Railfan Brony Advent Calendar Day #22: TUGS - Bigg Freeze

Sadly, for the last time, we make a visit to Bigg City port during its Bigg Freeze. Get those violins ready...

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

Bigg Freeze

Written by Roy Russell
Directed by David Mitton

Hercules is assigned to bring in the S. S. Vienna as far as Lillie Lightship, since the cruise liner can't enter the port, and she asks the Star Tug if he'd seen Ten Cents. He and Sunshine are looking for a fuel barge for Lillie - if her light is out, the S. S. Vienna could sail by Bigg City. There's only one left... and Zorran is towing it to supply Vienna's heating plant, which he thinks they'll be doing. The Star Switchers explain the situation to O.J., and he agrees that Zorran's intentions are hugely flawed. Zip and Zug think Ten Cents and Sunshine are trying to get another fuel barge to beat Zorran, but really, they're picking up an emergency light barge.

Meanwhile, Warrior struggles to find an empty garbage barge, and comes across one that's half empty... or was it half full? Well. Either way. Warrior decides it'll do. Ten Cents and Sunshine find the emergency light barge, but Zip and Zug trap them with a fire barge. Sunshine then explains to Ten Cents about the night tide leading back to the river.

Darkness comes, but no one knows how to reach to Hercules and Vienna. Then Warrior suggests getting the load on the garbage barge alight as a beacon - he backfires just enough so sparks set it alight, but it soon goes out. Luckily, Ten Cents and Sunshine manage to show up with the emergency light barge just in time, and with a bump from Warrior, it's set alight. Zip and Zug are shocked to see Ten Cents and Sunshine, and explain what they did to Zorran, and after Ten Cents tells his side of the story, Zorran scolds Zip and Zug for their stupidity. Well, that's very ironic - Zorran was being selfish with the fuel barge and didn't consider everyone else's needs.

Soon enough, Hercules and Vienna show up and both fleets load and unload their barges, and since Vienna has enough fuel to get into the next port, Zorran gives his fuel to Lillie after all. Meanwhile, Zip and Zug are caught out by the Fire Chief, but the Vienna continues on her voyage with a lovely homage to Ringo Starr.

And that was Bigg Freeze. And, in fact, the series overall. It would've been lovely to see this series continue for longer, but I think we should accept quality over quantity. Had it continued, there's a chance it might've gone through seasonal rot - sometimes, things are best left with a short run. I would say TUGS picked the right episode to end its run.

Final Series Ranking: 9.5/10

TUGS Episode Scorecard

10/10 - Pirate, Trapped, Up River, Munitions
9.5/10 - Jinxed, High Winds, Warrior, High Tide, Regatta, Bigg Freeze
9/10 - Sunshine, Quarantine, Ghosts