You’re talking to the same person who spent weeks in mourning when Darian broke up with Serena in Sailor Moon. Granted, it was temporary and he did it to protect her from a dark future, but still... that messed me up.
And I already mentioned in a previous post how I didn’t enjoy Doug’s 1st movie because Patti spent most of it mad at him over various misunderstandings.
Even if the same cast was still involved, I didn’t like that tension.
***
Watching the series back in recent months, I really enjoyed these episodes. When Doug had an opportunity to impress Patti, I was cheering in his corner.
One thing I didn’t pick up on as a kid was the whole dynamic of their friendship. It’s easy to get wrapped up in potential romance, but seeing how Patti valued Doug as a friend, it was really cool to see.
I also noticed very quickly how quickly Doug jumps to conclusions and bends over backwards to avert disaster. Actually, 99% of the time, Patti’s reactions aren’t anything like his worst nightmares.
Or his dizziest daydreams for that matter... Pretty much every daydream involves him doing this extraordinary thing he couldn’t in reality and at the end, she swoons over him: “Oh Doug, you’re such a (insert relevant compliment here).” If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all and I can imagine people on a different wavelength than me getting sick of them a lot faster.
Watching the series back in recent months, I really enjoyed these episodes. When Doug had an opportunity to impress Patti, I was cheering in his corner.
One thing I didn’t pick up on as a kid was the whole dynamic of their friendship. It’s easy to get wrapped up in potential romance, but seeing how Patti valued Doug as a friend, it was really cool to see.
I also noticed very quickly how quickly Doug jumps to conclusions and bends over backwards to avert disaster. Actually, 99% of the time, Patti’s reactions aren’t anything like his worst nightmares.
Or his dizziest daydreams for that matter... Pretty much every daydream involves him doing this extraordinary thing he couldn’t in reality and at the end, she swoons over him: “Oh Doug, you’re such a (insert relevant compliment here).” If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all and I can imagine people on a different wavelength than me getting sick of them a lot faster.
For this post, I’ll highlight 6 episodes in particular.
Starting with two where their friendship was at the brink of ending...
Doug Rocks the House
Based on title alone, I was positive this was the one where he and Skeeter formed a garage band and almost everyone they recruited played drums... that wasn’t on YouTube, sadly. It was a good episode.
This segment starts with Roger and his buddies throwing rocks at a house to see who can break a window. Doug gets roped into it just by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
A few funny coincidences transpire in this short time. He says out loud, “don’t you have to ask permission first?” and this random construction worker comes out of nowhere to give him the OK.
The house was in bad shape- if you’ve seen “It’s a Wonderful Life,” you know the house on 320 Sycamore. I wouldn’t be surprised if the writers drew reference from it for the house.
So Doug throws the rock, misses the window, but a chain reaction inside the house causes it to collapse. Just in time for Patti to walk by: “Doug Funnie, you’re... terrible.”
At school, this complete accident makes Doug an overnight celebrity and everyone wants him to sign their rocks. Yeah, people are weird... He makes numerous attempts to apologize to Patti, crashing and burning every time, until he uncovers the truth.
It used to be her house. She and her dad moved out of it a short time after her mom died.
I don’t know if the show ever fully explains all the details but I assumed her mom died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver and the same accident is why her dad is in a wheelchair.
I’ve already thrown some criticism at this series about continuity errors. But watching this again, I have to say the writing could’ve used some improvements. Doug has no idea that it’s her house and nobody thought to clue him in. And a lot of Patti’s dialogue isn’t very good. She’s free to be mad about the whole thing, but she won’t even explain why. She just shuts him down at every opportunity and storms off. One time he says “you wouldn’t let me finish” and she lets him, but after he loses his train of thought, she gets mad and leaves.
By the end, she does accept his apologies and a gift he gives her. He found a door knocker by the lot and it was actually her neighbors’.
But all of this could’ve been hashed out better.
Also- there was a HUGE missed opportunity- Roger says at the beginning, “we wouldn’t want Patti to miss this.”- he set him up! And nobody realizes this... they could’ve done something more with this. Granted, Roger gets his comeuppance a lot through the series, but he went a little too far this time.
Doug’s Magic Act
At least twice in this series, Doug shows off his propensity for prestidigitation. Another time when he showed off his skills ("Doug's Fan Club"), he gained a shadow (in the form of a boy from Judy’s youth Shakespeare company) and got so annoyed with him tagging along that he loses his temper with him. By the end, he apologized and Todd took back his role of Prospero in The Tempest (“Oh brave new world with such people in it!”)
In both segments, we find that “veni vidi vici” was his version of abracadabra.
It wasn’t until years later I found out what that really meant. Apparently, it was a famous quote by Julius Caesar.
This time around, he does a magic show for Patti one afternoon. And because she’s in a rush (Beet ball practice), he skips to the finale. A handcuff trick the owner of the magic shop swore was something extra special.
Doug tosses out the key, thinking it’ll be an easy resolution...
You can guess where this is going.
They try everything possible to get them off and Patti finally convinces him to go to the magic shop.
(In case you’re asking why they didn’t cut them off: “They cost 7 allowances, Patti.”)
His one concern was people seeing them cuffed together... my 30 something year old present self wants to have so much fun with that innuendo, but I’ll keep my mouth shut.
By the time they arrive, it’s closed for the day and she’s not happy, saying how he’d only thought of himself this whole time.
It’s funny how I gave the previous episode a hard time for bad writing... sure, Patti forgives really easy after Doug’s big speech, but it was a great speech.
At one point, I swear it sounded like Billy West, Doug’s voice actor (as well as Roger’s, Percy’s and a few others) got a little choked up doing it. Or it was just a performance he really nailed.
Like with a lot of my quotes, they're not 100% perfect, but I hope the feeling comes through.
"And for the record, I was thinking of you. It's true, you know. You're all I think about, Patti. That's why I bought this trick. To show you. That's why I saved up 7 allowances. If I had any idea it would be like this, I wouldn't have even tried it. I just wanted you to, know you, like me or something. And now, I feel so incredibly stupid... I wish I never moved here in the first place."
She immediately says she's sorry, she'd been frustrated. Then she adds something that made me fangirl so hard for them as a couple: "I'm glad you moved here because out of all of my friends, I think I like being around you most of all."
Magic finally happens when they hold hands and the cuffs fall off. And a bigger finish follows.
Magic finally happens when they hold hands and the cuffs fall off. And a bigger finish follows.
Patti also decides to skip out on practice and they go for a shake.
One of the best finales in any of the Nicktoon shows, I think...
The next two revolve around another type of worst case scenario- Doug’s fear of Patti thinking he’s a big loser because of things didn’t exactly go as planned.
The end results either wound up being very funny or very sweet.
Doug’s Secret Song
As good as “Banging on a Trash Can” was, Doug’s other song about Patti was even better. Although with today’s humor, I’m sure someone would make all kinds of inappropriate jokes about the lyrics... I really don’t wanna make that leap and ruin it.
But it’s a great idea and had a super catchy melody,
Skeeter overhears him singing it to himself and of course he swears him to secrecy about it.
Cut to them overhearing Mr. Dink moaning and they rush over thinking it’s an emergency.
Instead they find he’d recorded a video of himself singing.
He asks if they like it and Skeeter replies, “Like it? We thought you were dying...”
Omg- I almost died laughing! That was the best thing ever! (so I scrolled back the video on YouTube so I could hear that line again).
Doug rephrases it, "we were dying to hear your song, Mr. Dink." To which Mrs. Dink replies, "[you were] right the first time, boys."
Apparently, a new store opened in the mall where you can record your own music videos...
If that setup and Doug’s daydream of a 90's style rap video isn’t a time capsule of a simpler time, I don’t know what is. So bad it’s good. Doug rapping with no shirt on and the three girls as his cheerleaders chanting his name. Wow...
Once there, Skeeter suggests he do his new song. His power of suggestion winds up being very strong because Doug winds up getting the hiccups and forgetting the words. The whole recording is a disaster.
And it gets worse from there...
Skeeter insists they watch it once before erasing it. Turns out they’d received the wrong tape by mistake. Theirs featured Patti singing a good version of “Killer Tofu”. They also know from a previous conversation that she’s at Beebe’s for an up-all-night party. So they rush over to switch the tapes... even with Porkchop helping out, they couldn't stop the inevitable...
Surprise ending: it turns out there was a three way mix-up at the video store and Mr. Bone was the third person involved. While Doug finds solace in the situation (“someone up there likes me...”), the other members of the Yodeler's Society of Bluffington don’t see in the humor in it.
I’m kinda surprised Mr. Bone didn’t make a comment about giving Doug detention to compensate for the humiliation this caused him.
Doug’s Got No Gift
...nice grammar by the way. (I know every title starts with "Doug" or "Doug’s," but I can’t help myself).
Patti’s birthday party is coming up. Doug’s on his way to buy her a gift when Skeeter draws his attention to a new arcade game.
The neematoad gag make a comeback!
...guess what winds up happening.
Doug may have successfully bagged a neematoad and added his initials to “the list,” but when it’s gift buying time, he discovers he’s broke.
Skeeter: “Oo.. I hate when that happens.”
Mrs. Dink makes a really good suggestion about making a gift and Mr. Dink lends him tools and his shed as a workspace.
Those two really do come through a lot when Doug is in a jam. Awesome people.
Doug winds up making something with wood and nails, but has no clue what it’s supposed to be. So he’s on edge about it making him a laughingstock at the party.
Everyone else gave Patti Beet balls- all different kinds. One interesting thing of note was the fact Chalky gave Patti the exact Beet ball Doug had his eye on. Of course, the cynic in me is like, “of course Chalky gets the top-of-the line one. He’s mr perfect and he can more easily afford it.”
In more ways than one, everything works out perfectly for Doug. Not only did he avoid the awkward redundant gift scenario, but Patti thought his gift was a Beet ball caddie because all of her gifts fit into it perfectly. Talk about a happy coincidence.
And it gets even better...
Patti talks to him one on one and showers him with compliments. Including "I didn’t want to make a big deal in there, but I liked your present most of all."
Doug may have successfully bagged a neematoad and added his initials to “the list,” but when it’s gift buying time, he discovers he’s broke.
Skeeter: “Oo.. I hate when that happens.”
Mrs. Dink makes a really good suggestion about making a gift and Mr. Dink lends him tools and his shed as a workspace.
Those two really do come through a lot when Doug is in a jam. Awesome people.
Doug winds up making something with wood and nails, but has no clue what it’s supposed to be. So he’s on edge about it making him a laughingstock at the party.
Everyone else gave Patti Beet balls- all different kinds. One interesting thing of note was the fact Chalky gave Patti the exact Beet ball Doug had his eye on. Of course, the cynic in me is like, “of course Chalky gets the top-of-the line one. He’s mr perfect and he can more easily afford it.”
In more ways than one, everything works out perfectly for Doug. Not only did he avoid the awkward redundant gift scenario, but Patti thought his gift was a Beet ball caddie because all of her gifts fit into it perfectly. Talk about a happy coincidence.
And it gets even better...
Patti talks to him one on one and showers him with compliments. Including "I didn’t want to make a big deal in there, but I liked your present most of all."
I didn’t realize until after the fact how this was a full circle moment. The storyline begins and ends with him initialing something.
But while high scores on arcade machines can be overwritten or erased completely (when some jerk decides to pull the plug), a heartwarming moment between friends can last a lifetime.
A quick honorable mention before the last two. "Doug's Dinner Date" is one of the most memorable episodes. Patti is hosting a dinner party and tells Doug, "We’re having your favorite- liver and onions”. And he spends days building up the courage to overcome one of the things he hates most. (I especially love when Judy tries to help him with an acting exercise where they pretend to be liver and onions and her bedroom floor is the frying pan).
Long story short- he overcomes the challenge, only to find out he’s terrible at recognizing sarcasm.
(Actually, as a kid, I didn’t recognize it either. Sarcasm was a more subtle art back then. Nowadays, you really can’t miss it... unless you’re Sheldon from Big Bang Theory).
The final two skew towards romance. No big revelations or anything, but for anyone shipped for Doug and Patti, they were big highlights in the series.
Doug’s Fair Lady
One fun thing about diving back into this series was recalling various quotes and not knowing which episodes they came from.
One of them was Patti holding his hand for 20 seconds and he writes in his journal, “I may never wash this hand again.” And about a date that came about because Skeeter suggested making it a group thing.
Lucky for me, these two things wound up being in the same segment.
The fair is in town and Doug wants to go with Patti, but doesn’t know how to ask her. Skeeter makes a clever suggestion for the two of them to go with Patti and Beebe as a group.
Kinda reminds me of prom. Nobody asked me so my mom just suggested I go and hang out with friends. And that I did... except for the three or so minutes everyone was slow dancing in couples on the dance floor but me, I had a good time anyway.
So Skeeter coaches him through his phone call of asking her out including a cue card that read “go to the fair stupid”- haha- completely forgot about that part. Despite that little snag, she said yes.
Much of the fair features carnival games where everyone but Doug wins something. (When the heck he suddenly become Charlie Brown?). Porkchop made out like a bandit. And the “Dunk the Mayor” booth was pretty hilarious.
But the climax happens with the Ferris wheel as Doug anxiously waits to see if Patti will ride with him. And she does. Supposedly it’s the fastest Ferris wheel on earth... I don’t know if I’d like that. I'm not a big thrill ride person and ferris wheels are supposed to go nice and easy.
So yeah, she helps him out of the ferris wheel after the ride's over and that's how they wound up holding hands for 20 seconds.
Doug and Patti Sittin' in a Tree
While this storyline didn’t end exactly like everyone expected, it’s still one of the highlights of the series.
Patti asks Doug to see a movie with her. He’s excited to spend time alone with her, but one huge question hangs in the balance. Is this a date or not? Everyone else certainly seems to think it is.
Skeeter reads a book full of hints about what constitutes as a date. One night, Doug tails Judy and her current boyfriend Cassius (I wonder if she was seeing him because his name is Shakespearean...) to figure out what to do on a date. Some of these tips are pretty goofy like using a funny accent and big words. At one point, Cassius actually kisses her at the coffee shop just to shut her up for a minute! (Seriously- watch this episode again and tell me I’m wrong- kinda risqué for a kids’ show).
All of his classmates picking on him over the upcoming event- yikes, that’s giving me flashbacks of my own. More than once, other kids teased me when they found out I had a crush on somebody. Another time (maybe 4th grade?), one of my guy friends offered to be my boyfriend. Someone at gym class blamed me for their team losing a game and I was upset so he made that offer to help comfort me.
The other kids bugged us about it so much that he broke it off after maybe a day because he couldn’t handle it. That was the last time we hung out or acknowledged each other.
Ok, so it’s not like we were best friends or anything before that and I think we only went as far as handholding, but kids can be mean about stuff like this for no reason.
Ok, so it’s not like we were best friends or anything before that and I think we only went as far as handholding, but kids can be mean about stuff like this for no reason.
Ugh... I hate I'm spending half of these posts dredging up old memories about not fitting in at school.
Doug and Patti go out on their date and have a really good time. But he never really finds out if it’s a date or not. Taking all of her actions into account (dressing up, buying her own ticket, etc), it’s inconclusive. It’s kinda cute when they bring the issue into the open- was this a "whatever" or a "you know"? Stuff like that. But after all of the trials and tribulation, we get a fun twist at the end.
They part ways at Patti’s house and Doug turns around to find all of the guys from school followed him there. And not for the reason he expects. They want tips on how to get girls. I guess all that teasing was just to disguise their own insecurities.
...
The question will always hang in the air about whether or not they really do get together in the future. I want so badly to believe yes, just like with Arnold and Helga. (They'll be getting a post all to themselves, trust me).
But after watching through a lot of the series, I don't think I'd be completely devestated if they don't. If there's anything I learned, Patti proved to be one of Doug's most valuable friends. Even when he's tripping over his own feet to impress her, she brings out something in him nobody else does. I'm not talking about all those times he fantasized about playing hero. I'm talking about something intangible you can't see.
Yeah, maybe this is just me overanalyzing a kid's show, but as someone who feels insecure around people in general, having someone like that around who can put you at ease the way Patti does with Doug (when he's not swooning over her or overthinking things)... it's kind of a big deal.
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