Rocko's Modern Life: Part 2

For some reason,  I decided to go through a bunch of episodes involving Heffer or were otherwise initiated by something he did or didn't do.
Maybe I didn't realize it until looking back, but there were times where he kinda annoyed me. Whether he was being selfish or plain idiotic... but he's also one of the most loyal friends a person can have. As well as the type that would push you to do things outside of your comfort zone because they know you'll regret not trying. 

Put Out to Pasture

If you’ve watched this series for any stretch of time, you’re aware of Heffer and his love of pasture puffies. If this post was sponsored by Noom (which it isn’t), I’d go in detail about how his voracious appetite came from years of “food pushing” from his adopted family. According to Mrs. Wolfe, when they took him in as a kid with the intention of eating him: “you were a little skinny so we decided to fatten you up. But then we grew to love you…” Through the series, there’d been multiple occasions where his overeating not only got him into trouble but it’s harmed others around him.

This story arc is notable because of its flashbacks. Heffer more or less overdosed on his favorite snack food so he’s in the hospital for some sort of food coma. The most significant flashback was when the trio all met in high school and had to work together on a science project. While working late in the classroom on their own, they share a bag of chips. Rocko divvies them out like playing cards and Heffer eats them as he gets them. Then he gets upset when he sees the others with their chips and his are already gone. Rocko tries (and fails) to explain he’d already eaten them, but offers to share his. You can see where this is going…
Filbert’s reactions are over the top but still pretty hilarious. When he insists, “I’ve got plans for these chips!” he wasn’t kidding… he holds them in his hands like playing cards, swapping them around for various future activities. Heffer blows a gasket and assaults Filbert to take them for himself. This brings about Filbert’s own measure of assault, trying to stuff as much down Heffer’s gullet as possible. Inevitably, this includes the light bulb (cuz, big shocker, he already ate the potato)… but to their amazement, the light bulb is glowing in his mouth. So Rocko and Filbert stuff all kinds of potato products into Heffer in an effort to save the project. At first it appears not to work but then the whole block experiences a blackout and the light from their lightbulb can be seen shining for miles. So… they got an A+
At this point Heffer revives and they know he’ll be ok. But right after they’re grateful, everyone spews anger at him and leaves. He then takes out a bag of chips he’d hidden to binge some more and a disgruntled Rocko confiscated them.
Apparently, there's also a flashback (completely forgot about this one) where Filbert works at a grocery store and his manager warns him not to let Heffer eat all of the free samples. He has such a reputation for this, there are actual wanted posters of him and he employs a variety of disguises.

Tooth and Nail

Two common defense mechanisms for any bad habit are denial and deflection… both of which are explored here. During my most recent watch of this segment, I left it a little more frustrated than satisfied with its outcome. It all begins at a scratch n sniff restaurant where you order based on how various items on the menu smell... apparently 3M patented the "scratch n sniff" technology back in 1965, but I remember it being a common thing when I was a kid in the 90's.

While at this restaurant, Rocko points out how Heffer is so fat, he barely fits into the booth and he needs to get control of it. They go back and forth about whether or not he has a problem. Then they discover Rocko is having trouble using his card because he basically has nubs for nails. Heffer completely turns the tables on Rocko and says HE needs to get control of HIS problem. In his frustration, Rocko runs off with his signature scream “I don’t have a problem!!! Dahhh!” and Heffer and Filbert bemoan, “he’s got a problem...”
Maybe I should pay more attention if I ever watch the series again cuz I don’t really remember Rocko biting his nails that much… granted, it’s an issue that needs to be resolved and it eventually is. It just makes me mad that they could’ve staged an intervention for Heffer and it never happens because he slyly shifts the focus away from himself.

How Rocko’s problem is resolved is probably the craziest 12 step program ever. He buys the program from the chameleon brothers. On the first step, he's forced (more like threatened, actually) to admit his problem and 6 of the characters in the program hightail it to Vegas because nail biting is only a 6 step problem. What ensues is a bunch of random animation sequences- like shave the weasel and swish the fish.
When Rocko finally questions the point of all this, Step 5 jokes, “well, nothing really. We’re just having a little bit of fun” and then step 6 is kinda like the Ghost of Christmas Future except this dude talks. The scene Rocko sees is Heffer and Filbert finding him in a dumpster where he’s chewing the nails off mannequin toes like a mad man. Ultimately, he snaps out of it and everything is ok
There’s a funny final scene with the other 6 steps at Vegas. Everyone is on the curb because they’re all broke. One guy comments how they can hock one of their friends for a couple of bucks and the “you’ve got a problem/no, I don’t” saga continues… it’s kinda nuts how they went into gambling and addiction on a kids' show, but at least it’s better than all the innuendo stuff.

Tickled Pinky

Another opportunity for Heffer to get control of his problem happens here as a result of a medical emergency involving Rocko. The two of them are at a jackhammer expo (one of Rocko’s biggest interests) when Rocko’s appendix gets sick. Heffer rushes him to the hospital on foot because the ambulance beavers picked up the fallen jack hammer by mistake ( :sigh: "I hate when that happens"). Once there, Heffer collapses after mumbling he’s too fat. The receptionist calls for help, “pick up in reception… too fat.” The beaver paramedics come back out to pick him up and it’s hard not to laugh when their “hups” screech down to a snail's pace. That’s karma for you… in the next room titled “liposuction” the surgeon’s like, “good lord, get me that sucker!”

Poor Rocko has to fill out a mountain of paperwork before he can be seen. Luckily, there’s a friendly face waiting for him in the examination room. Dr. Hutchison in her 2nd post of the series ("I thought you were a dentist."/"Well, I was, but I was getting tired of looking down in the mouth."). The way she explains his pain with the metaphor of lightning bolts and how they need to get him some wavy lines (for relief) is pretty cool. A lot of the writing is also really good, giving Rocko’s organs different personalities and how they explain the condition of his appendix as it being out sick from school.
After he passes out from the pain, he has a dream of spending time with Pinky (his appendix), doing everything on its bucket list before it has to leave. And it’s kind of an emotional goodbye too
The final scene is Rocko burying Pinky (“you put me in a jar?”) and learning he’ll have his tonsils and baby teeth for company. Then Heffer shows up, extremely skinny and his fat groans as it flies off to heaven “I didn’t even get to go the carnival…” but then we see Heffer in future episodes and he’s back to normal.

This cartoon was the first time I'd heard about appenditicis being a thing... and it's always been a source of paranoia for me. Like the appendix is like a ticking time bomb and for some people, it goes off and you need emergency surgery before it kills you. Any time I experience any sort of pain in that area, it comes to mind that this could be it. It's not a regular occurrence, but that doesn't make me any less paranoid about it.
I swear, the next time I need any sort of surgery and they're in the neighborhood, I kinda wanna tack that on, just so I can stop worrying about it.
It's also worth noting that Rocko is an incredible amount of pain throughout this and the fact the hospital isn't quick to address it... it's a bit worrisome.

Schnit Heads

First off... how'd they get away for THAT title on a kid's show?

One of the most memorable segments in the whole series.
Heffer gets recruited to join… essentially a sausage cult. All because he was avidly enjoying the food at their restaurant. This kind of cult eats sausages for every meal, every day of the week. Eventually, it reaches a point where Heffer diverts from the menu.

“Pizza... I was getting a little tired of sausage so I ordered out.”

Then he gets reprimanded ("We don’t eat pizza here, brother… we never get tired of sausage. We LOVE sausage”) and he’s forced into hard labor as punishment.
So… two questions. If this is a bad thing, why’d they allow any sort of food delivery in the first place? And is sausage pizza off limits too?
Rocko discovers this and Filbert (after saying the hilariously suggestive line “sausage can be very seductive”) offers to help. Then their Trojan horse inspired plan goes array and they all get saved by residential superhero Really Really Big Man.
Heffer ultimately comes away with one lesson- “all that's shiny is not sausage… or something.”