Theodore Tugboat

Theodore Tugboat is a Candadian televison show about a little tugboat, his friends, and their adventures in the Big Harbour. Run by the CBC and Conchrane Entertainment, the show dealt with things like events (such as the arrival of a superliner), or feelings like lonliness. The show was filmed on a model set with RC Tugboats, ships, and machinery.

Characters

THEODORE - The main character, Theodore wears a red baseball cap and enjoys harbour life. Probably meant to stand in for the average child, Theodore's personality is kind and fun loving, but he is inclined to misbehave on occaision. Also, he is provoked to wrath when others label him as "small", "cute", or "too little".

HANK - Hank is assumably the youngest tug of the fleet. Recognizable in his blue tuke, Hank is the only tugboat who has not become an "ocean tug" (a tug that is eligible to work outside the the harbour). He has very brittle and delicate feelings, and is more sensitive than the other tugs.

FODUCK - The fleet's fire and rescue tug, Foduck is the second largest tuboat. He carries additional spotlights, a fire nozzle, and a rotating transceiver. He wears a dark red firehat as well. Foduck has a self-centred, overconfident, and proud air that can annoy his comrades and get him in trouble. He tries to assume leadership most of the time, but has a soft spot or two in his heart.

EMILY - The single female in the fleet, Emily wears a turqoise fishing hat and is a good friend of Theodore. She often gets herself into trouble by biting more than she can chew, or straying out of bounds. But Emily is willing to help out in any situation, and every lesson she learns, she takes to heart.

GEORGE - George is the largest tugboat, and has two funnels instead of one. He is very pompous, prideful, and haughty most of the time. He wears a purple baseball cap backwards, and is the strongest of the group. George is also blunt, and gets himself into trouble by being reckless and careless and putting down other tugs. But depsite his mostly bad character, George acts serious about some of his work and doesn't goof off.

OTHER CHARACTERS

DISPATCHER-A rotating building on the Ocean Salvage Company Dock (the place in the harbour where the tugs live). A fatherly figure, the Dispatcher assigns the tugs to one or more tasks that are carried out through the course of the episode. He rebukes the tugs when need be, but he gives them counselling practical advice.

OWEN-Owen is a loud-mouth, boisterous oil rig outside of the harbour who always yells instead of talking. He is anchored by twelve columns and several cables, but the tugs frequently tow him around the water to drill in new locations. In one of the last Theordore Tugboat episodes, Owen sank when his old cables failed to hold him. It is not known whether he was raised or not.

NORTHUMBERLAND-Northumberland is a black submarine who sleeps alot while off duty. He was once trapped under the surface when he was accidentally caught in an underwater rockslide with a broken propeller.

DIGBY-Digby is an old cable laying ship, who is always getting stuck somewhere out on his job. He has a mild East Coast accent.

BRUNSWICK- Brunswick is a barge who's looking for thrills and chills.

CONSTANCE- Constance is coast gaurd ship who takes almost everythings serious and whenever her name is mentioned she is noticed as an important ship.

GUYSBOROUGH- Guysborough is a very grumpy barge who calls everyone "rotton" and the only ones who can stand him are Theodore and Digby.

REBECCA- Rebecca is a research vessel who goes out to sea to find information. She is a research vessel who helps her fellow boats find lost artifacts.

BEDFORD BUOY- A buoy who lives just outside the harbor and is found right under Benjamin.

BENJAMIN BRIDGE- A Bridge who separates the harbor from the ocean.

SIGRID- A supply ship who helps Owen move.

CARLA- A zany cabin cruiser who runs out of control and causes peer presure.

PLOT Opening Sequence

The show opened with the theme song, and the opening title dissolved into the harbourmaster's office. He would normally be doing something or thinking about something, and then he would be remember when one of the tugboats was involved in a similar scenario.

Main Sequence

AS the harbourmaster started telling the story, the camera shot dissolved into a shot of the tugs working somewhere, or getting their orders from the Dispatcher. In the first few minutes of the episode, the tugs encountered a problem, and they had to use their heads to solve it. Other times, the tugs had to conquer an emotional problem, such as not feeling good enough, saying goodbye to a good friend. As the episode continues, the tugs resolve their problem, and life returns to normal in the Big Harbour.

Closing Sequence

The scene again dissolved into a shot of the harbourmaster's office, with the harbourmaster deciding to pay attention to the lesson learned by the tugs. During this time, he would sometimes communicate with the tugs through his office window (they would reply with the sound of their whistles), play his tuba, or listen to his friend Rodney playing bagpipes. The harbouyrmaster would say "so long", and the credits would roll.

REAL NAMES AND LOCATIONS

-The name Bonavista (one of the barges) is also the name of a town in Newfoundland. -The tugs will occasionally visit a modelled version of Peggy's Cove, a real-life cove in Nova Scotia. -Northumberland (the submarine) is the name of an east coast ferry.

RUN ON THE CBC

CBC ran Theodore Tugboat from 1993 until 2001. The show's demise saw new, 21st Century shows like Dragon Tales, Poko, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and many others go into CBC's morning lineup for children in Theodore's place.