The sixth episode of the third season of Tiny Toon Adventures, and the eighty-fourth episode overall. Also the pilot and the only original episode of the short-lived spin-off, The Plucky Duck Show.
The episode begins in the Tiny Toons Studio, where Plucky is excited as ever that he finally has his own television show. As he tries to perform the opening number, he trips and tumbles down the stairs and keeps getting bumped into by the duck showgirls. He cuts the scene, and scolds one of the showgirls, who is revealed to be a costumed Hamton. Plucky walks up to Buster and Babs, who are doubtful of Plucky's new show. As Plucky looks in the vanity, Plucky asks Buster and Babs if they're jealous of him, and Buster denies it to him. Babs tells Plucky his new show is going to be great, and Plucky tells her and Buster it's going to be a humongous blockbuster. Buster then tells Plucky his show is going to be a much better break than the new Batman movie, Batman Returns. When Plucky hears about this, Buster shows him a newspaper with an article about how Tim Burton is directing the movie, and Michael Keaton is reprising his role as the titular hero. As Plucky looks over the newspaper, Buster and Babs talk to each other about how mature Plucky is for turning down the part of Batman in favor of his own television show. Plucky then throws a tantrum that causes him to regress into a toddler. Buster asks him what he's going to do about his TV show, and Plucky progresses back to his normal age as he tells Buster and Babs that he belongs on feature films, not television. As he continues his tantrum, he ends up destroying his set. Buster and Babs head back home and decide to watch the action on TV.
On their way to the Warner Bros. studio, Plucky hires Hamton to play his agent, Hammy Lazar, to get into the studio. He tells Hamton to keep practicing his line. Hamton says, "Love you, babe, let's have lunch", and when Plucky hears this, he tells Hamton that he has to say, "Love you, babe, let's do lunch.". Hamton points out that "Do lunch" is improper grammar, much to Plucky's ire. The taxi stops at the Warner Bros. Studio, and Plucky asks the taxi driver to pick him and Hamton up later. The Taxi driver reveals himself to be the Terminator, who says, "I'll be back", and Plucky thanks him by giving him a Tiny Toon Adventures refrigerator magnet, which clings to his robotic exterior. The Terminator then tosses Plucky and Hamton out the window, where they land near the WB studio.
At the front gate, Robin Hood, played by Kevin Costner, sneaks past Ralph by firing an arrow at his hat. Hamton, who is still trying to remember his line, manages to get past Ralph without any trouble. Plucky follows behind Hamton, but Ralph catches him in a lasso, and pulls him back to ask him where he's going. As Plucky tries to tell Ralph that he's with Hammy Lazar, and is on his way to see Tim Burton, Ralph plays with him like a yo-yo. Ralph then tosses Plucky into outer space, where he lands on the end of a Hubble Space Telescope.
Plucky returns, this time, dressed as "Edward Hedge-clipper Hands", an old friend of Mr. Burton. Ralph is about to eject Plucky out of the gate, but Plucky decides to settle their dispute with a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. If Plucky wins, he gets to go inside the studio, but if Ralph wins, then Plucky calmy walks away. Ralph wins the game by dropping a giant rock on Plucky, who decides to calmly walk away. Shortly after, a mail truck stops by the gate and drops off a package. Ralph reads over the note, which says, "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!", and Plucky, who is dressed as Beetlejuice, emerges from the package. Ralph then transforms into a giant with a carousel for a hat and hammers for arms, and whacks Plucky with his arms, sending him to the bell of a ring-the-bell carnival game. Plucky lands on Hamton, who has finally perfected his line. Hamton tells Plucky that he has made it onto the lot, much to Plucky's relief. Plucky then rushes his way to Tim Burton's office, only for Hamton to point out it is a scary-looking house on top of a mountain.
In the second act, Plucky decides to sneak into Tim Burton's office through the sewer system. He shows Hamton a map of the sewer that leads to Tim Burton's office. Hamton asks Plucky where he got it, and Plucky points out a salesman selling sewer maps. As Plucky climbs down, Hamton asks Plucky if rats live in the sewers. Plucky assures Hamton that there are no rats or alligators in the sewers, and as he reaches the bottom of the ladder, three of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pass by him. Plucky, who is not amused, asks the viewers how many of them saw that joke coming, and the viewers all raise their hands and tell him they did. Plucky then comes across a fork in the sewers, and tries to read over the map, when he is bothered by Tinkerbell, who is played by Julia Roberts. He swats her into a wall, and she says, "That's what I get for taking small parts.". Plucky then sees a light just above a river of sewage. He wonders where it leads to, and a giant ladle scoops him up along with some of the sewage. A cook pulls him up, revealing himself to be at the Warner Bros. Commisary. Oprah Winfrey requests the Chili special for her lunch, and the cook puts Plucky into her bowl. As she tries to eat him, he escapes and tells her, "You don't want to eat me, you don't know where I've been!"
Plucky then tries another exit, where he sees Danny Devito, who is dressed as The Penguin, arguing with Dustin Hoffman, who is dressed as Captain Hook, over who is shorter. Plucky then says, "Oh, a little argument!" and back down, not wanting to get involved.
As Plucky makes his way into a narrow path, it gets too dark to read the map. Hamton worries about how dark and scary the path is, and Plucky chastises him for being scared, then begins to feel scared himself, since he is claustrophobic. Plucky begins to regret giving up his own television show, as he feels he's going to end up dying in a sewer. Just then, the Terminator pulls him and Hamton out and tells them, "I told you I'd be back!". Much to Plucky's relief, he and Hamton are now outside the office of Tim Burton. They run up to the window, where they see Tim Burton rejecting Dracula, telling him the part of Batman is already taken. Dracula then tells Tim that he's going to see Mr. Coppola, transforms into a bat, and flies away. Plucky then walks in, and tells the agents that he's here to see Tim Burton. The agents all scream and run away, and Plucky makes his way to Tim Burton, who is playing with a slinky. When Tim sees him, he hides in the bathroom, and tries to escape out the window. Plucky urges Tim to stop and sits him down in a chair, showing him as Batduck. Tim tells Plucky that the part of Batman is already taken, and Plucky begs him to at least give him a screen test.
Plucky then takes Tim to a studio, where Here's Your Life! is being filmed. Plucky then shows Tim his very first character, Mr. Squiggly, a sketch he drew back in 1963, when he was only five years old. Plucky continues to blackmail time by showing him and the studio audience his drawings from past years, until Tim agrees to give him a screen test. Eventually, Tim reluctantly agrees to give Plucky a screen test at 10:00 the next day. Plucky is excited as ever that he finally got a screen test, but Ralph finds him and carries him and Hamton out of Tim's office. He is about to kick them out, but Plucky reminds him that Tim agreed to give him a screen test the next day. Ralph reluctantly agrees to let him come back tomorrow for the screen test, then kicks him and Hamton out. Plucky and Hamton, who are now flat and wobbling, decide to return to the Duck Cave to prepare for the screen test.In the third act, Plucky and Hamton go to the Tiny Toons props and costumes storage building to pick up their old Batduck costumes and props. Plucky tries to find the Duck cave, so he first looks behind a door with the Batman logo on it. He turns on the light, only to find it's the janitor's closet. He then comes to a door that says, BATROOM, but when he turns on the lights, it's a Batman-themed bathroom. Dick Clark and Ed McMayhem, who are on the show, Practical Pranks and Goof-ups, tell the viewers to wait and see what happens to Plucky when he opens the next door, then they each get hit by a falling anvil.
Plucky finally finds the Duck Cave, and claims to have known where everything is, before falling off the platform, having forgotten where the stairs are. He finds the Duckarang, the Duck Launcher, and Hamton dressed as Decoy, the Pig Hostage, then unveils his Batduck costume. Hamton operates a machine that dresses Plucky in it, but unfortunately, overinflates the costume, causing it to float up to the ceiling and pop as it hits the stalactites.
The next day, Plucky returns to the Warner Bros. Studio lot in the Batduckmoblie. He tells Hamton to find a safe spot to park the Batduckmobile, and Hamton crashes into a wall with a STAGE 9 sign on it, compacting the Batduckmobile into a convenient cube, parked next to a blue sedan and a delivery truck.
Plucky is now ready for his screen test, which Tim Burton is directing. Tim tells Plucky to say his line and make a big dramatic exit. In the first take, Plucky says his line, "I don't want to do this, I have to! I'm Batman!", and fires the Duck Launcher into an open window. He then swings down and hits the pavement. He asks Tim how the take went, and Tim tells him that the next take needs to be darker and more serious. In the second take, Plucky says his line again and fires the Duck Launcher into an open window again. This time, the plunger latches onto a safe. Plucky then swings down and hits the building. In the third take, Plucky says his line reluctantly, and fires the Duck Launcher, where this time, it latches onto a gargoyle. He swings down, but misses the building this time. He tries to swing over to it, but the Gargoyle collapses and bounces off the canopy, launching Plucky into the air. Plucky then pulls out the Duckarang, the Duction Cups, the Duck Sticker, the Duck Hook, Duck Tape, and the Duck Anchor, each one latching onto a separate building. Plucky is now tied up between the six buildings, which all collapse on top of him, knocking him unconscious. Then, the Gargoyle falls down and hits him on the head. Tim comes to see Plucky, who has now regained consciousness, and begs him to to have to do the screen test again. Plucky is about to quit, when Tim tells him he got the part, and that he is issuing to fire the other guy. Plucky is now excited as ever to be playing the part of Batman in Batman Returns.The next day, Plucky calls for an ACME Moving Company van, which has trouble crossing the wooden bridge above the river leading to his house, and teeters dangerously over it. Buster and Babs, who are watching the show, decide to talk to Plucky. When they arrive at Plucky's house, Plucky tells them that he is going to move out of ACME Acres to pursue his new career as Batman in Batman Returns. The weight of the van destroys the bridge, which launches Plucky's house into the air, and causes it to land on Plucky, also destroying it in the process. Plucky looks over the rubble of his house, then takes a single suitcase with him to the Warner Bros. Studio. He says goodbye to Buster and Babs, and boards a limo headed for the studio. Buster and Babs burrow into the ground to follow Plucky and see him in action.
On the set of 'Batman Returns'', Plucky wonders if Catman is in the movie. To his surprise, she is, played by Michelle Pfieffer. Plucky is attracted to her beauty, and kisses her leg. Michelle tells Plucky, "Get lost, Duck!", and slices his beak in half with her claws. The Assistant Director then tells Plucky, "Batman to the set!", and Plucky, having regained his beak, blows a kiss at Michelle, who slices it with her claws. Tim Burton's assistant then brings in a box of cat litter, which has Sean Young, who is dressed as Catwoman in it, begging Tim to let her play the part of Catwoman. Tim calls for Elmyra, who is excited to have Sean as her new pet "kitty". Buster and Babs arrive at the studio, where Plucky is looking for the director. He bumps into Michael Keaton, who is playing the part of Batman. Plucky angrily tells Michael that he's playing the part of Batman. Tim then introduces Michael to Plucky, telling him that Plucky is going to be his stunt double. Plucky is shocked when he hears this, and freaks out as the assistant director tells him they are going to film one of the movie's scenes.
In the scene, Michael Keaton as Batman punches several villains, then tells the rest to give him their best shot. Just as the villains are about to, Tim cuts the scene and calls for the Assistant Director to bring in Plucky as the stunt double. He then resumes the scene and the villains beat up Plucky. Various scenes are shown of Plucky as Michael's stunt double, such as one where he's being chased by a train, one where he's narrowly avoiding falling oversized dangerous weapons, one where he's being kicked out of an airplane, one where he's being chased by a lion, and one where he's being flattened by a sumo wrestler. After the scenes are filmed, Tim tells Plucky that's a wrap. Buster, Babs, and Hamton come to see Plucky, and Hamton asks if he's okay. Plucky is far from okay, and deeply regrets ever having given up his own TV show to be the stunt double in Batman Returns. Buster then tells Plucky that he at least still has his show, and Plucky asks Buster how much time he has left before it ends. Buster tells him, "About ten seconds.", and Plucky rushes back to do the closing number. As he starts it, the Batman logo above him falls down and crushes him. Plucky then unconsciously says, "In a gada da vida, baby!" as the show irises out.
This episode provides examples of:
- All Love Is Unrequited: Plucky has an obvious crush on Michelle Pfeiffer, who tells him to get lost, and scratches his beak and the kiss he blows at her with her claws.
- Anvil on Head:
- When Plucky, as "Edward Hedge-clipper Hands", decides to play a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to get past Ralph, Ralph wins the game by dropping a giant rock on him.
- Dick Clark and Ed McMayhem appear on the TV show, Practical Pranks and Goof-ups, before they each get hit by a falling anvil.
- In the third take of Plucky's screen test, Plucky's Duck Launcher latches onto a gargoyle. After having six buildings collapse atop him, the gargoyle lands on Plucky's head.
- At the end of the episode, as Plucky tries to perform the closing number, he gets crushed by the Batman logo.
- Bavarian Fire Drill: Plucky disguises Hamton as his agent, Hammy Lazar. This works in a way, as Hamton is able to walk past Ralph the Guard simply by inviting him to lunch. Ironically, Hamton was rehearsing his agent lines. Plucky is still refused entry, though.
- Born in the Theatre: When Plucky and Hamton sneak into Tim Burton's office through the sewers, three of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pass by them. Plucky asks the viewers how many of them saw the joke coming, and the viewers all raise their hands and tell him they did.
- The Cameo:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, as The Terminator, appears as a taxi driver.
- Kevin Costner appears as Robin Hood, referencing the 1991 film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
- Julia Roberts appears as Tinkerbell and Dustin Hoffman appears as Captain Hook, referencing the 1991 Spielberg film, Hook.
- Dick Clark and Ed McMayhem, a parody of Ed McMayhon previously seen in "Hog Wild Hamton" appear on the show, ''Practical Pranks and Goof-ups" before getting hit by failling anvils
- The Little Man from the Draft Board from the Daffy Duck cartoon, "Draftee Daffy" appears as the Assistant Director.
- Dr. Gene Splicer from "Hare-Raising Night" and Mr. Hitcher from "How I Spent My Vacation" appear as two of the villains about to beat up Batman when he asks them to give him their best shot.
- Credits Gag: Plucky's cape courtesy of - Siegfried and Roy.
- Didn't Think This Through: Plucky is so excited to play the part of Batman in Batman Returns, that he didn't count on being cast as the stunt double.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Ralph the Guard, who would later become a more prominent character on Steven Spielberg's next animated project, Animaniacs appears in this episode.
- Fountain of Youth: When Plucky throws a tantrum over not appearing in Batman Returns, he briefly regresses into a toddler.
- Historical In-Joke:
- The scene where Danny DeVito, who is dressed as The Penguin, is arguing with Dustin Hoffman, dressed as Captain Hook, references the fact that Dustin Hoffman, who played Captain Hook in the 1991 Spielberg film, Hook was Warner Bros.' first consideration for The Penguin in Batman Returns.
- In one scene, Sean Young begs to be Catwoman, but gets rejected by Tim Burton. Young was initially cast as Vicki Vale in the original Batman movie, but was forced to withdraw when she injured her wrist while horseback-riding in preparation for a scene which was written out of the script, and the role went to Kim Basinger. Young then subsequently set her sights on the role of Catwoman for Batman Returns, and in a now fabled incident, Young arrived at the Warner Bros. studio in a homemade Catwoman costume to confront Tim Burton and Michael Keaton. She used other people scouting the studio grounds, using walkie-talkies to communicate, to track down the producers after pregnancy forced Burton's original choice, Annette Bening, to bow out, and Michelle Pfeiffer was hired. Young then appeared in her Catwoman costume to denounce Burton on The Joan Rivers Show.
- Impact Silhouette: Plucky leaves one when he gets knocked off a building by a sumo wrestler.
- Obvious Stunt Double: Plucky serves as the stunt double for Michael Keaton in Batman Returns. He's even referred to as the "Stunt Duck" by the Assistant Director.
- Poorly Disguised Pilot: This episode is the pilot episode and the only original episode of the short-lived spin-off, The Plucky Duck Show. The remaining twelve episodes are all compilations of Plucky-themed shorts previously featured on Tiny Toon Adventures (though a few shorts aired on The Plucky Duck Show first).
- Rock–Paper–Scissors: Plucky, who is disguised as "Edward Hedge-clipper Hands", tries to get past Ralph and challenges him to a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Ralph wins the game by smashing Plucky with a giant rock.
- Shout-Out:
- This episode was created as a homage and tie-in with the 1992 Tim Burton movie, Batman Returns.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator appears as a taxi driver in this episode. Also, when Plucky and Hamton get kicked out of The Terminator's cab, they form into metal liquid and reform back to their regular selves, referencing Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
- In an unsuccessful attempt to get past Ralph, Plucky imitates "Edward Hedge-clipper Hands", a parody of Edward Scissorhands from the 1990 Tim Burton movie of the same name.
- In another unsuccesful attempt to get past Ralph, Plucky imitates Beetlejuice from the 1988 Tim Burton movie of the same name.
- When Dracula gets rejected by Tim, he says, "I'll go with Coppola", referencing the 1992 Francis Ford Coppola film, Bram Stoker's Dracula.
- Superhero Episode
- Variations on a Theme Song: This episode features a special variation of the Tiny Toon Adventures theme song, where Plucky sings about how he is the star of his own show.
