Airdate: Monday, July 21, 2008
Sender: Gee Tee, Los Burbankos CA
Gee Tee notes that Strong Bad and The Cheat "heven't" been up to any "shennanigans" lately, and worries they might be losing their edge. Strong Bad protests that he and The Cheat regularly make the cover of "Have Edge Times Magazine", with such antics as consciously deciding not to re-inflate a deflated basketball, "feathering" Strong Sad (because "tar is prohibitively expensive"), and covering cardboard boxes in mayonnaise for half an hour before thoroughly cleaning up after themselves.
(The Cheat comes in, wearing an apron.)
The Cheat: (melodic The Cheat noises.)
Strong Bad: Take that thing off!
The Cheat: (disappointed The Cheat noises.)
Strong Bad: No, it is not "pretend-we're-grandmas-baking" time! And it'll never be again! (sotto voce) See me after this email. (normal, as The Cheat takes his apron off) No, it's time to do some real damage, The Cheat! It's time to get our shenan on! Again!
The two soon acquire an "arsenal of edge-have-ry" that includes eggs, battle axes, toilet paper, lighter fluid, gasoline, a saw, and a casserole. Strong Bad stomps on the casserole while The Cheat saws a hole in the living room floor... which results in the two of them being plunged into the darkness of the basement, where just their eyes are visible. After Strong Bad tries to kick The Cheat in the dark and has some fun with ping-pong balls, Strong Sad enters the living room and wants to know what's going on.
Strong Sad: Uh, are you sure you wanna go on record with that explanation?
Strong Bad: Of course! I don't see how that could possibly be taken out of context!
After pretending to check the Internet as per Strong Bad's request, Strong Sad convinces his brother that cutting a hole in your living room floor is indeed edgy, as is staying in the hole for a few days.
The Cheat: (The Cheat noises)
Strong Bad: High-five, The Cheat! (high-fives The Cheat) Thinks we're losing our edge, pfft!
(New Paper comes down, but can't be seen due to the darkness. The standard "Click Here to Email Strong Bad" can be made visible if the mouse hovers over it)
Tropes:
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Strong Bad's "arsenal of edge-have-ry" includes eggs and toilet paper, battle axes, flammable liquids... and a casserole for Strong Bad to stomp on.
- Brick Joke: Near the beginning, Strong Bad tells The Cheat to meet up after the email so they can pretend to be old grandmas baking. One of the Easter eggs involves them doing just that.
- Buffy Speak: "Have Edge Times" magazine and "shenanigan-ing".
- By the Lights of Their Eyes: Strong Bad and The Cheat's eyes are the only thing visible in the darkness of the basement.Strong Bad: Whoa, where are we? I suddenly feel so... easy to animate.
- Eye Scream: Strong Bad uses a ping-pong ball to make The Cheat think he put Strong Bad's eye out.
- Innocent Innuendo: Strong Bad tells Strong Sad "The Cheat and I are down here shenanigan-ing each other in the dark alone by ourselves!"Strong Sad: Uh, are you sure you wanna go on record with that explanation?
- Poke the Poodle: Strong Bad's recent shenanigans include "consciously deciding" not to re-inflate a basketball that had gone flat, or cleaning up after covering cardboard boxes in mayonnaise.
- The Reveal: An Easter egg shows Strong Bad and The Cheat still in the basement, pretending to be grandmas baking, when the lights go on, revealing they're standing on Strong Mad's head. "WILL YOU PLEASE KEEP IT DOWN!?"
- Shout-Out: After The Cheat dodges Strong Bad's attempt at kicking him, Strong Bad calls him "Lucy", in reference to the famous Running Gag from Peanuts of Lucy pulling a football away before Charlie Brown can kick it.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: From the DVD commentary:Strong Bad: Who thinks I [pretend I'm a grandma baking] every Friday night at 7:30 PM until 9:30 PM?Mike Chapman: I do.Strong Bad: Why?Mike: Because you were so specific about saying that you didn't do it then.
- Tar and Feathers: Parodied; Strong Bad and The Cheat just "feather the crap" out of Strong Sad because The Cheat convinced Strong Bad that tar was too expensive.
- Trouser Space: Strong Bad keeps a pack of ping-pong balls in his pants for some reason.Strong Bad: Some would say pocket, I say "in my pants".
- Villain Decay: Discussed; Strong Bad is forced to admit that he's lost his edge after realizing his recent shenanigans aren't very "edgy".
The Cheat: (sing-song The Cheat noises, imitating a grandmother)
Strong Bad: (in an old lady voice) Oh, Adelaide, you devil! Substituting bacon grease for butter? If my Wilbur only knew...
(The lights come on, revealing Strong Bad and The Cheat are in the TV room in the basement, standing on a section of floor balanced on Strong Mad's head)
Strong Mad: COULD YOU PLEASE KEEP IT DOWN?!
(The lights go out again.)
