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"I'm sorry but I don't answer questions."
"No questions? But why not?"
"Aha, well that's a question and I can't answer questions!
"
— Hank and Theodore
ListeningHeader
Is Anybody Listening?
Director(s)

Robert D. Cardona

Producer(s)

Andrew Cochran

Writer(s)

Bob Stutt

Narrator

The Harbour Master
(Denny Doherty)

Air date

July 26th,1993

Previous episode

Theodore and
Bluenose

Next episode

George Buzzes the
Dock

Is Anybody Listening? is the sixteenth episode of the first season.

Plot

During the morning work meeting, The Dispatcher is giving everyone their jobs for the day. Foduck is to report to Petra at Dry Dock to move a ship, George and Emily are to report to Pearl at Dock 7 to take out a tanker ship, and Theodore and Hank are to wait until they were needed. And if they had any questions, then they had to ask the pilot boats. Theodore and Hank are disappointed, because they wanted to do something. Pearl and Petra pass by. Emily wants to ask what the name of the ship is that she and George are taking out. But they keep sailing away, much to Emily's annoyance. George doesn't care and acts like a pilot boat himself. And he and Emily go do their job, which makes her and the other tugs smile. While Theodore and Hank wait, Hank suggest they practice. Hank pretends to be a pilot boat, while Theodore is the tugboat. But Hank is becoming dizzy with Theodore asking questions and doesn't want to be a pilot boat anymore. He thinks maybe they're just too busy to listen to tugboats. Theodore is silent and thinks that's not fair.

The next morning, Theodore is determined to get the pilot boats to listen so he can ask questions. The Dispatcher tells George and Emily to bring in an oil tanker, Foduck and Hank to head to Dry Dock 3 to dock a damage freighter, and Theodore has to stay at the dock again. And the Dispatcher reminds them again if they have any questions, then ask the pilot boats. Theodore is sad, but then he hears Pearl's horn. Theodore finally has the chance to ask a question. But Pearl gives him a job to go to the warehouse on Dock 3 and bring in fresh supply of tow ropes and continues on her way. Theodore is dismayed and goes to ask Petra.

Theodore is on his way to get the tow ropes at Dock 3, when he sees Petra. He tries to ask her a question, but Petra tells him that the Dispatcher just called on the radio that he needs a tugboat to replace Marker Buoy 6 at the entrance of the harbour. Theodore already has a job to do, and now he needs to do another one. He tries to talk fast and tell her Pearl gave him one, but Petra tells him she has to go, and she'll talk to him when he's finished. Theodore is becoming agitated. He knows he can't do two jobs at the same time. Theodore finds Pearl at the Feuling Dock and tries to explain. But Pearl is in a rush and gives him another job. To move an empty garbage barge to its proper dock as someone had left it at Dock 2, and she leaves. Theodore can't believe it. He has to do three jobs at once.

Later, the tugboats return at the Great Ocean Tug and Salvage Company Dock. The Dispatcher asks if all jobs have been completed, and they all toot their horns to say yes. Then he asks if the damaged marker buoy has been replaced. Petra arrives and tells him that she gave Theodore that job. Then Pearl shows up and said she told him to move a barge and didn't realize Theodore had another job. Then she remembers that she told Theodore to get the tow ropes as well. Then she asks why he didn't tell her and Petra that he had too much to do. Hank speaks up and tells them he tried to ask a question since yesterday, but the pilot boats don't remember that. Hank also tells them that Theodore wanted to know why they don't listen to the Tugboats. The Dispatcher is more concerned about Theodore and tells them they'll talk about it later. A container ship is coming to the harbour, and there's nothing to warn it about the sharp rock with the marker buoy still damaged. So, the tugboats and pilot boats hurry to warn the ship and bring her in.

At the mouth of the Big Harbour, there are several marker buoys that mark dangerous places. Marker Buoy number 6 whose name is Blankston (mistaken for Blandford), marks the spot of a large, and jagged rock that's underwater. It is foggy, and Theodore is floating there thinking that the pilot boats didn't care what he did. And they should've realized doing three jobs at once is too much for a tugboat. Then he hits a rock and sees Blankston had drifted off his spot, and his light wasn't working. Then he hears a ship's horn. Theodore can't see it, but he knows that the ship is gonna collide into the big, jagged rocks. Theodore floats up to Blankston until he's side by side with him. He hears the ship's horn again and the ship emerges from the fog getting closer. The tug and pilot boats are racing to the entrance of the harbour as they hear the ship's horn as well. Pearl and Petra blame themselves for not listening. The ship, whose name is Elo Echo is getting closer and closer to the rocks, when Theodore blasts his horn to warn her. She realizes there must be a damaged marker buoy and she's heading straight for it. The tug and pilot boats arrive just in time to see Elo Echo turn away from the rocks. Pearl thinks the marker buoy must be working, but Hank sees that it was Theodore who saved the day. They all cheer for Theodore's heroism. And Petra notices the tow ropes on his deck. Theodore explains that he was gonna get to it and then move the barge, But Petra tells him to forget it, and Pearl apologizes for her and Petra not listening. And from now on they'll listen to the tugboats and talk about all the work in the harbour. The tugboats are happy to hear this and go and bring Elo Echo into the harbour. Hank tells Theodore he'll go get another marker buoy so Theodore can tell the others what happened. And comments that everyone will want to listen. To which Theodore smiles.

Characters

Trivia

  • First and only appearance of Elo Echo.
  • This is probably the first episode to be filmed in the series since many of the buildings and docks, seen in other episodes featuring the Big Harbour set, are missing; as well as The Dispatcher's insignia.
  • During one of the work meetings, The Dispatcher orders Emily and George to go Chebucto Head, which is a real life place in the southwestern part of Halifax. It also happens to mean "the big harbour".

Goofs

  • The insignia on The Dispatcher's hat is missing in this episode.
  • The Harbour Master says "Hank and Theodore had to laugh." but Theodore is clearly frowning.
  • Blankston is called Blandford in this episode.
  • In the last scene when the tugboats and pilots are heading back to work, Emily's rear deck can still be seen floating to the right as Hank floats away.

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