The fourth episode of the sixth season of Rugrats (1991).
Man of the House
Stu makes Tommy "The Man of the House" while he goes off to attend an inventor's convention. Meanwhile, Didi puts Grandpa Lou on a diet after she finds out that he has high cholesterol.
A Whole New Stu
When the parents go to a health spa, Tommy worries that he's going to get a different dad.
"Man of the House" provides examples of:
- Diaper Check: Dil cries after Tommy accidentally breaks his rattle. This confuses Didi, who at one point thinks he has a dirty diaper. When she checks it, she finds it's clean.
- Diet Episode: This episode's B-plot involves Didi putting Grandpa Lou on a diet that he doesn't like after finding out he has high cholesterol. At first, Lou tries to order greasy food from Zippy's without Didi finding out, but near the end of the episode, Tommy's attempt to invent a new toy for Dil in the episode's A-plot results in Lou watching a disturbing health video given to him by his doctor. Lou freaks out upon seeing the video and eats the healthy lunch that Didi serves him without hesitation.
- Go-to-Sleep Ending: This episode ends with Tommy, Chuckie, and Stu all falling asleep.
- Laborious Laces: As Tommy and Chuckie attempt to bring Dil his new toy, Chuckie trips on his untied shoelaces, causing the new toy to bounce around the house and push Lou's health video into the VCR.
- Parental Bonus: Tommy tells Chuckie he's seen his dad "talking to no one" saying "Please, please, let me make a good toy this time! Pleeease!"
- Repetitive Audio Glitch: At the end of the episode, after a sleeping Stu accidentally drops his Memory Booster 2000 shades on the floor, they keep repeating "Clean underwear".
- Spanner in the Works: Tommy's attempt to invent a new toy for Dil in the A-plot helps Lou stick to his diet in the B-plot. When Tommy needs something shiny for the new toy, he takes Lou's car keys, preventing Lou from being able to leave the house and go to a fast-food restaurant. Later, when Didi tries to calm a crying Dil, she finds Lou's health video in the recliner's cushion and places it in the VCR. Around this time, when Tommy and Chuckie try to bring the new toy to Dil, it bounces around the house, pushing Lou's health video into the VCR. Lou watches it and is convinced to stick to his diet.
- Tempting Fate: Stu hopes to be able to leave the house before Lou returns from his annual check-up, as doctors always make him cranky. Cue Lou saying "Conflabbed bunch of flea-brained know-it-alls!"
- What Is This, X?: This exchange when Didi tries to convince Lou to stick to his diet:Didi: Remember, eating the right foods is just as important for you as it is for Tommy and Dil.
Lou: What do I look like, a baby?
Stu: He sure is acting like one.
"A Whole New Stu" provides examples of:
- Be Careful What You Wish For: When Tommy feels neglected because Stu keeps playing with Dil but not him, he wishes that Stu was different. When Stu goes to the health spa, Tommy overhears Drew saying that Stu will be a whole new man. He thinks it means Stu will be different, meaning his wish is coming true. When the babies come across a man who greets them kindly before going into the spa, he comes back out and snaps at a man who is late bringing him a towel. This causes Tommy to worry that Stu will go from being nice to being mean.
- Gross-Up Close-Up: This episode begins with an extreme close-up of Stu's bloodshot eyes.
- Human Ladder: Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil form one so they can see Stu, who is in the steam room, from the window. Tommy ends up losing his balance and falls over, causing him to accidentally turn up the heat.
- Malaproper: Angelica mispronounces "refrigerator" as "fridgidator".
- Miserable Massage: When Tommy attempts to save Stu from a masseur, whom he mistakenly believes to be attacking him, he accidentally knocks over a bottle of lavender oil, causing the masseur to slip on the oil and fall on Stu's back.Stu: I just have one more little sort spot right here in the...
(the masseur slips on the oil and falls on Stu's back)
Stu: (strained) I said it was a little one! - Mobile Shrubbery: Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil escape from the child care center by hiding in giant blocks.
- Rhyming Title: A Whole New Stu.
- Sauna of Death: An accidental example; when Tommy stands atop his friends to try to get Stu out of the steam room, he loses his balance and accidentally turns up the heat on the thermostat, resulting in Stu coming out sunburned.
- The Unfavorite: Tommy feels this way when Stu is too busy taking care of Dil to play with him.
