Doug Gets Busted
This episode begins at the school science fair.
Doug had a volcano: a predictable but well received option. Mr. Bone, after rummaging through the rule book, puts it out, citing a fire hazard. But after he puts out Roger's project (a firework meant to be a supernova), the amount of smoke causes some insane rumors to fly. The definitive version: Doug's volcano blew up the science lab.
He takes it so hard he decides the best option is to become (wanna-na-na) Jack Bandit and live the rest of his days out on the lam.
While getting food from Skeeter, he asks "if you blew up the science lab, what would you do? Turn yourself in or spend the rest of your life running from the cops?" to which Skeeter says “I wanna be an astronaut”... missing the point completely.
Mr Bone brings Doug to the principal's office and he makes it look like he’s being hauled away to jail. He even makes saying goodbye to Patti his last request.
In the end, he was brought in for winning 2nd place at the science fair, so that worry was all for nothing.
It’s kinda funny to watch in hindsight and seeing Mr. Bone’s puzzled reactions at the way Doug is handling this simple thing. And did none of the kids check to make sure the science lab DIDN’T blow up?
Also- maybe it’s because this was an early episode- but there’s a continuity error involving the principal, especially when you compare the events to the graduation episode.
Doug’s Lost Weekend
Doug has a power on silt due on Monday. Yet he spends several of the preceding days obsessing a new video game system he won in a surprise store giveaway. “Super Pretendo”? Give me a break... I think Sega was the only other game system around back then but still...
In a way, this episode is kinda scientific because we briefly touch on video game addiction in one of his fantasies.
Mr Bone brings Doug to the principal's office and he makes it look like he’s being hauled away to jail. He even makes saying goodbye to Patti his last request.
In the end, he was brought in for winning 2nd place at the science fair, so that worry was all for nothing.
It’s kinda funny to watch in hindsight and seeing Mr. Bone’s puzzled reactions at the way Doug is handling this simple thing. And did none of the kids check to make sure the science lab DIDN’T blow up?
Also- maybe it’s because this was an early episode- but there’s a continuity error involving the principal, especially when you compare the events to the graduation episode.
Doug’s Lost Weekend
Doug has a power on silt due on Monday. Yet he spends several of the preceding days obsessing a new video game system he won in a surprise store giveaway. “Super Pretendo”? Give me a break... I think Sega was the only other game system around back then but still...
In a way, this episode is kinda scientific because we briefly touch on video game addiction in one of his fantasies.
This episode stuck in my head for a few reasons. The music from the game, including the recurring “game over” jingle early on. It was also the first time I’d ever heard of silt. which is a type of sediment found in bodies of water.
Doug’s Math Problem
While Doug is generally a good student, he’s not perfect. One math test had a word problem involving trains, speed per hour and how long until they collide.
In my schooling I don’t think I ever got a train problem. I’m pretty sure I had the one about two painters and how long would it take them to paint a house together instead of separately; I’m sure x and y were involved but I forget the rest.
Long story short- Doug fails and there’s a letter from the school addressed to his parents. He uses every trick in the book, including having the Sleech brothers hack the school computer (they're quickly found out and immediately bail) and steaming the envelope open.
Long story short- Doug fails and there’s a letter from the school addressed to his parents. He uses every trick in the book, including having the Sleech brothers hack the school computer (they're quickly found out and immediately bail) and steaming the envelope open.
...does that even work? Let me know. I’ve always wondered.
Meanwhile, Patti keeps calling to talk to him and he keeps finding excuses to hang up.
A few Smash Adams spy fantasies later and he finally comes clean. His parents reassure him they’ll love him no matter what and the end result wasn’t all bad. Patti comes over to tell them their teacher Ms. Wingo wants her to be Doug’s math tutor.
I can definitely relate to that dread of having letters sent home. I was an A/B student typically but when I was outside that, it wasn’t fun getting told off over it.
Doug’s Bum Rap
Doug is called into Mr. Bone’s office about his English test... because his test is identical to someone else’s. That person being Chalky Studebaker, one of the most trustworthy and prolific students in the entire school. Unless one of them confesses, both of them will have to take the retest Saturday.
Chalky makes several appearances across the series. He’s a popular jock with a lot of trophies to his name, but he’s an overall nice guy everyone likes. Doug knows he didn’t cheat so he can only conclude Chalky did and tracking him down to ask about it is easier said than done.
I find it kinda interesting that none of Doug’s friends think he’s crazy when he reaches this conclusion. Had it been any other show, it would have been a lot more dramatic...
Then again, Mr. Bone took on that cynical role pretty well all by himself. I still remember him comparing their permanent records and the stark difference between their spelling bee experiences.
I noticed antidisestablishmentarianism was a very popular word in a lot of kids shows at the time. Like it was THE difficult spelling bee word for kids. Why the heck have I never heard it in a real spelling bee? It was actually the name of a final Jeopardy category recently so, yes, it’s a real word.
(and for the record, I actually spelled this correctly on the first try without having to google it first, although I doubt I'd be able to spell it orally)
As Doug looks for Chalky, we learn he’s involved in nearly every school activity and has a leadership role of some kind. At one point, they’re doing track hurdles as he says “we gotta talk” and Doug finally trips. The coach runs over to ask if anything’s broken and picks up the hurdle... haha, glad you have your priorities straight.
Finally Doug gets to Chalky at home and he immediately confesses and apologizes. He’s also leery about the retest because it’s during the big football game and he’s the quarterback. Doug initially agrees to take the rap (following a fantasy of him being Sydney Carton in “A Tale of Two Cities) because Chalky had helped him a lot in the past. But the truth eventually comes out when Chalky's dad shows Doug the Studebaker trophy room- his older brother Cliff has 3 times as many so you can kinda see where the need to be the best at everything comes from. But they all agree Chalky coming clean was the best move.
Another recurring theme is Roger asking Doug for cheating tips and he’s just as dumbfounded when he finds out the truth. After which he says “Chalkys even better. No one will suspect him.” ...yeah, they kinda will now so that won’t work like he thinks it will.
In two episodes, Doug finds himself in leadership roles and gets much more than he bargained for.
Another recurring theme is Roger asking Doug for cheating tips and he’s just as dumbfounded when he finds out the truth. After which he says “Chalkys even better. No one will suspect him.” ...yeah, they kinda will now so that won’t work like he thinks it will.
In two episodes, Doug finds himself in leadership roles and gets much more than he bargained for.
Doug is Mayor for a Day
During student government day, he has to spend the day with the mayor and do a report. A report- Mr. Bone reminds him several times- that will go on his permanent record.
It becomes clear very quickly that it’s not gonna be easy because the mayor is like any other politician; he never gives a straight answer to any question.
Even worse, when a crisis arises involving the local ice cream factory, he has a meltdown of his own and runs out of his office, leaving Doug completely alone. When Mr. Swirly calls back for advice about chocolate chips on a collision course with the cooling fans, Doug suggests “why don’t you let the chips hit the fan?”
Somehow, this works out brilliantly and makes chocolate swirlies for the student government day ice cream extravaganza. But it’s kinda funny hearing this line as an adult cuz it usually means something bad.
Somehow, this works out brilliantly and makes chocolate swirlies for the student government day ice cream extravaganza. But it’s kinda funny hearing this line as an adult cuz it usually means something bad.
Doug's Career Anxiety
Then on career day, the guidance counselor's computer says Doug will be a corporate executive. And when he and his classmates do a project at BluffCo industries, this makes him the project manager. Beebe’s dad gives him a lot of good advice about what a good leader does- decide, direct, delegate. And for emergencies, he gives him a key to the “executive squash room”...
While Doug kinda daydreams about having a big cushy office building when he becomes a billionaire executive, the others decide on making bookmarks. And hell breaks loose because he couldn’t decide anything to lead them.
The funniest part- remember how Chalky was good at pretty much everything? Apparently, he can’t draw. He was assigned “artist” by the computer and he thought it’d be cool to put the school seal on the bookmarks. It’s funny because we have a comedy of errors montage and it ends with “and Chalky still couldn’t draw... it was a disaster.” Great writing, guys! It wasn’t like he was gonna suddenly get better at it in five seconds.
In crisis mode, Doug locks himself in the “executive squash room” so he can think. AT the time, I didn't know what the heck squash was, but the name had this cool aura about it.
He comes out just as Beebe is getting her dad to fix the situation... seriously, why’d you give him that key if you didn’t want him to use it?
Anyway, Doug finally decides to put Chalky in charge and suggests putting their teachers on the bookmarks because everyone liked his drawings of them.
Doug's Cookin'
For a home ec class, students are assigned pairs and have to cook something for a school project. Doug’s stoked to have Patti for a partner, but she’s nervous she’ll sink their grade cuz she can’t cook. Apparently she’d been so busy with all the sports she’s involved in she never learned how.
His crush aside, Doug really proves he’s a good friend by doing all he can to be supportive even when things don’t go quite as planned.
In crisis mode, Doug locks himself in the “executive squash room” so he can think. AT the time, I didn't know what the heck squash was, but the name had this cool aura about it.
He comes out just as Beebe is getting her dad to fix the situation... seriously, why’d you give him that key if you didn’t want him to use it?
Anyway, Doug finally decides to put Chalky in charge and suggests putting their teachers on the bookmarks because everyone liked his drawings of them.
Doug's Cookin'
For a home ec class, students are assigned pairs and have to cook something for a school project. Doug’s stoked to have Patti for a partner, but she’s nervous she’ll sink their grade cuz she can’t cook. Apparently she’d been so busy with all the sports she’s involved in she never learned how.
His crush aside, Doug really proves he’s a good friend by doing all he can to be supportive even when things don’t go quite as planned.
Other teams include Skeeter and Beebe- where she makes him do all the work, and Roger is paired with Ms. Wingo cuz he’s the odd man out. He’s more or less left to his own devices since she’s busy helping other students. His recipe is banana pudding. While his idea to change the measurements because he was 2 bananas short of the directions was the right idea, “subtracting 2 from everything” was a disaster. His efforts to ditch his creation lead to a collision with Doug and Patti; his pudding winds up all over their pizza, fresh out of the oven.
Yet it somehow becomes a huge hit... I can kinda see banana pudding pizza working, but not the one Roger put together....
Doug’s a Genius
Whoever said all art is subjective... I’m not sure if this is what they had in mind.
Doug’s part of a community art class. In a freak accident at the park, the back of his canvas is vandalized by Porkchop while he’s being chased by a raccoon and their paws are covered in paint.
At class, he inadvertently turns his painting around when Patti asks him over for advice on hers. The teacher sees the catastrophe and acts like it’s the new Mona Lisa. Not only do Judy’s weird artsy friends and the local news get wind of it, but the painting is chosen for a local showcase a renowned art critic is attending.
One side of subjectivity is whether you think Patti's painting is of a mountain or her grandmother. But the other side is whether or not something is considered art in the first place.
The fact everyone falls hard for the paw print painting and the red squiggle Doug paints when asked for a demo...
seriously, he does one squiggle, pauses and everyone in the room assumes he’s already done and immediately thinks it’s the greatest thing ever. Freaking nut jobs!
Jackson Pollock is one artist I think of when I see the paw print mess of a painting. He called it "abstract expressionism"... I'm not an art expert by any means, but my summation of what I'd seen of his work: it looks like someone sneezed all over a canvas and some fancy art guy decided to call it art, so people in the art community immediately agreed. Just skimming his Wikipedia page, it looks like I'm not the only one who disagrees with his works being considered "art". I’m not saying all art has to look like something. But it can’t look like random garbage that doesn’t look like there was any thought put into it.
Another memorable scene is Doug’s Bob Ross impression. I never actually saw any of his videos, but I definitely have heard of him. It’s kinda cool to watch it again and picking out new dialogue. Someone I follow on YouTube specializes in doing acrylic paintings inspired by video games. Hearing Doug’s Bob Ross mention titanium white immediately reminded me of her. It’s her go-to white because it’s opaque, making it easier for her to paint in layers and make any possible adjustments. (Seriously, check out MalMakes on YouTube- she’s so good!)
At the art show, both Doug and Patti are there with their art. So is the mayor where he gets everyone’s names wrong. Then the art critic shows up and the mayor eagerly shakes his hand. HIs reaction is pricless.
“He's touching me. Why is he touching me?” Haha!
So when put on the spot, Doug comes clean. But as it turns out, Mr. Schnozzle is more impressed with Patti's painting so it all worked out in the end.
“He's touching me. Why is he touching me?” Haha!
So when put on the spot, Doug comes clean. But as it turns out, Mr. Schnozzle is more impressed with Patti's painting so it all worked out in the end.
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