"Hermit Ren" is the first episode of Season 4.
Characters[]
- Ren Höek
- Stimpy
- The Announcer Salesman (as The Hermit Union Worker)
- Mummified Bog Man
- Yak (Cameo)
- Bats
- Oldman Farmer Höek
- Ren's Anger
- Ren's Fear
- Ren's Ignorance
- Jasper (as The Hermit Union Leader)
- Explody (cartoon)
Untamed World segment[]
- Kowalski (as a cop)
- Blue-Crested Biddies
- The Grey Tufted Old Fogey
- The Grizzled Curmudgeon
- Wilbur Cobb (as The Bandy-Legged Codger)
- The Doddering Old Fool
- The Wily Tree Geezer
Summary[]
Fed up with Stimpy's stupidity and the whole world, Ren decides on moving away to become a hermit. However, he starts to go insane from the isolation, creating imaginary friends to cope and subsequently forcing the Hermit Union's leader to kick him out. Meanwhile, in an attempt to solve the problem of his own loneliness, Stimpy makes a replica of Ren from his own earwax.
Plot[]
At night, Stimpy enjoys himself by singing his version of "Kumbaya" and expertly playing his accordion. Ren, on the other hand, is in a bad mood after a hard day at work. After a series of crazy shenanigans, such as Ren burning his mouth on over-cooked chicken, drinking expired milk, and cutting himself with a broken razor (all due to Stimpy's ignorance), Ren finally snaps. Furious and fed up with Stimpy's behavior, along with the whole world, he runs away, leaving Stimpy alone.
At a mountain, Ren is welcomed by the Hermit's Union representative to begin his hermit life inside the cave. Satisfied in his new life alone, Ren discovers a Mummified Bog Man, which he takes as his roommate. As time progresses, Ren suffers hunger, loneliness, and hallucinations. Eventually, he models a huge pile of bat dug to look like Stimpy. But, from Ren's mind, the Mummified Bog Man gives Ren his three emotions, Anger, Fear, and Ignorance as friends. However, the Hermit Union leader gets word about all of this (how, though, is never explained) and angrily banishes Ren from the Hermit Union for his actions. Afterwards, Ren arrives back home and makes up with Stimpy.
Trivia[]
- Although uncredited, this is the first episode to feature Craig Bartlett in the voice cast.
- This is the only 22-minute episode in Season 4. Season 5 would also have only one 22-minute episode, a 1995 Christmas special entitled A Scooter for Yaksmas.
- In this episode, Ren and Stimpy's house is an giant upside-down cow.
- The snake on a tree from the Untamed World segment is watching Muddy Mudskipper on TV.
- Ren has been gone for 10 years as he says in the end.
- Ren joined a union called the Hermit Union during his 10 years of being a hermit, which prohibits him to have any visitors, company, or friends, especially imaginary friends. He was kicked out for violating that strict rule.
- In the Untamed World segment, when Stimpy flips the page to the Grey-tufted Old Fogey, he has a human hand and his white glove isn't showing.
- Ren's "Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!" scream was reused from "Sven Hoek", an episode that John Kricfalusi wrote for the series, and voiced Ren in, before his firing from Nickelodeon. Unlike "Sven Hoek", this episode wasn't drafted from Spümcø.
- Craig Bartlett is not credited in the voice cast at the end credits for voicing Oldman Farmer Hoek.
- Goof: When Ren says "Yep, doesn't get any better than this", his body is shown with only his outer lineart. This is probably because the animator only drew the silhouette of Ren’s body as it wasn’t doing anything and the inker misunderstood the drawing.
Production Music[]
Main episode[]
- Ankarar Streets – Ali Isfahan (title card)
- Moving Target – Simon Benson, Eugenio Grandi (Ren’s heard outside)
- Static Link C – Gregor Narholz (still shot of Ren’s bad day)
- Rossini: Overture from “The Thieving Magpie,” Part II – Lee Ashley [OGM] (Ren eats dinner)
- Panic Patrol – Kenny Graham (Ren screaming because the chicken’s stuck to his tongue)
- Breakout – Syd Dale (Ren spits out the spoiled milk)
- Changing Moods – Sam Fonteyn (“I… just want to be… ALONE!”)
- Barber of Seville Overture – Gioacchino Rossini (Ren needs a shave)
- Drama Link (b) – Hubert Clifford (Ren is heard screaming from the bathroom)
- Dramatic Sting #9 – Dan Kirsten [OGM] (Ren comes out of the bathroom)
- Air Raid – Gerhard Trede (Ren goes crazy)
- Silent Scream (a) – Richard Harvey (“I can’t take anymore!”)
- Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries – Lee Ashley [OGM] (“I’ve had it with you!”)
- Symphonie Fantastique Movement 4 – Hector Berlioz (“And I’m never coming back!”)
- Trombone Slides – Dick Walter (Ren throws the accordion at Stimpy)
- Domestic Fun (b) – Ernest Tomlinson (end of scene)
- Casual Acquaintance – Paul Deveruex (Ren moves into the cave)
- Grieg: In the Hall of the Mountain King from “Peer Gynt” – Lee Ashley [OGM] (first shots of cave interior)
- Raga Buhpali – Clem Alford (“A mummified bog man!”)
- In the Hall of the Mountain King – Edvard Grieg (“Someone to talk to who can’t talk back!”)
- Links and Interjections (II – 1 -10) – Alan Braden (Ren props the dummy up after it falls)
- Resort Life – Dan Kirsten [OGM] (Ren says all the things he’s gonna do)
- Kumbayah [arrangement by Scott Huml and Chris Reccardi] (back at home…)
- Colour Bridges (3) – Sidney Kay (calendar changes)
- Floating Up – Dick Walter (heard during the calendar changes)
- Absolute Zero – Laurie Johnson (Ren’s bored)
- The Seven Veils – Steve Race (Ren walks around looking for food)
- Uppers and Downers (2) – Kenny Graham (“Man, that coffee works.”)
- Woodwind Neutral (1 to 3) – Raymond Jones (Ren imagines the bats as cow udders)
- Heavenly Voices (a) – David Farnon (Ren drools)
- Walking Bass – Richard Myhill (Ren tries to squeeze the bat)
- Uppers and Downers (2) – Kenny Graham (“What do you think you’re doing?! I’m a man, not a cow!”)
- Woodwind Neutral (1 to 3) – Raymond Jones (Ren imagines again)
- Magical Effect (e) – Paddy Kingsland (Ren imagines a rock is a farmer)
- Kyrie – Dave Hewson (“Oh father, I’m starving!”)
- Model Girl – Gary Hughes (farmer shows Ren food in the cave)
- Ridin’ High and Handsome – Norris Wilson, Glen Sutton (Ren eats)
- Kumbayah [arrangement by Chris Reccardi] (back at home again…)
- The Waiting Silence – Richard Harvey (exterior of cave)
- Ganges – Manuel Landy; Delerium – Chris Reccardi [original composition] (Ren in the cave, going batty)
- Bedlam – William Farran (the dummy suddenly has Ren’s face)
- Filthy’s Dance – Charlie Brissette, Scott Huml [original composition] (drum music as Ren runs away, frightened)
- Maniac Pursuit – Trevor Duncan (Ren is desperate for company)
- Colour Bridges (1) – Sidney Kay (Ren notices he molded the mud after Stimpy)
- Smouldering Fury (a) – Trevor Duncan (Ren imagines the dummy’s talking to him)
- Badlands 2 – John Cameron (“Anger, fear, and ignorance.”)
- Blood in the Gutter – Laurie Johnson (“Daaahhhh….”)
- Gay Time – Alan Perry (“Wow! Company!”)
- Kommissar Maigret – Gerhard Trede (Ren plays cards with the three facets of his personality)
- Cacodemon – Maurice Jarre (“Hey! You’re trying to cheat!”)
- Paranoia – Chris Reccardi [original composition] (Ren goes crazy)
- Approaching Evil – Christopher Payne, Paul Rogers [CPM] (Ren beats the dummy arm against a rock)
- Stirring Drums of the Highlands – John Fox (Ren is kicked out of the cave)
- Anguish – Richard Hill (also plays when Ren is kicked out of the cave)
- Taps – Dick Walter (Ren rips off his beard)
- National Mourning – Gerhard Trede (Ren leaves as everyone salutes him)
- Kumbayah [arrangement by Scott Huml and Chris Reccardi] (Ren comes home)
- Saw Theme – W Trytel (“Ren! You’re back!”)
- Kumbayah [arrangement by Scott Huml and Chris Reccardi] (“Well, it’s great to be back, buddy!”)
Field Guide/Untamed World:[]
- Beat Culture - Robert Ascot [OGM]
- Scenic Journeys - Christopher Palmer
- Cuban Carnival - Chris Karan
- Kamba Drummers - David Bradnum
- Pizzicato Playtime - Sam Fonteyn
- Song & Dance from Israel - Victor Cavini
- Dancing Balkans - Frank Comedes
- The Cat from Peter and the Wolf - Fiachra Trench, Sergei Prokofiev [not on APM site]
- Eerie-Emotional (PG-190C) - Phil Green [Capitol Records]
- Dangerous A - Mladen Franko