The introductory episode of Calvin & Hobbes: The Series is an adaption of the first two strips of the comic. Upon failing to get his mother to give him tuna (as bait for his tiger trap), Calvin manages to get some via bribing a kid to distract her. After catching Hobbes (first attempting to shoot him down, which doesn't work) and "stuffing" him, Calvin introduces the wonders of imagination to him. And thus, one of the most legendary friendships of all time was born!
Tropes:
- 555: Calvin's parents' phone number is apparently 555-7186.
- Anime Hair: Calvin's is lampshaded:No one knows why his hair does that. Is it static electricity? Is it hair gel? No, probably not.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: See Hobbes' Overly Long Name below.
- I Meant to Do That: Said by Calvin upon shooting Hobbes in the nose.
- Mr. Imagination: Calvin, who ends up introducing it to Hobbes.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Hobbes' Overly Long Name, seen below.
- Overly Long Name: Hobbes takes a deep breath before introducing himself as "The Ultimate and Most Powerful Predator on the Planet Earth, with Razor Sharp Teeth, Deadly Claws, and Urge to Kill Stuff, and Also Has Opposable Thumbs, and is Able to Stand Up On Two Legs". (Or just "Hobbes" for short.)
- Pilot
- Tempting Fate:Calvin: I can shoot you down. I'm an excellent aim.
[Calvin fires his dart gun, hitting Hobbes in the nose]
Calvin: I meant to do that. - We Need a Distraction: Calvin bribes another kid with 2 dollars to distract his mother while he makes a tuna fish sandwich to capture a tiger with.
It was also rewritten
in Season 3's bonus chapter, as it was going to be part of a series of plays based on fanfiction, and the original was something of an Old Shame.In this version, Calvin's personality is more in line with the rest of the series (that is, extremely Brilliant, but Lazy), and Hobbes is caught with a cage made out of sticks. After the introductions, Calvin ends up splashing his father with a water balloon after being convinced that aliens have possessed him. And thus, one of the most legendary friendships of all time was born... again!
Tropes:
- Didn't Think This Through: Calvin has no idea what to do after catching Hobbes.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: In-Universe, Hobbes' new backstory is as ambiguous as can be - Calvin's mom put him in the trap, but she found him laying on their property, looking brand new.
- Our Zombies Are Different: They're actually just adults going to work, but Calvin refers to them as zombies.
- Hating on Monday: He also notes that they tend to come on Monday mornings.
- Paranoia Fuel: In-Universe - Hobbes convinces Calvin that aliens have taken over the government and are spying on the populace. Calvin ends up attacking his dad with water balloons because of this.
- The Remake
- Water Guns and Balloons: Calvin uses water balloons as his sole offense against his father, apparently taken over by aliens.
- You Can Talk?: Calvin says this to Hobbes, who responds with "Last time I checked, yes."
Tropes shared by both versions:
- Adaptation Expansion: The episode is an adaptation of the first two strips of the comic, so this was inevitable.
- Everyone Meets Everyone: A two-person variant.
- Mr. Imagination: Calvin ends up introducing it to Hobbes in the original version. He's able to figure out that the former is this in the revised version.
