"I love you, Geraldine...!"
The Fraggles plan to retrieve the giant radish in the Gorgs' garden so Boober can make Radish en Croute. When Mokey attempts to pick it, she sets off the alarm system Junior had rigged up on it. Junior grabs Mokey, then lovingly talks to the radish, which he calls Geraldine. Mokey tells him that talking to a vegetable is a problem and asks him if he has any friends—but Junior doesn't even know what a friend is. Mokey uses this as a way to make him leave the garden on a quest for a friend so the Fraggles can take the radish. Junior, though, insists on taking Mokey along so she can help him recognize a friend when he finds one.The two wander about until nightfall, but Junior fails to find any friends. Noticing Mokey's sadness at being away from the other Fraggles, Junior returns to the garden with her, not minding that he hasn't found a friend, since he still has Geraldine. He then notices Geraldine's absence and cries, realizing aloud that she was his friend. Mokey, feeling bad, rushes to save Geraldine from Boober's kitchen. The Fraggles sadly return her to the garden, only to find a note from Junior saying that he has gone in search of her. Mokey finds him and tells him where Geraldine is, to his joy.
Back at the garden, Junior wonders why Mokey came all that way just to get him. Mokey says she couldn't let him wander the universe when she knew that Geraldine was in the garden all the time. When Junior says that's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for him, Mokey replies, "Well... what are friends for?"
This episode contains examples of:
- Blowing a Raspberry: Junior tries to make friends with some Flowering Lubdub Bushes, but they blow raspberries at him.Junior: I guess you can't be friends with a bush.
- Bluff Worked Too Well: To get Junior out of the garden, Mokey tells him that he must go on a quest for a friend. What she hadn't counted on was Junior taking her with him so she can help him recognize a friend when he sees one.
- Brutal Honesty: Wembley isn't even subtle in expressing his disgust for Doozer Dust Pie—the only food left in Boober's pantry.Boober: [after learning Geraldine is being guarded by Junior] You'll never taste my Radish en Croute! There's nothing here to eat except leftover Doozer Dust Pie.
Wembley: Yuck! I hate Doozer Dust Pie! - Caring Gardener: Junior lavishes Geraldine with love and affection.
- Companion Food: Geraldine to Junior. Mokey lampshades this, after Junior waters and wipes Geraldine, then asks her, "Is that better?"Mokey: Uh, do you realize you're talking to a vegetable?
- Continuity Nod: Junior owns a copy of "The Adventures of Sir Hubris." Sir Hubris was a character from ancient Gorg lore and was first mentioned in "Sir Hubris and the Gorgs."
- Cooking Stories: Boober wants Geraldine so he can make Radish en Croute.
- Despite the Plan: To get Junior out of the garden, Mokey tells him that he must go on a quest for a friend. In spite of his dragging her along so she can help him recognize what a friend is, the plan works, and the other Fraggles, thinking this was part of the plan, take Geraldine to Boober's kitchen. This becomes a case of Gone Horribly Right when Junior, on returning, finds Geraldine missing and realizes aloud that she was his friend. Fortunately, Mokey, on hearing this, rescues Geraldine and reunites her with Junior.
- Does Not Like Spam:
- Wembley hates Doozer Dust Pie.
- Junior hates Ma's garlic soup, which she doses him with whenever she thinks he's sick—or sick in the head.
- When Junior offers Mokey an onion-flavored jelly bean, she politely says she isn't hungry. He then offers them to some Flowering Lubdub Bushes. They make assenting sounds, but spit them out after they taste them.Junior: I guess they don't like onions.
- Failed a Spot Check: Mokey fails to notice the alarm Junior has rigged up on Geraldine, even after it starts to ring when she tries to pick the radish.
- A Friend in Need: Mokey saves Geraldine from Boober's kitchen, returns her to the garden, and goes in search of Junior to tell him where she is—despite the other Fraggles begging her to let them take Geraldine when they find Junior's note.
- Friendship Song: Junior, while in search of Geraldine, sings "What If a Friend," a Melancholy Musical Number about true friends not deserting each other.
- Gone Horribly Right: Boober, Gobo, Wembley, and Red manage to get Geraldine to the Rock after the success of Mokey's plan to get Junior out of the garden to find a friend—depriving Junior of his only friend.
- I Will Find You:
- What Junior plans to do for Geraldine.
- Mokey does the same for Junior after finding his note.
- I'm Not Hungry: Mokey says this when Junior offers her an onion-flavored jelly bean.
- Just in Time: Mokey rescues Geraldine from Boober's kitchen just as the others are about to cut her up.
- Kindness Ball: Junior takes this when, realizing how much Mokey misses her friends, he brings her back to the garden, despite not having found any friends of his own, and lets her go home.
- Literal-Minded: Junior.Junior: Well, Mommy's garlic soup will cure anything.
Mokey: Uh... it won't cure your problem. Your problem's in your head, not your stomach.
Junior: You mean I should put soup on my head?
Mokey: [groans] Your problem's worse than I thought. - Must Make Amends:
- Mokey, when she realizes how much Geraldine means to Junior, rushes to save her from Boober's kitchen, returns her to the garden, then finds Junior and tells him where she is.
- While Junior is on a quest to find a friend, Mokey tells him she misses her friends. Junior feels bad and gives up on his quest, taking her back to the garden and letting her go home.
- My God, What Have I Done?:
- Mokey, when she realizes how much Geraldine means to Junior.
- Junior, when he realizes that, by dragging Mokey along on his quest, he's taken her away from her friends.
- Odd Friendship: Over the course of the episode, Mokey and Junior begin to develop this, despite the fact that usually Junior tries to thump or trap Fraggles.
- Only Friend: Geraldine to Junior.
- Promise Me You Won't X: When Mokey is about to go in search of Junior to tell him that Geraldine is in the garden...Mokey: Promise me you won't hurt her while I'm gone.
[The other Fraggles are silent.]
Mokey: Boober...?
Boober: [small voice] I promise. - Shout-Out: The title is a reference to The Great Muppet Caper, another Jim Henson production.
- Soulful Plant Story: This episode is about Junior's friendship with Geraldine, who almost ends up as Radish en Croute, and how Mokey, realizing her mistake, reunites them.
- Soup Is Medicine: Ma's hot garlic soup for Junior whenever she thinks he's sick—or sick in the head.
- Talking to Plants: Junior talks to Geraldine, and later to some Flowering Lubdub Bushes.
- Title Drop: Boober does this when Mokey runs back into his kitchen to rescue Geraldine.Mokey: Wait! Don't cut it! WAIT!
Boober: Hey, there she is! The mastermind behind the great radish caper.
[Gobo, Red, and Wembley cheer.]
Boober: She can have the honor of the first cut. - Trademark Favorite Food: Junior's is Ma's Watermelon en Croute.
- What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: While on a quest to find a friend, Junior tells Mokey it might be easier to find one if she told him what a friend is. Mokey, missing the other Fraggles, describes a friend as "someone you miss when they're not there." A little later, when Junior gives up on his quest and takes Mokey back to the garden only to find Geraldine gone, he realizes aloud that Geraldine was his friend.
- Won't Get Fooled Again: When Junior first catches Mokey, she says she'll tell him what his problem is if he lets her go. He does, and she runs off, saying she'll tell him later. The same trick does not work when he catches her again.Junior: Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no! You think I was born tomorrow?
- You're Insane!:
- Mokey gives an "Are you serious?" look to the audience when Junior introduces her to Geraldine.
- Mokey tells Junior he has a deep-rooted problem. A little later, he tells Ma, "I'm gonna grow roots!"Ma: I knew you've been playing in this garden too long.
