Recap / Fraggle Rock S 3 E 9 The Secret Society Of Poohbahs

"FRITZ!"

Having been granted possible entrance into the Secret Society of Poohbahs, Mokey tries to be as serious as possible, against Red's claims that the society is silly. After failing her initiation and being put on trial along with Red for breaking one of their rules, Mokey manages to pass and gets into the society.

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This episode contains examples of:

• Absentee Club Member: At the beginning of Mokey's trial, the leader of the Poohbahs, the Beggler-Beg, calls the roll.
  The Beggler-Beg: The trial of Mokey Fraggle shall now begin! All Poohbahs should be present. The judge will call the roll...
  The Vanguard: Allllll present shall reply by saying "present," and allllll absent shall reply by saying "linoleum"! Fritz?
  Two Fraggles: [in unison] Present!
  The Vanguard: Fritz?
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  The Vanguard: Fritz?
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  The Vanguard: Fritz?
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  The Vanguard: Fritz?
  Another Fraggle: Linoleum!
  The Vanguard: Ah, that Fritz, he's never here when you need him. And finally, Fritz, Fritz, Fritz, Fritz, Fritz, and Fritz!
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  Another Fraggle: Present!
  Another Fraggle: Present with an explanation!
  The Vanguard: Mmmmmmmm. [Turns to the Beggler-Beg.] All present and accounted forrrrrr... except for Fritz!
  The Beggler-Beg: Thank you, Fritz.
• Accent Upon The Wrong Syllable: Mokey helps Red rehearse a speech for the trial, in a nonsense language called Oopidad. She says that Red has got the accent wrong.
• Aside Glance: Doc is in a snit because Shimmelfinney has just joined a secret lodge called "The Royal Order of Chipmunks". He tries to pretend he doesn't care that he hasn't been asked to join, but when the phone rings a moment later...
  Doc: Sprocket, it's wonderful! I've been asked to become a Chipmunk!
  [Sprocket turns toward the camera, shakes his head, and buries his face in his basket.]
• Ask a Stupid Question...: When Mokey, on receiving her invitation to join the Poohbahs, jolts Red awake to tell her:
  Mokey: [running in] Red! [Red falls out of her hammock.] Were you asleep, Red?
  Red: [groggily getting up] It was naptime, I was in bed, my eyes were closed... what's your guess?
  Mokey: Red, I have news that will frizz your fur.
  Red: Huh?
  Mokey: I have news that will kink your tail and make your pigtails pop!
  Red: Well, terrific. This news will completely rearrange my body.
• Astonishingly Appropriate Interruption: This happens when Mokey interrupts Red's reading to tell her that the Beggler-Beg is in sight.
  Red: [reading aloud to herself] Suddenly a hideous Geebabeast came up and screamed...
  Mokey: [running up behind her] RED!
  [Red falls off the rock she was sitting on.]
• The Bard: Mokey, who often writes poetry.
• Brotherhood of Funny Hats: The Poohbahs (who seem to alternate between incredibly serious and incredibly silly).
• Classified Information: Mokey is given a scroll inviting her to join the Poohbahs and excitedly tells Red about it. Unfortunately for her, Mokey didn't see the line at the bottom warning her to tell no one of the invitation.
• Comically Serious: Mokey, who struggles to maintain her dignity amidst the silliness of the Poohbahs.
• Continuity Nod:
  • After her initial rejection, Mokey is sitting alone, writing a despondent variant of her poem "White Birds and Death," introduced in the episode "Mokey's Funeral."
  • For her morning jog, Red wears her shirt and visor from "The Grapes of Generosity."
  • Mokey's bed has a patchwork quilt, first seen in "Red Handed and the Invisible Thief."
• Cool Mask: Each of the Poohbahs wears one.
• Courtroom Antics: After being deemed unworthy to join the Poohbahs, the Beggler-Beg tells Mokey that the only way she can hope to join is by undergoing the trial. The antics happen before the trial even begins.
  The Beggler-Beg: In that case, I appoint the Royal Vanguard to act as judge.
  The Vanguard: [popping up] Guilty!
  Mokey: WHAT?
  [The other Poohbahs gasp.]
  The Vanguard: Or possibly innocent. I can never remember which is which.
  The Beggler-Beg: Not yet, Judge, not yet! First give her the rulebook.
  The Vanguard: The rulebook! Yes. "Guilty" is the part when you've done something bad... I think. [Hands Mokey a book.]
  The Beggler-Beg: [to Mokey] Prepare yourself! Return tomorrow night, bringing with you the Fraggle called Red!
  Mokey: Red? Red must come, too?
  The Beggler-Beg: And be prepared to tell us what you should tell us!
  [Loud "Ooohhhs!" from the other Poohbahs.]
  Mokey: What should I tell you?
  The Beggler-Beg: You tell us. [He and the Vanguard chuckle.] Now, throw this foolhardy young Fraggle out of Firefly Cavern!
  [The other Poohbahs throw Mokey out.]
  The Vanguard: "Innocent" is the one I can never remember. Doesn't it have something to do with lambs?
• Does Not Like Spam:
  • Red and Mokey both think okra is disgusting.
  • One Doozer asks another if there are any jelly-filled food pellets that day and is disgusted to hear that there are only custard-filled ones.
• Dude, Not Funny!: Mokey's reaction when Gobo, Red, and Wembley sing "Keep on Smilin'" to her after she falls into a swimming pool.
• Faint in Shock: Mokey does this after receiving her invitation to join the Poohbahs.
• Faking Another Person's Illness: While Mokey is helping Red rehearse the speech for the trial, Boober enters, asking why Mokey is speaking in a secret language. Trying to keep the trial a secret, Red tells him that Mokey is deliriously ill. Boober thinks it must be galloping tongue fever and just happens to have the only cure with him: hot soup. When Mokey eats it, it turns out to be okra soup—and when Boober takes her gagging noises and throat-clutching as a sign that she needs more of it, she immediately says she's cured.
• Five-Second Foreshadowing: When bringing forth Mokey and Red for the trial, the Vanguard, who is acting as judge, accidentally refers to Red as "Fritz." Come the end of the episode, a few minutes later, Red is revealed to have become a Poobah the week before.
• Friendly Tickle Torture: At one point, Gobo briefly does this to Mokey.
• Here We Go Again!: At the end of the episode...
  Gobo: Tomorrow we'll get Boober!
• Hi, Mom!: Red says this as she and Mokey are being brought forward for the trial.
• How Is That Even Possible?: After Mokey receives her invitation to join the Poohbahs and tells Red about it, accidentally breaking the command to tell no one, Red says not to worry, because there's no way the Poohbahs can know. In the next scene, when the Poohbahs are bringing Mokey forward to see if she's worthy to join them, the Poohbahs' Mind Reader —Red in disguise— declares Mokey unworthy because of her telling Red of the invitation. Her Fraggle-head staff even blows a raspberry at Mokey.
  Mokey: How did she know?
• I Ate WHAT?!: Mokey starts running back and forth, clutching her throat, on realizing the soup Boober just gave her was okra.
• Initiation Ceremony: Mokey's trial and secret test are basically this.
• Insignia Rip-Off Ritual: When Doc is invited to join the Royal Order of Chipmunks, he is given a helmet with (fake) chipmunk ears. In the middle of the initiation ceremony, though, he bursts out laughing. The Chipmunks are so angry about this that they not only reject him but rip the ears off his helmet.
• Ironic Name: At one point, Red offers to cook Okra Surprise.
  Mokey: Red, you know I hate okra. Even you hate okra.
  Red: Don't you want to know what the surprise is in Okra Surprise?
  Mokey: No.
  Red: There's no okra!
• No Indoor VOICE: The Poohbahs shout out everything.
• Overly Long Scream: Mokey does this on realizing she'll be late for the trial.
• Parenthetical Swearing:
  Red: Mokey, why don't you tell the Poohbahs to take their club, fold it four ways, and give it to the Doozers?
• Pig Latin:
  • To speak Oopidad, just take the first consonant sound of a word, put it on the end, and add "oopidad." For instance, "Red" would be "Ed-Roopidad."
  • Uffa-fluff is spoken the same way.
    Mokey: Uffa-fluff?
    The Vanguard: That's ight-ruffa-fluff!
• Planet of Steves: All the members are called Fritz.
• Plank Gag: Doc, in his Chipmunk costume, is about to leave for his initiation ceremony. As he turns toward the door, he accidentally knocks Sprocket down with the sword at his belt.
• Please, I Will Do Anything!: When Mokey is declared unworthy to join the Poohbahs, she pleads that she didn't mean to offend them and begs to be allowed to join anyway.
  The Beggler-Beg: Too late! There is no way for you to join our ranks... short of undergoing the trial!
  [The other Poohbahs all gasp.]
  Mokey: I'll do it.
  The Beggler-Beg: You would be willing to undergo... the trial?
  [The other Poohbahs all gasp again.]
  Mokey: I'll do anything to become a Poohbah!
• Prehensile Tail: The Fraggles have somewhat prehensile tails—Red can use hers to juggle bowls of okra soup.
• Rule of Pool: Mokey follows Red on her morning jog, explaining about Oopidad and the upcoming trial. She gets so distracted talking to Red that she doesn't notice the swimming pool behind her—or Red's warning about it.
  Mokey: Oh, Red, Red, Red... I simply have got to become a Poohbah. If I don't, I'll just die!
  Red: Oh, Mokey! Oh, watch out for the immming-swoopidad ool...!
  [Loud splash.]
  Red: ...poobidad.
• Running Gag: Mokey keeps startling (and, in some cases, waking) Red by running in and screaming about the Poohbahs.
• Secret Test: Admitting that the Poohbahs are silly.
• Shutting Up Now: Toward the beginning of the episode, Mokey tries to ask the Beggler-Beg if she may join the Poohbahs. He rebukes her for calling him by his name, which only a Poohbah may do.
  Mokey: I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Uh, you won't bother me anymore. [Gasps.] I mean... I won't bother you anymore! I'm sorry I said "Beggler-Beg." [Gasps.] I said it again! [Runs off.]
• Silly Song:
  • "Turn Your Buttons Down," sung by the Poohbahs.
  • "Keep on Smilin'," written by Gobo. He, Red, and Wembley sing it to Mokey in an effort to cheer her up when she falls into the swimming pool. Mokey hates it.
    Mokey: [after song ends] I think it's time for me to leave. [Ducks underwater.]
    Red: You're still not smiling!
• Soup Is Medicine: The only cure for galloping tongue fever is hot soup.
• Staff of Authority:
  • The Vanguard carries one with a tassel at the top.
  • The Mind Reader carries one with a Fraggle's head at the top.
• Too Important to Walk: At one point, the Beggler-Beg is seen being carried in a sedan chair.
• Too Unhappy to Be Hungry: After Mokey's failed attempt to ask the Beggler-Beg if she may join the Poohbahs, Red tries to make her feel better by offering to cook supper, but Mokey has no appetite.
  Mokey: I have just humiliated myself! I'll never eat again.
• Verbal Backpedaling: Red does this when Boober, overhearing her and Mokey rehearsing the speech for the trial, asks what's wrong with Mokey.
  Mokey: [gasps] Oh, Red, Red, Red, what's wrong with me? Please, quick! What, what, what, what?
  Boober: Mokey was just talking in a secret language!
  Red: Uh... she was not! Uh... actually, she's delirious. Oh, terribly ill, with a dreadful fever.
  Mokey: The Rock grows dark around me! I must lie down! I must ie-loopidad own-doopidad! [Flops onto her bed.]
• Wardrobe Malfunction: While Mokey is saying she hopes she's worthy to join the Poohbahs, her mask falls off.
• Welcomed to the Masquerade: When Mokey finally becomes a Poohbah.
• The X of Y: The episode's title.
• You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: At the trial, Red must undergo the Ordeal of the Glummberglotz: wearing funny nose-glasses while juggling okra soup.
  Mokey: [after watching Red juggle bowls of soup with her tail] You Fraggles can't be serious. You've got to be kidding me!

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