Thomas and Gordon

## " Thomas and Gordon Thomas Gets Tricked"

"**Thomas and Gordon**", retitled "**Thomas Gets Tricked**" in American releases, is the first episode of the first series and the first episode of *Thomas & Friends* overall. It is based on the story of the same name from the *Railway Series* book, *Thomas the Tank Engine*.

## Trivia

### Continuity

* The George Carlin narration was previously very hard to find on home video as the only release available was on the 1995 Thomas Gets Tricked re-release from Anchor Bay Entertainment featuring George Carlin's narration with four extra episodes, until it was released on Thomas' Halloween Adventures in 2006.
* Music cues from this episode were used in some audiobooks of *Thomas & Friends*, which were only released in Germany.
* The German audiobook features an extra scene of Gordon feeling guilty about what he did to Thomas, which could have foreshadowed him and Thomas forming their alliance in Down the Mine.
* This episode has the most home video releases for any episode in the television series.
* The model that would later be used for Elizabeth II in the fourth series can be seen in this episode.
* The JEI TV version of the Korean dub added subtitles to inform viewers what a turntable is.
* On 9th October 1984 before the Children’s ITV debut at 4.00pm, the first two episodes aired at 12.00 midday before the Lunchtime News.
* When the series first aired in 1984, the main title fonts were shown in pink. Then when they were shown individually in 1985, the colour of the title fonts were changed to a bright red, which was also used for the second series.

### Cultural references

* The events of this episode were retold and recreated for the 2015 special, The Adventure Begins.
* A clip from this episode was used in the 1995 CITV special *Simply the Best*.
* A workman resembling Ringo Starr is visible.
* In the Japanese dub, the narrator says that Sodor is a part of the United Kingdom. This is contrary to later in the show, where in The Great Race, it is revealed that Sodor is its own country. A possible explanation could be that it became an independent country between times.
* The model that would later be used for Elizabeth II in the fourth series can be seen in this episode.

### Goofs and errors

* In the first shot of Thomas:
	+ Studio equipment is reflected off of his smokebox.
	+ When he starts rolling his eyes, his face moves just a little bit.
	+ His boiler is chipped.
	+ His eyes are wonky.
	+ One of his eyes is scratched.
	+ When the shot shows Thomas' wheels, the paint is chipped.
	+ In the shot of his boiler, the yellow stripe around his cab is peeling off.
* In the first shot of Thomas puffing into Knapford Station, studio equipment is briefly visible behind the nearby buildings before the camera pans closer to Knapford Station.
* In the scene where the narrator says "Thomas thinks no engine works as hard as he does," Henry's passenger train has no brake coach.
* When Gordon is first seen pulling the express, the reflection of some studio equipment can be seen in the lake, and the ground slightly sinks.
* In the closeup of Thomas' driver and fireman inside his cab, the shed is missing as just blue sky can be seen in through Thomas' cab windows.
* When the narrator says "It was nearly time for the Express," there are no coaches on the track next to Gordon. When Thomas puffs in, they suddenly appear.
* Gordon was waiting outside platform 2 for his coaches, but when Thomas puffs in, Gordon and his coaches are outside platforms 3 and 4.
* When Gordon backs up to get coupled up with the coaches, something can be seen moving behind the station. It is most likely a crew member.
* In one scene, there is a set of points leading from the track outside platform 5 to the track outside platform 4. In the next scene, it disappears.
* Just before Thomas reaches the water tower, the background shows trees and bushes instead of Wellsworth.
* When Gordon and Thomas exit Henry's tunnel, the tracks bounce in the air.
* When Gordon is sleeping in the siding, his buffers are crooked.
* When Thomas stops inside Knapford at the beginning, Henry is in his new shape.
* When Thomas wakes Gordon up the second time, the buffers in the siding in front of Gordon are not connected to the track, Thomas and a brake van move a little and his smoke vanishes due to a jump cut.
* When Thomas backs onto the turntable at Wellsworth, he looks more annoyed than tired.
* When Henry leaves the station, Gordon's eyes are a bit wonky.
* When Thomas says "Hurry (up) yourself!" the coaches cannot be seen in front of him.
* When Henry and James puff out of Knapford, two of Henry's wheel arches are missing.
* When Thomas puffs into Knapford in the opening scene, Henry has no coaches. In the next scene, he leaves the station with coaches, a van, and a brake van.
* In the closeup of Thomas' and Gordon's whistles, Knapford station is missing.
* In the wide shot of Gordon pulling the coaches with Thomas behind, Thomas has no faceplate.
* In the closeup of Gordon when he says "Well, little Thomas, now you know what hard work means, don't you?" Wellsworth station is missing.
* In the restored version:
	+ An unidentified object obstructs the camera lens in the top-left corner of the shot when James and Henry pass by at Knapford. The object is most likely studio equipment.
	+ When Thomas leaves the sheds, the edge of the set can be seen.
	+ Studio equipment can be seen as Gordon pulls Thomas around the bend.
	+ In the closeup of Thomas being tired out, the train in front of him is missing.
	+ When the train crosses the viaduct, the edge of the set is visible.
	+ Just before Thomas starts puffing to the water tower, the track ends behind him.
	+ In the closeup of Gordon smiling, there is studio equipment in the background, Thomas and the express disappear, his tender bounces a little, and the tracks behind him end.
	+ When Thomas backs onto the turntable, a camera stand is visible.
* On the digital release of the first series, the narration changes from George Carlin to Ringo Starr, and back to George Carlin again, when they arrive at Wellsworth.