Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Recap / PhineasAndFerbPhineasAndFerbGetBusted

Go To

1In which the titular boys build the Flying Car of the Future, today!
2
3Except...wait, they've already built it when the episode starts. In fact, we appear to have come in near the end of the day. Look, there's Perry, and there's Candace desperately trying to drag Linda into the backyard.
4
5"Doesn't this ever get a little bit old?" asks Linda. And you know, she's right. [[StrictlyFormula It's always the exact same story.]] Every day they do the same thing, and it's gotten repetitive. Candace points out how she'll look around, to where the giant tower and flying car were just moments ago, and then Linda will say...
6
7"[[WhamLine I see it.]]"
8
9Much to Candace's surprise, Linda sees what the boys are doing. And she is ''not'' happy to see them fooling around with such a dangerous project, or that Candace was right and they've been doing things like this all summer, ''or'' that their father Lawrence was in on some of them. Phineas and Ferb's attempt to assuage her worries fall on deaf ears, even though they try to reassure their mother they've taken every safety precaution.
10
11When it turns out that Phineas and Ferb accidentally left out a screw on their giant tower, and it collapses, destroying half of their house, that's the last straw. Realizing their sons are in danger, Lawrence and Linda send the boys to the "Smile Away Reformatory School", [[SarcasmMode which sounds like a great place]]. The audience is then forced to watch as the boys undergo traumatic brainwashing, as all creativity is systematically pulled out of them by the cruel headmaster.
12
13Candace, who at first enjoyed her victory, [[VictoryIsBoring slowly finds herself missing her brothers. Life's boring without them]]. And when she sees them on the news, stuck in that horrible Smile-Away place, being abused by a DrillSergeantNasty, she realizes that was wrong. She and Jeremy take the Flying Car of the Future (Today!) and set off to bust her brothers... out of reform school. Will she succeed? And where's Perry in all of this?
14----
15!!Tropes:
16* ActorAllusion: Creator/ClancyBrown's role of The Sergeant is very similar to the role he played in ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption''.
17* AdvertisedExtra: The press releases for this episode put an emphasis on Geraldo Rivera's guest spot as Morty Williams, when in the show, Williams barely appears in the episode.
18* AllJustADream: When things start to get weird near the end of the episode, Candace realizes the whole thing was a dream. And then it turns out that was Perry's dream.
19* AssholeVictim: The Sergeant falls off a cliff to his death. Given how cruel and sadistic he was by breaking the boys' spirits, no one misses him.
20* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Candace starts to realize that busting the boys isn’t that great of an idea, after all.
21-->'''Stacy:''' You finally have everything you ever wanted. Call me when you get over it!
22* BorrowedCatchphrase: When the drill sergeant catches Phineas and Ferb inventing, he asks them, "Whatcha doin'?"
23* CatapultNightmare: Perry jumps up and wakes up this way. Since he is an animal, he doesn't scream.
24* ChildHater: The Sergeant is the biggest example.
25* ContinuityCavalcade: Linda has flashbacks of all the times that Candace attempted to bust her brothers:
26** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbRollercoaster Mom, Phineas and Ferb built a rollercoaster!]]"
27** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbFlopStarz Phineas and Ferb are one-hit wonders?!]]"
28** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbCandaceLosesHerHead Phineas and Ferb carved my face into Mount Rushmore!]]"[[note]]Didn't really bust them for this; she was going to at first, but loved her gift when it was revealed[[/note]]
29** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbTheMagnificentFew Phineas and Ferb are driving cattle!]]"
30** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbTreeToGetReady Phineas and Ferb built a giant treehouse robot!]]"[[note]]Didn't really bust them for this; not only that, she approved of it[[/note]]
31** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbRagingBully ...are promoting a boxing match!]]"[[note]]The event in questions is a thumb-wrestling match[[/note]]
32** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbLawnGnomeBeachPartyOfTerror ...built a beach in the backyard!]]"[[note]]Wasn't technically a bust[[/note]]
33** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbItsAboutTime ...built a time machine!]]"[[note]]They technically ''fixed'' it[[/note]]
34** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbSWinter ...built a ski resort!]]"
35** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbLightsCandaceAction ...are directing a movie!]]"[[note]]Didn't really bust them for this[[/note]]
36** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbOneGoodScareOughtToDoIt ...built a haunted house!]]"
37** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbIScreamYouScream ...built a giant sundae maker!]]"
38** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbDudeWereGettingTheBandBackTogether ...are getting the band back together!]]"[[note]]Not only did she not bust them for this, she was a part of this[[/note]]
39** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbJourneyToTheCenterOfCandace Phineas and Ferb are in my large intestine!]]"
40* CoversAlwaysLie: In-universe example. The Sergeant sends Phineas & Ferb to the “Smile Away Reformatory School” with a "[[BlatantLies realistically illustrated brochure]]". Phineas even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] that the actual place doesn't look like the brochure when he, Ferb & the rest of the kids arrive at the school.
41* CurseCutShort: Morty Williams says that "those zombified brats are making me one rich—", but he is trampled by the chasing Smile Away staff before he says the last word.
42* DarkerAndEdgier: This is considered hands down [[UnexpectedlyDarkEpisode one of the darkest episodes of the series.]] (Until "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbNightOfTheLivingPharmacists Night of the Living Pharmacists]]".) It has a sadistic sergeant brainwashing innocent children by giving them cruel punishments and breaking their spirits. Plus, it has a character dying, even if said character was the bad guy. Fortunately, it was just a dream.
43* DelayedReaction: After mom says she sees what Phineas and Ferb built, Candace acts like she's oblivious again, and it isn't until a few seconds later she realises what she said.
44* DemotedToExtra: Usually, the show gives equal time to the Phineas-Ferb-Candace and Doof-Perry plots. In a case of {{Foreshadowing}}, Doof and Perry only make a brief cameo near the end of Candace's dream. And Major Monogram only appears at the end of Perry's dream.
45* DisneyVillainDeath: The Sergeant is sent falling off a cliff by Doofenshmirtz's spider-bot.
46* DodgyToupee: The inmates at Smile Away are given mandatory buzzcuts. Except for Baljeet, who was too excited and reveals he was wearing a wig. ("Just call me 'Bald-jeet!'") Candace later uses this wig to disguise herself as Morty Williams.
47* DreamWithinADream: The episode ends with Candace relating her strange dream to her parents... including the part about Perry being a secret agent. Suddenly, a group of soldiers bust in and drag the Flynn-Fletcher family away, and Major Monogram tells Perry his cover has been compromised and he'll have to be reassigned. Fortunately for Perry, ''that'' turns out to all be a dream too.
48* DrillSergeantNasty: The Sergeant of Smile Away is a very cruel and oppressive man who re-educates children to remove all of their positivity.
49* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The soldiers that take the Flynn-Fletchers away at the end are all human and labeled as being from the "Super Secret Spy Network". The O.W.C.A. name wouldn't be established till much later, and it was already established in previous episodes such as "Candace Loses Her Head" and "It's About Time" that the agency utilizes animal agents. This can probably be HandWaved as dream weirdness.
50* EpilepticFlashingLights: Barely noticeable on the TV as Candace watches ''The Morty Williams Show''.
51* EveryCarIsAPinto: For once, this was averted. When Candace gives Ferb his toolbox, she accidentally makes the Flying Car of the Future Today (which is ''still'' leaning a bit to the right) fall off a cliff. It doesn't explode, but the alarm goes off.
52* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Phineas & Ferb are indeed busted.
53** Averted in some countries, where it's just called "At Last". It was also one of the last episodes of Season 1 to air, so it could've worked as a series finale.
54* ForcedToWatch: Done during the scene where Phineas and Ferb are forced to watch an impromptu film that imagination is wrong, while their eyes are held open.
55* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are several hints that the events of the episode are AllJustADream, including:
56** Phineas and Ferb are seen actually driving the Flying Car of the Future Today, despite the fact that they are legally too young to drive and would use a LoopholeAbuse to get around this. Also, later, Candace is seen driving the same car without adult supervision due to her still having a learner's permit.
57** During Linda's memories of Candace exclaiming whatever Phineas and Ferb are doing, some of these moments include those that Candace never had any intention to bust them for: carving her face into Mount Rushmore, directing a movie, the backyard beach, the treehouse robots, and getting a band back together (which she was involved in).
58** Two of Linda's recollections of Candace's tattling mention "promoting a boxing match" and "building a time machine". The former event aforementioned was a ''thumb-wrestling match'' between Phineas and Buford, whereas they only ''fixed'' the time machine.
59** Linda calling Candace "the best daughter any mother could ''dream'' of having," for telling the truth about Phineas and Ferb...right in front of the boys.
60** Ferb's toolbox resetting and re-positioning itself after Candace trips over it.
61** The hole in the wall disappearing and reappearing according to whether Candace remembers it.
62** Baljeet acting...''oddly'' throughout the episode, including getting kicked out of summer school because his grades were "too high" and his "summer wig".
63* FuzzballSpider: Perry the Platypus is seen fighting a giant robotic spider which is just a black ball with eight legs.
64* GoodTimesMontage: By Candace, Jeremy and Stacy following the boys getting busted and sent away.
65* HateSink: The Sergeant is the most detestable character in the series for torturing Phineas and Ferb and even breaking their spirits.
66* InsistentTerminology: Phineas and Ferb did not create the Flying Car of the Future. They created The Flying Car of the Future, Today!
67-->'''Phineas''': The Flying Car of the Future Today is still leaning a bit to the right.
68* TheLastTitle: The episode is called "At Last" in some countries.
69* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: The song "Little Brothers", which seemed to be an internal monologue of Candace's, turns out to be Stacy on the guitar.
70* MindScrew: The last part of Candace's dream, starting with Phineas and Ferb juggling corn dogs, then Linda and Lawrence speaking in Baljeet's voice, who turn out to be puppets being controlled by Baljeet, who turns out to be a puppet controlled by a [[ItMakesSenseInContext giant talking zebra]].
71-->'''Zebra''': I'm just as confused as you are, Kevin.
72** [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And finally, it ends with Jeremy proposing to Candace out of the blue]], which made Candace finally realize everything.
73* MoreThanMindControl: Smile Away Reformatory School is known for manipulating boys by will and removing them of their creativity.
74* MusicalisInterruptus: When punished to do bathroom duty, Phineas and Ferb attempt to turn their chores into a song, but the Drill Sergeant scolds them for making "funky rhythms".
75-->'''Phineas''': I thought it had more of a free-form jazz feel.
76* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Candace screams this (apart from the "My God") to the heavens when she sees how completely emotionless the boys have become because of her.
77* NoNameGiven: The Sergeant.
78* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Creator/CarolineRhea's Canadian accent slips through when Linda yells, "I was talking ''aboat'' your toy car!"
79* OrderVersusChaos: The Sergeant is a KnightTemplar who wants to smash the imagination, creativity, fun and enthusiasm of the children and substitute it with order, discipline and conformity.
80* OutOfFocus: This is the only episode to focus mainly on the Phineas and Ferb/Candace plot lines. Agent P, Doof, and Monogram only have minor cameos. In future seasons, the reverse would happen, since the Phineas plot lines proved to be more difficult to write and the Perry and Doof plots would be more fun to write.
81* PaperThinDisguise: Candace disguises herself as Morty Williams by wearing a wig that's far too small and a fake mustache made out of discarded hair. Oddly enough, it works well enough to get her and Jeremy (posing as the camera man) into the prison. Even Linda and Lawrence fall for it. [[ExaggeratedTrope Taken to extreme levels]] when the wig and mustache manage to fool the guards into seeing a cactus and the Sergeant as Morty Williams.
82* PassThePopcorn: Baljeet is seen eating popcorn while watching a ''propaganda film'' at Smile Away Reformatory, and says "The book was ''so'' much better."
83* RealDreamsAreWeirder: Candace is alerted to the fact that she's dreaming when multiple odd things start happening at once:
84** Perry and Doofenshmirtz suddenly burst from the ground and knock the Sergeant off a cliff.
85** Phineas and Ferb start juggling corn dogs.
86** Linda and Lawrence show up and are revealed to be marionettes puppeteered by a giant Baljeet.
87-->'''Giant Baljeet:''' The weird thing is that you're just noticing this now.
88** Baljeet in turn is revealed to be a puppet operated by the Talking Zebra.
89** [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And finally]], Jeremy proposes to Candace, which is what finally clues her in.
90* SadTimesMontage: While Candace is missing her brothers, she has flashbacks to the wonderful times she had with them, down to first meeting Phineas and Ferb when younger.
91* ShoutOut: The shots of Phineas and Ferb being {{forced to watch}} [[TheLudovicoTechnique a film with their eyeballs peeled]] are straight out of ''Film/AClockworkOrange''.
92* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Morty Williams Show''.
93* StatusQuoIsGod: Takes a hammer to this trope, but is in full-effect by the end.
94* SubvertedCatchphrase: The Sergeant asks Candace, who is disguised as Morty Williams, "Aren't you a little... female to be Morty Williams?", to which Candace replies, "Well, you know what they say... the camera adds... masculinity."
95* TooGoodToBeTrue: Jeremy asking Candace to marry him. This is what causes Candace to realizes she’s dreaming.
96* TooUpsetToCreate: The boys are sent to a reformatory school after their mother catches their latest project. The program was designed ''specifically'' to stomp out creative, individualistic spirits in kids, led by a cruel DrillSergeantNasty. By the end of it, Phineas and Ferb are shells of their former selves, and can't create anything.
97* TraumaticHaircut: The boys of Smile Away Reform School have their hair shaved into buzzcuts. Baljeet already shaved his head bald prior to this.
98* TrojanHorse: Candace and Jeremy attempt to break into Smile Away twice by hiding inside wooden effigies; Candace even lampshades this by saying it's just like in the history classes. It doesn't work on both occasions: the first time because the wooden effigy is also [[ShapedLikeItself shaped like Candace and Jeremy]], the second time (in which they hide inside a giant wooden statue of the Sergeant) almost works but they celebrate too soon and get caught by the Sergeant, who throws them out.
99* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: When Candace realizes she's dreaming, Jeremy says that explains the Talking Zebra, but Candace dismisses that because she sees him all the time.
100* VictoryIsBoring: Without the boys to bust, Candace's life isn't quite the same.
101* VileVillainSaccharineShow: The Sergeant of the reformatory school is a dark villain for a kid-friendly show, as he breaks children's spirits to eliminate their creativity and turn them into mindless drones.
102* WasTooHardOnHim: Lawrence and Linda agree that they've been too hard on the boys for sending them to the Smile Away Reformatory School after City Council requests Phineas and Ferb's input on a project. By that point though, Candace and Jeremy are breaking them out.
103* YouDontLookLikeYou: Major Monogram's...monogram is on the wrong side of his Nehru jacket. Again, this is {{all just a dream}}.
104----

Top