boastful about arriving early and fucking up everyone's schedule, and there are some small hints of character left in the show itself - The Duchess is flying barely-visible signal flags that translate to "Thank You Captain Star - Good Luck Tugs", and the voice on the finale's credits is implied to be the S.S. Vienna herself singing - they are indeed on a slightly higher plane, they're considered royalty who just rarely make public speaking appearances. It's really funny to me how close you got to the truth with what was just supposed to be a bit lmao The humans were intended to appear - the boats were indeed supposed to have a manned crew, and the original draft of Munitions saw Captain Star stand on a wooden crate with the harbour-master outside his burnt-out office assuring that they would be able to get through the crisis. Patrick Allen, the narrator, also canonically appeared dressed as Captain Star at a press launch on the HMS Belfast before the show's premiere. They do have subtle presence outside the office in the show itself though- the _cars._ The owner of each company in the port has his own unique car that appears around the port to signify the respective captains aren't just confined to their office, but they're admittedly bloody hard to spot with just the VHS footage. Regatta has them most obviously as each company's bargefloat has their car on it. Captain Zero's black mobster car appears in the establishing shot of the munitions factory scene, Star's utility truck appears in the background of Krakatoa being loaded as well as upriver once operations were moved there for the big freezeup, etc. Star's truck also actually starts off in the first two episodes as a much more ramshackle ute and is then upgraded in Pirate to the one that appears for the rest of the series, and it's been confirmed that this was deliberate on the part of the director David Mitton - it actually ties in with Star starting to get money in from the regular Duchess contract, which was to have a second docking in Jinxed, the final episode where the original truck appears. Surprising amount of genuinely deep lore lol Tugs' issue with tone kinda stems from it being made by alumni of Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds/Captain Scarlet series. Exceedingly dark adult tones in kids shows were the norm of the 60's and Tugs kinda tried to recapture that but got watered down by the network into an unsatisfying middle-ground. That's why the theme literally has Eastenders drums in the drop, it wasn't actually trying to be kiddy. In a way it was very ahead of its time in basically being an adult show portrayed via a medium usually used for kids shows, it was legitimately aimed at an older audience but the association to Thomas in all its advertising led to some... very skewed expectations that it wasn't actually aiming for. Absolutely adore the vid, as a big fan of this show the jokes had me rolling. Keep it up, Tom! Also boycott Tugs The Exhibition, they nasty
@@Santeneal so, after David Mitton died in 2008, the people that owned the building the Tugs props were held in were clearing it all out. A builder ended up finding the props and took them all home to try and repair them. He then gave them to some fans who then created a group called the Star Tugs Trust, who later renamed to TUGS: the Exhibition. They’ve done some pretty scummy things, like taking the props out and letting anybody touch them, which can result in the props getting damaged, withholding media for private viewings that cost money to see, and just generally being snobby about criticism. I wish I could support them, because the concept of preserving these props is really great, but they just seem way to unprofessional for them to really know how the run something like an exhibition.
that sponsor ad has to be one of my favorites. I was laughing for awhile, and then the "but please, for the love of god" caught me so off guard. HILARIOUS
As someone who grew up with Theodore Tugboat this is. Strange to watch Edit: please DO do a video on Theodore Tugboat. I want to see you analyze the implications of everything having eyes
@Danielle D I think it's in Hamilton now near HMCS Hiadia. The maritime museum of the Atlantic has some of great big harbor and filming models on display though.
17:28 Fun fact: The fact that they used the year "1912" means they're likely using the Gregorian Calendar, which means that Jesus Christ existed in the Tugs universe! :D
That's hard to say, really. It is old, weird and something that could bring nostalgia so it certainly could happen but it could just as well flop badly. I don't think it really have many fans today who talks about it and that is usually what turns old shows into nostalgic hits but it's weirdness could attract a new crowd. That it only got 12 episodes is a disadvantage too but it isn't like Firefly got more then 14 and it have a huge following so that doesn't mean it wouldn't work either. But all weird kids shows from the 80s doesn't become nostalgic hits. I am kinda 50/50 if it would turn it into a cult classic or totally flop. Since Netflix probably would get the rights for very close to nothing, it wouldn't hurt to try.
@@itsconnorstime The mouse buys up everything, right? So maybe Disney+ and not Netflix (although I have a lot harder to think it would be a sleeper hit there then on Netflix). Disney+ is a bit more focused on cutsey kids stuff and not weird and slightly terrifying for kids ;).
Tom referencing the werewolf tumblr post almost made me pass out laughing. That post ruined my life because I can never tell ANYBODY what I’m wheezing about
Looking back, the slightly nightmarish locations and stories is why i absolutely loved this series. Live action still beat CGI hands down! I was absessed with this show back in the 90s.
I much prefer Tugs, for its production value, setting and voice cast - not only do they differentiate the personalities between the characters, but I like it how it sounds like conversation in the pub with adults rather than just one narrator talking simplistically.
For those who aren’t fully immersed in Surfshark Ad Lore yet: The ad in this video is most definitely a callback to the ad from the Thomas & Friends episode, where Tom tortures one of his friends in order to force him to buy Surfshark. It shows not just violence, but a bag of body parts that are claimed to be Eddy. The ad was so violent that the Advertising Standard Authority in the UK asked Tom to remove the ad after a complaint was made that it was too violent. If you watch the Thomas & Friends video right now, Tom claims the video is sponsored at the start of the video, but the ad is missing. That’s because, while it wasn’t too violent for Surfshark, it was for the Advertisers. The ad in this video is making fun of this fact, while also making fun of how strict other companies are with their own sponsored adverts. The fact that the guy telling them to stop is not labeled as any specific company supports that the ad is a response to the infamous torture advert. Ironically, it’s actually probably the least dark advert of all of Tom’s Surfshark ads, or at least the cleanest (only one swear that is specifically pointed out). TL;DR: Tom made a Surfshark ad that got banned, this videos one makes fun of that.
theodore is actually pretty important here in nova scotia. most notably, we have an actual size real life version of him, it’s very cute to see when you’re out on that particular coast.
@@RunawayTrain2502 if by TATMR he means Thomas and the Magic Railroad, then Tom would know what he was talking about. He discussed that movie in the Thomas and Friends video.
Did you know that the Japanese dub of Tugs features both Kiryu and Majima? And they actually intract? The voice actors I mean. Majima isn't gonna jump in and kick the boats. Sorry if I got your hopes up. EDIT: NEVER FUCKING MIND IT WAS THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE Majima is a boat and Kiryu is a crane so I misremembered.
I actually just love the headcanon that the ocean liners are these grand higher beings on another level of consciousness, and I’ve never even seen this show
2023 off to a good start! I'd love to see a video on Chuggington. A show where the trains not only are clearly the overlords of the planet but there's even a "birthing" episode where a baby train is introduced. There's at least 10 minutes of content right there! Oh also Jay Jay the Jet engine looks like hellspawn and Bob the builder would be a laugh.
Excuse me, this was NOT a nightmare show, it was GREAT! Had some absolutely banging explosions, great drama, and hilarious (often accidentally hilarious) moments. 😊
Yet he has a Welsh accent, when the Eppleton Hall (the boat he's characterised after) was from Newcastle. So he should essentially talk more like Sunshine.
9:01 You know that meme of the guy and his angel and his devil and his FBI agent and his NSA agent all looking in disgust (or fear) with open mouths at what's in front of them. That's what this part made me do. Why, oh why, did the train do a hentai noise?
Honestly I’m surprised this only lasted 13 episodes. I hope more of these characters eventually cross over into the Thomas & Friends Universe. Like Hercules and Lillie Lightship.
Ironically it failed because it was a kids show that felt like it was more for adult, and yet the reason people love it now is because that audience are now adults that understand the angle of the show. Funny video, I do wish you would have given the mention of the models being rescued by the Star Tugs Trust as all the TUG characters (except Top Hat and Grampus) were salvaged.
Thought it is a great tv show, I’m kind of glad it ended because if it were to continue, it would probably end up like TTTE with maybe a hit era and 2D reboot.
The memory of Salty's Lighthouse has just dug itself out from the recesses of my mind thanks to this video. I have very faint memories of the show itself, but the one thing I do remember was that Ten Cents referred to Sunshine as his sister in one of his songs.
4:50 Weird stop-sign dude: "This advert is still too scary for children. it iS FORBIDEEEEEN" Tomska: "What children man? no-one under 13 should even be on UA-cam." THANK YOU, this has been bugging me a lot. not regarding youtube, though the actions they took are questionable at best. no i mean the ones complaining it isn't child friendly... which makes sense since no children should be on the platform to begin with. there's a reason they have "UA-cam Kids". also the monetization bit hits a bit close for some reason, and I like it.
18:54 Apparently in the episode “Trapped”, where Zug is towing an old hulk up river, that was originally going to be Old Rusty. Pretty understandable why it was change. As well with Zorran and Zug using words like “rust bucket” and “it”.
When Tom spoke about how the boats are a race of cursed living beings made to kill humanity and that's why all humans roleplay as equipment I had the idea of how that can straight up just be a SCP
The fun thing about SCPs is you can write this yourself and submit it! Or, even better, a few people suggested this so you could collectively work on it to make a real entry - maybe even work in how the 13 episodes [and their later cut up, remaster for another show] were like, documentation or something before the people filming them were found to be humans and killed. Or something like that
Fun fact: in the original script for sunshine he actually sinks himself because he thought he ruined his chance of joining the star fleet after the accident with the Duchess
I did watch it in 1989 on CITV, I do watch it on UA-cam often and I do still have my VHS tapes safe and sound. Thank you Tom for poking fun at a show I’ve loved for over 30 years, it really lifted my mood.
"whos gonna follow you grampus? FUCKING AQUAMAN???" i very much love that this clip is still getting such good use
Look up Ben Shapiro's solution to global warming.
@@420sakura1But who’s gonna use these houses?
F*CKING AQUAMAN!?
@@Nice_Structure_3034 I think it's "buy" not "use"
@@Nice_Structure_3034 buy those houses, but yeah this was definitely a reference to hbpmberguy
Fun fact. Lillie’s voice actress found the scene where Grampus plugs her hole so funny she collapsed in hysterics while recording the lines.
I need a source for this now
@@kathyhavelka7612this is according to the wiki, but the link to the original source is gone.
I need to get Jo to prove this
“WTF 😳”is what I said and thought
LOL omg thats hilarious..
The old boats being dead is actually really hilarious.
They're literally just dragging Queen Ann's vacant corpse and pretending that she approved of all the fireworks thrown at her.
To be fair, I think she’s past the point of caring
Weekend at Queen Ann's
Congrats you have been selected among our shortlisted winners, contact me above!...............🔝🔝🎁🎁
I'd say they're too big for sapience persay, like how Whales can't live on land
To be fair they basically did that with the real queen Elizabeth II.
Fun fact Theodore Tugboat was so popular that they made an actual life size replica of Theodore that gave boat tours in the Halifax harbour for over 20 years.
Yeah! I remember sometimes Theodore would come to my hometown
Holiday Fartcruise
@@hobobohemianoh my god, I knew I saw this face somewhere I completely forgot about big daddy salvia’s character
I used to live a block away from the port where it was docked in Bedford when I was a kid, they sold it and moved it to somewhere in Ontario a couple years ago. They also have the entire set of the show on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax
That sounds terrifying
I would love to see Tom do a deep dive on Fireman Sam, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet & Stingray; most "kid shows" from that era had some seriously dark undertones
Steve reviews is doing pretty much the same thing
@@ReformedR fair enough. I would still like to see Tom's somewhat chaotic approach to these shows🤔
Fireman Sam had dark undertones? I haven’t watched it since I was like 7 but I never noticed anything.
@@SoUniqueUser well perhaps not dark per se but the "Life On Mars-style" conspiracy theory is interesting.......
Fun fact: David Mitton was a pyrotechnic for Gerry Anderson. That’s probably why TUGS had so many explosions.
Funfact: in the original script of the episode "Sunshine", it is revealed that Ten Cents and Hercules are actually brothers, that makes me think even more about the theory that the tugs breed.
Presumably there was plenty of tugging and pulling
Maybe it's like the titanic the olympic and the brittanic which they are sister ships
@@hed3091 I prefer to think of it like you said.
Nah, I think it's more they're from the same factory.
i dont think that is neccesarily the case, from Thomas the tank engine (which i presume takes place in the same universe) you can kind of get that two sentient machines can be related if they are built at the same place by the same people at the same time.
More Thomas the Tomska content yesssss
Mmm oh yeah
I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
Ya
Lets gooooo
Correction:
More *Tomska the Tank Engine* content.
The thought of "Puffa" being a dockworkers "trainsona" in order to roleplay with the tugs is both hilarious and terrifying. If someone took over as driver for a day would the tugs assume its a different train or that their friend has suddenly had a major mood shift? Say what you want, but because Puffa gained their love and respect the tugs put themselves in danger in order to save his life so, it's his win I guess?
For a guy who did not originally make video essays it’s incredible that Tom’s are among the most entertaining on the site
Kinda crazy that this is the same guy who made the asdfmovies.
it's a man who's going insane from just how bizarre kids' shows can be, and a man whose only solace is dragging his audience down with him, showing anybody who'll listen what it is thats been giving him such nightmares
"Submerged and breedable" is the most amazing thing that could've come out of this video, I couldn't breathe I was laughing so much:'D
I guess you could say you were…
*Submerged in laughter and bre-*
I guess you could say you were…
*Submerged in laughter and bre-*
I guess you could say you were…
*Submerged in laughter and bre-*
I guess you could say you were…
*Submerged in laughter and bre-*
I guess you could say you were...
*submerged in laughter and bre-*
As a childhood Thomas fan, I wish I'd have watched this in my youth. My favourite episode is High Tide, the unsurprisingly least messed up episode with the trains in it.
Same here m8.
"This is bullfrog."
The sudden and immediate change without hesitation cracks me up
How come nobody talks about the sponsorship segment?
He sounded like he was going insane.
my personal headcanon as to why the humans never show themselves, is that the boats are actually a highly dangerous scp thing and the jobs they’re doing are just the humans’ way of keeping them busy
edit: huh, looks like i was onto something
Plot twist:They're actually just an SCP containment site
SUBJECT 249-B HAS ESCAPED CONTAINMENT
INITIATE CONTAINMENT PROTOCOL
LETHAL FORCE AUTHORIZED
I mean that would explain why the port makes Halifax look like a children's playground
Thats kind of what I think so it's not stupid
UA-cam comments when theorizing nowadays: everything is SCP
7:53 “a few lumps of coal short from a full boiler” is an absolutely GENIUS line
Yeah 😂
Wait, do they put the coal IN the boiler? 🤔
should be firebox
That’s so there’s room to chuck the chocolate cake in
@@whyiamafs Obviously. How else does the coal turn into steam?
@@C.I... The joke
Your head
Honestly, your theory about Poseidon punishing humans with the sentient boats is actually really compelling 😂
It’s very much something a Greek god would do
It would make a great horror game
i honestly wish kids shows threw in fucked up deep lore like that on purpose just for the parents paying attention. make kids tv interesting for the parents stuck with it on dammit
The fact "OK Boomer!" Is a legitimate line in this is mind boggling.
I really hope that its a line in animal farm
@@squiddyanimations6617 pretty sure there's no animal called boomer but the names do come pretty close
@@feritye767 theres a horse named boomer in animal farm
@@squiddyanimations6617 guess it's not a main character then cause I can't remember
6:05
13:32 Fun fact, the voice actor being forced at gun point to perform that "rap" is Scott McNeil, the same actor who played Piccolo in the first dub of Dragon Ball Z, about 4 characters in Reboot, at least five in Beast Wars, and the main villain in Scooby Doo 2 (you know, the guy who shouts "MYSTERY INCORPORATED!" in basically every scene) just to name some of his many, many voice credits.
Don't know if this trivia makes this more or less depressing, but there you go lmao.
And fake priest child soldier terrorist Duo Maxwell.
OH THERE’S LINERS AND BARGES AND GARBAGE TO TOW! GONNA BLOW THE OLD HORN JUST LIKE SO! TUGS ARE A-WORKING! THEY NEVER GO SLOW! GIVE THE BOAT A MINUTE AND BLOW MAN BLOWABLOWABLOW!
If I remember correctly Scott McNeil was also Android *"I LiKe ThE BiRdS"* 16, Majin Buu and Jeice of the Ginyu Tokusentai...
He also voiced every character in dawn of war Soulstorm: leading to many memes
Ah we'll gonna die.
A lot of the explosions in Tugs reminds me of Thunderbirds, how they would show something getting blown up at the start of every episode to show off their animation style.
Very late, but one of the producers/directors of TUGS was David Mitton, who worked as a special effects technician (aka a pyrotechnics guy) on multiple Gerry Anderson shows including Thunderbirds
@@Wombattlr I guess they guy really liked his explosions, he would take them wherever he went.
@@pedrovallefin8406I wonder if he played with firecrackers as a kid
I loved the unnecessarily deep dive into Thomas earlier this year, and now this video is a real treat too. Great stuff.
It’s also interesting to note that Tugs was apparently meant for slightly older kids, hence the prevalence of darker themes. It was also part of the reason it failed. Younger kids didn’t like the darker themes, older kids didn’t want to watch the funny boat show
mike o donnell said in an interview that Thomas was aimed at 5-7 year olds where as tugs was aimed at 9-12 year olds
@@georgeoliver8300 That just sounds like bad planning to me. The way that I imagine that going down is that an 8 year old would realize they're too old for Thomas, try Tugs as a replacement and find it unappealing, and then just disconnect from talking vehicle shows entirely.
@@av6624 eight was the dark age. To old for trains, to young for boats. You had to choose, grow up to fast or stay blissfully ignorant. Strive on ahead, or be left behind. Or just watch something else.
That clip of the megaphone shouting "Ok, Boomer." Needs to be a thing.
Every single video overview of _Tugs_ that I've seen has used that clip
This is EXACTLY the sort of unhinged deep dive I'm here for.
As a kid I remember someone showing me an episode of Tugs claiming it was a lost Theodore episode and that gave childhood me a bit of a complex as it was the closest thing to a real creepy pasta about creepy lost episodes I'd ever experienced
Was it the ghost one?
@@sandy_shark i think so yeah
I really thought it was the same show💀
Wait, those _weren't_ the same show? I am now reliving a childhood crisis I'd forgotten.
@@LN997-i8x we don’t have a difference do we?
Tomska is clearly pissed he has to delete the ads he puts on the previous Thomas the tank engine. It's the best surfshark ads i have ever seen.
What happened?
@@SamanthaLaurier new youtube policy, more demonizations and stricter rules
@@SamanthaLaurier So Tom's previous dark humor Surfshark sponsor ad on the Thomas the Tank Engine video got pulled by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority/Association).
To be clear, Surfshark was okay with the dark humor commercial but someone reported it to the ASA which is why it got taken down later. You can still find the commercial on UA-cam, thanks to someone reuploading it.
@@TanatatKnight246 Tch. I got tons of actual ads that should get into trouble
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
@@TanatatKnight246 Do you know what was the complaint exactly?
Would love an entire video where tom debate's the difference between employees and slaves while progressively being more harsh to Eddie and Elliot throughout 😂
'Tugs is fine." You lie, Tom. Tugs is great. I'm 28 years old as of writing and I still sit down to watch it every now and then. Freaking loved this show. Ten Cents was the bomb. Billy Shupak was literally the bomb, and Hercules definitely fucks. That being said, Ghosts was a TERRIFYING episode that has scared me for life. 10/10 would trauma again
Fax
Agreed, the music and effects whenever the 'ghost boats' show up still creeps me the hell out to this day, but I liked the show as a kid and still sometimes like watching it now as an adult
Some fun answers to the questions that are legitimately canon: The liners are all referred to in early preproduction notes as "Queens", with the phrase 'queens of the seas' being taken literally and that when one arrives in port the little tugs are like bees catering to the queen of the hive. They do have individual character in the early docs such as the Duchess being boastful about arriving early and fucking up everyone's schedule, and there are some small hints of character left in the show itself - The Duchess is flying barely-visible signal flags that translate to "Thank You Captain Star - Good Luck Tugs", and the voice on the finale's credits is implied to be the S.S. Vienna herself singing - they are indeed on a slightly higher plane, they're considered royalty who just rarely make public speaking appearances. It's really funny to me how close you got to the truth with what was just supposed to be a bit lmao
The humans were intended to appear - the boats were indeed supposed to have a manned crew, and the original draft of Munitions saw Captain Star stand on a wooden crate with the harbour-master outside his burnt-out office assuring that they would be able to get through the crisis. Patrick Allen, the narrator, also canonically appeared dressed as Captain Star at a press launch on the HMS Belfast before the show's premiere. They do have subtle presence outside the office in the show itself though- the _cars._ The owner of each company in the port has his own unique car that appears around the port to signify the respective captains aren't just confined to their office, but they're admittedly bloody hard to spot with just the VHS footage. Regatta has them most obviously as each company's bargefloat has their car on it. Captain Zero's black mobster car appears in the establishing shot of the munitions factory scene, Star's utility truck appears in the background of Krakatoa being loaded as well as upriver once operations were moved there for the big freezeup, etc.
Star's truck also actually starts off in the first two episodes as a much more ramshackle ute and is then upgraded in Pirate to the one that appears for the rest of the series, and it's been confirmed that this was deliberate on the part of the director David Mitton - it actually ties in with Star starting to get money in from the regular Duchess contract, which was to have a second docking in Jinxed, the final episode where the original truck appears. Surprising amount of genuinely deep lore lol
Tugs' issue with tone kinda stems from it being made by alumni of Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds/Captain Scarlet series. Exceedingly dark adult tones in kids shows were the norm of the 60's and Tugs kinda tried to recapture that but got watered down by the network into an unsatisfying middle-ground. That's why the theme literally has Eastenders drums in the drop, it wasn't actually trying to be kiddy. In a way it was very ahead of its time in basically being an adult show portrayed via a medium usually used for kids shows, it was legitimately aimed at an older audience but the association to Thomas in all its advertising led to some... very skewed expectations that it wasn't actually aiming for.
Absolutely adore the vid, as a big fan of this show the jokes had me rolling. Keep it up, Tom!
Also boycott Tugs The Exhibition, they nasty
I agree with all of this.
Screw the exhibition.
What's up with the exhibition
@@Santeneal so, after David Mitton died in 2008, the people that owned the building the Tugs props were held in were clearing it all out.
A builder ended up finding the props and took them all home to try and repair them. He then gave them to some fans who then created a group called the Star Tugs Trust, who later renamed to TUGS: the Exhibition.
They’ve done some pretty scummy things, like taking the props out and letting anybody touch them, which can result in the props getting damaged, withholding media for private viewings that cost money to see, and just generally being snobby about criticism.
I wish I could support them, because the concept of preserving these props is really great, but they just seem way to unprofessional for them to really know how the run something like an exhibition.
that sponsor ad has to be one of my favorites. I was laughing for awhile, and then the "but please, for the love of god" caught me so off guard. HILARIOUS
As someone who grew up with Theodore Tugboat this is. Strange to watch
Edit: please DO do a video on Theodore Tugboat. I want to see you analyze the implications of everything having eyes
Yes, omg yes
That was my favorite show as a tiny child, but hardly anyone seems to remember it.
@@johnnobody3078 for years I was told I was mistaken and thinking of Thomas but like 2 years ago I looked it up online and it was REAL ALL ALONG
Yes! We had a Theodore Tugboat in our Halifax Harbor for the longest time. I think he was sold, unfortunately.
@Danielle D I think it's in Hamilton now near HMCS Hiadia. The maritime museum of the Atlantic has some of great big harbor and filming models on display though.
The way that the genuine grief in realizing that this is part of your job is delivered. Very good work, man.
17:28
Fun fact: The fact that they used the year "1912" means they're likely using the Gregorian Calendar, which means that Jesus Christ existed in the Tugs universe! :D
I’m glad TUGS is being remembered this year. I reckon if it was on Netflix it would be a sleeper hit.
That's hard to say, really. It is old, weird and something that could bring nostalgia so it certainly could happen but it could just as well flop badly. I don't think it really have many fans today who talks about it and that is usually what turns old shows into nostalgic hits but it's weirdness could attract a new crowd.
That it only got 12 episodes is a disadvantage too but it isn't like Firefly got more then 14 and it have a huge following so that doesn't mean it wouldn't work either.
But all weird kids shows from the 80s doesn't become nostalgic hits. I am kinda 50/50 if it would turn it into a cult classic or totally flop.
Since Netflix probably would get the rights for very close to nothing, it wouldn't hurt to try.
@@loke6664Tugs is so obscure nobody even knows who owns the rights anymore, it’s been a mystery for years.
@@itsconnorstime Probably BBC then, they produced it and if no one else claims it they likely do own it.
@@loke6664 I think it was ITC, they don’t exist anymore. All their assets got divided among several firms, allegedly Disney.
@@itsconnorstime The mouse buys up everything, right? So maybe Disney+ and not Netflix (although I have a lot harder to think it would be a sleeper hit there then on Netflix). Disney+ is a bit more focused on cutsey kids stuff and not weird and slightly terrifying for kids ;).
Now we need to get Tom to watch Jay Jay the Jet Plane to complete the trilogy.
Jesus plane Jesus plane
I loved that weird little mess.
That's a fully cursed one. He needs a bible with him when he dives in
I think that might actually break him.
Don’t you mean when he ‘takes off’?
Tom referencing the werewolf tumblr post almost made me pass out laughing. That post ruined my life because I can never tell ANYBODY what I’m wheezing about
I know nothing about this show, but Tom makes learning so much better
Loved this. Great work. I'll never be able to look at that scene of Grampus "plugging Lillie's hole" the same way again.
Why if it isn't Victor Tanzig himself!
Love your work, you got me back into trains!
I think your explaination for non-faceless vehicles is the best of the whole fandom
@@jurassicsmackdown6359It is! It’s the man himself!
14:31 that scream is so guttural and real I can't help but cry laughing.
BAHAHAHA
'Oh I bloddy loved Tugs. To digress , Tugs was like Thomas the Tank Engine, but on WATAH'
-everybody's favourite Gary Brannan, Gary Brannan
Gotta have a cruise liner shagging an oil tanker
nah he's a bit over rated, second favourite for me. Gary Branana is the goat imo
Citation needed is pretty good ay
loving the sponsor making fun of the ASA for what they did with the last Thomas video
the asa?
@@bambii-_ the American Sexual Association
@@bambii-_ Advertising Standards Authority. Someone complained to them about the violence in the sponsored segment and Tom had to cut it out.
@@mrrandomperson3106 lol oh shit. thanks for the explanation
Looking back, the slightly nightmarish locations and stories is why i absolutely loved this series. Live action still beat CGI hands down! I was absessed with this show back in the 90s.
You have to do Theodore now. You brought it up.
Yeah asking the internet to not make him do something is counter productive to that goal
Chapter 4: Can we kill the Tugs?
"Please?!" 🤣
Tom becoming more & more horrified and gradually losing his mind over this show is hilarious.
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@@CesarDavidSuarezMiere salty lighthouse.
I much prefer Tugs, for its production value, setting and voice cast - not only do they differentiate the personalities between the characters, but I like it how it sounds like conversation in the pub with adults rather than just one narrator talking simplistically.
For those who aren’t fully immersed in Surfshark Ad Lore yet: The ad in this video is most definitely a callback to the ad from the Thomas & Friends episode, where Tom tortures one of his friends in order to force him to buy Surfshark. It shows not just violence, but a bag of body parts that are claimed to be Eddy. The ad was so violent that the Advertising Standard Authority in the UK asked Tom to remove the ad after a complaint was made that it was too violent. If you watch the Thomas & Friends video right now, Tom claims the video is sponsored at the start of the video, but the ad is missing. That’s because, while it wasn’t too violent for Surfshark, it was for the Advertisers.
The ad in this video is making fun of this fact, while also making fun of how strict other companies are with their own sponsored adverts. The fact that the guy telling them to stop is not labeled as any specific company supports that the ad is a response to the infamous torture advert. Ironically, it’s actually probably the least dark advert of all of Tom’s Surfshark ads, or at least the cleanest (only one swear that is specifically pointed out).
TL;DR: Tom made a Surfshark ad that got banned, this videos one makes fun of that.
5:43 “We just age restricted your video! We ain’t gonna tell you. But don’t do it again.” so funny 😂
I wish this was a UA-cam exclusive problem - a lot of websites are pulling this "You're in trouble, don't do it again" What'd I do? "None ya business"
@@Crow_Smith fr it’s bullshit
@@charlesbradshaw5183 No it's bullfrog.
"would you like a banana."
@@joemcs1233 Sure. You know what sure.
theodore is actually pretty important here in nova scotia. most notably, we have an actual size real life version of him, it’s very cute to see when you’re out on that particular coast.
Fun fact: In TATMR, there were actually going to have the Tugs characters, and big mickie the crane is cannon in TAF.
I do not think this means anything to Tom.
@@RunawayTrain2502 ok
@@RunawayTrain2502 THANK YOU
@@RunawayTrain2502 if by TATMR he means Thomas and the Magic Railroad, then Tom would know what he was talking about. He discussed that movie in the Thomas and Friends video.
did you not see the end of the video where he literally says about big Micky in TAF
Did you know that the Japanese dub of Tugs features both Kiryu and Majima?
And they actually intract?
The voice actors I mean.
Majima isn't gonna jump in and kick the boats.
Sorry if I got your hopes up.
EDIT: NEVER FUCKING MIND IT WAS THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE
Majima is a boat and Kiryu is a crane so I misremembered.
KIRYU CHAAAN
@@ScoutConvoy flirt with bomb plays*
Kiryu? Mechagodzilla?
@@ZillaSupreme No, the SEGA character.
@@ScoutConvoy Aw, dammit
"Who's gonna follow us?"
"F*CKING AQUAMAN!"
I spat out my drink. Lmfao!
20:07 *numerous explosions*
"They were very relieved to see the quayside undamaged"
*BOOM!!* 💥
Never mind
And now I know that Theodore Tugboat was a different show than Tugs.
same
Theodore tugboat is way better than tugs aswell
I definitely came here thinking that's what this video was about
But Robert d carbodona worked on both of them.
@@1newfieland i respect your opinion
even tho i like tugs more than theodore. thank you for sharing your opinion
I actually just love the headcanon that the ocean liners are these grand higher beings on another level of consciousness, and I’ve never even seen this show
The sequel episode deserved a sequel ad and BOY DID HE DELIVER
I really hope that whole ad was a transcript of multiple conversations that Tom made for revenge..
Tom is slowly but surly becoming matpat and its honestly terrifying
Is it bad I’m loving it
MatPat takes himself too seriously for TomSka to become him.
SMASH
I wanna fight them in smash bros!
Tom doesn't make enough transphobic jokes to be MatPat
Edit: fixed a word
This video has literally given me war flashbacks to my childhood. How did I ever forget this absolute monstrosity.
The Hbomberguy reference was not expected but thoroughly enjoyed.
I full on cackled when it happened
@@V3xxe it fully just killed me me laying in bed i had to pause the video
2023 off to a good start!
I'd love to see a video on Chuggington. A show where the trains not only are clearly the overlords of the planet but there's even a "birthing" episode where a baby train is introduced. There's at least 10 minutes of content right there!
Oh also Jay Jay the Jet engine looks like hellspawn and Bob the builder would be a laugh.
You forgot fireman Sam that could also be entertaining
roary the racing car swell
OH GOD NOT JAY JAY THE JET
Chugging needs to happen 😭😭🤣🤣
engie benjy where machines need reparing constantly and can feel pain, always trying to escape the small island but never could. treated like pets.
Excuse me, this was NOT a nightmare show, it was GREAT! Had some absolutely banging explosions, great drama, and hilarious (often accidentally hilarious) moments. 😊
Leave it to Tomska to make a sponsor segment that both explains what the product does and rips on YT's moderation lmao
ikr it's great XD his sponsor segments are the only ones i never skip
Internet historian has great ones too
tomska is probably the only youtuber that makes me go "oo its sponsor time" rather than "ugh its sponsor time"
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@MandJTV
grunty boi is yes
You dont know what you is talking about this show is perfect
5:03 The stop sign is really channeling their inner Lemongrab "UNACCEPTABLE!!!"
So i was not the only one who thout of that.
I mean, Tom, now that you’ve mentioned it, you KNOW we’re not gonna shut up until you cover Theodore Tugboat.
Tom when his devious ploy to hype up a future video is succeeding:
Yeah he’s been on the internet long enough to know that the opposite will occur and will likely play up the you made me do this for a bit
Man’s a legend for even taking the time to make this.
Having a tug while enjoying a nice episode of tugs
I never watched Thomas or Tugs, but BOY HOWDY do I love these videos. It's like connecting to a DARK childhood I never had
Clever use of the line “Okay Boomer” 27:28 😂😂
2:01
We need more TomSka & Hbomberguy crossovers. Two sketches and a gif is INSUFFICIENT
Let's not bring the communist onto the funny channel, please. That twat never has any interesting input.
What are the two sketches?! *Tell me*
@@Marlyjade one is the time travel one
MORE
Submersive and breedable! Holy shit!
*submersed
15:08
@@techpriestsalok8119 It’s the same thing.
This video was released during one of the best times of my life. Watching it helps me remember.
Btw nice tugging tom
28:14 To be fair, OJ’s basis is actually a british Paddle Steamboat, so the accent makes more sense for him.
Glacialsiren484 Ignored My Request Cancel Him
Yet he has a Welsh accent, when the Eppleton Hall (the boat he's characterised after) was from Newcastle. So he should essentially talk more like Sunshine.
If I ever write a book I'm gonna make tom hyperanalyse it so that I can get rid of all of the plotholes
Glacialsiren484 Ignored My Request Cancel Him
Good plan - I should do that too
9:01 You know that meme of the guy and his angel and his devil and his FBI agent and his NSA agent all looking in disgust (or fear) with open mouths at what's in front of them. That's what this part made me do. Why, oh why, did the train do a hentai noise?
Honestly I’m surprised this only lasted 13 episodes. I hope more of these characters eventually cross over into the Thomas & Friends Universe. Like Hercules and Lillie Lightship.
"Izzy Gomez, the hate crime"
😂
“What do you know about it you South American heap of junk-“
This is the funniest video I've seen on this channel. "Grampus is SUBMERSED and BREEDABLE!" gets me every time.
22:40 - never in my life would I have expected Tom to be talking about the working class. I'm subscribing
24:51 Tom, you know we can't do that Tom.
Its very healthy to obsess over these kinds of things!
that's why we need more of this!
13:00
13:52
Never thought the reason I'd return to tugs would be because of tomska..
The add promo is golden
Indeed
08:16 to 08:22 hehe tuggy duties, yeah sorry I wouldn't be able to keep myself from laughing as well. One of the best lines of this whole video.
5:01 is the best jab at UA-cam I've ever seen
18:23 imma save this one for later
1:57
And Grampuss! The Squirter
"Follow me!"
*submerges*
"Who's gonna follow you, Grampuss?
"FUCKING AQUAMAN!"
that one got me
Ironically it failed because it was a kids show that felt like it was more for adult, and yet the reason people love it now is because that audience are now adults that understand the angle of the show.
Funny video, I do wish you would have given the mention of the models being rescued by the Star Tugs Trust as all the TUG characters (except Top Hat and Grampus) were salvaged.
Thought it is a great tv show, I’m kind of glad it ended because if it were to continue, it would probably end up like TTTE with maybe a hit era and 2D reboot.
Every organ in my body twisted into knots after watching you destroy those tapes...
The memory of Salty's Lighthouse has just dug itself out from the recesses of my mind thanks to this video. I have very faint memories of the show itself, but the one thing I do remember was that Ten Cents referred to Sunshine as his sister in one of his songs.
27:31 I can't stop laughing at this part, this is so good!
The entire video is great, great job Tom and the obviously the team behind the video!
OK BOOMER!
The old lady says ahhhh!
Oh I do love this movie.
I love Tugs, it's here on UA-cam.
Such a beautiful show and you gotta appreciate the hard work and craftsmanship
"that all seems like lung-having behavior to me" is such a funny line i almost shit myself laughing
I remember watching this as a kid and loving it I guess there's something wrong with me
And I never liked cartoons like this. I did love to Courage and stuff like that. And after years, i get why.
@@olenhol2przez4 can this even be considered a cartoon in the traditional sense?
no it's a good show
There's nothing wrong in that
There isn't anything wrong with liking tugs?
4:50
Weird stop-sign dude: "This advert is still too scary for children. it iS FORBIDEEEEEN"
Tomska: "What children man? no-one under 13 should even be on UA-cam."
THANK YOU, this has been bugging me a lot. not regarding youtube, though the actions they took are questionable at best.
no i mean the ones complaining it isn't child friendly... which makes sense since no children should be on the platform to begin with.
there's a reason they have "UA-cam Kids". also the monetization bit hits a bit close for some reason, and I like it.
UA-cam Kids doesn't even work properly. I've seen some anecdotal evidence of straight up porn on there. Not censored or anything..
Thank you for breaking this down... I thought "Tugs" was just a fever dream from my childhood.
dude I hope you make more deep dive videos like these, they are highly entertaining and your humor and way of presenting fits together super well
18:54 Apparently in the episode “Trapped”, where Zug is towing an old hulk up river, that was originally going to be Old Rusty. Pretty understandable why it was change. As well with Zorran and Zug using words like “rust bucket” and “it”.
TomSka & Friends got to be one of the very few content creators where you don't skip past the paid promotion
When Tom spoke about how the boats are a race of cursed living beings made to kill humanity and that's why all humans roleplay as equipment I had the idea of how that can straight up just be a SCP
The fun thing about SCPs is you can write this yourself and submit it! Or, even better, a few people suggested this so you could collectively work on it to make a real entry - maybe even work in how the 13 episodes [and their later cut up, remaster for another show] were like, documentation or something before the people filming them were found to be humans and killed. Or something like that
I don't think they are human. I think they're sentient megaphones
But they don't have eyes.
@@dylanconfer1116 you don't need eyes to be sentient, or do you think blind people aren't sentient?
@@camwyn256 it makes sense in these universes
@@camwyn256 lmao do you think blind people don't have eyes?
@@joelwybrew Anophthalmia
Fun fact: in the original script for sunshine he actually sinks himself because he thought he ruined his chance of joining the star fleet after the accident with the Duchess
boats be like sys
I did watch it in 1989 on CITV, I do watch it on UA-cam often and I do still have my VHS tapes safe and sound.
Thank you Tom for poking fun at a show I’ve loved for over 30 years, it really lifted my mood.
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