Season 1, Episode 6:
90 Degrees
This week's production is a tale of lust and betrayal, set in the American Deep South. Herb Burgess, the head of Burgess Fine Tea, is on his deathbed. Upon hearing the news, his children convene in their family home to decide the inheritance of the business after his passing. However, there are some in the Burgess family who have their own plans...
In what may be the most grievous mishap yet in all of Cornley's productions, the design team has misinterpreted the play's title and built the sets at a 90-degree angle. This results in a harder time than normal for our unfortunate actors, with spilled drinks, things flying away and bruises galore. Oh, and the dog always has something to say.
“90 Degrees” contains examples of:
- The Bad Guy Wins: Thanks to Barbara's blackmail, Larry signs control of the company over to her and Renee, leaving him with a dead dog and his brother walking out on him (literally).
- Brick Joke:
- Early on, Robert offhandedly complains that the toy maker who made the furniture has only ever made jack-in-the-boxes. Later on, jacks burst out of the sofa when characters slump into it.
- Later on, after Robert and Chris have another fight over control of Ruffles, Robert storms off into the canteen and decides to shoplift some wine gums. At the end, the police appear to arrest him, but he pins it on Chris, who they arrest instead.
- *Bleep*-dammit!: Dennis's character swears a lot, and some of his dialogue has been censored for TV — unfortunately, with the sound effects usually coming in at the wrong time.Dennis as Buddy: Larry! I just spoke with pa; you really are a no-good [bleep] of crap!
- Cutting Corners: According to Robert, Chris has been trying to keep costs down by hiring some less-than qualified professionals for set design - most prominently a toymaker and Dennis's dad.
- Cutting the Knot: After several attempts at remaining "upright" in the study and trying to leave through the sideways door, Sandra gets sick of it and stands on the floor/wall, walking off the set.
- Downer Ending: Larry loses everything and everyone he loves. Barbara takes over the company, Renee is revealed to be a lesbian (she has feelings for whoever inherits the company regardless of gender), Buddy walks out on him, and (after an unceremonious exit by Robert) Ruffles the dog dies in his arms.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Ruffles the dog immediately dislikes Renee (as conveyed by Robert stating "Woof! Bark! Growl! Hiss!"), an early hint that she's the most unpleasant of the guests.
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Fake American: The play is set in the Burgess family home in Tennessee, with the Cornley actors attempting Southern accents to match (save for Vanessa, whose character is from Connecticut and attempting a New England accent instead). Some attempts are more decent than others. - Fake Boobs: Annie's get-up as the Burgesses' hapless maid Melinda adds some more cleavage to her figure. After her disastrous attempt at serving the cast drinks and dinner, she is hoisted out of the study and the implants fall out of her shirt, bouncing off the floor/wall.Annie: Whoops! Oh, there go my bosoms!
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Larry’s attempts to describe Ruffles as pure in the play are derailed by Robert’s antics outside of the play.Larry: Why can't we all be more like Ruffles? He don’t ask for much!(Robert: Packet of Wine Gums, please.)Larry: He ain’t greedy!(Robert: Family size, please.)Larry: And he don’t care about money.(Robert: £3.49? What is this, the cinema? Absolutely not! I'll put them back...)
- Girl on Girl Is Hot: When it's revealed that Renee (Vanessa) is having an affair with Barbara (Sandra) and worked with her to get the family business for herself, Robert (who's voicing the dog) lasciviously voices his thoughts on the matter. Sandra hastily silences him.
- Gold Digger: Over the course of the play, Renee seduces all three of the Burgess siblings so she can run off with whichever one inherits the business.
- Is This Thing Still On?: Robert’s mishaps are broadcast through the microphone he uses to voice the dog.
- Like Father, Like Son: It's indicated that Dennis's father is just as easily befuddled as Dennis himself, given that he's directly responsible for building the sets sideways.
- Mondegreen Gag: Dennis misinterprets Vanessa’s request for a beer as “the bear” and “the beard”. When she clarifies that she wants a lager beer, he hands her a “larger bear” and then drinks the beer himself.
- Running Gag:
- This time, Jonathan’s screen time gets cut by the misconstructed sets causing him to be unable to stay still.
- Dennis continually forgetting that his character is unable to move his legs, culminating in him standing up and walking out the door at the end of the play.
- Annie "discreetly" spraying water in characters' faces with a squirt gun to simulate crying.
- Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: Much to Chris's annoyance, Robert insists on simply stating Ruffles the dog's "lines" in his own voice and refusing to simply "do a dog noise."
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: Buddy, played by Dennis has a foul mouth that is fortunately censored by bleeps. Unfortunately, said bleeps come in either too early or too late.
- Talking Animal: Ruffles the dog isn't supposed to be one, but Robert, who's controlling/"playing" him, isn't content with just "doing dog noises" and insists on giving Ruffles an Inner Monologue that eventually becomes full speech by the play's end (much to Chris' ire).
- This Is Gonna Suck: The actors are not pleased with having to deal with the 'uniquely-built' sets. Robert's delivery noticeably wavers when he asks the others to join him in the study, Vanessa's eyes widen in horror when Max (in-character) asks Annie to bring in some gazpacho and again when she asks Max's character to make love to her on top of the (sideways) table, and Max lets out a horrified "oh no" when he realises that the bedroom set was built upside-down.
- Upside-Down Blueprints: The title "90 Degrees" refers to the temperature of the hot Tennessee summer [90℉/32℃]. The study set is built sideways due to the builders misinterpreting the play's title on their technical drawings as a building direction. Additionally, the bedroom set is built upside down for a similar reason.
- Wham Line: After Larry signs over control of the company to Barbara, two are delivered in quick succession.Buddy: I can't believe you've just done that.Larry: I've done it for you, Buddy.Barbara: It's true. If Larry hadn't signed those papers, I'd have told you all about his affair with Renee.Larry: Barbara! You've played me!Buddy: Like a game of craps.Barbara: Anyhow, I'd love to stay and talk, but we have to get back to Connecticut. Ain't that right, Renee?Renee: That's right, Barbara. (smug smile) Sorry, Buddy.
