"In the Army" is the first episode of Season 2.
Characters[]
Summary[]
Ren and Stimpy enlist in the army, unaware of all the obstacles to overcome with a big, bossy sarge, though they end up passing and entering a war.
Plot[]
Ren and Stimpy go to an induction office to register for the army. Compared to the stronger, taller men, Ren and Stimpy are weak. To register, they must take an eye test, and Ren believes that it is a message, as it reads 'This will hurt you' before he is given a mega shot. He sadly shows Stimpy his throbbing arm, and it is revealed that Stimpy got a shot on his tongue. Next, is a buzzcut. Both have the tops of their head shaved off. They then go to get uniforms and are administered into training camp. Ren thinks that it is not so bad, and both begin to scratch themselves, until they meet the Drill Sergeant. Ren is unable to understand his yelling to turn and walk, but Stimpy is able to, Ren struggling to keep up. Ren gets berated by the sergeant for not following orders. The Drill Sergeant orders them to 'drop and give twenty', Stimpy following the order to do pushups, but Ren thinks that they need to give him money and Ren gives him twenty dollars, which the Sergeant destroys. In the mess hall, the two are forced to peel potatoes for this, although Stimpy has to peel far less than Ren. Stimpy thinks that this means that the Sergeant likes Ren best.
Later, they are called for tear gas training in the tear gas room. They smell it and see it bad. They will not go inside, until the Sergeant orders them. They put on breathing masks and enter the room, which is filled with foul smelling cheeses. They are told to take the masks off and smell the gas, which causes Stimpy to cry, his skin to turn green, and his eyes to pop out. Ren does not smell anything, having kept his breath closed. When Stimpy asks why, Ren reveals that he cheated. Ren says that he is smarter than Stimpy and knows how to get around the Sergeant. Ren walks into a tank, being piloted by the Sergeant, and are told to go back into the room. Later, they are made to peel watermelons as punishment.
Later, they are told to carry large sacks, Ren constantly falling into the mud and unable to get up. Ren yells at Stimpy, who has managed to keep up his endurance. Ren sits and tells Stimpy to walk, but the Sergeant overhears them and scares Ren. He must now carry the Sergeant. They go to their bunks, exhausted. Both are exhausted and take off their boots, their feet swollen and stinking. Ren says that he needs sleep and tries to, but he gets woken up. Getting driven into insanity from insomnia, the next morning he takes an ax and tears up his bed, laughing manically. The Sergeant yells at both and tells them to walk. They have to peel war heads, although Ren gets more of a punishment.
Later, the two sit outside the bunks, Ren still tired. He confesses to Stimpy in a short monologue his fears, stating that he is the 'keeper of the cheese' meaning that Ren is heavily important, and that Stimpy is the 'lemon merchant' meaning that he is just as important. Ren thinks that the Sergeant is aware and is going to kill them for it, so they must desert before he 'lets loose the marmosets.' Ren picks up Stimpy and tries to escape, before the Sergeant stops them. He shakes Ren's arm and says that they graduated and are now tank paratroopers. Ren is happy, as they get a tank, uniforms, and become members of an elite fighting force. The two sing the national anthem, as we see that they are being dropped from a plane into a fiery war zone.
Trivia/Notes[]
- This was the first episode done mostly by Bob Camp and one of the first of the series to have John Kricfalusi do little creative work. His only role was the voice of Ren (however, John sketched the wild take of Ren when the Sergeant emerges from the mud). This is also the first episode in which John K. doesn't get a director credit.
- This episode was designed as a "generic" cartoon. It was a way to allow John Kricfalusi to work on his more complex episodes for the season in production at the time including "Powdered Toast Man", "Son of Stimpy", and "Sven Hoek".
- When the episode "In The Army" was first aired on TNN, the scenes where Ren and Stimpy get a haircut, along with receiving their shot, were cut.
- This episode is a parody of the Abbott and Costello movie Buck Privates.
- This is the first episode to feature animation services by Rough Draft Studios. They would continue providing animation for the show even after it eventually moved over to Games in 1993 following John K.'s firing.
- In the scene where Ren and Stimpy take their boots off, Stimpy has three human toes on each foot. However, in the next shot, he has four toes, still looking human.
- Technically, this is the proper number of toes on a dog or cat (excluding the dewclaw).
- The Ask Dr. Stupid segment was reused from "Stimpy's Invention".
- This is the first episode where Stimpy has human toes on his feet.
- This is the first episode of Season 2.
- Ren's singing voice in "America the Beautiful" was done by Bob Camp.[1]
- This episode is not on Paramount+, due to the presence of a Raymond Scott music track ("The Toy Trumpet") and the music clearance rights involving it.
- This episode is most famous for the scene in which Ren laughs while carrying an axe.
Music[]
- Cha Cha Cha – Ib Glindemann [OGM] (title card)
- You’re in the Army Now [arrangement by Bob Camp and Charlie Brissette] (opening)
- Drama Link (i) – Hubert Clifford (Ren and Stimpy cowering in fear)
- Holiday Playtime – Cedric Palmer (“This… will… hurt… you.”)
- Hollywood Romance – Peter Yorke (Ren after his shot)
- The Toy Trumpet – Raymond Scott (Ren and Stimpy getting their hair cut)
- Blood in the Gutter – Laurie Johnson (Ren thrown down)
- The Swinging Parade – Alan Moorhouse (Stimpy doing push-ups)
- Links and Interjections (I – 1 – 12) – Alan Braden (sarge getting pissed at Ren’s bribe)
- Backporch Blues (d) – Richard Myhill (Ren and Stimpy peeling potatoes)
- The March of the Ants – Sidney Crooke (tear gas training)
- Bits and Pieces – Ronald Hanmer (Stimpy reacting to the tear gas)
- Holiday Playtime – Cedric Palmer (Ren and Stimpy outside the tear gas chamber)
- Funeral March – Frederic Chopin, Fiachra Trench (both go back into the tear gas room)
- Backporch Blues (d) – Richard Myhill (more potato peeling)
- Drama – Van Phillips (Ren and Stimpy marching in the mud)
- Roman March – Robert Sharples (Stimpy carrying Ren)
- Maniac Pursuit – Trevor Duncan (sarge rises from the mud)
- Terror by Night – Hubert Clifford (Ren screaming)
- Just a Closer Walk with Thee – Wesley Butts, William Carter, David Robinson Jr, Don Rouse, Richard Sackett, Henry Stinson (Ren and Stimpy retiring that night)
- Catfish Row – Benny Carter (Ren and Stimpy take off their boots)
- Cradle Song (Brahms’ Lullaby) – Johannes Brahms, Fiachra Trench (“Good night, Ren.”/“Good night, Stimpy.”)
- Reveille [arrangement by Charlie Brissette and Bob Camp] (morning trumpet call wakes up Ren)
- Aboriginal Chants A – Brian Beamish, Peter Benson, Garry Hardman; Snake-Charmer’s Tune 1 – Yasotha Somasundram (Ren in crazy mode)
- Bits and Pieces – Ronald Hanmer (Ren chops up his bed)
- Battle Hymn of Republic (a) – Graham De Wilde (sarge yells at Ren)
- Backporch Blues (d) – Richard Myhill (peeling an H-bomb)
- Smouldering Fury (a) – Trevor Duncan (Ren’s crazy talk)
- Hit and Run – Ralph Dollimore (Ren and Stimpy try to escape)
- Drama Link (b) – Hubert Clifford (sarge again)
- Knight Errant – Sam Fonteyn (“You’re full-fledged tank paratroopers.”)
- America the Beautiful [arrangement by Bob Camp, John Kricfalusi, and Henry Porch] (Ren and Stimpy sing it while going to war)
- Cha Cha Cha – Ib Glindemann [OGM] (fade out)