Recap / Odd Squad S 3 E 10 Slow Your Roll

In about 20 minutes, these four will die in a car accident via way of drowning. Not that the episode will tell you this.

Slow Your Roll

Airdate: March 3rd, 2020 ^note PBS Kids premiere

The team learns about friction and how to slow down a moving object when a masked villain takes over the Mobile Unit van's computer.

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Tropes:

• Actually a Good Idea: Averted for Oswald, who immediately says that Opal going to try and access the Main Control Room isn't a good idea, but it's played straight for Omar, who agrees to the idea and says that they owe it to themselves to try it out.
• Adults Are Useless: Yes, the show has plenty of idiotic, useless adults. However, Donna and Debra both take it a step further in this episode. Donna tells her brother Dave that it's harder to move in dirt than on a flat surface, when he's stuck in the dirt, not trying to move, and the same goes for Debra's brother.
• Amazing Technicolor Population: The goo people seen at the Lake of Goo have skin that's light green, which also matches their outfits.
• Answer Cut: Omar asks The Shadow how she got control of the van. Whip Pan transition to a Flashback that shows exactly how.
• Artistic License – Cars: There is some overlap with Artistic License – Physics in this episode when it comes to the van. The Aesop of the episode is friction, which is represented by the residents of Dirtpile and Mudpile Cities laying down dirt and mud, respectively, to slow it down. It's expected that the dirt and the mud will slow down the van a fair bit, and at some points, it's implied that the belief is that the van will stop completely — however, in real life, large vans, and other large vehicles, can easily tackle dirt and mud. While they may slow down a bit, it isn't a substantial slowdown like the episode leads viewers to believe, especially if they have tires that are designed to handle mud and dirt-filled road conditions. Exterior shots of the van even show it moving a bit slower, but still going at a relatively fast speed as it travels over the dirt and mud (for the latter, it's in contrast with what's going on inside of the van, with a minute or so dedicated to Opal and Orla's yodeling duet).
  • Four parachutes, as well as wind resistance, would quite obviously do nothing to slow down a van, either — and of course, it doesn't have much of an effect on it either way.
• Big Eater: It's par for the course for Omar, who immediately latches on to Donna's offer of getting a Cobb salad wrap, but needing to buy dirt first. Oswald tells him no right off the bat.
  • Oswald himself also eats two Cobb salad wraps over the course of the episode, in record time.
• Big "NO!": Opal gives this to The Shadow at the climax, refusing to let go of the van.
• Big "WHAT?!": The Main 4 all give this when The Shadow reveals her plan to destroy the Mobile Unit's van.
  • Oswald later gives one when Orla decides to stay with Opal and save the van.
  • The Shadow does one when she gets wind that the Main 4 have stopped the van from going into the Lake of Goo, pushing the phoropter away as she does so.
• Character Focus: It's subtle, but the episode focuses primarily on Opal — fitting, considering that her and The Shadow are connected somehow.
• Chekhov's Gag: When arriving at Dirtpile City, Omar has a smooth landing, but Oswald doesn't, as he remarks that the jetpacks he and Omar are wearing need parachutes for smoother landings. As it turns out, that comment is what gives the Main 4 the idea to use parachutes to slow the van down.
• Comically Missing the Point: The Shadow shows off her hacking abilities by opening the van's microwave. Orla tells her that they can just close the door, and goes to do so before the villainess says that it's not about the microwave.
  • Brutus tells The Shadow that the Main 4 saved the van, and she gives a Big "WHAT?!" in response. Brutus then asks her if she can't hear him, or if she's doing the "mad thing". She confirms that it's the latter.
• Companion Cube: If Opal's words are any indication, she views the van as one of these, as she tells Orla that being in it is the first time she's felt like a part of something bigger. The other Main 4 eventually come to share the same viewpoint.
• Company Cross References: The Madmelodia that Opal, Omar and Orla come across looks exactly identical to the alien creature seen in the first episode of Endlings, another show produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment.
• Continuity Cavalcade: This episode brings up quite a few villains seen in past episodes, such as Jamie Jam and Mr. Lightning.
• Continuity Nod: Oswald brings up how Orla left her Headquarters in the Amazon after it was ruined, so she can show Opal how to escape. Orla counters by saying that she left Headquarters because it was "a pile of rubble".
  • Opal runs into the same issue Olympia and Otis did in "Two Agents and a Baby", with failing to realize that there is a fourth mathematical operation, division.
  • During the repeating Flashback Cut, scenes from episodes like "Odd Beginnings: Part 2" and "Running on Empty" can be seen, as well as scenes from the Season 3 trailer (released back in March of 2019, one year before the season began).
  • There are goo people having a picnic at the Lake of Goo.
• The Cracker: The Shadow becomes one of these, having hacked into the Mobile Unit's van and taking complete control of it by tricking them into believing she'll change their oil and connecting her own computer to the van.
• Death Glare: Opal gives some scathing ones to The Shadow as she explains her plan.
• Determinator: Orla, Omar and Oswald all avert the trope as soon as they get wind that their van is going to sink into the Lake of Goo. Opal, on the other hand, plays the trope straight, not wanting to leave when the van could still potentially be saved. Part of the plot hinges on her rallying up her teammates one by one and attempting to convince them that the van can still be saved, while they try to convince her that saving the van is a lost cause and that she needs to escape before it's too late.
• Didn't Think This Through: The Shadow laments not telling the Main 4 her Evil Plan until they were closer to the Lake of Goo, and when she taunts Opal and Orla by showing them how close they are to the lake, she remarks that they're further away than she thought.
• Evil Gloating: The Shadow does this a lot, but she takes it up a notch with Opal.
  The Shadow: Say goodbye to your van, Opal.
  Opal: NO!! I just need to solve this last word problem!
  The Shadow: Impossible. And I'm gonna sit here and enjoy watching you fail.
• Evil Laugh: The Shadow has a very distinct one, a "wa-ha-ha" laugh that sounds similar to Orchid's from "Moustache Confidential", only not bordering on HA HA HA—No.
• Flashback Stares: Opal, and later Orla, Omar and Oswald, get these just before the Flashback Cuts start.
• Foreshadowing: The end of the episode has Brutus start to remind The Shadow of her and Opal's relationship before he is abruptly cut off by her snapping at him, telling him not to say it in front of her eye doctor.
  • Directly after that, the Big O holds up a picture of The Shadow and asks any of the Main 4 if they know her personally. Oswald, Omar and Orla all tell her no, but Opal is hesitant to respond at first before telling her boss, "I don't think so." The Big O then says that Odd Squad likely hasn't seen the end of her.
  • A subtle one at the beginning of the episode: when Orla says that the Big O is likely working on a solution, Oliver tells her and the other agents that it's the "end of the road" for the van. What is Part 3 of the mid-season finale called? End of the Road.
• Freeze-Frame Bonus: An audio variant — when Brutus turns on The Shadow's phone to call her eye doctor, a "click" noise can be heard that sounds like the unlocking noise featured on most models of iPhones (although the phone itself looks more like an Android). Fitting for a show that primarily uses Apple products for its computers.
• Gratuitous Spanish: Before giving the first word problem, Brutus addresses it as "Word problemo numero uno".
• Hidden Depths: Who knew that Opal and Orla were capable of yodeling and singing?
• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Played straight for Omar, who is taller than Opal and Orla, but inverted for Oswald, who is shorter than them.
• Innocuously Important Episode: The beginning of the episode has the Big O in Australia with two agents, Orana and Oliver, who are attempting to fix a problem at Parks Observatory, Odd Squad's main communications center. The location of Australia, as well as Orana and Oliver, all play a major role in the mid-season finale, along with the Big O herself, as they try to catch The Shadow on their own.
• Instantly Proven Wrong: Opal assures Omar that everything's fine despite there being a creature loose in the van. Orla gives him a "kind of, sort of" gesture, and he begins shaking his head in fear.
• It's Personal: The Shadow has no problem with antagonizing the Main 4 as a unit, but a majority of the things she does is revenge on Opal specifically.
• Jet Pack: Omar and Oswald use these to reach Dirtpile City and Mudpile City before the van can get to it.
• Kill the Lights: The Shadow makes the lights flicker in the Main Control Room to make the scene feel more dramatic.
• Let's Duet: Opal and Orla perform a yodeling duet together, and it's absolutely beautiful. It manages to get the Madmelodia to calm down and sleep.
• Let's Split Up, Gang!: This episode splits the Main 4 into two pairs once again — with Orla going with Opal and Omar going with Oswald — but all four of them eventually reunite towards the end of the episode.
• Literal Metaphor: Oswald takes the phrase of "so close you can smell it" a little too literally, as, when Opal says it, he says that it's because the Main Control Room is where cheese is stored.
• Manipulative Bastard: Opal is able to convince Orla and Omar to team up with her and save the van simply by showing them a Flashback Cut of memories they've had with the van. Oswald, however, is more of a trickier case, but also ends up defecting to Opal's side eventually.
• Match Cut: At one point, there is an aerial shot of the van driving on the road, with the seal on the roof turning into the Mobile Unit logo as the scene shifts to The Shadow's map as the van drives closer to the Lake of Goo.
• Medium Awareness: It's all but stated that the Main 4 are aware of the numerous Flashback Cuts. Even the Big O is aware of them.
  Big O: I don't have time for a montage!
  • It's averted at one point however, as Omar asks Opal why she and the rest of the Main 4 are discussing math at a crucial time. (Clearly, he's unaware of what show he's in.)
• Mickey Mousing: Omar tapping his watch twice to activate it is in line with the girls' duet.
• Multi-Part Episode: The fourth one of Season 3.
• Non-Indicative Name: "Dirtpile City" and "Mudpile City" barely qualify as cities at all — both look like small shops on the side of the road.
  • Played with in the case of the Main Control Room — it lives up to its name and has a control panel for the van, but it also has a lot of cheese stored inside it for some reason.
  Opal: We made it! The Main Control Room...
  Orla: You ask me. We are one cheese wheel away from calling this a Cheese Room.
  Omar: Agreed.
• Oh, Crap!: There are plenty throughout the episode, but one of the most notable moments is when The Shadow tells the Main 4 that it's "game over", causing pure horror to settle on all of their faces (except for Orla, who takes on more of a Disapproving Look with a Death Glare).
• Only in It for the Money: Donna is happy to help Omar and Oswald out, and gives them dirt and Cobb salad wraps...but as soon as the dirt isn't found to work on the van, she bails and says "no refunds".
• Our Monsters Are Weird: The Madmelodia looks like a skinny alien insectoid, with features resembling that of a housefly.
• Pintsized Powerhouse: Orla is this by nature, but this episode reveals that she used to wrestle both alligators and crocodiles on the same day. That's definitely not an easy feat.
• Poor Communication Kills: Oswald tells the rest of the Main 4 that he got a good Cobb salad wrap and got mud with it. The others take it to mean that he ate mud along with the salad, instead of what he actually meant: he got mud to lay down on the ground for the van.
• Rousing Speech: Oswald gives one to the rest of the Main 4 regarding leaving the van that quickly changes to him wanting to save it instead.
  Oswald: Guys, I know how hard it is to leave a place you really love behind. But I'm here to tell you, it's possible. When I left the Museum of Natural Odd, I was really sad. But then, I got here, and found new friends, and started having fun! [Beat] And the van...it became like a new home to me.
  Opal: You're right, Oswald. We should-
  Oswald: Stay. [Opal looks at him in surprise] I think we should stay!
  [the Main 4 cheer and exchange high-fives]
• Running Gag: The Flashback Cut of the many memories with the Main 4 — them playing tennis and dancing, among other things — serves as one for the episode, as a way to get Opal to convince her teammates to save the van.
• Smug Snake: There is rarely a moment where The Shadow isn't smug, especially when taunting the Main 4.
• Spear Counterpart: Oliver looks like a gender-flipped Olympia, with the red hair and the red glasses to match.
• Subverted Catchphrase: The Big O tacks on two more "very's" to her "Something very odd has happened" catchphrase.
• Super Gullible: Opal hears that a local car repair center is offering a free oil change, and she immediately latches on to it, along with Omar (although, since Omar is The Ditz, it goes without saying for him). Even The Shadow has to remark on how stupid she is.
  The Shadow: Opal, Opal, Opal. So predictable.
• Surprise Jump: Orla does this when she nearly tackles Omar to the ground, instead of the creature, whom she thought she was attacking.
  • Opal also jumps a little ways into the air when coming face-to-face with the Madmelodia.
• Talking Is a Free Action: For Opal and Orla, it's more like Singing Is a Free Action — Omar manages to open the third door, and instead of going straight through it, the girls decide to go for a big finish to their duet. Even Omar himself — known for being The Ditz — has to call them out on it!
• Tempting Fate: Subverted. Opal assures Orla that the van is huge, and that the only way the Madmelodia would be able to find them is by luck...then they hear hissing and the sound of a door opening behind them. It turns out to not be the creature, but Omar.
  Opal: Then again, we all have lucky breaks!
  • It's played straight when Opal says after going through the third door that "nothing can stop us now!" Of course, Oswald then calls to tell them that the van got through the mud.
• Theme Naming: The family that heads Mudpile and Dirtpile Cities all have names beginning with D: Donna, Debra, Dave and Derek.
• Tired After the Song: The Madmelodia can only be calmed down by yodeling. Since Omar is unable to yodel, Opal and Orla take up the mantle and sing a yodeling ditty to the creature. While they don't fall asleep, the creature itself does, allowing all three agents to move on to the Main Control Room.
• Vile Villain, Laughable Lackey: The Shadow is competent, is The Cracker, and is one step ahead of the Mobile Unit. Her henchman Brutus, on the other hand, is very ditzy and forgetful.
• Villains Out Shopping: The Shadow wants the agents to give up because she has an eye doctor appointment that she needs to get to. When Brutus asks her if he should cancel it, she says that she can't, as it requires a 24-hour advance notice. Eventually, Brutus, being The Ditz that he is, decides to bring the optometrist to his and The Shadow's Supervillain Lair.
• Vomit Discretion Shot: It's implied that due to having to use the "turbo thruster" feature on his Jet Pack to reach the rest of the Main 4 in time, Oswald got sick and vomited up his two Cobb salad wraps that he ate before he met up with his teammates. When he tells them that high speeds don't go well with the wraps he ate, it elicits disgusted reactions from them.
• Wham Episode: It goes without saying that this episode is more heavy than even the season premiere, marking the Big Bad's formal debut as well as her first villainous act against the Main 4 (said act of which is on the same level as what Odd Todd did in "Training Day"). It also marks the halfway point of the season, and reveals that Opal and the Big Bad have some connection with each other. pedaling the season's main mystery. In a more meta sense, it also kicks off the season's first hiatus, lasting from March to July.
• Wham Line: Of course, being the Big Bad's debut episode, there are some of these to be found.
  • When The Shadow introduces herself for the first time.
  Orana: According to my projection, you're about to lose control of it now.
  Van Computer: [as the lights spark] The agents are right! I am being taken over!
  The Shadow: By me!
  [the Main 4 exchange worried looks]
  Oswald: We have no clue who you are.
  The Shadow: You can call me...The Shadow.
  • The end of the episode, when The Shadow gets wind that her Evil Plan has been trounced.
  The Shadow: Opal has no idea who she's dealing with.
  Brutus: I mean, technically she does, since the two of you are-
  The Shadow: Not in front of my eye doctor.
  [he and the optometrist exchange looks]
  • Directly after that, the Big O asks this of the Main 4.
  Big O: [holding up a picture of The Shadow] Any of you recognize her?
  Orla, Omar and Oswald: [various "no's"]
  [Opal develops a hesitant look]
  Big O: Opal?
  Opal: I...
  [Opal looks at the picture]
  Opal: I don't think so.
  [Omar and Orla exchange weird looks]
  • The Big O's line after that is a Wham Line of its own.
  Big O: Well, we better figure it out. I don't think that's the end of her.
• Wham Shot: Once again, an episode hits the Wham trifecta of tropes — there are a few shown here, most notably when The Shadow reveals herself to the Mobile Unit for the first time and when Opal shows hesitance at the Big O's photo of The Shadow.
• What a Piece of Junk: The van ends up in quite the battered state at the end of the episode, and Big O's assistant — working as a mechanic on the vehicle — lets the Big O herself know that it's far beyond repair and needs to be abandoned, as it's pure junk (despite only the shocks, transmission and brakes needing replacing). The Main 4, having grown to love the van, refuse to let their boss do anything to it, and begin to launch into another Flashback Cut, but the Big O has already made up her mind and orders her assistant to fix it and make it like new again, leading the Main 4 to rejoice.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Oswald gives Omar a taste of this when Omar tells him that the van has to be saved.
  Oswald: What happened?! You were supposed to convince them!
  Omar: [as the Madmelodia hisses] I'd love to explain, but we're running from a creature! Bye! [hangs up]
• Wild Take: Opal and Orla get these when charging at whom they think is the creature, but it turns out to be Omar instead. Orla gets to such a point where she even does a bit of a Surprise Jump.
  • Opal, Orla and Omar all do one as the creature threatens them.
• Worldbuilding: The Lake of Goo is introduced, being at the dead-end of a road and being made out of...well, goo.
  • Dirtpile City and Mudpile City are also introduced as locations.
• Xanatos Speed Chess: Orla and Opal get through two doors leading to the Main Control Room, and The Shadow doesn't even flinch, instead ordering Brutus to activate the backup plan: releasing a creature from the Creature Containment Unit to stop them. It works for a time, throwing the girls off track, but Orla and Opal manage to lull it to sleep while Omar, who joins them, opens the third door. Despite this, The Shadow doesn't let down her guard until after Opal manages to make the van stop inches from the Lake of Goo.
• You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: The Shadow says this of Opal when she gets wind that the agent foiled her Evil Plan.

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