Series 8

The eighth season of the television series was the first to be produced by HiT Entertainment and the first season of the New Series narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Michael Brandon in the US. It first premiered on DVD and VHS on May 2004 before airing on TV. It was first broadcast on television on August 2004 in the UK and September 2004 in the US.

Songs

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

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
 * Murdoch (does not speak)
 * Trevor (does not speak)
 * Refreshment Lady (does not speak)
 * Lady Hatt (does not speak)
 * Alicia Botti (does not speak)
 * The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (do not speak)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * George (cameo)
 * Caroline (cameo)
 * Butch (cameo)
 * Tiger Moth (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)
 * Nancy (cameo)
 * Cyril the Fogman (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)
 * The Photographer (cameo)
 * City of Truro (picture cameo)
 * Donald and Douglas (mentioned; deleted scene)
 * Duck (music video cameo)
 * Oliver (music video cameo)
 * Rheneas (music video cameo)
 * Rusty (music video cameo)
 * Toad (music video cameo)
 * The Fisherman (music video cameo)
 * Bill and Ben (deleted scene)

Characters introduced

 * The Ice-Cream Factory Manager
 * Halloween Engine (does not speak)
 * Kuffy the Clown (not named; does not speak)
 * The Dairy Manager (cameo)

Half hour format
Season 8 was the first half hour format airing of Thomas and Friends that first aired in the UK on Nick Jr., PBS Kids in the US and Treehouse in Canada. In the airing, two Season 8 episodes, one Season 7 episodes, a few Learning Segments and a song is paired. In the Nick Jr. airings in the UK, Michael Angelis' narrations of Season 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 season of several things:
 * The first season to not feature any new characters that would appear after their debut episodes.
 * The first season produced by Simon Spencer.
 * The first season not to have Britt Allcroft, David Mitton, Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell involved in production.
 * The first season in the US where all episode titles are the same as the UK.
 * Sam Barlow's first season as story executive.
 * The first season entierly directed by Steve Asquith after Britt Allcroft, Mike O'Donnell, Junior Campbell and David Mitton retired. Stock footage directed by David Mitton however was used until Edward the Great and in music videos.
 * The first season to use the font, Flange (Bold), for title cards and credits.
 * The first season not to feature Terence, Duck, Oliver and the Skarloey Railway since their debuts, although Duck, Oliver, Rheneas and Rusty made stock footage cameos in a song.
 * The first season to use new opening and closing titles, the Island of Sodor introduction sequence, and Engine Rollcall as the theme. The original opening however is used in the Greek version.
 * The first season shot using BetaCam video, as opposed to 35mm film.
 * The first season that established the Steam Team.
 * The first season to air on PBS outside of Shining Time Station.
 * This was also the last season of several things as well:
 * Abi Grant's second and last season as script editor.
 * The last season to be broadcast on ITV in the UK, who would lose the license to Channel 5 in 2006.
 * The last season narrated by Leo Morimoto in Japan, as well as the last season to feature the original Japanese voice cast.
 * This was also the only season of several things as well:
 * Paul Larson's only season as script editor.
 * The only season to use an extended version of the theme for the end credits.
 * This season contained the 200th episode of the television series.
 * When broadcast on ITV from 2005-2006, the episodes were shown with a different theme arrangement and lacked the Engine Rollcall before the credits.
 * Due to seasons 5-7 never being shown in Finland, those viewers would not have known who Emily, Harvey, Arthur, Spencer, 'Arry and Bert, Salty, Elizabeth, Cranky, Farmer McColl, Murdoch and Alicia Botti are.