Airdate: Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Sender: Albin J. (from Maryland)
Strong Bad: You got to e-mail, just to stay alive!
When a sender by the name of Albin J. asks Strong Bad about the best thing he's ever seen, done, and/or eaten, the wrestleman replies that one of his most treasured possessions encapsulates them all: the only known recorded copy of the aired-only once pilot for Limozeen: But They're In Space!, a cartoon starring his favorite hair-metal band.
Strong Bad: It only aired once at, like, 4 a.m. some forgotten Saturday. And guess who was already up and eating brown sugar straight from the box? That's right, Strong Sad. But then I got up and started watching TV. If not for my The Cheat-like VHS reflexes, it would have been as lost as four-armed Grimace.
The plot of "Encounter at Groupulon 5" involves the boys of Limozeen fleeing/giving backstage passes to "all the hot babe-liens of the galaxy" while running afoul of intergalactic bad-guy Mitch Overlord, the impish, reality-warping prankster Bozar, and the rise of alternative rock. Alas, the show was cancelled (somehow in the middle of the pilot).
Strong Bad: Whattaya think, Albi? If that's not the best thing you've ever seen, done, or eaten, then may I politely ask you to gouge out your eyes, cut out your tongue, and um... have all your... done... removed.
(The Paper comes down.)
(The Paper comes down.)
Tropes:
- Always a Live Transmission: The cartoon gets cancelled mid-episode, but the animated characters are able to react to the news of their impending cancellation.
- Anachronism Stew: Limozeen: But They're in Space! is a parody of cartoon tropes most common in the 1980s—and of course, the popularity of hair metal bands like Limozeen is tied to the '80s. At the end of the episode, Larry Palaroncini says, "Join us next time, kids! In syndication! Or maybe on DVD!" However, DVD didn't hit American markets until 1997.
- Animated Adaptation: Limozeen: But They're In Space! is an In-Universe example. The band members are usually live-action characters whenever they've showed up before, but are depicted and explicitly referred to as cartoon characters in the pilot itself.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Strong Bad tells Albin that if the Limozeen cartoon wasn't the best thing he's seen/done/eaten, "May I politely ask you to gouge out your eyes, cut out your tongue, and... um... have all your done removed."
- Art Shift: The pilot goes from animated when Gary throws his guitar to live-action when Larry catches it.
- Bait-and-Switch: Strong Bad's anecdote about catching the sole airing of Limozeen: But They're in Space!.Strong Bad: And guess who was already up and eating brown sugar straight from the box? That's right, Strong Sad.
- Band Toon: Parodied with the Show Within a Show Limozeen: But They're in Space!
- Couch Gag: Teeg wraps up the opening with his Mad Libs Catch Phrase. Assuming the pilot got picked up, what he said after "I'm afraid I've got some bad news, boys..." was presumably meant to change for each episode like Garfield on Garfield and Friends or the Gromble on Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. This does come full circle on the DVD-exclusive episode "The Limozeen Advantage" where Teeg says "I'm afraid I've got some bad news, boys. We've been relegated to DVD bonus content." in the opening.
- Direct to Video: In-universe. Larry teases that Limozeen: But They're in Space! might come out on DVD sometime.
- Dumb and Drummer: Drummer Mary Palaroncini is shoe-horned into being the Fat Comic Relief on L:BTIS!
- Everyone Chasing You: The cartoon has at least two scenes of Limozeen being chased by "hot babe-liens".
- End-of-Series Awareness: Exaggerated. Teeg and a live-action Larry directly mention that their pilot's been cancelled.
- Evil Overlord: Mitch Overlord is implied to be one, as the name suggests.
- Failed Pilot Episode: In-universe. Limozeen: But They're in Space! was so much of a failure that it got cancelled in the middle of its pilot.
- Fat Comic Relief: Mary who lampshades it along with Larry in an Easter Egg.
- Female Rockers Play Bass: Lampshaded during "Limozeen: But They're in Space!" when Teeg Dougland tells the band that an alternative metal group is currently at the top of the charts.Perry: But their bassist is a girl!Mary: And the drummer's got short hair!Larry: And the lead singer wears glasses!
- Gasshole: Mary burps loudly at the end of an Easter Egg while Larry watches in shock.
- Great Gazoo: "Magical prankster" Bozar has the power to pull off stunts such as turning Limozeen's instruments into spaghetti.
- Groupie Brigade: In Limozeen: But They're in Space!, the band is repeatedly trying to get away from crowds of fans, a la A Hard Day's Night.
- Ink-Suit Actor: Teeg Dougland looks a lot like Mike Chapman.
- It's the Best Whatever, Ever!: In the scene where Bozar turns Limozeen's instruments into Italian noodles, Mary Palaroncini briefly stops scarfing up what used to be his drum kit to say "This is the best show ever, guys!"
- Keep Circulating the Tapes: In-universe. Strong Bad claims to have the only circulating copy of the cartoon.
- Mad Libs Catch Phrase: Teeg Dougland's "I'm afraid I've got some bad news, boys..."
- Mr. Exposition: Teeg Dougland, the band's manager, whose only role seems to be to pop up and explain plot points preceded by "I'm afraid I've got some bad news, boys..."
- One-Episode Wonder: In-universe, Limozeen: But They're In Space! was cancelled in the middle of airing the pilot, with the animated characters discussing the cancellation.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: Perry who complains about a rival rock band having a female bassist.
- Recycled In Space: Parodied and discussed.Strong Sad: But why are they in space? There's no reason for them to be in space!
Strong Bad: On the contrary, my dear Fatson. There's every reason for them to be in space! - Short-Runners: Limozeen: But They're In Space! is an In-Universe example, as only one episode ever aired "on some forgotten Saturday" before being promptly cancelled.
- Shout-Out: Strong Bad addresses Strong Sad as "My dear Fatson."
- You Don't Look Like You: In a nod to The Real Ghostbusters turning Ray from a mildly thickset brunette to a very rotund redhead, Mary Palaroncini is fat and has red hair (while the "real" Mary is blonde and slim), because he's the comic relief.
Mary: How come they made me fat and have red hair?
Larry: Because you're the comic relief-uh!
Mary: (lets out a monstrous belch)
Larry: Because you're the comic relief-uh!
Mary: (lets out a monstrous belch)
