Scarer Tylor Tuskmon, valedictorian of Monsters University, arrives at Monsters, Inc. the day after they switch to laugh power, and finds himself in a position he's utterly unsuited for.
Tropes in this episode include:
- An Aesop:
- Change is inevitable. It can be hard to get used to, but we must try to make the best of it.
- While we may not always achieve our dreams, there are always new doors for great opportunities.
- Broken Pedestal: The monsters are quick to acknowledge that Waternoose's actions made him as much of a figurative monster as he was a literal one. When Tylor is given the employee orientation video, which calls Waternoose their "esteemed CEO", Mr. Crummyham is quick to interrupt with this bit of information."No longer esteemed. Kccch! Headed off to the big house!"
- Continuity Nod:
- While reporting in for his first shift, Tylor says hi to George, who is seen walking around still shaved and wearing his cone.
- When giving Tylor a You Are Better Than You Think You Are speech, Mike brings up knowing what it feels like to cross the line on the Scare/Laugh Floor and being willing to do anything to achieve it on your own merits, and Sulley points out that he and Mike both worked their way up to their current positions of running the company from the Mailroom, both things that were covered in Monsters University.
- When Tylor graduates, we see that he was taught and graded by Professor Knight, who's still running the Monsters University scaring program after teaching Mike and Sulley in that film.
- Before the time skip in the first movie, Mike points out that their actions have probably ruined the company and put hundreds out of work, and fears that angry mobs will come after him and Sulley when the city runs out of power. In the first episode, one of Mike's first lines is him expressing relief that the factory is still open with no job losses or angry mob.
- The same conversation mentions Waternoose when Celia tells Mike and Sulley someone wants to see them in his old office. Mike correctly suspects it can't be the ex-CEO, since they hauled him off the day before.
- Also in the same conversation, Celia suggests she and Mike go out at Harryhausen's, but Mike says they have been banned for life from there. Harryhausen's was the restaurant Mike and Celia dated at and where Boo spread her chaos in the first film. (Incidentally, the restaurant is also named for stop-motion pioneer Ray Harryhausen.)
- Fungus, Randall's Co-worker, is still shown to be employed at Monsters Inc, and is grateful to Mike for allowing him to keep his job. Mike bushes it off, but jokes that Fungus missed out on a ride in his car, which is the Comically Small Bribe he offered him to let him go when Randall locked him into the scream extractor.
- Company Cross References:
- The little boy who Tylor tries to get laughter out of wears Mickey Mouse pajamas and has a Winnie the Pooh doll.
- Tylor Tuskmon's home address is 626 Croak Street, a reference to one Experiment 626 (Stitch) as well as a frog who appears in some scenes with that alien in Lilo & Stitch.note
- Connected All Along: Apparently Sulley was the one who recommended Tylor join M.I. as a scarer.
- Credits Jukebox: The end credits uses the original Monsters, Inc. theme.
- Does Not Know His Own Strength: In the opening, Tylor scares the simulation child so much that it completely malfunctions. Doubles as a Foreshadowing to Tylor's tendency to break things.
- Dramatic Irony: Tylor is hit with this as part of his Establishing Character Moment, with the viewer getting to see the signature on his acceptance letter to Monsters, Inc. was signed by Waternoose, hence due to the events of the film, Tylor's dream job is no longer valid.
- Epic Fail: Tylor's first attempt to become a Jokester ends up causing the entire Laugh Floor to be wrecked.
- Fun with Acronyms: Mike gives himself the new title of "Senior Co-President of Monsters, Incorporated and Chief Executive Vice-Deputy Administrative Director of Comedy Resources Management" (or SCPOMICE-VDADOCREM).
- Hypocritical Humor: In a case before and after the fact, Mike calls Celia and tells her that she's being given a long overdue promotion to scare-floor manager. Immediately after he tells her this, he promises not to use his power for personal gain before prattling off about getting himself a raise and a company car; Sulley just gawks at him and even smirks a bit.
- Immediate Sequel: Episode one picks up the day after Waternoose was arrested by the CDA, which contributes to the ongoing chaotic restructuring of the business as Mike and Sulley are told they're left in charge and having to come up with new branding to reflect the switch from scaring kids to making them laugh, which also helps further disorient Tylor as his first day happens in the middle of the switch. For example, Celia is no longer receptionist after Mike uses his new role as company director to give her a long-overdue promotion, and thus Tylor cannot find somebody to help explain what's going on or where he should go to enroll in the company departments.
- Late to the Realization: Tylor graduates and receives his acceptance letter to Monsters, Inc. just before the events of the first film take place. His first day at work is the day after they've switched to laugh power, and he's suddenly hit with the news that they no longer hire Scarers.
- Nice Mean And In Between: From how Tylor's new coworkers (sans Banana Bread) interacts with him: Val is automatically kind when they first interact and is excited to have him as part of the MIFT crew. Duncan's Establishing Character Moment has him acting cruel and unfriendly towards Tylor. Cutter doesn't welcome him with open arms like Val but isn't hostile to him like Duncan.
- Our Slogan Is Terrible: As a Running Gag, Mike keeps coming up with new laugh-based slogans for the company to replace "We Scare Because We Care", only for them to be lousy and Sulley advising him to keep trying. It isn't until Tylor says, "it's laughter you're after," does Mike realize it's a perfect slogan.
- Parental Substitute: Invoked and Played for Laughs. When they first meet, Fritz suggests that he could be a father figure to Tylor, or even a grandfather figure. Tylor points out that his actual father and grandfather are still alive, so Fritz settles for being a distant uncle figure instead.
- Persona Non Grata: Mike reveals the madness caused by Boo at Harryhausen's resulted in he and Sulley being banned from the restaurant for life.
- Precision F-Strike: One of the monsters bluntly says, "We're screwed," when it is announced that scaring is out.
- Readings Blew Up the Scale: Tylor’s scare rating was apparently so high, that it blew the animatronic and shorted out the simulated scream gauge.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Even after Tylor trashes the Laugh Floor after sneaking onto it and fully expects to be fired, Mike and Sulley, in true fashion, are very understanding. They note how chaotic it has been since the change to laugh power and that a desire to cross over the Laugh Floor line can be very strong. They also encourage Tylor to attend Mike's comedy lessons and learn how to be a Jokester himself by revealing that they had worked their way up from the mailroom.
- Shout-Out:
- While sitting at Waternoose's desk, Mike holds a golf club throughout, much like the shtick of Bob Hope.
- The Stinger: When the credits end, Roze says, "Keep watchin'... always keep watchin'..." in reference to a memorable quote from Roz in the first film.
- Truth in Television: A sad example, economies can change without warning, and jobs that were once in high demand can become readily unavailable as quickly as they were desired, especially after a major change in the industry. Just ask Tylor.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Sulley has this reaction when Roz tells him that he and Mike have been placed in charge of the company. Roz states that she said the same thing.
