Recap / Fraggle Rock S 4 E 4 Sidebottom Blues

"Not you again!"

Wembley tries to talk Boober into joining the other Fraggles for a game of Follow the Leader in the Gorgs' garden, as their roving medic. But when he overhears Gobo calling Junior a big goof, Boober thinks he's talking about him. He sulks in his cave, exclaiming no one likes him, then lies down for a nap. Sidebottom reappears, calling himself "Dr. Fun," and Boober asks him to take over for a while and teach him how to have fun.

Pretending to be a "new Boober," Sidebottom leads the other Fraggles to the garden, where he hypnotizes Junior, who is about to make bonkleberry stew, into thinking he's a Fraggle. Junior sings and dances with the Fraggles, but Wembley loses consciousness due to his allergy to the berries. Boober takes the reins from his alter ego and cures Wembley, realizing Junior was the goof, not him.

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This episode contains examples of:

• All Just a Dream: Defied. Boober, when he meets Sidebottom in his dreams, is aware from the start that it's a dream. Boober and Sidebottom even hear Wembley trying to wake Boober.
• All Work vs. All Play: Boober is all work, and Sidebottom is all play. At the end of the episode, both of them realize there needs to be a balance between the cautious, rational side and the thrill-seeking, irrational side.
• Be Yourself: Boober believes his friends think he's no fun, so he asks Sidebottom to take over for a while and teach him how to have fun. The others think that singing and dancing with the hypnotized Junior is a blast. But when Wembley loses consciousness and Boober cures him, he realizes his friends like the "old Boober" fine.
• Brainwashed: Sidebottom gets Junior to think he's a Fraggle.
• Bungled Hypnotism: Sidebottom tells the hypnotized Junior to taste the bonkleberry stew. When Junior does, he burns his mouth, snapping him out of it. On top of that, Junior drops a bowl of bonkleberries, and some of them land on Wembley, causing him to faint.
• Continuity Nod:
  • When Boober falls asleep, he meets Sidebottom, introduced in "Boober's Dream."
  • Sidebottom wears his red-and-white-striped footless socks.
• Cooking Stories: Junior is making bonkleberry stew.
• Crisis Catch-and-Carry: Subverted. Gobo, Red, and Mokey pick up Wembley after he faints, but they know that while carrying him, they won't be able to run back to the Fraggle hole fast enough to escape Junior, who's just snapped out of his trance.
• Crossdresser: Junior, wearing a frilly apron while making bonkleberry stew.
• Didn't Think This Through: Sidebottom doesn't stop to consider the dangers of having Junior make bonkleberry stew, even though he knows how allergic Wembley is to the smell alone.
• Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: A hypnotized Junior sings the beginning of the theme while making the stew.
• Disproportionate Retribution: When Junior snaps out of his trance and realizes that Sidebottom is to blame, he wants to retaliate by throwing him in the bonkleberry stew.
  Junior: Why, you Fraggle! You won't get away from me. And when I catch you, I'm gonna put you in that stew pot!
• Dream Land: Where Sidebottom lives.
• Dream Tells You to Wake Up: After thinking Gobo called him a big goof, Boober sulks in his cave and lies down for a nap, only to meet Sidebottom in his dreams. A few minutes later, they hear Wembley at the cave door, trying to wake Boober so he can tell him why the game of Follow the Leader is off.
  Boober: He's come to tell me that Gobo canceled his game because he didn't want the big goof along.
  Sidebottom: Better wake up and face the music, kiddo!
• Dressed to Heal: Throughout the episode, Boober and Sidebottom wear head mirrors and lab coats. Sidebottom wears a stethoscope with his coat—which, in keeping with his taste in clothes, has fluffy white pompons at the cuffs and shoulders, and big splotches of color above the hem. His head mirror is attached to its headband by a spring, so it bobs around when he moves.
  Boober: Why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit?
  Sidebottom: Because I'm Dr. Fun!
• Entertainingly Wrong: Everyone thinks that Sidebottom is Boober, because they look almost identical and are wearing similar outfits. Boober's friends notice the difference, but Sidebottom, pretending to be Boober, has an explanation.
  Wembley: Boober! What happened to you?
  Sidebottom: I had a wonderful dream. I'm a new Fraggle, brimming with fun!
• Fainting: This happens to Wembley when bonkleberries land on him, on account of his allergy to them.
• Foreshadowing: At the beginning, Boober is showing Wembley a pollen ointment for the latter's allergy to bonkleberries. Later, in the Gorgs' garden, Wembley begins bonking due to this allergy, then faints when Junior accidentally drops bonkleberries on him.
• Friendly Tickle Torture: Sidebottom does this to Boober.
  Sidebottom: Here, let me test your reflexes!
  Boober: What?
  [Sidebottom begins tickling him.]
• From Bad to Worse: Junior, after being hypnotized, starts making bonkleberry stew, the fumes of which are causing Wembley to have an allergy attack. When Boober tells Sidebottom that Wembley could lose consciousness, Sidebottom decides to "get rid of" the bonkleberries by having Junior start adding the rest of them to the stew, oblivious to the fact that this won't get rid of them, only make the smell stronger. On top of that, Junior spills some of them on Wembley, causing him to faint.
• Fun Personified: Sidebottom.
• Healing Herb: Boober keeps many remedies made from these in his cave and his medical bag.
• Healing Potion: After taking the reins back from Sidebottom, Boober uses a pollen ointment to revive the unconscious Wembley.
• Helpless with Laughter: Lampshaded by Boober. Among his remedies is yorumba root, used to treat giggle fatigue.
• Hijacking Cthulhu: Through hypnosis, Sidebottom does this to Junior—at least temporarily.
  Sidebottom: We Fraggles have taken over the Gorgs' empire!
  Junior: [in a trance] Yes, we have taken over the Gorgs' empire!
• Honesty Is the Best Policy: The North American "B" plot has Doc in despair because Ms. Ardath, the owner of the Captain's Inn, has falsely told some retired sea captains that Doc is a retired sailor, and she wants him to speak about life on the sea at a party for them. It gets worse when Ms. Ardath calls and says the party will be on the sailors' yacht—just the thought of being on a pitching deck makes Doc feel seasick. Just before the party, he tells the sea captains the truth. They compliment him on his honesty, and he doesn't have to go out on the yacht after all.
• Hypno Fool: Junior.
• Hypno Pendulum: Sidebottom hypnotizes Junior by swinging his stethoscope to and fro.
• Indy Ploy: Sidebottom is very fond of these. When Boober doesn't want to wake up and talk to Wembley about the game of Follow the Leader being canceled, Sidebottom says he'll talk to Wembley if Boober lets him out there.
  Boober: He'll give me some lame excuse, and it'll be too embarrassing. I can't deal with it.
  Sidebottom: I can! Just let me out there. I'll show you how it's done!
  Boober: But... but... but what are you gonna say to him?
  Sidebottom: Who knows? For once in your life, trust your fun side!
• The Insomniac: Subverted, when Boober lies down for a nap.
  Boober: I'm so tense and confused, I'll probably never get to sleep.
  [Moments later, he begins snoring.]
• Irritation Nightmare: When Boober falls asleep, he dreams of being entangled in a twisted-up hammock. Then, on top of that, Sidebottom appears.
• It's All My Fault: After thinking Gobo called him a big goof, Boober believes he's the reason his friends don't want to play Follow the Leader. The real reason was that Gobo had scouted the garden and found that Junior had put a bunch of traps around.
• Lured into a Trap: Subverted. When Sidebottom runs out of the tunnel and into the Gorgs' garden, the other Fraggles think he'll be caught in one of Junior's traps. Instead, he deliberately sets off the traps, ringing the alarms on them and bringing Junior out to see the Fraggle he thinks he's caught. This leads to Sidebottom hypnotizing Junior into thinking he's a Fraggle.
• Meaningful Name:
  Boober: Oh, no! Sidebottom!
  Sidebottom: That's right—the fun side that you always keep on the bottom!
• Missed Him by That Much: Boober, listening outside Gobo and Wembley's cave, runs off after thinking he heard Gobo call him a big goof. Seconds later, Gobo comes out of the cave, telling Wembley he thinks it's great that he convinced Boober to come along.
• Murphy's Bed: Boober dreams that he's tangled in a hammock. Sidebottom manages to get him untangled by spinning him around.
  Sidebottom: I'm here to release you from your woe! [Spins Boober.]
  Boober: WHOOOOAAAAAAAHHHH!
• My God, What Have I Done?: Sidebottom, after he sees Wembley lose consciousness when bonkleberries land on him.
• No Listening Skills: Boober tries several times to tell Sidebottom how dangerous the adventure is, but Sidebottom keeps brushing him off.
• Oh, Crap!: Boober, several times:
  • When he thinks Gobo is calling him a big goof.
  • When he falls asleep only to meet Sidebottom in his dreams.
  • When Sidebottom announces his intention to have some fun with the Gorgs.
  • When Sidebottom hypnotizes Junior.
  • When Junior starts making bonkleberry stew, the fumes of which are causing Wembley to have an allergy attack.
  • When Junior snaps out of his trance and drops a bowl of bonkleberries, some of which land on Wembley, causing him to faint.
  • Sidebottom, when he sees Wembley faint and doesn't know how to cure him.
• The Only One: Sidebottom is aghast when Wembley faints due to bonkleberries landing on him, but only Boober knows the remedy for Wembley's allergy to them. Fortunately, Boober is more than ready to take charge again.
• Out of Character: Subverted. Boober's friends believe he's acting this way when they think it's Boober saying he wants to play Follow the Leader in the Gorgs' garden, despite the traps Junior has set. It's really Sidebottom, pretending to be a "new Boober."
  Red: Did he fall down and sprain his brain?
• Out-of-Context Eavesdropping: Boober, outside Gobo and Wembley's cave, overhears them talking about Junior.
  Wembley: You don't understand, Gobo! I finally convinced Boober that he should come along with us. He'll be really disappointed.
  Gobo: Well, we'll play Follow the Leader some other time, when that big goof isn't hanging around bothering us.
  [Boober gasps.]
  Gobo: He spoils all the fun.
  Wembley: Yeah.
  Boober: Big... big goof?
  Wembley: But I promised Boober...!
  Gobo: Well, you're gonna have to unpromise, Wembley. As long as he's around, we're not going.
  Boober: It's all my fault. Oh, no! [Runs off.]
• Playing with Puppets: Sidebottom decides to "have some fun with" Junior by hypnotizing him into thinking he's a Fraggle, then getting him to sing and dance with the real Fraggles.
• Plot Allergy: Wembley's allergy to bonkleberries is so severe, the smell makes him bonk. Touching one causes him to lose consciousness, and it's implied that this could happen from the smell alone, if it's strong enough.
• Poor Communication Kills: Boober jumps to the conclusion that he's the big goof, instead of just asking Gobo. This leads to him asking Sidebottom to take over for a while—which leads to Wembley fainting from a bonkleberry attack.
• "The Reason I Suck" Speech: Boober makes one of these right after he overhears Gobo and thinks he called him a big goof.
  Boober: [storming into his room] Stupid home remedies!
  [He throws down his bag of home remedies.]
  Boober: Who cares about you? Nobody but the big goof. Nobody wants to hang around with me. And why should they? All I do is just...
  [He accidentally knocks the overhead net containing more of his home remedies onto him.]
  Boober: ...wreck stuff and spoil everything.
  [He shoves the net off himself, then gets into bed for a nap.]
  Boober: I'm the most unfun Fraggle in the world. I'm a waste of skin.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: When Sidebottom accidentally makes Junior drop bonkleberries on Wembley, causing him to faint, he realizes he's dropped Boober's medical bag and doesn't know how to cure Wembley. Frantic, he turns to Boober, who gives him this speech before taking back the reins.
  Boober: Now look what you've done!
  Sidebottom: I didn't know...!
  Boober: All you know about is having so-called fun! What are you waiting for? Grab my medicine bag!
  Sidebottom: What will I do with it?
  Boober: You are really out to lunch. Don't you know how to do anything?
  Sidebottom: But I'm your fun side. I specialize in yuks!
  Boober: You specialize in getting me into trouble! Right now, I am gonna run my own show.
  Sidebottom: Well, that might not be a bad idea, under the circumstances.
  Boober: Oh, brother!
  Sidebottom: I guess it is better if we work together.
  Boober: [picking up his medical bag] Well, Sidebottom, there is such a thing as a happy medium.
• Repeat After Me: Junior, under Sidebottom's spell, repeats everything Sidebottom says. He then gets Junior to sing an echo song: "Fun is Here to Stay."
• Reverse Psychology: Sidebottom uses this on Junior after explaining what Follow the Leader entails.
  Sidebottom: I lead. You follow and do everything I say.
  Junior: Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I'm a Gorg. I don't take no orders from no Fraggles!
  Sidebottom: [using his stethoscope as a Hypno Pendulum] Well then, don't watch this.
  Junior: I will if I want to.
• Security Cling: When Boober takes charge again and rushes back to his friends with his bag of home remedies, he finds Mokey standing with her arms around the unconscious Wembley.
• Shadow Archetype: Boober comes into conflict with the fun-loving, irresponsible part of his personality.
• Skewed Priorities:
  • Sidebottom keeps brushing off the others' objections to going to the Gorgs' garden, such as the traps Junior has set.
    Gobo: Great idea, Boober, except the Gorgs have traps set about there.
    Red: Yeah!
    Sidebottom: So? Are we gonna let a few little traps get in the way of our fun?
  • When they reach the Gorgs' garden...
    Wembley: Those are baskets of bonkleberries! I can already feel my allergies acting up! [Starts bonking.]
    Sidebottom: Are you gonna let a little allergy spoil everyone's fun? Come on, Wemble, let's go!
• Sleepy Depressive: Boober feels like becoming one after thinking Gobo called him a big goof.
  Boober: Oh, I feel like I want to stay here and sleep forever!
• Split Personality: Sidebottom, Boober's alternate personality.
• Split-Personality Takeover: Justified. Boober asks Sidebottom to take over for a while and teach him how to have fun. Sidebottom is not evil, though, just fun-loving, overactive, and irresponsible.
• Stewed Alive: What Junior plans to do to Sidebottom for tricking him.
• Swapped Roles: Sidebottom, the fun side of Boober that he keeps on the bottom, is now on the top.
• Terrible Pick-Up Lines: Mokey, thinking Sidebottom is Boober, tells him that she and his other friends are concerned about him. He responds by acting as if he has a crush on her.
  Sidebottom: Don't be so poky, Mokey. [He throws himself into her arms.] You can learn to love the new me!
  Mokey: Um... actually, I rather like the old you. [She pushes him away.]
• Unconventional Food Usage: Uncle Matt finds himself in someone's kitchen and thinks a whistling teakettle, a ringing telephone, and a cuckooing clock are creatures all trying to talk to him at once. Seeing some cookies on a baking sheet, ready to go into the oven, Matt uses two of them as noise-canceling headphones.
• Wrong Assumption: Boober has one when he thinks Gobo is calling him a big goof. The latter was talking about Junior.

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