Lola Falana guest stars, and even more shocking, Gonzo is leaving! It seems he's accepted an offer from 20th Century Chicken, a film studio in Bombay, India. Will The Muppet Show ever be the same?
Songs and Sketches
- "Pick a Little, Talk a Little", sung by Gonzo.
- "He's the Greatest Dancer", sung by Lola Falana, Muppet monsters, and Fletcher Bird.
- "My Way", sung by Gonzo.
- UK Spot: "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair", sung by Camilla and the chickens.
- Muppet Sports: Tree-staring.
- "Smile", sung by Lola.
- Gonzo, after getting his job back, sings "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" while tap dancing in a vat of oatmeal.
- "United We Stand", sung by Lola and the Muppets.
This episode has examples of:
- Acquired Situational Narcissism: Thinking he's made it to Bollywood gives Gonzo a bit of a swelled head. Subverted midway, however, when, while singing "My Way" as his final performance, he breaks down sobbing, admitting that he doesn't want to leave.
- Big Finale Crowd Song: And one sung backstage at that. After Gonzo's oatmeal act falls through (he sank into the oatmeal, but Fozzie and Lew Zealand ate their way through to him), Kermit is disgusted and says that everything's gone wrong. Lola reminds him that the important thing is that Gonzo is back. Kermit, admitting she's right, tells Gonzo it's nice to have him back, and Gonzo says he wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Lola begins to sing "United We Stand" to Gonzo. Gonzo joins in, along with Kermit, Fozzie, and Scooter... then more and more Muppets enter to join the song—even Trevor the Gross, who Kermit had hired as Gonzo's replacement after Gonzo left for Bollywood and who had had his heart set on doing the oatmeal act himself.All: [singing] For united we stand, divided we fall.
And if our backs should ever be against the wall,
We'll be together... together, you and I. - Comically Missing the Point: Gonzo, after leaving, gets a telegram stating that the movie deal has fallen through—the studio thought they were hiring Gonzo the Mediocre, not Gonzo the Great—then learns that Kermit has hired Trevor the Gross to take his place. In an effort to make Gonzo feel hopeful that he can still find work somewhere, Lola sings "Smile" to him. He interprets it as "I can smile my way through the rest of my miserable life."
- Crossing the Burnt Bridge: Downplayed. After Gonzo boasts that he's gotten a Bollywood deal, many other co-stars (particularly his chickens) feel jealous or betrayed. Kermit, however, is supportive and lets Gonzo leave on good terms, but all the same still needs to find a replacement act. By the time Kermit's booked one, Gonzo has learned that the studio thought they were hiring Gonzo the Mediocre, not Gonzo the Great, and that the Bollywood contract is null and void.
- Eating Solves Everything: Gonzo, after getting his job back, doesn't make it halfway through the first verse of "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" before sinking into the vat of oatmeal he's tap dancing in.Gonzo: Help! Help!
Fozzie: Wha, wha—don't worry, don't worry! We got spoons and milk and brown sugar!
Lew Zealand: Yeah! We're gonna eat our way through to him! - Fanservice: Lola performs "He's the Greatest Dancer" in a very revealing spangly dress.
- Friendship Moment: While Kermit seldom has a good thing to say about Gonzo's acts, when Gonzo starts having doubts about his new career and breaks down onstage, Kermit comforts him and shows support, wanting Gonzo to leave on kind terms—unlike several of the other Muppets. When Kermit offers him a handshake goodbye, Gonzo just glomps him tight.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Lola is depicted as a very unwilling guest star, but all the same takes pity on Gonzo for his predicament.
- Nepotism: How Kermit finds Gonzo's replacement: Trevor the Gross.Scooter: So, chief, did you find a replacement for Gonzo?
Kermit: A replacement? Gee, Scooter, how could you possibly replace somebody like Gonzo?
Scooter: Easy! I know someone who'd probably be perfect!
Kermit: You do?
Scooter: Sure. He's the best friend of my uncle.
Kermit: The best friend of the man who owns this theater?
Scooter: The best friend of the man you owe three months' back rent to.
Kermit: [gulps] Uh... uh... sounds very talented. - Rhetorical Question Blunder: Gonzo does this when begging Kermit for his job back after the movie deal falls through.Gonzo: Oh, please, Kermit! Kiss kiss, grovel grovel!
Kermit: Stop kissing my flipper! Gonzo! Have you no dignity?
Gonzo: Of course not. How long have we worked together? - Shout-Out: 20th Century Chicken is a reference to 20th Century Studios, known in 1979 (when this episode premiered) as 20th Century Fox.
- Sic 'Em: A non-villainous example. When Gonzo returns, he sees that Trevor the Gross is about to do a "masterpiece act" that Gonzo always wanted to do: singing "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" while tap dancing in a vat of oatmeal.Kermit: Uh—listen, I promised the oatmeal act to Trevor.
Trevor: That's right! And I won't give it up! I love the oatmeal act.
Gonzo: [to chickens] Sic 'im, girls!
Kermit: What?
[The chickens attack Trevor.]
Trevor: Wait! Enough! Okay! You can have the oatmeal act! [He runs away.]
Kermit: I guess it's settled, then! Gonzo, you get ready. I'll go introduce you.
Gonzo: Yippee! Ha, ha! - Staring Contest: Louis Kazagger, announcer of Muppet Sports, reports on a man who wins an 87-hour-long staring contest against a tree. His victory is short-lived, as the tree falls on him and kills him.
- Status Quo Is God: Thankfully, nothing changes and Gonzo is here to stay.
- Stealth Insult: When Gonzo tells Kermit about the "masterpiece act" that he wanted to do: singing "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" while tap dancing in a vat of oatmeal, Kermit just replies that it's "an act worthy of [his] talent". Gonzo, missing the insult, unknowingly insults Kermit right back by saying that it's also worthy of Kermit's show.
- Woman Scorned: Camilla and the other chickens are understandably pissed at Gonzo, and no more is that obvious than when they sing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair".
- Yank the Dog's Chain: After Gonzo leaves, it transpires that the studio thought they were hiring Gonzo the Mediocre, not Gonzo the Great, so the movie deal falls through.
- Statler: You know, Gonzo would have been perfect for that movie he was gonna star in.
Walter: What movie was that?
Statler: The Revenge of the Little Blue Geek.
