Recap / VeggieTales Episode 26 Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler

Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler

Episode number: 26

Original release date: 3/11/06

---

Countertop Intro

Bob and Larry once again greet the kids on the Countertop, before saying that today's question comes Erica Bangham from Minot, North Dakota. Larry then greets Erica, asking her how it's going doing there, before he says, "'Minot' be perfect, but it sure beats South Dakota." Bob then tells Larry that he can't say that because he just insulted South Dakota, despite Larry's insistence that he was just making a little joke, before he says, "'Minot' be the best joke ever, but I think—" but Bob stops him, saying that they have a lot of fans in South Dakota and that it's a lovely place, every bit as nice as North Dakota. Larry then says, "It 'Minot' be so bad, if it weren't for the Badlands," before saying that he's on a roll. Bob then hops up to the camera and says, "My apologies, South Dakota," before glaring at Larry who asks him what the letter says. Bob then reads the letter from Erica, with Erica saying that her and her family have just moved to Minot and that she started going to a new school but doesn't know anybody and that she wants to make new friends, which got her wondering, what does it take to be a good friend? Larry then says that that's a good question, before asking if Erica has a speedboat because that might help, but Bob tells him that she doesn't before telling him that being a good friend has nothing to do with having a speedboat. When Larry asks about having a bag of lollipops, Bob also shoots down this suggestion, to which Larry says that he's all out of ideas. Fortunately, Bob has a couple of stories that can help Erica. Larry then says, "A speedboat 'Minot' make you a better friend, but—" before Bob abruptly says, "ROLL FILM!"

The Asparagus of La Mancha

In a strange land that is made entirely out of food and cooking utensils, a lone warrior by the name of Don Quixote (played by Archibald Asparagus) rides up on a hill on his horse, before he is approached by a horde of pea soldiers (played by the French Peas) that start throwing hamburgers at him. One hamburger hits Don's horse, which causes the horse to start rolling down the hill, before Don is hit with another hamburger, just as he wakes up screaming, "NOOOOOOO!" before being met with his assistant and friend, Poncho (played by Mr. Lunt). It turns out that Don was actually having a bad dream and that he and Poncho run their own restaurant called "Cafe La Mancha." When Poncho asks Don if he's been dreaming about losing to him at Checkers again, telling Don not to take it too hard and that he'll give him another shot at the Checker King after work. Don thanks Poncho for his concern before telling him that it was much more than merely a bad dream. Poncho then asks if it was a wretched dream, or insufferable, objectionable, hideous, or malodorous, before Don says, "Poncho, I believe I just had the impossible dream!" Poncho is confused, before saying, "Just by definition, wouldn't that be impossible? Maybe you just had a difficult dream, or perhaps an impossibly strenuous dream," before Don tells Poncho that it was his dream and it was impossible. Don then says, "Dream or no dream, it's time to get to work."

Soon, the lunch crowd has gathered at Cafe La Mancha for lunch, with Poncho giving all of the people's orders to Don. Seconds later, Jean-Claude Pea then enters the restaurant telling all of the people that a brand new restaurant is opening. Of course, Don then sarcastically says that they've got competition and that they might as well just close their doors right now, which everyone laughs about after that. Poncho then tells Jean-Claude that many restaurants have come and gone, but they're still standing, but Jean-Claude tells him, "This is not just any restaurant, it is... the Food Factory!", which everyone is surprised to hear. When Don asks Jean-Claude if he said something about the Food Factory, Jean-Claude says that he did and that they are the most popular franchise in the world and that no other restaurant within 50 miles of them can stay open. Don then asks Jean-Claude if he knows where the Food Factory is opening, before Jean-Claude shows everyone that the restaurant is being built across from Cafe La Mancha. Don thinks that the construction alone could stretch out for years, but he is proven wrong when the Food Factory is immediately built within seconds. Of course, Don then thinks that there's no way they could open for business anytime soon, before a sign then lights up that says that the Food Factory is now open. Poncho then asks how long it would take for them to attract a crowd, before a scrolling marquee lights up that reads "Food as big as your head." Don thinks that there's no way their customers would go to the Food Factory, but the customers immediately rush towards the Food Factory, leaving Cafe La Mancha completely empty.

Don then realizes that the dream that he had was warning him about the Food Factory coming to threaten his and Poncho's business. Later that night, while everyone is attending the Food Factory, Don is playing Checkers with Poncho while eating chips with spicy salsa, but he is still despondent, wondering what he is going to do, before Poncho tells him, "I'll tell you what you're going to do, you're going to king me!" Don then asks how they can possibly fight this, with Poncho suggesting that they'll restructure, which is to find an area they're not covering and do that. When Don makes another move, Poncho is able to beat him, but Don doesn't care, saying that the Food Factory has food as big as your head before he leaves the table after that. Poncho has a chip with salsa, but it's much too spicy for him, wondering what's in that salsa. Don then says, "I don't know what to do, my friend, I'm afraid everything we've worked for is over." Poncho says that he can't believe his ears, telling Don that they've made it through thick and thin together and that this is no different, but Don tells him that he's wrong before he starts to hop back into the restaurant after that. Soon, Don then goes back to bed after that, before he goes to sleep.

This time, Don then has another dream where he is back in the strange land again, but now finds a mirror that shows him a reflection that does not look like his, before more and more mirrors come up to him, showing more strange reflections. The mirrors then close in around Don, while he calls out for help, before he wakes up from his dream once again. Poncho then tells Don that he'll need a whole lot of help to take down the Checker King. When Poncho tells Don that he some great ideas that would turn the place around, Don tells him that he has a much better solution, saying that his first dream told him what was coming, before saying that last night's dream revealed how to combat the Food Factory, saying that in his dream, every time he looked in a mirror, he saw a different reflection which can mean that to succeed, he needs to be different than he is now. Poncho then quips, "Maybe it just means you need to clean the mirrors in your dreams." Don then says that they need to change the look and image of their restaurant to make it different and something more entertaining. Don then says, "Poncho, I've dreamed the impossible theme, and we're going to make it happen!" Poncho reluctantly decides to go with Don's plan anyway.

The first time, they change their restaurant into a Japanese-style restaurant called "Donny Ha-Ha", but it doesn't work, before also changing it to a restaurant called "La Koo Koo Mancha", which also does not work, along with a coffee shop called "Joppa Java," and a Chuck E. Cheese-style pizza restaurant called Cheese E. Rodent, but these ideas all fail. Of course, the customers all laugh at the duo's attempts, telling Poncho to quit the restaurant and come work for the Food Factory. When Poncho asks Don if he wants to play Checkers, Don is angry, telling Poncho that they're going to lose it all and all Poncho can think about is Checkers before storming off to his room after that. Don then tells Poncho that he should start looking for another job before entering his room. Poncho then hears the front door open before seeing that the manager of the Food Factory (played by Mr. Nezzer) had come to ask Poncho to work for the Food Factory. Despite this offer, Poncho turns him down, telling him that Don and him have worked together for years, but more importantly, that they're friends and that a friend is always loyal, before showing the Food Factory manager the door. The Food Factory manager then leaves, but not without informing Poncho that if he changes his mind, to let him know. Poncho then approaches Don who is once again eating chips with salsa before telling Poncho to go ahead and go, but Poncho tells him that he's not leaving Cafe La Mancha and that they're going to make it. Don then goes to sleep while Poncho tells him goodnight after that.

Soon, Don has another dream in which has gotten onto the hill once again, to see a lone pea soldier. Thinking that he'll have an easy advantage against just one pea soldier, Don then starts to charge towards the pea soldier, who retreats in fear, with Don yelling after him, "Coward! Come back and fight like a... a... pea!" Don continues charging forward on his horse, until he sees something that causes his horse to stop and send Don flying until he crashes to the ground. When Don picks himself up, he sees what looks like a giant windmill monster standing before him (in a nod to the original story of Don Quixote). Don then starts running for his life with the windmill monster still chasing after him, until he wakes up again and falls out of bed. Poncho is glad to see that Don is up, before telling him to hear about his latest idea. Don tells Poncho to hold that thought because he just had a dream that was different from all the others, before saying, "I now know what to do to rescue our cafe!" Poncho then asks if it's a better idea than a Touchdown Turkey (which is a turkey dressed to look like a football). Don then says that he simply needs to attack the Food Factory and vanquish his foe once and for all, with Poncho thinking that Don is kidding. Don then says that it's quest to follow that star, to which Poncho then tells him, "What star? I thought we were talking about the Food Factory". Don is now prepared to take on the Food Factory, despite Poncho trying to talk him out of it, telling him that attacking restaurants is against the law.

Don then has Poncho go out to the Food Factory, before Poncho then says through a megaphone, "Attention, ladies and gentlemen! I have an announcement! The invincible Don Quixote will, this night, defend the honor of his restaurant, Cafe La Mancha!" Of course, the people tell Poncho to leave Don and to join them at the Food Factory. Because of this, Don then hops out while wearing his makeshift armor and thanks Poncho for what he did, before he approaches the Food Factory and announces pridefully, "I am Don Quixote! And I am calling out the Food Factory to meet me in a battle of honor! The winner shall keep his restaurant, the loser shall leave town forever!" The people are a bit uncertain about Don's decision, before Don asks the Food Factory if they're afraid to cross swords with him, repeating his challenge, before saying that if they don't, he'll be forced to attack. The Food Factory manager tells Don that that's crazy, to which Don replies, "Crazy, am I?" The Food Factory manager tells Don that if he attacks the restaurant, he'll be arrested. Don tries to dissuade this by telling the Food Factory manager that any authority they call will no doubt agree with him on that point, before Sheriff Bob (played by Bob the Tomato), who is eating a hamburger, tells Don not to do anything crazy or else he'll have him arrested. Despite this, Don is now prepared to engage the Food Factory in battle, even with Poncho tries to tell him not to do it. Don then briefly envisions the Food Factory as the windmill monster from his dream before he charges forward towards the Food Factory, but unfortunately, his helmet slides over his face, which causes him to trip over his broom, which then catapults him into the side of one of the windmill blades on the restaurant, before he then falls onto the front balcony of the restaurant, before he says, "Have you had enough? Surrender or you shall taste my mop!"

Because of his actions, Don is arrested by Sheriff Bob, with Don saying, "This cell cannot hold me! I demand satisfaction! Fight me like a man!" before Sheriff Bob tells him to take off his armor and go to bed. Don then says that he demands legal council, before Poncho approaches him, saying, "How about some friendly council?" Don is happy to see that Poncho has come to see him, with Poncho telling him that he brought a few things for him, with Sheriff Bob asking Poncho what he's got in the bag, with Poncho replying, "Just his regular bedtime supplies." The things that Poncho had brought for Don were his 'nighty-night cap,' his corn chips, and his extra-spicy salsa, with Sheriff Bob quipping, "That'll give you nightmares." Of course, when Poncho hears these words from Sheriff Bob, he has second thoughts about giving the salsa to Don, something which Don is not happy about as he calls out to Poncho that he thought he was his friend.

The next morning, Don then wakes up, before he sees Poncho, Sheriff Bob, and the Food Factory manager in the cell with him. When Poncho asks Don if he had any bad dreams, Don says that he didn't have any dreams at all, before Poncho says that it was the extra-hot salsa, which Don had been eating every night before bed, which was the reason why Don had been having bad dreams. Sheriff Bob doesn't believe that this is the reason, but once he gets a whiff of the salsa, it is much too spicy for him, before he says, "That'd do it, all right." When Sheriff Bob asks the Food Factory manager if he wants to press charges, the Food Factory manager tells him that they bent the giant spatula back without any harm. Sheriff Bob then tells Don that he's free to go if he stops eating the spicy-hot salsa, but Don despondently says that Cafe La Mancha is through and that he's got nowhere to go. Of course, Poncho tells him, "Don't be so sure." Because of that, it is then revealed that Cafe La Mancha has been open for breakfast, the one thing that the Food Factory does not cater to. Don then thanks Poncho for standing by him when he needed him the most with Poncho telling him that that's what friends do. Don then asks Poncho for a friendly game of Checkers after work, to which Poncho then accepts his challenge.

Silly Songs with Larry

Larry plays the role of a boy whose ball ends up landing on the other side of the fence, where the Gated Community stands. Larry then sings if he can have his ball back because he kicked it into the tree, before it bounced up and dropped in to the Gated Community. From the back door of the Gated Community, three citizens then come out singing about how they love being part of the Gated Community, while Larry once again sings if they could give him his ball back, but the citizens still sing about being in the Gated Community. Just when Larry is about to leave, one of the citizens throws the ball back at him, which he is happy to have his ball back at last.

Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler

In London, at an ice cream parlor known as Doyle's (named in honor of Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle), several customers are enjoying themselves, until they are met up with the famous detective Sheerluck Holmes (played by Larry the Cucumber) and his assistant Dr. Watson (played by Bob the Tomato). Everyone is happy to see Sheerluck, before he approaches two of the costumers (played by Jimmy and Jerry Gourd), who ask him what the good word is. Sheerluck then says, "Beats me, but when I find it, you'll be the first to know", before the two customers then laugh after that. However, when Dr. Watson attempts to strike up conversation with them using Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness, they only sarcastically reply "Uh-huh" to him. Sheerluck and Dr. Watson then seat themselves at a booth before the waitress approaches them, asking them if they solved another case, to which Dr. Watson that they have, before the waitress tells them, "One usual coming up", before giving them some cake and some glasses of milk. Sheerluck then takes the ice cream off the cake before giving the cake to Dr. Watson. The two then say, "The game's afoot!" before toasting with their glasses of milk.

Jerry then asks them what they're celebrating this time, before Jimmy says, "I can only assume it involves mystery, mayhem, and maleficence!" Dr. Watson then says that they could say that, before Sheerluck says, "You could if I could understand what you were saying". Jerry then asks them "What dastardly crime have you just solved?" Sheerluck then tells everyone that it's all rather hush-hush, before saying that no one in London will ever have to worry about the Howling Dogs of Baker Street again. Everyone then cheers about it, before Jimmy asks them, "How did you solve it? Did you use your superlative powers of observation or did basic forensics crack this particular case open?" Sheerluck then tells him that he talks funny, before Dr. Watson answers that it was a combination of the two, before Sheerluck tells them that they decided the best way to explain it is in a song, something which Dr. Watson is not too fond of. Despite this, Sheerluck then has the piano player (played by Scallion # 3) start playing a song, before Sheerluck and Dr. Watson then start singing about how if a crime has been committed, then they'll be called on to solve the crime, though throughout the entire song, Sheerluck keeps pushing himself in, completely overshadowing Dr. Watson, much to Dr. Watson's consternation. After the song ends, everyone then cheers for Sheerluck's performance, while Dr. Watson feels hurt that Sheerluck has been pushing him aside.

After the duo exit Doyle's, Sheerluck proclaims, "Another perfect ending to a perfect day", before noticing that Dr. Watson feels down. Dr. Watson then tells Sheerluck that he thought that they solved the cases together, but Sheerluck is the only one who gets credit for them. Of course, Sheerluck thinks that that's silly, saying that they're a team and that they're friends, which everyone knows, before Dr. Watson asks Sheerluck if he knows that and if that that's any way to treat a friend. Before the conversation can continue, Scooter Carrot then approaches the duo, telling them that there's been a robbery at Buckingham Palace. However, due to Scooter's accent, Sheerluck can't understand him, but Dr. Watson can, repeating the statement to Sheerluck. Because of this, Sheerluck and Dr. Watson then head off towards the direction of Buckingham Palace. After arriving at Buckingham Palace, Sheerluck and Watson meet with the Prime Minister (played by Archibald Asparagus), who tells the duo that everyone is in desperate need of their services. The Prime Minister then explains to the duo that the crime is a case of national security and that if it's not solved quickly, there will be dire consequences. When asked what was stolen, the Prime Minister answers "a key", which Sheerluck is in disbelief about, thinking that the Prime Minister had lost his keys, telling the Prime Minister to go down the hardware store and get a copy made. Of course, since Watson is more clear-minded than Sheerluck, he asks the Prime Minister what the key unlocked, before the Prime Minister answers, "The door to the room where the Golden Ruler is kept". This surprises Watson before telling Sheerluck that there's not a moment to waste, but Sheerluck doesn't quite understand what's going on.

Sheerluck and Watson follow the Prime Minister to a room, before approaching a pillow where the key was kept. When Sheerluck examines the key, Watson tells him to describe what he sees, which Sheerluck does, saying "It's your basic pillow, without a key in it", before erroneously guessing that whoever stole the key has a dislike for soft pillows, then comes up with the outrageous conclusion that there is a headless bandit with a morbid fear of pillows. Watson then asks the Prime Minister where the door is that the key unlocks, before the Prime Minister turns towards towards the doorway to where the door is right across from the room they are in now. Sheerluck then asks the Prime Minister what the Golden Ruler is, before the Prime Minister answers, "Only the most valuable treasure in the entire kingdom". Watson then notices that there are a bunch of dusty footprints on the floor of the room, saying that they must be extremely careful not to disturb these clues. However, at that moment, two policemen named Detective Bill Trout from the Forensic Investigators of South Hampton (F.I.S.H.) (Played by Mr. Nezzer) and Sergeant John Spud from the Canterbury Highway Patrol (C.H.I.P's) (played by Mr. Lunt) show up at the scene of the crime, which Sheerluck is not happy about.

Nevertheless, F.I.S.H. and C.H.I.P's go to work, using police tape to block off the scene of the crime, even when Watson tries telling them that they're disturbing the crime scene. The Prime Minister then tells the two officers that Sheerluck Holmes is the world's greatest detective, though Sheerluck ends up getting caught in the police tape after a few seconds. Sheerluck still pulls on the tape, until the tape then pulls a statue down, which opens up a secret door in the wall that acts as the entrance to a secret passageway, which was how the crook was able to enter and exit the room without detection. The Prime Minister says that he will announce this discovery to the king and queen, but when Sheerluck says that he'll do it, he ends up tripping over the police tape before inadvertently knocking down both rows of British Guards that are standing in the hallway.

After Sheerluck and Watson return to Doyle's again, Sheerluck is greeted by everyone again, before he is asked what's shaking. Sheerluck then answers to Jimmy and Jerry that they're on the boots of London, which makes them laugh again. Sheerluck then asks the waitress for the usual again, before Jimmy asks him, "What nefarious no-goodnik did you and Dr. Watson incarcerate this fine evening?" Sheerluck is confused by the words that Jimmy used on him, before Dr. Watson explains to him what these words mean. Sheerluck then answers that as always, it's all rather hush-hush, saying that he stumbled upon a clue that blew this case wide open and that they will have the criminal before the week is up. Sheerluck then says, "Now, I can't reveal exactly where I was tonight, but let's just say it rhymes with 'Luckingham Dallas'", which everyone is amazed about, before Sheerluck explains that he was faced with the most difficult mystery of his career and that if he failed, then the most valuable treasure in the entire kingdom would be lost. When everyone is worried, Sheerluck is able to assure everyone in the parlor that he was on the top of his game, which everyone starts cheering about. However, this only causes Watson to storm out from Doyle's, with Sheerluck following after him, wanting to know what's wrong. Watson then angrily tells Sheerluck that he really doesn't have a clue, even when Sheerluck tries telling him that he knows that they're a team, before Watson tells him that what really hurts is when you tell someone that you're their friend, yet you don't treat them like a friend. Two women then show up, asking Sheerluck for his autograph. After the women leave, this only causes Watson to leave in a huff, even when Sheerluck tries calling after him to come back.

At the home of Sheerluck Holmes, Sheerluck is playing his tuba, when Scooter comes in, telling him that the Golden Ruler has been stolen. Unfortunately, just like before, Sheerluck doesn't understand what Scooter said, because of his accent. A woman and Jimmy try to translate what Scooter said, but they also don't know what he said, until Scooter is finally able to make himself understood, repeating his statement that the Golden Ruler has been stolen. After hearing that Golden Ruler has been stolen, Sheerluck is about to tell Watson that the game is afoot, before realizing that he's all alone before he goes off to see if he can try to find Watson. After arriving at the home of Dr. Watson, Sheerluck ends up getting soot, pillow feathers, water, and an anvil dumped onto his head by Watson's maids, who each admonish Sheerluck for not being a good friend to Watson. Sheerluck then returns to Buckingham Palace, with the Prime Minister telling him that word of the theft might leak out to the press, before Sheerluck is then hit with a newspaper that bears a headline that reads, "Too late! The Golden Ruler has been stolen". F.I.S.H. and C.H.I.P's are under surveillance, even after the Golden Ruler has been stolen, with the Prime Minister asking Sheerluck to save the day, with Sheerluck saying that he's on the job, before he starts looking all around with his magnifying glass. Even without Watson by his side, Sheerluck asks the Prime Minister when the crime took place, before the Prime Minister answers that it must have happened at the changing of the guard, something which he can't understand. Just when it seems that Sheerluck is about to solve the case, he realizes that it's a lot harder than it looks.

Sheerluck then comes up with a deduction before whispering it to the Prime Minister, while F.I.S.H. is able to eavesdrop on them. The Prime Minister then praises Sheerluck for his deduction, just as the King and Queen of England (played respectively by Pa Grape and Madame Blueberry) approach their thrones. The King then announces that all is not lost, saying that Detective Trout (F.I.S.H.) has deduced that the national treasure is still hidden within the walls of the palace, something which Sheerluck is not happy to hear, since he was the one who came up with that deduction himself, before he admonishes F.I.S.H. for stealing his deduction. However, Sheerluck then realizes that he felt just how Watson felt, before realizing that he's finally figured it out about what Watson was telling him about treating a friend like a friend. Because of that, Sheerluck then thanks F.I.S.H. for stealing his deduction and taking credit for it, which is what finally opens his eyes about what Watson was trying to tell him along. Sheerluck then tells the King that they need to treat others the way they need to be treated, with the King telling him that that's exactly what the Golden Ruler says, which is why it's the most valuable treasure of all. Sheerluck then says that he can't solve this case by himself, saying that he needs Dr. Watson, before Watson then shows up after that, which Sheerluck is happy to see.

Watson then asks the King if he could reveal the criminal who stole the Golden Ruler, before explaining that as Sheerluck has deduced, the thief is still in their midst because this was an inside job. Watson then reveals that the thief is none other than one of the palace guards, but the Prime Minister tells him that each of the palace guards is loyal to the core, before Watson tells him that one of the guards is an imposter, a foreign spy sent to steal England's most precious possession. The King then asks the thief to step forward, but the Prime Minister allows him, before asking the guards if any of them are spies, which the pea guards reply "No", and when the Prime Minister asks them if any of them are loyal to the crown, they all reply, "Oui". When the Prime Minister tells Watson that he's mistaken, Watson tells him that people may sometimes lie, but facts never do, before he gets into a detailed explanation, first telling about the footprints, which are the same size as a pea, and that on the wall of the secret passageway, there were black fibers that matched the guard's hats, which were the same height as an English guard, which was how he knew that a guard had stolen the key, but didn't know why, until the morning when he secretly investigated the crime scene and found the answer to his riddle.

Sheerluck then tells Watson that he was in the palace the whole time, before Watson explains further that he found crumbs that belonged to Brie Cheese and Baguette Bread, which are foodstuffs not native to England, but rather to France. The Prime Minister then says that he questioned the guards and that they're all loyal to the crown, but Sheerluck defends Watson's statement about one of the guards being a spy, before he trips on the police tape again before knocking over the pea guards once again, but this time, one pea guard was revealed to have hidden the Golden Ruler under his hat, revealing this pea to be the spy. As a result, the spy (played by Phillipe Pea) is arrested by F.I.S.H. and C.H.I.P's, while proclaiming that he would've gotten away with it if it weren't for his irrepressible love of Brie Cheese and Baguette Bread. The King is happy that their national treasure has been reclaimed, thanking Sheerluck for solving the case, but Sheerluck tells him that the real hero is Watson, which Watson is happy to hear, before telling Sheerluck that they did it as a team, as friends. Sheerluck then reads the inscription on the Golden Ruler, which reads, "Treat others the way you want to be treated", before asking Watson to forgive him, which Watson does. Back at Doyle's, Sheerluck and Watson then sing a reprise of the song that they sang earlier, but this time, singing about how if a crime has been committed, they should be called on to solve the mystery, as long as they both live by the Golden Rule. After the song ends, everyone cheers for the teamwork and friendship of both Sheerluck Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Countertop Outro

Back on the Countertop, Bob asks Larry is he has anything to say, which Larry does, before he apologizes to the entire population of South Dakota for the insulting jokes that he was making. Bob then tells Larry that historically, South Dakota has been a very forgiving state. Larry still wants to know how he'll know, before Qwerty then brings up a song about South Dakota, before at the end, Larry's face has been grafted into Mt. Rushmore, which means that South Dakota does forgive Larry. Bob then tells Larry and Erica that just like in the story of Sheerluck Holmes, to be a good friend, we need to treat our friends like we want to be treated. Larry then says that like they learned in the story of "The Asparagus of La Mancha", being a good friend means that we need to do what's best for our friends and stick by them when they need us the most. Qwerty then brings up the verse, which is, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17". After that, Larry excuses himself before hopping off, which Bob is confused about, before he tells Erica that the best thing to keep in mind when you're looking to make a good friend is how to be a good friend, and if you can do that, you'll do just fine. Larry then hops back after that, this time dressed as Larry-Boy, which confuses Bob again, before Larry tells him that dress rehearsal for the next show starts in two minutes. Bob then asks Larry if they can finish the show first, which Larry confirms, before the two then sign off, but not without Bob saying, "Nobody told me about a dress rehearsal", but the episode then ends after that, before the conversation can continue even further.

---

Tropes:

• Acid Reflux Nightmare: Near the end of "The Asparagus of La Mancha," we learn the reason for Don Quixote's dreams: every night, he's been eating chips with spicy salsa before bedtime.
• Anvil on Head: One of Watson's maids drops an anvil on Sheerluck Holmes when he comes looking for Watson.
• Big "NO!": Happens twice in "The Asparagus of La Mancha." The first time, when Don wakes up from his first bad dream, and the second time, when Poncho makes him give up the salsa he's been eating.
• Biting-the-Hand Humor: Don and Poncho try to convert Café La Mancha into a Suck E. Cheese's named "Cheese E. Rodent." The actual Chuck E. Cheese has featured VeggieTales promos in-between the songs in their showtapes for years.
• Bubble Pipe: Sheerluck has one of these.
• Call-Back: Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie has an appearance of Joppa Java, a coffeehouse chain that's a Shout-Out to Starbucks. In "The Asparagus of La Mancha," Don and Poncho try to convert Café La Mancha into a Joppa Java.
  [Don and Poncho are standing outside Café La Mancha in green aprons.]
  Poncho: Joppa Java! Why pay a little for coffee when you can pay a lot?
• Catapult Nightmare: Don Quixote tends to bolt upright when he wakes up from his bad dreams.
• Character Name and the Noun Phrase: "Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler."
• Clueless Detective: Sheerluck Holmes in spades, being that part of the reason for this is that he does not treat his friend and accomplice, Dr. Watson, like a real friend.
• Cruel to Be Kind: Downplayed. Don is practically in tears when Poncho won't let him have his salsa, but Poncho realizes it's the reason for Don's nightmares.
  Don: What are you doing?
  Poncho: I'm doing this for your own good, Don. I need to stick by you and do what's best for you in your time of need.
  Don: What are you talking about? I need my salsa!
  Poncho: No, Don. What you need is to lay off the salsa!
• Does This Remind You of Anything?: The way Don reacts to Poncho separating him from salsa, you'd think it was an addictive drug.
• Death Glare: Bob gives one of these to Larry about the South Dakota jokes he's been making.
• Dreaming the Truth: Subverted. When his customers desert him for the Food Factory, Don thinks the first dream was a warning. He thinks his second dream is telling him to change the image of Café La Mancha and that his third dream is telling him to attack the Food Factory. Neither of these ideas works out.
• "Eureka!" Moment: Sheerluck has a breakthrough about why Watson got angry with him when F.I.S.H. steals a deduction from him. He thanks the officer for hurting his feelings, because now he understands what Watson felt.
• Food End: "The Asparagus of La Mancha" ends with a crowd of customers, including the Food Factory's manager, having breakfast at Café La Mancha.
• Foreshadowing: At the end of the episode, Larry comes out while dressed as Larry-Boy, claiming that dress rehearsal for the next episode starts in two minutes.
• Fun with Acronyms: "Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler" gives us two policemen who, thanks to Sheerluck, go by the acronyms F.I.S.H. and C.H.I.P's, respectively.
• Good Capitalism, Evil Capitalism: Zig-Zagged in The Asparagus of La Mancha. The story starts off with Café La Mancha being popular until a major chain restaurant called the Food Factory is built, which is known to be so popular that no restaurant within fifty miles can stay open (and, to add insult to injury, it's being built across the street). The manager of the Food Factory attempts to persuade Poncho to leave Café La Mancha and work for him. Meanwhile, Don eats spicy salsa before bed yet again, giving him an Acid Reflux Nightmare that convinces him to try to attack the Food Factory. After Poncho takes away the salsa, Don gets a good night's sleep. The manager doesn't press charges, since no permanent harm was done, and is even shown eating at Café La Mancha when it starts opening for breakfast.
• Hypercompetent Sidekick: While he's willing to let Sheerluck share the credit, Dr. Watson actually contributes most of the sleuthing savvy when the two are hired for a case (Sheerluck does prove that he's not completely inept when he deduces that one of the guards stole the ruler and he probably hasn't had time to smuggle it out of the palace), This, combined with Sheerluck's glory-hogging tendencies, causes their falling-out.
• Innocently Insensitive: Larry's jokes about South Dakota are what drive Bob over the edge.
• Interclass Friendship: Possibly downplayed; while Watson's maids don't get a lot of screentime, making it difficult to tell exactly what their relationship is like, they show indignation on his behalf when Sheerluck comes by the house. They scold Sheerluck for hurting the doctor and drop things on him.
• I Reject Your Reality: Poncho warns Don that attacking restaurants is illegal. Don attacks the Food Factory anyway and is thrown in jail.
• Jerkass Has a Point: The Food Factory's manager does run a restaurant that's running Café La Mancha out of business, but he is right that attacking his business would be grounds for having Don arrested.
• Mondegreen Gag: Because Scooter's Scottish accent is unable to be understood by Sheerluck Holmes, his statement that "the Golden Ruler has been stolen" is mistranslated as "someone's golden hula is swollen," "the goat and jeweler are out strolling," "coats and stools all go bowling," and "folding scooters have been rolling."
• Non Sequitur, *Thud*: Downplayed. Don, after smacking into the Food Factory's windmill sign, says, "Check, please!"
• Pet the Dog: Not only does the Food Factory's manager try to convince Poncho to work at the Food Factory, he outright insults Don and his restaurant. However, he is willing to drop the charges, since the damage Don does is fixable, and is even shown eating breakfast at Cafe La Mancha.
• Plagued by Nightmares: Don. The cause turns out to be the spicy salsa he eats before bed every night.
• Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: Predictably, Sheerluck pushes Watson too far with his credit-stealing just when they're in the middle of the Golden Ruler case and have not yet apprehended the culprit. Watson leaves, telling Sheerluck to call him back when he's ready to treat him like a friend. The next morning, Scooter reports the theft of the Golden Ruler and Sheerluck discovers the difficulty of solving the crime on his own.
• Punny Name: Sheerluck's name is not only a play on that of Sherlock Holmes, but also on "sheer luck."
• Restaurant-Owning Episode: Don and Poncho have a restaurant called "Café La Mancha."
• Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Dr. Watson's speech patterns in "Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler" include the use of many long words, which constantly confuses Sheerluck.
• Shout-Out: To the original story of Don Quixote. In Don's third dream, he sees what looks like a giant windmill monster charging at him. When he wakes up, he thinks it's a sign that he's supposed to attack the Food Factory, which looks like a windmill with four giant spatulas for arms.
• Stealing the Credit: Sheerluck tends to steal Watson's deductions without even thinking about it. He realizes how painful this feels when F.I.S.H. steals one of his deductions about the theft of the Golden Ruler.
• Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion: Played for Drama. Sheerluck and Watson's song seems as though it's going to end with "call on us" but Sheerluck always butts in and changes it to "me." It's the first indication of the problem.
• Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Don thinks that Café La Mancha will be able to compete with The Food Factory. The viewer is initially led to believe there's a chance of that happening, as plenty of other shows would have the local restaurant manage to beat or outlast the big-name franchise. However, the simple reality is that local restaurants usually can't compete with big-name chain franchises due to their convenience and lower prices. Indeed, La Mancha is shown to be practically deserted after the Food Factory opens up, and the only reason it doesn't go out of business is that it switches to focusing on breakfast, which the Food Factory explicitly doesn't provide.
  Don: Open for breakfast. How did you ever come up with that idea?
  Poncho: Simple. The Food Factory doesn't open up until lunch time. I told you, find something they don't do and then do that.
• Tempting Fate: When Don hears that there's going to be a Food Factory across the street, he says the construction will take years. Within seconds, the restaurant is built and open for business.
  Poncho: I wonder how long it'll take for them to attract a crowd. You don't think...?
  Don: Perish the thought. Our customers are true blue. They'll never desert us.
  [Don's customers rush out of Café La Mancha and line up outside the Food Factory.]
• Unconventional Food Usage: On the night of the Food Factory's grand opening, Don and Poncho are playing checkers.
  [Don is gazing at the Food Factory while eating corn chips with salsa.]
  Don: What am I going to do?
  Poncho: I'll tell you what you're going to do. You're going to king me!
  [Don absentmindedly puts a corn chip on Poncho's checker.]
  Poncho: That'll do.
• Undying Loyalty: Poncho shows this to Don. No matter how bad their situation looks or how despondent or crazy Don's reactions to it become, he never gives up on his friend. Even when Don's customers have all left and the Food Factory's manager wants to hire Poncho, he stays with Café La Mancha.
• Unraveled Entanglement: In "Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler," Sheerluck ends up getting tangled up in a roll of police tape, due to his bumbling around while at Buckingham Palace.
• You're Insane!: When Don tells the manger of the Food Factory that he's going to attack the restaurant...
  Manager: That's crazy!
  [Don, wearing armor made from cooking utensils, waves a mop like a sword.]
  Don: Crazy, am I?
• Wrong Genre Savvy: In "Asparagus of La Mancha", Don assumes his bizarre dreams are messages from God. While there is precedent for prophetic dreams in the Christian tradition, it turns out that these are just Acid Reflux Nightmares brought on by spicy salsa.
• The X of Y: "The Asparagus of La Mancha."
• You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Poncho's response when Don says that his third dream is telling him to attack the Food Factory.
  Poncho: You're kidding, right?

---