Adventures in Cricketsitting
CricketsitterCricket is left in Tilly’s care when Bill and Gramma go to the hospital.
"Cricketsitter" contains examples of:
- Accidental Public Confession: While Cricket is waiting in the X-ray room, Tilly accidentally leans on the microphone:Doctor [as Tilly accidentally leans on the microphone button]: He must have taken a pretty hard hit. What happened?
Cricket: Huh?
Tilly: Well, I guess I can tell you, but this is one of those doctor-patient confidentiality things. So, I was supposed to look after Cricket, but he kept doing a lot of crazy stuff, so I had to scare him a little bit, but instead he got hurt, and it's all my fault, and I'm so overwhelmed that I might fall asleep. [Tilly falls asleep on the button]
Doctor: What? Wake up!
Tilly [wakes up]: Oh, wow, it makes me feel so much better to get that off my chest.
Cricket: What?!
Tilly: Cricket, no no no no! You weren't supposed to hear that!
Cricket: I thought you were looking after me, but you were only looking after yourself! - Afraid of Needles: Though not seen, the second Bill sees a needle, he passes out. Before that, he screamed, "Mommy, Mommy, save me. I'm a big baby."
- All for Nothing: Tilly prepares to confess the truth to Bill, but he does not hear her due to falling unconscious upon seeing a needle.
- Babysitting Episode: Tilly has to babysit Cricket while Bill and Gramma are out.
- Bavarian Fire Drill: After Tilly's Scare 'Em Straight gets Cricket hurt, she disguises him in a soldier's uniform and rushes him to the Big City medical center:Desk Nurse: There's a 45-minute wait.
Tilly: This brave soldier will be dead in 45 minutes! His wounds need attention now!
Desk Nurse: What happened?
Tilly: He's real hurt, see? [Tilly touches Cricket's right arm]
Cricket: Owwww!
Tilly: We're losing him!
Desk Nurse: Oh my, right this way, please. - Companion Cube: Saxon, Tilly's burlap sack friend, makes his debut in this episode.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: After Tilly tackles Cricket to the ground to prevent him from tattling to Bill, you can hear a pop when they hit the ground. Furthermore, when Cricket gets up off of the floor, you can see him use both of his arms.
- Foot Popping: The female doctor of the couple Cricket disrupts is shown doing this when he finds them.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: When Cricket enters the X-ray machine, you can briefly see a metal plate on the back of his skull.
- Holding Both Sides of the Conversation: Tilly when she has a "conversation" with her potato sack friend, Saxon.
- Irony:
- As it turns out, Gramma didn't need any procedure or test, and turned out to be fine. However, it was Bill who needed hospital work, as the doctor recognized he had signs of oversleeping, overwork, and stress.
- Tilly tells the truth, only for her to be let off free because he's unconscious.
- Literal-Minded: Cricket's bucket list is a list of fun things to do with a bucket. He finds Tilly's notion of a list of things to do before you die morbid.
- Manchild: Bill doesn't respond to Tilly's confession because he fell out cold due to the sight of a needle; according to the doctor, he screamed, "Mommy, Mommy, save me, I'm a big baby."
- Never Say "Die":
- Defied: as part of Tilly's plan to get Cricket medical attention, they enter the hospital dressed as a Civil War nurse and solider, respectively, and Tilly plays her role to the hilt:Receptionist: (lowers glasses; impassive) There's a 45 minute wait.Tilly: (pulls down surgical mask) This brave soldier will be dead in 45 minutes! His wounds need attention now!
- Averted when Tilly mentions the concept of a bucket list to Cricket:Tilly: I guess it's never too soon to start preparin' for your passin'.
Cricket: What? No, Tilly, that's dark.
- Defied: as part of Tilly's plan to get Cricket medical attention, they enter the hospital dressed as a Civil War nurse and solider, respectively, and Tilly plays her role to the hilt:
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Tilly's plan to get Cricket to stop doing his bucket list results in him dislocating his shoulder.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Downplayed: because Cricket decided to run off to tell Bill about his dislocated shoulder, Tilly ultimately winds up tackling him to stop him, resulting in her accidentally popping the shoulder back in.
- Not What It Looks Like: "PAPA, OH MY GOSH, HE'S DEAD, THE TRUTH KILLED HIM!"
- Oblivious Guilt Slinging: Variation: After getting his arm dislocated, Cricket apologizes to Tilly for getting himself into his situation, and repeatedly thanks her as she tries getting it fixed. Tilly was the one who caused his accident.
- Oh, Crap!: At first, it seems like Cricket managed to survive crashing into the tree unscathed; he even throws up an arm in celebration. Except, as he notes, he had meant to raise both his arms...
- Scare 'Em Straight: Tilly attempts this with Cricket (who is attempting numerous reckless deeds involving buckets and was not listening to anyone). It backfires when Cricket gets his shoulder dislocated.
- Spiritual Antithesis: This episode is basically "My Sister, My Sitter" done better: Cricket's dislocated shoulder isn't because of his own reckless behavior (in part because of Tilly being his babysitter), but because of Tilly's botched attempt to Scare 'Em Straight. But, because Cricket thinks it was his fault he dislocated his shoulder, he apologizes to Tilly and decides to tattle on himself when Bill and Grandma get back... prompting a guilt-riddled Tilly to instead decide to take Cricket to the hospital (in disguise) to get it fixed.
- Trauma Button: In a sense: ever since the cat, Dirtbag, got caught in the dishwasher, the sight of a dirty dish causes him to freak out.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Defied, but also parodied: Cricket does have an actual injury with his arm, but Tilly plays up the severity in order to get him to a doctor ASAP when they are talking to the hospital's receptionist:Tilly: (grabs Cricket) He's real hurt! (points at Cricket's dislocated arm) See?! (jabs arm)Cricket: (blood-curdling scream of agony)Tilly: WE'RE LOSING HIM!Receptionist: Oh my! Right this way, please!
Fun? He'll have lots of fun... if he thinks it's fun to LOSE!note
Backflip BillCricket discovers Bill used to be a gymnast but he never realized his dream.
"Backflip Bill" contains examples of:
- Answer Cut: After Bill finishes his routine:Tilly: I'm sure we're all thinkin' the same thing, folks! Is there even an award high enough to honor such a stunnin' performance!?!
[Cut]
Bill: Wow, sixth place! - Bittersweet Ending: Bill may have won sixth place, but the good news he finally got to show off his acrobatic skills for the first time in years, and Cricket couldn't be prouder.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: In trying to prove Gramma wrong, Cricket drops all niceness and goes to complete drill sargent mode, in attempting to make Bill's routine just as perfect as the others. Naturally, this was how Gramma treated Bill when she trained him when younger.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Done subtly when Cricket wears Bill's sweatband when playing up his coaching — his hair is pushed upwards to resemble devil horns, reflecting him crossing into Drill Sergeant Nasty territory like Gramma.
- Ironic Echo: Cricket's rant to Bill ultimately results in him repeating a direct quote that Gramma said years ago that causes him to run out.Alice / Cricket: We'll have lots of fun... if you think it's fun to lose!
- Irony: In spite of trying to prove Gramma wrong, Cricket ends up becoming Gramma.
- Let Us Never Speak of This Again: This bit:Cricket: (After seeing Bill's leg vibrate by the gymnastic suit) I'm just gonna take a moment to erase that from my memory. (he closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them again) Done.
- Match Cut: The transition to Gramma's flashback is accompanied with a crossfade from her present self to her younger adult age self in the same spot. When it ends, it crossfades from her to Cricket in the exact same position as her, to show how controlling he's become just like her.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Cricket says this word-per-word when he realizes how controlling he's become in trying to prove Gramma wrong.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Cricket is determined to help Bill get his gymnastics mojo back, but after he calls Gramma and worries she won't accept it, Cricket plays up his training, resulting in him going full-on Drill Sergeant Nasty, and berating Bill to the point he runs out whining.
- Oh, Crap!: Bill's reaction at the end of Cricket's "The Reason You Suck" Speech, which in turn causes him to flee the gym in horror.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Cricket gives one to Bill, having crossed into full-on Drill Sergeant Nasty territory and doesn't want him to just have fun. This hurts Bill's feelings, and he runs out on him.
- So Proud of You: Cricket and Alice compliment Bill for his gymnastic performance and didn't mind that he got in 6th place.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Hearing Gramma over the phone while at practice is what causes Cricket to completely toss away his usual happy attitude and evolve into Drill Sergeant Nasty territory.
- Vocal Dissonance: Bill still has a deep voice in the flashback, suggesting he hit puberty some time during such.
