Episode 410: Bye Bye Greasy

Cast:
Brendon Small/Walter/Angela/Junior Addleburg – Brendon Small
Jason Penopolis/Coach Jon McGuirk/Perry – H. Jon Benjamin
Melissa Robbins – Melissa Bardin Galsky
Paula Small – Janine Ditullo
Josie Small – Loren Bouchard
Fenton Muley – Sam Seder
Shannon – Emo Philips
Don Lynch – Ronald Lynch

Synopsis: Brendon is in charge of the school play, Bye Bye Greasy. After getting everyone (including McGuirk) on board, the play promptly goes to hell.

History:
· Third Shannon episode.

Lawn Gnomes:
· Bed shot

Song Lyrics:
· Angela
I'm not the girl you thought I was - no.
I'm just the girl you want me - wish - was - not - was - were.
'Cause I must think'th I'm - was not - once was - was not - but a girl. [Thanks to Sandy for these lyrics]

· If You Were A Car
If you were a car instead of a boy
You’d have headlights instead of eyes
And tires instead of feet
If you were a car instead of a boy
You’d have- *curtain falls*

· I Might As Well Stay Home Tonight
No-I-don’t-have-a-date-to-night-but-thanks-for-asking-Leena
I’ve-been-working-out-to-try-to-trim-these-bulg-ing-thighs
But-the-results-don’t-seem-to-be
Lasting
Leena
I-might-as-well-stay-home-tonight, and eat myself some pies
Eat-myself-some-pies

· I’ll Race
I’ll race!
To feel the wind in my face
And I’ll race!
To feel alive
And I’ll race!
To feel like I own this place!
And I’ll race until I die
And I’ll race against the other racers!
And I’ll race with one big shout!
And I’ll race against the clock!
And I’ll race against myself!
And I’ll race…
And I’ll race…
*piano*
*howling* RACE!

· Alone in A Leather
I’d be the big shot there on the cell block but I’m too cool to get caught
I’d be the genius there on the campus but I’m too smart to be taught
I’ll be the tough guy, handing out black eyes, using my fists forever
I’ll be the cool cat, leading the rat pack, living alone in a leather
*cut out by conversation*
Me, alone, in a leather
Me, alone, in a leather (Me, alone, in a leather)
Me, alone, in a leather (Me, alone, in a leather)

Random Observations & Facts:
· While McGuirk talks to Brendon, the game in the background gradually goes crazy.
· When Melissa asks how many songs Noodles has, Jason gives Brendon a sad “one song” signal.
· When Shannon is announced to be in the play, Fenton responds: “He’s not standing in my lights!”
· Shannon quickly and effectively turns his script into a weapon.
· Brendon signals unsuccessfully to Shannon to stop talking when he’s telling Lynch about skipping Physics.
· Brendon plays in the “Alan H Popeman Auditorium”
· Paula’s “adaptations” to make the winter background look more summer include giving a snowman a police hat and making him grill.
· Paula continues working on her background even as the play goes on.
· Shannon sings on McGuirk’s car; must be good use of a prop, since McGuirk was supposed to drive out of the building.
· Junior randomly falls after “Alone in a Leather”.

Past Episode References:
· Fenton calls Brendon “Bren Bren”, a name he started calling him back in “Shore Leave”.

Movie & Other References:
· Bye Bye Greasy = Bye Bye Birdy + Grease
· Jason’s song is in the style of Antonio Carlos Jobim. And yes, he exists: http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist.aspx?aid=2829
· Brendon’s PJs are Aquaman's Silver Age costume with Namor's feet wings.

End Credits:
· McGuirk’s “I’ll Race”

Reviews:
Parallax: Feels like old HM. Not bad, though, since Shannon's around. The beginning was kinda slow, but Brendon trying to get McGuirk in the play was funny. But by the time it got to the audition it was funnier. I liked the Fenton part the best, though. "I can be, like GOD!" Loved the Shannon part and really reminded me of the first season, which isn't a bad thing. Not much on the rehearsing scenes, and it kinda slowed the whole thing down. Before the play was slow, and kinda plot device-ie. The play itself was hillarious. Every part. Just made the episode. Not to mention McGuirk's singing. End was funny as well.

Animation was also quite good compared to last season. Just something I felt I would say. =o Anyway, I'll give it a A+, cause there were plenty of scenes that were hillarious and those that didn't still owned.

Delthayre: "Bye Bye Greasy" was really damn funny. The whole thing had a hilariously awkward feel and had a season one like sensibility to it. It was nice to see Melissa get a funny side plot, I think she's been sidelined a bit recently. Her kiwi-driven attention mongering was consistently funny. Jason's big scene with the frozen-up supposed female lead cracked me up. Also, it was satisfyingly comic to have Shannon beat the endlessly unlikeable yet funny Fenton. Junior Addleberg's swearing was the only instance that bothered me, but I find it highly forgiving. So far as I can asses, everyone was in top comic form and the whole thing just worked.

This one managed to pull above the curve, an impressive feat in show as consistently good as Home Movies. **** out of *****

Animation Otaku: Another strong episode of Home Movies. The parody of Grease was hilarious. Shannon and Fenton were both very hungry, and had some great lines, especially Fenton. Mr. Lynch's 23 strike system, and his line of "I wanted to wish you all good luck, and tell you Shannon's been suspended" was hilarious. They've had some great episodes going into the commercial breaks lately.

Paula's background was funny, and then the whole deal with her painting during the play was hilarious. Walter and Perry were funny. Especially the song and then dropping the f-bomb. Not because it's swearing, but because of the timing. Melissa constantly bringing up her being allergic to kiwi and then thinking she was dieing was hilarious. And then her moment with Junior that was messed up when she still had that needle, and then he was getting pissed at her. The sing-talk bit was funny as well. Or when Fenton said that he punched himself. Heh, a lot of funny stuff.

But, despite not being in that many scenes, Coach had the best part of the show. His song was just really great. It was really great, and had me cracking up the whole time. His comment about Brendon making history by his play sucking was great as well.

All in all, it was an episode that ran smoothly the whole time, and connected each part well, and had a lot of jokes too. All the characters felt like they belonged there, really. So, it gets an A from me.

Movie Guy: So in conclusion, we're in our second week of HM season 4 and it is turning out to be great.

First of all, the play was very strange. Many of the songs were weird and I loved I'll Race. I wish they could of made it so the play went better. You know, not having Fenton's body hanging from the roof.

I was so happy to Shannon back and to still have him voiced by Emo Philips. To me, Shannon's character looked strange (probably the animation has gotten better since his last appearence).

My only problem was mentoned above. But that didn't bother me. A+

Robert Oliver: A great episode!!! One thing I noticed was that I enjoyed the episode more the second time I watched it. I found it refreshing that there was another episode without Brendon directing a movie. I can understand why the producers and writers of the show would try not to “burn out” that idea. Although Brendon wasn’t directing a movie, he was directing a play which didn’t quite go as well as he hoped.

Some of the things that I found funny were….Walter and Perry trying out their song; it just made absolutely no sense, but it was hysterical how they were in harmony and were doing a somewhat choreographed dance number. I also found it funny that the girl that could not talk sang a pretty good tune, but it was sooo redundant. Very funny lyrics, I don’t remember how exactly the lyrics went, but they repeated themselves a few times. McGuirk telling Brendon that his play was going to make history for “sucking” was hilarious as well. Melissa and her “epi” pen was amusing, because I am a teacher and I have a student who carries around an epi pen; I know I would have a difficult time sticking someone with that thing, but she hit it right on by how she kept droning on about how Kiwi is like a loaded gun.

I am not the biggest fan of Shannon, perhaps because I am not the biggest fan of Emo Phillips. Maybe it is because he is from my same hometown and WE all find him kind of annoying and somewhat embarrassing. I did, though, find it somewhat amusing that Shannon went off on Mr. Lynch and then the lenient Lynch told him about the 23 strikes and you are out rule. This is so typical of schools nowadays, because kids get way too many chances before they are reprimanded. I even see that type of discipline in my school.

Not to be totally obvious, it was funny when McGuirk rolled his car off stage and he sang the song from his car. The song was good and definitely a new twist by having McGuirk sing a song that will now lie in Home Movies infamy. We never hear McGuirk sing and he did a great song! Nonetheless, I am getting more and more frustrated each day, because I am anxious to know whether or not HM will ever come out on DVD. This show needs the publicity of a dvd release!!!!

Overall, I would rate the show a 8 out of 10. My 10 out of 10’s rank up there with “Shore Leave” and “Time to pay the price” and “Kafka”

Gunnm: Hmmm, it was alright. Swearing still a problem because every character in the show now is getting bleeped. Season 3 had a few here or there but nothing like this. Another singing heavy episode without a single movie but the play makes up for it so not a prob, like in Renaissance. Sing-talking was great and the snow/summer background was funny. The hillariously irritating Fenton was back too for some points. The ending was predictable which isn't bad by itself but it wasn't that funny of a song so the moment felt a little flat. I don't really like Shannon episodes so I had a tough time with his part being bigger than McGuirk, Jason, and Mr. Lynch. I still am pulling for the show but it's missing some of the heart earlier seasons had.

7/10

Moltrez: Well that was a shocker. I really though Mcguick was going to save the play but it was Shannon all along. I loved them both anyway.

I assumed that Walter and Perry were gonna complain that they werent a married couple or something but...I guess it all worked out. I knew Jason would come back with a vengance during the play and I knew Allison would screw up the scenes she was in...but I didn't assume I was gonna like it. Mcguick's and Shannon's songs were definitly the highlights of this episode to me but my favorite parts were as followed.

Fentons Light Obsession,The 23 strike suspension and anything that had to do with it,Mcguick driving his car on stage,the problems with Kiwi,introducing a new character without even realising it (Allison),and Fenton doing something for the benefit of others

Negatives were; Junior Addleburg

Delirium42: Out of the three Season 4 eps I've seen, this was my least favorite - not to say there werent plenty parts I didn't enjoy (doubt I've seen a HM episode in which I didn't love SOMEthing) but it left me feeling kinda 'eh'.

I never *ever* thought I'd be one to say that cussing can be excessive but... I have to say, the bleeping detracted from this ep in one instance. When Junior used it -- it was out of character, the bleeping was *distracting* from the actual joke, and it made the joke less funny than if he had just been screaming that Melissa sticked him, and fell down convulsing. But then it was used well when Perry bleeped out when the curtain fell down on him.
THAT'S when cussing can be bad, when the bleeps DISTRACT you from a joke, or detract from it. The bleep can be used as a tool, or just be annoying. Yknow? I just hope it doesn't become annoying.

My high points: the starting Coach/Brendon conversation, the convo btwn Brendon and Melissa reguarding her "sing-talking" (I just loved the way Brendon was so quick and smooth about it, basically saying Melissa can't sing withOUT saying it...ahh, I notice and enjoy the weird things), Fenton and his Light God complex, and then most of the musical was hilarious - Paula still on stage painting, Melissa's talk-singing: "So I'll just eat some pie...eat some pie...eat some Oh my god I just ate Kiwi!", the whole Coach-on-stage scene, and the "ending" with five scenes left.

Stuff I didn't so like: there was too much with Melissa's kiwi-obsession. I know her character can become sort of obsessive with things (water..and elk) but it's better if its presented more humorously...I don't know. I just didn't like the Epipen gag so much. I did NOT like the thing w/ Junior. And I'm not a Shannon fan, so having him be almost the main plot character lessened the appeal for me.

3 out of 5 Brendons.

The Landstander: A very good episode to wash the taste of "Camp" out of my mouth.

Everyone gets their moment (or song) as Brendon is put in charge of the school play. The first act is slower and has that old conversational feel. Brendon convinces McGuirk to be part of the play, everyone auditions, Paula messes up the background, and Shannon demands a part. The second act is more about big laughs; a lot of musical numbers (including McGuirk's window not working, the best part of the episode), Fenton squealing on Shannon, and the play becoming a disaster. Both work pretty well. It was also nice to see Shannon one last time; I've always enjoyed his episodes and Emo Philips fits the rhythm of the show nicely. Just about everyone is in full force here, and no one is overused or underused.

The only real complaint is a few times where it becomes a bit too wacky, and it breaks the feel of the scene. A good example would be Shannon holding Fenton over the top of the lighting area, and he pops out on the stage. And the random swearing never worked for me. But those are minor complaints next to the general goodness of the episode. Highly Recommended.