Video Script: "All Eyes on Dennis" - A Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Episode

[INT. KNAPFORD STATION - DAY]

(The camera pans over the bustling Knapford Station. Engines are working, passengers are boarding trains. Distant sounds of whistles and chugging fill the air.)

NARRATOR

Welcome back to Sodor! Today, we find ourselves at Knapford Station, where the engines are hard at work. Well, almost all of them…

(The camera zooms in on DENNIS, the Lazy Diesel, lounging around with a nonchalant expression.)

ROSIE

(rolling her eyes)

Look at Dennis! What a strange choice for a shunter he is.

HENRY

(chiming in)

You think he’s strange? Let me tell you about an even stranger engine from long ago.

[FLASHBACK SEQUENCE - YARDS OF SODOR - DAY]

(The scene transitions to a dark, gloomy yard. A mysterious BLACK TANK ENGINE is seen shunting quietly, never speaking, only whistling occasionally.)

HENRY (V.O.)

There once was a black tank engine who shunted around the yards. They were silent but a hard worker. The Fat Controller wanted to keep them, but they were loaned from another railway. When it was time to leave, no one knew what happened to them.

(A MISTY FIGURE of the black tank engine lingers in the shadows, then fades away.)

HENRY (V.O.)

To this day, workmen swear they see strange occurrences around the yards… all due to the ghost of that little engine.

[INT. KNAPFORD STATION - DAY]

(The camera returns to ROSIE, who is looking intrigued.)

ROSIE

I’ll have to keep that in mind. But right now, I need to clean up the mess Dennis has made!

(ROSIE rolls away with determination.)

[INT. YARDS - NIGHT]

(The moonlight casts eerie shadows across the yard. ROSIE sneaks up to DENNIS, who is still slacking.)

ROSIE

(whispering to herself)

What if I scare him into being a better worker? The ghost of the little engine could do the trick…

(ROSIE grins mischievously as she sets her plan in motion.)

[DREAM SEQUENCE - DENNIS'S NIGHTMARE]

(DENNIS is sleeping. The camera shows his dream: a foggy yard where the BLACK TANK ENGINE appears, pulling coaches and blowing its whistle.)

DENNIS (DREAMING)

(confused)

What’s happening?!

(The BLACK TANK ENGINE approaches with a smokebox door and an eerie glowing EYE.)

DENNIS

(terrified)

Please, don’t hurt me! I’ll be a hard worker! I promise!

[INT. YARDS - NIGHT]

(Meanwhile, in the real world, ROSIE approaches a trembling DENNIS.)

ROSIE

Dennis, are you alright?

(Suddenly, DENNIS jolts awake and screams, crashing into ROSIE and derailing her.)

[INT. YARDS - DAY]

(The next day, DENNIS is now a model worker, bustling around the yard, overdoing it.)

NARRATOR

Dennis worked harder than ever, as if he was trying to prove himself… maybe too hard!

[INT. YARDS - NIGHT]

(ROSIE and DENNIS accidentally scare each other while working late.)

ROSIE

Dennis! You’ve got to take a break!

DENNIS

(breathlessly)

I can’t! I can’t sleep! I had that nightmare again…

ROSIE

(concerned)

Sometimes there’s such a thing as too much work, you know.

(DENNIS sighs, feeling understood.)

[INT. ROUNDHOUSE - NIGHT]

(ROSIE takes DENNIS to the roundhouse, but the other engines, JAMES, HENRY, and GORDON, refuse to let him in.)

GORDON

That shed is for Really Useful Engines only!

(DENNIS looks downcast as the engines dismiss him.)

DENNIS

(pleading)

Thomas, can you help me?

THOMAS

(sadly)

Maybe you should just go, Dennis…

(ROSIE and DENNIS leave for the carriage shed.)

DENNIS

Geez, Rosie. Nobody’s ever had my back before.

ROSIE

What are friends for, right?

(DENNIS smiles, realizing the warmth of friendship.)

[DREAM SEQUENCE - DENNIS'S NIGHTMARE RETURNS]

(That night, DENNIS dreams again. The ghost of the black engine returns, looking unimpressed.)

DENNIS

(defiant)

You can’t scare me anymore! Rosie was the one who helped me!

(The ghost begins to approach ROSIE instead.)

DENNIS

(furious)

Get away from her!

(An epic showdown begins as DENNIS charges towards the ghost.)

DENNIS

I’ve changed for good! Leave my friend alone!

(The ghost’s eye lights up and it vanishes.)

[INT. CARRIAGE SHED - MORNING]

(DENNIS wakes up next to a sleepy ROSIE.)

DENNIS

Goodnight, Rosie… I’m ready to work!

[EXT. YARDS - DAY]

(DENNIS tidies the carriage sheds, then prepares the first express of the morning. The other engines watch in disbelief.)

NARRATOR

As the days went by, Dennis became a hard worker and earned the respect of his friends.

(The engines cheer for DENNIS as he proudly chugs along.)

[INT. YARDS - DAY]

(ROSIE and DENNIS share a friendly smile as they work together.)

ROSIE

See, Dennis? Hard work can be rewarding!

DENNIS

I like the new me way better than the lazy diesel!

(The camera pulls back, showing all the engines working harmoniously.)

NARRATOR

And so, Dennis learned that friendship and hard work are far more rewarding than fear.

(The screen fades to black with the cheerful theme music playing.)

NARRATOR

Join us next time for more adventures on the Island of Sodor!

(End of Episode.)