Is this maybe the sweetest television episode ever made that's about pooping? If anyone knows of a sweeter one, please leave a comment below.
The episode opens with Louise very excited about something she usually dislikes: school. Her class is going on an overnight trip to the aquarium and one lucky student, who scores the highest on a shark quiz, gets to feed a real live shark. It's enough of an incentive for Louise to actually study, and it pays off. She's going to feed a shark!
Except Bob reminds her of a very important fact: like himself, Louise can't poop anywhere but at home. That makes an overnight trip very difficult. The rest of the family are fine pooping anywhere, like in buckets or an overturned Porta Potty (gross, Linda). Tina even considers using public toilets a "vacation for your butt."
Louise has a plan: she'll poop at home right before the trip and that should get her through the night. Unfortunately there's a hitch in the plan: in the days leading up to the trip she can't poop at all. Nerves got to her. So Bob uses the methods he'd learned from decades of no public pooping and nervous constipation to help Louise: lots and lots of laxatives.
Cute Louise. Creepy drugstore guy. Sad Bob story.After a trip to the drugstore, where we learn that a young Bob didn't go to a school dance because of his poop fear, Louise becomes a ticking bomb. She's full of both laxatives and poop and it's time to go to the overnight. When Bob tells Linda that maybe Louise should stay home, Linda gently points out that while it's nice that Bob is helping Louise with an issue they both share, maybe the more helpful solution would have been for Bob to encourage Louise to use other toilets to poop. Bob is doubtful, but as he's dropping Louise off at the aquarium he suggests she use the restroom there. With very intense classical music playing on the car radio Louise reacts with a feeling of betrayal by her only ally.
In the aquarium Louise tries to hold her poop in at least until after she feeds the sharks, but time is not on her side. She gives up and calls Bob to pick her up. Rushing over in a pickle costume (more on that later) Bob tells a dejected Louise that if she tries to poop in the restrooms, so will he. Louise agrees and survives pooping with peeing girls in stalls on both sides of her, while Bob had less luck - the pickle costume has to be trashed. But the important thing is that they did it! Together! Family yeah!
Louise gleefully feeds the sharks and all is well. At least with Louise and Bob. The rest of the family is dealing with Linda's parents being jealous of another couple at their retirement community whose family created a flashy video involving bananas and nanas for a special occasion. Linda's parents want their own video for their 50th anniversary. The brainstorming session between Gene and Tina involves ideas like techno body glitter, but those are quickly discarded.
Linda digs out some things they have lying around such as a bunch of pickle costumes and a camcorder to create their own video, "Tickled as Pickles."
No body glitter involved. Bummer.There are a few hitches in the plan. Rehearsal goes horribly, with Linda directing a remake of the banana video without any of the original's skill. Not enough costumes, so a purple one is created with leftover materials. Linda keeps forgetting to press record. Linda has no idea how to edit videos. Tina is exhausted and becomes a bit of a diva. Bob's quick exit to help Louise at the aquarium. In the end the video idea is thrown out in favor of a card. Good call.
Odds and Ends:
Favorite quote: "Is that what a real family looks like?"
Favorite blink and you'll miss it moment: When Louise and Bob leave for the drugstore Tina asks for teen boy deodorant. You know, for...reasons.
Favorite running gag: At the top of the episode Rudy admits to flunking the shark quiz on purpose to he won't get picked to feed them at the aquarium. When Louise decides to leave because she's sick (i.e. to poop at home) Ms. LaBonz picks Rudy to take her place as the shark feeder, much to his horror.
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