Cranky Bugs

"Help!" "I can't!"

- The engines crying to a helpless Cranky for assistance

"Cranky Bugs" is the fifth season pilot. It aired in September 1, 1998.

Plot


Thomas and Percy find themselves delayed when Cranky the new crane pushes his weight about and messes their work up, and matters are made even worse when Cranky finds out Gordon and James agree with his ways and the Fat Controller blames Thomas and Percy off, to their dismay. That night, a storm traps Henry, Gordon, James and Duck in the harbour shed with Cranky, and when a trampsteamer crashes into the quayside Cranky is knocked onto the shed. Thomas and Percy come to the rescue, and the Fat Controller discovers Cranky caused the mistakes. While Cranky is being lifted up, he mistakenly calls his rescuers "mites". Percy, offended, puffs away, not realising he is still attached to Cranky.

Featured characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Butch (cameo)

Trivia

 * Stock footage from "Henry's Forest" is used.

Goofs

 * In one of the close-ups of Thomas and Percy looking at Cranky, Thomas' buffers are misplaced.
 * When Cranky complains about the load and the engines Thomas and Percy they both have flatbeds in front of them, but when Cranky bangs the load and the camera turns to Thomas and Percy the flatbeds are not coupled to them.
 * Duck is mistakenly referred to as a big engine.
 * Percy and Thomas somehow move Cranky from one side of the shed to the other. This is impossible in real life.