By Season 3, The Smurfs (1981) was a top-rated hit on the NBC Saturday morning schedule, and for the second year in a row, a ratings stunt was used to draw in viewers old and new, and possibly open up new storylines for everyone's favorite little blue creatures.
And so it was with Baby Smurf, and an event that happens in the Smurf Village ... "Once In a Blue Moon."
After an opening shot at night of a delivery stork delivering a mysterious package in its beak, the scene cuts to Dreamy Smurf, who is admiring the night sky and the full moon in the distance. He wonders aloud that this was a special night, but doesn't know why. Eventually, the stork leaves the package at Harmony's doorstep.
The next morning, after some initial confusion and Harmony considering destroying the package, thinking it to be one of Jokey's joke boxes, the mystery of its contents is resolved. There's a live creature in there ... and it's a baby. Baby Smurf, to be exact.
As the Smurfs are getting accustomed to Baby, one that seems to be slow to develop an emotional attachment is, predictably, Grouchy. But then Papa Smurf encourages Grouchy to play with Baby. Which he does ... reluctantly. And then, we see, perhaps for one of the first times in this series, the grouch become soft! He actually loves Baby, but he's not going to let on ...
... until the stork returns, complete with a note in its beak. Seems that there was a huge mistake made. It's not time for Baby to come, and that the 2-ounce Smurfling with a silver-pinned white diaper needs to go back, never to return. The Smurfs are, of course, outraged, even though Papa — himself upset at this turn of events — says they must respect the order of the letter.
But no one is more upset than ... Grouchy. He not only hates the idea of returning Baby ... he's not going to return him at all. He decides to take matters into his own hands: He's running away, and Baby's coming with him. Brainy questions why Grouchy would behave this way, leading Papa to make him and the others understand that Grouchy had this hidden depth inside of him, and he was just afraid to show that he was capable of love.
Eventually, Grouchy and Baby take refuge on a small island, but a fierce storm forces them to return home. Grouchy tearfully concedes defeat and regretfully lets go of Baby. So Baby is off with the stork, presumably off to his doom ... and all the Smurfs are depressed, none moreso than Grouchy ...
... until a miracle happens.
That night, the stork returns, and a note is attached to a basket. "Dear Smurfs, after due consideration, taking into account Smurfette's letter and the sincere devotion demonstrated by Grouchy Smurf, we have the pleasure of sending this Baby Smurf back to you. We are sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused."
And inside the basket? Well of course, it's Baby!!!!
Papa Smurf says, "Baby Smurf is back home to stay!"
And no one is more happier than Grouchy! Of course, he grumbles that he hates happiness, but then asides to the audience that he's glad things turned out this way!
Tropes seen in this episode:
- Being Good Sucks:
- As the others insists they can't give Baby up, Papa Smurf tells them the carrier is just doing his job and that they must comply with the rules, all while shedding a Single Tear.
- Grouchy tries to make a go of living in the wild, but the repeated difficulties (be it procuring food or braving the intense weather) convince him he's doing more harm than good.Grouchy: I hate giving up.
- Big "NEVER!": Hefty's reaction to the stork coming back to take Baby away.
- Dark Is Not Evil: As Grouchy leaves to try to find some milk, a wolf appears amid a thunderstorm. Grouchy later finds the wolf is a mother and tending to Baby as if he were one of the cubs.
- Delivery Stork: The bird who delivers the mysterious package, found to be Baby Smurf.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Grouchy quickly takes a liking to Baby, but only in private; he continues to make a show of having a bad attitude towards the kid whenever someone else is around. Only Papa Smurf isn't fooled.
- Licked by the Dog: Much as Grouchy doesn't want to admit it to anyone else, Baby has this effect on him.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- Vanity smashes his mirror in frustration when told they have to give Baby back.
- Grouchy ends up caring for Baby so much that he takes the kid into the woods. Everyone else is stunned when Papa Smurf says Grouchy loves Baby.
- After Baby is taken away, Greedy has lost his appetite, Brainy can't even finish one of his usual lectures, and Jokey doesn't see the humor in one of his surprises (ultimately joining Clumsy in a crying fit).
- The Power of Love, which — thanks to Baby — melts Grouchy's heart.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Smurfette pens a blistering letter condemning "the book-keeping error" behind the decision to take Baby away. It's one of the reasons that Baby gets sent back to the village in the end.
- Shout-Out: The "good night" scene at the beginning of the episode, where everyone says good night to each other, is a shout out to The Waltons, which at the time of its original airing (in September 1983) was a top-rated hit in syndication, especially among youths.
- Strongly Worded Letter: Smurfette sends one back with Baby, which actually helps convince... whomever received it to send Baby back to his new home.
- Wham Shot: After all the depressed Smurfs turn in for sleep, the moon rises and suddenly turns blue.
