A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter

This article is about 'the episode'. You may be looking for 'the book'.

“It made me feel like a Really Useless Engine!”

― Percy

A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter, retitled A Bad Day for Harold on some American and British releases, is the fourth episode of the sixth season.

Plot

Percy is getting annoyed that Harold keeps on delivering the mail, even though it's his job, but Harold just says it's what friends are for. One morning, Percy is happily delivering the mail, but gets stuck at a broken signal. He could not go past it as it was stuck at danger, so Harold had to be called to take the mail for him. At first they load a few bags in his net, but Harold demands that all the mail should be loaded in so he isn't slow, like Percy. So they load all the mail into the net, and Harold begins to set off.

Just as Harold sets off with the mail, the signal is fixed. Everyone tries to call Harold back, but he does not hear them. But his net is far too heavy for him. While he is up in the air, his engine starts to rattle and the heavy mail causes him to lose control. The mail net gets stuck in a tree and Harold falls down into a haystack. Percy was shocked and puffs over to Harold and asks if he is alright. Harold tells Percy to get someone to pull him out of the haystack, which he does at once.

Back at Tidmouth Sheds, some of the engines were teasing Harold. The helicopter thanks Percy for helping him out of the haystack and Percy said that is what friends are for.

Characters

Percy
Harold
Sir Topham Hatt
Thomas (cameo)
Henry (cameo)
Gordon (cameo)
James (cameo)
Toby (cameo)
Duck (cameo)
Donald or Douglas (cameo)
Bill and Ben (cameo)
Mavis (cameo)
Henrietta (cameo)

Locations

Trivia

In a picture of Harold flying through Misty Valley, Toby and Henrietta are not present.
This is the last episode of the sixth season re-narrated by Michael Brandon in the US

Goofs

When Percy stops at the broken signal, the steam disappears and then reappears due to a film cut.
In some close-ups of Percy at the broken signal, the track beside him stops at the background.
When Harold crashes into the haystack, he is smiling and his rotor blades have disappeared.
Studio equipment and a crew member are visible in the reflection of James' carriage windows when he passes the camera.
In the shot of Percy beside the haystack, Harold looks as if he landed on the haystack.
In a close-up of Thomas, a camera's shadow can be seen on James.
In the shot of Percy passing the church, he has three mail cars. In all the shots after that, he has two.
When Percy arrives at the broken signal, his first mail truck shakes.

Merchandise

Books - A Bad Day for Harold and Excitement to Harold (Germany only)
Magazine Stories - Harold's Bad Day, Harold's Bad Day and Percy the Post!

In Other Languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Norwegian	En dårlig dag for helikopteret Harold	A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter
Japanese	うんのわるいハロルド	Unlucky Harold
Spanish	Un Mal Día Para Harold el Helicóptero	A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter
Italian	Una Giornata per l'elicottero Harold	A Day for Harold the Helicopter
Chinese	哈罗德直升机糟糕的一天	Harold the Helicopter's Bad Day
Korean	우펀물 나르기	Our Animal Carrying Elephant
Russian	Плохой день для вертолета Гарольда	A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter
Slovenian	Helikopter Dolfe ima slab dan	Helicopter Harold has a Bad Day
Czech	Smolný den Harolda	Harold's Unlucky Day
Hungarian	Harold Rossz Napja	Harold's Bad Day
Romanian	O Zi Grea pentru Harold	Tough Day for Harold
Slovak	Zlý Deň pre Harolda	Bad Day for Harold
Swedish	Harold helikopter har en dålig dag	Harold the Helicopter Has a Bad Day
Polish	Zły Dzień Harolda	Poor Harold's Day
Danish	Harveys uheldige dag	Harold's Unlucky Day
Dutch	Een slechte dag voor Harold de Helikopter	A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter
Thai	ฮาโลว์เครื่องบินตก	Harold's Plane Crash