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Air's videos!
Today I am reviewing an episode of Hey Arnold!
I love this show, so let's jump into this review of School Play.
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If you haven't seen this episode and just so happened to click on the video, at least
give it a watch, I promise you won't be disappointed, then come and watch my review.
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Anywho, it's been over 2 months since my last Super Review, so let's celebrate going
back to school with this review of Hey Arnold: School Play.
The episode starts off with with a beautiful title card on the school curtains, accompanied
by the beautiful score by Jim Lang.
(clip) It really gets you in the mood of a grand 22 minute special.
We start at the P.S. 118 cafeteria, as Helga talks down to Arnold, while Arnold acts like
his sensible self and walks off, telling Helga he knows deep down she has a soft spot.
Helga, obviously really loving Arnold, gawks in happiness.
Mr. Simmons walks in and announces the upcoming school play about Romeo and Juliet.
Honestly, knowing what happens later, I think the plot is very creative for only being about
a school play.
I'll explain later.
We see that Helga, before knowing that the Romeo part would go to Arnold and Romeo has
to kiss Juliet, isn't all too interested in being a part of the play.
I have to say a boy and girl kissing in a 4th grade school play is a little extreme,
in the same country that has schools ban fidget spinners, but that's a story for another
day.
The auditions are also pretty fun to watch.
If you are a fan of drama and the arts like I personally am, you would love the jabs at
references they take here, like Mercutio and Tybalt being in the play.
Thank god Jason Statham wasn't in this episode…
By the way, in the auditions when Eugene denies being Romeo, there's a bit of out-of-character-ness,
with Eugene snapping at Simmons at the end.
When the boys leave the auditorium, this drama-teacher-critic guy named Mr. Leichliter comes up and insults
Simmons, and Simmons says this.
(clip) I mean, if you can't see him there alone, I think you need glasses.
Anyways, our first subplot, being about this critic guy judging Simmons' play has just
unfolded.
I think with these subplots, especially in a 22 minute special, the more the merrier!
Simmons goes to Arnold, and after some begging, Arnold accepts the part of Romeo, which any
4th grader wouldn't even dream of laughing at when there are so many lines, but Arnold
being the sympathetic last hope of us all he is, accepts.
With some contrived coincidences, Helga overhears the girls talking about Arnold being Romeo
in the washroom, and she instantly decides she wants to be Juliet.
Helga hurries to the Juliet auditions and gets the 4th understudy of Juliet after Rhonda,
Sheena, Phoebe and Lila.
This means if all 4 girls drop out for whatever reason, Helga is Juliet.
Call it a substitute if you will.
Helga plots to get them all out so she can kiss Arnold in the last scene.
So far, the plot seems great!
Like I said a few minutes ago, the plot is very creative for only being about a school
play.
Now we have Arnold to play Romeo in a school play, Helga having to learn her lines and
knock out four girls to get to Juliet, Simmons has the critic guy, and we still have all
the fun that comes with the setup and delivery of the play in its entirety.
We're ten minutes in, practically half way, and the plot setup is already done.
Everything now just needs to play out.
That's why this writer is so good, to go on to write Arnold's Christmas.
Kudos to the late Steve Viksten.
We go to a quick scene in the boarding house, as Arnold tells Grandpa and Mr. Hyunh about
the play.
(clip) Haha, yes, now we are starting the comedic part of this episode.
Helga starts her quest to drop the girls out of the play, by making a horrible costume
for Juliet and scaring Rhonda into dropping out, which was hilarious!
Oh by the way, the order of the girls is very interesting.
It's Rhonda, Sheena, Phoebe, Lila.
Honestly, I know this is a school play, but if 4th graders can kiss on stage, I don't
care at this point!
You can't tell me that this graceful, beautiful Juliet was supposed to be originally played
by a sassy, rude drama queen, THEN a graceful nice girl, then a super-short, egotistical
genius who shows off her achievements left and right, THEN a graceful, perfect ball of
sunshine.
I feel like the order should be Lila, Sheena, Rhonda, Phoebe!
But saying how the plot is structured and Helga's schemes being harder and harder
each time, I'll excuse Mr. Simmons' terrible order choices this time.
Although there is the plot hole that if Lila is so perfect, why was she the last understudy?
Anyways, we go back to Mr. Hyunh and Arnold, practicing for the play, as Mr. Hyunh acts
like Juliet.
(clip) Once again, this slight humor, although not that funny, does add a lot to this episode.
We go back to Rhonda as she tells Simmons she can't make it, with probably the funniest
scene in the entire episode.
(clip) Okay, that's got to be one of the funniest gags in the entire episode.
In fact, Helga is HILARIOUS in this episode, so let's get all the funny stuff out of
the way.
(clips) Anyway, after scaring Sheena with the gore in the play, and pressuring out Phoebe
out of the role, Helga heads for Lila, the last understudy.
We go to Arnold in the boarding house, as Oskar Kokoschka laughs at Hyunh in a dress
to roleplay for Arnold.
Helga tries to back out Lila with the gore excuse, and Lila says: (clip) Oh do shut up,
Lila.
No one likes you!
Helga tries to go with the stagefright and costume excuses, but they don't work on
her either.
(clip) So yeah, Helga confesses, and Lila gives her the role.
I have to say the
writing here is phenomenal.
This so accurately portrays how a 4th grader would say something like that.
So yeah, the main portion of the episode is over, and now everything has to play out.
We go to Helga's house, as she practices her lines for the play with Big Bob, her dad.
I'm surprised Bob even cared a little bit about Helga to do this, that's a big jump
for his character.
I guess Olga wasn't around this time…
We fade to Helga before bed, talking to herself about Arnold and writing in her diary.
(clip) Alright, I know I said the Helga dress thing was the funniest thing ever, but THIS
takes it to a whole new level.
We go to opening night, as Simmons nervously readies everyone, and Leichliter is there
to enjoy every fault and flaw they make.
(clip) Yes, you'll realize there are more clips of the episode this time around, and
although being a personal improvisation, that is mostly because of how alive this episode
is!
Every scene can be put in an album, either as a funny, humorous scene, to an inspiring
scene, to one that's just that classic!
Like this beautiful prologue, that explains the plot of the play for those unfamiliar,
adds some context to the scene coming after it, gives some emotion to it by having even
the most bitter of couples being in love, and has some brilliant voice acting and animation
for its time.
We go into the bulk of the play, with it having a cool original twist on these characters
and plots, and some comedy to back the fact that these are just kids at the end of the
day.
I mean that because in almost every scene, there is that local feel to it, with Harold
failing at stabbing Curly, Arnold almost forgetting his lines or Helga tripping on set.
But, you see, what makes this different from a school play episode you can make with your
friends in an afternoon, is the classic awesome outcome of the actual thing.
The play may be cheesy, faulty or goofy at times, but when the characters get it right,
they really get it right!
And that's what makes these pre-climax scenes so great!
And yeah, at 22 minutes in, Helga does the most important thing to take away from this
episode: kiss Arnold.
And for 14 seconds, you sick little- So yeah, the kiss is over, no one makes too much of
it, and Helga kills herself in the play.
Although let me point out that Juliet killing herself is not the last scene in Romeo and
Juliet, but they just kissed, let's move on!
Arnold acknowledges Helga's long kiss, and all's well that ends well.
And, before we finish, let's give a big kudos to Jim Lang, who created this masterpiece
of a song at the end of this episode.
And, I mean I won't use it in my credits or anything.
But until next time, be sure to subscribe and join my Discord server.
Ciao!
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