U.S. Title: Percy Proves a Point
Air date: October 22nd, 1986
Adapted from: Percy the Small Engine, "Percy and Harold"
Percy is enjoying working at the new harbour on Thomas' Branch Line. He likes the branch line work rather than shunting for the mainline engines at the big station. Along the branch line is an airfield and Percy hears the planes flying overhead. The loudest though is a helicopter. Percy complains about the noise it would make.
One day Percy stops with his train at the airfield. The helicopter is there and they began by introducing each other. The helicopter's name was Harold and it's not long before the two start trading insults. When they finish, Harold flies away and Percy sets off for the quarry. Percy finds Toby and vents off his feelings about Harold.
On Percy's trip back to the harbour, they hear Harold's unmistakable buzzing. Percy's crew encourage the two to race each other. Percy had never been allowed to go that fast before. The trucks wail and beg Percy to stop, but it's no use. They have to slow down when they reach the wharf and Percy is sure that they have lost the race. But when the fireman climbs onto the roof of the cab, he can see Harold still looking for a place to land.
In celebration of Percy's victory, the fireman sings a little song about the race, which Percy loves.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Alliterative Title: This episode's US title is Percy Proves a Point.
- The Big Race: Percy gets into a race with Harold, coaxed by his crew.
- Bowdlerize: Oddly, George Carlin's US narration has Percy say "Silly thing" in place of the UK dub's "Stupid thing", while Ringo Starr's US narration does not.
- Composite Character: The driver says the line "Well, I'll be a ding-dong-dang!" when in Percy the Small Engine, it was actually the guard who said it after spilling his tea all over his uniform when Percy went faster.
- Digital Destruction: In the restored version, the shot of Percy right after his fireman finishes singing freezes unexpectedly, causing Percy to not look at him when he thanks him for the song.
- Fantastic Racism: Harold states that railways are slow and out of date.Harold: I think railways are slow. They're not much use and quite out of date.
- Jerkass: Harold.
- Name and Name: Only for the UK title.
- Racing the Train: A train and a helicopter variant.
- The Rival: Harold to Percy, somewhat mirroring Thomas and Bertie's rivalry.
- Stock Footage: Footage from "Coal" is used, though it's the driver in Henry's cab.
- Unknown Rival: Percy and his crew decided to race Harold on their own, without directly challenging him.
- "The Villain Sucks" Song: Percy's fireman sings this song in light of Percy's victory against Harold in the race:Said Harold the Helicopter to our Percy, "you are slow
"Your railway is out of date and not much use, you know"
But Percy and his stone trucks did the trip in record time
And we beat the helicopter on our old branch line!
