"You'll have to do."
Tumbrell, jealous of Cotterpin's position as Apprentice Architect, puts her on trial for being friends with Fraggles, on the grounds that Doozers can only befriend noble and intelligent creatures. Cotterpin goes to prove Fraggles worthy by fetching her friends, but only finds Feenie and Large Marvin, the rest having gone on a camping trip to the Lesser Galleries for a few days on account of a nest with a Poison Cackler's egg.
Cotterpin brings them to the Doozer Dome and tells them to wait outside, as the two are too big to fit through the entrance. Large Marvin attempts to go in anyway but gets stuck. The Doozers go out through the back way and begin to ask Feenie and Marvin questions to determine their intelligence. Feenie screws up, and Judge Gavel declares Cotterpin's job as Apprentice Architect is over. To make matters worse, the egg hatches and the baby Poison Cackler captures Cotterpin. Feenie and Marvin save her, proving that Fraggles are noble and intelligent.
This episode contains examples of:
- Accidental Misnaming: Feenie forgets Large Marvin's name, then calls him Large Melvin.
- Beware My Stinger Tail: Poison Cacklers have large teeth, protruding tongues, and tails similar to those of scorpions.
- Big Damn Heroes: When the Poison Cackler captures Cotterpin, Feenie and Marvin save her.
- Camping Episode: On learning of the Poison Cackler's egg, all the Fraggles but Feenie and Marvin go on a camping trip to the Lesser Galleries for a few days, in order to give the Poison Cackler time to hatch and move on.
- Chekhov's Gun: Throughout the episode, Large Marvin is eating crackers. When he gets unstuck from the Doozer Dome, he lands on the Poison Cackler, along with some of his crackers. The Cackler turns out to love the crackers, and Feenie gets the idea of telling Marvin to make it let Cotterpin go by giving it the rest.
- Continuity Nod:
- As the episode begins, Red is wearing a shirt and visor first seen in "The Grapes of Generosity."
- Poison Cacklers were mentioned by Boober in "The Beast of Bluerock" and by Wembley in "Sir Hubris and the Gorgs." One of them made an appearance in "The Wizard of Fraggle Rock."
- The Fraggles, when leaving for the Lesser Galleries, sing "Follow Me," first heard in "Beginnings."
- Cotterpin rides her Cool Bike, first seen in "All Work and All Play."
- Courtroom Episode: Cotterpin on trial.
- A Day in the Limelight: Feenie and Large Marvin.
- Driven by Envy: Tumbrell, jealous of Cotterpin's position as Apprentice Architect, spies on her while she's talking to Red, then sets the rest of the plot in motion by putting her on trial for being friends with a Fraggle.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Feenie has one when the Poison Cackler turns out to love Large Marvin's crackers, giving him the idea of how to make it let Cotterpin go.
- Failed a Spot Check: Exaggerated. All of the other Fraggles are singing while leaving for the Lesser Galleries, and Feenie and Marvin walk off in the opposite direction.
- Fantastic Racism: The Doozers consider Fraggles to be large, stupid, and silly creatures. They even have a rule prohibiting friendship with them based on this.
- Friendly Tickle Torture: The Bailiff tickles Large Marvin in an attempt to get him unstuck from the Doozer Dome. It doesn't work.
- Help, I'm Stuck!: Marvin gets stuck in the entrance to the Doozer Dome.
- It's Probably Nothing: As Cotterpin is taking Large Marvin to the Doozer Dome, Feenie stops to look at an egg in a nest, then begins to have a funny feeling about it.Feenie: Ooh! Ooh, ooh! Hey, Marvin! Does this egg remind you of something we forgot? [Beat] Nah, I guess not. Nah.
- Judicial Wig: Judge Gavel and the Bailiff wear them. Tumbrell does, too, at the trial.
- Kangaroo Court: The Doozers' court system. Judge Gavel gives a guilty verdict within moments, before Cotterpin has a chance to bring in any Fraggle witnesses.Cotterpin: This is crazy! I've got a bridge to build.
Tumbrell: Not if I can prove you're guilty.
Judge Gavel: Which is certainly likely. - Mass "Oh, Crap!": The Fraggles in the Great Hall, when Mokey announces that she's seen a Poison Cackler's nest with an egg in it.
- Missed Him by That Much: Uncle Matt observes Doc and Sprocket while they're having a nap on their front porch. Matt falls down the porch steps, waking Doc... but Matt has already gotten up and walked out of sight.
- Not Helping Your Case: Judge Gavel believes Fraggles are stupid but gives Cotterpin a chance to prove otherwise. Feenie, after he and Large Marvin have been sworn in, asks Cotterpin what he should say but mishears her answer and gives a Non Sequitur reply.Cotterpin: Tell her that, under the circumstances, you'd be pleased to discuss any topic!
Feenie: [mutters to himself] Yeah. Uh, Madame Judge, in the circus we're pleased to be standing in...
[Marvin does a Face Palm]
Feenie: ...we'd be disgusted by a topic of underpants!
Cotterpin: Oh, no...!
Judge Gavel: That does it! Fraggles are neither noble nor intelligent. - Oh, Crap!: Cotterpin, when Tumbrell arrests her.
- Prenatal Possessions: When the Poison Cackler hatches, it's wearing a diaper and a baby bonnet.
- Remembered Too Late: Subverted. When the Poison Cackler hatches, Feenie says, "I knew we forgot to remember something!" He and Marvin manage to save Cotterpin from the Cackler, though.
- Sentimental Sacrifice: Marvin, who loves to eat, gives all the food he has with him to the Poison Cackler in order to save Cotterpin.
- Stuck in the Doorway: Marvin gets stuck in the entrance to the Doozer Dome.
- This Is No Time to Panic: When the Fraggles hear about the Poison Cackler's egg, they start to panic. Gobo tries to calm them down, but Red interrupts.Red: We've got a panic on our hands!
- Verbal Backspace: Feenie does this when being sworn in.Judge Gavel: Swear in the witnesses.
Bailiff: Uh, Large Marvin and Feenie, do you swear to tell the Doozer truth, the whole Doozer truth, and nothing but the Doozer truth, so help you Doozerdom?
Feenie: I Doozer! Uh, no, I mean... I do, sir!
Large Marvin: What he said. - Walk This Way: When Cotterpin tells Feenie and Large Marvin to follow her, Feenie starts off in the wrong direction.Large Marvin: Feenie...!
Feenie: [coming back] Hmm?
Large Marvin: Come here. Walk this way. [He starts sauntering in the opposite direction.]
[Feenie follows, imitating Marvin's saunter.] - The X of Y: The episode's title.
