The thirteenth episode of the second season of Rugrats (1991).
A Visit From Lipschitz
Dr. Lipschitz, the child psychologist visits Tommy's house and proves to be unable to take care of children.
What the Big People Do
Tommy and Chuckie fantasize about adult life.
"A Visit From Lipschitz" provides examples of:
- Big Eater: Dr. Lipschitz.
- Fan Disservice: Let's face it; Dr. Lipschitz was the last person in the show that you wanted to see take a bubble bath!
- Inelegant Blubbering: When Lipschitz fails to calm Tommy and Chuckie down (they're crying because they fear that he's going to be their "mommy"), he breaks down in tears and throws a fit on the floor. This leads Tommy and Chuckie to view him as a baby like themselves, so they calm him down by playing with him.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Dr. Lipschitz is apparently a famous child psychologist, whose books are read almost religiously by parents, Didi in particular. When Lipschitz volunteers to stay behind when the adults leave to go to a baseball game, he obviously has little to no experience when it comes to working with children. He even claims at the end of that episode that he'll have to revise all his works because of the experience.
- Last-Second Photo Failure: At the very end of the episode when the group gathers for a group photo with Dr. Lipschitz, they shout "Cheese!" which makes Lipschitz turn around and ask where the cheese is just as the photo is taken.
- The Reveal: Dr. Lipschitz makes his first physical appearance in this episode, having only been mentioned by Didi many times prior to it.
- Shout-Out: The start of this episode references the 1967 film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.Didi: Stu, you'll never guess who's coming to dinner!
Stu: Sidney Poitier
? - Taking Advantage of Generosity: When Lipschitz volunteers to stay behind, Didi tells him, "Please, help yourself to anything you want." As soon as the adults are gone, Lipschitz raids the refrigerator and settles down to watch TV. When a commercial for bubble bath airs, he goes straight upstairs—ignoring the babies—then pours the Pickles' bubble bath into their tub and climbs in. His bath is interrupted, though, when he hears Tommy and Chuckie crying because they think Lipschitz is going to be their "mommy".
- Title Drop: Lipschitz calls Tommy and Chuckie "little rugrats."
"What the Big People Do" provides examples of:
- Bad Boss: Angelica takes on the form of one in Tommy's and Chuckie's fantasy.
- Drives Like Crazy: In his fantasy, Tommy intentionally speeds so that he will get a ticket.
- Elevator Buttons Mash: In their fantasy, Tommy and Chuckie do this so they can ride the elevator.
- Gainax Ending: After the Imagine Spot takes a serious turn for the worse, Tommy and Chuckie fortunately are able to snap out of it and express relief that they are no longer "big". However, they end up caught by Angelica, who (in a very menacing way) tells the two boys it's time to play "house", all while her face becomes that of her "big" counterpart and she laughs maniacally. Tommy and Chuckie scream in terror, and the screen suddenly Smash Cuts to black.
- Imagine Spot: Much of this episode is revealed to be that of Chuckie.
- Infernal Background: Tommy and Chuckie are called into The Boss' office. On the way, Chuckie tells Tommy about how his dad is always afraid that his boss will fire him. Both Tommy and Chuckie take that to mean they're going to get charred. The boss, Angelica, has her ponytails turned up to look like devil horns and is sitting in a big chair in front of a window that looks out on a blazing inferno. On either side of her desk is a bronze Reptar statue that shoots flames from its mouth.
- It Tastes Like Feet: In the fantasy, when 35-year-old Tommy and 36-year-old Chuckie drink their coffee, Tommy says that it tastes like mud. Chuckie tells him, "It is mud".
- Ominous Pipe Organ: Creepy organ music is heard when Tommy and Chuckie are in Boss' Angelica's office.
- Portrait Painting Peephole: The pictures of past bosses glare at Tommy and Chuckie while they make their way to the boss's office.
- Nightmare Face: Constantly with 37-year-old Boss Angelica. And normal Angelica at the very end.
- Stand-In Portrait: What the past bosses are later revealed to be, grabbing at Tommy and Chuckie who try to escape from work.
- Visual Pun:
- When Tommy gets a ticket for speeding (from Angelica, who has a dual role in his fantasy), it is a ticket for the Reptar on Ice show.
- When Boss Angelica threatens to fire Tommy and Chuckie, the two fire-breathing Reptar statues near her desk indicate that she means this literally.
- Tommy and Chuckie take the "paper pushing" metaphor literally by pushing piles of paper with brooms.
- They also punch out of work by literally punching out the clock.
