The seventeenth episode of Tiny Toon Adventures.
The episode begins at ACME Looniversity, where Gogo Dodo announces the junior prom coming saturday night. Plucky and Shirley are excited to attend, and dance together. Buster sees this and becomes nervous. Babs asks Buster if there is something he wants to ask her, but Buster nervously retreats from her.
Gogo continues announcing the prom to Montana Max and Elmyra Duff. Elmyra is excited to attend, and hopes that Monty will be her prom date. Monty tells Elmyra, "I'd rather get a lobotomy!", breaking her heart.
As Saturday gets closer, Babs is with Hamton and Fifi, telling them that Buster still hasn't asked her to the prom. Elmyra hears this and tells her that when boys play hard to get, she has to use better bait. She demonstrates by tossing a quarter down the stairs. Monty, who is working on a test, overhears this and runs out of class to get the quarter. As he snatches the quarter, a cage falls on him. Elmyra drags Monty, who tells her he isn't going to the prom with her. Hamton then tells Babs that sometimes, guys get shy when they try to ask a girl they like to the prom. He asks Fifi if she agrees, and Fifi tells him that she thinks that proms and dates are sexist and outdated hooey. Hamton is heartbroken when he hears that Fifi feels this way, and tells her he was hoping to ask her to the prom. Fifi then lovingly wraps Hamton in her tail and kisses him, as she thought no one would ask her to the prom. Babs suddenly realizes that Hamton may be right, Buster may just be shy about inviting her to the prom, and may very well be waiting until the last minute to call her. She ultimately decides against going back home to her burrow, to wait for a phone call from Buster, then decides not to take any chances. She runs back to her burrow, running past Little Beeper in the process. She passes by her many younger brothers and sisters, and the first phone call she receives is from the President of the United States. She tells him to get off the line, as she's waiting for an important phone call. Babs then looks at the clock and realizes it's only 3:05, and Buster probably took his time getting home from school, so she decides to wait for him. Babs tosses cards into a hat, plays with a paddle ball, makes a paper doll, and knits a scarf, all of which takes two minutes. Babs begins to go crazy, and wonders what's taking Buster so long.
Back at ACME Looniversity, Buster is in the film vault. He decides to talk to the viewers privately, telling them that the reason why he hasn't asked Babs to the prom yet is because he doesn't know how to dance. He then reveals to the viewers that he decided to watch a film reel of Bugs Bunny's greatest dances, which shows clips of Bugs dancing in the cartoon, "Hot Cross Bunny". After watching the clip, Buster sings and dances just like Bugs, which he decides will be perfect for the prom. Just then, Bugs walks in, asking Buster how his research is going. Buster tells Bugs that his dances will make him the hit of the prom, but Bugs tells him that his dance moves are only to fool hunters, and aren't exactly ballroom dance moves. Buster tells Bugs that every dance is the same to him, then looks at his watch. He realizes that he's keeping Babs waiting, and wants to ask her to the prom before she changes her mind and goes with another boy rabbit. He leaves just as Bugs tries to warn him about his dance moves, then Bugs tells the viewers that he should keep an eye on Buster.
Back at Babs' Burrow, Babs is now dressed like a mountain climber as she literally climbs the walls impatiently waiting for Buster to call her. Just then, the phone rings, and she stops her little brother, Mortimer, from picking it up before she can. Babs answers as if Buster is on the other line, as she is angry at him for keeping her waiting, and is planning to go to the prom without him. Her unseen friend, Harriet, is actually on the other line, and she tells her that Buster still hasn't called. Just then, the doorbell rings, and Babs rushes to answer the door as she changes back into her normal attire. Buster is at the door, and Babs is angry at him for keeping her waiting. Buster apologizes to Babs and gives her a rose to make up for keeping her waiting. He then asks her if she'd still like to go to the prom with him, and she, in a lovestruck trance, tells him, "Okay". Buster's plan to ask Babs to the prom works, and he tells Sneezer, who is revealed to have been playing a saxophone for him, to follow him outside. Babs then tells Harriet that she's about to hang up on her, since Buster just asked her out. Harriet then asks Babs if she's still there, as she didn't quite hang up.
In the second act, Mary Melody reports for the ACME Looniversity TV, telling the viewers that preparations for the prom are under way, with Ma Bear providing the refreshments, and Calamity providing the decorations with his machine, which ties him up in balloons. She then interviews Montana Max, who is busy counting his money, asking him if he's interested in going to the prom. Monty tells her that he's not going to the prom, but then Elmyra sees him and gives him a bone-crushing hug. Mary asks Elmyra if she's interested in going to the prom, and Elmyra tells her she is. She asks Monty if they'll have fun together, but Monty still refuses to go with her. Elmyra hugs him harder, and he tells her that he promises he will take her to the prom after all if she lets him go. Elmyra lets Monty go, unaware that Monty has absolutely no intention of keeping his promise. As Elmyra tells the viewers that Monty promised to take her to the prom, and is excited about dancing with him, Monty pays a chicken farmer to let him use his truck, and drives away with it. Elmyra then notices that Monty is gone, and wonders why. Mary then tells the viewers that Monty's false promise just might lead to Elmyra's heartbreak, and a commercial for Crazy Tazzie's House of Tuxes airs.
That evening, Buster arrives at Babs' Burrow, practicing his dance moves. He calls Babs over, and her beauty puts him in a lovestruck trance. Buster gives her a flower to wear, and she pins it on her dress. She then tells the viewers that turnabout is fair play, and thanks Sneezer for playing the saxophone for her. Sneezer then tells the viewers, "I also play bar mitzvahs.".
At ACME Looniversity, Plucky walks Shirley inside, and tries to kiss her, but she tells him to "Get crucial". He tells her they don't have to stay, as his Father's car is waiting outside, then she points out that his Father is, too, as he drove them. Buster then walks Babs in, where she meets up with Shirley and Fifi, who compliment each other's looks. Buster then meets up with Plucky and Hamton, and they high-five each other. Buster then comes across who appears to be Arnold, and asks him where his date is. Arnolda reveals that she is Arnold's date, and Arnold introduces Buster, Plucky, and Hamton to her, telling them that Arnolda is the only girl he knows who's better-looking than him. The two pit bulls then dance together, and Buster and Plucky comment on them. Babs then tells Buster that she's going to the powder room with the other girls to apply her makeup. Plucky then tells the viewers that girls are always painting their faces.
At the powder room, the animators apply make-up to Babs, Mary, Shirley, and Fifi. Elmyra then walks in, dressed in a prom dress and wearing Furrball as a sash, and says Hi to them. Elmyra is also excited about dancing with Monty, and Babs asks her if Monty didn't bring her to the prom. Elmyra tells her that Monty must have forgotten to pick her up, but she'll be waiting for him. The girls all realize that Monty stood Elmyra up.
Elmyra drinks punch as she waits for Monty, but Monty doesn't come. Gogo then introduces Mary Melody and her date to his date, Sally, a fire hydrant with a flower taped to her back. When Mary tries to talk to Sally, Gogo asks her why she's talking to her back. Mary then tells her date that she has got to transfer out of ACME Looniversity. Gogo then pours some punch into a punch bowl, which Plucky drinks. He then spits out a railroad spike, and asks who spiked the punch. Hamton enjoys the refreshments, and tells Buster, "I always say, great food makes a great party.". Buster and Plucky then clamp their hands over Hamton's mouth, and the latter tells Hamton that he can't say "Party" in ACME Acres, as if he does, he might show up. Just then, a rumbling sound is heard, and Buster realizes it's too late, as Dizzy, who is wearing a lampshade, shows up, ready to party. He drinks from the punch bowl like an animal, and Buster tells him that no single guys are allowed at the prom without a date. Plucky and Hamton pull out Shirley and Fifi, respectively, and Dizzy introduces the boys to his prom date, Mitzi Avery, a lovely young human lady whose beauty leaves Plucky and Hamton in a lovestruck trance. Buster then looks over at a sad Elmyra, and asks Babs what's wrong with her. Babs tells her that she's been waiting all night for Montana Max to come, but Monty never came, as he left for Rio. Elmyra is upset that her prom night is a flop, and Buster agrees that this time, Monty has gone too far.
In the third act, Buster realizes that even Elmyra deserves some fun on her prom night, and he decides to go to Rio to find Monty and bring him back to her. Babs likes this plan, and decides to join him. The two rabbits burrow their way to Rio, where Monty is having a good time, deciding he'd much rather be there than at ACME Looniversity. Buster and Babs then pounce at Monty and take him back to ACME Looniversity. Monty is not happy with the two rabbits, and Babs tells him that he's going to keep the promise he made to Elmyra. At first, Monty refuses to keep his promise or stay at the prom, when he suddenly sees Mitzi and is lovestruck by her beauty. As he runs towards her, Buster pulls her away, and Babs pushes Elmyra in her place. Elmyra is happy to see Monty, and she dances with him as the Wackyland Rubber Band play a song for them. After being tossed into the refreshement table by Elmyra, Monty angrily tosses the punch bowl into her mouth. Elmyra asks him what's the matter, and he tells her she's the matter, giving her a rant about why he doesn't like her. Elmyra asks him what he's trying to say, and he outright says that he doesn't like her. This causes Elmyra to break into pieces, and Monty, feeling satisfied with himself, decides to dance with Mitzi. He snatches her from Dizzy, and she introduces himself to her. Monty asks her if she'd like to dance with him, but she tells him that she has another date. Monty tries to take Mitzi back, asking her what she sees in Dizzy. Mitzi tells Monty that Dizzy is a kind, sensitive, caring person, which is more than she can say for him. She then uses almost the exact same words that Monty used on Elmyra to tell him she doesn't like him. Monty's heart is now broken, and he walks away sadly.
Monty meets up with a sad Elmyra, and gives her a dollar to blow her nose on. He then tells her that she's not as bad as he said she was, and apologizes to her for insulting her. He then tells her that, if no one was around to see them, he'd consider dancing with her. Elmyra holds out her hand, and asks Monty, "Friends", and Monty reluctantly holds out his hand back. Elmyra is happy that Monty does love her after all, and she decides to dance with him again. Monty soon regrets ever having tried to cheer Elmyra up.
Bugs walks in and congratulates Buster and Babs for cheering Elmyra up. Buster thanks Bugs, who wants to talk to him about the dance moves he learned earlier. This gives Babs the idea that she and Buster should dance together, since they haven't all night. Buster tells Bugs that he memorized his dance moves perfectly, which is exactly what Bugs is afraid of. Buster then begins singing and dancing like Bugs, which gets the attention of everyone at the prom. Nobody dances along, and Babs begins to feel humiliated. Bugs decides to stick up for Buster by telling him he started a new dance craze, and the two rabbits sing and dance together. Just having Bugs dance along with Buster is enough for Shirley and Fifi to think Buster did start a cool new dance craze. They, along with Babs, Plucky, and Hamton, sing and dance along, as do Arnold and Arnolda. Buster thanks Bugs for saving him, and asks him how he can repay him. Bugs tells him, "Next time, swipe one of Daffy's routines!". Babs asks Buster if he never really learned to dance, and Buster tells her, "Eh, what can I say? I'm a trendsetter!". Everyone sings and dances as the episode ends.
This episode provides examples of:
- All Love Is Unrequited: Elmyra has an obvious crush on Monty, and hopes that he will go to the prom with her. Unfortunately for her, Monty does not have any romantic feelings towards her, and doesn't even want to go to the prom.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Monty, as he's forced to go to the prom:Monty: You can't do this to me! I'm rich! I'm important! I'M A REPUBLICAN!!
- Bait-and-Switch Time Skip: After Babs rushes home to wait for Buster to ask her to the prom, a montage is shown, wherein she passes the time by tossing cards into a hat, playing with a paddleball, making a paper doll, and knitting a scarf. It is then revealed that all of that only took two minutes.
- Balloonacy: Calamity's machine ties him up in balloons, which carry him into the air.
- Beast and Beauty: Everyone is surprised that Dizzy's date Mitzi is a gorgeous human girl.
- The Cameo: Playboy Penguin appears in the commercial for Crazy Tazzie's House of Tuxes, as the "Feather Tux" that Taz pulls out.
- Couldn't Find a Tissue: Elmyra becomes heartbroken after Monty tells her he doesn't like her. After Monty becomes heartbroken by Mitzi in a similar way, he decides to apologize to Elmyra, giving her a dollar to blow her nose on.
- Credits Gag: If you're just tuning in - You're late.
- Dumbass Has a Point: When Babs anxiously wonders if Buster will ever ask her to the prom, Elmyra points out there's nothing wrong with girls asking boys to the prom. Granted, her idea of asking Monty out to the prom left some things to be desired, but she still made a good point.
- Eye Pop:
- When Buster sees Babs in her prom dress, his eyes pop right out of their sockets, forming into heart shapes at the same time.
- Monty's eyes spring outward when he catches his first glimpse of Mitzi.
- The Faceless: Mr. Duck, Plucky's father, whose arm can be seen waving out his car.
- Favoritism Flip Flop: When asked for an opinion on Babs’s dilemma with Buster, Fifi rants about how she thinks proms are sexist and outdated. She does a 180 when Hamton reveals he was going to ask her out.
- Gibberish of Love:
- When Buster gets a look at Babs' outfit for the prom, he has a really difficult time forming coherent sentences.
- The sight of Mitzi causes the boys to repeatedly say "Ooh! Eee! Ahh! Ooh! Eee!"
- The Glomp: Fifi enthusiastically (and electrically) does this to Hamton when he sadly trudges away, saying that he was going to ask Fifi to go with him to the prom.
- Go-Karting with Bowser: Elmyra and Arnold go to the prom with the protagonistic toons, but Buster and Babs have to drag Monty in.
- Head-Turning Beauty: Mitzi easily catches the eye of every guy she meets.
- Helping Another Save Face: Buster Bunny decides to copy the dance done by Bugs Bunny in "Hot Cross Bunny" (one of the original Looney Tunes shorts), in an attempt to hide the fact he doesn't know how to dance. When he actually performs the dance during the prom, however, everyone stares at him and his date Babs is aghast and embarrassed. Luckily, Bugs steps in and performs the dance too, leading the others to think Buster has just begun a new dance craze and getting them to join in too.
- High-School Dance: The Acme Looniversity Junior Prom is held in this episode.
- Insane Proprietor: Crazy Tazzie's House of Tuxes, where the already-established-as-several-kinds-of-insane Taz applied these tactics to selling formal wear, of all things. The commercial featured Taz grunting, spitting, and spinning his way through cutting prices on tuxedos as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck chased him in white coats with butterfly nets.Taz: That Crazy Tazzie's House of Tuxes! Me prices be insane! ME INSANE!
- Instant Wristwatch: Happens with Buster when he realizes he's keeping Babs waiting.
- Interspecies Romance: Quite a few couples, including Plucky Duck and Shirley the Loon, Hamton and Fifi La Fume, and Dizzy and his human girlfriend, Mitzi, attend the prom.
- Ironic Echo: "I DON'T LIKE YOU!!"
- Jaw Drop: Buster's jaw descends to the ground when he sees Babs in her prom dress.
- Left the Background Music On: Sneezer plays romantic music on a saxophone to bring the right mood to a scene twice. The second time, he turns to the camera and remarks, "I also play bar mitzvahs."
- Literal Metaphor:
- Babs is so anxious she's climbing the walls, while wearing a mountaineer outfit.
- Elmyra is so devastated by Monty's The Reason You Suck speech that she literally goes to pieces.
- The girls are literally having their faces painted. Not in the sense of putting on make-up, but as in having paint applied on with brushes.
- Literally Shattered Lives: Happens to Elmyra when Monty gives her a "The Reason You Suck" Speech.
- Live Mink Coat: Elmyra wears Furrball as a sash as part of her prom outfit.
- Lookalike Lovers: Arnold's date to prom, Arnolda, looks like him in a dress and wig. Arnold even acknowledges her as "the only person who's as good-looking as me".
- Massive Numbered Siblings: Babs' dozens of younger brothers and sisters, who were last seen in "Her Wacky Highness".
- Ms. Fanservice: Mitzi Avery, Dizzy's human girlfriend. And Mary Melody in that prom dress with slit that shows her legs, white opera gloves, hairstyle, earrings, and high heels. Babs, too, with her off-the-shoulder gown (to judge by Buster's reaction when he sees her).
- Poor Communication Kills: Bugs tried to warn Buster that the routine from Hot Cross Bunny wasn't exactly something to emulate at a school dance, but the kid ran off before he could say so.
- The Prom Plot: This episode revolves around ACME Looniversity's annual, with such storylines as Buster struggling to ask Babs out, and Monty trying desperately to evade Elmyra.
- Punch-Clock Villain:
- Elmyra shows more interest in going to the prom with Monty than trying to chase after animals in this episode.
- Similarly, Arnold introduces Buster, Plucky, and Hamton to Arnolda without any hostility towards them.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Monty gives one of these to Elmyra, and then he receives a very similar one from Mitzi a few minutes later.Elmyra: Why, Monty, what's the matter?
Monty: You're what's the matter! You're a complete waste of space! You have a personality that rivals spore mold! On the evolutionary chart, you rank someplace between head cheese and toaster ovens! You're a cruise to nowhere! A null! A void! A zero!
Elmyra: Just what are you trying to say?
Monty: ARRRRGH! I DON'T LIKE YOU! READ MY LIPS: I DON'T LIKE YOU!!!! - She Cleans Up Nicely: While a subdued example because the series never went out of its way to establish Babs as anything other than attractive, it's nonetheless implied the trope is in effect by Buster's Wild Take the first time he sees her in her prom dress. For extra laughs, Buster expected his tux to have this effect on her.
- Shout-Out:
- Buster performs Bugs' dance moves from the Looney Tunes short, "Hot Cross Bunny", and a clip from the short is shown.
- Dizzy's date is named Mitzi Avery, who shares a surname with Tex Avery.
- Additionally, when Montana Max reacts lustfully to Mitzi, at one point his head morphs into a howling cartoon wolf, ala Red Hot Riding Hood.
- Squashed Flat: Shirley and Fifi, incensed at Plucky and Hamton losing it over Mitzi, strike their dates with giant mallets, turning them into pancakes.
- Hamton is also inadvertently trampled by Arnold and Arnolda when everyone does Buster's new dance.
- Suddenly Voiced: This is the only episode where we actually hear Babs' unseen phone friend, Harriet, who asks Babs if she's still there after finally being asked to the prom by Buster.
- A Taste of Their Own Medicine:
- Buster piles on the charm when he asks Babs to prom. When he comes to pick her up, she charms him right back.
Babs: Remember girls, turnabout is fair play.- Mitzi rejects Monty in the same vicious way he rejected Elmyra.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: With Buster's attempted dance moves proving to be a humiliating experience, Bugs jumps in to make it look like a new dance craze and wins over the other students.
- Villainous BSoD: Monty has a big one (complete with a shot of a nuclear explosion and scorched, dead earth in the background), after Mitzi's "The Reason You Suck" Speech.
- Visual Pun: Gogo spikes the punch by putting a railroad spike in it.
- Would Rather Suffer: During Gogo's song about the prom, Monty tells Elmyra that he'd rather get a lobotomy than be her prom date.
