Recap / Odd Squad S 3 E 2 Odd Beginnings Part Two

They're gonna need a lot more than luck to survive this calamity.

Odd Beginnings: Part 2

Airdate: February 17, 2019 ^note PBS Kids premiere; aired along with "Odd Beginnings: Part 1" as part of "Odd Beginnings" special

Agent Opal and Agent Omar set out to find and save the legendary 44-leaf clover, an odd artifact that could cause worldwide catastrophic oddness if it falls into the wrong hands. With the help of fellow agents, Opal and Omar must find and save the 44-leaf clover before it's too late.

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Tropes:

• Ambiguous Time Period: Averted — the Odd Squad Agent's Handbook reveals that the events of this episode take place on August 8, 2019.
• Amusing Injuries: The Sticky Sisters get a lot of these in their attempts to become unstuck from each other.
• Art Evolution: Gadget effects get an upgrade in this season, becoming more smoother and less flashy.
• Artistic License – Medicine: Orla states that she hasn't had a drink in many years, and says that her throat is dry. Despite this, however, she is shown to be perfectly fit and healthy. According to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration can lead to heat injuries (heatstroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion), seizures, urinary and kidney problems and hypovolemic shock, none of which Orla has or has been known to have.
• Bait-and-Switch: Once the Main 4 agree to being part of the Odd Squad Mobile Unit, Mr. O comes up to them and tells the Big O that Omar and Opal work for him, and that if she's going to take them away from him, he wants something in return. Opal and Omar both look terrified, before Mr. O says that he wants heaters for his office since it's always cold.
• Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Averted — all of the Main 4 agents become dirtied up on their journey along the short path.
• Big Eater: The Main 4 all work together to eat their way out of their cinnamon bun trap, which goes up to their shoulders.
• Bigger on the Inside: The Mobile Unit van being this is lampshaded by Opal.
  Opal: But I do have a question. How is this thing way bigger on the inside than it is on the outside?
  Oprah: The more questions you ask, the less sense it makes.
• Big "NO!": The Main 4 all let out these when the Sticky Sisters go up the two staircases to get to the clover.
• Big "WHAT?!": Opal and Omar give these when the Big O says that she has no choice but to thank them for what they've done. Orla chimes in too, with a smaller and more flat "what".
• Bound and Gagged: Omar, Opal and Oswald become trapped by Orla using the Rope-inator gadget on them.
• The Bus Came Back: Orchid, a character whom many thought had left the show due to her actress growing older and moving on to other projects, returns in this episode as a cameo. She would appear in later episodes like "Slides and Ladders" and "End of the Road: Part 2".
• Call a Rabbit a "Smeerp": Orla refers to her brain as a memory ball. This manages to confuse the other agents until Oswald corrects her by saying they're called "heads".
  Orla: The future is fascinating!
• Call-Back: This episode continues the trend of having Enfant Terrible villains (Odd Todd, Obbs, and Ohlm) by including a fourth one into the mix: The Shadow. In addition, she is the first female kid villain, as a majority of previous kid villains have been male (up to and including The Shadow's henchman, Brutus).
• Character Development: In past seasons, Orchid was shown to be a Bratty Half-Pint and The Dreaded among agents for her mouthy attitude, and was also very aggressive. This season has her still keeping an attitude, but being a lot more tolerant of agents' actions and far less aggressive.
• Chekhov's Gun: Omar's New York City souvenirs (both his Empire State Building model and his "I Love NY" shoelace) comes in handy once again to measure a stick that will tell him, Opal and Oswald which door they should use to get into the ancient Headquarters.
  • The Bag O' Machines is used to get the newly-formed Main 4 out of most every situation, with a Running Gag in the episode being for someone to take out a wedge from the bag, only to throw it back in because it's useless. No guesses as to what helps them at the climax of the episode.
• Chew-Out Fake-Out: As Oprah leads the Main 4 through her Headquarters, she explains how they broke so many rules that she can't keep count, then says that after reviewing her case, she has no choice but to thank the agents for their efforts, and promotes them to the newly-formed rank and department of Mobile Unit.
• Cool Car: In order to travel around the world with ease, the Mobile Unit gets a van that's Bigger on the Inside and is pumped to the brim with all sorts of cool things. It can also fly via the use of rocket boosters. It's also implied that the van serves as the agents' home in a similar manner as an RV, although it's not expanded on.
• Continuity Nod: Omar borrows Otto's "When you got it, you got it" Catchphrase from "Recipe for Disaster".
  • Oprah is the second character to have an in-universe explanation devised for her growing older, after Oscar in "First Day".
  • The Mobile Unit's van looks similar in design to the ice cream truck spaceship from The Movie, although the latter isn't Bigger on the Inside.
• Create Your Own Villain: It's revealed that something Opal did caused The Shadow to turn to villainy, but what happened, exactly, isn't explored in full until the mid-season finale, beginning with "16-and-a-Half Blocks" and "Follow the Leader" and getting further expansion in the "End of the Road" two-parter.
  The Shadow: This girl, Opal. She's part of this new...Odd Squad?
  Brutus: Yeah. You know her?
  The Shadow: Know her? She made me who I am.
• Cute, but Cacophonic: Thought Opal and Omar were loud enough on their own? Put them with Orla and Oswald and it's enough to make you invest in some hearing aids.
• Dark Is Evil: Not only are The Shadow and Brutus dressed predominantly in black, but their Supervillain Lair has a dark aesthetic to it (although it's not completely dark).
• Detectives Follow Footprints: A villainous variant — the Sticky Sisters manage to follow the Main 4 to the clover by following their footprints.
• Disc-One Final Boss: The Sticky Sisters are the primary antagonists for this episode, but their fates are ultimately left unknown after Headquarters collapses. The real Big Bad is The Shadow, an Enfant Terrible villainess who has a very deep-seated grudge with Opal.
• The Drag-Along: Oswald may want to get out into the world and see new things, but he begins to regret it when Orla joins the group and he gets dragged into danger.
  Orla: Ready to charge forth?!
  Opal and Omar: [excited cheering]
  Oswald: [timid] Yay, danger...
• Edible Ammunition: The Sticky Sisters fire cinnamon buns at the Main 4 to trap them. Omar says that he expected tape or glue, but the sisters respond by saying that their only "rule" is that whatever they attack with has to be sticky.
• Establishing Character Moment: Orla's first scene is of her being a valiant Knight in Shining Armor who isn't afraid to attack enemies on sight.
  • One look at The Shadow and viewers can tell that she means business.
• Exact Eavesdropping: The receptionist at the Big O's office ends up hearing the entire conversation between Mr. O and Orchid.
  • Orchid later does this as Mr. O is imitating the Sticky Sisters' attack to the Big O, with the agent telling him to "get to the point, Sherman."
• Fashionable Asymmetry: Orla has a braid wrapped in a golden wire on one side of her head, and a low ponytail on the other side. The rest of her hair is wrapped in a chiffon bun on the top of her head.
• Fish out of Temporal Water: Being 400 years old, Orla is unfamiliar with modern amenities like the Internet and cinnamon buns.
• Forgetful Jones: Mr. O meets the Big O for the first time, and after a brief exchange of casual conversation, he immediately forgets why he had to see her to begin with. Luckily, she gets wind of it.
• Giant Spider: There is one named Reginald that the Main 4 encounter while on their way to get to the clover.
• Good with Numbers: It's already well-established that Oprah is this. However, this episode takes it up to eleven by having her take one look at a complicated math problem a couple Scientists are having trouble figuring out, and immediately giving the correct answer of 5. The Main 4 agents are all in awe.
• Idiosyncratic Wipes: This episode introduces a new transition wipe in the form of the Odd Squad seal rolling from left to right.
• Impossibly Tacky Clothes: While Opal, Omar and Oswald like their new uniforms, Orla is shown tugging at the shirt uncomfortably. Funny enough, this is the only time she's shown to have trouble with the uniform.
• It's All My Fault: When Headquarters begins to crumble, Opal apologizes to the other agents for dragging them on the adventure. Omar, being The Pollyanna, finds some positives in the situation — being surrounded by good friends and good food.
• Knight in Shining Armor: Orla definitely fits the bill, right down to the armor. When she becomes a member of the Mobile Unit, she keeps her shoulder armor, but sheds the rest of her outfit.
• Laser-Guided Amnesia: While Orla has perfect memory, she completely forgets what the cart stored in her Headquarters needs in order to get past the next booby trap.
• Limited Wardrobe: The Mobile Unit uniforms look quite identical to those of Investigation agents, although there are a few differences (zippers instead of buttons, a pocket on the left side, and an orange color scheme, among other things). And they're never taken off, either — unlike in previous episodes where agents took their coats off, the uniforms stay on.
• Master Computer: The Big O's office has one, which is run by a few assistants. It has the ability to locate any agent in the world via the location trackers hidden in their jackets, which is how Oprah locates Opal and Omar.
• The Maze: The Big O's office has numerous doors, and it takes a few minutes for Mr. O to check every one of them. When he gets to the last door, he opens it...and returns right back to the waiting room where he started.
• Motor Mouth: Opal once again delves into this when the Big O asks her and the others if they're up for more adventures. Luckily, Omar manages to stop her before she can get very far.
  Opal: Please get me out of the Arctic, nothing odd ever happens there and I think I might lose my mind if- [Omar pats her on the back and smiles at the Big O] I mean, I'll go wherever I'm needed.
• Multi-Part Episode: The second one of Season 3. Along with the first one, "Odd Beginnings" is explicitly referred to as a two-parter rather than just two 11-minute segments crammed together, making this the first "official" two-parter.
• Never Say "Die": As usual, the trope is played straight. However, there are some heavy implications, especially from Oswald.
  Oswald: We're still alive! We're still alive!!

  Oswald: The whole building is collapsing! We'll be lucky if we survive!
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: A villainous example occurs with the Sticky Sisters — Orla's Headquarters crumbles to the ground due to them going up the wrong staircase to get to the clover, which ends up possibly killing them, and nearly killing the Main 4.
• invoked Nightmare Retardant: An in-universe example occurs with Omar treating Orla pushing the cart to the other side of the room as though it's a rollercoaster ride, while his partner and Oswald are yelling in fright.
• Nothing Is the Same Anymore: In addition to the van being the primary setting for the show instead of Precinct 13579, instead of going to the Big O's office to receive cases, she contacts the Mobile Unit via video call to give them the location of their case and a general basis of what they have to do in nearly every episode. Similarly, instead of a desk, the Main 4 stand around a circular table with the Odd Squad seal on it and a four-way computer above them (which the Big O contacts them on).
• Offscreen Teleportation: Orla is shown to have this ability like most other agents, popping up behind Omar and managing to scare him and the other agents.
  • Even as the Big O, Oprah still retains the ability to do this, as she ends up right next to Mr. O seconds after he approaches the receptionist at the desk in the waiting room.
• Older Than They Look: Lampshaded by Mr. O, who, upon seeing the Big O for the first time, remarks that she looks older than he expected.
• Overcrank: Used when the Main 4 dodge the balls of slime while on the short path to the clover.
• Pintsized Powerhouse: Orla is far and away the strongest of the Main 4, being able to climb a water well just by doing a Wall Jump. However, she does have limits — pulling the rest of the Main 4 up via a rope is a hard feat for her, which leads them to devise a way to make it easier on her.
  Opal: [regarding the water well's wall] Umm, we can't climb this!
  Orla: Seriously? This well?
• Plane Awful Flight: Due to not having the ability to use Tube Travel to get to the Amazon, the Sticky Sisters are forced to take a flight there instead. However, the plane they're on has been sitting on the ground for an hour, with passengers still on it, because the redhead Sticky Sister can't put up her tray table.
• Power Glows: The 44-leaf clover glows a bright green at some points.
• Pride: Orla has a very high view of herself for being an ancient warrior.
  Orla: But that box is sealed tight. Not even the strongest warrior could split it open. [pause] Me. Talking about me.
• Proverbial Wisdom: Orla dips into this at one point.
  Opal: How far to get to the clover?
  Orla: The journey may be short in steps, but long in hours. And with challenges great, those who are not strong apart.
  Opal, Omar and Oswald: Huh?
  Orla: It will take about 20 minutes.
• Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Opal does this upon seeing the van's interior for the first time.
  Opal: This. Is. Incredible!
• Really 700 Years Old: Orla is over 400 years old, a good 200 years older than Oprah. However, that age pales in comparison to those like Orville, who has been living for millennia.
• Robot Buddy: Van Computer is a Benevolent A.I. who serves as the primary driver for the van and can do such things as open doors and give advice to solve cases. Later episodes show that it can also become compact for if agents need to take it on the go.
• The Scream: All of the Main 4 let one out each as their van accelerates and takes off towards their first case. Their screams actually end up echoing into the air.
• Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Oprah commends the Main 4 on finding the clover, despite having broken many rules to do so.
  Oprah: Finding that clover took courage, and smarts. And Orla, lots of patience on your part. You dared to take a risk to do what was right, for the good of Odd Squad and the world.
• Serendipitous Survival: The 44-leaf clover, naturally a Good Luck Charm, manages to save the lives of all 4 agents by leaving the platform they're standing on perfectly intact while the rest of the Headquarters falls to shambles around them.
• Spot the Impostor: Like with Oswald, Orla asks the agents a question to prove that they aren't villains. However, unlike Oswald, her question is very easy, and all three agents (including Oswald himself) can answer it with ease.
  Oswald: Probably was a much harder question 400 years ago.
• Stock Animal Diet: Played with. Orla is a child, but has a primary diet that many others would find primitive: nuts and berries from the Amazon rainforest. As a result, she is tired of her diet and is open to trying new things, including cinnamon buns, which she ends up enjoying.
• Sustained Misunderstanding: While Opal is measuring the stick with Omar's souvenir, this exchange occurs between him and Oswald.
  Oswald: You guys are good.
  Omar: What can I say, Oswald? When you got it, you got it.
  Oswald: I got it.
  Omar: Got what?
  Oswald: Huh?
  Omar: Exactly.
• Take Our Word for It: We can't see the inside of Opal's book, which details what bad things will happen to the agents if they go through the wrong door to the ancient Odd Squad HQ — all we see are Omar and Oswald screaming in fright as she shows them what's inside.
• Technologically Blind Elders: Due to being a good 400 years behind modern times, Orla has no idea what the Internet is. Omar explains that it's like a library, but it works faster, and has way more cat videos.
• Temple of Doom: The ancient Odd Squad Headquarters is filled with Booby Traps on the short path to get to the clover.
• Title Theme Drop: Esmeralda Kim plays the opening theme on a flute as the Main 4 head off on their first case, which is then remixed as background music as the agents take off in their new van.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Four agents nearly die due to a collapsing building, and the Big O doesn't even show a shred of concern, even when her helicopter is parked only a mere few inches away from some of the debris as a result of the collapse.
• Vague Age: Averted for both Orla and Oprah — the former is over 400 years old, while the latter is at least 231. ^note  Since Oprah is 7 physically, and likely stopped aging around that time, it's likely that she's 238 years old in total.
• Vocal Evolution: In addition to growing much taller, Oprah's voice also sounds a lot deeper beginning with this episode compared to the past 2 seasons. This is due to her actress, Millie Davis, going into puberty, as she was 13 when playing the role of the Big O.
  • Orchid's voice is also deeper, which is also due to her actress, Michela Luci, aging.
• Wham Episode: Natch, for being a season premiere episode.
  • The Main 4 all meet up with each other on their quest to find the clover. Once they do, they are promoted to the new rank and department of Mobile Unit, traveling the world to solve cases.
  • Oprah is revealed to have the capability to control how she ages. Considering aging is one of the bigger mysteries fans have explored with this show, many of them were excited to have an answer.
  • This episode continues the trend of setting up a mystery in the very first episode — however, it has a bit of a twist from the norm, with the Big Bad of the season actually showing up in the season premiere rather than just alluded to. In this case, it's The Shadow, as she tells Brutus that Opal made her who she is.
• What Is This Feeling?: When the Sticky Sisters get tangled up right outside Odd Squad HQ, the redhead Sally asks:
  Sister Sally 1: Sister Sally? Is this a hug?
  Sister Sally 2: Yes.
• Worldbuilding: The ancient Odd Squad headquarters, which is home to the clover's guardian, Orla, is seen for the first time. It's shaped like a jackalope, and looks vastly different from the modern Headquarters seen in past episodes.
  • Oprah can control her aging, which leaves Otto's persistent asking of how old she is in Season 1 somewhat Running Gagged, and explains why she still looks youthful despite being a couple centuries old. It also triples as an in-universe explanation for her actress getting older.
  • Oprah also has her own helicopter as the Big O, similar to how she had a helicopter as the Director of Precinct 13579 in The Movie and in "Who is Agent Otis?".
  • The Big O's office is seen in full for the first time after numerous mentions in past episodes. Oprah states that the office she and the Main 4 are in is only one of seven around the world.
  • The Odd Squad Mobile Unit is created as a new department, equal in ranking to departments like Maintenance/Transportation and Athletics and Conflict Resolution. Those in the department travel the world solving odd cases in places where Odd Squad agents aren't situated, as well as places where there are precincts that need extra help.
• Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: Orla speaks in this manner, as it's her primary way of speaking.

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