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Tear Jerker / Stay Tuned

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"I have two beautiful children... who I may... never see again!"

  • Upon discovering the new television Roy got with Hell Vision, Helen screams in shock. Roy tries to calm her down by telling her that it was a free trial, and pitches to her what he got. However, he notices that Helen is gone, who went up to her room and angrily packs a suitcase, declaring that she's officially fed up with Roy. The tone she speaks this in is both angry and upset.
    Roy: Now, honey, just keep an open mind. There's no obligation. I got it on a free trial. It's a whole satellite system, over 600 channels. (Turns on the TV to show a promo for "Three Men and Rosemary's Baby" and turns it off) The salesman said we'd get a lot of shows you can't get on regular TV. (turns to see that Helen left) Helen? Helen?
    (Helen is up in her room, angrily slamming clothes into a suitcase)
    Helen: (on the brink of tears) I don't want this anymore!
  • While in the game show, You Can't Win, Helen discovers that Roy once bailed on an anniversary dinner she had planned in favor of watching baseball... in the form of a trivia question. Roy insists it was car trouble, but Helen realizes the truth. What makes this a Tear Jerker is the tone she answers in conveys that she is both angry and hurt about it.
    Guy: On your last wedding anniversary, you missed the romantic dinner your wife had planned. The reason? A. Car trouble, B. You were running a marathon, C. You were in a bar, swilling beer, watching... the World Series?
    Roy: (speaking in an offended tone) Car trouble, just like I said.
    (Buzzer goes off)
    Guy: No! (points at Helen) Helen, can you take it?
    Helen: (turns to Roy, speaks in a quiet tone of disbelief) You were watching baseball?
    Guy: (shouts in a cheerful tone) That's right!
  • In the cartoon segment, Helen calls out Roy for going up to a table to get donuts, and threatens to leave him if he doesn't come back down. When Roy calls her bluff and keeps going, she decides she's gone and begins to walk away. As she does so, she goes on a tangent about making it out of Hell Vision on her own. She then tries to remind herself of who she is. However, she pulls out a picture of her kids (depicted as mice, naturally), she's practically on the brink of tears. And by the way, Darryl is watching all of this unfold on TV.
    Helen: How can you even think of eating donuts at a time like this?!
    Roy: What should I do, look for some oat bran? I'm starved!
    Helen: If you don't come down here this instant, I'm leaving!
    Roy: Where are you gonna go, your cartoon mother's house?
    Helen: (speaking in an angry tone) I am warning you, Roy!
    Darryl: "Roy?"
    Roy: (looking at donuts) Wow! These things are as big as Buicks!
    Helen: I'm gone. (quietly talks to herself) That's it. I said we're through, and we are through. I can do better on my own. I am not a mouse. I am not a mouse. I'm Helen Knable. I have an MBA! I live at 1532 Blue Jay Court. (pulls out a picture of Darryl and Diane, who are also mice) I have two beautiful children... (sounding like she's ready to cry) who I may... never see again!
    Darryl: Mom?
  • Also in the cartoon segment, Roy and Helen hide in a dollhouse after seemingly defeating Robo-Cat. Roy gives Helen a flirty expression, to her bewilderment, and comments that she looks "pretty sexy" as a mouse. She snarks in response that he didn't like how she looked as a human. When he whines that he always did, Helen coldly responds that it was news to her. The tone of her voice doesn't help.
    Helen: What?
    Roy: For a mouse, you look, um, pretty sexy.
    Helen: Too bad you didn't like the way I looked when I was human.
    (Helen crosses her arms and looks away.)
    Roy: I always did.
    Helen: (in an apathetic tone) News to me.
  • Crosses over with Nightmare Fuel, but in the climax, Helen, Darryl and Diane scream in terror as Roy gets gunned down in the Western segment. The anguish in their screams only serve to highlight their fear of losing their husband/father. Granted, Roy's remote thankfully took the bullet, but still.
    Helen: NOOOO!
    Darryl and Diane: (screaming in unison) DAAAD!

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