This is a Rugrats episode where a bug dies and it's still very sad. With also a context of it being an episode about Chuckie where the very next season the audience learns about another death that also happens to be connected to Chuckie. "I Remember Melville" is a season 3 episode, it's season 3; episode 25a.
Chuckie is playing with a bug he has seemingly made into a pet. The bug is of course named Melville. The bug isn't given a species but it does seem to be a pillbug that bug that is nicknamed "Rolly-Polly" because of that thing they can do where they roll up. Looking it up, they apparently live 2-5 years or at least can live that long... I'm just going to say that Chuckie found a 3-year-old not insect, [I had to look this up], yeah that's what I want to say. (We aren't going with some sort of accusation are we?)
I also do find it pretty interesting that Chuckie is actually just playing with a bug and has no fear of it, that's different. This is his pet since his family really can't have other kinds of pets for a various amount of reasons. It's really sweet and cute to see Chuckie care and tend for his bug pet friend. The episode really works to give the viewers a happy montage of Chuckie and Melville, it's just being mean now. I know what's coming; I've seen you before episode, I can't be taken down this way again. We also find out that Chuckie has eaten soap before.
Chuckie brings Melville, who is still alive, with him and asks Tommy, Lil, and Phil if they can watch the bug while he goes and finds some leaves. (He leaves for leaves) Anyway, first off Phil and Lil were like Chuckie was gone for 1 second and they say let's eat him. Which concerns me, but Tommy is like woah hey! hey! no! no! Bad Phil and Lil, bad! Then, Tommy thinks to teach Melville some tricks to surprise Chuckie and well Chuckie will be surprised, alright. We, the viewer, see the bug laying on its back. It's getting sun tanned right? It's resting, it's a back sleeper? Uh oh.
He went quickly too/ Copyright Paramount
Also, also, also Lil and Phil know dead is, that's an interesting detail there. This episode is not a coward. It says dead. I have to give it a point for at least saying it out loud. Lil and Phil explaining with the knowledge they know of what dead is but in the smallest sense of the idea that is sleep forever. It's well characterized balance where it fits two spots at once. Probably for the best Angelica isn't in this episode, though they wouldn't have written her being mean in this episode anyway.
Tommy understands that Chuckie will be really upset when he returns and decides that the best to help Chuckie is to get him a new bug. They find him a snail. This is a bold strategy, will it pay off? (I'm sure Chuckie will be like hey, Melville you grew, lost your legs , gained a shell in the time I was gone, how long was a I gone?)
Chuckie returns and Phil goes the direct approach of saying bug dead. Chuckie know what dead means and freaks out. It's a heartbreaking scene. (especially for the snail) He denies that Melville is dead and is adamant about it even with Tommy trying to say otherwise. Chuckie goes off and later we see him playing with the dead bug as it just kind of well falls and stuff. It's a good way of showing that Chuckie has maybe processed it but doesn't want to accept it. Hoping for a different result. I also like how it's not played off as funny or a joke brought in to lighten up the moment. Tommy also attempting his best to try to get Chuckie to snap out of it is also really good.
dang it/ copyright Paramount
Tommy doesn't go that far and just kind of backs off and lets Chuckie continue. Then Chuckie finally does break down. The next day, Tommy, Phil, and Lil decide to make sure not to do anything to remind Chuckie of Melville so he won't be bad. This um, doesn't work. Chuckie has seemed to accept things and isn't in a sad mood, until chocolate pudding makes him sad because that's what Melville and him ate before the death. (I'm not saying it)
Chuckie says he doesn't want to forget Melville, because if he does who will remember him. They hold a bug funeral.
Some interesting things about this episode are we don't see any of the adults in the episode at all, it's very contained really to the backyard of Tommy's house, and there's not much Rugrats hallmarks in this episode, it's also very small and focused on Chuckie, but also the other at different POVs.
Starting, with no adults. Rugrats is a show that focuses on the baby/ toddler characters and their world. Usually, there adults of some sort are at least shown in the episode, even if they aren't part of the main plot. This really centers in on just the characters here. Which stands out that the episode about death has no adults in it, it's the characters themselves figuring it out and going through it.
There is a a moment the episode goes inside the house for them to get chocolate pudding, otherwise, it stays outside. The episode doesn't go to Chuckie's house and doesn't go beyond the backyard. It's keeping the episode contained and focused on what it wants to do.
Many episode of Rugrats have things like the rugrats mishearing something or a misunderstanding of what a concept is, or in some cases Angelica screwing with them, to be a center of the episode. There's nothing like that here, also there's no imagination adventure, there's not even much of an action going on. It's saying this episode is different without explicitly pointing it out.
Chuckie gets the main focus of the episode, which he did get a lot in the series, but i also like how it uses the others. First, it shows Chuckie and Melville for a while , to show us their friendship and Chuckie's love and investment with his pet and it keeps the friends in the background for most it. Chuckie asks them to watch Melville while he goes and finds leaves, we lose his view and what he's looking at, thinking, etc. and it goes to the others. When they see the that Melville has died, we get their understanding first. Phil and Lil apparently know what death is at the basic element of it, while the youngest Rugrat -Tommy- doesn't, but seems to at least accept the twins' answer. The twins, being their characters, want to eat the bug, Tommy, being Chuckie's best friend at least understands that Chuckie is going to really be sad when he finds out. He guides them away from eating it and has them work to find a new bug. It stays in the point of view of them being babies and deciding to do an understanding of that well Chuckie would be sad because he has no more bug, but not understanding that it's just because he doesn't have a bug, it's a specific bug that will be the reason. Much like the episode where Spike goes missing, Tommy doesn't want another dog or pet, he wants Spike.
When Chuckie does come back and gets the news, he takes it awfully and the others don't understand why thinking that their snail was trying to help. I love that the episode isn't saying that anyone is wrong or in the wrong here. Tommy, Lil, and Phil's thoughts are they are helping because they understand that Chuckie liked a bug really closely and wanted to find him a new one because it's like when they lose a toy or something, the parents get them a new one. Maybe Chuckie throwing that snail was wrong, but yeah. Chuckie's anger isn't misplaced either.
When the episode goes from Chuckie breaking down after accepting the death, the viewer doesn't see anything else with him at all. We don't know how long that happened, we don't know if his dad noticed anything. It cuts back to the next day, but with the other three, who are thinking of ways to make sure Chuckie isn't sad. Proving through, how much they care and do want to help him, but aren't too sure themselves on how.
The episode also seems to run on the stages of grief. Chuckie is in denial, then anger, bargaining depression, and acceptance. But also a realization that his acceptance went too far and that he doesn't want to forget about his friend. Death is hard. It's concept that we know of that it exists, seems unavoidable, and the most unknown. Most of it is there is a hope for something better after it, but that variable is hard to know and conceptualize that the fear lives there. Especially because of the sense of permeance it brings, so far, no one has come back after awhile. We don't have George Washington waking up and going "Oi, what the heck is going on here?" . On the flip side, when someone/ something dies those left behind are scared and saddened that they lost someone they valued. That's what Chuckie has to go through here.
It's a sad episode, because I feel bad for Chuckie. Rugrats is well noted for an episode focused on death and that had to with Chuckie as well. That's one of Rugrats' best, but I have to say this one is really good too. It puts the concept in a small setting and even with a small bug it still feels like a big thing because that's what this show does, it has small things being put in a bigger perspective. The show makes you feel bad for the death of a bug because of how much it hurts Chuckie. It's done well where it doesn't force in jokes where it's not needed, and yet doesn't go so hard on seriousness to make you feel like it's not "Rugrats". It does death in a simplistic way, but with understanding and respect of the characters and viewers. There's a genuineness to it. It's an episode that has stuck with me for a long time.
That's it for now, tune in next time, when the snails sue for assault, at some point.
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