History WesternAnimation / Tugs

From the makers of ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' comes a [[ScrewedByTheNetwork short-lived]] sister series. Set in Bigg City Port in TheRoaringTwenties, it chronicles the adventures of the Star Tugs, a fleet of [[CoolBoat Thomas-esque boats with faces]] as they compete for contracts with their biggest rivals, the Z-Stacks.

What really sets this show apart from Thomas is the maturity of the stories. There are dangerous perils that the Tugs have to deal with, such as being crushed by a wayward ocean liner, or the risk of being scrapped, and one episode was nothing but fifteen straight minutes of explosions that caused actual damage, nearly killed one of the main characters, [[UncertainDoom ambiguously killed]] a named character with a voice, and outright killed one other character who didn't speak, but had a name.

Clips from the show were later redubbed and used as segments for ''WesternAnimation/SaltysLighthouse''. See also ''WesternAnimation/TheodoreTugboat'', a SpiritualSuccessor from the same producer.

Clips from the show were later redubbed and used as segments for ''WesternAnimation/SaltysLighthouse''. See also ''Series/TheodoreTugboat'', a SpiritualSuccessor from the same producer.

Clips from the show were later redubbed and used as segments for [[WesternAnimation/SaltysLighthouse Salty's Lighthouse]].

* CatchPhrase: Hercules tends to call everyone "m'dear" and "sweetheart."

* KilledOffForReal: Big Mickey the Crane seems to go this way when he topples over into the ocean in "Munitions", though this depends on whether you're watching it on TV or video.

* ReCut: The TV versions of four of the episodes differ from the VHS versions.
** The most infamous example is the episode "Munitions", which, depending on the version, decides whether or not Big Mickey the Crane [[spoiler: lives or dies.]]

* SceneryGorn: "Munitions" features a ten-minute sequence of explosions, enough to make Creator/MichaelBay proud.

* ShoutOut: The Line "Goodnight Vienna" is a direct reference to Music/RingoStarr's album of the same name.
** At the time, Ringo Starr was cast as the narrator of Thomas the Tank Engine, TUGS sister show.
** Zug looks and sounds like horror legend Peter Lorre.

* RedOniBlueOni: Captain Starr speaks mostly in a calm and controlled way but Captain Zero yells at his tugs and shakes his megaphone whenever he speaks.

* NowWhichOneWasThatVoice: None of the voices for the characters were credited, only through investigation and crew confirmation were any voices identified. Patrick Allen (Captain Star) is a particularly easy voice to identify.

->''"The tugboat, for its size, is the most powerful craft afloat. And the Star Tugs are the power behind the docks and waterways that make up the Bigg City Port. This is'' TUGS.''"''
-->--'''Captain Star''''s OpeningNarration

What really sets this show apart from Thomas is the maturity of the stories. There are dangerous perils that the Tugs have to deal with, such as being crushed by a wayward ocean liner, or the risk of being scrapped, and one episode was nothing but fifteen straight minutes of explosions that caused actual damage, nearly killed one of the main characters, ambiguously killed a named character with a voice, and outright killed one other character who didn't speak, but had a name.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Co-producer Robert Cardona would go on to produce the Canadian series ''WesternAnimation/TheodoreTugboat''.

* VehicleTitle

* BrokenAesop: The original edit of "Munitions" has a very odd one; at the end, Captain Starr blames the accident equally on Ten Cents, O. J., and Bluenose- even though the episode itself showed that the incident was entirely Bluenose's fault. It's especially bizarre because the Aesop of "not all authority figures are reasonable and you shouldn't just follow orders without thinking about them" comes across perfectly well in the episode itself, only for Starr to suddenly claim that "Bluenose was right in his way". The TV edit corrects by stating the incident was more clearly Bluenose's fault. There has been some speculation that this had to do with an extended version of the episode.

* JumpScare: A surprisingly horrific one in ''Munitions'' when Ten Cents gets a burning petrol barge out to sea. [[spoiler: The barge explodes before Ten Cents even has a chance to get clear and it's only through Grampus's aid that he makes it home.]]
* KilledOffForReal: Big Mickey the Crane seems to go this way when he topples over into the ocean in "Munitions", though this depends on whether you're watching it on TV or video.

* WatchWhereYoureGoing: In "Warrior", The Shrimpers say this to Warrior when he cuts across them. Warrior apologizes and tells them that they should look where they're going.

* BritishBrevity: The show ran for 13 episodes.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Zug's voice and appearance is very similar to Creator/PeterLorre.
** Hercules bears a strong resemblance to Creator/ClarkGable.

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