Series 8

The eighth series of Thomas & Friends was the first series produced by HiT Entertainment narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Michael Brandon in the US. It first premiered on VHS or DVD in May 2004 before airing on television in August 2004 in the UK. It was also broadcast in September 2004 in the US.

Production
After their purchase of Gullane, HiT Entertainment outlined the idea of forming a main cast - the Steam Team, along with creating Learning Segments, increasing the running time and using modern camera equipment. According to Sam Barlow, these adjustments were made to help bring the series back to the United States. On top of those changes, HiT hired Robert Hartshorne as the new composer alongside Ed Welch who also acted as songwriter.

Songs

 * Sounds
 * Emily
 * Surprises
 * A World Around You
 * Determination
 * Patience
 * Ode to Gordon
 * Engine Roll Call

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Harvey
 * Emily
 * Arthur
 * Spencer
 * Diesel
 * Mavis
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Salty
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Elizabeth
 * Harold
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Farmer McColl
 * Sodor Brass Band
 * One member of the Railway Board
 * The Dockyard Manager
 * The Coaling Plant Manager
 * Murdoch
 * Trevor
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Lady Hatt
 * Allicia Botti
 * The Duke and Duchess of Boxford
 * Henrietta
 * George
 * Caroline
 * Butch
 * Tiger Moth
 * Big Mickey
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * Jem Cole
 * Farmer Trotter
 * Nancy
 * Cyril the Fogman
 * The Storyteller
 * The Photographer
 * Harold's Pilots ​
 * Toad
 * City of Truro
 * The Mayor of Sodor
 * Mr. Jolly
 * Duck
 * Oliver
 * Rheneas
 * Rusty
 * The Fisherman
 * Bill and Ben
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Stepney
 * Fergus
 * BoCo
 * Class 40
 * Skarloey
 * Old Slow Coach
 * Lorry 2
 * Thumper

Characters Introduced

 * The Ice-Cream Factory Manager
 * The Halloween Engine
 * Kuffy the Clown
 * The Dairy Manager

Half Hour Format
Series 8 was the first series to use a half hour format to air Thomas & Friends, airing in the UK on Nick Jr., PBS Kids in the US and Treehouse in Canada. In the airing, two Series 8 episodes, one Series 7 episode, a few Learning Segments and a song were paired. In the Nick Jr. airings in the UK, Michael Angelis' narrations of Series 7 episodes are paired with Robert Hartshorne's music replacing Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell's music.

Sounds

 * Thomas and the Tuba
 * Learning Segment: Which Whistle Suits Thomas
 * Song: Sounds
 * Peace and Quiet
 * Learning Segment: Sounds
 * Percy's New Whistle

Differences

 * Thomas to the Rescue
 * Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Gordon
 * Learning Segment: Steamies and Diesels Sounds
 * Emily's New Coaches
 * Learning Segment: Guess the Engine - Thomas, Henry and Toby
 * Henry and the Wishing Tree

Personality

 * James Gets a New Coat
 * Learning Segment: Guess the Engine - Percy
 * Song: Emily
 * Best Dressed Engine
 * Learning Segment: Being Blue
 * Thomas Saves the Day

Listening

 * Percy's Big Mistake
 * Learning Segment: Guess the Engine - James
 * Learning Segment: How Does Emily Get to the Station?
 * Gordon and Spencer
 * Learning Segment: Percy Pulls Out of the Station
 * Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough

Surprises

 * Don't Tell Thomas
 * Learning Segment: Toby is Surprised to see...
 * Song: Surprises
 * James and the Queen of Sodor
 * Learning Segment: Surprise Destination
 * Emily's New Route

Responsibility

 * Thomas and the Firework Display
 * Learning Segment: Thomas Trundles out of the Station
 * Bill, Ben and Fergus
 * Learning Segment: Thomas and the Mast
 * Learning Segment: Being on Time
 * Gordon Takes Charge

Determination

 * Spic and Span
 * Learning Segment: Thomas and Percy play Hide and Seek
 * Song: Determination
 * Not So Hasty Puddings/Not So Hasty Cakes
 * Learning Segment: Truck Trouble
 * Edward the Great

Sharing

 * Squeak, Rattle and Roll
 * Learning Segment: Which Way Should Thomas and Emily Go?
 * Learning Segment: Sharing
 * Percy Gets it Right
 * Learning Segment: Sharing Trucks
 * Thomas and the Circus

Patience

 * Thomas Gets it Right
 * Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Emily
 * Song: Patience
 * What's the Matter with Henry?
 * Learning Segment: The Children Wait for Gordon
 * As Good as Gordon

Difficulties

 * Fish
 * Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Edward
 * Learning Segment: What Thomas needs to do in the Winter
 * The Old Iron Bridge
 * Learning Segment: Helping One Another
 * Emily's Adventure

Confidence

 * Halloween
 * Learning Segment: Guess the Engine - Emily
 * Song: Ode to Gordon
 * Trusty Rusty
 * Learning Segment: What Makes Percy Feel Better?
 * You Can Do it, Toby!

Helping

 * James Goes Too Far
 * Learning Segment: Henry Huffs out of the Station
 * Three Cheers for Thomas
 * Learning Segment: Getting There
 * Learning Segment: Edward Helps Emily up Gordon's Hill
 * Chickens to School

Weather

 * Too Hot for Thomas
 * Learning Segment: Painting James
 * Song: A World Around You
 * Salty's Stormy Tale
 * Learning Segment: How does Thomas Get to the Timber Yards?
 * Percy and the Magic Carpet

Trivia

 * This was the first series of several things:
 * The first series produced by HiT Entertainment.
 * Simon Spencer's first series as producer and show-runner.
 * The first series not to have Britt Allcroft, David Mitton, Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell involved in production.
 * The first series in the US where all episode titles are the same as the UK.
 * Sam Barlow's first series as story executive.
 * Marc Seal's first series as a part of the writing team.
 * The first series entirely directed by Steve Asquith after David Mitton retired as well as since the sixth series and the Jack and the Sodor Construction Company series. Stock footage directed by David Mitton, however, was used until Edward the Great and in music videos.
 * The first series to have music composed by Robert Hartshorne and Ed Welch.
 * The first series to use the font, Flange BQ (Bold), for title cards and credits.
 * The first series in which Duck, Donald, Douglas, Oliver, Bill, Ben, Terence and the Skarloey Railway do not appear since their debuts, although Duck, Oliver, Rheneas and Rusty made stock footage cameos in some songs, Donald and Douglas were mentioned in one episode and they also appear in a deleted scene from another episode. Bill and Ben also appear in another deleted scene of yet another episode.
 * The first series to use a new opening and closing title, the Island of Sodor introduction sequence and Engine Roll Call as the theme. The original opening, however, is used in the Greek version.
 * The first series shot using BetaCam videotape, as opposed to 35mm film.
 * The first series that established the Steam Team.
 * The first series to air on PBS outside of Shining Time Station.
 * The first series to air on American television in a half hour format since the fifth series on Fox Family's Storytime with Thomas.
 * The first series dubbed in Indonesian and European Spanish.
 * This was also the last series of several things as well:
 * Abi Grant's second and last series as script editor.
 * The last series broadcast on CiTV in the UK, who would lose the license to Channel 5 in 2006.
 * The last series narrated by Leo Morimoto in Japan, as well as the last series to feature the original Japanese voice cast from Aoni Production.
 * The last series to use stock footage from episodes produced by The Britt Allcroft Company and Gullane Entertainment.
 * The last series to be completely released on VHS in the US.
 * The last series to see any VHS releases in Australia, though incomplete.
 * This was also the only series of several things as well:
 * Paul Larson's only series as script editor.
 * The only series Dave Ingham and Robin Rigby were a part of the writing team (not counting Rigby's cancelled Jack and the Sodor Construction Company episodes).
 * The only series to use an extended version of the theme for the end credits.
 * The only series to not have any narrow gauge engines since their introduction in the fourth series.
 * This series contained the 200th episode of the television series which was As Good as Gordon.
 * When broadcast on CiTV from 2005-2006, the episodes were shown with a different theme arrangement and lacked the Engine Rollcall before the credits.
 * Due to series 5-7 never being shown in Finland, the viewers who live there would not have known who Emily, Harvey, Arthur, Spencer, 'Arry and Bert, Salty, Elizabeth, Cranky, Farmer McColl, Murdoch and Allicia Botti are.
 * A deleted scene from Squeak, Rattle and Roll suggests that Thomas would have appeared in the episode. Had he actually appeared, this would have been the first series where Thomas appears in every episode instead of the ninth series. Regardless of whether he would have spoken in the episode or not, the thirteenth series would still be the first series where Thomas speaks in every episode.
 * Only six episodes of this season were aired on CITV from 3rd May to 7th June 2005 where it ended the terrestrial television rights and later aired from 20th September-6th October on Channel 5

Staffel 8 Temporada 8 העונה השמינית 第8シーズン Seria 8 Сезон 8 第8季