This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Step Into Reading book, the Chinese book, the 2011 magazine story, the 2012 magazine story or the Thai DVD. |
- “Will he blow over?"
"Why's he so spotty?"
"Does he sit down?” - ― Gordon, Edward, and Percy upon seeing the giraffe
Thomas' Tall Friend is the first episode of the fourteenth season.
Plot
A new animal park is being built on Sodor and Thomas is called upon to deliver a giraffe to the Animal Park as Percy delivers leaves, Edward delivers apples and Gordon to take The Mayor and Sir Topham Hatt to open the park. Cranky tells Thomas to wait for the giraffe's keeper but Thomas wanted to show the giraffe to the children and leaves without waiting for the giraffe's keeper. Thomas runs into trouble when the giraffe will not follow his orders and lay down to allow Thomas to go under a bridge. Gordon comes from behind with The Mayor and Sir Topham Hatt on his express. Seeing the giraffe blocking his way, Gordon tells Thomas to go back to the Docks for the keeper, but Thomas thinks the giraffe will do what he tells him and went to a siding to let Gordon pass.
Edward arrives and Thomas asked him if the giraffe could eat some of his apples so he would lay down, but as soon as the giraffe ate all the apples, he wouldn’t lay down. Edward was not happy about this and tells Thomas to go back to the Docks for the giraffe keeper, but Thomas still thinks the giraffe will do as he says and Edward leaves. Then Percy arrives and Thomas asked him if the giraffe could have some leaves and Percy was happy to help his best friend. After playing with the leaves and eating them, the giraffe finally lies down and Thomas and Percy chuffed to the animal park.
But when they arrived, The Mayor and Sir Topham Hatt were cross after waiting a long time for the giraffe, who wouldn't wake up. Thomas knows what must be done and goes back to the docks to collect the keeper. After taking him to the animal park, Thomas goes to get fresh leaves and apples to replace the ones the giraffe ate and returns to the Animal Park with them. The giraffe immediately follows its keeper's orders and even turns its attention to Thomas when Thomas whistles with joy at seeing it awake. Thomas gets his photograph taken with his new tall friend.
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Gordon
- Percy
- Cranky
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Farmer McColl (does not speak)
- The Mayor of Sodor (does not speak)
- Henry (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Emily (cameo)
- Stanley (cameo)
- Hiro (cameo)
- Diesel (cameo)
- Big Mickey (cameo)
- The Photographer (cameo)
- The Tree Specialists (cameo)
- The Teacher (cameo)
- The Ginger-haired Boy (cameo)
Locations
Cast
UK
- Ben Small as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Edward, Gordon, Percy and the Fat Controller
- Matt Wilkinson as Cranky
- Michael Angelis as the Narrator
US
- Martin Sherman as Thomas and Percy
- William Hope as Edward
- Kerry Shale as Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt
- Glenn Wrage as Cranky
- Michael Brandon as the Narrator
Trivia
- The photo album at the end of the episode contains photos from the episodes, Thomas and the Runaway Kite and Creaky Cranky and one from the special, Hero of the Rails.
- This episode marks the debut of the Sodor Animal Park in the television series; it had previously appeared in several magazine stories.
Goofs
- After Thomas goes back to the docks, the giraffe's flatbed somehow switches tracks at the Animal Park.
- During the scene at Brendam Docks, Gordon's coaches move positions; one disappears, and later one is not rendered properly, as it goes through Gordon's tender.
Merchandise
- Wooden Railway - Thomas' Tall Friends 3-pack
- Books - The Tall Friend, Thomas' Tall Friend, Holiday Gift Set and Thomas' Tall Friend (China only)
- Magazine Stories - Thomas' Tall Friend/Thomas' Tall Friend
- Take-n-Play
In Other Languages
Language | Title |
---|---|
Catalan | L'amiga alta d'en Thomas |
Chinese | 托马斯的高个子朋友 |
Czech | Tomáš a jeho vysoký kamarád |
Danish | Thomas' høje ven |
Finnish | Tuomas ja Pitkäystävä |
French | Thomas et la girafe |
German | Thomas’ großer Freund |
Greek | Η ψηλη φίλη του Τόμας |
Hungarian | Thomas hórihorgas barátja |
Indonesian | Thomas yang Tinggi |
Italian | Thomas e il Suo Alto Amico |
Japanese | トーマスとキリン |
Korean | 토마스의 키다리 친구 |
Norwegian | Thomas's høye venn |
Polish | Wysoka Przyjaciółka Tomka |
Portuguese | A Amiga Alta de Thomas |
Romanian | Prietenul Înalt al lui Thomas |
Russian | Высокий Гость |
Spanish | La Amiga Alta de Thomas |
Swedish | Thomas långe vän |
Thai | เพื่อนตัวสูงของโธมัส |
Welsh | Ffrind Tal Tomos |
Home Media Releases
#01 Thomas' Tall Friend | #08 Pop Goes Thomas | #15 Jumping Jobi Wood! |
#02 James in the Dark | #09 Victor Says Yes | #16 Thomas and Scruff |
#03 Pingy Pongy Pick Up | #10 Thomas in Charge | #17 O the Indignity |
#04 Charlie and Eddie | #11 Being Percy | #18 Jitters and Japes |
#05 Toby and the Whistling Woods | #12 Merry Winter Wish | #19 Merry Misty Island |
#06 Henry's Health and Safety | #13 Thomas and the Snowman Party | #20 Henry's Magic Box |
#07 Diesel's Special Delivery | #14 Thomas' Crazy Day | |