Episodes for 2002
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Episodes for 2002
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(Above: Angelica gets what she wants -- all-new Rugrats "epiosdes", from Nick UK; © 2002 Viacom.)
Here are the new episodes that will be featured on Rugrats during 2002. 18 new shows have been slated for air and / or direct-to-video release during 2002 (as per press releases from Nick and Klasky-Csupo, where I have gotten this information).
Also, starting this season, the show will return to 2 11-minute episodes. This is after one season of 3 stories per show in 2001, which, apparently, didn't work too well.
(Please note that the episodes listed here will not necessarily air in this order, especially in the US on Nick.)
In the new 2002 episodes, more celebrities will be lending their voices to
minor characters. Here's just some of the stars who will be participating,
along with the characters they'll portray in quotes (unfortunately, the
episodes they'll be on were not mentioned in the article).
For a complete list of other stars that will appear on Rugrats and other Klasky Csupo Nicktoons in the future, click here.
145 (02-01) [N145] -- -- Bow Wow Wedding Vows
Video Street Date in US & Canada: 2/5/2002 on the Easter video
World TV Premiere Date: 3/25/2002 at 8PM ET on Nick
In this direct-to-video episode, Tommy notices that Spike is spending more time with Fifi and less time with him. According to Angelica, the two dogs are in love. At her insistence, the Rugrats give Spike and Fifi a wedding, as it is apparent that the dogs love each other and spending alot of time together. Later, the Rugrats celebrate Easter Nickelodeon style -- in a non-religious way; they hunt for Easter eggs. Meanwhile, Spike has a special surprise for Tommy in the shed -- puppies. Also, Chazz and Kira call on an expert to help plan their Easter brunch, while Didi is afraid that Stu is spending more time on his inventions and less time on her.
Notes:
1. Production-wise, this is the last episode to feature Christine Cavanaugh as the voice of Chuckie. See Early Retirement below (irony not intended). Prior to this, she has done her voices for Preschool Daze and Curse Of The Werewuff.
2. As I mentioned above, this is another holiday special that is treated in a non-religious manner. While Easter is about Easter eggs and bunny rabbits, what Nick won't tell you is that Easter is the day when Jesus is risen from the dead. Of course, most commercial channels, including Nick, take religion out of their Easter specials in the same manner as Christmas, where Santa, presents, Christmas trees and families take center stage, while Jesus' birth gets pushed to the wayside.
3. Also, as I mentioned above, Fifi gives birth to puppies. However, when a female dog is pregnant, she usually is fatigued and bloated during the later stages of pregnancy, though in this episode, she just acts like her usual self. And of course, Chazz and KIra were oblivious to the whole thing -- they should have noticed these and other signs of a pregnant dog.
4. Also, when the puppies are first seen, their eyes are open. However, when dogs are first born, their eyelids are usually sealed shut -- it takes several days for them to open.
5. And of course, Spike and Fifi spend alot of time with each other. But, to make puppies, it involves alot more than just spending alot of time with each other. Ask your parents.
6. The role of Ralph Klumdor, brunch expert, is voiced by Ryan Stiles, who can be seen on The Drew Carey Show and both the US and British versions of Who's Line Is It Anyway?.
World TV Premiere Date: 2/9/2002 at 9AM ET on Nick
When Chazz's library book, "The History Of Nasal Inhalers", was due, he took the Rugrats to the library to return it. While there, Chazz decided to get library cards for Chuckie and Kimi, saying that they're "the window to the world". But, will the Rugrats obey the librarian's rules to keep quiet, not eat, and to put the books back? Meanwhile, Chazz's library privileges are revoked when the strict librarian noticed a microscopic tear on a book's cover, forcing him to make a deal.
(02-02B) [N146B] -- Early Retirement
World TV Premiere Date: 2/9/2002 after "Quiet, Please!" on Nick
The gang visits Grandpa & Lulu's retirement home, where they danced and played golf. Later, at Tommy's house, Angelica "retires" the Rugrats, just so she could watch "Cynthia P.I." in peace. It's especially important, as that episode included a sweepstakes draw for a truckload of Cynthia merchandise. But she soon learns that being in a retirement home isn't strictly quiet sleeping.
Note:
Beginning in this pair of stories, Nancy Cartwright will replace Christine Cavanaugh as the voice of Chuckie. Many people know that Cartwright is also the voice of Bart Simpson on The Simpsons. Cavanaugh retired from the voice-acting business in 2001.
147 (02-03A) [N147A] -- The Doctor Is In
World TV Premiere Date: 2/9/2002 at 9:30AM ET on Nick
Didi and Betty were listening to a radio program hosted by a woman with strong attitudes on parenting. That radio show led to Didi and Betty reevaluating their parenting skills, but when they refused to see eye-to-eye on parenting, they start to reevaluate their friendship. This inspires Angelica to open her own "office" to dispense important advice to the Rugrats, in order for each other to stay friends -- she told Tommy not to be so bossy, Phil & Lil not to be gross, Chuckie to be brave, and Kimi to be like Angelica.
Note:
The title of this episode, and Angelica's makeshift office, is based on Lucy Van Pelt's psychiatrist office in the Peanuts comic strip ("Psychiatric Help -- 5 cents -- The Doctor is [in] --").
(02-03B)[N147B] -- The Big Sneeze
World TV Premiere Date: 2/9/2002 after "The Doctor Is In" on Nick
Everytime Kimi gets close to Chuckie, he sneezes. The cause of this? Dandelions that Kimi was holding. But Angelica, seeking another opportunity to fool the Rugrats, said that Chuckie is allergic to Kimi.
Note:
In this episode, it is revealed that Chazz used to own a cat named "Yowler", but gave it up when he became allergic to cats.
148 (02-04A) [N148A] -- The Fun Way Day
World TV Premiere Date: 2/23/2002 at 9AM ET on Nick
Chazz quits his job as a bureaucrat when he finds a new career that's suitable for both himself and Kira -- peddling coffee. In this episode, Chazz & Kira opens a cafe called The Java Lava, which will feature a variety of coffees and other drinks, plus a playpen for the Rugrats and the other visiting babies. However, the first day of business isn't doing well -- no customers, other than Chazz's friends, came in; there were technical difficulties with the equipment (some of it invented by Stu); and the coffee is too strong, even for Betty, who normally swears by it. Kira's solution -- hire a Feng Shui (pronounced "thing schway") expert to find the faults with the business, and to rearrange things to make things better, spiratually. This not only involves rearranging furniture and appliances, but also placing various gems and trinkets arround. That makes the Rugrats believe that the "Fun Way" guy came by to play a game with the Rugrats.
Notes:
1. Chazz and Kira started making plans for The Java Lava in Big Brother Chuckie.
2. The decision to open up a coffee house actually comes in a later
(yes, later) episode -- Sweet Dreams.
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3. Zippy alert -- when
the Feng Shui expert came into the coffehouse, Chuckie said to the Rugrats,
"Are we having fun yet?" That quote was first uttered by Bill Griffith's
pinhead character, Zippy, in 1979.
(Left: The first time the immortal phrase "Are we having fun yet?", from a 1979 Zippy comic story, "Back To Pinhead -- The Punks And The Monks", first published in Bill Griffith's underground comic book Yow #2, and reprinted in the 1981 Zippy Stories book (right); ©1979 & 1981 by Bill Griffith.) |
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(02-04B) [N148B] -- The Age Of Aquarium
World TV Premiere Date: 2/23/2002 after "The Fun Way Day" on Nick
The gang visits a marine theme park, which practically resembles Sea World on the cheap -- your run-of-the-mill stage show, an exhibit of the world's greatest maritime disasters, a souvenir stand with tired employees hawking bubble guns, and a trained shark show -- using mechanical sharks. The Rugrats, as usual, run away to the park's centerpiece -- a ship that houses the park's aquarium. This, of course, leads the Rugrats to believe that the ship is sinking, so they find ways to float the already dry-docked boat.
Notes:
1. The ship centerpiece is similar to the one that resembles the kiddie section at the real Sea World, at least in Orlando, FL.
2. The ending of this episode, which takes place in the disaster exhibit, fittingly resembles the Titanic disaster off the coast of Newfoundland in 1912. This was the same disaster made popular by a popular 1997 film by James Cameron.
149 (02-05A) [N149A] -- Daddy's Little Helpers
World TV Premiere Date: 3/9/2002 at 9AM ET on Nick
The grownup women leave the men in charge of the Rugrats while they attend a "Moon Goddess" fair, where Charlotte was invited as a guess speaker. However, the new-ageish atmosphere and attitude has gotten the best of Didi -- especially when she's told "You're not a wife; you're not a mother; you are a goddess." Before leaving for the fair, she told the Rugrats to help their dads out, so they did everything they were supposed to -- with hilarious results. Meanwhile, Chazz devises a special activity schedule, while Stu builds a dollhouse / playpen that is escape-proof -- for grownups.
(02-05B) [N149B] -- Hello Dilly
World TV Premiere Date: 3/9/2002 after "Daddy's Little Helpers" on Nick
Angelica takes her "life-like" doll, which happens to look like Dil, to pre-school. But after one of her classmates brought a similar type of doll to show-and-tell, Angelica delayed her presentation a day, so she could switch her doll with the real thing -- Dil. But with Dil at school and her doll at Tommy's house, the Rugrats were led to believe that Dil turned into a doll because he was bad.
Notes:
1. This story takes place at the local day care center, where Angelica and Susie attend. That day care center was supposed to have been introduced in Pre-School Daze, but, as of this writing, that episode has yet to air on Nick.
2. Also, bringing a real baby for show-and-tell isn't new -- Angelica did it before with Tommy in Educating Angelica.
3. For some pictures from this episode, see the Preschool
Daze page.
150 (02-06A) [N150A] -- Cynthia Comes Alive
World TV Premiere Date: 4/6/2002 at 9AM ET on Nick
At the Java Lava, Angelica brings over her new "Hip Teen Cynthia" doll, which talks. However, when Angelica wasn't looking, the Rugrats have broken the doll. Shortly after Stu took it home to fix it, Cindy, a high school intern, came over to work at the Java Lava. When they noticed that Cindy looks and talks like Cynthia, Angelica and the Rugrats thought that Cynthia came to life. Meanwhile, Cindy causes trouble for the Java Lava by not working at all -- she considers nail polish, magazines, and phone conversations to be more inportant than actually working.
Note:
Sara Gilbert, originally from ABC's sitcom Roseanne, was the voice of Cindy.
(02-06B) [N150B] -- Trading Phil
World TV Premiere Date: 4/6/2002 after "Cynthia Comes Alive" on Nick
At the park, Angelica wants to play with a couple of 4-year-old girls. However, those girls dislike anyone who's 3 years old, like Angelica. So, she convinces the girls that she's 4 years old by trading Phil in exchange for their jelly-based toy. In return, Angelica promised that she'll be nice to the Rugrats. However, Phil wants much more than that. Meanwhile, Grandpa tries to teach Spiffy, one of Spike & Fifi's new puppies, new tricks, but Dil was proven to be more obedient.
Note:
This story actually takes place after the next episode, A Tale Of Two Puppies,
as that episode introduces Spiffy.
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151 (02-07A) [N154A] -- A Tale Of Two Puppies
World TV Premiere Date: 6/1/2002 at 9:30AM ET on Nick Now that Spike and Fifi have a family of their own (in Bow Wow Wedding Vows), there's one problem -- what should the Finsters do with all those puppies? Solution -- give them away to good homes, of course. With the Finsters already having a dog of their own, they plan on giving ALL their puppies away. But one of them, Puppy, is too scared to leave, while the brave Spiffy is actually happy to have found a new home. Evidently, Puppy ended up being a permanent part of the Finster's household, while Spiffy will be living with his dad -- at Tommy & Dil's house. But watch how all this plays out, especially as Angelica wanted a dog of her own. (Left: "Puppy", from a scene in A Tale Of Two Puppies, from the Cooltoons Newsletter; © 2002 Viacom.) |
Note:
At least in the Spanish translation of this episode, Spiffy is a male, and Puppy is female.
(02-07B) [N154B] -- Okey-Dokey Jones and the Ring of the Sunbeams
World TV Premiere Date: 6/1/2002 after "A Tale Of Two Puppies" on Nick
Grandpa and the Rugrats take a trip to a store that specialises in tropical pets, as Grandpa was interested in buying a talking bird for Lulu. After Grandpa buys those little toys out of the gum machine for the Rugrats, Lil gets a toy ring, which was called "the Ring Of The Sunbeams", a ring that's so special, that Angelica wants it all for herself. When the ring landed in a monkey cage, this otherwise-simple trip becomes a Rugrats adventure, when the Rugrats, a.k.a. "The Okey-Dokey Jones Adventurers", pretend that they are battling a villianess named "Miss Angelique", played by... you know who. Miss Angelique wanted that ring, as she believed that it would grant her her wish -- to be the queen of the world.
Notes:
1. In TV listings, "Sunbeams" was misspelled "Sunbeans".
2. In this episode, Tommy reveals the fact that he's scared of lizards. However,
that didn't stop him from playing with "Reptar's baby" in Reptar
On Ice.
152 (02-08) [N144] -- Curse of the Werewuff
Video Street Date in US & Canada: 8/27/2002 on the Halloween video
World TV Premiere Date: 10/28/2002 at 6:30PM ET on YTV (Canada)
US TV Premiere Date: 10/28/2002 at 8PM ET on Nick (US)
In this episode, the Rugrats' parents take them trick-or-treating for the first time, at an amusement park. But of course, there has to be the hard way -- Angelica explains to the Rugrats what Halloween is, but, as usual, she always does it in a way to scare them even more. She tells them that if they dress up as a certain character, they actually become that character, and remain so for the rest of their life. Chuckie, who planned on being a werewolf, especially becomes traumatised by her story, to a point where he starts having nightmares about what Angelica said. However, Angelica is willing to turn the little "monsters" back into Rugrats, but only if they give all their candy to Angelica. This is especially important to her, as her parents banned her from trick-or-treating after she ate Halloween candy before Halloween. Will Chuckie and the Rugrats know the real truth about Halloween? Will Angelica get her just desserts? Of course, on both counts; but, as they say, getting there is half the fun.
Note:
While the Rugrats experienced the circumstances that occured in Candy
Bar Creep Show, they weren't allowed to trick-or-treat just yet; only
Angelica was.
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153 (02-09A) [N152A] -- Back To School World TV Premiere Date: 8/27/2002 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia French TV Premiere Date: 11/6/2002 at 7:50AM CET on France 3 (in French: "Lucy Retourne à l'École") British TV Premiere Date: 11/8/2002 at 5PM GMT on Nicktoons TV (UK) North American TV Premiere Date: 11/10/2002 at 8AM ET on YTV in Canada Latin American TV Premiere Date: 11/15/2002 at 8PM Buenos Aires Time on Nick Latino (may have also been seen throughout all of Latin America) US TV Premiere Date: 1/3/2003 at 6PM ET / 11PM GMT on AFN (US Forces television, Pacific & Korean feeds -- seen 8 hours later on the Atlantic feed) Nick US TV Premiere Date: 9/13/2003 at 8:30AM ET on Nick (US) (Left: Tommy as a 6-year old, from the France 3 telecast of Back To School, from Super Yo; © 2002 Viacom.) |
Didi watches a Dr. Lipschitz video, which basically includes a few pointers on childcare, plus an obligatory plug for more videos. Afterward, she looks at her trusty Lipschitz book, but, when she notices the book's title, "Dr. Lipschitz A to Z, Birth to 5", she worries about what will happen when Tommy turns 6, as, of course, that book only covers children up to 5 years of age. Thinking that using Lipschitz as a crutch would turn dangerous in the years ahead, Didi decides to enroll at a community college for classes in childhood development, with plans on eventually getting a masters degree in that field. However, when the Rugrats hears that Didi is going "back to school", they think that everything is going backwards, and they become more fearful of that fact when they observe Spike walking with a baby bottle in his mouth, and Stu taking Dil back to the hospital (in reality, for a checkup).
Notes:
1. In a flash-forward sequence, Didi imagines what Tommy's sixth birthday would be like, especially since at that time, he would confess his hatred for the Dummi Bears. Consider it, kind of, a "Not Quite All Growed Up".
2. Also in this episode, Didi mentions that with her going back to school, she'll need to find a babysitter. This is a sign of foreshadowing ("Your clue to quality literature", according to the "Bloom County" comic strip), with the event to be resolved in Happy Taffy.
(02-09B) [N152B] -- Sweet Dreams
World TV Premiere Date: 8/29/2002 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia
French TV Premiere Date: 11/6/2002 after "Back To School" on France 3 (in French: "Faites De Beaux Rêves")
British TV Premiere Date: 11/8/2002 after "Back To School" on Nicktoons TV (UK)
North American TV Premiere Date: 11/10/2002 after "Back To School" on YTV in Canada
Latin American TV Premiere Date: 11/15/2002 after "Back To School" on Nick Latino
US TV Premiere Date: 1/3/2003 after "Back To School" on AFN (US Forces television)
Nick US TV Premiere Date: 9/13/2003 after "Back To School" on Nick (US)
At a sleep-over at Tommy's house, the Rugrats have vivid dreams, except for Chuckie, whose dream was virtually blank. Later, when the Rugrats decided to play-act what they dreamed about, Chuckie said that they lost his dream, so he has the other Rugrats go looking for it.
Meanwhile, Chazz has a mid-life crisis, as his life is now perfect -- except for his long-time job as a bureaucrat. At Kira's recommendation, they decide to go into a business of their own, eventually deciding on buying a coffee shop and running it themselves.
Also, Stu wins a radio station trivia contest, in which he was rewarded with tickets for two to a Dreamboaters reunion concert. But, the excitement turns to panic when he misplaces the tickets.
Notes:
1. This episode features Chazz & Kira announcing that they'll be going into the coffee-shop business, complete with a look at the shop before remodelling. However, in both production order and presentation order (in all countries that has shown these episodes), this episode was produced and seen after The Fun Way Day, which features the opening of the coffee shop. Where continuity is concerned, this story was supposed to be seen before The Fun Way Day. As for why the order got mixed up behind-the scenes -- nobody knows.
2. When Stu won those concert tickets, he shouts out a Homer Simpson-like "Woo
hoo!".
A new "Follow Me Reptar" toy, one of Active Child Magazine's 10 best toys, inspires the Rugrats to get Dil to walk. As they try to do so, Stu thinks he sees Dil walking on his own. Because of that, Stu rigs up extensive video equipment to capture Dil's every move, so he wouldn't miss it again. Also, The Rugrats and their parents remember when the kids first started walking.
Note:
In this episode, we see the first walks for Angelica, Phil & Lil, Chuckie
and Tommy. At the time they started walking, Phil & Lil were grabbing at
each other's noses, Chuckie was trying to get away from a giant clown (in
actuality, an ice cream man's truck with a clown on top), and Tommy was
encouraged by Chuckie to start walking. As for Angelica, she started walking
while trying to grab another kid's cookie at a department store, while her mother
wasn't looking. This, of course, isn't the first time cookies motivated Angelica
to walk -- a similar scene happened in No More
Cookies, except that Angelica was at home with her parents, who offered
her a cookie as an incentive to walk.
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(02-10B) [N153B] -- Angelica's Assistant World TV Premiere Date: 9/5/2002 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia Latin American TV Premiere Date: 11/5/2002 after "A Step At A Time" on Nick Latino British TV Premiere Date: 11/11/2002 after "A Step At A Time" on Nicktoons TV (UK) French TV Premiere Date: 11/13/2002 after "A Step At A Time" on France 3 (in French: "L'Assistant De Couette-Couette") North American TV Premiere Date: 11/17/2002 after "A Step At A Time" on YTV in Canada US TV Premiere Date: 1/10/2003 after "A Step At A Time" on AFN (US Forces television) (Left: Harold holds a picture of Angelica's "girlfriend", Clark, from a Nick Latino telecast of Angelica's Assistant, courtesy of Javier Vicuña; © 2002 Viacom.) |
With Charlotte busy taking care of business with Jonathan, she puts Angelica in charge of the Rugrats, with one catch -- if she is caught being mean to the Rugrats, then her new Cynthia Dream Yacht sets sail back to the store. But that's not all -- Harold from pre-school is coming over, too. With that in mind, Angelica hires him as her assistant. But while Angelica ordered Harold to boss around the Rugrats, he ended up being a hit with them, to the ire of Angelica.
Notes:
1. In this episode, Harold snoops around in Angelica's room, where he discover's her photo of Clark (one of her classmates at pre-school), complete with pink hearts drawn on it. Is she in love, or isn't she? We don't know for sure.
2. Also, Charlotte orders Jonathan to fire her unseen grandmother, who was working with her in an unknown position. How callous can you get?
3. A sign that Susie is getting smarter -- one of her favorite things is the Dewey Decimal System (a system used to organise books at libraries in the US & Canada). And she is only 3.
4. The closing credits had a spelling error -- Harold was spelled "Harlod", at least in the Latin American broadcast.
(Special thanks to Javier Vicuña)
155 (02-11) [N143] -- Pre-School Daze
World TV Premiere Date: 9/4/2002 at 7:25AM CET on France 3 (in French: "Chouette, La Maternelle")
North American TV Premiere Date: 9/8/2002 at 8AM ET on YTV in Canada
Australian TV Premiere Date: 10/15/2002 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia
British TV Premiere Date: 10/28/2002 at 5PM GMT on Nicktoons TV (UK)
US TV Premiere Date: 11/2/2002 at 6PM ET / 11PM GMT on AFN (US Forces television, Pacific & Korean feeds -- seen 8 hours later on the Atlantic feed)
Latin American TV Premiere Date: 11/20/2002 at 8PM Buenos Aires Time on Nick Latino (may have also been seen throughout all of Latin America)
For details on this episode, and the impending spinoff, click
here.
As Stu & Didi are trying to find a new babysitter for the Rugrats, Grandpa & Lulu recommends Lulu's grand-niece, Taffy (Amanda Bynes). After they see Taffy perform with her band, "The Saltwaters", at a bowling alley, they hire her on a trial basis. As she babysits, Taffy teaches the Rugrats a thing or two about music, while trying to come up with a song for her band to play at their next gig -- a grand opening of a gas station. The trouble is, Taffy isn't that great of a songwriter, while Angelica, as always, is tone deaf. As Taffy does her thing with the "minis", the Rugrats' parents, at Betty's insistance, spy to make sure Taffy does a good job. They later find out that Taffy was a good choice as babysitter.
Note:
Taffy will become a regular fixture in the series, starting with the show's 12th season in 2003, where she'll be appearing in about 6 or 7 episodes. Or, the way Nick has exploited Taffy in September or October 2002, she may be barely seen at all next year in the US.
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World TV Premiere Date: 9/19/2002 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia British TV Premiere Date: 11/13/2002 after "Happy Taffy" on Nicktoons TV (UK) North American TV Premiere Date: 11/16/2002 after "Bestest Of Show" on Nick US (Left: Angelica and the Cynthia Team, from Imagine That, from the Cooltoons Newsletter; © 2002 Viacom.) |
After watching "The Cynthia Team", an action series where Cynthia and her friends are secret agents, Angelica gets the Rugrats to play-act the show with her. In the Rugrats version, Angelica is secret agent Cynthia, whose mission is to stop Dr. Doomsbake (played by Tommy) from destroying the world's supply of cookies. The reason she likes to play this game is because she likes how the episode ended -- Cynthia gets a parade in her honor. However, the rest of the Rugrats, who were supposed to play Cynthia's assistants, didn't like the idea, so they decided to break tradition and, as they say, fraternise with the enemy.
Meanwhile, speaking of cookies, Betty gives Didi her family recipes for healthy cookies, to be used as Didi's entry for a baking contest; but, it turns out those cookies aren't fit for man or beast... or even Angelica.
Note:
"The Cynthia Team" series was practically patterned after the 1970s TV series and 2000 feature film Charlie's Angels -- both have 3 women star as crime fighters, hired by a rich man who is never seen on camera -- they communicate by intercom or radio. Ironically, the late David Doyle, the original voice of Grandpa, played John Bosley on the Charlie's Angels series.
World TV Premiere Date: 9/21/2002 after "Happy Taffy" on Nick US
Taffy takes the Rugrats to a high school basketball game, where the Hornets are playing the visiting Poodles. However, Taffy "volunteers" herself to replace one of the cheerleaders, after one of them, her best friend Britannica, sprained their ankle, after Taffy caused their pyramid to collapse. As she does so, she leaves the Rugrats alone in the bleachers while she fills in for Britannica, and eventually, everyone else on the cheerleading squad. Because of this, the Rugrats imagine that the Hornets' mascot was actually a real, giant hornet, trying to "sting" the Rugrats.
Notes:
1. When this episode debuted in the US on 9/21/2002, it was seen after Happy Taffy, replacing Imagine That. Presumably, Nick US has done this to devote a solid half-hour to Taffy and her voice, Amanda Bynes. I don't know if this arrangement's a one-time thing, or if it's going to be permanent on Nick US.
2. The game takes place at the Hornets' home gym, while Taffy and the Rugrats, fans of the Poodles, are visiting. The reason being is that near the end of this episode, Taffy was cheering the Poodles on.
3. The Hornets' logo and mascot actually looks more like a bee than a hornet.
4. Basketball is normally a game notorious for their high scores, often exceeding 100 for each team (if playing by NBA rules), but at the end of the game in this episode, the final score was a mere 7 to 6, in the Poodles' favor.
And Don Del Grande has a few more comments about this episode, regarding the rules of basketball and cheerleading:
5. I can see the lawsuits now: the cheerleaders were doing a 3-high pyramid. This is considered a dangerous stunt at high school level; in fact, the nationally recognized "spirit rule book", used by pretty much every competition organization, outlaws them. (No person is allowed to be supported by someone who is not themselves on the ground.)
6. Maybe Rugrats isn't in California after all? The gym had "State Champions" banners going back to the 1950s, but California didn't have state champions in any sports between since sometime before World War II and the early 1980s.
7. If there really was no time left on the clock at the end, only the free throw shooter would have been on the court, not the other players.
8. While it's true that most of the uniforms had, in fact, illegal numbers (the digits 6-9 are not allowed in high school, so the officials don't have to use both hands to signal fouls to the scorer), there might be an explanation: they never did say that it was a varsity game (which might also explain the 7-6 final score), and at JV and lower levels, the uniform rules usually don't apply.
(02-13B) [N162B] The Crawl Space
World TV Premiere Date: 2/11/2003 after "Bug Off" on Nick Australia
North American TV Premiere Date: 2/16/2003 after "Bug Off" on YTV in Canada
US TV Premiere Date: 3/8/2003 after "Starstruck" on Nick US
Didi wanted Stu to clean up the living room for Boris & Minka's visit, which includes putting the toys away. Sarcastically, Stu says that he would put the toys, and the babies, into the crawlspace. Angelica interprets this by banishing the Rugrats to the crawl space, where they could play there, while Angelica has the living room all to herself, to the displeasure of Susie. Meanwhile, Stu invents an automatic plant waterer, but while he accidentally bumps his head, the Rugrats took them into the crawl space. When Stu returned, he thought he was losing his memory.
Note:
This episode also reveals the reason why Chuckie is afraid of the Jack-In-The-Box -- there's a clown inside.
60 minutes long (or 2 30-minute parts, depending on where you watch it), this will be the Rugrats' second Christmas special, and the fourth special for the holiday season. In this special, the Rugrats visit MergeCorp headquarters (where Charlotte is CEO) to see "Christmasland", Santa's winter wonderland, designed by, of course, Stu. The visit is extra special, as it is Dil's first Christmas. However, when Angelica behaved like such a brat she is (definitely not a good thing during the Holidays), "Santa" (Jim Belushi) got fed up with the whole business, and decides to quit. Because of this, Tommy finds a way to bring "Santa" back, and to make this Christmas a joyous one for Dil. It is especially important to Dil, as Angelica tells the Rugrats that if they don't get a present, they don't get to celebrate Christmas ever again. Meanwhile, the grown-ups have a simulated Christmas in the prairies, complete with the experience of being snowbound, thanks to a malfunction in Stu's otherwise-state-of-the-art snowblowing equipment.
Notes:
1. This is the first direct-to-video episode that is also available on DVD. While this episode is the main feature on the VHS video, it doesn't even get top billing on DVD -- it's a "bonus" on a DVD containing holiday Nick Jr. favorites -- Dora, Little Bill & Blue's Clues.
2. This special will also feature Paul Reubens, the former Pee Wee Herman, as the voice of Hermie The Elf.
3. Jim Belushi is the brother of the late John Belushi, who was a former cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live (1975-1980), and one of the Blues Brothers.
4. This episode has 3 official episode numbers -- "158" is for part 1, "159" is for part 2, and "991" is for the special as a whole.
5. What does Stu's snowblowing equipment and Robo-Reptar (in Rugrats In Paris) have in common? They both use rubber bands and paperclips to run the machinery. And they both fail, because of their use.
6. On the box of the Christmas video, it mentions that Christmasland "could
finally put Pickles Industries.com on the map". Since when did Stu's business
become a dot-com?
159 (02-15A) [N163A] Starstruck
World TV Premiere Date: 2/18/2003 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia
North American TV Premiere Date: 3/8/2003 at 8:30AM ET on Nick US
When Hollywood celebrity Mack Granite visits Java Lava, he got more than a decent cup of coffee -- he also finds the perfect person to play the role of a little girl in his next film. And Kimi is -- that girl. But, when Mack says that Kimi is going to be a star, the Rugrats though that she'll be up in the sky, twinkling.
Note:
Real stars giving their voices in this episode include Jon Favreau (of Swingers and Daredevil fame), in the role of Mack Granite, while the movie director is voiced by rotund veteran comedian Dom DeLouise.
(02-15B) [N163B] Who's Taffy?
World TV Premiere Date: 9/28/2002 at 8:30AM ET on Nick US
When Taffy comes over to babysit the Rugrats, she is upset that the band will
break up, all because they feel that she is affecting her performance in the
band. When Taffy says, "I'm not myself", Angelica tries to cheer her
up by dressing like Taffy. However, this created a new problem -- the Rugrats
think that Angelica, wearing one of taffy's hair clips, has become Taffy; while
Taffy, calling the bandmembers "dumb babies" over the phone, has become
Angelica.
160 (02-16A) [N166A] Bestest Of Show
World TV Premiere Date: 11/16/2002 at 8:30AM ET on Nick US
The local park is having a special "Pet Day", where the people vie for the "Best Pet" award by showing off their pets, and their abilities. Participating in the contest are Spike & Fifi's puppies, Spiffy and Sparky / Pepper; plus Angelica's cat, Susie; and Susie's new pet gerbil, Herbie. However, tensions are mounted when the participants' owners feud over how their pets would look, and what tricks they will be doing.
Note:
This episode was produced after Mutts In The Name, where the Finsters' new puppy gets a name. However, in this episode, the puppy's original name, "Puppy", is still used.
(02-16B) [N166B] Hold The Pickles
World TV Premiere Date: 9/28/2002 after "Who's Taffy?" on Nick US
At a fast food joint called "Boingo Burger", Taffy tells her friend Britannica (working the cash register as an employee) to hold the pickles on her burger, as, as she told Britannica, "I don't like dill pickles". The Rugrats, however, has taken this to mean "I don't like Dil Pickles", because he was the youngest of the Rugrats. As a result, they try to make Dil bigger by putting him in a booster seat and stuffing his pyjamas with napkins. Then, after Taffy calls the Rugrats "sweet" for their effort to make Dil cute, they raid the sundae bar and turn Dil into a sundae. When one thing leads to another in the minds of Rugrats, where will they go from here? The kitchen, of course; then the playground's ball pit.
Note:
This isn't the first time the Rugrats has confused "Dil" with "dill"
-- it happened before in Planting Dil.
161 (02-17A) [N161A] Diapies And Dragons
World TV Premiere Date: 10/5/2002 at 8:30AM ET on Nick US
Taffy takes the Rugrats to a video arcade; the Rugrats imagine themselves trying to save "Princess" Taffy from the dragons in a video game.
Note:
Making her first appearance is Taffy's best friend, Britannica. However, for those of you in the US, this is actually her third appearance, having first appeared in Bug Off.
(02-17B) [N161B] Baby Power
World TV Premiere Date: 10/5/2002 after "Kimi Takes The Cake" on Nick US
The Rugrats coat Dil with "Baby Power" (baby powder), so he could be strong enough to beat Spiffy in a game of Tug-Of-War. Shortly afterward, though, an earthquake strikes the city, leading the Rugrats to believe that Dil has too much "Baby Power", so they try to find a way to make him normal again.
The earthquake has given Stu an opportunity to try special earthquake safety helmets on the Rugrats, the newest product from Pickles Industries, "the first name in disaster".
Note:
In this episode, Stu has drafted Spike & Spiffy for duty as his "Earthquake
Detection System". It has been known that the abnormal behavior in animals
-- dogs, in particular -- is often a signal of an impending earthquake, as they
feel tremors that humans may otherwise not feel until it's too late.
162 (02-18A) [N164A] They Came From The Backyard
World TV Premiere Date: 2/21/2003 at 8:15AM on France 3 ("Le Débarquement des Martiens")
Australian TV Premiere Date: 2/25/2003 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia
North American TV Premiere Date: 3/2/2003 at 8AM ET on YTV in Canada
British TV Premiere Date: 5/28/2003 at 3PM on Nicktoons TV
So that he can watch his sci-fi movie marathon in peace, and keep an eye on the Rugrats at the same time, Stu installs surveillance cameras all through the house. Then, Stu falls asleep. As he sleeps, Dil plays with the remote, changing the channels back and forth between the home's surveillance system and a movie about an alien invasion. This, of course, leads the Rugrats to believe that they are targeted for an "alien inflation". Meanwhile, Didi studies for an important exam for her college course.
Note:
According to a Club Cooltoons Newsletter, this episode was to have debuted on 11/23/2002 on Nick US, but, instead, they shown an older episode instead. To date, this episode is yet to be seen in the US.
(02-18B) [N164B] Lil's Phil of Trash
World TV Premiere Date: 10/5/2002 after "Diapies and Dragons" on Nick US
Taffy takes the Rugrats to the local park. While there, Dusty, a boy that Taffy meets at a park, shows Phil how to pick up trash. Afterwards, it becomes so serious to Phil, that practically anything can be trash, much to the ire of Lil. Meanwhile, Taffy starts to fall in love with Dusty, due to his environmential consciousness -- that is, until she learns the real reason why Dusty is picking up the litter.
Note:
This will be the 167th half-hour episode of Rugrats produced, which would put it ahead of The Flintstones' 166 shows. But hold your applause -- at this point, Nick US has only shown what's equal to 153 episodes, by the time this story was seen on 10/5/2002.
163 (02-19A) [N169A] Fountain Of Youth
World TV Premiere Date: 2/28/2003 at 8:15AM on France 3 ("La Fontaine")
Australian TV Premiere Date: 4/1/2003 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia
British TV Premiere Date: 5/30/2003 at 3:30PM on Nicktoons TV
North American TV Premiere Date: 6/8/2003 at 9AM ET on YTV in Canada
The Rugrats and their families go to Stu & Drew's old cabin on Lake Crackanee, where, as kids, Stu & Drew first met Chazz. After seeing some old movies of themselves as kids, Stu wishes that they were young again. The wish, of course, became a mission for the Rugrats, who started searching for "The Fountain Of Youth", which, they claim, can turn their parents into little kids. It's all fun, until Angelica told the Rugrats that, once their parents become babies, she'll be the one in charge.
(02-19B) [N169B] Kimi Takes The Cake
World TV Premiere Date: 10/5/2002 at 5:30PM ET on Nick US
On Kimi's birthday (she's 2 now, isn't she?), Stu plans to take the kids to a family-friendly place called "The Happy Castle", where Kimi will have her party. But, for some reason, they arrived instead at a gothic / punk nightclub, where Taffy is playing with her band. Thinking that the party is here, they try to find the birthday cake, which, by the time everyone gotten to it, was already melted.
Note:
In this episode, in the nightclub, Stu contacts Didi using his new satellite
phone. And it's not any satellite phone -- it's the "Pickles Ultimate Satellite
System", or "PUSS". Unlike traditional cellular phones (where
you must be within a certain distance from a cellular antenna), satellite
phones can be used almost anywhere on earth, as long as the phone "sees"
the satellite. However, satellite phones, and their calling plans, can be quite
expensive. And of course, you often have to buy your own equipment from the
provider, not jerry-rig one up yourself (like Stu's). Just as well, though
-- Stu's satellite phone doesn't work well.
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164 (02-20) [N151] Murmur On The Ornery Express (Left: Angelica and a friend, Brent, from Murmer On The Ornery Express, from the Cooltoons Newsletter; © 2002 Viacom.) |
World TV Premiere Date: 10/22/2002 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia
French TV Premiere Date: 10/23/2002 at 7:55AM CET on France 3 (in French: "Le Grand Voyage")
North American TV Premiere Date: 11/3/2002 at 8AM ET on YTV in Canada
British TV Premiere Date: 11/7/2002 at 5PM GMT on Nicktoons TV (UK)
Latin American TV Premiere Date: 11/13/2002 at 5PM Buenos Aires Time on Nick Latino (may have also been seen throughout all of Latin America)
US TV Premiere Date: 12/27/2002 at 6PM ET / 11PM GMT on AFN (US Forces television, Pacific & Korean feeds -- seen 8 hours later on the Atlantic feed)
Video Street Date in US & Canada: 1/28/2003 on the Rugrats Mysteries video (direct-to-video in the civilian US only)
Earliest Nick US Air Date: June 2003
A popular Agatha Christie mystery, "Murder On The Orient Express", gets the Rugrats treatment. For their second honeymoon, Boris & Minka are going on an 18-hour scenic train ride to the small town of Little Biendeltown -- a town that replicates the charm of the Old Country. But, of course, they invite the entire gang along for the ride. However, along the way, Minka's necklace, Chuckie's teddy bear, Wawa, and of course, Angelica's Cynthia, had disappeared -- they may have been stolen by a train robber, which Chazz informs the other adults about after reading it in the paper. As a result, the Rugrats try to find who has stolen these items.
Meanwhile, Drew forces Charlotte to leave her work at home while they go on their trip, but Charlotte, of course, remains defiant. Also, Didi tries to find various landmarks that the train passes by, but it became more of a challenge. Plus, on the train, Lulu meets her old flame, Dwayne Tickerbacker (Tom Bosley of Happy Days fame), but Grandpa is very suspicious about him. And finally, Angelica falls in love with Brent, a young, rich socialite.
Notes:
1. Even though this episode was already televised worldwide (even on AFN) when the video first came on the market, contractual considerations will keep this episode off of Nick US until June 2003.
2. Tom Bosley appeared before in an earlier Rugrats episode -- last time, he was "Strike" Maxwell in King Ten Pin.
3. This episode also features a pair of geysers that, when they erupt simultaneously (every 96 days), forms a heart formation with their blasts of hot water. However, in my opinion, I don't think it's scientifically possible for geysers (or any airbourne streams of water) to do that.
4. The locomotive on the train has a logo that says "TT", though nothing is mentioned about what it stands for.
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World TV Premiere Date: 11/5/2002 at 5PM Sydney time on Nick Australia Latin American TV Premiere Date: 11/8/2002 at 5PM Buenos Aires Time on Nick Latino (may have also been seen throughout all of Latin America) British TV Premiere Date: 11/14/2002 at 5PM GMT on Nicktoons TV (UK) French TV Premiere Date: 12/4/2002 at 7:50AM CET on France 3 (in French: "Vive Les Vacances") North American TV Premiere Date: 3/30/2003 at 8AM ET on YTV in Canada US TV Premiere Date: 9/6/2003 at 8:30AM ET on Nick (US) (Left: Angelica on vacation at Club Fred, from the Cooltoons Newsletter; Center Left & Bottom Left: Another picture of the vacationing Angelica, plus Tommy, where he definitely shouldn't be, from the France 3 telecast of Club Fred, from Super Yo; all © 2002 Viacom.) One weekend day, Stu decided to have a family barbecue. However, it was actually on a windy day in the fall. At the suggestion of Aunt Miriam, everyone decided to spend some time at Club Fred, a pirate-themed family resort in the Caribbean. And with a two-for-one coupon, they save some money. But, when Grandpa realised that he made an error with the reservations (which he accidentally made only for the elders and the Rugrats; the form for the other grownups was used as a wrapper for his sandwich), everybody ended up staying in a single small hut -- with the entire extended family on the trip, it ended up being very cramped. Their only hope was to win Pirate Fred's treasure hunt, where the person that finds the treasure wins an upgrade to a "5 Room Deluxe Vacation Package". Of course, this leads to another pirate adventure with the Rugrats, where they look everywhere, including a place where no Rugrat should ever go -- a nude beach. Finding the treasure was sure to be an impossible task -- a frequent Club Fred patron visited the resort for the last 5 years, but never found the treasure. But first, they have to break out of "Kid Fred", the resort's day care center. Meanwhile, Angelica also breaks out of Kid Fred for a different reason -- to live the same pampered life as Charlotte, but at Charlotte's unwitting expense. (Special thanks to Javier Vicuña) |
Betty's relatives from England come to America to pay a visit. Coming along are their kids -- Smedley & Hedley -- who are also fraternal twins like Phil & Lil. Unlike Phil & Lil, Smedley & Hedley dress differently, behave properly, keep clean, and finish each other's sentences without delay or incorrectness; therefore, they consider such "twinny" behavior a sign that they are "perfect twins". This eventually led to Lil wanting to be as prim and proper as Smedley & Hedley, while Phil decides to remain as messy and disorderly as usual.
Meanwhile, Winnifred, the British twins' mother, tries to sell Betty on her method of raising twins -- a method that Betty steadfastly refuses to subscribe to.
Also, Betty gets the neighbors to pose as her relatives, as her real relatives didn't come, due to Howard's cheap invitation software that he bought at a dollar store.
And, Angelica, dressed as a princess for a dance recital, tricks Smedley &
Hedley into believing that she's queen of America. And as a result, they do
everything she says, even bad things that they feel aren't proper.
167 (02-23) [N165A] Mutts In A Name
World TV Premiere Date (as "Pepper"): 11/22/2002 between 6PM ET & 6:30PM ET on Nick US
World TV Premiere Date (as "Sparky"): 3/4/2003 at 5PM Sydney Time on Nick Australia
Say goodbye "Puppy", and hello "Sparky" (in the US, "Pepper") -- The Finster's puppy, "Puppy", gets renamed in this episode.
When Chazz finds out that Puppy is sad all the time, he decides to give her a name. But later, Puppy ended up getting sick, which Chazz though was due to an identity crisis (she actually ate part of Kira's jigsaw puzzle). Noting that, the Rugrats started looking (litterly, around the house) for Puppy's new name. When it came to a point when Chazz started banging his head on the wall, he calls veterinarian Dr. Mutterly to see what the problem was. When the vet came over, the Rugrats thought that he would give the puppy a new name. But of course, his unorthodox methods leave something to be desired.
Notes:
1. This episode debuted in the US as part of U-Pick Live. But, while Klasky-Csupo announced that "Sparky" would be the new name for the dog, Nick US felt that viewers should have a hand at naming the dog. Viewers were given three choices -- in addition to "Sparky", the others were "Chippy" and "Pepper". The winning name was "Pepper", but, since "Sparky" was already used in the final product, the name "Pepper" was overdubbed, along with the reason why Chazz named the dog "Pepper" -- the puppy was playing in a pepper patch, and the dog has full of pep. But, whether or not "Pepper" would be used in repeats remains to be seen. However, things get even more complicated -- international versions of this episode use the original name, "Sparky", with the reason being is that the dog has full of Spark, and Chazz was looking for a name that would spark an idea. It still remains to be seen whether or not one name will be used, or the other, or if the dog's name will still be geographically divided.
Until this impasse is resolved, I will refer to the dog on my site as "Sparky / Pepper".
2. It should be known that "Puppy" was a name given by the Rugrats, and known only by them; the grown-ups never knew that that dog had a name.
3. The naming situation is even more unusual in the French version of the show ("Le Docteur Cabotin", debuted on France 3 on 2/24/2003) -- the puppy's new name was "Toufou", derived from "Tout Fou", meaning "all mad".
(Special thanks to Super Yo)
[N165B] Hurricane Alice
World TV Premiere Date: 2/24/2003 after "Mutts In A Name" on France 3 ("L'Ouragan Alice")
Australian TV Premiere Date: 3/4/2003 after "Mutts In A Name" on Nick Australia
North American TV Premiere Date: 3/9/2003 after "Mutts In A Name" on YTV in Canada
British TV Premiere Date: To Be Announced
(Nicktoons TV was to have a British debut of Mutts In A Name / Hurricane
Alice on 5/28/2003, but, due to a mixup, shown Bestest Of Show / Hold
The Pickles instead, the same episode that had its British "debut"
the next day (5/29/2003).)
Howard prepares for a storm called Hurricane Alice, who says that it would turn their house "upside down". While he does that, Betty's old classmate, Sheila (who's also as brute as Betty) pays a visit, along with her daughter -- named Alice. When Alice makes a mess of things looking for toys (or anything that can be one), the Rugrats thought that she was "Hurricane Alice". Meanwhile, Betty and Sheila challenge each other in coffee-drinking, bench-pressing and arm wrestling. And I hope Sheila likes cheese sticks -- Betty isn't a great cook.
Note:
In reality, there were four Atlantic hurricanes named Alice -- 1953, 1954, 1955 (an off-season storm that was named in January 1955) and 1973. Alice was also the first named storm, when the US Weather Bureau began using names for storms in 1953. After 1973, the name was retired from the list. To be honest, I don't think Alice was used for a named storm in the Pacific (where hurricanes are rare north of Baja).
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