Worked on writing after I ate. To Brett's shock...and Richard's de ja vu...they hear an explosion across the street. This time, it's coming from the jail. Gene and Gary run over to investigate, but that leaves Richard with the nervous Bill Daily and an angry (and drunk) Brett Somers...
Quickly had lunch, then rushed off to work. This time, I started off doing carts while the head bagger did the register. This only lasted until about 3 PM. After that, they pulled the head bagger to take over self-checkout, and another bagger came in to take over those duties. We're still really busy. Not only is it the beginning of the month, but the Kentucky Derby is this weekend, and today was Cinco De Mayo, too. At least it slowed down enough by 5:30 for me to shut down with no relief and no need for one.
Got my schedule when I came in. In good news, more hours. In bad news, long hours, including a 7 hour day on Tuesday. At least, I hope I can come in that day. Because...I did end up with Jury Duty. I have video orientation Monday morning.
Did a little grocery shopping after work. Had a dollar off online coupon for the Kind breakfast bars. (I meant to buy honey oat and peanut butter, but I didn't realize until I got home that I grabbed two honey oat. Oh well.) Found cinnamon scones on the clearance rack for lunch this week. Decided I'd try a small individual banana cream tart for dessert. They finally had those yummy black "jam" grapes back, too, and for $1.99. Picked up more bags for my spring and summer decorations, this one in a pretty pink and white floral print, and another free bag, too. Also grabbed more of the Acme's generic coconut milk.
Went straight home and into Match Game '73 when I got in. Saw the tail end of the wild week with Mama "Cass" Elliot and Jack Klugman as I came upstairs. That lead into the even weirder week with Nancy Dussault, Robert Vaughn, and an extremely strange McLean Stevenson. (At least he wore a shirt in this episode.)
Finished the night online with more Muppet Babies. Picked up with another story of Gonzo losing Camilla, "The Case of the Missing Chicken." After he creates a circus for the others, Gonzo realizes Camilla's missing. His attempt to play detective only leads him to accuse the others of committing the crime, which somehow turns into a James Bond spoof with Gonzo looking for Camilla and the president's missing socks.
"Out of This World History" was the first history spoof on the show. It starts out with the kids playing pirates and Skeeter wishing she could be heroic and brave just like them. Nanny points out that most pirates were less heroic and more sea crooks, and not very nice people. She gives the kids a book about real history to find out more. Gonzo isn't interested in real history. His fondness for science fiction ends with them almost getting thrown in the dungeon by Queen Tika in footage from the 1935 Gene Autry sci-fi western serial The Phantom Empire.
That wasn't the last time the kids played pirates. When they hear Nanny say she lost a valuable treasure, they venture into the "Treasure Attic" to find it. That leads to them pretending to the crew of Striped-Socks Nanny, who have to get their chest away from the female "Pirattes" who want to shanghai them for their ship! (This is also the only episode where someone besides the Babies sing. They only provide back-up to the Pirattes' number "Pirates are All We Ever Wanted to Be.")
Kermit handles another part of history in "The Green Ranger." He's disappointed when the re-runs of his favorite show, "The Range Rider," ends. After a mysterious old man insists he could be the new Ranger Rider, he tries to learn everything he can about western hero tropes. Scooter tries to sell him on books. Skeeter tries to teach him the ways of the Old West, while Piggy's more interested in flashier modern west-set soap operas like Dynasty. In the end, Kermit learns that being a real hero has nothing to do with rope tricks or fancy suits, but doing what you think is right and watching out for others.
Kermit's not the only one taking part in genre spoofs. Gonzo finds an old typewriter, and after Nanny hears some of his wilder ideas, she thinks he has the makings of a real writer. Gonzo tries his hand at "Romancing the Weirdo" and writing his own novel. No South American romances for him, though. His novel is a satire of detective fiction, inspired by some of the crazier things his friends say and do as he tries to come up with ideas.
While there are some movie references in "At the Movies," this is more a take on the movie-going experience. Statler and Waldorf say they're going to open their own movie theater and bring along posters, movies, and concession stand snacks. Skeeter learns that old-time westerns aren't all they're cracked up to be, while Piggy's not at all happy when she ends up as more of a clown than she wanted. All poor Bean Bunny wants is to find Bambi, but he keeps ending up in the wrong theater.
"Goosetown Babies" is the second of two episodes that revolve around Mother Goose rhymes. Gonzo insists Mother Goose is real after he finds an old pop-up book of nursery rhymes, but the other kids don't believe him. He imagines himself and Animal walking through the book and repairing all the dilapidated, falling-down pop-up buildings as they search for Mother Goose herself and helping the familiar characters they meet on the way.
"The Air Conditioner at the End of the Galaxy" is another old favorite of mine. After the air conditioner breaks down, the kids wander all around the house, looking for a way to keep cool. This turns into spoofs of old-time jungle and desert stories, with Skeeter playing Tarzana, Scooter and Piggy going down the hall in The African Queen, and all of them meeting for lemonade at Casablanca.
"The Muppet Cartoon Show" was far from the last time the Muppets threw shade at their own medium. "Comic Capers" has the kids creating their own comic strips after they run out of ones to read in the paper. Though there's references to everything from Blondie to Apartment 5-G, my favorite segment here is the hilarious Peanuts spoof. Kermit is Charlie Brown, Rolf is Schroeder, Skeeter is Peppermint Patty, and Piggy is an absolutely perfect Lucy. This episode also predicted the creation of Spider Girl seven years before it actually happened when Rolf and Skeeter both show up as Spider Man. (Look for a cameo by Stan Lee!)
We finish with more movie spoofs in "Scooter's Uncommon Cold." He's eager to show the others his new microscope, until he starts sneezing like crazy and Nanny discovers he's sick. While Skeeter and Animal look after him, the others go through the other side of the microscope on an, ahem, fantastic voyage to help Scooter's white blood cells fight off the germs.
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