Recap / Homestar Runner New Boots

Airdate: Wednesday, April 7, 2004

We open on a Powered-by-The-Cheat version of the Field, where Strong Bad (who is wearing purple boxing gloves and baggy jeans) is humming to himself while juggling basketballs. Just then, The Cheat walks in to show off a pair of embroidered cowboy boots.

Strong Bad: Whoa, The Cheat! I can't believe what cool boots you have on, where did you get them?
The Cheat: (responds)
Strong Bad: Oh, I see; a cute girl and an astronaut gave them to you.
The Cheat: (imperative The Cheat noises)
Strong Bad: Yes, I'll go get you a patty melt.

As Strong Bad leaves to get The Cheat's lunch, Homestar gets punched into view, missing a shoe, and takes the time to compliment the Cheat's cool boots. After Homestar answers his cell phone and gets his shoe back, Strong Bad returns with "a picnic plate with wine and a baguette" for The Cheat.

Strong Bad: Can I get you anything else?
Homestar Runner: I'll have some, soup.
Strong Bad: (trips Homestar) The Cheat, get that man some soup!

The Cheat gives Homestar an eyeful of soup ("Okay, hot soup is on my eye!") and then does a hip-hop dance on his face (which Coach Z takes the time to compliment). Strong Bad decides this is worthy of a high-five, and he and The Cheat stretch their limbs into space for "a very high-five".

(Nebulon the alien floats by)
Strong Bad: Get out of here, Nebulon! No one likes your style!
(Nebulon frowns, and floats off sulkily)
Strong Bad: The Cheat, do you like Nebulon's style?

Meanwhile, the real Strong Bad isn't too impressed with The Cheat's cartoon:

Strong Bad: Purple boxing gloves?! Did you do any fact-checking before you turned this in? What if I did that to you? "Oh yeah, The Cheat, he's a... stripèd green rabbit, with two butts!"

Strong Bad also objects to being depicted with his underwear showing ("Everybody knows I don't wear underwears!"), but after some pleading from The Cheat he decides the cartoon, while not worthy of a pizza-trophy, is at least deserving of "an iron cup full of Brunswick stew".

Strong Bad: But lemme tell ya's. With a little extra effort, it would have been a trophy full of Steak-umms.
The Cheat: (disappointed The Cheat noise)
Strong Bad: Guy drops a couple of JPEGs in his cartoon and thinks he's, like, the guy who draws The Lockhorns or something. Now that guy knows funny!

Afterwards, we see a short music video for Coach Z's song "Hip Hop Dance", also done in "Powered by The Cheat" style.

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Tropes:

• And Your Reward Is Edible: Strong Bad decides The Cheat's cartoon is worth "an iron cup full of Brunswick stew", but might have been worth "a trophy full of Steak-umms" with a little more effort.
• Cartoon Creature: Strong Bad mockingly imagines The Cheat as "a stripèd green rabbit with two butts".
• Continuity Nod:
  • The Cheat pours hot soup in Homestar Runner's eyes.
  • Despite his claims to the contrary, Strong Bad has been seen wearing underwear in the Strong Bad Email "stand-up".
  • Nebulon appears to be the green alien from one of the main menu pages.
• Eye Scream: The Cheat pours hot soup on Homestar's face, and it gets in his eyes.
• Going Commando: According to Strong Bad, "Everybody knows I don't wear underwears!"
• Her Code Name Was "Mary Sue": As usual, The Cheat depicts himself and Strong Bad (but especially himself) as way cooler and more popular than they are in real life.
• Major Injury Underreaction: PBTC!Homestar doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that "Hot soup is on my eye."
• Piss-Take Rap: Coach Z's "Hip Hop Dance" song.
• Stylistic Suck: As can be expected for The Cheat, the production values for his cartoon are quite bad, including dodgy voice acting, low-quality JPEG backgrounds, and Strong Bad's limbs floating off randomly as he leaves the Field.