No Service
Cricket's habit of not wearing shoes is tested when he cannot go into a store because of its "No shirt, no shoes, no service" policy. Meanwhile, Bill tries to find a parking spot without paying.
"No Service" contains examples of:
- All for Nothing: While Cricket and Tilly were at the store, Bill tries to find a free spot and didn't want to pay for it, at the end, he had pay $100 for a parking spot and when he parked his car, the kids came back resulting Bill about to lose his cool.
- Animation Bump:
- The animation during the song sequence is a humongous step in development, using more enhanced colors and lighting in the most inhuman of places.
- Some of Cricket's facial expressions are also more exaggerated than earlier seasons, specifically the part where he says "There's somethin' coverin' my feet, isn't there?" and his reflection appearing in the Splishee machine.
- Artistic License: Most of the rules at Sip n' Snak are highly unrealistic (Examples include: No mouth-breathing, no sulking, no coin-flipping, no sharing drinks, etc.). Mopping the floors every hour and cleaning the bathroom floors three times a day would be too much for the employee to handle which could explain Clark's uptight attitude.
- Bittersweet Ending: Cricket doesn't get the Splishee, and he's banned from the store forever. However, he doesn't mind that because he's sticking to his own principles which are more important than just a free drink, and the other good thing about that is he no longer has to see any of the store's stupid rules again.
- Disney Acid Sequence: The song number resembles that of a Broadway musical.
- Dramatic Spotlight: Cricket has one on him throughout his song sequence; in fact, it's several focuses brighter than most spotlights.
- Gave Up Too Soon: Bill and Alice notice a guy who seems he's about to leave his parking spot but it turns out he's eating popcorn and watching a movie and, assuming he won't leave any time soon, they start driving away. The guy leaves the spot soon after and Bill and Alice, in spite of seeing it, don't have enough time to take the spot before another car does it.
- It's the Principle of the Thing:
- Cricket refuses to put on shoes so he can go into the store and get a Splishee. When Tilly points out that he sometimes wears shoes, Cricket points out that he chose to wear them, and is not okay with being told that he has to wear them. In the end, he gives in and wears Tilly's shoes to get a Splishee... but at the very last second he throws it in the ground to make his point.
- Bill insists on looking for a spot where he can park for free because he thinks it's wrong to be forced to pay for one.
- Loophole Abuse:
- Rather than get shoes to go into the store, Cricket tries to find a way around it. He tries walking on his hands, disguising himself as a baby, and painting shoes on his feet, but Clark sees through all his tricks.
- When the guy wearing nothing but swimming trunks agrees to buy slippers from the store to conform to its policy, he pulls up said trunks to get around the rule about shirts. Clark accepts it.
- Never Mess with Granny: Bill finds a parking spot, but an old lady is standing on it to hold it for later. Alice tries to talk to her, but she goes berserk and Bill and Alice drive away.
- Parking Problems: Bill and Alice's plot involves them trying to find a parking spot while the kids shop. He refuses to pay for one at a parking garage, insisting that he can find one that is free. He finally gives up and pays $100 to use the parking garage... only for the kids to come back moments later.
- Persona Non Grata: Despite Clark feeling respectful for Cricket's no shoes principle, he tells him the mess he made resulted in him being banned from the store forever. Not that he minds it, though.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Cricket's final decision at the very end of the song number:Cricket: I... must... say... NO!!!
- Rule of Three: Clark must clean up the store's bathroom three times a day.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: After borrowing Tilly's shoes so he can get the Splishee, Cricket sees his reflection in one of the tanks and suddenly has a reflection on if this is the right thing to do; he then discovers he can't go against his own no shoe principle despite the rule of the store, and denies the Splishee.
- Sweet and Sour Grapes: Cricket finally gives in and borrows Tilly's shoes to enter the store and get the Splishee, but he suddenly realizes he went against his own principles and decides against it.
Takened
On the anniversary of Vasquez being Remy's bodyguard, Bill is tasked with keeping him distracted long enough while Cricket and Remy plan a party for him. However, Vasquez assumes the boys were kidnapped by the Order of the Fang.
"Takened" contains examples of:
- Angrish: Remy often loses his patience easily whenever he and Cricket tried to find the perfect items for Vasquez's party.
- Any Last Words?: Viper Vang asks this to Vasquez just before taking him out. Vasquez's response is "My name is..." but is interrupted by Bill arriving on the helicopter shouting his name.
- Arc Words: "Distract and deliver" and "Roll with it".
- Bridezilla: Cricket uses this very word to describe Remy, who is obsessed with throwing Vasquez the best bodyguard-aversary party ever.
- Chekhov's Skill: Bill shows Vasquez his whittling skills while waiting for Cricket. This later serves Bill well when he escapes from a cell by whittling a key to open the door.
- Color Wash: The hideout for the Order of the Fang is tinted with various shades of murky green to show just how vicious it is.
- Ironic Echo Cut:Cricket: He's the most dependable one in the family! He's always got both feet on the ground.
(Cut to Bill In Vasquez's helicopter)
Bill: Well, we really are up in the air, aren't we? - O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Vasquez knows something's wrong when he doesn't hear Cricket and Remy chatting and having fun; it gets much more serious when Remy ditches his tracking watch so Vasquez wouldn't find him, leaving him to assume the boys had been kidnapped.
- The Reliable One: Cricket gives Bill the job of keeping Vasquez distracted until the surprise party because he's the most dependable member of the family. It's remembering this when things look hopeless that gives Bill the courage to save Vasquez from Viper Fang.
- The Reveal: Vasquez has been Remy's bodyguard for ten years, and according to Tilly, that was Remy's whole life; this reveals Remy is ten years old and Vasquez had been his bodyguard since his birth.
- Sure, Let's Go with That: Cricket advices Bill to "just roll with it" when he has to deceive Vasquez. So when Vasquez thinks the Order of the Fang took Remy, Bill just agrees with him, not realizing what he's getting into. Later, when Vasquez thinks Bill is actually a Fang agent, Bill again goes with it and gets himself put in a cell.
- Surprise Party: Remy is throwing one for Vasquez for his "bodyguard-aversary". Bill has to keep Vasquez distracted while Remy and Cricket prepare the party, which results in him unwittingly going on a crazy adventure when Vasquez thinks his old gang the Order of the Fang took Remy and Cricket.
