SpongeBob SquarePants- Rock-a-Bye Bivalve Rewrite

Seasons 1-3 of SpongeBob SquarePants are some of the best pieces of animated comedy alongside Looney Tunes and The Simpsons. However, every barrel has its bad apples: Rock-a-Bye Bivalve, which is about SpongeBob and Patrick raising a baby scallop, is one episode I don’t really like. It’s basically about Patrick abandoning his best friend and a child in need just so he can watch TV. Because of this, I decided to rewrite this episode so Patrick is more likable. I was also thinking to myself “What if Pet-Sitter Pat was actually good?” So, in this episode, Patrick has to watch over Junior and Gary while SpongeBob has the double-whammy: A shift at the Krusty Krab one day, and boating school the next day. I also sprinkled in references to older episodes throughout this story. Can you find them all?

One Sunday morning, SpongeBob and Patrick discover a baby scallop left behind and decide to raise it. After feeding it a worm, naming the scallop Junior, and changing its diaper, SpongeBob and Patrick decided to assign gender roles, only for SpongeBob to realize something.

“Wait a minute!” He said. “Sponges and starfish don’t have genders!”

“What does that mean?” Asked Patrick.

“That means sponges and starfish can’t be boys or girls.” SpongeBob explained. “Sandy told me.”

“If that’s the case,” Patrick asked. “Why do we both have a mom and a dad?”

“It’s better not to think about it too much.” Replied SpongeBob. “Anyway, how about you take care of Junior whenever I’m not here? You handled Gary before.”

“But he only wanted the cookie in my pocket.” Responded Patrick. “But I do remember having a good time with Gary. But wait, if today’s Sunday, doesn’t that mean you’ll have to work tomorrow?”

“Yes.” Said SpongeBob. “But at least we have the rest of the day to play with Junior!” The scallop chirped in agreement. For the rest of the day, SpongeBob and Patrick spent a lot of time with Junior, such as taking him for a walk, playing in the park, buying him an ice cream cone filled with worms, and even riding a bicycle!

—-----------------------------------------------

The next day, Patrick arrived at SpongeBob’s house, only to realize Junior stinks.

“Boy, Junior, you stink.” Said the starfish. “Time to change your diaper!” He pulled a diaper out of his pocket and put it on Junior. SpongeBob then walked towards Patrick.

“Good morning Patrick!” He greeted. “Here’s a list of things to do while I’m gone.” He handed Patrick a piece of paper. “If Junior chirps, that means he’s hungry. If he cries, that means he needs a new diaper. As for Gary, he needs to be fed twice a day.” They walked over to the cupboard to reveal a lot of cans of snail food.

“But what if he gets bored?”

“Don’t worry, Patrick.” Said SpongeBob. “Snails are self-sufficient.” Patrick stood there with boredom. “That means he can take care of himself.”

“That’s a relief!” Said Patrick. “Good bye, SpongeBob!”

“Bye, Patrick!” SpongeBob replied back as he put on his Krusty Krab hat and left the house. Suddenly, Junior started chirping.

“Junior’s chirping!” Patrick exclaimed! “Let me look at the notes!” He then looked at the notes SpongeBob gave him. “‘If Junior chirps, that means he’s hungry.’ Scallops don’t eat Krabby Patties, doughnuts, or apples. They eat worms, and worms live in the backyard! Don’t worry, Junior! I’ll feed you in a minute!

—-----------------------------

Meanwhile, SpongeBob made it to the Krusty Krab.

“Good morning, everyone!” He declared. “Today’s probably gonna be a typical run-of-the-mill day here.”

“I don’t think so, SpongeBob me boy.” Replied Mr. Krabs. “I smell something smelly.”

“Leftovers in the fridge?” SpongeBob asked.

“No.” Mr. Krabs answered.

“The garbage needs to be emptied?”

“No.”

“Davy Jones’ Locker?”

“No, me boy!” Shouted Mr. Krabs. “Anchovies!” A school of anchovies swam into the Krusty Krab and filled it up.

“Meep! Meep! Meep! Meep! Meep!” The anchovies shouted.

“This won’t be a problem, Mr. Krabs!” Said SpongeBob, pulling out his spatula.

—---------------------------------------

Back at 124 Conch Street, Patrick dug up a bucketful of worms and fed them to Junior. Gary then crawled over to Patrick’s feet.

“Meow.” He said.

“Hi, Gary.” Said Patrick. “What do you need?” The snail then pointed to his bowl with his tail.

“You’re hungry?” Asked Patrick. “Let me check the notes.” He looked at the notes SpongeBob wrote down. “‘Gary needs to be fed twice a day: Once in the morning and another time at night.’ Oh yeah, I remember! The cupboard!” Patrick walked over to the cupboard and grabbed two cans of snail food: One for Gary and another for himself.

—-----------------------------------------

Back at the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob just finished serving the last of the anchovies. After that, a shoal (a group of fish of different species) of fish entered the restaurant, one of whom was Bubble Bass, SpongeBob’s rival.

“Hey, SquarePants.” He commanded. “I dare you to make me a Krabby Patty with everything on it, including kelp fries, coral bits, oyster skins, and a teaspoon of chum.”

“Chum?” Asked SpongeBob.

“Chum?” Asked Squidward.

“Chum?” Asked Mr. Krabs as he opened his office door. “Are you sure you’re not affiliated with one Sheldon J Plankton?”

“Of course, not.” Replied Bubble Bass, secretly crossing his fingers.

“But chum is made from… fish.” Said SpongeBob. “If we serve fish to the customers, we’d be abominations!”

“Very well.” Said Bubble Bass. “I’ll go on TV, give a review of the Krusty Krab, and no one will visit this stupid restaurant again!” He then gave out his signature laugh.

“Alright!” Said Mr. Krabs. “You win. You’ll get a Krabby Patty with everything on it, including chum. Squidward! Head over to the Barg-N-Mart to buy some chum!”

“But who will take Squidward’s place, Mr. Krabs?” Asked SpongeBob.

“You will, me boy.” Answered Mr. Krabs, grabbing Squidward’s hat and placing it on SpongeBob’s head. “You’re gonna wear two hats again.” He then looked at Squidward. “Squidward! What are you still doing here? Go get some chum this minute! Otherwise, I’ll give Bubble Bass octopus soup.” Bubble Bass licked his lips upon hearing that.

“You got it, Mr. Krabs!” Squidward responded as he left the restaurant to buy chum.

“SpongeBob, me boy!” The crustacean told his fry cook. “Make a Krabby Patty with everything on it. If you please Bubble Bass, I’ll give you a pay bonus.”

“But I thought you were cheap, stingy, and greedy.” Said Harold.

“I can’t be avarice and greed all the time.” Mr. Krabs responded.

—-------------------------------------

Hours passed, and after lots of work caring for Junior and Gary, Patrick decided to just relax and watch TV. He started laughing at one of the shows.

“Ha ha ha ha!” He said. “That guy got hit in the head with a cocoanut!” Suddenly, the doorbell rang. The door opened, and it was SpongeBob.

“Hi, SpongeBob!” Greeted Patrick. “Gary and Junior were quite a handful today. How was work at the Krusty Krab?”

“Boy, it was eventful!” Said SpongeBob. “First, there was a school of ravenous anchovies! Then, Bubble Bass came back and ordered a Krabby Patty with everything on it, even chum! And if that wasn’t bad enough, Plankton came by and nearly got away with the Secret Formula! Contrary to popular belief, the Secret Formula for the Krabby Patty isn’t in the bottle, but in the patty itself. The bottle reveals the secret between Mr. Krabs and Pearl.” He then smelt something rank. “PU, Patrick! Was that a peanut onion sundae?”

“Oh, that?” Said Patrick. “Those are Junior’s diapers! They’re in the garbage.”

“Patrick.” SpongeBob replied with a stern tone. “You’re supposed to take the garbage can out so the garbage fish will pick it up later!”

“Sorry.” Said Patrick. “I’ve been working with the pets all day! Does that mean you want me to throw it away?”

“No, I’ll do it for today.” SpongeBob responded. “Just make sure you do it tomorrow. I have to go to boating school tomorrow.”

“Want to play Eels and Escalators?"

—---------------------------------------------------

The next day came, and Patrick arrived at SpongeBob’s house.

“Good morning, SpongeBob, Gary, and Junior!” He greeted. “Are you gonna pass your boating exam today?”

“I honestly doubt it, Patrick.” Said SpongeBob. “Anyway, I added a new objective to your to-do list: Take out garbage whenever there’s a diaper in it.”

“Aye-aye, captain!” Said Patrick, grabbing the list from SpongeBob. “Good luck on your exam, and in case you fail, just remember you still have your unicycle!”

“Thanks, Patrick.” Said SpongeBob, and he left the house to go to school.

“Okay, Junior!” Said Patrick. “It’s just me, you, and Gary for the rest of the day!” Junior started chirping.

“You’re chirping!” Said Patrick. “Lucky for you, I have some worms in my pocket! I sleep in the dirt, you know.” He pulled a worm out of his pocket, but Junior wasn’t interested. Instead, he jumped out of the bed made from SpongeBob’s pants and tried to fly.

“Junior, no!” Said Patrick, placing the scallop back in the bed. “There, now stay here while I feed Gary.”

—----------------------------

Meanwhile, SpongeBob made it to Mrs. Puff’s Boating School. He was the first one there as usual, but Mrs. Puff was there too.

“Good morning, Mrs. Puff!” He greeted. “Where is everyone?”

“You know as well as I do that class doesn’t start until 9, SpongeBob.” Said the pufferfish. "It’s only 8 in the morning, but since you’re here, you might as well do the boating exam.” She shuddered upon saying that. The two sea creatures made it outside and got into a boat.

“Since you passed the oral report 38 times,” She began. “You don’t need to do it this time. “Anyway, how do you start the boat?”

—------------------------------

In SpongeBob’s brain, the mini SpongeBobs were still recovering from the Squilliam fiasco the other week.

“Okay, everyone!” Said one SpongeBob. “How do we start a boat?”

“1924?” Asked another SpongeBob.

“No!” Said the head SpongeBob. “You start the engine!”

—------------------------------

SpongeBob started the engine, and Mrs. Puff was surprised.

“We didn’t explode yet.” She said. “Now what?”

“Let me remember.” Said SpongeBob, and the mini SpongeBobs in his brain searched through the files. “Big toe on the pedal.” He took off his shoe and pressed the pedal with just one toe.

“Perfect!” Said Mrs. Puff as the boat started moving. “Do you have a walkie talkie hidden in your head again?”

“No!” Said SpongeBob. “Patrick’s watching over my pets. I wonder how he’s doing right now.”

—----------------------------

Back at 124 Conch Street, Patrick finished feeding Gary, only to hear chirping.

“Is it that stupid noise again?” He said, only to remember that Junior chirps. “Wait a minute, that’s Junior!” He walked over to the bed, and Junior was trying to jump again.

“Junior!” Patrick told the scallop. “How many times have I told you, no jumping off of stuff! You’d shatter like plastic.” He placed Junior back in his bed.

“Meow.” Said Gary.

“No, this won’t last all day.” Said Patrick.

—--------------------------------

Back at Mrs. Puff’s Boating School, after 45 failed attempts, SpongeBob managed to do the impossible: Pass his boating exam.

“Can you pinch me, SpongeBob?” She asked, and SpongeBob did so. “Ouch! What was that for?”

“You told me to do it, Mrs. Puff.” Said SpongeBob.

“I guess it’s not a dream, then.” She said. “How did you manage to pass the boating exam without outside assistance?”

“I guess it came from what happened last week.” Answered SpongeBob. “I was at the Krusty Krab, and I was told to forget everything I know except fine dining and breathing. When asked what my name was, I went berserk. Everything was a blank after that fiasco. Poor Squidward.”

“Is Squidward the one who’s actually an octopus?” Asked Mrs. Puff. “I had squid students before, and none of them look like him.”

“Yes, actually.” Answered SpongeBob. “Was he a student here, too?”

“Yes, and he passed 20 years ago.” Responded Mrs.Puff. Suddenly, the bell rang, and her students flooded into the school.

“Class started, Mrs. Puff.” SpongeBob pointed out. “Does that mean I can leave class early?”

“Not quite, SpongeBob.” Said the pufferfish. “I’d also like to see an 1,000 word essay on what happened to you in the last three seasons while also stating what you’d like a possible movie to be about.”

—------------------------------

It was now 2:58 PM, and Patrick decided to glue Junior to the bed, but don’t worry. Patrick gave the scallop five diapers just in case. There were also worms slithering around the bed in case Junior got hungry. The sea star was playing with Gary by throwing a boomerang pet ball at him.

“Catch, Gary!” He said as he threw the ball, only for it to come back.

“Meow.” Said Gary.

“How am I supposed to know that the ball is also a boomerang?” He asked. “What else can we play?” Unbeknownst to him, Junior was biting through the bed, trying to escape.

“You taught SpongeBob how to tie his shoes!” Said Patrick. “Maybe you could teach me!” He pulled a pair of blue sneakers out of his belly button.

“Meow!” Said Gary.

“I don’t have to watch Junior right now!” Said Patrick. “He’s glued to Spongebob’s spare pants!” Junior was then seen flying above Patrick’s head. “Oh, hi Junior.” He then realized something. “Junior!” He ran through the house to chase Junior, only to chase him outside and for the scallop to escape.

“Oh, no!” Said Patrick. “SpongeBob’s gonna be mad at me!” He started crying over ‘losing’ Junior, and as if on cue, SpongeBob arrived in a brand new boat mobile.

“Hi, Patrick!” He said. “Where’s Junior?”

“He flew away!” Moped Patrick.

“Patrick, that’s natural.” SpongeBob explained. “When scallops become old enough, they’ll fly back into the wild. That’s what happened with my scallop. Anyway, I got my driver’s license!” Unfortunately, Junior’s diaper fell off and landed on SpongeBob’s license.

“Bye, Junior!” Said Patrick. “Sorry for gluing you to the bed!”

“What?” SpongeBob asked with a concerned tone.

“Nothing!” Patrick responded back.

Well, that concludes my latest story. On February 3rd, I'll celebrate Pixar's 40th anniversary with a special story and collage!

Movie Review: Mr. Popper's Penguins

Movie Review: Mr. Popper's Penguins                                                                                         1-16-26

This movie is about a wealthy businessman named Thomas Popper Jr, who actually forgot about the value of family. One day, he receives a live Gentoo penguin in the mail! Unfortunately for Tom, the penguin’s a troublemaker who floods the bathroom. If that isn’t bad enough, another box arrives with five more penguins! Billy (Tom’s son), however, loves the penguins, so Tom decides to keep them as pets.

Before I actually begin reviewing this movie, I want to point out the book is very different from the movie: In the book, Mr. Popper is a house painter for only half the year, and because it was the Great Depression when the book was published, they don’t make that much money. Luckily, the Poppers make back the money by putting the penguins in a circus act. Also, most zoos and aquariums during this time didn’t have penguins yet, making the book feel rather dated.

On one hand, Mr. Popper’s Penguins (the movie) has great production design, a good score from Rolfe Brent, CGI that aged surprisingly well, and outstanding animal action. On the other hand, you have a cliched story, one-dimensional characters, dated jokes, and some unnecessary potty humor.

And then there’s the acting: Jim Carrey is Tom Hopper, but is family-friendly comedy routine is just no match for how he would be in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies. There’s also Carla Gugino as Tom’s wife Amanda, Madeline Carrol and Maxwell Perry-Cotton as their kids Janie and Billy, and the late Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Selma van Gundy. Given Lansbury’s legendary status, she probably gives the best performance in the whole movie, even if it is not that prominent.

Aside from that, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is your typical inoffensive kids movie. As Rotten Tomatoes put it, it could’ve been a lot worse, but it also could’ve been better.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Tomorrow, I will upload a rewrite of a classic SpongeBob episode that I’m actually not that fond of.

Animated Movies Coming in 2026

Man, 2025 was quite a year for animated movies: Even though this year's batch got mostly great reviews, only three of these movies proved to be profitable with Dog Man, The Bad Guys 2, and Zootopia 2. Hopefully, 2026's year's batch will fare better with all but four of these movies being made from pre-established brands. Let's see what we have!

First in February is Goat, from Sony Pictures Animation. This movie with an all-star voice cast and 2.5D style will be about a billygoat named Will Harris who joins a basketball league in order to become the greatest of all time. Let's just hope this movie doesn't use AI, since Sony announced they were doubling down on artificial intelligence back in 2024.

In March, Pixar will release their 30th animated movie with Hoppers. This movie will be about a 19-year-old girl named Mabel Tanaka who volunteers to have her brain transferred into a beaver robot so she can survey the local wildlife. I'm very excited for this movie and hope it does better at the box-office than Elio.

In April, the Mario Bros, Peach, and even Bowser will return with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which I must admit looks amazing. Let's just hope that lightning strikes twice critically speaking.

In June, the toys are back with Toy Story 5, which will pit toys against tech when Bonnie (who's now eight) gets a LilyPad to play with. I'll try to see Toy Story 5 in theaters, but after that, no more for me! I don't want this franchise to have as many sequels as The Land before Time.

Next in July is Minions 3, which I already dread. To quote Glen (Cody's brother) in Surf's Up, "Can I be the first in line not to see it?"

In August, the famous preschool pups will appear in another movie with Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie. In this movie, the Paw Patrol lands on a mysterious dinosaur island after a storm, where they meet Rex, a stranded pup. When Humdinger's reckless mining triggers a volcano, the team faces their biggest rescue mission yet to save the island.

In September, DreamWorks will release their next movie with Forgotten Island. This movie will be about a group of characters who get transported to a long-forgotten magical island rooted in Filipino mythology. Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the same duo behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, will direct this movie.

In October, after 18 long years, the Gaang is back in an all-new 2D animated movie with The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. Not much is known about this movie, but it will follow Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko in their adult years. I know what my New Year's Resolution for 2026 is- to rewatch Avatar: The Last Airbender to see if it still holds up!

There will be two new animated movies in November. First on November 6th, from Warner Bros Pictures Animation (formally known as WAG) comes the first animated Cat in the Hat adaptation in 55 years, The Cat in the Hat. This movie will use the 2D/3D hybrid style popularized by Sony and DreamWorks, and Bill Hader, who had voice work before with Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Inside Out, and The Angry Birds Movie, will voice the cat in this movie.

And finally, on November 25th, Disney will release their first original animated film since 2023, Hexed. This movie will be about an awkward teenage boy and his Type-A mom, who discover that what makes him unusual, might just be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic, upside down. Let's just hope that this movie is better than Strange World and Wish.

Of all these films, I'm most excited for Hoppers since I'm getting sick of so many sequels and remakes from all these studios: The only live-action remake of a Disney movie I'd like to see is Pocahontas, though that will happen when pigs fly.

Once again, there will be more movies than the ones listed here, but these were the ones I wanted to cover. I'm also sorry that I couldn't find posters or logos for Minions 3 or Forgotten Island: They'll take more time to show up.

Movie Review: David

Movie Review: David                                                                                                                    12-20-25

From the songs of his mother's heart to the whispers of a faithful God, David's story begins in quiet devotion. When the giant Goliath rises to terrorize a nation, a young shepherd armed with only a sling, a few stones, and unshakable faith steps forward. Pursued by power and driven by purpose, his journey tests the limits of loyalty, love, and courage--culminating in a battle not just for a crown, but for the soul of a kingdom.

David is the best biblical animated movie since The Prince of Egypt with a strong heartfelt tone, impressive animation, engaging albeit familiar characters, appealing character designs, and songs that easily trump lesser animated musicals in recent years.

David about to slay the mighty giant Goliath.

Rather than being animated in North America or even Europe like your average CGI movie, David was animated at Sunrise Animation Studios in Cape Town, South Africa. If you ask me, they did a great job on a small 60 million dollar budget.

If I were to make a nitpick, I felt David was too long: The film is about 115 minutes long (ALMOST TWO HOURS!), but if you ask me, it could've been 10-20 minutes shorter. It also doesn't help that I'm, at the moment, not familiar at all with the biblical story of David.

David, know an adult, with his aging mom Nitzevet and his teenage sister Zeruiah.

In conclusion, in case your theater is fresh out of Zootopia 2 tickets, go see David instead.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plus four sheep 🐑🐑🐑🐑

Movie Review: That Christmas

Movie Review: That Christmas                                                                                               12-5-25

Based on the charming trilogy of children's books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis, That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!

Even though the story feels like a series of episodes, That Christmas makes up for it with a heartfelt tone that Strange World, Wish, and Kung Ku Panda 4 lacked, impressive animation, a good score from John Powell, and engaging and relatable characters.

Charlie (left) with a beard made from the hair of their neighbor's dog.

This movie has quite a few characters to focus on, and each of them gets their own amount of screen time: There’s opposite twins Sam and Charlie, Danny, a boy who bonds with his teacher, communicates with his divorced mom through sticky notes, and has a crush on Sam, Bernadette, a rebellious red-head with freckles who also has to watch over the house with her friends while her parents are stuck in their van. it's hard to pick which ones I like the best because they're all so relatable and make me want to be a kid again.

If I were to complain about one thing, I don’t like how Santa Claus himself looks in the movie: St. Nick is supposed to be big-boned, but in this movie, Santa seems to have lost lots of weight. To quote Mrs. Claus in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer “Whoever heard of a skinny Santa?”

To conclude this review, while it doesn’t hold a Christmas candle to the likes of Arthur Christmas, Klaus, or The Muppet Chrismtas Carol, That Christmas is still a gem to cherish each Christmas. To be honest, I liked this movie better than Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey!

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Movie Review: Zootopia 2

Movie Review: Zootopia 2                                                                                       11-26-25

It’s been a week since Nick and Judy solved the savage outbreak, but the other cops at the ZPD still think they’re just rookies. After an unfortunate series of events, Nick and Judy discover an animal in Tundra Town that’s never appeared in Zootopia before: A snake! Now, the two unlikely mammals have to go on the run to solve a secret mystery behind Zootopia that will forever change hisssstory.

Zootopia 2 is the best animated Disney movie since Encanto and their best sequel since Fantasia 2000 with animation that is just as amazing as it was nearly a decade ago, a story that really expands beyond the original without creating too many plot holes, fun new characters, and another great score from Michael Giaccino.

While Zootopia 1 tackled prejudice, Zootopia 2 tackles segregation: Reptiles, including snakes, lizards, and tortoises, used to live alongside mammals in the city, but are now secluded to a secret area near Marsh Market.

Unfortunately, there are some nitpicks I have about the movie. Along with a tad too many animal puns and pop-culture references, the marketing for the movie lied: Gary, a pit viper who gets framed for poisoning Chief Bogo, isn’t as prominent as the trailers or posters suggest he’d be. And remember how the teaser showcased a tall mysterious figure in a cloak that would’ve pursued Nick and Judy throughout the movie? He doesn’t seem to appear in the movie!

Also, if this is supposed to take place a week after Zootopia 1, where’s Mayor Lionheart? I’m aware it was probably because they couldn’t bring back JK Simmons, but they still could’ve given an in-universe reason why Lionheart is absent.

In conclusion, while obviously not as good as the first movie, Zootopia 2 is without a doubt the best animated sequel of 2025. However, there might be another animated movie that I like better: David, which I will review this December.

Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5.

The Animal Show- Hyrax and Toucan Part 2

Jake: And now, let’s see what’s cooking in the kitchen with Yves St. La Roche.

(cuts to Yves in his kitchen)

Yves: Bonjour, bonjour little animals out there! Today, we will make something unusual with animal cracker cereal! First, you take a box of animal crackers (grabs a box of animal crackers and places it on the counter), and then you take an empty cereal bowl (grabs a bowl and puts it on the counter). Next, you pour the animal crackers into the bowl (pours the crackers into the bowl) followed by the milk (pours milk into the bowl), and voila! You have animal cracker cereal. I will give it to Stinky now.

(cuts back to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, all the way from South America.

Stinky: America.

Jake: Please welcome Rio the Toucan!

Rio: Hola, Stinky. Hola, Jake.

Stinky: Why are you a guest star today?

Jake: Stinky!

Rio: Well, Jake told me that this episode is about unusual animal relatives. I’m related to the woodpecker, if you can believe it! We belong to a group of birds called Piciformes.

Stinky: Do you eat bugs, too?

Rio: Some of us, but mainly, toucans eat fruit, seeds, reptiles, and even bird’s eggs. Or at least, toco toucans do.

Jake: Your bill seems rather heavy. Is it made out of hollow like your skeleton?

Rio: Yes. Not only do we use our bills to grab food, but male toucans also use each other to determine who wins a female. Luckily, I was not a victim of such barbaric behavior.

Stinky: Do all toucans have big bills?

Rio: Actually, no. Toucans can come in a variety of sizes. Here’s the white-throated tocanet…

The plate-billed toucan…

Stinky: That looks like a parrot!

Rio: The chestnut-eared aracari…

And the smallest of us all, the lettered aracari!

I may not be a songbird, but can I sing today?

Jake: Yes you may. And now, here’s Rio singing ‘Toucan Mambo’.

Rio: Ruffle your feathers and shake your bill

Just make sure that you don't spill!

Wiggle your toes and flap your wings

Already, your ready to sing

We're doing the Toucan Mambo!

Fly to the trees to grab some fruit

Just make not to stain your suit!

Click your tongue and fan your tail

Looks like we're ready to set sail

And do the Toucan Mambo!

Smack your partner with your big orange beak

And don't be afraid to let a loud shriek

And before we say our sweet goodbyes

We'll do one last try to reach the sky

While doing the Toucan Mambo!

Bunnie: And now, the Animal Awards! Today, the award for Weirdest Shark. Could it be… the hammerhead shark?

Armstrong: The port Jackson shark?

Bunnie: The basking shark?

Armstrong: Or the wobbegong?

Bunnie: And the winner is… the wobbegong!

Armstrong: You call that a shark? That looks more like Stanley!

Bunnie: You made a good point, Armstrong. If that isn’t strange enough, some wobbegongs can walk on land if necessary!

(cuts to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, it’s time for a story. Today’s story is The Woodpecker and the Toucan. “Once upon a time in South America, there was a toucan resting on a branch until he was woken up by a knocking sound. ‘Who’s that?’ Asked the toucan. He looked up to find a woodpecker pecking through the wood. ‘Hello, there!’ Said the woodpecker. ‘I’m digging for bugs! Would you like to help?’ ‘Do I look like I eat bugs to you?’ Asked the toucan. ‘I had a rough sleep last night, and I just want to be left alone!’ The woodpecker decided to continue pecking the wood, and eventually, it drove the toucan crazy. ‘That’s it!’ Said the toucan as he flew over to the woodpecker. ‘I’m going to give you a piece of my…’ He was astonished to see what was there- a hole for him to live in! ‘You can live in the hole,’ Said the woodpecker. ‘And I’ll find lunch in another tree.’ ‘Thank you so much!’ Said the toucan. ‘I’m going to continue my nap!’ And so, the toucan went into his hole while the woodpecker flew off to find another tree, and they lived happily ever after. The end.”

Stinky: That was a good story, Jake. Is Rio still here?

Jake: No, she’s back in South America, but I’m sure she would have loved the story.

(cut to Armstrong and Bunnie in front of the habitat door)

Bunnie: Okay, Armstrong. It’s Habitat Time! Today, we’re going to South Africa.

Armstrong: But we have already been to Africa!

Bunnie: Don’t worry, Armstrong. This will be the last time we visit Africa for the season.

Armstrong: Thank goodness. Can I open the door today?

Bunnie: Sure, why not?

Armstrong: Thank you! (flies over to the doorknob, twists it with his beak, and opens the door)

Bunnie: C’mon, let’s go!

If we’re lucky, we might see the big five: Rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard!

Armstrong: But didn’t we already see rhinos, an elephant, and a leopard in the symbiosis episode?

Bunnie: That means we only need to see two of them!

Armstrong: That looks like that animal Tizzy talked about.

Bunnie: You're right, Armstrong. This is an elephant shrew, specifically a cape elephant shrew. It’s also called the hopping shrew since it can leap up to 3 feet in the air, much like a rabbit.

Armstrong: That looks like an antelope.

Bunnie: You’re right, Armstrong. This is a bontebok, which stands up to three feet tall!

And this is a cape buffalo. Even though they eat plants, cape buffalo are very dangerous. Not only do these buffalo never forget, but they also never forgive.

Armstrong: Yikes! Good thing I don’t live in Africa.

I know what that is: A lion!

Bunnie: You’re right Armstrong! Lions used to live in Africa, Europe, and Asia, but now, they only live in Africa and a small section of India.

Armstrong: What happened to the other lions?

Bunnie: They were hunted to extinction.

Armstrong: Extinct? Like the dinosaurs?

Bunnie. Correct.

Armstrong: Yikes! I hope chickenhawks aren’t next.

That looks like a bald eagle, but what’s it doing outside of North America?

Bunnie: That’s not a bald eagle, you silly goose! That’s an African fish eagle. While the bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, the fishing eagle is the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Armstrong: Can we stay a little longer? I want to see if South Africa has any native hawks.

Bunnie: Sorry, Armstrong, but we have to go home.

(Bunnie and Armstrong leave South Africa and return to the Animal Show studio)

Bunnie: For Habitat Time, this is Bunnie Bear.

Armstrong: And Armstrong the Chickenhawk.

Bunnie: Just back from South Africa.

(Tizzy flies around Stinky and Jake again)

Tizzy: Quiz time!

Jake: And what’s the quiz this time?

Tizzy: Well, here it is! (cuts to the screen below)

Are toucan bills sharp? Give it a think. Back in a buzz!

Stinky: What do you think, Jake?

Jake: I’ll make a guess and say yes. Hey, that rhymed!

Tizzy: Let’s reveal the answer! (flies back to the previous screen) Are toucan bills sharp? While not typically razor-sharp like Armstrong, toucan bills do have serrated edges in their bills that help them grab food. Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

Jake: Thanks for the quiz, Tizzy. That's all the time we have today, and until next time, keep seeing the world through the eyes of animals. Bye!

Author's Notes: Lamont the Sloth was previously in the Animal Show episode 'Giraffe and Sloth'. Just like Flash in Zootopia, he was very slow.

The puppet used for Rio was previously used for a toucan on Sesame Street, though it was later modified to look more Muppet-like.

The Animal Award for Weirdest Shark was previously held in the Animal Show episode 'Shark and Sea Lion'. I know it doesn't fit with the episode, but I was running low on options.

Animal Show | Shark  / Sea Lion | Jim Henson Family Hub | Kids Cartoon - YouTube

Bunnie is actually right: Wobbegong sharks can walk from one tide pool to another using their pectoral and pelvic fins, similar to a mudskipper.

Well, after nearly two whole years, my reboot season of The Animal Show with Stinky and Jake is finally over! As for what I'll do next, I'm gonna review Zootopia 2 later this month, That Christmas in December, Mr. Popper's Penguins in January, and Charotte's Web in February.