Airdate: October 4, 2002
Elwood City was founded in 1903, and to celebrate Lakewood Elementary was selected to put on a musical play about the history of how the city was founded.
This episode also celebrates as the 100 episode of the show.
Elwood City Turns 100! contains examples of:
- The B Grade: Mr. Ratburn recalls his one-man performance of Hamlet with puppets in college, in which the puppet's head fell off and he hastily declared it the end of the show. He says that this terrible show nearly cost him his perfect GPA.
- Breaking Old Trends:
- This is the first episode in the show to be a double-length episode. While there were attempts such as Buster's return and D.W.'s potato chip dilemma, this is the first proper time that two parts go directly after each other.
- This is also the first episode to have a different live-action segment for the PBS airings. In this case, Larry King interviews some of the students of Lakewood about the show, done up in a Roger Rabbit Effect manner.
- Brick Joke:
- During the dedication ceremony in the teaser, Jacob Katzenellenbogan bitterly laments that the town was supposed to be called Elmwood instead of Elwood. During the show itself, the Brain, playing Katzenellenbogan, repeats this.
- Ratburn's fears of the play following in the steps of his one-man Hamlet puppet show are brought up in an Imagine Spot. Both end with him calling for curtain in a panic.
- Distant Prologue: The episode's Teaser opens with the dedication ceremony for Elwood City in 1903. Then, after the title card, the rest of the episode takes place in the modern day.
- Funny Background Event: A kid in the background watches as Buster and the Brain argue over whether to have fantasy or accuracy as the basis of the show, until he can't stand it anymore and runs away.
- Historical Domain Character: President Teddy Roosevelt, Henry Ford, and J.P. Morgan appear in the teaser during the dedication ceremony for Elwood City.
- It Will Never Catch On: In the prologue, Henry Ford and J.P. Morgan mutter to one another that Jacob Katzenellenbogan's city will never last a hundred years.
- Mondegreen Gag: Buster is the show's director, but he mistakenly takes it to be a Mad Scientist type character named Dr. Ector.
- Musical Episode: The episode deals with Lakewood doing a musical play on Elwood City.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Part 1 ends with the UFO prop being crushed in Mr. Frensky's garbage truck, and then it won't start, making Francine late for the show.
- Ratburn twice over when his puppet show goes awry, and again when he imagines the Lakewood play following suit.Curtain! Curtain!
- Our Founder: Lumber tycoon Jacob Katzenellenbogan was the founder of Elwood City. However, he isn't impressed with his statue and tries to tear it down upon its unveiling.
- Throw It In!: In-Universe; Buster's song about Dr. Ector the alien is put in at the last minute when the UFO meant for the play is destroyed. Everyone likes the addition, much to the class's surprise.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: A single duck is what stands between getting the UFO prop to the theater safely.
- What Were You Thinking?: The Brain said this line as he reprimanded Buster for destroying the set.The Brain: Buster! What were you thinking?!
