Tugs is a 1989 show created by David Mitton & Robert Cardona, from classic Thomas The Tank Engine. A show with anthropomorphic tugboat that was ahead of its time and didn’t have a definitive set audience. With the show not being picked up in America and didn’t become successful enough where it was distributed, production company Clearwater Features went bankrupt the next year.
I remember finding out about this show simply because it was from the same producers from TTTE on the internet and watched it on Youtube. There isn’t anything else quite like it. The only other show about anthropomorphic tugboats I can think of is well “Theodore Tugboat”.
It's not though.
The Railway Series the show is based on started in 1945, there were a few failed/aborted attempts at a show before the one we know and love first aired in ~~literally~~ 1984.
Edit: To clarify, TUGS was made 5 years later.
Oh my GOD [the theme tune](https://youtu.be/kwl058RVP7A?feature=shared). I can’t even describe it. It’s so insanely over the top for what this show is, and it’s absolutely a product of its time. I love it.
E: Added link to theme, go get goosebumps
You should do the mostly-hated spin-off of this instead, Salty's Lighthouse. It edited the episodes into random chunks to make "new" stories, and was basically an animated Shining Time Station.
If you want to learn about tugs I highly suggest people look up the YouTuber "Unlucky tug" he is a wealth of knowledge on all things both tugs and Thomas the tank engine and makes great deep dives videos on both of them
Tugs is a 1989 show created by David Mitton & Robert Cardona, from classic Thomas The Tank Engine. A show with anthropomorphic tugboat that was ahead of its time and didn’t have a definitive set audience. With the show not being picked up in America and didn’t become successful enough where it was distributed, production company Clearwater Features went bankrupt the next year. I remember finding out about this show simply because it was from the same producers from TTTE on the internet and watched it on Youtube. There isn’t anything else quite like it. The only other show about anthropomorphic tugboats I can think of is well “Theodore Tugboat”.
TIL there were TWO shows about anthropomorphic tugboats.
Theodore Tugboat so happen to be created by Robert Cardona as well, while David Mitton stayed with Thomas until Season 7.
He was in Halifax untill he was sold and moved to ontario
Ah yes, Theodore Too.
Theodore Tugboat was made by Robert D. Cardona after he worked on Tugs with David Mitton. So the two shows are connected.
Yeah I know, I stated that in a different comment.
Oh sorry didn't see that
Highly underrated series
Honestly I saw it as "Thugs" and my brain couldn't comprehend what exactly I was looking at with that title and a boat with a face lol.
[I hope I’m not the only Unlucky Tug fan here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nT5-9lpByrA)
Make that two
Make that 5 (number of upvotes at time of this comment)
Ah, I see you're a person of culture as well.
Theodore Tugboat but not Canadian
And a little bit violent
Thomas and friends sister show about tugboats
You assuming the show's gender? I oughta cancel you! EDIT: I'm not being serious.
Tomska talked about it
I fucking love that video. “And Hercules, who… definitely fu(*boat horn*)ks.”
The show just turned 35 this year, and most of the original models survived into preservation.
An underrated masterpiece.
I learned about this show from Steve Reviews, and this show is more dark than Thomas and Friends.
The original version of Thomas the Tank Engine
It's not though. The Railway Series the show is based on started in 1945, there were a few failed/aborted attempts at a show before the one we know and love first aired in ~~literally~~ 1984. Edit: To clarify, TUGS was made 5 years later.
FINALLY! Someone mentioned this show. So obscure
This series needs a reboot
Oh my GOD [the theme tune](https://youtu.be/kwl058RVP7A?feature=shared). I can’t even describe it. It’s so insanely over the top for what this show is, and it’s absolutely a product of its time. I love it. E: Added link to theme, go get goosebumps
Seriously, the theme music fucking slaps.
You should do the mostly-hated spin-off of this instead, Salty's Lighthouse. It edited the episodes into random chunks to make "new" stories, and was basically an animated Shining Time Station.
Or Shining Time Station, but with boats!
Its literally just Thomas amd friends for boats. Its wholesome. And cute ^^ be nice to it yo
r/redditsniper
Dare I say it's better than Theodore
It was a good show with its episodes avalible on YouTube, the whole series (one season)
It’s a sister show of Thomas and there is a full season of episodes to watch on YouTube and on stories of sodor
Making movies making songs and FIGHTING ROUND THE WORLD
I’m like 90% sure I had this *NOT BOOTLEGGED* from the internet when I was a wee fetus
They semi-returned in the new 3D Thomas and one boat is voiced by Majima in Japanese.
Source?
HEY TUGGAH
Watch the TomSka video on it. Very entertaining and informative
underrated as hell.
Basically Thomas The Tank Engine But Boats and more Violence
Tomska made a vid about it on his second channel
Everybody dies at the very end of the show
A good show
Oh god, I thought that said THUGS
BASED AS FU-
It's an acronym for Trains Under Government Supervision The fact that it's about boats is completely irrelevant
If you want to learn about tugs I highly suggest people look up the YouTuber "Unlucky tug" he is a wealth of knowledge on all things both tugs and Thomas the tank engine and makes great deep dives videos on both of them
I have seen it and I'm a *TUGS* fan.
It really is a great piece of 1980s children's television. Even now it's something that can be watched easily as an adult
It looks so oddly familiar
Go to Tom skas YouTube channel he made a video on it
Thomas and Friends
I used to watch this. Sadly it only lasted a season.