The Magic School Bus Takes a Dive
Original airdate: December 6th, 1997
Subject: Symbiosis
Focus Student(s): Wanda, Dorothy Ann
DA is annoyed with Wanda, because they're partners for a class project and Wanda insists on doing things herself and her way. Ms. Frizzle takes interest in Wanda's toy treasure chest, and reveals one of her relatives buried treasure in the ocean. To find it, and to learn about animal partnerships, Ms. Frizzle turns the class, including Wanda, into creatures that form symbiotic relationships to stay alive.
Producers Segment
The male producer answers the questions about the episode and builds a sand sculpture of the show's logo at the same time. In the meantime, Liz eats snacks while sitting in a beach chair.
Tropes
- Artistic License – Marine Biology: While sharks and remoras have a symbiotic relationship in real life, the episode glosses over the fact that remoras can drag sharks down with their weight if too many of them latch onto them, while dolphins are known to keep jumping out of the water to try getting rid of them. As such, none of the shark students feel slowed down when paired with their remora teammates.
- Break the Haughty: By becoming the smaller party member of each animal partnership, Wanda finds herself forced to rely on DA.
- Continuity Nod: Wanda can outswim DA in scuba gear because she participates in more sports.
- Everything Is Trying to Kill You: This is true in the ocean, where octopodes eat hermit crabs, sharks go after little fish, and parasites feed on larger sharks.
- Foil: DA is someone who likes Bothering by the Book and to work in teams. Wanda, a Leeroy Jenkins character from day one, insists that I Work Alone until Ms. Frizzle forces her to go otherwise.
- Grand Finale: The final episode, albeit not in production order, of the series, technically making it the Series Finale.
- I Work Alone: Wanda doesn't like being partnered with DA because she believes the latter is too slow and hindering her.
- Not So Above It All: Keesha makes a pun about the shark parasites "bugging" her.
- Plot Armor: The coral reef cave-in doesn't hurt Wanda or DA in animal form.
- Threatening Shark: Subverted when the class turns into sharks, played straight when one wants to eat them. When half the class turns into sharks, including DA, they remain friendly to the wildlife. In fact, the parasites are more threatening to them than vice-versa.
- Treasure Map: Ms. Frizzle has one that leads to her ancestor's treasure.
- Worthless Treasure Twist: Downplayed. The box contains no riches, but it has a portrait of Ms. Frizzle's relative, and a model ship with the bus's lever. It allows it to change into various objects, like the bus.
