A Dream Fulfilled... but at what Cost?
Hop Pop gets the chance to live his dream from his youth, meanwhile Sprig is having a hard time getting along with a group of theater kids. Full Recap
TBA...
Tropes:
- Actor Allusion: Theater director Renee Frodgers is voiced by Broadway star Susan Egan.
- Be Yourself: Both Hop Pop and Sprig fail to make inroads with the troupe when trying to fit in, but their honesty when they fail is seen as authentic and earns the respect of the troupe.
- Call a Rabbit a "Smeerp": One of the few arid places in Amphibia isn’t called a "desert", but a "dry swamp". This causes Anne to underestimate just how dry it will be.
- Call-Back: Hop Pop's implied past as a failed actor, which was referenced in "Best Fronds", is properly expanded upon in this episode.
- Chekhov's Gun: Renee shows up with the caravan to scare off the sand worm, since having multiple cars makes it look like another predator that the worm is scared of. When she detaches the other cars to escape Hop Pop at the end, the worm attacks her because one car is seen as a meal.
- Comically Missing the Point: Anne tells Hop Pop that he can't just ignore the crimes Renee is committing. Hop Pop comes to the conclusion that he can, being a pretty good actor, and thanks her for the advice.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Played for Laughs. Anne hates the theater because while in a school play on dental hygiene, she accidentally knocked over the props, which knocked down the stage lights, which in turn started a fire.Anne: Four of out five dentists agree: I was traumatized.
- Film Felons: Renee's acting troupe uses their plays as distractions while she steals from the towns they visit.
- Foreshadowing: The caravan stops by a bank at the first town they arrive in. Later, it's revealed that Renee is a bank robber.
- Gilligan Cut: When Hop Pop advises Anne to hydrate herself with a canteen of water before they reach the dry swamp, Anne scoffs at the possibility, thinking it's just going to be a swamp. It turns out to have a climate more akin to a desert than any Earth swamp such that she is left gasping for water as her skin dries out.Anne: (suffocating from the lack of moisture) Give me that! (grabs the canteen)
- Method Acting: In-Universe; The kids at the theater troupe are always in character. They shame Sprig for using his real name.
- No Honor Among Thieves: Renee ditches her goons when Hop Pop outs their robbery to the town.
- The Not Catch: Hop Pop goes to catch Renee as she's falling down only to miss as she lands behind him. He even lampshades that he misjudged the arc.
- Pop-Culture Pun Episode Title: The episode's title is based on A Streetcar Named Desire.
- Running Gag: Anne's jigsaw puzzle being trashed.
- Sand Worm: The desert is home to giant worms that attack passing travelers.
- Saying Too Much: When the sheriff questions if Hop Pop knew anything about the bank robbery or the theater group, Anne and the kids instantly appear and openly reveal everything that could get him into trouble. Thankfully he pushes them back to their fwagon and hightails it out of town.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Anne decides to stay in her own car with her puzzle rather than be involved with the theater group.
- Shout-Out:
- Anne's puzzle is of two koalas reenacting the "King of the world" scene from Titanic (1997).
- The episode's desert-like setting and the giant sandworm reference Dune. Renee even references heading towards "a Dune".
- Stock Scream: The frog actor lets out a Wilhelm scream when he falls off the stage.
- Thirsty Desert: The dry swamp is a vast, hot desert that leaves Anne dehydrated not long after entering.
- The Triple: While Anne is trying to finish her puzzle, Hop Pop, and then Sprig bust through the door with a shout of "Anne!" and pounding the table as they barrage her with their problems. Polly follows up at the window with a cheerful "Anne! I love you, girl!"Anne: [stressed and annoyed] I love you too, dude!
- Worm Sign: The sand worm can be spotted by its grass-like hair before it starts moving.
