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Bully for Mr. Conductor (originally titled The Big Bully) is the third episode of the third season and overall the forty-fourth episode of Shining Time Station.
Plot
Becky and Dan show up at Shining Time Station and find Stacy and Mr. J.B. King in Billy's Workshop. Stacy tells the kids that Billy is working on the Sunset Flyer Train and that she's leaving to go help the manager at Chubby Corners Station and that Mr. King will be running Shining Time Station for the day. Stacy says that Mr. King has a favor to ask the children to which Mr. King says that his nephew Buster will be visiting the Station later and asks the children to play with him, and help him feel welcome, to which Dan and Becky agree. Before she leaves, Stacy tells Becky and Dan that she's heard that Buster isn't the easiest kid in the world to get along with and asks the children to be extra nice to him and make him feel welcomed at Shining Time Station to which Dan and Becky promise.
The two kids go into the workshop to ask when Buster will arrive, but Mr. King is too distracted to pay much attention to them, as he's on a search to find Mr. Conductor, and (even with Mr. Conductor dancing on his desk) all of the kids words fall on deaf ears. A moment later, Buster arrives. Becky and Dan come out to attempt to welcome him, but Buster brushes them off. When the kids want to play a game, Buster wants to vandalize the walls with his pen, but the kids won't allow it, even with Buster using his uncle's position as superintendent of the railway as power over them. Mr. King comes out to say Hi to Buster, who then completely changes his tune, and acts all friendly and flattering.
After Mr. King returns to the workshop, the kids show Buster the arcade. Buster demands Dan give him a nickel to play the jukebox, going as far as to grab it from him. Schemer intervenes and initially tells Buster off for bullying Dan, but quickly changes sides upon learning that Buster is Mr. King's uncle. Unfortunately, Buster uses it to bully Schemer around as well, demanding Schemer treat him to a jukebox song, and then to an ice cream cone.
Buster then puts Dan in a headlock demanding more money but stops when Mr. King comes out, playing it off as them playing a game. Buster then goes out to take a walk, threatening to beat Dan up if he's still there when he returns. After he leaves, Becky suggests they tell Mr. King about Buster's bullying, but again, in his search for Mr. Conductor, it falls on deaf ears. Becky gives up and leaves.
Mr. Conductor tells Dan not to be afraid of Buster and not to take his bullying, and tells a Thomas story about another bully (see below) who's bullying got him put in his place. Mr. Conductor even offers to talk to Buster on Dan's behalf, making Dan even more afraid as he's little.
A moment later, Buster returns. He glimpses Mr. Conductor behind Dan, and demands that Dan move. In his desperation to protect Mr. Conductor, Dan finds the courage to stand up to Buster and order him to leave Mr. Conductor alone (which Mr. King overhears). Dan even manages to claim his stolen nickel back. Just as Schemer returns with another ice cream cone, Buster threatens to tell his uncle that Dan was being mean, unaware that Mr. King is standing right behind him and has overheard everything. Buster attempts to put on the flattery when he sees him, but Mr. King, no longer fooled by his lies, reprimands Buster and orders him to go outside and wait for him.
Mr. King then apologizes to Dan for what he went through, and congratulates him for being so courageous in defending the small Mr. Conductor. Schemer gives Mr. King the ice cream and slips out, and Mr. King in turn gives the cone to Dan. Mr. Conductor then appears and gives Dan a thumbs up as Mr. King heads outside to deal with his nephew.
Cast and Characters
Main Cast
- George Carlin as Mr. Conductor
- Didi Conn as Stacy Jones
- Ari Magder as Dan Jones
- Danielle Marcot as Becky
- Brian O'Connor as Schemer
The Flexitoon Puppeteers
- Jonathan Freeman as Tito Swing
- Olga Felgemacher-Marin as DiDi
- Craig Marin as Rex
- Peter Baird as Grace Bass
- Kenny Miele as Grace Bass
- Alan Semok as Tex
Guest Starring
Mentioned Characters
- Billy Twofeathers (mentioned)
- Bulgy (mentioned)
Thomas Story
Jukebox Band Segment Song
- Jamaica Farewell
Songs and Cartoons
- Bad Guy
- Cartoons in the song:
Trivia
- According to an early draft from September 1992, the working title for this episode was "The Big Bully".
- This is one of the most well known episodes of the show, known for how well it handles an anti-bullying message.
- This is the first episode to have Mr. Conductor's name in the title.
- This episode has a noticeably red color saturation to it in some places. It is unknown as of yet if this was the case in the original airing or if it's an editing error for its VHS release.
| #01 Becky Makes a Wish | #10 Schemer Goes Camping | #19 Mysterious Stranger |
| #02 Schemer's Alone | #11 Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin | #20 Dan's Big Race |
| #03 Bully for Mr. Conductor | #12 Bad Luck Day at Shining Time Station | #21 Mr. Conductor Gets Left Out |
| #04 Stacy Cleans Up | #13 Mr. Conductor's Fourth of July | #22 Mr. Conductor's Big Sleepwalk |
| #05 Schemer's Robot | #14 Stacy Forgets Her Name | #23 The Mayor Runs for Re-Election |
| #06 Billy Saves the Day | #15 Schemer's Special Club | #24 Stacy Says No |
| #07 Billy's Party | #16 Mr. Conductor's Movie | #25 How the Station Got Its Name |
| #08 Fortune Teller Schemer | #17 The Joke's on Schemer | |
| #09 Billy's Runaway Train | #18 Dance Crazy | |