Recap / Wishbone S 1 E 20 Mixed Breeds

Originally aired on November 3, 1995.

Wanda has fallen for Lou Dublin, an exciting Elvis Impersonator, and he seems to be interested in her as well. The only problem is that she's still dating Bob Pruitt, whom she now finds boring by comparison. Wishbone imagines himself as Gabriel John Utterson in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

This is the first of three episodes based on a Robert Louis Stevenson novel. It's followed by "Salty Dog," which adapted Treasure Island, and "War of the Noses," which adapted The Black Arrow.

Two tie-in books were released — Wishbone Classics #8: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, featuring a less compressed adaptation of the original story with comments by Wishbone rather than the modern-day segments; and The Adventures of Wishbone #14: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Dog, a straight adaptation of the episode.

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Tropes

• Adaptation Title Change: While the episode is titled "Mixed Breeds," the novelization (from the The Adventures of Wishbone book series) is instead titled "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Dog."
• Apology Gift: Mr. Pruitt has a Jerkass Realization when he assigns a surprise examination to his class after arriving late, and that night he sees Joe, Sam and David studying when accompanying Wanda to Pepper Pete's. The next day, as an apology to his students, he says they're doing a taste test; he cancels the examination and orders everyone pizza.
• Betty and Veronica: Bob Pruitt is the Betty and Lou Dublin is the Veronica. Subverted when they turn out to be the same person.
• Be Yourself: The message of this episode, at least the real-world portion.
• Dramatic Shattering: After Jekyll drinks poison at the end, he drops the bottle, and it shatters.
• Driven to Suicide: In a moment amazingly not edited out for the kiddies, Jekyll poisons himself onscreen and leaves a Suicide Note for Utterson explaining that he did so to protect London from Mr. Hyde.
• Exact Words: When a bartender refuses to serve Mr. Hyde:
  Bartender: You're a menace, Hyde, and you're unwelcome here. Now, I suggest you leave at once.
  Mr. Hyde: Do you now? Well then, I'll leave... I'LL LEAVE THIS PLACE A SHAMBLES! [begins wrecking the bar]
• The Exit Is That Way: While wearing sunglasses, Wanda walks into a closet while trying to leave the Talbots' house.
• Hypocritical Heartwarming: When Wanda and Bob Pruitt have cancelled a date so that Wanda can go see a mysterious Elvis impersonator and Mr. Pruitt can be that impersonator, Wanda tells Ellen that she finds Bob Pruitt "stuffy" and she wants to impress this King of Rock and Roll. Later on, when Bob confesses that he didn't tell her he was the impersonator because he was afraid she wouldn't like the boring him, Wanda laughs and tells him she likes him Just the Way You Are.
• Jekyll & Hyde: Of course, this episode is adapting the Trope Namer. This is loosely paralleled in the modern story with Mr. Pruitt's more harmless secret identity as Lou Dublin.
• Loves My Alter Ego: Wanda falls for an Elvis impersonator who happens to be Bob Pruitt.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
  • Wishbone knows something is up with Wanda when she doesn't mind him digging up her yard.
    Wishbone: I don't know who that was, but it was not Wanda Gilmore.
  • The kids experience a similar moment when Mr. Pruitt shows up late and disorganized and then springs a pop quiz on them.
• Retraux: Lou Dublin's song, "Puppy Dog For Your Love," is in the style of 1950s rock 'n' roll, as befitting the fact that he's an Elvis impersonator. Of course, the licensing for any real Elvis song would presumably have been well beyond Wishbone's budget.
• Sequel Episode: In terms of the real-world storyline, this episode is a continuation of "Cyranose," focusing as it does on Wanda's relationship with Mr. Pruitt.
• Shadow Discretion Shot: Jekyll's transformation into Hyde is portrayed in shadow.
• We Want Our Jerk Back!: At the end, Wishbone is happy when Wanda goes back to yelling at him for digging up her yard, and this is portrayed as a happy ending.
• Wham Shot: When Lou Dublin's wig flies off, revealing him to be Bob Pruitt.