Thomas and His Friends Help Out

Thomas and His Friends Help Out, re-released as Friends Help Out in 2009, is a US VHS/DVD featuring five first season episodes, three second season episodes, and three third season episodes narrated by George Carlin. It was distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment in 1996, again in 2002, and released on DVD in 2003.

VHS
PEEP! PEEP! Thomas, Gordon, Sir Topham Hatt, and the rest of the gang have learned many lessons about lending a helping hand. They have selected their favorite stories to create this special "best of" collection - all about helping. Hop on board as a heavy snowfall strands the villagers-and Harold, Terence, Thomas, and Percy come to the rescue. Watch as Percy brings Annie and Clarabel home safely through a thunderstorm, and cheer on James as he tries his best to pull a very long train.

DVD
According to Sir Topham Hatt, "Helping out is one of the best ways to show that you're a "Really Useful Engine". That's why it's so important for Thomas to race to the rescue when one of his friends needs a "helping hand", or in Thomas' case, a "helping buffer". This special collection of stories highlights your Sodor friends proving that sometimes friendship is stronger than fear as they help out those in need. Remember when Trevor was nearly scrapped? Cheer on Thomas, Harold, and Percy as they rescue villagers from a heavy snowfall, and find out what does happen at the mine. All aboard for non-stop DVD fun and excitement!

Episodes

 * 1) Edward Helps Out
 * 2) Foolish Freight Cars
 * 3) Thomas, Percy and the Mail Train
 * 4) Thomas Breaks the Rules
 * 5) Down the Mine
 * 6) Percy's Promise
 * 7) Trouble in the Shed
 * 8) Donald and Douglas
 * 9) Saved from Scrap
 * 10) Bertie's Chase
 * 11) Thomas and Percy's Mountain Adventure

Bonus Features

 * Character Gallery
 * Link to the The official website

Trivia

 * This was the last US DVD to open with the Grace & Wild Interactive Entertainment and Gullane Entertainment logos.

Goofs

 * The front and back of the 1996 VHS features 2 images from No Joke for James, but that episode isn't featured on this release.
 * On the DVD cover there are paint chips on Thomas' roof.
 * At the end of Foolish Freight Cars, the line, "After that performance, you deserve to keep your red coat" is cut out but restored in digital releases.
 * Percy's Promise and Foolish Freight Cars are out of sync.
 * At the very end of Trouble in the Shed, as the ending theme starts, the top of the credits begin to appear over the picture, but it then cuts off to the nameboards.
 * On the 2008 DVD cover, Edward has Thomas' face.
 * In the DVD menu, Gordon's tracks are standing on top of the bushes and so are Bertie's wheels.
 * In some releases, when the narrator says "Long ago" in Down the Mine, the audio cuts out.
 * The first five seconds of Saved from Scrap and the first three seconds of Foolish Freight Cars are cut out.
 * On Netflix and Hulu, the credits from the New Series are used.
 * In digital releases, after Donald and Douglas, Duncan's nameboard is shown twice.
 * In the DVD booklet, it listed that Thomas' Trackside Tunes and Other Thomas Adventures was available on DVD, but wasn't released on DVD until 2008.