Rugrats: FOOTBALL (Touchdown Tommy)

Rugrats Nickelodeon 

         This post is made to be published right before the SuperBowl... hold on  The SuperBowl ™️ which gives us a great time to look at "Rugrats" episode "Touchdown Tommy" from season 1, episode 11a.  

            Touchdown Tommy  has to be one of the most fun episode of Rugrats to exist. It shows the show's strength to an advantage and just has chaos going to 100. It starts with the simpleness of a season 1 episode, Tommy is playing with a balloon it goes under the coffee table and he bonks his head and reacts with a cry. Stu is right in noticing that Tommy was going after the balloon but Didi calls it a concussion and her reaction is 1000.  She tells Stu she's not sure she can leave the dads alone that afternoon for the totally not the SuperBowl because that's copyright game, because Stu was reading a newspaper and not noticing that Tommy was possibly going to bonk his head. (If Didi really cared, she would have removed the under from the table) She is reconsidering going on a shopping trip with Betty (women do be shopping?...on a Sunday?)  Also why is she pretending she has an eagle view on the kids? 

            Stu figures out a way to make he and the other guys won't have to watch the Excellent Pot [hang with here] in shifts. He thinks of an idea-helmets. Why does Angelica scream at her cat?   Why does the cat run and not tear her face off?  Stu shows his wife his strange helmet on Tommy that it works. (Why didn't they get the balloon)  I think it's funny that this episode sets up the idea that the guys won't be really watching the kids because of the game, but the trick is that it won't be anyone bonking their heads, also helmets are the big set up to this.  

                Why are Stu and Grandpa Lou wearing Houston Oilers shirts? I just wanted to ask that question because I found it funny they picked an Oilers like logo for the shirts.  Chaz comes with Chuckie, and also brought a very large TV for the Splendid Dish. This is back when  large TVs were cool, expensive [so this man was risking alot] and heavy. (In my day we walked 15 miles to watch at 15 inch TV , for 15 minutes  a day) Angelica is with Drew, she needs to be her for this episode to work the way it does. Of note, Charlotte isn't in this episode, she's not even mentioned. A detail that she's not hanging out with the guys or the women. Angelica is with Drew, that woman is working there is no Sunday break for her. 

             Chaz says he'd rather watch the chess playoffs, he's wearing a chess shirt, and doesn't mean he could just watch the kids? (hmmm big think) This is also Chaz's first episode where he says more words than Chuckie.  I will note that Drew and Howard are wearing Dallas Cowboy style star jerseys.  Showing both Texas teams, which were a rivalry.  The Oilers never played the Cowboys in a Superbowl, neither have their current name the Titans or the Houston successor team The Texans. Would have been funny if their had been one in 1992, a few months after this episode aired. (The Cowboys and Oilers didn't make it to the 1992 SuperBowl : Super Bowl XXVI )  Drew and Stu wearing contrasting team jerseys shows their rivalry.  It also shows Lou and Stu seem to be closer, besides the fact Lou lives with Stu instead of Drew. Howard sometimes contrasts with Stu, but not as hard, and there's not much Drew and Howard connections. . Chaz is more neutral and has a 'geeky'  chess shirt on, fitting his character.  

            The guys are ready to watch the Ultra Bowl[ this time their word for it, not my joke] and this one was called UltraBowl XXXVII , way ahead of the Superbowl at the time.  All the kids have helmets and Stu really didn't much effoft in this. Tommy's is a bowl with plush turtle and some toilet paper on rolls?,   Chukie's is just a bucket with some green sponges, and toilet paper on a roll. Phil and Lil have stuffed bears on top of their bowls with a roll of toilet paper each. Angelica's he just gave up 100% and just stuck a diaper on her head with some string and a roll of toilet paper.  Angelica, seems like the one most likely to even bonk her head in ways Tommy would, but that's just a diaper, it's not going to help anything. Stu lost it and is mad. 

            Grandpa Lou gets up to get more pork rinds and Stu asks if he can give the kids their bottles. He gives one to Angelica who remarks that bottles are for babies and that she is, in fact, not one. (To be fair the diaper on her head doesn't help) Between this and Lou forgetting he had a grand daughter in a previous episode, I don't think he cares much.  He goes away, but also for some reason decides to give Tommy chocolate milk, while no one else gets any. This man chose violence and chose to create what happens the rest of the episode, he must be stopped! 

          Angelica is very jealous and she wants the milk. Then the episode does what makes this silly episode ever better.  The football commentary on the game ends up working as the commentary on how the babies try to keep Angelica away from the bottle.  (There is more milk in that bottle than their should be) This is really a great scene, no dialogue  from the babies and Angelica and just mimicked football with a bottle with brown liquid.  There's even a replay like football game broadcasts do, it's amazing.  

            But of course, it's over and Angelica realizes the bottle is empty and starts to whine. She also gets blamed because Didi comes home and sees the mess made.

          To rank a Rugrats episode, this one is one of the top ones. Season 1 Rugrats has very high tier memorable episodes. This one is a pure treat. It's a fun episode. It actually interesting it really holds back it's most memorable part for the last fourth. Everything else is build up, but interesting in its own right.  Didi's first time mom overreaction at the start is funny, even more since its not like  she also has a firm grasp on watching the kids, herself.  Stu's finding the funniest solution that later does nothing to help what really happens, but gives us helmets for football style keep away is great.  

         Another fun thing about a majority of the episode is how contained it is. It mostly stays in the living room area. There are some small parts that happen in the basement -Stu's Workshop- but the majority of this episode is living room based , but shows Rugrats power to make one spot just the most interesting place. Since this is early early Rugrats, they aren't even showing the Rugrats pretending to be anyone, it's straight forward but you still get a nice match up.   

           I love the little details in this episode.  They didn't have to really go as close as they could do with almost NFL team logos they did. I mentioned the helmets , and  mentioned that Stu really was just kind of putting random stuff together, but I do love the effort in these different ideas for all of them.  The twins have the same design matching how they look and their clothing as well, Chuckie's not even being a bowl is funny. He probably has the 2nd worse safety one after Angelica. Angelica's is funniest like there was an outright contempt towards her and that felt like a deliberate choice to make her look like that. It also fits her pigtails to stick through.  There was a lot effort done in Stu's quick thinking here. 

             Also, you can't tell me this episode wasn't propaganda for chocolate milk, you know you want some.  Top tier Rugrats episode. That's all. 

           That's it for now , tune in next time, when we see what happens when strawberry milk is involved. 

             

Rugrats: I also Remember Melville

Rugrats 

     

          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)  

Rugrats: This episode is just called Baseball

Rugrats

         Season 1 "Rugrats" is a strange beast and really was it's own thing to what the show would do in peak seasons 2 and 3.  One of the episode formats that seemed to die after season 1 was the ones where Tommy would be somewhere, go off on his own and random stuff just happens. Tommy goes to a restaurant, causes chaos, nobody notices and then he goes home.  Tommy goes inside a mail bag causes chaos at  the post office then goes home,  Grandpa Lou takes Tommy to the grocery store, Tommy has a goal to get Reptar cereal, causes havoc and leaves with the cereal.  That kind of goes away after season 1.  

                As I want to write about a baseball theme at the start of baseball season (when this is being published) I  wanted to write about  season 1, Episode 5b : Baseball. I like the title, it's simple, snappy, easy on eyes.  I will write about it's more famous partner episode in the future. This episode aired on September 8, 1991. 

            I do love how Rugrats episodes could start with something looks totally like something else then becomes what it really is. A pretty much small example of how the show was about imagination of the babies as they saw the world then the world itself being shown.  Also that Tommy's toy boat is a Gillian's Island reference. Grandpa Loud is listening to K-OLD radio, because old people like radio or something.  He wins a phone in radio contest with the best question I've ever heard. The prize is tickets to a baseball game.  He's going to take Tommy and Stu to the game. 

          Because of the episode's format and like many season 1 episodes, it's very simple in what it's doing.  I do wonder if Lou and or Stu decided to buy Tommy teamwear, or they already had that stuff. Tommy has a balloon with the team mascot on it, and he's not interested in the sport of baseball.  (Darn youth of Today, focused on their fancy balloons instead of baseball, sad)  He saves it from floating away. That was once just to make sure that the episode is messing with us.  

         There's also the baseball from the radio contest named Bucky Majors. He has heavy bats , this is to show that he's either very strong or pumped full of steroids, it is 1991. He also batted hard enough to shred a baseball. Tommy's balloon ,this time does float away and Tommy has one mission.  I do like the timing of the baseball announcer with the balloon. Tommy goes to see the mascot, maybe he has a new balloon and ends up on the baseball field. Stu and Lou are distracted and think a stuffed bear is Tommy. (Typical) 

         He ends up in a popcorn thing and funny enough the man doesn't notice his thing is heavier. I do admire that they didn't so a silly score on the baseball game and kept it 1-0 through before the 9th inning.  Tommy's balloon apparently doesn't want to go in the sky so he's able to follow it around and not really being noticed. If Tommy was a spy he could take 3 governments in a day. Stu and Lou fell asleep and were awakened by Tommy pressing an organ's peddle. 

          Didi comes home and she gets the note that the guy are the game, to turn on Channel 2 to see the game to hope to see them in the stands.  Well she gets a different viewing as Tommy grabs his balloon but then falls, he ditches the balloon for the baseball that was hit and Bucky Majors ends up catching a baby and a ball. (It's out!)  Didi faints. Stu and Lou realize that the baby he caught was Tommy. Spike has my favorite reaction to seeing Tommy, he licks the TV screen. Then it ends with press stuff and Lou talking to Bucky about real baseball and stuff. 

            This episode doesn't have much Tommy talking, it's very light on him saying anything. He says bear alot, some mutterings, some woah, and ahs, but nothing really being said from him. He doesn't even say balloon.  He also doesn't go around and unintentionally mess up anything this episode either. The only real chaotic thing was walking on the peddles. The biggest thing in the episode is Tommy falling from the sky and thankfully being caught. 

It's OUT!  Copyright Paramount

          I do like the depiction of a baseball game here. There's the announcers who do seem to have to find ways to fill time, but aren't really there for the show to make any out loud funny jokes. I do like their interaction and slight awkwardness. Bucky Majors is a straight forward baseball player, but he does seem humble if only slightly exaggerated.   The idea of a baseball game going innings without a run is a thing that happens. That is pretty fun.  

        Stu and Lou really only lose attention of Tommy because they assumed he was still there, but they kind of forgot he had a bear with him? Where'd they think the bear went?  Later they fell asleep at the game, so yeah. There's actually not a lot of Stu and Lou talking this episode either.  Lou gets the most lines, but yeah our main characters don't talk much here. The best part was when they wake up and Stu asks questions and Lou's reaction.  It's a very watch and look at it episode to see stuff. Tommy and Spike's connection is shown at the start in the bath and later at the end where Spike likes the TV. Didi faints he's like hey it's Tommy and likes the TV. I also liked when Didi comes home he was rolling around on the floor waiting for Tommy to return. 

            It's a fun, simple episode.  They made a light plot work very well here, and it's a fun baseball episode.   

        That's it for now, tune in next time when we try to reenact this episode, hmmm going to be hard. 

                

        

The Flashback: Rugrats Mother's Day

Rugrats   The Flashback 

            There really aren't that many Mother's Day themed specials, but at the same time it's not un common for a series to do an episode about the holiday. It's not  really a big let's gather around the TV holiday compared to what it really is for. (Same with Father's Day, which seems to have a harder time, in cases because of how TV is done in terms of seasons) 

             One hard of this holiday is those who don't have a mother for any such reason that arises. It can be hard, especially in terms if a mother has died.  There's a strangeness about that day for those in that situation. It especially can feel like a loneliness, but for a kid,  a lost parent is a big thing. That's probably why a lot of media - insert Disney joke about killing off the mom here- works that in such away.   

        So, let's talk about Rugrats. Again, I've said before this is one of my favorite animated series, and top Nicktoon. My favorite Rugrat character has always been Chuckie.  When you watch some of the first few seasons [ I have to clarify here that I'm talking about Rugrats and not Rugrats 2021, I'm not calling the original version Rugrats 1991, because no]  a viewer could notice that Chuckie didn't seem to have a mother character. It was him and his dad for the most part. It was never really addressed in the episodes. There's only an oft mention in season 1, when Didi says to Chuckie, his Mom and Dad will pick him up in the morning.  Chuckie's Dad, Chaz, works and that's the reason why Chuckie would be over at Tommy's house a lot more than even the twins, might have been the single father. 

            Rugrats ended in 1994, but the reruns were very popular and Nickelodeon decided "eh, let's bring it back" and there were two specials devoted to the holidays of Passover and Chanukah   In continuation this special is counted as part of season 4, a revival season of sorts.  Originally aired on May 6, 1997.  The episode is simply called "Mother's Day". 

            Rugrats being a show with babies/toddlers as main characters (Chuckie and Angelica would be more toddler, they toddle ;p ) it puts an interesting view on how they view the holiday. Angelica being Angelica is the one making her mother a gift. She's the one, like usual, who tells Tommy, Phil, and Lil  that it's Mother's Day and what the holiday is for. She's at least not lying to them this time.  

                This inspires them to want to give their own mothers some gifts. Rugrats being Rugrats, also gives the adults story arc and plot. Didi wants to take her mother out for a good day, Stu is trying to make an invention, which goes wrong, of course. (You have to love his quirks and Didi's patience) Which will later become a plot where Betty helps him by trying to train his robot to be a good mother.

  

        Chaz comes over to the Pickles' family home with Chuckie. He has something he wants to talk about something with Didi. He has a box of stuff that belong to Chuckie's mom and doesn't want Chuckie to find it. Chuckie goes to be with his friends and they tell him they are looking for gifts for Mother's Day, and mentions he doesn't have one. The way it's said by Christine Cavanaugh, the voice of Chuckie, really makes it impactful. It's said softly with confidence and you can also hear how it kind of breaks a bit. He also decides not to go looking for gifts with his friends, "it's for kids with moms." 

Copyright Paramount 

  

        That and it going back to Chaz seeing his usual awkward self, but can also see how he misses his late wife it's something else and can tell he doesn't want the stuff around because it makes him miss his wife. The episode doesn't say death outright, which is interesting, because this show had said it before, there's a whole episode where Chuckie (interesting) is sad a bug died, and it says death. But networks S&P are weird.

           It's a really emotional thing for this kind of show to do, it's not even laid on think or melodramatic, it just kind of feels oft from the show's normalcy but it's not being overly focused on it in some strange way that it works. [ I tear up]  The episode puts in levity and  fun, as well, like Stu is getting attacked by his robot. 

            Tommy, Phil, and Lil's search for Mother's Day gifts is sweet. Again, it's working with their young age as they try to find something around the house and yard that they think their mothers would like. It's also sweet where they have memories about their mother like Phil and Lil giving their Mom, their first laugh and Tommy first seeing his mom.  Chuckie says he doesn't remember much, but a scene he has in a dream.  "You can't give presents to dream." This special  does get to me, it always has, which is actually why  I've had this on the list to write about for years, but never did.  

Copyright Paramount 

         I like how the trio want to help Chuckie by finding him a mom, It's sweet and kind of funny at the same time. (And the plot of the second movie)  The suggestions are , again, fitting for them like Spike, the dog. (woof) Chuckie working along with it is kind of fun too.  (Lil pretending to be Chuckie's Mom is someone's fanfiction, you're going to leave this in when you post it, aren't you?) 

            It's kind of funny how much the episode lacked Angelia until she wonders what the babies are doing. Angelica decides to be Chuckie's "Mommy" (Uhhh) which since she's Angelica means she just wants something done for her. I mean, if she was going to really be his mom, she would be on the phone all the time, and then gives him almost anything he wants. I do feel bad for Chuckie, he was so happy that Angelica wanted to be his mom. It's thing the show does where the babies forget Angelica does things. 

I don't trust her/ copyright Paramount 

            She has him doing her work of making her Mother's day gift. (Grandma?)  She also renamed Chuckie, Blaine. (The heck?)  She's right Blaine is a TV name. No offense to people really named Blaine, you just live in TV Land... (after the Everybody Loves Raymond reruns)  I kind of feel bad for Chuckie because he's so happy.  It is kind of cute that Angelia acts her like mother a bit. 

        That goes south, because we can't have nice things, when she wants him to get a hat for her sculpture and  oops, because she changed her mind to a flower, and she wants one where a bee flies on it. Chuckie respects and fears the bee and really wants to get the flower, but his friends think its insane. They stand up for him and she uses fake guilt on him. Chuckie ticked off that be and then it flew into his mouth. That was something. 

Chuckie's war cry/ Copyright Peanuts 

            She decides to disown him. She throws the babies into a closet, for time out. Chuckie says doesn't deserve a mom. I love how his friends help him and they mention that Angelia sucked as a mom. (Our fact checkers say: true)  I also like how the friends  saying what a Mom is, helps him decided that his Dad is a good choice.  Chuckie's Dad of any of the parental figures on the show, I've always felt was the best of the parents on the show, he cares heavily about his son and even understands his fears. There's a whole episode where he tries to break into the Pickles' house when he wanted to be with Chuckie in a black out.  I do remember there being posts about the parents on this show being "bad parents" but that's never been my thought- maybe Angelica's sometimes.   Stu and Didi care for their son and later sons, they seem to be a new parenting couple and the mom uses books to help her, she wants to do the best, as an example. I mean, you kind of need the parents to not be hovering over the kids for the episodes to work anyway.  

            Chuckie and friends find the box Chaz had given to Didi to hide. (good work, Didi, didn't even try to put that somewhere) Chuckie finds a picture that's the lady from his dreams- his mother. He grabs the picture. I like how Angelica's  mom  appreciates her daughter's gift,  Didi's plot, remember she had a plot?, works out Everything culminates well.  

Oh great, you made dinner!/ Copyright Paramount 

             The episode then hits you. Chuckie runs over to his father and presents him the picture. There's a dead silence [sorry for the term here] even the music gives up. You see a smiling Chuckie presenting this picture to his father as a gift.  It even pans around the room a bit (also close that door, you're letting the angry bees who want Chuckie's blood for trying to eat their own in).  His father deflects it, because again you can see he's not wanting to talk about with Chuckie  and his own sadness comes into it. Chuckie thinks his father didn't like the gift.  

copyright Paramount

         This special presents everything well. Didi talks to Chaz and says maybe he should talk to Chuckie about the stuff in the box. I like the line of  missing her together. Chaz agrees and starts to talk to him about the stuff in the box.  The episode also implied she got some sort of sickness that probably caused her death.  There's a poem. This whole part of the special always gets to me.  

            The ending is also optimistic, Chuckie shows his friends' his backyard and telling them his mother is in the flowers, clouds, grass, sun, and wind.  It's a sweet ending. 

        It's a finely crafted special that Rugrats hit out of the park well. The idea that Mother's Day doesn't have to be over the top and grand, just a showing of appreciation and care is fine. Simple things are worth value. Charlotte loves the work Angelica put into her sculpture for her , doesn't care if it's broken. Didi' s mother loves being with her daughter and doesn't need fancy $80 mud. Stu didn't have to give his wife a fancy invention gift, she loves the simple flowers both her son and husband give. Betty's part where she tires to program the robot to be motherly, shows her dedication and how much work she loves being a mother. She loved their gift of a plunger. Chuckie realizes his Dad pretty much fills the a role of both a father and mother to him, and he loves his father. Then he and father have both lost someone close, and the last minutes are a well done thing. 

            It can be a hard time for those who might not have a mother to share it with, for any reason. For those that do, don't sweat it, the simple things and just showing love and care is good.  This is a great episode of Rugrats. Even if it goes off the model of the imagination of other episode[meaning, where the Rugrats pretend something is something else] and uses it's groundedness well.  I can't help but tear up watching this episode, and it's not even melodramatic, and I think that's why it works. 

        It was nominated for an Emmy though it lost to "The Simpsons" , but  (big but) this episode should have won.  It's a great episode from a great series.  Mother's Day, the episode, is the idea of relationships that can be had with a mother and shows that some don't have that. Chuckie realizing that his father does everything for him was a good showing in how he has something to appreciate even if his mother is gone.  It can be a hard holiday for some,  for any reason, but it's also good to be able to value in the simplest ways. It also shows that losing someone special is hard and getting those thoughts out can be hard. It's something you don't see much in these kind of shows, but glad they did it.   

   

        That's it for now.  Happy Mother's Day. 

One Shot Posts: Rugrats: Cuffed/ The Blizzard

One Shot Posts  Rugrats Nickelodeon 

            This time in One Shot Post: Rugrats again.  We dip into a pair of season 3 segments from episode 12.  Season 3 was the last season of Rugrats, back when Nickelodeon was using the syndication model amount and really only needed 65 episodes. Rugrats would be the only of the first three Nicktoons to come back... on Nickelodeon...  that's right I stopped you from saying what about...?  Season 3 of the Rugrats was pretty strong  had some really memorable episodes. 

           I picked this one because well I like it, and this pairing happens to be one of my favorites of the series.  This episode aired on December 12, 1993. Let's get started.

    Cuffed 

         My favorite Rugrat is Chuckie Finster, but even going beyond that I like how this episode really only has two characters being Chuckie and Angelica, besides having Drew there, but from the main younger cast it's just those two. That's more unusual. Chuckie appearing without Tommy is even more rare. It makes for a tight and interesting story. 

         Drew is wrapping up gifts for poor kids in the orphanage because Rugrats apparently takes place with orphanages around. Unless they still exist and I'm the confused one, leave me alone.  Anyway, Angelica sees some toy handcuffs and wants them. (Drew is some random kids without parents, handcuffs, what'd he mean by that?)  He says no.  Also Chuckie is coming later and Angelia is annoyed because she called him boring, and Drew says don't be mean to him after calling him her little friend. (Drew is confusing) 

             Chuckie says he'll just sit there and be quiet until his Dad comes back, which off all the Rugrats, I think that is something he'd do.  Oh yeah, the handcuffs, Angelica wants Chuckie's help to get handcuffs.  Poor Chuckie his life his him being told to random stuff by someone with the last name Pickles.  Angelica gets the handcuffs. 

                The Chuckie and Angelica interactions in this episode are also a great treat. Chuckie, of course, is the cautious nervous one, especially with Angelica. When he has to look out for her parents while she's trying to get the handcuffs he screams thinking a sock a mouse is a sock and then asks if she needs help because he was lonely. 

              The episode also uses where Angelica tears into the package moment for a nice recall later. Chuckie asks what are they for and she decides to handcuff herself to Chuckie, "like the police do," then she finds out she can't find the key.  You can see when she tore in the package the key flew off the back... more on that soon.   Angelica can't find the key in the pack and thinks they made handcuffs without keys.   She gets mad at Chuckie and blames him for the fact they are stuck together. 

            Honestly, being stuck to Angelica is worse for Chuckie than Chuckie being stuck to Angelica.   

 She tries to get every single she can find around the house but none of them work.  (I'm happy that the 90's handcuff toys are were built to last) Angelica trying different things like her toy blow torch kit (what?) and plastic hammer don't work.   Drew comes into to say Chuckie's Dad is on his way and this causes her to worry.  Her later attempts are even funnier. 

            Chaz is at the door and this means Angelica has to hide the handcuffs, now she's going to find away to figure something out and Chuckie has something to tell her, but she's not listening. The true moral is: Angelica should have listened in the first place.  She's able to convince Chaz and her dad to let Chuckie stay over.  She'd rather make up a story than tell her father is very in character for her.  Chaz agrees to let Chuckie stay over. 

            Chuckie thought she was telling the truth and is happy to be with her too, it's sweet, but also sad because she was lying. Chuckie was willing to be Angelica's friend and be happy.  Anyway, Chuckie finally gets to say what he was trying to say: he found the key. They are free. Angelica decides to tell Chuckie to stay away from her and never speak to her, no matter what she says or does, he agrees and  walks away.  Just to make sure that was a stupid thing for her to do: she gets looped on to her bed's rail and can't reach the key.  She calls Chuckie. He was standing outside the room and hears her but says nope, he's listening to what she just said, and walks away. 

    

            It's a great character dynamic episode. Angelica of course would not listen to her father when she wants something and especially when she many times gets what she wants. Chuckie has that fear of Angelica but he's also friendly and kind and was happy to think Angelica would want to be his friend. He also listened to her when she said don't talk to her, no matter what she says and she's now locked to her bed until her father finds her. Though, I guess he's still staying the night or something. 

             The episode is funny too, I like how Angelica tries to get out of the handcuffs, and the little jokes were fun.   It's a fun episode. It's one of my favorites because of how the setup works and the way Chuckie's little win works without him directly doing it or knowing is a nice way to do it. 

More after the jump

The Flashback: Rugrats: All Growed-Up

Nickelodeon  The Flashback  Rugrats 

         It's hard to state to someone how big "Rugrats" was as series unless you were around that time. The 10th anniversary of the series on  Nickelodeon was big, they went out doing multiple marathons and events and programming.  

  

        They really ramped up the events in summer of 2001, and they started promoting one big event special. The plot of the special is what if the Rugrats characters you know and love were 10 years older? (like Chuckie would be 12)  Like what if the characters aged up like if the show went real time?  This is something that some fans probably wondered themselves and did their own takes  but the show doing it is kind of fun. 

     

          Rugrats in history for Nickelodeon was its most popular animated and possibly over all series, though by 2001, SpongeBob was coming in to its own.  Rugrats originally ran for 3 seasons between 1991-1994, but had gained love and attention , and viewers to enough to gain two specials then come back for a new season in 1997.  They gave it a movie in 1998, where they introduced a new character named Dil. Dil  was added to series in the next season. Then it gets a 2nd theatrical movie in 2000, and they give Chuckie a step mom and sister.  

    

            The series had gone a long way in 10-years and this is when animated series didn't last 10 years, it wasn't a thing.   Shows did 65 to 100 episodes were happy to do that, since that was the way television for kids was, and it makes sense since you do enough episodes where the audience ages out and you have room and budget for new series , and the reruns feel new to the new audience.  Rugrats reaching 10 years is big.    

 

            Coming from me, I'm a big Rugrats fan,  it has managed to stay on top as my favorite Nicktoon series and this special was exciting.   Fun fact "All Growed Up" is still Nickelodeon's most watched broadcast. (source)

      

        So let's take a look at this special.

      

       This special was heavily marketed  and the main idea was that we get to see Rugrats being 10 years older, walking and talking... uh.... I mean walking and talking as older kids.   It starts with a plot device movie the Rugrats are watching, about some guy making a time machine to go to the future.  This movie is interesting, they should have made this.  Tommy is interested in the movie's plot and wonders what it would be like to go the future. Chuckie (my favorite Rugrat) once again says something that  always hits right, this time what if the future is scarier than now?  He knows all. 

                Angelica shows up and wants to torture us , and I mean us with her bad singing. She has the other plot device, her a karaoke machine. (I curse the day Drew and Charlotte got together, curse it) She doesn't want the others to play with it because Angelica.  She uses the fact that apparently everyone forgets that she's evil  to make it where the other's get blamed for her mess. (I curse the day Drew and Charlotte got together, curse it!) 

Having Angelica sing should be considered torture/ Copyright Paramount

                 Tommy decides to play with Angelica's machine because he's tired of Angelica. He refuses to give it back to her in  a power move.  This causes our plot to get into action, where the others use a 'time machine' to go to the future.  (Good thing Tommy didn't watch a different movie, that'd cause different results)  

 

       Now it gets to what the audience came to see, older Rugrats.  They did give Tommy hair, the same color as his father's,  I wonder what color that is considered in their world?  (Tommy didn't have a shaved head, that could have worked too) It shows our favorite characters exiting the same closet they ran into from Angelica to meet older Angelica.  They also have Dil having the same hair color as Didi which is also a nice touch.    

Me when Angelica says she's going to sing/ Copyright Paramount 

    

             The designs of our older Rugrats  are fun, Angelica has the same colors she wore as a 3-year-old , Tommy still has his blue in a baseball tee, Chuckie hasn't changed much, his shirt still has Saturn on it, it's just been switched to a button up shirt, he has green pants, and his shoes are still red, there's a nice egg of showing one shoe is untied.  Phil has the duck shirt, so does Lil, she also has a bow. Kimi has her same  hair style, same colors. Dil had  has the same colors as his onesie. This is nice little touch to show that, and yeah it might be how realistically they would dress up in the future, though I think they still would be friends. 

They live in the same neighborhood, close in age, it's economics/Copyright Paramount

            So there is a plot here, the kids are getting ready to see a Emica concert with the goal of being called on stage to sing with her.  There's also Stu who is dressed like disco man, which is kind of fun call back of that one episode where the Rugrats sold all of Stu and Didi's stuff; and that includes a disco suit.  (Disco Stu, one could say)   He's wearing a lucky zodiac necklace to a disco dance. This will be important too.  

More after the jump

One Shot Posts: Rugrats: Chuckie Loses His Glasses

Rugrats Nickelodeon One Shot Posts 

         So, Rugrats, as of this writing, is returning with a new remade series that's done in 3D animation because reasons and coming to the streaming service number 9,425 or Paramount Plus (formerly known as CBS All Access) ." Rugrats" is my favorite Nickelodeon animated series of all time, and I thought this would be a good time do a One Shot Post about an episode. 

     So today, we are looking at Season 2 Episode 16a: "Chuckie Loses His Glasses"/ 

   Since the first thing you notice about Chuckie is wild red hair... oh ok the second thing you notice about Chuckie is that he wears a glasses. (Fun fact: Chuckie is my favorite Rugrat) This episode revolves around the idea of  "What if Chuckie cant' see?" (What?)  The episode  sets up stuff that a) it's raining and b) Chuckie is worried that Angelia might be mad at him for eating two of her crayons. (eww) They get the parents out of the way because we need this plot to plot. (yeah!) 

         Since it's raining (no government today, because it's raining) they have to be trapped inside, so they need a game to do and Angelica decides to do hide-n-seek (or hide and go seek). Angelica being Angelica and she likes to pick on Chuckie so she decides to make Chuckie "it" because she's mad. Also Angelica tells Chuckie to take off his eyes. (what?)  Good thing she means the glasses (his extras eyes or this would be a dark episode)  Angelica uses the moment of him counting to take his glasses.  So apparently, thanks to Chuckie's vision being not good, he sees strange shapes and thinks they are monsters and junk. The episode's music and visuals are on great display as always. The friends think Chuckie is just trying to get them to stop hiding by faking he's needing help. (Uhh, guys I'm being mauled by a bear! Help !  Nice Try!) 

   

          If this is how Chuckie sees the world without his glasses, he's more scared than he is when he can see clearly. (Now the rain is gone)  Chuckies maunders the house and finally gets Spike to be his seeing eye dog.( I wish we could ride dogs)  He wants Spike to find Tommy for him, inspeaking of Tommy, he thinks Chuckie is in trouble.  Meanwhile, Angelica  continues her chaos reign.  He puts Chuckie's glasses on and gets dizzy then tells everyone that Chuckie is dead. (what?)  She literally says dead , that's not one of my jokes. 

          Back to her being dizzy,  Tommy says they need to keep looking, and now Tommy has the glasses. Chuckie and Spike are outside because that's where Spike too him, because he's a dog and doing dog things.  Tommy gets the idea to "wear Chuckie's eyes) and he thinks that's how Chuckie sees the world (top joke, this episode) Poor Chuckie gives up and just swings in the rain.   I like the parallel of Tommy finding a bag of vegetables and thinking they are Chuckie  and Chuckie thinking a bush is his friends. 

    

         Chuckie steps on glasses that are outside, thinks that they are his and starts to cry, thankfully Tommy hears him and finds him.  Chuckie can see again (it's  a miracle!)  Now that's fine, Angelica was feeling bad from the glasses and throws up on her dad's sweater.  Also the glasses that were broken were Grandpa Lou's. It ends with the young mocking the old.  

       

     Pretty fun episode, good jokes and humor, shows the show's strength of great visuals to make the world look distorted to Chuckie, Angelica, and Tommy's vision.   Episode is pretty fun to watch, I love its atmosphere and set up to get things going. This is a  premium Rugrats episode.  

  

  Anyway, that's it for now, tune in next time, when we take someone's eyes. (wait noooo) 

[POST SCRIPT :  If  you are reading this in May of 2021, the remake series comes out on May 27th on Paramount Plus, I'm not too sure if I'm going to like it, the animation style kind of throws me off, I may or may not write about something from it.  You can watch the original series currently on Hulu and Paramount Plus ]

   

One Shot Posts: Rugrats Chuckie and Angelica switch personalities

One Shot Posts Rugrats  Nickelodeon 

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       It was time, so we return with a One Shot Post on Joshuaonline, here to focus on episode of what happens to be my personal favorite Nickelodeon animated series, "Rugrats". Why am I doing a post ? Why not!  Anyway, I have decided to do this episode because it was one that popped into my head when I was thinking about watching Rugrats on Hulu (this may date this post alot or not).

         This episode from season 5 is episode 9b  called  "Angelica For a Day" it comes from the period of "Rugrats" where it had been on its 2nd revival season and about to have a movie in theaters. It first aired in August of 1998. 

        The episode is based off the whole concept of walking in some else's shoes. It starts with a girl yelling at her dad and it's not Angelica yelling at Drew. The episode tries to be funny when Drew says he's glad he's not in that guys shoes and the music and Stu rolling his eyes is like yes, we know Drew  lacks self awareness.(True)  Since this is Rugrats,  the concept of most episodes are that the babies, in this case, just Tommy and Chuckie hear something said by an adult and hear it wrongly then Angelica explains in the most simplified sometimes wrong or outright lying sometimes way.  This time is more her own naivety and not outright malice. 

      She explains it if you put on someone else's shoes you will start to act like them. There's also a place Angelica calls "Big Kid Mountain" and  Tommy wants to play on it like Angelica. Chuckie, being Chuckie, doesn't want to go on it. (Tommy doesn't think to go alone) Angelica says that if Chuckie was more braver (her words not mine) Tommy could have fun. Later a boy threatens Chuckie over grass. (What?) This episode really ramped up Chuckie's fear levels. Angelica takes off her shoes for the sandbox for some reason, while Chuckie has his off for a nap.  (Plot trying to plot here) 

        Tommy, when he and Chuckie wake up, decides to have Chuckie wear Angelica's shoes so he'll be brave and more like her. Also her shoes fit, so that's good. This idea works. Chuckie starts sound like Angelica. Mean Chuckie is funny.  Angelica tries to chase them, but she's wearing just socks on her feet and gets poked by a plant in the foot. She insults Chuckie and herself at the same time, then puts on Chuckie's shoes. Which apparently gives her instant Chuckie powers and she starts to calm down and then think like him.(Yes) 

      Scared Angelica is also funny. Meanwhile, Chuckie starts to become crazy with power. Tommy now has stop him but first Chuckie gets back at those boys who were saying they owned the grass. Chuckie figures out Tommy's plan and starts to chase him, with Angelica being scared still being funny.  The shoes come off and Chuckie is still angry and evil, then Tommy falls in the mud and wakes up. Yep, it was a dream. (Wasted my time)  Tommy is happy that Chuckie and Angelica and some how is able to lift Angelica to hug her.  (What?) 

       Funny episode, just because it's funny to see two characters act the opposite of how they normally act. It does pace funny at the start really trying to set up the scene the plot , but it's really alright episode.  I enjoy enjoyed this episode, it's simple, funny and effective. 

That's it for now, tune in next time when we change shoes.