Captioning sponsored by NICKELODEON
Run, Cindy!
Run!
I am running!
Get them!
They must not escape.
There we were, running for our lives
from our best friends and family.
How did this happen?
It all began on a normal day at school.
No! Stop! Bolbi not recyclable!
Hey, Libby.
Where's Cindy?
She's at a karate convention for a couple of days.
Jimmy, Jimmy...
What's the matter?
It's Sheen— he's acting really weird.
Yeah. Carl, where have you been for the last ten years?
No, I mean really weird.
He's not Sheen, he's...
Oh.
Oh, I'm just whistling.
Hi, Jimmy.
Isn't it a happy day?
( whispering ): See?
I saw the most glorious TV show last night.
Let me guess.
Are the words "ultra" or "lord" in the title?
No, it's called The Happy Show Show.
It's on channel 357.
You've got to watch it.
It would make me really happy.
That night I was working on an important project.
Talk to me.
Hi, Jimmy!
Are you watching The Happy Show Show?
Sheen, I'm kind of busy here.
Maybe you could watch it tomorrow or the next day
or the next day or the next day or how about the next day
or the next... ( phone switches off )
Or the next day or the next day
or the next day
or the next day...
I should have known then that something was very wrong.
Or the next day?
The next morning at the Candy Bar,
things got really strange.
Good morning, Jimmy.
I'm very happy today.
Are you happy?
After you.
Oh, no, after you.
Let's go at same time.
Splendid.
Libby, did you just turn some music off?
( woodenly ): Hello, Jimmy.
I'm happy to see you.
Did you watch The Happy Show Show last night?
You should watch The Happy Show Show, Jimmy.
It would make me very happy.
My scientific curiosity had been aroused,
so I finally watched the show.
It's The Happy Show Show with your host, Grandma Taters.
Hello, everybody.
I'm so happy to see you,
because every time I see you, there's a rainbow in my heart.
It was the worst show I had ever seen.
The next day at school, the strangeness continued.
Hi, Jimmy.
Hi, Jimmy!
You watch The Happy Show Show?
Yes, and it was the worst show ever!
It was obnoxious, idiotic, silly,
infantile, inane, vapid...
Shall I go on?
You need to watch again.
Again? I could barely watch 30 seconds.
I thought my TV would explode.
I thought I might faint
from the fumes of the show's supreme stinkiness!
You should give it another chance.
Guys, are you listening?
I'm never going to watch that show again!
Why don't you come over to my house
and watch it with me?
Beset once again by scientific curiosity,
I decided to give the show another try
at Betty Quinlan's house.
Ah!
Betty's worth it.
Now...
Yes, Grandma.
( voice echoing ): Listen to me.
You will do whatever I say.
Tell everyone to watch this show.
( in cheery voice ): My next broadcast will go out to the entire world!
The show was hypnotizing people
and turning them into mindless zombies!
It didn't affect me
because I was only watching the reflection.
Betty, snap out of it!
You've been hypnotized!
Stop watching the TV!
But I must watch, and you must watch, too.
Mom, Dad— we've got to call someone!
There's a TV show that's turning everyone into...
Hello, Jimmy, we're happy to see you.
You, too?
Come sit here, and we'll be happy together.
No...!
Shall we chase him?
Nothing would make me happier.
Watch the show.
Yes, you must watch it.
It's fabulous.
Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy,
happy, happy, happy...
Be happy, be happy.
( voice warping ): Happy... be happy.
No...!
Why don't you watch where you're going?
Cindy, you're not happy!
No, but I'm filthy,
and I lost at the karate competition
to a six-year-old beige-belt on crutches!
That's great.
What?
You don't understand!
Mindless zombies... Grandma Taters... TV...
Mass hypnosis!
That big brain of yours has finally blown a gasket.
Let's get out of here before they get us.
Someone's riding the paranoid express.
Get them!
See? Like I was saying.
Okay, I believe you.
Give me the details later.
Don't worry, they can't hide from us forever.
What a happy thought.
As we flew to the outskirts of town,
I told Cindy the whole story.
And that's what happened.
The entire town is happy zombies,
and the world may be next.
So, uh... why were you at Betty Quinlan's house?
Research.
Now, I may be able to track
the broadcast beam of the TV show
and find its originating source.
I got it.
Cindy, it's up to us
to stop this thing together.
So, um... what did you do at Betty's house?
Nothing.
Good.
I mean go— let's go.
"The Retroville Rest Home for the old and in the way."
Well, Mr. Fluffy,
tonight we will broadcast to the entire world,
and soon, everyone will join us.
That's her?
She's so sweet and innocent looking.
Yeah, so are child stars.
Wait here and keep a lookout for any of the happy ones.
I'm going in to stop her.
Grandma Taters, I presume!
Oh, well, hello, honey.
Come on in.
Would you like some hard candy?
I know what you're up to, lady.
Well, aren't you a smart little boy?
How about I knit you a hat?
What? I...
Oh, dear, I'll need a lot more yarn.
I'm shutting you down, Grandma!
Oh, I didn't want to have to do this.
Huh?
Guys, stop!
Don't worry... be happy.
Restraints!
Mom, Dad, you can't do this to me!
Oh, we're happy to do it.
I'm positively ecstatic.
But you're not supposed to be happy all the time.
You have to be sad sometimes.
Happily, that's no longer true.
But don't you see?
Grandma Taters' show has stolen your emotions
and caused you to lose your humanity.
Soon the whole world will be
a pack of soulless, mindless zombies.
Wondering if I care.
Still wondering... nope!
Sit back and relax, sonny.
Watch Grandma Taters do what she does best.
Lights!
Camera!
Cindy?
Hello, Jimmy.
I'm so happy to see you.
I'm not happy to see you happy.
Just surrender to it, Jimmy.
It's as simple as one, two, three!
Ow, ow!
Hee-yah!
You want a piece of me, honey?
Bring it, wrinkles!
Hi... yah!
All right, Cindy,
just hold up the cue cards when I say "action."
Right!
And... action.
( imitating Grandma Taters ): Hello, dearies.
This is Grandma Taters.
I was wrong to tell you to be happy all the time.
Being different is what keeps us all
from being a pack of mindless meat puppets.
Here's a song I wrote about it.
Oh, dear, I'm talented.
( sighing ): Oh.
Now, when I snap my fingers,
you'll all go back to the way you were.
Hey, why am I tied to Carl?
Sheen, stop wriggling!
Hugh, do something.
I'm not happy about this one bit!
Really?
I kind of like it.
I know you meant well, Grandma Taters,
but you should leave mass mind control
to trained professionals.
I just wanted everyone to be happy.
I guess I'll be on my way.
But I'm confused.
Isn't this where you live?
No, this was just a one-week gig.
I'm sorry, girls.
I failed.
That's all right, honey.
Come in for some muffins.
And brain juice.
We'll be back!
So, um... what were you doing
at Betty Quinlan's house again?
I told you— nothing.
So why were you going there?
Why are you cross-examining me?
Oh, so you admit you had a reason.
Cindy, you don't know anything!
The Great Spamdini Magic Set.
After waiting four weeks for this,
it better be worth it.
Hey, look at me!
I'm The Great Sheendini.
Never buy a magic kit from Wacko Wally's Wizard Warehouse.
This says the Great Spamdini vanished
under mysterious circumstances.
Maybe he dabbled too far in the dark arts.
Well, he sure dabbled in subpar building materials.
This needs a major Neutronic overhaul.
Jimmy, why are you suddenly into magic?
Oh, I know— I know.
Because Betty Quinlan likes magic
and Jimmy likes Betty Quinlan.
Carl, you are totally wrong!
I've always been fascinated
with prestidigitation.
Ow! Ow!
Six-syllable words hurt my brain!
It means magic,
and I'm not doing this to impress Betty Quinlan.
Goddard?
And here's your card.
Oh, please.
Magic is so lame.
I think magic's awesome.
Me, too! I've been doing it for years.
I've been doing it for years.
Man's best friend.
So will you guys
help me do the magic show?
Will I?
Magician's assistant
is only a few notches below circus geek, my true dream.
I don't know, Jimmy, dabbling in the dark arts.
Carl, one word:
sequins.
Ladies and gentlemen.
You've heard of Houdini,
you've heard of those two foreign guys with the animals...
Carl!
I get to introduce The Amazing Jimmy!
Look at your contract, babe.
Oh, man!
The Amazing... Jimmy!
Ladies and gentlemen...
and Betty.
I will now present
a feat of magic so amazing
that all of you— but especially Betty...
Give me a break!
Will be rendered speechless with awe.
I shall need a volunteer.
Hmm...
Who shall I pick?
Just pick Betty and get it over with!
How about you, Betty?
Sure, Jimmy.
I love magic.
Duh. Why do you think
we're doing this cockamamie show?
May I present... metamorphosis.
I can't believe Nerdtron
has to stage a lame magic show
just to talk to Betty Boring.
Shh! I'm getting paid for this.
Unlike your birthday parties.
You get tips.
Before your very eyes
I will make the lovely, exquisite,
enchanting, intoxicating...
Get on with it!
I will now make Betty disappear.
Magic, huh?
This should ruin Nerdtron's magic career
and his chances with Betty.
Uh, power surge!
Cindy, what are you doing?
Just helping you make Betty disappear.
Uh, ( laughs nervously ) thanks.
Now I will disappear and Miss Libby Folfax
will keep you all entertained until I return.
( softly ): Hopefully.
Ready to get some funk in your face?
( voice echoing ): Okay, I'm in some kind of parallel dimension,
so that eyeball isn't real, that door isn't real.
I hope that isn't real.
Jimmy, I'm so glad to see you.
Oh, it's great to see you, Betty.
If you're upset, think how we feel!
Jimmy, my mom is going to be really mad
if I don't come home with my body.
This is awesome!
That body's been holding me back for years.
Cowabunga!
The power surge must have caused your body parts to scatter
in multidimensional space.
Enough with the scientific yada-yada— fix us!
Okay, I will.
First, let's get out of here.
We all have to go back into the toilet.
Please tell me he didn't say "toilet."
Jimmy, the only thing in here is that painting.
That's no painting.
Oh, so now you're an art critic, too.
It's some sort of portal.
Come on.
Be careful, Betty.
( mockingly ): "Be careful, Betty."
Watch your precious head.
Ow!
Sorry, I have two left feet.
Oh, wait— no, I don't!
Um, that was every song I know how to play.
Wow, this is the first time
I've ever really gotten into art.
Get it? "Into art"?
You didn't get it?
Because we... we're in the art...
I get it.
Look, your bodies.
Oh, body, I missed you.
Don't ever leave me again.
May I?
Thanks.
How pathetic.
Hey, check it out.
Now I can see where I've been.
Hey, is anyone missing an arm?
Uh-uh. No, we're good.
Quick, through here!
Keep going, Libby!
I'm sure Jimmy will be back any second.
Whoa, cool!
We look like math homework.
If I didn't think that we might disintegrate at any moment
I could have some fun here.
Nerdtron, we aren't lab rats
and this isn't an experiment!
Back off, Cindy.
He's trying to get us out of here,
and if anyone can do it,
he can.
Okay, I've had it, Miss Hot Pants!
This is all your fault.
Excuse me, Miss Big Mouth?
You made Nerdtron go gaga over you
and do a stupid magic show.
I'm not gaga!
You caused my invention to overload.
Well, you built the invention
to impress your dream girl.
Time out!
Cindy, we need to have a little chat.
Look, I know all about the whole you-and-Neutron thing.
Thing? What thing?
There is no thing.
We don't have a thing.
Yeah, right.
Just relax and keep out of my face.
He's all yours.
( quietly ): Yes!
What do you want, Sheen?
What do you mean?
I didn't say nothing.
Oh, it's you.
For a minute I thought you were...
Arm!
Hey, we're not liney anymore.
I guess this is it.
Trapped in a parallel dimension by a disembodied arm.
I knew it would end this way!
Where have you been?
Not you, him.
The Great Spamdini.
I have your magic kit.
So what do you want?
A medal or a chest to pin it on?
About that kit— you might want
to change your name to "Scamdini."
Um, where are we, Mr. Dini?
If I only knew.
50 years ago I was performing at a picnic matinee
when my metamorphosis box was struck by lightning.
I've been in this ferschlugginer place ever since.
You must have accidentally designed your box
with extra-dimensional geometry
that's triggered by a sudden boost
in electron...
Nap time!
Anyway, I think your arm led us here
so we could try to escape together.
Escape?
Feh! There is no escape.
We're all going to be roomies here in Loonyville.
Maybe not. There must be a place
where the dimensions intersect.
Is there anywhere here that's always spitting out new matter?
There it is.
A tuna fish sandwich right on time every day.
There's our portal to home.
All this time you never looked around
and saw the portal?
I don't like tuna!
Let's go!
Accord...
Uh-oh.
Oh... do you know anything about knife throwing, Libby?
No, but how hard can it be?
Which is our portal, Jimmy?
That one.
Or that one!
Or that one.
Check them out, but be careful.
There's no telling where these others go.
Come on, Jimmy, how bad could it be?
Gigantic-snake-world bad— got it.
What was it?
Mimes... nothing but mimes!
It's a whole world made entirely of pastrami!
That's Miss Fowl.
Guys, this is it.
Let's go!
Go on, kid, save yourself.
B-but...
Don't contradict The Great Spamdini!
Pastrami world, here we come!
Well, you're very kind.
Yeah, it was nothing, really.
Not you!
Him!
Thank you, thank you.
Give it up for Backwards-head Boy.
Backwards-head Boy is available for product endorsement
and personal appearances.
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org
Paul?
Got to blast!