It's a seven-way competition for the rank of Director. Who will come out on top?
Hands on a Desk ChairAirdates: March 26, 2018 note , December 10, 2017 note
While Ms. O leaves to conduct a super-secret mission, Olympia, Otis, Oona, Ocean, Owen, Coach O, and Orchid compete to be Ms. O for the day.
Tropes:
- Call-Back: This episode has seven agents competing to be the Director for a day, similar to "The O Games". However, none of the seven agents take part in any sports; they must keep their hand on Ms. O's chair in order to claim the title and rank, and even when Orchid ends up the winner, her victory is short-lived, as Ms. O comes back and orders her to get out of her chair.
- Conversation Cut: Lampshaded by Ocean and Olly.Ocean: Uh-oh. Looks like we have to carry...[Whip Pan transition]Ocean: 10 heads of lettuce each.Olly: I don't know what you're talking about.Ocean: Oh, that's because I said half the sentence somewhere else.
- Cool Crown: A turtle ruler that Ms. O meets during her mission wears one of these on its shell.
- Everyone Has Standards: Orchid has no qualms with manipulating her teammates into losing the competition, but when it comes to her boss's orders, she is not one to disobey them.Ms. O: Orchid! Out of my chair!Orchid: Yes, ma'am!
- Evil Sorcerer: Played for laughs. It's revealed that a wizard has put a curse on the Cold Open client, causing his mustache to disappear every time he scans an item. Olympia and Otis chase him away with brooms.
- Free-Range Children: It's implied that Olympia and Otis are doing their own grocery shopping when meeting up with the Cold Open client, who is a cashier at the grocery store.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Pausing at just the right time when everyone lunges for the chair reveals that it's a potential three-way tie between Ocean, Owen and Coach O for who gets to be in charge.
- Girls with Moustaches: Zig-zagged. Olympia gains the Cold Open client's mustache as a result of him scanning a food item. As he scans more things, the mustache rotates to Otis, then back to the client, and the cycle keeps going.
- Hero of Another Story: We only see snippets of Ms. O's mission, but don't get any details aside from what she orders Owen, Oona, and Ocean to bring to her.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction: After Owen is eliminated, Ms. O calls Oona and asks her for the 30 gadgets she had promised her earlier. Oona assures her boss that they're on their way, before holding the phone to her chest as she tells the other contestants that they aren't on their way, stating that she forgot due to the competition.
- Irony: Coach O is the person to initially suggest a competition between the seven agents. No guesses as to who takes their hand off of the chair first.
- Letting the Air out of the Band: A unique variant occurs with Owen, who begins clapping at Orchid's suggestion, but his clapping slows to a stop as he realizes that the act of clapping caused him to take his hand off of the chair, disqualifying him from the competition.
- Manipulative Bastard: Orchid, and how. Throughout the competition, she is shown manipulating the other competitors in taking their hands (and feet) off of the chair by tricking them into believing she's going to help them when she's not.
- She manages to get Coach O disqualified by luring him into shaking hands with her to test his honesty.
- Owen becomes disqualified by Orchid saying that clearing all of the security zones deserves a round of applause. Owen is the only one who claps before realizing what he did, causing him to be eliminated.
- When Olympia remarks that Otis has bubblegum on his shoe, Orchid offers to get it off for him. However, since his shoe is on the chair instead of his hand, taking it off results in the Investigation agent's immediate loss.
- She doesn't even need to get Oona to lose the competition — the Scientist forfeits due to being allergic to lettuce, which is what Ocean needs to bring to Ms. O, while Orchid herself remarks that she thought it would be her and Oona at the end.
- Her turning into a Psycho Psychologist to scare Olly when she decides to join in the competition speaks for itself. It manages to leave Ocean and Olympia speechless (and bear in mind, Olympia is a Genki Girl with a Motor Mouth).
Orchid: It's okay, guys. She won't last.Olly: What makes you so sure of that?Orchid: Because all you can think about right now is how much you want to take your hand off this chair. But the question is, can you even take it off anymore?Olly: Yeah...of course I...can.Orchid: Sure. You can tell yourself that it's your choice that you're touching the chair, but how do you know it's not the chair's choice? And while you're at it, what came first, the chicken or the egg? It doesn't matter, because you didn't pick the chair, Olly. The chair. Picked. You.Olly: [scared] What's happening?Orchid: And why did the chair pick you, Olly? There's only one answer: the chair wants to be you. And the longer your hand is on it, the more power the chair has over you. [as the camera cuts and zooms in on her face and Olly's] And more, and more, and more, and more, and more, and more-[Olly takes her hand off of the chair]- She lures Ocean into taking his hands off of the chair by offering him a granola bar when he states how hungry he is. He states it was worth it.
- As the cherry on top, she gives some kind words to Olympia regarding the competition, triggering the other agent's positively cheerful attitude as she goes for a hug...and takes her hands off of the chair as a result. Of course, those who have kept a close eye on Orchid and know her well know that any kind words from her, especially during a competition where a leadership rank is at stake, is a big O.O.C. Is Serious Business moment. However, Olympia sure doesn't know, and she ends up paying the price for it.
Orchid: You know something, Olympia? Whoever ends up winning, I just wanna say that this whole experience has taught me a valuable lesson.Olympia: Really?Orchid: I know I made a lot of people let go of the chair, but I now realize that in working together, that I helped us all succeed, so in the end, we were all Ms. O!Olympia: Aww, I couldn't have said it better myself! [takes her hands off of the chair] Bring it in, Orchid!Orchid: Bam! And that's how you become Ms. O.Olympia: [bewildered] Orchid, you...you...Orchid: Won. The word is "won", Olympia.Olympia: I'll go let the team know that you're officially Ms. O for the day.Orchid: Thank you, Olympia! - Noodle Implements: Ms. O packs a blender and a hypnosis wheel into a duffel bag, and dips her hands into a bucket of some gooey substance. We never find out exactly what she needs all of these things for.
- No Time to Explain: Ms. O says this when Otis tells her she hasn't told the agents anything about her mission.
- Oh, No... Not Again!: Otis quotes the inversion of the trope's name verbatim when Oona refuses to let go of the chair.
- Plot Allergy: Oona is allergic to lettuce, which makes her forfeit the competition when Ocean is forced to send some to Ms. O.
- Red Alert: When Ms. O arrives in Sector 218, an alarm is heard going off as an offscreen light pulses red.
- Remember the New Guy?: October, an agent who patrols the halls of Precinct 13579, makes her debut in this episode as she stops Orchid, Ocean and Olympia from carrying lettuce in Headquarters. Olympia, the historian of the trio, remarks that she's never met her before, only for her to respond that she only works during the month of October.
- Reveal Shot: When Ocean remarks that people need two hands to build a gadget, an Answer Cut comes in the form of the contestants with their hands off of the chair as they pass gadgets to each other to put into a box. As they do so, the camera slowly pans to the left until a cart with five boxes and 30 overall gadgets, which a Scientist then takes away to reveal that every contestant has their shoes on the chair as an alternate way to continue the competition.
- Rivals Team Up: In the context of the competition. Otis suggests that the seven agents work together to help Ms. O on her mission while still competing to take her place for the day.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: At the end of the episode, Orchid wins the competition and orders Olympia to inform the other contestants that she's won, then commenting that she can get used to being a Director...mere seconds before Ms. O comes back from her mission and tells Orchid to get out of her chair.
- The Slacker: While Olympia and Ocean are using their feet to propel Ms. O's chair while carrying 10 heads of lettuce each, Orchid is sitting in the chair with 10 lettuce heads of her own, not even bothering to make an effort to propel it yet still complaining anyway.
- Spontaneous Mustache: Zig-zagged. Otis gets the Cold Open client's mustache, but it goes away as the client scans food items, and comes back as he keeps scanning them.
- Take a Third Option: When Ms. O asks Owen to shut off the security alarms in Sector 218 so she can get a bowling team to safety, he is faced with two options: either take his hand off of the chair, forfeit, and do what his boss asks, or deny her request and keep on participating in the competition. However, Otis has a third idea: take Ms. O's chair with them down the stairs to the North Control Room. Ocean and Oona also end up toting the chair around with them everywhere they go in order to not lose during the competition.
- When Oona requires the help of her fellow contestants to assemble gadgets for Ms. O, they resort to not forgoing the competition or all forfeiting, but rather, everyone puts their feet on the chair instead.
- This Is My Chair: The basis of the competition. Seven agents compete to see who will be Director for the day, and they settle it by placing their hands/feet on Ms. O's desk chair, with contestants being eliminated if they take their hands/feet off.
- Furthermore, Ms. O will not tolerate anyone sitting in her chair.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Invoked by Oona the first time around as she and the other competitors move the chair to the North Control Room as a background agent and nurse look on. It's later invoked by Olympia when the remaining competitors move the chair from the Control Room to the lab as a background agent looks in confusion.
- What the Hell, Hero?: The contestants give Owen, and later Oona, pieces of their minds when they forget to do their duties due to the chair competition.
- Worldbuilding: This episode introduces another sector: 218. However, we don't see much of it.
- You Are in Command Now: The episode's plot kicks off due to Ms. O not naming a temporary leader while on her way to conduct a secret, dangerous mission. As a result, the Main 3, plus Ocean, Owen, Coach O and Orchid, all fight for the rank.
It's bad enough they have the X's.
Now they have to deal with them in robot form.
There is No "O" in O-Bot note Now they have to deal with them in robot form.
Airdates: March 26, 2018 note , December 10, 2017 note
Otis and Olympia are forced to work on a case with a robot named Omega, who proves to be condescendingly obnoxious.
Tropes:
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Downplayed. Omega is very arrogant and treats humans (particularly Olympia and Otis) as inferiors, but its primary function is getting cases solved faster and doesn't seek to outright kill humans. Furthermore, it often gets facts wrong, such as what the greenhouse, hot tub store, and bakery all have in common.
- And There Was Much Rejoicing: Olympia and Otis don't miss Omega following the robot's self-destruction, and agree that he was the worst co-worker they've ever had.
- Anthropomorphic Food: The pizza slice Omega has stored inside of him is fired in the direction of the Noisemaker's attack. As a result, the slice sings the final lyric of the Happy Birthday song.
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Omega. Much like Xavier and Xena, it is very arrogant and thinks of humans like Olympia and Otis as its inferiors. Being "the latest in Odd Squad technology" doesn't help matters for the partner pair.
- Borrowed Catchphrase: Xena shouts Ms. O's "Well, what are you waiting for? Go!" Catchphrase at Olympia and Otis, leading Ms. O to respond in kind with:
- Chekhov's Gun: The pizza slice that Omega generates for Olympia and Otis ends up being what is needed to stop the Noisemaker at the climax.
- Chekhov's Hobby: Olympia's skill of reading sheets of music, which in turn comes from her taking piano lessons, comes in handy when solving the case.
- The Cloudcuckoolander Was Right: Olympia believes that the Happy Birthday song in and of itself has something to do with the "Happy Birthdays" illness outbreak. While Omega keeps shutting her down every time, the climax of the episode reveals that she's right on the money — the Noisemaker is making everyone sing the Happy Birthday song, and is the primary cause of the outbreak.
- Conversation Cut: When Olympia begins singing "happy birthday to you" while at the dentist's office reading the map, the camera cuts to Olympia and Otis in a large building as Olympia completes the lyric by saying "you".
- Crazy-Prepared: Olympia has the sheet music for the traditional Happy Birthday song hidden in Hammerspace, citing that she has been taking piano lessons and keeps it on hand in case there's a birthday being celebrated.
- Dancing Is Serious Business: The Cold Open client has the issue of being unable to walk across a crosswalk because it's not a crosswalk at all — it's a dancewalk. As a result, Olympia and Otis dance the hustle with her across the way.
- Deadpan Snarker: Ms. O has a healthy mixture of sass and snark to give Olympia when she calls her.Ms. O: We're getting reports of "Happy Birthday" being sung at the park by large, confused groups of people.Olympia: What? But that doesn't make any sense.Ms. O: That's why it's called oddness, Olympia. And it's your job to solve it. Please, and thank you.
- Depraved Dentist: Averted. The Tropical Dentist is more eccentric than anything else, having a tropical/Hawaiian theme that reflects in his clothing, his music tastes, and his office, and having his office be 95 degrees Fahrenheit often.
- Determinator: Played straight for Otis and Olympia, but averted for Omega near the climax of the episode.
- Do-Anything Robot: Omega, who is viewed as being similar in appearance to a filing cabinet, is big enough for Olympia and Otis to fit inside for traveling (although it gets very cramped), and he has monitors that allow them to deliver the math Aesop.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Omega's insistence for Olympia and Otis to climb inside of him, as well as their surprised reactions, has not gone unnoticed by fans, who view it as a little too innuendo-filled for a PBS Kids show. Never mind the fact that one of his orders is to "put your skeletal forms inside my robot core".
- Eating Machine: Inverted; Omega can apparently cook pizza and serve it, as its body is an oven.
- Enclosed Space: The inside of Omega is one, and Olympia and Otis cannot both fit comfortably inside of it despite it being big enough for a full-grown adult like Hopkins to fit in.
- Episode Title Card: This episode has a unique spin on the traditional title cards the show uses, as there is a footnote in the bottom-left corner, "This is incorrect. There are two", referring to there being two "O's" in the title.
- Fighting Back Is Wrong: Once again, it's implied — Ms. O can't shoot down the idea of having a robot go along with Olympia and Otis because the order to have a robot to begin with comes from the Big O, whom she cannot disobey. She even outright apologizes to the partner pair.
- Get Out!: Olympia and Otis relay this to Hopkins through their face expressions when he enters Omega along with them. He ends up taking the hint and leaves.
- Happy Birthday to You!: Averted. The main conflict of the episode revolves around people singing the traditional Happy Birthday song, which is a common odd illness in the show's universe known as the "Happy Birthdays". This is a notable change from "Crime at Shapely Manor", which had Lord Rectangle's birthday party guests singing a different "happy birthday" song than the traditional one.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Omega saves Olympia and Otis from the Noisemaker's attack, but ends up self-destructing as a result.
- Hidden Depths: Otis apparently enjoys taking yoga classes at the local hot yoga studio.
- Olympia is taking piano lessons, and is learning the Happy Birthday song.
- Idiot Ball: Olympia and Otis grab it at the climax of the episode. They don't even try and dodge the Noisemaker's attack, even though it moves rather slowly and they have plenty of time to do so. Instead, they hide behind Omega as the robot saves them by firing a slice of pizza at the attack, causing the attack to hit it instead of the agents.
- I Heard That: Omega says this when Olympia tells Ms. O that it's getting on her and Otis's nerves, and later says it again when she tells Otis that the robot is cramping her style.
- It's a Long Story: When the Noisemaker relays in bewilderment how Omega blocked his attack with a pizza slice, Otis says that it's a long story.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction: When Omega says that Olympia's badge phone is going to ring, Olympia starts to say that she doesn't think it's going to ring, before she gets cut off by it ringing.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: The Noisemaker says that Olympia and Otis will never stop him. He then does his Evil Laugh, leaving him open to Olympia casually strolling up to him and snatching his weapon out of his hand.
- Left the Background Music On: As the Tropical Dentist cues up tropical music for his office, it sounds more like BGM than anything coming on the radio. However, as Olympia's badge phone ringing shows (where the music, if it were BGM, would stop), the music keeps going, revealing that it's part of the office itself.
- Machine Monotone: Omega speaks like this. It does express emotion such as anger and embarrassment, but keeps the monotone.
- Meaningful Name: When Olympia and Otis find that the greenhouse is colored green, Olympia remarks "Well, that makes sense."
- Mirthless Laughter: Omega gets in on this trait of the X's with Robo Speak, by simply saying "laughter" over and over.
- Offscreen Teleportation: Omega does this often, although it's passed off as it having Super-Speed. At one point, when Otis realizes that they need to get to the office that Omega has mentioned as being 40 feet tall, he says that he knows a shortcut, only for Omega to tell him that they've already arrived (and keep in mind, they're inside him, and there is no movement from him whatsoever).
- Pride: Par for the course for the X's, but they also compliment Omega by telling them that it's the best, the fastest, and the most talented agent of Precinct 13579.
- Robot Buddy: Omega is one to the X's and the Big O. Not so much to Olympia, Otis, and Ms. O.
- Robot Me: Omega is pretty much a robot form of both Xavier and Xena.
- Robots Think Faster: Omega is able to access the town records in as much time as it takes to snap fingers. (Presumably, the records were uploaded to its system.) It also is able to calcuate what buildings are 40 feet tall without the need for measuring them, among other things.
- Self-Destruct Mechanism: Omega has one. However, in a subversion of the explosion commonly seen with the trope, it simply disappears with a simple "pop" noise.
- Shout-Out: This Omega appears to be loosely inspired by the robot character Omega from Sonic the Hedgehog, being a Jerkass who thinks highly of himself and who doesn't work well with his teammates. And while the X's didn't create Omega, they fully approve of his being created.
- Slower Than a Snail: The X's believe that Precinct 13579's agents are this when solving cases, which is why they had Omega built. As it turns out, Omega is much faster than Olympia or Otis, and he isn't afraid to call them slow. He even self-destructs quickly!
- Suddenly Fluent in Gibberish: Olympia, and later on Otis, is able to understand people who have the Happy Birthdays despite them only communicating in the lyrics of the eponymous song.
- Villain: Exit, Stage Left: Olympia gives the Noisemaker his weapon back so he can undo all the damage he has done. He then leaves to do just that (presumably).
- Visual Pun: Olympia and Otis are inside of Omega in a cramped space. The robot remarks that the trio are already at another place which is 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Olympia, being fed up with it, remarks to Otis that Omega is cramping her style.
- What Is This Feeling?: A variant — when Olympia says that her gut thinks the Happy Birthday song is the key to solving the case, Omega asks what a gut is. Olympia explains that it's "like a feeling". note Omega then asks what a feeling is.
- You Didn't Ask: Omega's response when Otis asks it why it couldn't just project charts on the wall so he and Olympia wouldn't have to crawl inside of it.
