Pouty James

"No engine is better at making a pouty face than James." "What about this face?" "Ooh, how about me!" "Never mind James, whatever is bothering you will probably seem better in the morning."

- Thomas, Henry, Gordon and Percy to James

Pouty James is the eighth (eleventh in Australia) episode of the twentieth season.

Plot
James the Red Engine likes being the centre of attention and is always showing off to the others. This often leads to him overshooting the platform or undershooting it. One day, the latter happens to James and he is told off by the stationmaster, but James just shrugs it off. He continues to show off for the rest of the day and the Fat Controller has had enough. He tells James that it is time that he changes his attitude and takes his coaches away, which horrified James.

At the sheds, the engines are settling down for the night. They notice James' pouty face and proceed to make silly faces to mess with him. Percy thinks that whatever is bothering James will be better in the morning, but Percy is wrong; James is still pouting. The Fat Controller tries to persuade James to work, but James refuses to move. Emily explains to him that it is not fun to stay in the sheds all day and the engines continue to make faces at him.

It is not much fun sitting in the sheds, so when the Fat Controller comes back, James apologises for his grumpy mood and tells the Fat Controller that he will be on his best behaviour. That is, until he sees that he has to pull dirty waste trucks to Whiff's Waste Dump. James wants his coaches instead of trucks. Stanley explains to him that Edward took his coaches by the Fat Controller's orders. For the rest of the day, James not only returns to his pouty mood, but takes his time to get from place to place. The Fat Controller finds him down at the docks and once again tells him to change his attitude. Everyone starts making faces again, but James soon finds it amusing. Thomas and Emily see that James is changing his attitude.

Whenever James began to sulk again, they remind him with a silly face to brighten his spirits. He begins to enjoy himself, even without coaches. However, this does not last long before he goes back to his old ways again.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Emily
 * Stanley
 * Porter
 * Philip
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * The Wellsworth Stationmaster
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Whiff (cameo)
 * Scruff (cameo)
 * Stephen (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * Sidney (cameo)
 * Stafford (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Slip Coaches (cameo)
 * The Teacher (cameo)
 * Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)
 * The Welsh Bird Watcher (cameo)
 * Albert's Wife (cameo)
 * The Great Railway Show Judge (cameo)

Locations

 * Knapford Yards
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Station Yard
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Wellsworth
 * Whiff's Waste Dump
 * Kellsthorpe Road
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Sodor Dairy
 * The Washdown

Trivia

 * John Schwab voices Stanley in the US dub.
 * This episode marks the first time that David Menkin has voiced a character in the UK dub (that character being Porter).

Goofs

 * James' trailing wheels spark throughout the episode, even though they are not fitted with brakes.
 * When the Fat Controller says to James that he can stay in the shed, the tracks are floating in mid-air.
 * When Stanley shunts James' waste trucks, one of the trucks change from green to red.
 * Two actors are not credited in the credits for both dubs, these being:
 * Despite voicing Porter, David Menkin is not credited in both dubs.
 * Despite voicing Edward, William Hope is not credited in the US dub.

Quotes
Sir Topham Hatt asking James to change his attitude. Thomas and Emily making pouty faces at James to change his attitude.
 * Sir Topham Hatt: James?
 * James: What? Oh! Sir?
 * Sir Topham Hatt: Don't you remember what I said about changing your attitude? Oh, you don't expect me to let you pull passengers with a face like that, do you?
 * James: Humph!
 * Sir Topham Hatt: Don't you want a job today, James?
 * James: What does it matter what I want?
 * Sir Topham Hatt: Huh! Very well! You can stay here then, in the shed!
 * James: (Gasps)
 * Sir Topham Hatt: Oh, I don't know. Engines today.
 * James: Oh...
 * James: Change my attitude? How am I supposed to change my attitude?
 * Cranky: What a face James! (Laughs) You look even crankier than me!
 * Thomas: No engine is better at making a pouty face than James is!
 * James: Stop teasing!
 * Thomas: (Makes a funny noise)
 * Emily: (Giggles and makes a funny noise)
 * James: (Sniggers)
 * Porter: (Make a funny noise)
 * James: (Sniggers)
 * Thomas: (Makes a funny noise)
 * James: (Chuckles)
 * Thomas: That's it, James! That's much better!
 * James: What do you mean?
 * Emily: He's means you're changing your attitude!
 * Thomas: Come on, James, put a smile on that face! We've got work to do!
 * Emily: Last one back to the shunting yard is a broken brake van!
 * James: (Laughs)

Home Media Releases

 * Team Up With Thomas (UK DVD)

Source

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