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Recap / Dan Vs S 1 E 18 Dan Vs Dan

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While trying (not) to run over a nun, Dan crashes his car into the wall of a church. At the trial, he is offered a suspended sentence in exchange for community service, but Dan refuses. The court date is rescheduled for a later date.

Upon leaving the courtroom, a myriad of people come up to Dan to thank him for all the community service he's apparently been doing. Dan is outraged that anyone would consider him doing community service. Chris and Elise begin to think that the pressure from the trial is causing Dan to finally crack.

Dan stumbles home to find a doppelganger in his apartment. The impostor proclaims that he is now Dan, and that Dan better find a new identity. Chris and Elise continue to assume Dan has lost it, even dragging him off to a high-level psychiatrist. Eventually they realise the impostor is real, and Chris soon befriends him.

Dan ostensibly forgives the impostor, handing over his driver's license and saying, "Dan's all yours." Dan then takes on a new, kind persona - "Biff Wellington". Chris is pleased with this result, but it's all a scheme - the impostor Dan is arrested when Dan intentionally misses his court date.


This episode provides examples of the following Tropes:

  • Affably Evil: Impostor Dan.
  • Being Evil Sucks: The reason Impostor Dan is able to steal Dan's identity so easily is that Dan has so thoroughly alienated every single person in his life apart from Chris and Elise, who aren't that loyal to him anyway. When he asks Dan what he has to show for his life, Dan answers he has a foosball table, only for the imposter to point out Dan doesn't like foosball.
  • Cross-Popping Veins
  • Dark and Troubled Past: One mention of Dan's childhood causes a heavy-duty psychiatrist to run screeching from the room.
  • Editorial Synaesthesia: The visible aroma of that strawberry-rhubarb pie sure smells great.
  • Extreme Omnivore: Chris admits he ate a pair of shoes in his sleep (and used shampoo for dipping).
  • Et Tu, Brute? "Et tu, Brutus? ... Et tu, Chris? ... Et tu, Mr Mumbles?"
  • Freeze-Frame Bonus: Dan's license says he's 5'6" (which seems surprising), weighs 105lbs, and his signature is just 'DAN'.
  • Freudian Excuse: Apparently Dan had a really messed-up childhood. A hardened therapist ran away screaming from him.
  • Going Postal: This is how Elise expected Dan to snap.
  • Ink Blot Test: Not used, but featured in a "Rorshach Today" magazine that Chris reads in the psychiatrist's waiting room. Each page is an Ink Blot.
  • I Resemble That Remark!:
    Chris: Every day, you fester in a stew of your own anger.
    Dan: WHO'S ANGRY?!?! I'LL KILL YOU!!!
  • Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Dan pretends to pull a Heel–Face Turn as part of his plan to get the impostor arrested.
  • Limited Social Circle: Lampshaded and exploited. Impostor Dan notes that Dan's identity is easily stolen because he has so few close relationships.
  • Nobody Poops: Averted.
  • Not-So-Imaginary Friend: Chris is shocked when he sees that imposter Dan is a real person and not a delusion.
  • Palette Swap: A few artists from "Dan Vs Art" reappear.
  • Parodies for Dummies: While Dan is impersonating Chris, he pulls out a copy of Pancakes for Morons, complete with black and yellow cover.
  • Preferable Impersonator: Imposter Dan proves to be much more well-liked than the actual Dan. This is even why he stole Dan's identity; Dan is so hated he has no one to depend on.
  • Punny Name: Biff Wellington.
  • Self-Deprecation: Dan tells Mr. Mumbles that cartoons will rot his brain.
  • Stolen Good, Returned Better: When Dan gets his apartment back, he appreciates that the imposter cleaned the place up.
  • Third-Person Person: Justified considering the circimstances. When Dan ostensibly assumes the persona of "Biff", he talks this way.
  • Through His Stomach: Impostor Dan knows the way to Chris's heart.
  • Trash of the Titans: Impostor Dan cleans the apartment, and Dan messes it up... in 10 minutes... by just sitting there. He even ends up with a Banana Peel on top of his head!
  • We Want Our Jerk Back!: Averted - Chris is devastated when things return to normal.

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