| ReBoot Episode | |
| |
| Dot singing at Enzo's Birthday | |
| Talent Night | |
|---|---|
| Episode no. | 1.11 |
| Written by | Lane Raichert |
| Story by | Gavin Blair, Phil Mitchell, Ian Pearson |
| Original Airdate | 16 November, 1994 |
| Prev.: The Great Brain Robbery | Next: Identity Crisis, Part 1 | |
| View Episode List. | |
Summary[]
Bob is tasked with keeping Enzo away from Baudway for a top-secret task for Dot.
Plot[]
Bob and Enzo are playing Circuit Racing with some binomes. Bob calls Dot, who tells him to keep Enzo busy all day. It is Enzo's birthday and she is preparing a surprise talent show for him. Bob agrees to keep Enzo away from Baudway for the remainder of the day.
Dot is sitting beside a female binome, Emma See the program censor, in the Diner parking lot, where a stage has been set up. They are evaluating auditions for the night's show. Mike the TV is announcing all the acts. The only problem is the acts are terrible. There are a few acts that Dot likes, but Emma rejects them for varying reasons.
Megabyte is in his throne room, watching the activity at the Diner. Curious, he contacts Lieutenant Chauncy and tells him to send some spies to scout the activity on Level 1. He also VidWindows Bob, who is playing Jet Ball with Enzo, and nearly blows the cover-up.
Some people that audition but Emma said no to were the fabulous acrobat guys, A Zero that bugs its eyes and falls to pieces, The Dires, Sal and Harv, Johnny O'Binome, Live Null Juggling, and Captain Quirk.
Everyone is excited when Phong comes to audition, he sings "Unforgettable" and unfortunately forgets the unforgettable words.
Some that Emma approved were the Small Town Binomes singing "B.S.'n'P.", and the Primitives.
While people audition for the talent show, Megabyte's spies sneak around backstage, trying to gather information. They are lead by Agent Six and Agent Twelve. The viral spies are so absorbed in their snooping that they do not realize it when the "irritable backdrop" curtain rises and they are in the middle of the stage. Startled to be front and centre, most of them sheepishly try to exit the stage but one of them improvises a break dancing act, which Emma liked but Dot hated. After Mike kicks them out Agent Six reports to Megabyte that there is to be a "celebratory event" that evening. Megabyte reveals that he is going to carry out a plan.
Bob is still entertaining Enzo, their at the Energy Park in Beverly Hills. Enzo is getting very tired and wants to go to the diner. Bob pushes Enzo down the energy slide and calls Dot. She tells him that they are not ready, but Bob tells her he can't delay Enzo much longer. Suddenly he sees Enzo fly off on a Zip Board toward Baudway Sector.
Enzo arrives in Baudway at Level 1 and is surprised by the number of cars parked in the parking lot. He is so absorbed in his thoughts he does not clue in to what is going on around him. He walks onto the stage and is cheered by all who are gathered. Some yellow energy sparkles around Enzo and he upgrades to 10, and the talent show begins. Dot sings a song called 'You're Alphanumeric', dressed in a very fetching and beautiful short-sleeved red dress. Bob and Enzo watch with their jaws dropped. Dot causes Bob to fall over and wins the heart of everyone in the audience. When she's finished, an Elvis binome comes out on stage. Before he can sing, the set comes down on top of him.
The drum set sets itself up, with a Tor-shaped upright coffin at the center of everything. The coffin opens, revealing Megabyte within. He jumps down from the coffin, holding a lime green electric guitar.
Bob confronts him, and gets Glitch to turn into an electric guitar. Bob and Megabyte then have a big guitar duel. The entire crowd cheers wildly for them. At the end, Megabyte gives Enzo his guitar saying: "I always wanted to do that." and leaves the building. Baffled, Dot wishes Enzo a happy birthday.
Gallery[]
References[]
- Emma See is meant to be making fun of the ABC Network censors for the extreme censoring of ReBoot.
- The Dires Sal and Harv act is homage to Mainframe Entertainment's 1985 animated music video 'Money For Nothing' for the Dire Straits.
- Emma's organiser has the same three-step instructions Dot had from The TIFF.
- The stage crew all have tags showing "Talent Night: Access All Areas".
- Johnny O'Binome's act in binary translates to "TAKE MY WIFE PLEASE". That was a catchphrase used by comedian Henry Youngman.
- The way Emma says "I can't stand him" is a reference to the character Lina Lamont from the movie "Singin' in the Rain" who spoke that line in a similar shrill, high-pitched voice.
- The Binome clown on a unicycle is paying homage to John Lasseter's 1987 computer animated short film Red's Dream.
- When the clown performs "Live Null Juggling" Dot and Emma See look on in dismay. An allusion to 'Cat Juggling' scene from Steve Martin's 1979 movie The Jerk.
- Phong tries to sing "Unforgettable" but forgets the next line. 'Unforgettable' was actually a popular 1951 song written by Irving Gordon.
- Small Town Binomes singing their hit record "B.S.'n'P." is a parody of the Village People's 1978 smash-hit song 'Y.M.C.A'. BSnP also stands for Broadcast Standards and Practices.
- On the Primitives act a blue sphere, a green cube, and a red cone come together to form the ReBoot icon. The shapes are a clever pun on Electronic Arts' original corporate logo used between 1982-1999.
- Captain Quark's routine is a parody of William Shatner's infamous rendition of "Rocketman".
- The CND or "Peace symbol" is rotating behind Quark, (☮) designed and completed February 21, 1958 by Gerald Holtom for the British nuclear disarmament movement. Later adopted by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). The symbol itself is made up of the Semaphore for N and D; Nucluar Disarment
- One of Megabyte's viral spies performs break dancing and moonwalking. An allusion to Michael Jackson's 1988 film Moonwalker.
- The backstage door has the sign "<Output>".
- When Enzo wanders backstage a fat Binome is imitating Elvis Presley.
- Enzo walks past a water-cooler sprite who says "Certainly, sir. Would 64 gallons be sufficient?". This is directly quoting Robby the Robot's line from the 1956 movie Forbidden Planet.
- A giant one-eyed red robot is seen backstage. This is the same robot from YTV's logo. The Canadian version originally had "YTV" written on its chest but was removed for ABC Network's own airing of "Talent Night".
- When the Elvis Binome goes on stage the message "Aloha from Mainframe via Satellite" is seen in the background.
- Megabyte emerges on stage from a metal coffin. This is a parody of English heavy metal band 'Iron Maiden'. They once had a monstrous prop during their 1990–1991 'No Prayer from the Road' tour where their cover-album mascot "Eddie" emerged from a coffin.
- Megabyte's guitar was modeled after the B.C. Rich guitar "Warlock"
- Megabyte turns the knob on his amplifier up to eleven. A reference to the mock documentary film 'This is Spinal Tap'.
- The drum kit that Hack and Slash use could be a reference to Mötley Crüe drummer, Tommy Lee who has used a rotating drum kit in live shows.
- Bob tells Glitch to transform into a "BFG". A reference to the 'BFG9000', the ultimate weapon in id software's First-person Shooter 1993 title 'DOOM'. The letters stand for Big Fender Guitar. Bob's guitar is based on a Fender.
- Mike the TV tells the crowd "Ladies and gentlemen, Megabyte has left the building". At the end of Presley's concerts, the announcer would say, "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building".
- The Rock music segment at the ending continues into the first 10-seconds of the ReBoot credits for the ABC and CITV showing, however this was dropped from the YTV broadcasting.
- This is the first episode to feature Matthew Sinclair as Enzo, as Jessie Moss left the show after the previous episode. He would remain in the role until the end of the second season.