Phineas and Ferb Get Busted
Encyclopedia
"Phineas and Ferb Get Busted," broadcast outside the United States and Canada as "At Last," is the forty-fifth broadcast episode of the animated television series Phineas and Ferb
. The episode aired in the United States as the premiere of the show's second season on February 16, 2009. The episode follows Phineas and Ferb finally being caught by their mother and sent to reform school
, where a harsh and cruel sergeant attempts to destroy their imagination by sitting them down to a commercial about good boys that mind-controlled them. Candace goes to save them after she sees a news report about their horrible condition.
The episode's story was written by the writing team Martin Olson
and Bobby Gaylor
and constructed into storyboard by Jon Colton Barry and Piero Piluso. Dan Povenmire
, co-creator of Phineas and Ferb, directed it. The episode is titled "At Last!" in several countries, such as the United Kingdom
. Talk show
personality Geraldo Rivera
and veteran actor Clancy Brown
guest starred as television reporter Morty Williams and the school sergeant, respectively.
Isabella and Buford are never seen. It is the first two-part episode without Isabella.
them with films that show them to not be creative or imaginative. They also are made to "Think inside the box".
Candace, meanwhile, enjoys life without her brothers to bother her, hanging out with her friends and doing different fun activities with them. Tired after doing so much, she watches TV with her best friend Stacy, only to stumble upon a news telecast by reporter Morty Williams about the reform school Phineas and Ferb are at, which prompts her to go and save them with help from her crush, Jeremy. Candace and him use Phineas and Ferb's flying car to get there, but on the way crash it and walk the rest of the way. Once there, they try simply walking in and a Trojan Horse
, both failing; finally, they disguise themselves as Morty Williams and his cameraman and the sergeant lets them enter.
Inside, Phineas and Ferb refuse to leave as they are brainwashed, so they forcibly move them out. They reach the cliff
where they parked the flying car. Candace admits she's always been proud of her brothers, snapping them out of their fog. Suddenly, Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Perry the Platypus interrupt with their seemingly never-ending fight, which causes the recently arrived sergeant to be knocked off the cliff. Perry disappears and the kids' parents show up. Following this, a series of strange events occur, such as the parents turning into marionettes, the boys juggling corn dogs, a big talking zebra appearing, and Jeremy proposing to Candace. Suddenly, Candace wakes up to find out it was all a dream, as she believes that Jeremy would never propose to her. However, when she is retelling the story at breakfast, Perry's secret organization storms in, informing him his cover has been blown and he was being relocated (as Candace had also said that "Perry was like a secret agent, or something"). Perry wakes up to find it was all his dream and Phineas comforts him and tells him to go back to sleep.
and Martin Olson
as a story, but the storyboards were adapted and constructed by Jon Colton Barry and Piero Piluso. Robert F. Hughes and Zac Moncrief
as well are credited for additionally writing for the episode. Dan Povenmire
, the show's co-creator and executive producer, directed the episode.
The episode is titled "At Last" in several different countries, such as the United Kingdom
. Latin America
as well labels the episode name in its end credits for the episode, despite entitling it "Al Fin;" however, "Al Fin" literally translates to "At Last."
Geraldo Rivera
guest starred as the voice of investigative talk show host Morty Williams. Clancy Brown
, known for his work in The Shawshank Redemption
, provided the voice of the drill sergeant. "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted" was originally broadcast in America as the premiere of season two on Presidents' Day
, February 16, 2009 on Disney XD
, at 4:30 PM Eastern/Pacific Time
. It was rated TV-G and followed by first season reruns aired in a marathon.
Buford and Isabella didn't appear in the episode. Major Monogram & Dr. Doofenshmirtz only make cameo appearance in this episode.
; in the latter, a young man is held down in the same fashion, being forced to watch acts of violence to rid himself of his own violent tendencies. While Candace and Jeremy are driving the "Flying Car of the Future, Today," a riff from the Back to the Future
theme plays in the background.
," and was the top-rated in Kids 6-11 in almost 6 months, ranking in Phineas and Ferb's top four most watched in the category. Moreover, it was the day's most watched in Tweens 9-14 and Kids 6-11 and the most watched for cable television in total viewers.
Matt Blum of Wired
wrote about the episode, "if it’s any indication, the second season will be even more brilliant than the first season was." Blum as well praised the appearance of Clancy Brown as a guest actor. One of the songs in the episode, "Little Brothers" was voted #4 on Phineas and Ferb's Musical Cliptastic Countdown.
Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb is an American animated television comedy series. Originally broadcast as a preview on August 17, 2007, on Disney Channel, the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which...
. The episode aired in the United States as the premiere of the show's second season on February 16, 2009. The episode follows Phineas and Ferb finally being caught by their mother and sent to reform school
Reform school
A reform school in the United States was a term used to define, often somewhat euphemistically, what was often essentially a penal institution for boys, generally teenagers.-History:...
, where a harsh and cruel sergeant attempts to destroy their imagination by sitting them down to a commercial about good boys that mind-controlled them. Candace goes to save them after she sees a news report about their horrible condition.
The episode's story was written by the writing team Martin Olson
Martin Olson
Martin Olson is a comedy writer, television producer, stage director and composer. He is also a playwright and poet known for comedic and unusual subject matter and known as an original member of the notorious "Boston Comedy Scene."...
and Bobby Gaylor
Bobby Gaylor
Robert "Bobby" Gaylor is a writer, actor, voice actor, producer, director, spoken word artist & former stand-up comic. He was raised in Boston and moved to L.A.to write for Roseanne Barr's television show "Roseanne"...
and constructed into storyboard by Jon Colton Barry and Piero Piluso. Dan Povenmire
Dan Povenmire
Daniel Kingsley "Dan" Povenmire is an American television director, writer, producer, storyboard artist, and actor associated with several animated television series, best known as the co-creator of the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb in which he also voices the show's villain, Heinz...
, co-creator of Phineas and Ferb, directed it. The episode is titled "At Last!" in several countries, such as the United Kingdom
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...
. Talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
personality Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
and veteran actor Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
guest starred as television reporter Morty Williams and the school sergeant, respectively.
Isabella and Buford are never seen. It is the first two-part episode without Isabella.
Episode summary
Phineas and Ferb rebuild their mother Linda's station wagon into a flying car. When Candace drags Linda to see it, she does and yells at them for being unsafe and is awestruck to learn that they have been doing similar activities all summer. Linda and her husband, fearing for the boys safety, send them to the "Smile Away Reform School". There, the drill sergeant shaves their hair, cuts them off from all fun, and brain washesMind control
Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"...
them with films that show them to not be creative or imaginative. They also are made to "Think inside the box".
Candace, meanwhile, enjoys life without her brothers to bother her, hanging out with her friends and doing different fun activities with them. Tired after doing so much, she watches TV with her best friend Stacy, only to stumble upon a news telecast by reporter Morty Williams about the reform school Phineas and Ferb are at, which prompts her to go and save them with help from her crush, Jeremy. Candace and him use Phineas and Ferb's flying car to get there, but on the way crash it and walk the rest of the way. Once there, they try simply walking in and a Trojan Horse
Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of men inside...
, both failing; finally, they disguise themselves as Morty Williams and his cameraman and the sergeant lets them enter.
Inside, Phineas and Ferb refuse to leave as they are brainwashed, so they forcibly move them out. They reach the cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
where they parked the flying car. Candace admits she's always been proud of her brothers, snapping them out of their fog. Suddenly, Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Perry the Platypus interrupt with their seemingly never-ending fight, which causes the recently arrived sergeant to be knocked off the cliff. Perry disappears and the kids' parents show up. Following this, a series of strange events occur, such as the parents turning into marionettes, the boys juggling corn dogs, a big talking zebra appearing, and Jeremy proposing to Candace. Suddenly, Candace wakes up to find out it was all a dream, as she believes that Jeremy would never propose to her. However, when she is retelling the story at breakfast, Perry's secret organization storms in, informing him his cover has been blown and he was being relocated (as Candace had also said that "Perry was like a secret agent, or something"). Perry wakes up to find it was all his dream and Phineas comforts him and tells him to go back to sleep.
Production
"Phineas and Ferb Get Busted" was written by Bobby GaylorBobby Gaylor
Robert "Bobby" Gaylor is a writer, actor, voice actor, producer, director, spoken word artist & former stand-up comic. He was raised in Boston and moved to L.A.to write for Roseanne Barr's television show "Roseanne"...
and Martin Olson
Martin Olson
Martin Olson is a comedy writer, television producer, stage director and composer. He is also a playwright and poet known for comedic and unusual subject matter and known as an original member of the notorious "Boston Comedy Scene."...
as a story, but the storyboards were adapted and constructed by Jon Colton Barry and Piero Piluso. Robert F. Hughes and Zac Moncrief
Zac Moncrief
Zachary Thomas Moncrief is a director of animated television programs, currently serving as a director for the Disney Channel cartoon Phineas and Ferb...
as well are credited for additionally writing for the episode. Dan Povenmire
Dan Povenmire
Daniel Kingsley "Dan" Povenmire is an American television director, writer, producer, storyboard artist, and actor associated with several animated television series, best known as the co-creator of the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb in which he also voices the show's villain, Heinz...
, the show's co-creator and executive producer, directed the episode.
The episode is titled "At Last" in several different countries, such as the United Kingdom
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...
. Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
as well labels the episode name in its end credits for the episode, despite entitling it "Al Fin;" however, "Al Fin" literally translates to "At Last."
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
guest starred as the voice of investigative talk show host Morty Williams. Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
, known for his work in The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman....
, provided the voice of the drill sergeant. "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted" was originally broadcast in America as the premiere of season two on Presidents' Day
Presidents' Day
Presidents Day may refer to:* Presidents' Day , a holiday in Botswana on July 19* Presidents Day , a federal holiday in the United States on the third Monday of February...
, February 16, 2009 on Disney XD
Disney XD
Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels worldwide targeting young males, owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney and/or Jetix in most areas. According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not "stand for...
, at 4:30 PM Eastern/Pacific Time
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
. It was rated TV-G and followed by first season reruns aired in a marathon.
Buford and Isabella didn't appear in the episode. Major Monogram & Dr. Doofenshmirtz only make cameo appearance in this episode.
Cultural references
The scene where Phineas and Ferb are strapped to seats and have their eyes forced open to watch films that attempt to destroy their imagination is a direct parody of the film 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...
; in the latter, a young man is held down in the same fashion, being forced to watch acts of violence to rid himself of his own violent tendencies. While Candace and Jeremy are driving the "Flying Car of the Future, Today," a riff from the Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
theme plays in the background.
Reception
When the episode broadcast on Disney Channel on March 13, 2009, it garnered a total of 3.7 million viewers, 1.4 million of them ages 9–14. It was the series second most watched telecast, behind only "Flop StarzFlop Starz
"Flop Starz" is the first segment for the first official aired episode of the animated television series Phineas and Ferb. The episode was originally broadcast on Disney Channel on February 1, 2008. In the episode, Phineas and Ferb become one-hit wonders in the matter of a morning...
," and was the top-rated in Kids 6-11 in almost 6 months, ranking in Phineas and Ferb's top four most watched in the category. Moreover, it was the day's most watched in Tweens 9-14 and Kids 6-11 and the most watched for cable television in total viewers.
Matt Blum of Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
wrote about the episode, "if it’s any indication, the second season will be even more brilliant than the first season was." Blum as well praised the appearance of Clancy Brown as a guest actor. One of the songs in the episode, "Little Brothers" was voted #4 on Phineas and Ferb's Musical Cliptastic Countdown.
External links
- Phineas and Ferb Get Busted on Phineas and FerbPhineas and FerbPhineas and Ferb is an American animated television comedy series. Originally broadcast as a preview on August 17, 2007, on Disney Channel, the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which...
WikiWikiA wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
, an external wiki - Official Phineas and Ferb website