TUGS: High Winds

I am running low on new introductions, people - will happy Thursday do? Ah well, there's trouble about with the High Winds of Bigg City Port!

THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS IN THIS BLOG POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF ZACK WANZER, AND NO ONE ELSE'S

High Winds

Written and Directed by Chris Tulloch

Early one morning, there are warnings about high winds approaching Bigg City Port. Ten Cents and Sunshine notice Zebedee passing through with a long line of barges when suddenly, one of them comes loose. Luckily Ten Cents manages to keep it from floating adrift, but Zebedee tells them that if Captain Zero hears about this, he would not be happy. Then again, when is he not happy? :P Meanwhile, unbeknownst to everyone, the steam tramper Johnny Cuba slips into Bigg City Port, and as he enters, he knocks the Coast Guard aside, leaving him trapped on some rocks.

Zebedee encounters Johnny Cuba, who demands that the Z-Stack bring him into the harbor - as it turns out, something that happened between Captain Zero and Johnny Cuba. Even though Zebedee's a bad guy, you can't help but feel sympathy for him - he wants to help Cuba, but he doesn't want to anger his Captain, very much like Paxton in The Missing Christmas Decorations where he's forced to working with Diesel 10.

Earlier on, O.J. had told the Star Switchers to bring in Scuttlebutt Pete, and as they're doing so, Zebedee is conflicted on what to do when he sees them struggling. He helps them out after Ten Cents did with his barges, which is a good gesture - if you help people out of a situation, they'll most likely help you as well, even if you aren't the best of friends. Afterwards, Zebedee brings in a coal barge for Johnny Cuba, and the tramper demands that he returns in the night. Oh, and Top Hat observes the Z-Stack taking the barge and goes to speak with Captain Star about this.

Meanwhile, Warrior informs Big Mac that Sally Seaplane told him about Hercules bringing in the Princess Alice - she's been damaged at sea. Zebedee soon finds the Coast Guard stuck on the rocks and helps him out; he's not pleased that the Z-Stack has helped Cuba, but since he's helped the Coast Guard as well, the latter lets it slide. Zorran, however, is displeased with Zebedee for helping the Star Tugs, even more so when Zorran helps them keep Princess Alice under control! (Kind of strange that Top Hat isn't there helping his co-workers; maybe he was with Captain Star at the time?)

Zebedee later meets with Johnny Cuba again, but both are confronted by Hercules; Johnny tries to escape, but Zebedee stops him from getting away, and the gangster tramper is arrested, with Hercules and Zebedee both praised for their actions. Ten Cents and Sunshine also thank Zebedee for helping them, and Ten Cents offers him to join the Star Fleet, but Zebedee refuses - "today was today, okay?!"

I'm surprised by the number of deleted scenes in this episode; Captain Zero giving his tugs their tasks, Johnny Cuba telling Sunshine to scram, he and Ten Cents telling the Coast Guard about Johnny Cuba, Sally talking to Warrior, and the ending which the Coast Guard explains everything to Captain Zero. The episode had been written up at the last minute when another script was deemed impossible to film due to budgets. Had they made this episode today, just imagine how the original episode would have looked in CGI! (Speaking of which, is the TUGS CGI project still going on?)

Apart from a couple of minor issues, this is yet another great episode in the show and it shows that even bad guys like the Z-Stacks can have good streaks in them as Captain Star pointed out.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

TUGS Episode Scorecard

1. Sunshine: 9
2. Pirate: 10
3. Trapped: 10
5. Quarantine: 9.5
6. High Winds: 9.5
12. Regatta: 9.5