Tugs "Jinxed" (partially found extended cut of British children's TV series episode; 1989)

Ten Cent's Hooter.

Status: Partially Found

In November 1987, filming on Tugs would begin, with it lasting until December 1988, with the series being officially broadcasted on April 4, 1989, last 13 episodes, each being 15-minutes long. However is was not always planned.

On November 17, 1988, two VHS tapes for the show would be released, each containing two episodes. These tapes would have 20-minute versions of the episodes "Sunshine", "Pirate", "Regatta" and "Munitions". The 15-minute cuts of the episodes mentioned would only be released in the UK/Australia via TV broadcast.

Some of the picture book adaptions for the episodes would also feature various scenes not seen within the 15-minute versions of the episodes. Promotional pictures for these cut scenes would also be featured via merchandise like VHS tapes, cards, and boxes to toys.

For many years, these would be the only indicators of there ever being 20-minute cuts to these episode, but over the years, several fans have gotten their hands on behind the scenes materials that further prove their existence. From photos taken during the filming of deleted scenes, shooting schedules that make mention of details and scenes not seen in the 15-minute versions, a workprint for the 20-minute version of "Warrior", and even scripts.

Background

One of the episodes for the series is called "Jinxed", the tenth episode of the series. For decades, the only insight of its original 20-minute cut was the picture book adaption called "The Unlucky Tug", with cut content being featured in the text itself, as well as some promotional pictures for these scenes.

It wouldn't be until around early-mid 2012 when some new behind the scenes pictures would start pop up online, one of which being to an extended scene of Boomer being towed to Lucky's Yard before starting to sink, and an unused close-up model of Ten Cents' hooter, with fans not knowing the context for either scene at the time.

Nothing new from Jinxed's 20-minute version would pop-up until 2018, when a group called "The Star Tugs Trust", now known as "TUGS: The Exhibition" would show off a promotional video (commonly referred to as "The Sizzle Reel/Sizzler") made for the series, consisting of footage from solely "Jinxed" and "Sunshine", the first two episodes filmed. Some of the footage of them featured in the Sizzler would be from Jinxed, including several deleted scenes. Some, like seeing the morning aftermath of the crash at Lucky's Yard, were already known about thanks to the picture book, and some, such as Zip and Zug watching Boomer being taken to Lucky's Yard and Izzy Gomez being bumped by Boomer would be the first look into the unknown bits of content from the episode's 20-minute cut. This information however, wouldn't resurface online until June 2020, when a recording of the audio and witness accounts of the contents of the Sizzler would be released.

A few months later, in August 2020, a YouTuber by the name of "The Star Switcher" upload the prototype intro from the Sizzler, although being sourced from an odd copy of a VHS tape of Munitions.

In 2021, various behind the scenes pictures and documents would be shown off at two "TUGS: The Exhibition" events, one lasting from August 28-30, 2021, and another limited invite event on October 23, 2021. One of these was a schedule that mentions "Jinxed" and "Up River" having their "long" and "short" versions needing to be edited. It's unknown if the "long" 20-minute versions would end up being edited, or if they only edited the "short" 15-minute versions of those episodes.

The Gomez Incident being filmed.

In October of 2021, The Tugs Project would unveil a series of photos provided by crewmember Paul Knight, and among these were photographs of the crew filming the scene where Izzy Gomez crashes into a pier and fuel barge, causing an explosion (this has gained the nickname, "the Gomez Incident"). Later, on Christmas day of 2021, The Tugs Project unveiled a treatment plan for the 20-minute version of the episode, while going under it's original title, "The Jinxed Tug". These type of documents would've been later translated into actual script, with scene directions and dialogue, which would then be by the crew for filming.

Later on in October 2022, footage from the "Sizzle Reel" would be leaked online, recorded by someone attending a VIP event by "TUGS: The Exhibition" where it along with work prints for Warrior's 20 minute cut and Trapped's 15 minute cut were screened via a small TV at the event.

On December 24th, 2023, a previously unknown US dub of the Sizzle Reel was found and uploaded by The Tugs Project on Youtube. Which for the first time had many of the extended footage and scenes being shown in high quality.

Plot

The 20-minute count would have played out much the same, though with more context in scenes and more continuity with the show in general. Changes and additions include:

• Everything involving Lucky's Yard being extended. Sunshine taking away the barge Boomer sunk on, more dialogue from Mighty Mo (and everyone in general), Ten Cents mentioning Captain Star being superstitious, an extended tow to Lucky's Yard through the night with Zip and Zug mocking the Star switchers and an explanation as to how Boomer sunk.

• A scene with the Ironworks from the episode High Tide. Big Mickey would be loading barges and Boomer would be pushing them along the Pier. They "seemed to be getting on fine" until his jinx strikes, causing Big Mickey's engine to hiccup and drop an extremely large and heavy load of steel onto a barge. The barge sinks to the bottom of the port. the Ironworks blames Boomer, but Big Mickey blames Ten Cent's whistle giving a smoother transition into that subplot.

• When Ten Cents tests his whistle to see if it jinxes Boomer, a large-scale prop of his whistle and smokestack was intended to be used.

• The Gomez Incident. Ten Cents and Sunshine are sailing past Boomer and Izzy Gomez. Ten Cents toots his whistle and chaos ensues as Boomer's rudder gets jammed. Ten Cents and Sunshine watch in horror as Boomer slams into sleepy Izzy. This causes Izzy to ram into a small pier and destroy it in an explosion. Ten Cents and Sunshine offer to tow Izzy away with Izzy spouting the line "Ees that silly Grino's fault, He pay."

• An explanation as to why Boomer is sitting near the Buoy, being a standby fog horn. Then some dialogue in the next scene alludes to Scuttlebutt Pepe's tendency to gossip.

• A scene just before the Fire Tug pulls in boomer, where Big Mac and O.J. rally Sunshine and Ten Cents to help with Boomer.

Availability

The location of the episode is unknown, fully dubbed, or even a workprint. This episode never saw release on VHS or TV. Fans have debated on if the footage was even finished editing. That said there are some leads and clues, though the majority of this is speculation:

• TUGS: The Exhibition: They own the Sizzler which contains a handful of footage from the original 20-minute cut. Most likely they don't have the full episode, but they do have many materials relating to it.

• Robert Cardona: Surviving co-creator of Tugs. There's a possibility he may have kept a finished copy of the episode as a keepsake. The same could also be said for other crew members who haven't donated any kept behind the scenes materials to either The Tugs Project or TUGS: The Exhibition.

• Shepperton Studios: Though extremely unlikely a copy may be sitting in a forgotten archive or vault at Shepperton.

• The Tugs Project has confirmed they DO NOT have the episode, though they have released many images and materials relating to the episode.