- "And I'll eat my hat if you don't like it!"
- ― The Fat Controller to the ram
Baa! is the eighth episode of the fifth series.
Plot
One summer evening, Percy is fed up with the smell of fish after working at the docks all day. He asks his driver to have a washdown, but there is not enough time because the Fat Controller is waiting for him at the sheds. While there, the Fat Controller announces a festival of flowers and that a sign saying "Best Dressed Station" shall be awarded to the winner. He also tells the engines to help out with the arrangements. Thomas and Toby discuss their favourite stations: Ffarquhar and Maithwaite, respectively. Toby then asks Percy which is his favourite, but Percy is too tired to think properly and therefore says the docks by mistake. Thomas can see why when he notices Percy's fishy smell, but Toby laughs saying that the docks is full of fish and not flowers. This makes Percy cross, saying that Arlesdale End is his favourite since it is Toby's real home and then rudely explains why he likes it; whenever he's not there to say he's silly, he then wishes Toby good night in an unnecessary manner as he enters the sheds, leaving Toby feeling sad and hurt by Percy's attitude.
Following a washdown the next morning, Percy collects some trucks loaded with vegetables and flowers. His driver explains that they will be displayed on Maithwaite's platform. On the way, Percy sees Harold and is questions why he is buzzing about. Suddenly, Percy is stopped by a ram on the tracks. Percy now worries that he will be late and realises that Harold was trying to warn him, but his fireman knows just what to do. His fireman lures the ram off the track with some cabbage and Percy is soon on his way again. When Percy arrives at Maithwaite, the stationmaster tells them the ram has a reputation for always being hungry.
A little while later, Maithwaite is decorated with the flowers and vegetables that Percy delivered. Percy is quite confident that Maithwaite will win. He then moves into a siding and is looking forward to having a rest when he hears a commotion at the station and heads back to investigate. He discovers that the decorations have been ruined and Percy's driver and the passengers suspect that the mess was the ram's fault. The passengers cannot get into the waiting room because of the ram, but Percy's driver also notices three boys inside, pleading to be let out. The stationmaster and the passengers then realise that the boys vandalised the station, and that the ram has been blocking them in the waiting room so that they would do no further damage. The boys apologise for all the destruction, saying that they thought it would be fun initially, and promise to put everything back the way it was before.
A few days later, Percy apologises to Toby for the time he was not being in the best mood, and the Fat Controller invites some of the engines to Maithwaite, winner of the "Best Dressed Station" award. The Fat Controller then gives one more prize for the ram; a pumpkin, and proclaims that he will eat his hat if the ram does not like it. But the latter chance comes when Harold arrives and the wind from his rotor blades blow the Fat Controller's hat off, and the ram devours it within seconds. The Fat Controller laughs and says that he would not be able to eat his hat, despite his proclamation. Everyone laughs in reply, and the only sound to come from the ram is a contented hiccup.
Characters
- Thomas
- Percy
- Toby
- Sir Topham Hatt
- The Station-damaging Boys
- Stephen Hatt (not named)
- The Ram
- Farmer Trotter (role cut, cameo)
- Harold (does not speak)
- Henry (cameo)
- Gordon (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Duck (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
- Cranky (cameo)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- The Railway Society (cameos)
- Nancy (cameo)
- The Father (cameo)
- The Storyteller (cameo)
- Mr. Walsh (cameo)
- Harold's Pilots (cameos)
- Mrs. Kyndley (deleted scene cameo)
Locations
- Maithwaite
- Ffarquhar
- Brendam Docks
- Tidmouth Sheds
- The Ram's Field
- Arlesdale End (mentioned)
- The Washdown (mentioned)
- Kirk Ronan (deleted scene)
Trivia
- According to the film slates:
- The close-up shots of Percy's driver on his cab when they were collecting the flowers at Tidmouth Sheds and the Fat Controller standing above Duck announcing the Best Dressed Station competition were filmed on 15th September 1997.
- The Brendam Docks scene was filmed on 25th September 1997, while the close-up shots of Percy's driver at Brendam Docks was filmed on 8th October 1997.
- The deleted scene of Percy departing Kirk Ronan Station was filmed on 15th October 1997.
- The Maithwaite Station scenes were filmed on 5th and 6th November 1997. The close-up shots of Maithwaite were filmed on 6th, 7th and 10th November 1997.
- The shot of Percy with the mail train at Ffarquhar Station was filmed on 11th November 1997.
- A deleted shot of Percy with his red coaches at the Fishing Village was filmed on 20th January 1998.
- The scenes of Harold flying over Percy and Percy being stopped by a ram were filmed on 13th February 1998. The close-up shots of Percy's crew on his cab when encountering the ram, as well as the fireman giving food to the ram and a close-up shot of Percy's whistle were filmed on 17th February 1998.
- This episode was inspired by events that happened during David Maidment's time as stationmaster of Aberbeeg (1964-1965), when a ram inhabited the waiting room of the derelict station at Llanhilleth and would attack vandals who tried to enter. The Best Dressed Station Competition is based on a separate event.
- The magazine story, Summer Fun!, suggests that the man holding the pumpkin is Farmer Collett in the television series. However, it is actually Jem Cole.
- Duck's large scale model from A Close Shave and Thomas and the Special Letter is used when the Fat Controller makes his announcement at the sheds.
- Due to scenes on one particular set across the season being filmed in one go, during the scene of the engines at Tidmouth Sheds, the drivers standing next to the engines are positioned the same, James' tender is tilted the same and he, Gordon and Henry have the same faces and are in the same berths as in the next episode.
- In some deleted scenes, Farmer Trotter was to play a larger role in this episode, He was meant to lure the ram out of Maithwaite Station with a carrot.
- Kirk Ronan appears in deleted scenes, which were used in the song, Percy's Seaside Trip. In it, the Fat Controller and Mrs. Kyndley are still present from the filming of Make Someone Happy.
- This is the first episode of several things:
- The first appearance of Maithwaite.
- The first time the actual names of Sudrian locations have been mentioned in the television series; in this case Ffarquhar, Maithwaite and Arlesdale End. Prior to this, locations would only be referred to by nicknames such as the big station or the harbour.
- The first time it was established that Toby now lives at Arlesdale End.
- The first episode where a food item is transported uncovered in open wagons, in this case vegetables.
- This episode marks the last appearance of Percy's drowsy face.
- This is the last Series 5 episode released in the US; it appeared as the last episode on the Make Someone Happy and Other Thomas Adventures VHS.
- A three berth garage and an ÖBB boxcar from Tugs appear in this episode.
- Throughout the episode, James has his fourth series whistle sound.
- A medley of "Baa Baa Black Sheep" is remixed with the ending ditty, as well as with Percy's theme earlier in the episode.
Goofs
- Percy's driver changes appearance several times throughout the episode.
- When Thomas passes Maithwaite in the first shot, Annie and Clarabel are backwards and he also has Edward's whistle sound.
- In close-ups of Percy's driver at the docks, a small hair can be seen stuck underneath one of Percy's cab window frames.
- In the close-ups of the Fat Controller giving the announcement, Duck's funnel is shorter and a different shape.
- Both Michael Angelis and Alec Baldwin mispronounce Ffarquhar with the silent second "f" in the name.
- When Thomas says "Ha! We can tell," his dome is crooked.
- When Percy reverses into the shed, James' tender is tilted.
- When Percy backs up to his vegetable trucks, a train beside him has a brake van in the middle of it.
- When Percy passes the ram on his way to Maithwaite, his eyes are misaligned.
- When Percy arrives at Maithwaite for the first time, a steam platform is visible.
- In the close-up of Toby at Maithwaite, a bit of blu tack can be seen on the side of his face.
- As the ram eats the Fat Controller's hat bit by bit, a bit of string can be seen holding the hat in position in some freeze frames.
- Jem Cole, the man standing next to him and Farmer Trotter are missing their eyebrows in the final shot of all the passengers.
Merchandise
Books - Percy and the Sheep (Japan only)
In Other Languages
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Home Video Releases
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Reference
| #01 Cranky Bugs | #10 Toby and the Flood | #19 Happy Ever After |
| #02 Horrid Lorry | #11 Haunted Henry | #20 Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday |
| #03 A Better View for Gordon | #12 Double Teething Troubles | #21 A Surprise for Percy |
| #04 Lady Hatt's Birthday Party | #13 Stepney Gets Lost | #22 Make Someone Happy |
| #05 James and the Trouble with Trees | #14 Toby's Discovery | #23 Busy Going Backwards |
| #06 Gordon and the Gremlin | #15 Something in the Air | #24 Duncan Gets Spooked |
| #07 Bye George! | #16 Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach | #25 Rusty and the Boulder |
| #08 Baa! | #17 Thomas and the Rumours | #26 Snow |
| #09 Put Upon Percy | #18 Oliver's Find | Cancelled: James and 'Super' E.D. |