Invasion of the Moon Creatures (Goodies episode)
Encyclopedia
"Invasion of the Moon Creatures" is an episode of the British
comedy
television series The Goodies
— a BAFTA
-nominated series for Best Light Entertainment Programme.
This episode is also known as "Big Bunny".
As always, the episode was written by members of The Goodies.
Tim and Bill are amazed at the change to their office, which has been set up like a space control centre. Graeme has agreed to do his bit to put Britain into the space race by sending two rabbit
s (called "Floppsy" and "Spiro") to the moon. Bill and Tim comment that it would be very expensive to get hold of a rocket to do this, but Graeme says that he was able to buy a second-hand Saturn rocket
from NASA
, and that the rocket was parked outside. Tim looks embarrassed and comments that he had just posted a couple of letters in it. Graeme then demonstrates to Tim and Bill how he trains the rabbits for their space voyage, including giving the rabbits stress and gravity tests. The rabbits then lift off successfully on their trip to the Moon.
Six months later, Graeme is worried because he had lost contact with "Floppsy" and "Spiro" — and intends to send up two more rabbits to the moon to find out what happened to them. Graeme does not want to sacrifice two more rabbits because they are like family to him so, when the rocket takes off, it is not Graeme's specially trained rabbits which make up the spaceship crew, but Tim and Bill, who are not at all happy, and do not wish to go. After they have taken off, Graeme says "You're looking good", and Tim then looks at his reflection in a compact mirror and thanks Graeme for what he, Tim, mistakenly assumes is a 'compliment' regarding his appearance. Bill asks where the food is, and Graeme tells him where to find it. Tim then asks Graeme where the tea is, and Graeme tells him that the tea is above their heads — commenting that they will need to drink the tea through tubes. Tim objects, saying that he would rather drink tea from a cup. Tim tells Graeme that he must telephone home, and Bill points to a telephone box floating past (actually Doctor Who
's TARDIS
). Then there is a meteorite shower
and Bill opens a window in the rocket to get a better photo.
When the rocket eventually lands on the moon it can be seen, from all the American
flags planted in the dust, that other people had already been on the moon. Tim and Bill leave the rocket and set about collecting moon dust and sing "By the light of the silvery Earth". They then become aware of all of the lettuces and carrots which are growing in the soil and Tim comments that it must be to feed all the rabbits. It appeared that "Floppsy" and "Spiro" did not perish after all, and "Floppsy" (who is now called "Big Bunny") comments that he is going to turn Bill and Tim into rabbits, so that the rabbits can return to Earth and take over the world — with Bill and Tim as the vanguard of the invasion force.
When Tim and Bill return to Earth, they are met by fanfare as the first British astronauts to travel to the moon and safely return. Everyone is then shocked to find that Tim and Bill have been turned into rabbits. Tim and Bill then proceed to wreak havoc wherever they go and Graeme has to find a way to stop them.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television series The Goodies
The Goodies (TV series)
The Goodies is a British television comedy series of the 1970s and early 1980s. The series, which combines surreal sketches and situation comedy, was broadcast by BBC 2 from 1970 until 1980 — and was then broadcast by the ITV company LWT for a year, between 1981 to 1982.The show was...
— a BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
-nominated series for Best Light Entertainment Programme.
This episode is also known as "Big Bunny".
As always, the episode was written by members of The Goodies.
Plot
Tim and Bill arrive home and are stunned to discover that the door is locked. When they knock on the door, Graeme asks them to tell him the password. Tim comments that they want to come in and have a cup of tea, to which Graeme says, "Wrong!" Then Bill demands that Graeme let them in, and Graeme opens the door.Tim and Bill are amazed at the change to their office, which has been set up like a space control centre. Graeme has agreed to do his bit to put Britain into the space race by sending two rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s (called "Floppsy" and "Spiro") to the moon. Bill and Tim comment that it would be very expensive to get hold of a rocket to do this, but Graeme says that he was able to buy a second-hand Saturn rocket
Saturn (rocket family)
The Saturn family of American rocket boosters was developed by a team of mostly German rocket scientists led by Wernher von Braun to launch heavy payloads to Earth orbit and beyond. Originally proposed as a military satellite launcher, they were adopted as the launch vehicles for the Apollo moon...
from NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, and that the rocket was parked outside. Tim looks embarrassed and comments that he had just posted a couple of letters in it. Graeme then demonstrates to Tim and Bill how he trains the rabbits for their space voyage, including giving the rabbits stress and gravity tests. The rabbits then lift off successfully on their trip to the Moon.
Six months later, Graeme is worried because he had lost contact with "Floppsy" and "Spiro" — and intends to send up two more rabbits to the moon to find out what happened to them. Graeme does not want to sacrifice two more rabbits because they are like family to him so, when the rocket takes off, it is not Graeme's specially trained rabbits which make up the spaceship crew, but Tim and Bill, who are not at all happy, and do not wish to go. After they have taken off, Graeme says "You're looking good", and Tim then looks at his reflection in a compact mirror and thanks Graeme for what he, Tim, mistakenly assumes is a 'compliment' regarding his appearance. Bill asks where the food is, and Graeme tells him where to find it. Tim then asks Graeme where the tea is, and Graeme tells him that the tea is above their heads — commenting that they will need to drink the tea through tubes. Tim objects, saying that he would rather drink tea from a cup. Tim tells Graeme that he must telephone home, and Bill points to a telephone box floating past (actually Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
's TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
). Then there is a meteorite shower
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
and Bill opens a window in the rocket to get a better photo.
When the rocket eventually lands on the moon it can be seen, from all the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
flags planted in the dust, that other people had already been on the moon. Tim and Bill leave the rocket and set about collecting moon dust and sing "By the light of the silvery Earth". They then become aware of all of the lettuces and carrots which are growing in the soil and Tim comments that it must be to feed all the rabbits. It appeared that "Floppsy" and "Spiro" did not perish after all, and "Floppsy" (who is now called "Big Bunny") comments that he is going to turn Bill and Tim into rabbits, so that the rabbits can return to Earth and take over the world — with Bill and Tim as the vanguard of the invasion force.
When Tim and Bill return to Earth, they are met by fanfare as the first British astronauts to travel to the moon and safely return. Everyone is then shocked to find that Tim and Bill have been turned into rabbits. Tim and Bill then proceed to wreak havoc wherever they go and Graeme has to find a way to stop them.
Spoofs and cultural references
- James BurkeJames Burke (science historian)James Burke is a British broadcaster, science historian, author and television producer known amongst other things for his documentary television series Connections and its more philosophical oriented companion production, The Day the Universe Changed , focusing on the history of science and...
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project - Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
- Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
- Bugs BunnyBugs BunnyBugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
- A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange (film)A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
- Nineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
- 2001: A Space Odyssey2001: A Space Odyssey (film)2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
- Monty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
- The Benny Hill ShowThe Benny Hill ShowThe Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill.There were various incarnations of the show between 1951 and 1991, and it aired in over 140 countries. The show is generally sketch-based with heavy use of slapstick, mime, parody and double-entendre...
- The song, "By the Light of the Silvery MoonBy the Light of the Silvery Moon (song)"By The Light of the Silvery Moon" is a popular song. The music was written by Gus Edwards, and the lyrics by Edward Madden. The song was published in 1909 and first performed on stage by Lillian Lorraine. It was one of a series of moon-related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era.The song has been used...
", where Tim and Bill sing "By the Light of the Silvery Earth"