The twenty-fifth episode of the third season of Rugrats.
I Remember Melville:
Chuckie's pet pillbug, Melville, dies suddenly, and he must learn how to deal with it.
No More Cookies:
Angelica has to hold off on cookies for a little while after a bad stomachache, but she finds it hard to resist the urge to have some.
"I Remember Melville" provides examples of:
- An Aesop: Friends are there to mend a broken heart, and it's better to remember lost loved ones than to try to forget.
- Big "WHAT?!": Chuckie when Phil tells him that Melville died.
- Cold Turkeys Are Everywhere: Chuckie gets upset when he finally realizes that Melville is dead. To avoid upsetting him again the next day, the babies try not to remind Chuckie of Melville, only to bring up things that might make Chuckie think about Melville. Thankfully, Chuckie doesn't get upset.
- Darker and Edgier: Children come to terms with the concepts of death and grieving in a Nickelodeon cartoon.
- Dead Pet Sketch: When Melville dies, the babies try to replace him with a snail. Chuckie is not amused.Chuckie: I don't want a new bug! And besides, that's not even a bug! It's a snail! GAH! (throws the snail out of the screen)
Phil: ...told ya. - Death Is a Sad Thing: Melville dies, and Chuckie is upset over having lost him. The babies have a funeral for him near the end of the episode.
- Five Stages of Grief: Chuckie is shown going through the Five Stages of Grief (a.k.a. the Kübler-Ross model) when Melville dies. This includes denial (Chuckie first keeps denying Melville is dead and vainly tries to awaken him), anger (Chuckie is angered when the others try to tell him Melville is dead, and that the "replacement bug" is really a snail), bargaining (Chuckie attempts to show that Melville is fine by having him perform in a "circus"), depression (Chuckie finally realizes Melville is truly dead and cries over it), and finally acceptance (Chuckie starts laughing at Melville's funeral, remembering all the good times he had with Melville, showing he has now accepted his pet bug's death). In a realistic touch, after his first fit of depression, he slips back into denial the next day by pretending to have forgotten all about Melville, but then eating chocolate pudding sends him back into depression when he remembers how he and Melville used to eat chocolate pudding together.
- Lost Pet Grievance: Melville suddenly dies when Chuckie asks his friends to look after him. Chuckie goes through the Five Stages of Grief, and when he admits to his friends that he Never Got to Say Goodbye to Melville, they decide to give him that chance by holding a funeral for Melville in Tommy's backyard.
- Never Got to Say Goodbye: One of the reasons Chuckie admits that he wants to remember Melville even though it makes him sad. The babies decide to give Chuckie that chance by holding a makeshift funeral for Melville.
- Never Say "Die": Perhaps the only time Rugrats ever averted this trope.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: After Chuckie seems to have gotten over Melville's death, Tommy congratulates him by taking them, Phil, and Lil into the kitchen to eat some chocolate pudding. When Chuckie gets upset over remembering him and Melville eating chocolate pudding together, Lil scolds Tommy for getting Chuckie upset.
- Noodle Incident: Chuckie tells Melville about the time he ate a colored soap bar, having mistaken it for a piece of candy.
- Of Corpse He's Alive: Chuckie tries to convince his friends that Melville is still alive by having him perform stunts when they play circus. When he discovers that Melville isn't moving on his own, he finally realizes that Melville is dead.
"No More Cookies" provides examples of:
- An Aesop: Too many sweets are not good for you. Also, when dealing with an addiction, never try to go cold turkey.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: When the doctor tells Drew and Charlotte that Angelica is suffering from a stomachache, he says it could have been caused by anything, e.g. undercooked meat, spoiled milk, or even a few too many cookies.
- Baby's First Words: It is revealed in a flashback in this episode that Angelica's first word was "Cookie". Charlotte and Drew try to get her to say "Mommy" and "Daddy", respectively, and are confused when Angelica keeps saying "Cookie".
- Balloon Belly: Angelica's stomach swells up due to her eating too many cookies.
- Big Eater:
- At the beginning of the episode, the babies watch as Angelica eats an entire jar of chocolate chip cookies.
Chuckie: I never seed anyone eat like that before...
Lil: Not even Reptar...
Phil: It's kinda scary...- At the end of the episode, Angelica doesn't even think twice about diving after several cookies that have fallen in a tub of soapy water.
- Comical Overreacting: Angelica gets what her doctor describes as a "simple, ordinary tummyache" that will subside in a day or two. When the babies come to check on Angelica, however, she looks more like she's on her deathbed than anything.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Angelica's desperation for cookies is played like a metaphor for drug addiction, making the babies promise not to let her eat them, no matter what she says, and trying to get cookies without the babies knowing, even going as far as to eat the cookies after they've fallen into a tub of soapy water. She also keeps saying, "Cookie" as she draws many pictures of cookies.
- Early Personality Signs: Angelica loves cookies and a flashback in this episode reveals that she learnt to walk because she saw a plate of cookies and (if she is to be believed) her first word was "cookie".
- Everyone Has Standards: Phil and Lil are grossed out by Angelica eating cookies that fell into soapy water.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: This exchange;Tommy: Hey, Chuckie, where'd Angelica say she was going?
Chuckie: To check on the babies.
Tommy: Oh, okay.
(Beat)
Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil: We are the babies! - Growling Gut: Angelica's stomach grumbles due to a stomachache from eating an entire jar full of cookies.
- Loose Lips: Chuckie can't keep his big mouth shut when he unwittingly mentions to Tommy that he shouldn't tell Angelica that the cookies were underneath Grandpa Lou's bed. This is what prompts Angelica to start running to the exact location where the cookie jar is.
- Mouth Cam: Shown when the doctor examines Angelica after she suffers a stomachache.
- No Matter How Much I Beg: After she gets a stomachache from raiding the cookie jar, Angelica orders the babies to stop her from eating cookies ever again, "Even if I beg, even if I cry, even if I threaten to beat your baby brains in!" Hilarity predictably ensues.
- Pet the Dog: Angelica offers to let the babies play with one of her toys early on in the episode, with no apparent ulterior motive for it. Could double as O.O.C. Is Serious Business, as this happens only a few seconds before she gets sick.
- Rousing Speech: Tommy gives one when he reminds Chuckie, Phil, and Lil that he promised Angelica to keep her from eating cookies. Chuckie lampshades Tommy's tendency to do this.Tommy: I promised Angelica that no matter what she did, no matter how much she begged, no matter how much she cried, I wouldn't let her have any cookies, and guys, I'm gonna keep my promise!
Chuckie: I love it when he gives these big speeches! - Suddenly Shouting: After Angelica gets another stomachache from eating soapy cookies, she moans for Tommy to come closer. When he gets close enough, she screams "NEVER EVER EVER LET ME HAVE COOKIES AGAIN!"
- Tempting Cookie Jar: This episode begins with Angelica scarfing down an entire jar of cookies and suffering a stomachache as a result. Angelica makes the babies promise never to let her eat another cookie as long as she lives, but the next day, Tommy hides the cookie jar from her, so she tries to get it while the babies aren't looking.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Angelica's love for cookies is best exemplified in this episode. In a flashback scene, her first word was "Cookie", and at the end of the episode, she wants cookies so bad that she eats them even after they've fallen into a tub of soapy water.
