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- "You're looking so much better!"
"Well, they've mended me tubes. But they didn't even look at me brakes, me gauges, me squeaky wheels…"
"All in good time, Henry." - ― Henry and Emily
What's the Matter with Henry? is the sixth episode of the seventh series.
Plot
It is the end of another busy day and all of the engines are happy, except Henry, who is feeling ill once again. He complains that his boiler is grumbling. Thomas teases him about it but Henry crossly moans that Thomas does not care and leaves. Emily notices a puddle of water where Henry had been parked.
The next morning, the Fat Controller tells Henry, Thomas and Percy to collect coal trucks and take them to the docks. The two tank engines puff away quickly but Henry is still feeling ill, which the Fat Controller does not realise this time. However, it is easy to say that really useful engines are not supposed to complain, even if it is technically a rule to speak up when something is wrong, so Henry tries to move anyway, worried that the Fat Controller will not care if he is ill again.
Henry is still leaving a trail of water behind him as he puffs along, which worries Emily even more. Percy and Thomas continue to tease Henry, falsely thinking he is just being lazy. When they arrive at the coaling plant before Henry, they make a plan; Thomas lies to the manager that Henry wants to take more trucks, with Percy adding that Henry is bigger, which the manager (suspecting nothing) agrees to. Meanwhile, Emily tells the Fat Controller about Henry's problem and upon realising this important news, he sends her to find him.
Henry arrives at the coaling plant and is horrified to see a long line of trucks left by Thomas and Percy. But he still has to take them, so he sets off and pulls with all his might. However, the trucks prove too much and Henry grinds to a halt in the middle of the line. Emily pulls up alongside and sees that Henry needs help. So she changes tracks and couples up to Henry while his fireman uncouples the trucks. They set off towards the docks.
When they arrive, the Fat Controller praises Emily and commends Henry on his bravery in taking the trucks despite being ill. Thomas and Percy are ashamed and apologise to Henry for not believing he was sick. Afterwards, the Fat Controller sends Thomas and Percy to pick up Henry's train which would teach them a lesson for their naughtiness and disbelief.
Soon, Henry is mended and back at work, but complains and claims that the workmen did not look at his brakes, gauges, or wheels. Emily assures him that at least he is back in good condition again, but Henry is still unhappy with the workmen's work.
Characters
- Thomas
- Henry
- Percy
- Emily
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Mr. Hobson (not named, does not speak)
- Gordon (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Duck (cameo)
- Salty (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
- Big Mickey (faceless, cameo)
- Troublesome Trucks (deleted scene)
Locations
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Elevated Town Runby
- The Coaling Plant
- Brendam Docks
- Wellsworth
- Henry's Tunnel
- Tidmouth Beach
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the fifth episode of the seventh series.
- Mirrored stock footage from the fourth series episode Henry and the Elephant is used.
- Henry's front truck does not have a face in the episode, yet it does in a promotional image of the scene in which Henry is uncoupled from the trucks. During the footage of this scene in the episode proper, the face area is hidden by a piece of the truck's body duplicated and placed over it. It is unknown why this was done but it can be assumed that it was to maintain continuity within the episode, as without the cover up, Henry's front truck would have suddenly gained a face partway through the episode.
- When released on home video in the UK for the first time, the version used is the UK dub with Robert Hartshorne's music. The UK dub with Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell's music did not come out on home video until The Complete Series 7 was released in 2008. This also applies to Rheneas and the Roller Coaster.
- Not counting his stock footage appearance in Peace and Quiet, this marks Henry's only speaking role for the new footage in the seventh series.
- When Henry leaves the coaling plant, a grey building and large brown building from TUGS can be seen on either side of him.
- This is the first episode in the series in which the title has a question mark. The second is the tenth series episode, Which Way Now?.
- This is the last appearance of Henry's ill face and the first appearance since the fifth series episode, Something in the Air. It is also the first appearance of Henry's angry face in an episode since the episode Thomas and the Rumours from said series.
- This is the first episode since the fourth series episode, Fish to use more than one verse of Henry's original theme, as both Something in the Air and Haunted Henry use only a small part of Henry's original theme. This episode also marks the final time Henry's original theme is used in the series.
- Michael Angelis gives Henry a Manchester accent in the episode.
Goofs
- In the new series version of this episode, Lee Pressman is incorrectly credited for writing it.
- The US title card had a few errors. On Percy Saves the Day and Other Adventures, Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 7 and individual US airings, the title does not have a question mark. In the half hour airing Patience, a second "with" was added to the title; which was later fixed in re-airings after a year or two.
- In a few shots, Thomas' brake pipe is crooked.
- Henry has James' whistle sound when he leaves the sheds.
- In the widescreen version, the end of the set can be seen on the left side at Elevated Town Ruby and when Henry arrives at the coaling plant.
- Percy and Thomas take over Henry at Elevated Town Ruby even though they left the sheds before Henry.
- When Henry arrives at the coaling plant, his brake van has no tail lamp. But when Henry is pulling the train, one appears.
- When Henry's driver says, "We'll still have to take [the trucks]," there is some blue paint in the inner part of his cab.
- The narrator says that Emily and Henry puffed into the docks but Henry was out of steam.
- In the close-up of Thomas looking gloomy, fingerprints are visible on Henry's boiler.
- During Emily and Henry's exchange at Wellsworth, the tracks where they are end at the bushes.
In Other Languages
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Home Video Releases
UK
DVD Boxsets
USCAN
DVD BoxsetsAUS
DVD Boxsets
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| #01 Emily's New Coaches | #10 Toby's Windmill | #19 Bulgy Rides Again |
| #02 Percy Gets It Right | #11 Bad Day at Castle Loch | #20 Harold and the Flying Horse |
| #03 Bill, Ben and Fergus | #12 Rheneas and the Roller Coaster | #21 The Grand Opening |
| #04 The Old Bridge | #13 Salty's Stormy Tale | #22 Best Dressed Engine |
| #05 Edward's Brass Band | #14 Snow Engine | #23 Gordon and Spencer |
| #06 What's the Matter with Henry? | #15 Something Fishy | #24 Not So Hasty Puddings |
| #07 James and the Queen of Sodor | #16 The Runaway Elephant | #25 Trusty Rusty |
| #08 The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop | #17 Peace and Quiet | #26 Three Cheers for Thomas |
| #09 The Spotless Record | #18 Fergus Breaks the Rules | |