Bulls Eyes

"Look, Daisy! I've got some sweets; they're called bulls-eyes! I like them. Do you?" "Humph! Keep your old bulls-eyes!"

- The boy and Daisy

Bulls Eyes is the twenty-first episode of the fourth season. It first aired on the Shining Time Station spinoff,  Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, Missing Whistles in 1996 in the US.

Plot
Toby's cowcatchers and sideplates are designed to prevent animals from getting hurt if they stray onto the line, but Daisy believes that Toby is simply afraid of getting hurt himself. She tells Toby that any animal, even something as big as a bull, will always run away if she toots her horn and looks them in the eye, despite Toby's insistence that they won't. Later that day, Daisy is asked by a policeman to guide a stray bull back to its farmer. She sets off, eager to prove to Toby that she can handle bulls, despite the fact she has never actually encountered one before.

Champion isn't really a fierce bull, but this morning, he was cross: he had jumped his fence and slithered down the valley onto the line. Just as he begins to eat the nearby grass, Daisy arrives and toots for him to move. Despite several attempts, Champion ignores her and continues eating. Eventually, he notices Daisy and advances curiously towards her. Daisy becomes unnerved, as the bull is not running away as she expected him to, and she is scared that she might get hurt, although she tries to deny this.Champion then sniffs Daisy. This proves to be the last straw, as Daisy retreats back to the station.

Toby soon learns about what happens and, after reminding Daisy that a bull should always run away according to her, goes to shoo Champion away himself. Although Toby's bell and whistle prove ineffective against the still-grazing bull, he eventually retreats after Toby blows steam at him and reunites with the farmer further down the line. Later that evening, some boys tease Daisy with some "Bulls Eyes" sweets, much to her annoyance.

Characters

 * Toby
 * Daisy
 * The Policeman
 * The Little Boys
 * James (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)

Locations

 * Elsbridge
 * Toryreck
 * Castlelated Tunnel

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twenty-second episode of the fourth season.
 * In the Indian narration, Michael Angelis is credited as the narrator.
 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Branch Line Engines.
 * A photograph from this episode was released as a Royal Mail stamp in 2011 to mark the Reverend Awdry Centenary.
 * The sweets appear to be beads.
 * This episode marks Daisy's last speaking role until Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, and her last appearance until Calling All Engines!.
 * This marks the first time Toby's whistle is heard.

Goofs

 * After James puffs past Toby with coaches, the camera cuts to Daisy for about five seconds and then cuts back to Toby, but James is nowhere to be seen.
 * Daisy's left eye is sightly off after she passes the eve crossing.
 * When the policeman warns Daisy about Champion, the guard does not have a mouth.
 * When Champion looks around, a small box can be seen at the entrance of the tunnel.
 * Daisy's eye-mechanism is visible in several shots:
 * After the policeman tells Daisy after Champion.
 * When Champion sniffs at her.
 * After Daisy says "Keep your old bull's eyes!", she turns at the points, but in the shot after that, she is turning again.
 * During the opening scenes at Elsbridge, Daisy has a Co-Bo wheel arrangement (thought to be BoCo's chassis).
 * When Toby meets Daisy in her shed, her face is falling off.
 * Daisy has a different horn sound.
 * When Toby comes out of the tunnel, his eyes are wonky.

UK

 * Story and Song Collection
 * The Complete Fourth Series
 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Help and 15 other stories

US

 * Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.2
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3
 * I Will Not Loose to the Diesel

AUS

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and other stories
 * Story and Song Collection
 * The Complete Fourth Series

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10

NOR

 * On New Adventures

DK

 * The Brave Engine and Other Stories

GER

 * Thomas Animal Adventure

SVN

 * James and the Problems with Trees

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

ITA

 * Here Comes the Queen