One of the most common themes early in the series— actually, the premise of nearly every episode in the first season... Tommy (with or without his friends) causes all kinds of chaos everywhere and the adults are completely oblivious. I mean, they’re technically accessories to these disruptions; they did bring the perpetrator(s) with them out in public, after all...
Waiter, There's a Baby in my Soup
One episode I vaguely remember (yet I still find mildly disturbing to think about) is when the Pickles are meeting Stu’s boss for an important dinner at a restaurant. And Tommy somehow gets into the kitchen and accidentally knocks the contents of a hot sauce bottle into a pot of soup. The boss consumes it and the spice is so intense that his voice goes full Donald Duck and he collapses. Eventually, he recovers and whatever business deal is happening, he signs off on it.
I don’t know why, but that creative choice always unsettled me. I know people don’t always breathe fire or run for a tub of water after consuming something ultra spicy, but it certainly doesn’t induce this reaction.
(Ok, I looked it up... he was actually choking, but still...)
At the Movies
Something very similar, but a bit funnier to watch (in an ironic sort of way) is when the Rugrats are taken to their first movie: Dummie Bears- a Land without Smiles.
For the uninitiated, they’re basically Care Bears with a name similar to Gummy bears (both animated series from the late 80s, early 90s... never saw the latter, but I loved the Care Bears as a kid).
I don’t know why, but that creative choice always unsettled me. I know people don’t always breathe fire or run for a tub of water after consuming something ultra spicy, but it certainly doesn’t induce this reaction.
(Ok, I looked it up... he was actually choking, but still...)
At the Movies
Something very similar, but a bit funnier to watch (in an ironic sort of way) is when the Rugrats are taken to their first movie: Dummie Bears- a Land without Smiles.
For the uninitiated, they’re basically Care Bears with a name similar to Gummy bears (both animated series from the late 80s, early 90s... never saw the latter, but I loved the Care Bears as a kid).
So for the whole movie, Tommy and his friends look for the Reptar movie (basically a kid friendly Godzilla) and wreck havoc along the way. Their victims include the refreshment stand and the projection room. There’s also a strange moment where they’re going under seats in a nearby theater, someone reached somewhere they shouldn’t have and it causes a woman to gasp and slap her boyfriend.
Anyway, the actual films go array and jam up the machines. So the movies all stop due to technical difficulties and everyone has to leave (without a refund).
Nobody took the news harder than Stu because the movie stopped before finding out if the little girl was going to live. Geesh- he was more into the movies than the kids were. Even funnier, Grandpa wasn’t enjoying it and he leaves for refreshments. “I’d rather rot my teeth than rot my brain.”
...I guess he succeeded in that cuz he does eventually end up getting dentures.
Ice Cream Mountain
Stu and Drew go mini golfing and the kids come with them. Angelica is on a quest to find the main attraction: ice cream mountain, the largest bowl of ice cream in the world. But when they find it, they're very disappointed to find out the attraction is all fake.
However, during the course of their actions inside of it, they help the adults in a huge way. The owner of the course sold them on some fancy equipment as well as a special offer: if you get hole in one on Ice Cream Mountain (the final hole), you win a free game. Well... it turns out that the owner had cheated to ensure nobody wins this giveaway. And after they win (and several others behind them win free games), the owner begs them not to use their free game. I'm pretty sure he says something like "I'll do anything" or "I'll give you anything you want." So the kids gets a real mountain of ice cream for dessert and all is right with the world.
...after reading the synopsis, this whole outing was originally for getting ice cream and that's where they stopped to ask for directions.
Reptar on Ice
The most memorable episode for a lot of people is when they see Reptar on Ice.
The babies find a lizard that looks so similar they think it’s Reptar’s baby. So they bring it to the ice show with them to return it to him.
Anyway, the actual films go array and jam up the machines. So the movies all stop due to technical difficulties and everyone has to leave (without a refund).
Nobody took the news harder than Stu because the movie stopped before finding out if the little girl was going to live. Geesh- he was more into the movies than the kids were. Even funnier, Grandpa wasn’t enjoying it and he leaves for refreshments. “I’d rather rot my teeth than rot my brain.”
...I guess he succeeded in that cuz he does eventually end up getting dentures.
Ice Cream Mountain
However, during the course of their actions inside of it, they help the adults in a huge way. The owner of the course sold them on some fancy equipment as well as a special offer: if you get hole in one on Ice Cream Mountain (the final hole), you win a free game. Well... it turns out that the owner had cheated to ensure nobody wins this giveaway. And after they win (and several others behind them win free games), the owner begs them not to use their free game. I'm pretty sure he says something like "I'll do anything" or "I'll give you anything you want." So the kids gets a real mountain of ice cream for dessert and all is right with the world.
...after reading the synopsis, this whole outing was originally for getting ice cream and that's where they stopped to ask for directions.
Reptar on Ice
The most memorable episode for a lot of people is when they see Reptar on Ice.
The babies find a lizard that looks so similar they think it’s Reptar’s baby. So they bring it to the ice show with them to return it to him.
It’s funny hearing from the Reptar actor why he hates this gig so much.
"I can't skate. I don't like kids.... lizards give me the creeps. And that goes for your amphibians took."
...so we kinda know the plan is gonna go array somewhere.
It’s also CHEESY as all get out because the show is a musical love story. Reptar and a woman have a Romeo & Juliet thing going on and she sings about how much she loves him despite all the damage he causes.
The babies get on the ice during the big police chase and just as the couple is about to kiss at the end, the show comes to a screeching halt.
I’ll say this for the guy- he does a great job improvising.
"Look! It's some kids. On the ice. What's a dinosaur to do? When there's kids on the ice? Quick! Somebody call their mom!"
The adults FINALLY notice what’s going on and Stu runs out on the ice to help. Meanwhile, they show the Reptar actor the lizard and he freaks out and runs away.
Yeah, over the top and cheesy but I’d still like to see that show live. Considering how much I retained of it, it was definitely memorable, haha
***
These other three don’t really fall under this category, but I couldn’t think of a better place for them.
The Trial
Tommy’s favorite clown lamp breaks and he wants to know who did it. Angelica suggests doing a trial and teaches the other babies how they work. (Well, in baby terms, using words like “gravel” and “poop-a-traitor”).
So everyone in their own words says what happened. Phil and Lil did "ring around the rosie" around it and knocked it off balance, but because they ran away before it falls, they didn’t see it actually happen. Chuckie admits being afraid of it, but falls short of a full confession. Angelica calls him a liar and Tommy calls for order before the prosecution gets out of hand.
Angelica winds up on the stand herself and holes get poked in her alibi; that she'd woken up from a nap after it broke. Finally, she says how much she hated the lamp’s stupid smile and knocked it over so it’d never smile again.
A far crazier version of this confession monologue happens in “Hey Arnold!” and Roger did this more than once on "Doug"... but in Angelica’s case, it’s funny for a different reason.
The whole mechanic of baby talk in this series is inconsistent. She can have full conversations with the babies and the adults, but I’m under the impression that it’s like she’s speaking two different languages. So when her confession is overheard, it’s almost like she accidentally slipped the switch from baby gibberish to adult English. The kicker: “And there’s nothing you can do about it because you can’t talk!” Wow...
The adults FINALLY notice what’s going on and Stu runs out on the ice to help. Meanwhile, they show the Reptar actor the lizard and he freaks out and runs away.
Yeah, over the top and cheesy but I’d still like to see that show live. Considering how much I retained of it, it was definitely memorable, haha
***
These other three don’t really fall under this category, but I couldn’t think of a better place for them.
The Trial
Tommy’s favorite clown lamp breaks and he wants to know who did it. Angelica suggests doing a trial and teaches the other babies how they work. (Well, in baby terms, using words like “gravel” and “poop-a-traitor”).
So everyone in their own words says what happened. Phil and Lil did "ring around the rosie" around it and knocked it off balance, but because they ran away before it falls, they didn’t see it actually happen. Chuckie admits being afraid of it, but falls short of a full confession. Angelica calls him a liar and Tommy calls for order before the prosecution gets out of hand.
Angelica winds up on the stand herself and holes get poked in her alibi; that she'd woken up from a nap after it broke. Finally, she says how much she hated the lamp’s stupid smile and knocked it over so it’d never smile again.
A far crazier version of this confession monologue happens in “Hey Arnold!” and Roger did this more than once on "Doug"... but in Angelica’s case, it’s funny for a different reason.
The whole mechanic of baby talk in this series is inconsistent. She can have full conversations with the babies and the adults, but I’m under the impression that it’s like she’s speaking two different languages. So when her confession is overheard, it’s almost like she accidentally slipped the switch from baby gibberish to adult English. The kicker: “And there’s nothing you can do about it because you can’t talk!” Wow...
The Box
This storyline is more pertinent to this post because the adults are preoccupied with something they did for the babies and their concerns are elsewhere. Kinda like what happened at the movies.
This time, Stu bought this massive kit to put together as a toy for Tommy. And Tommy plays with the box and his imagination takes himself somewhere else. Stu throws the box on the curb and it eventually makes the rounds to the twins and Chuckie before they all come together later on. The adults all come together, attempting to assemble this Kiddie Carnival toy.
The babies wind up fighting over the box (as well as what they imagine the box to be) and it breaks apart. But when they start to play with the pieces, Angelica takes them all away.
Her response is priceless- “You dumb babies! Stop having fun! It’s just a stupid box!”
...geesh, when this happened on Spongebob, at least Squidward didn’t stomp all over Spongebob and Patrick's box over his jealousy.
But I gotta ask... wasn’t that toy (looked like a combination of legos and k'nex) technically full of choking hazards and shouldn’t have been purchased for the babies in the first place?
Never mind that they lose them constantly without realizing... stuff like this makes you question their parenting.
Speaking of which...
A Visit from Lipschitz
One recurring theme throughout the series: whenever there’s a big parenting question in need of answering, Didi and Chaz consult a tome by the famous child psychologist, Dr. Lipschitz.
I forget how this comes about, but on one occasion, he’s a house guest at the Pickles’ house and Chas brings Chuckie over as well.
He’s either German or Austrian (I think he’s supposed to be like Sigmund Freud) with a goofy clown like haircut. Despite the fact his books are their bible, he finds fault with everything about their parenting. Meanwhile Tommy and Chuckie are trying to figure out if he’s a mom or dad.
According to the wiki, the guys wind up ditching Didi to go to a baseball game. She's infuriated and the doctor encourages her to "take a stand" and bring her husband and the others back. In the process, she accidentally leaves Tommy and Chuckie alone with him.... and he makes himself at home by taking a bath. The babies find him and freak out (he has bubbles all over his face so they think he’s a monster or something). He does everything he can to make them stop crying, only to be reduced to tears himself. This actually works because now they think he’s a baby and decide to play with him.
...but it’s all good but the doctor says this experience inspired him to rewrite his books and he offers them free copies.
No, really, this is not okay! If you meditate on this episode in particular, there’s so much fault to find with it. On top of his name being, well, the adults can figure that out on their own... they should consider themselves lucky he wasn’t like a doctor I learned about in high school psychology.
His wrong doings involved a radical decision to rectify a botched circumcision and lewd experiments of a pair of twins. (It's worth a Google, but it's not for the faint of heart).
...
There's a lot of disturbing things you notice in kids' shows once you get older. I'll point some of the more light hearted ones as they come up. For now, that'll be all.
No comments:
Post a Comment