The twelfth episode of the third season of Rocko's Modern Life.
The Big Question
Filburt attempts to propose to Dr. Hutchison, but has to deal with her mother, a friend of hers from high school and his own shyness.
The Big Answer
After it's Hutch who proposes to Filb, she has a hard time with her mother's objections while the guys (Rocko, Hef and two others) take the groom to be to an ice cream parlor for his bachelor party.
"The Big Question provides examples of:
- Bait-and-Switch: At first it appears Filburt is proposing to Hutch, but it turns out he's just practicing on popping the question.
- Battle in the Center of the Mind: Filburt working up the courage to propose to Hutch is represented as a Deranged Animation-filled sequence where he plays whack-a-mole with mental versions of Widow Hutchison, Tiger and himself, who all repeat his insecurities and worst fears back to him.
- Mistaken for Cheating: Due to the malicious words of the Widow Hutchison, Filburt thinks that Dr. Hutchison is going to leave him for her old friend Tiger, especially when they're spotted in a wedding boutique. Turns out that Hutch was actually planning to propose to Filb and Tiger was supporting her choice as well as giving her the courage to propose.
- Stating the Simple Solution: Filburt has a very roundabout plan for proposing to Dr. Hutchison, then Rocko points out that she's alone right now, and if he doesn't do it at that moment, he may not get another chance.
- Stuff Blowing Up: As part of a Zany Scheme, Heffer plants a bomb inside the prom cake, set to explode when someone cuts it.
- Unfortunate Names: Rocko isn't too fond of his codename "Rabbit Ears" and asks for a different name.
"The Big Answer" provides examples of:
- Abnormal Limb Rotation Range: Widow Hutchison twists her so far around that it becomes stuck.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: This line from Filburt:Filburt: Mayday, mayday! We're going down like a lead rake. And we can't fly, my friend ate too much ice cream, and my friend's from Australia! Wait a minute, this is a pig...
- Bait-and-Switch: When Hutch tells Filburt "she can't do it", it at first looks like she's getting cold feet. Turns out, she didn't want to deal with tension between her and Filburt's families, so the pair opt for an Elopement.
- Big Ball of Violence: The brawl between the turtles and cats.
- Call-Back: In the final scene where Filburt and Hutch board the plane, the song "Come Crawl With Me" from "The Lounge Singer" is heard.
- Cats Hate Water: After Heffer works up tensions between the turtles and cats, the turtles splash the cats with water from their fountain seat. This ends up being the Rage Breaking Point that leads to the Big Ball of Violence mentioned above.
- Drunk on Milk: During Filburt's bachelor party, he, Rocko, and Heffer consume a considerable amount of ice cream, that makes them, especially Heffer, rather loopy... then, the next morning, when Heffer asks for more "hair of the dog", Rocko and Filburt display the symptoms of a hangover (though, to be fair, they COULD just be having really bad sugar-induced headaches, considering how much ice cream they ate).
- Episode on a Plane: Rocko and Heffer hold Filburt's bachelor party on a plane-themed ice cream parlor, which somehow takes off.
- Fantastic Racism: According to Mrs. Hutchison, "cats and turtles don't mix." So a big fight between Filburt and Hutchison's families breaks out at the wedding. It's broken up by Mr. Hutchison... who turns out to be a turtle.
- Parental Hypocrisy: Widow Hutchison cannot stand her daughter marrying a turtle, and yet her husband is revealed to be one...and she still loves him!
- Remember the New Guy?: Two random strangers join the bachelor party. Filburt has no clue who they are and asks.
- Rhymes on a Dime: The "turtle vs. cat" slideshow Dr. Hutchinson dreams about at the start of the episode is partly narrated in rhyme.Because everyone knows that cats and turtles are savage enemies.
That's just the way it is, and has been for centuries. - Sequel Episode: To "The Big Question".
- Stealth Pun: When the plane takes off, the radio that Filburt talks into is shaped like a pig. In other words, it's a ham radio.
- Tsundere: The so-called "Widow" Hutchinson is revealed to be one to her husband Frank, who is not dead. She goes from hissing at him and telling him to shut up to then gleefully chasing after him as she declares she still loves him.
- Wedding Episode: Filburt and Dr. Hutchison finally get married, but not without drama between their families.
