Episode Discussion - "The Little Peas" (11/22/07)

[Mr. Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by Cassini90125

That isn't the point. When The Big Cheese aired, Frankie turned everything around on her own. Now, with this rewriting of history, they've taken that triumph away from her. What next? Will we be told that Madame Foster rigged the election in Setting A President? It was so unecessary to do this to her. She deserves better.

I totally agree Cass. I just got finished watching the episode that i timer taped and I have to say, I was sorrowfully disappointed. For an episode that used so many novel and unique approaches to an episode, it ultimately fell flat on its face....several times. The concept of an episode within an episode is genius.

BUT it turned to stupidity the minute I realized the only person we got to watch was this annoying, pint sized, stupid little Mickey Mouse wanna be green guy who was not interesting, funny, entertaining or even creative. Had they paired him up with another character, might have been different, but it was JUST him.

Focusing an entire episode on one character is only good IF the character is interesting enough, and that was the whole problem with this episode: IT WASN'T INTERESTING. It was boring, virtually everything in this episode was pointless and useless outside from 2 things, one being the other creative thing they did, the other a BAD thing.

Jackie and Fluffer Nutter kissing or whatever they were doing (I don't think making out is too hard to ignore considering the sounds) was the best part. The fact imaginary friends actually held romantic feelings for each other was something we really haven't seen in a while and I mean GENUINE romance.

I mean granted its not love but its a hell of a lot purer then their past IF love experiences: Berry's psychotic obsession with Bloo and Coco going nuts over that Rooster guy with that green duck IF (forget her name) from "Partying is such sweet soirée". But the real issue here is the BAD thing I mentioned: Frankie.

This wasn't a deliberate attack on her but it was still a painful blow to her as a character. Its not saying Frankie isn't smart enough to think up her own plan to switch the situation around, no, its saying that she GAVE UP and that she needed that dinky little imp to actually tell her what to do and convince her to salvage the news report.

What does that say about Frankie? That she can't honestly do, or say things without having some green guy telling her what to do? I mean what was the problem with just saying Frankie did it HERSELF, what does saying Peas gave her the idea accomplish other then he told her?

It just seemed so pointless, and sadly ironically, Peas is so insignificant and unnoticed and yet he remains the only one who actually understands Frankie's hard work. This episode had a neat concept but it was totally ruined by a totally uninteresting and (eventually) annoying character who ultimately ends up stepping over Frankie's toes.

The fact "Big Cheese" ended with Frankie coming up with the idea to tell the news crew had nothing wrong with it, so why the creators felt the need to reveal it was Peas who said it is beyond me. Aside from some wasted creative concepts, and a cute kissy kissy scene, this episode was exactly like Peas: Forgettable.

[One Radical Dude]

Originally Posted by bloonuggets

Was that Keith doing a Mickey Mouse impression in that episode?

It could be anyone. I guessed it was Phil LaMarr, but you never know.

[Shelltoon]

Considering Lauren Faust had written TBC, I would have expected Lauren to be the one to write this, but instead we got Darrick Bachmann. Sort of makes you wonder if he knows what he's doing... remember what happened with Ticket to Rod?

[One Radical Dude]

Originally Posted by Shelltoon

Considering Lauren Faust had written TBC, I would have expected Lauren to be the one to write this, but instead we got Darrick Bachmann. Sort of makes you wonder if he knows what he's doing... remember what happened with Ticket to Rod?

As I've stated, not all episodes are winners. He's written a lot of solid episodes, in my book. This is the first one written by him that's really disappointed me. I think if Bachman is able to write some solid episodes, then I believe he knows what he's doing. Ay-yai-yai...it's almost like when people were very negative towards Craig Lewis. *shrug*

[BluebottleFlyer]

Haven't seen said episode, so I can't really comment. But from the sounds of it, a lot of corners have been cut to try and make this episode. If it were a track on an album, it would definitely be one of the fillers.

[ptps]

This episode was a HUGE waste of time. It wasn't funny, the entire episode revolved around a character that wasn't interesting, uniquely designed nor endearing, and who WASN'T any of the main characters - not to mention it made Frankie look really really useless. Heck, I had no problems with The Big Cheese - I always believed that all the stress of the situation just led to Frankie completely "losing" it and trying to use the situation - as bad as it was - to her advantage, and I thought it was a pretty smart move.

But then they take this Mickey Mouse voice ripoff (was he voiced by Tom Kenny? I was slightly miffed at the fact that Scrappy sounded like a baby Bugs Bunny) and... engage him in a fairly uninteresting story that didn't even showcase Bloo and Mac for more than five seconds. And they almost completely reused an old episode.

Urgh. Do not like this episode. Do not approve. and what is up with Jackie Khones suddenly being amped up to the "Important Side Characters" list? He actually has a ROLE in most of the Season 5 episodes. I'm not complaining, I love Khones, but... it's just weird, to see the amount of screentime he's suddenly getting. ._.;

Speaking of Khones, I know some people in this forum are probably rejoicing over the fact that yes, there has been canon proof of Friends being able to show affection and possibly love towards each other (JACKIE KHONES COURTING FLUFFER NUTTER WHUT?) but it was just kind of really weird, especially when they came out afterwards with F.N looking fairly upset. My mind went... straight to the gutter. >___>;;;;;;; Or it could be just me. And they appeared in the Macy's parade together too, didn't they?

Oh, edit, I know they appeared together in Funny Bunny, where Khones was telling F.N a joke, so I can understand why they might be pretty good friends, but ROMANCE?! POW. My face while watching Little Peas: O____________O

I just... did not get the point of this episode. WHY another take on The Big Cheese? WHY the random character? Was this just written to appease the Frankie fans and those who secretly ship Khones/F.N? Whut?!

[Cassini90125]

If it was written to appease Frankie's fans then the writers do not understand Frankie's fans at all. I agree, this episode was a complete waste of time and I'm ranking it down there with that other classic, the one with the guy with the trunk.

[cartman414]

Originally Posted by Cassini90125

That isn't the point. When The Big Cheese aired, Frankie turned everything around on her own. Now, with this rewriting of history, they've taken that triumph away from her. What next? Will we be told that Madame Foster rigged the election in Setting A President? It was so unecessary to do this to her. She deserves better.

I think that's a bit much. Frankie may be highly capable and tenacious, but she's also human. We all reach our breaking points. This might have been hers.

I personally thought Peas was cute.

[Mr. Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by cartman414

I think that's a bit much. Frankie may be highly capable and tenacious, but she's also human. We all reach our breaking points. This might have been hers.

I personally thought Peas was cute.

That's true, but the problem is Frankie DIDN'T reach her breaking point in fact we weren't aware she reached it at all until this episode said she did. This episode basically altered an event by having someone else claiming credit for something we all thought Frankie did.

This is like Cass said, it takes credit away from Frankie and gives it some annoying, pee wee IF we never heard or saw before (and in my humble opinion) don't care if we never see or hear from again. It's not just the fact its robbing Frankie of her own good ideas, but through this formula, anyone can be robbed.

The only thing this episode essentially was saying that Frankie's moment to turn the news mess around was not her idea at all, that's all we learned other then Fluffy and Jackie smacking lips. This episode was a waste of time and it was upsetting because it ruined a moment that Frankie did so well.

The thing is we believed Frankie actually came up with the idea to switch the mess around, but now we learned instead of being smart she BROKE DOWN. She gave up and was going to let everything go to waste and it took an irritating little green guy to convince her and basically feed her the idea.

It's not a total assault on Frankie but it is kind of a serious downer to take the credit away from someone by creating some unique scenario and one time character plot device to change our understanding of how "The Big Cheese" went down.

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by ptps

This episode was a HUGE waste of time. It wasn't funny, the entire episode revolved around a character that wasn't interesting, uniquely designed nor endearing, and who WASN'T any of the main characters - not to mention it made Frankie look really really useless. Heck, I had no problems with The Big Cheese - I always believed that all the stress of the situation just led to Frankie completely "losing" it and trying to use the situation - as bad as it was - to her advantage, and I thought it was a pretty smart move.

But then they take this Mickey Mouse voice ripoff (was he voiced by Tom Kenny? I was slightly miffed at the fact that Scrappy sounded like a baby Bugs Bunny) and... engage him in a fairly uninteresting story that didn't even showcase Bloo and Mac for more than five seconds. And they almost completely reused an old episode.

Urgh. Do not like this episode. Do not approve. and what is up with Jackie Khones suddenly being amped up to the "Important Side Characters" list? He actually has a ROLE in most of the Season 5 episodes. I'm not complaining, I love Khones, but... it's just weird, to see the amount of screentime he's suddenly getting. ._.;

Speaking of Khones, I know some people in this forum are probably rejoicing over the fact that yes, there has been canon proof of Friends being able to show affection and possibly love towards each other (JACKIE KHONES COURTING FLUFFER NUTTER WHUT?) but it was just kind of really weird, especially when they came out afterwards with F.N looking fairly upset. My mind went... straight to the gutter. >___>;;;;;;; Or it could be just me. And they appeared in the Macy's parade together too, didn't they?

Oh, edit, I know they appeared together in Funny Bunny, where Khones was telling F.N a joke, so I can understand why they might be pretty good friends, but ROMANCE?! POW. My face while watching Little Peas: O____________O

I just... did not get the point of this episode. WHY another take on The Big Cheese? WHY the random character? Was this just written to appease the Frankie fans and those who secretly ship Khones/F.N? Whut?!

This ep DEFINATELY was NOT written to appease Frankie's fans! It made Frankie look like a loser, a quitter-someone who easily caves under pressure and can't figure out how to get herself out of a tough spot without help from some "little voice", and that's not how Frankie is at all! It also made it seem as though Peas is the only one in the house who appreciates Frankie's hard work, or ever tells her(or at least tries to), and that he's the only one who feels real pride in the place, and voluntarily helps Frankie whenever he can without being told to do so. It's like they're trying to make Peas "the new Wilt", more or less. It's not just demeaning to Frankie, but to Wilt as well, who has always been more than willing to help her out in any way possible around the house, whether she tells him to do so or not, and has always been very proud of Foster's. To have this random, insignificant and HOPEFULLY one-shot character just show up and try to make both Wilt and Frankie, two of the major characters from the start, seem trivial and obsolete is just wrong.

I don't have a problem with Jackie and FN's relationship, whatever it might be, or with romance on the show. I've long maintained that Imaginary Friends are capable of the same feelings and behaviors that humans are, including adult humans, so it really doesn't come as a shock other than romance was once one of the "taboo" subjects, as per CN's orders, because it meant having to show re-runs in a particular order. Given how many of the latest episodes, and even many Season Four eps, make references to previous episodes, though, that really isn't a valid point anymore. Still, referencing a previous episode and actually just re-making it are two very different ballgames.

I really hope we've seen the last of Peas, personally, and I don't think anyone's feelings on this board would be hurt if he never shows up again. I'd rather see Bendy return, or that nasty little girl from the pilot, that Peas anytime. What's sad is that this is probably the last episode of Season Five, and I hate that it has to end on this note.

pitbulllady