- Josh and the Big WallEpisode number: 9Original release date: 12/5/97
- Countertop Intro
On the Countertop, Bob the Tomato, accompanied by Junior Asparagus in place of Larry the Cucumber, greet the viewers. Bob then tells the viewers that Larry was a little bit tired after the last episode so he had to rest up for a while, before explaining further that Junior decided to help out as well. Bob then explains to Junior that they got a letter from Victor Bartholomew from Sausalito, California, who explains that there was a kid named Louis in his class who hit him, before learning in church that God wants us to follow God's directions, but he actually wants to hit Louis back, before asking whether to do it his way or God's way. Junior sympathizes with Victor, saying that sometimes, he doesn't always follow God's directions either, before asking Bob if they have any stories about that. Bob answers that question by asking Junior if he remembers the Israelites. Junior says that he remembers them, before asking Bob if the Israelites were supposed to be God's chosen people, which Bob confirms. Junior then confidently states that he bets that the Israelites always followed God's directions, before Bob tells him that they didn't always do what God said for them to do. When Junior asks why that is, Bob then tells Junior that it would be better to show him than to tell him, which confuses Junior. Bob then tells Junior to close his eyes and not to open them until he tells him to. When Bob and Junior both close their eyes, they find themselves transported into the deserts of Israel.
- Josh and the Big Wall
Once Bob and Junior have been transported to the deserts of Israel, Junior is surprised, wondering how they got there, before Bob tells him that they are using their imaginations. There, the two find themselves in the desert, where the Israelites are tending to their sheep. When Junior asks what the Israelites are doing in the desert, Bob answers the question by telling Junior about how Moses (played by Mr. Nezzer) helped to lead his people out of Egypt and to the Promised Land, thanks to some guidance from a burning bush. At first, Junior thinks that they're in the Promised Land, but Bob tells him that they're actually in the desert, while the Promised Land is actually a wonderful place where you could grow crops and that there was lots of food. Of course, he then explains that because the Israelites kept disobeying God's word, God had them stay in the desert for 40 years as punishment. When Bob also explains that Moses died after 40 years had passed, Junior is confused, thinking that the story was about Moses, but Bob corrects him, saying that the story is actually about Joshua.
The camera then Whip Pans over to Joshua (played by Larry the Cucumber) while Bob explains to Junior that Joshua was Moses' helper, and when Moses had passed away, Joshua was appointed as the new leader of the Israelites. Josh then asks Bob if he knows him, but Bob tells him that he's the narrator. Bob then tells Junior that while the Israelites were sad about Moses' death, it was also a happy day for them, because at last, it was finally time for them to leave the desert. Once all of the Israelites (played by Pa Grape, Tom Grape, Percy Pea, Scooter Carrot, Jimmy Gourd, and Jerry Gourd) find out about this, they become joyous, singing the song "Promised Land" about how they're happy to be finally heading for the Promised Land at last after so long. After the song ends, the Israelites, led by Josh, head off towards the Promised Land. However, they find that there is one obstacle standing in their way; Jericho!
- Silly Songs with Larry
Larry is showing Jimmy and Jerry Gourd and Junior Asparagus his vacation slides in what the announcer calls "a sequential stereophonic multimedia event". Larry then sings "The Song of the Cebu", telling Jimmy, Jerry, and Junior a story about a boy who had three cebu (a sick cebu, a sad cebu, and a mute cebu), along with a hippo. During the song, Larry also shows them pictures of his Aunt Ruth, and pictures of him at a bullfight, along with the bull's cousin, which is a cebu. Archibald then shows up, demanding to know what a cebu is, before Larry explains to him that it's kind of like a cow. Once Archibald sees the similarities, he then decides to let Larry resume. Larry then resumes singing, before Jimmy, Jerry, and Junior also join in the song as well, singing about how the boy rode into town in his canoe with his cebu. However, Larry ends up messing the slides, as Archibald shows up, wanting to know what happened next. When Larry shows more of his vacation slides, Archibald says that what Larry is doing is quite disappointing and wants to speak to Bob about this. Larry then finds a picture of what he thinks is a cebu, before realizing that it's actually a water buffalo. Jimmy, Jerry, and Junior then hop off while singing about how the song needs another verse, before Jimmy states that he wants his money back, which Jerry agrees with.
- Act 2
The Israelites find that Jericho is standing between them and the path to the Promised Land, before two of the Jerichites (played by the French Peas, Jean-Claude and Phillipe) look down to notice the Israelites down below. When Josh tells the Jerichites that they need to get through, the Jerichites just taunt them (in obvious reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail), telling Josh that they have a wall but he does not. Josh then threatens the Jerichites that if they don't let him and the Israelites through, they'll have to come in after them, which the Jerichites laugh at, before one of them accidentally knocks his slushy off the edge. Jimmy ends up getting hit with the slushy as a result, as he states that they should fall back and regroup. The Israelites then go back the way they came, while Bob explains to Junior that Josh and the others needed to figure out a way to get past the wall, so they talked it over that night.
That night, while the Israelites are gathered around the fire, they discuss about how to get past the wall. Pa Grape wants to go back to Egypt, thinking that it was paradise there, and when Tom states that they were in slavery, Pa responds that nothing is perfect. Jimmy then says that the land is rightfully theirs and that the only way they can get through to it is to take out the wall, before asking Jerry if he agrees with him, which Jerry does rather hesitantly. Josh then decides to go out a ways to do some thinking, before he is approached by the Commander of the Lord's Army (played by Archibald Asparagus), to which Josh then (literally) falls face down to the ground in reverence. The Commander then explains to Josh about the Lord's plan to take out Jericho once and for all. He then explains that for the first six days, Josh and the Israelites are to march around Jericho once a day, and on the seventh day, to march around the city seven times. Also on the seventh day, they are to have priests blow some horns while they march, and once they've marched seven times around the city, and when the priests blow a loud blast on their horns, all the people are to give a loud shout and the walls of the city will collapse, and Jericho will be theirs.
The next morning, Josh then explains the plan to the Israelites. After Josh explains this plan, the plan is met with some skepticism, particularly from Jimmy who says that the plan would work better if the walls were made out of jello, before Jerry gleefully states that they could eat them. Jimmy then tells Josh that their plan is a bit more sophisticated, before revealing that he and Jerry have built a rocket, which they christen "The Wallminator 3000". The rest of the Israelites praise the two Gourd brothers for the rocket, while Junior is worried that the Israelites are going to ignore God's directions again. Fortunately, Bob tells him that Josh has something to say. Josh tells the Israelites that they've forgotten something, before he starts singing about how the Lord knows what he doing and that they should follow him. The Israelites have no other choice now but to reluctantly go along with the plan, before they start marching around Jericho.
Jean-Claude and Phillipe look down in time to notice the Israelites marching around the city, before they ask them what they're doing. When Jimmy explains what they're doing, the French Peas then start taunting them by singing the song "Keep Walking", before a bunch of other peas join in the song. After the peas finish singing, they then bombard the Israelites with a multitude of slushies, forcing the Israelites to retreat. That night, as Josh and the Israelites discuss about the plan once again, the Israelites are now on the verge of rebellion, as Josh tries to talk them out of it, to no avail. Fortunately, Junior is able to convince the Israelites to stick to the plan, and that even though God's directions don't always make sense, the least they could do is remember that God's way is the best way. After Junior sings to the Israelites about how God's way is the best way, he then asks who's ready to go back to Jericho. Soon, the Israelites decide to give the plan another chance.
The next morning, the Israelites are able to march around Jericho once again, despite the French Peas still throwing slushies at them. On the seventh day, the Israelites then march around the city seven times, while the priests blow their horns. Once the Israelites have marched around the city seven times and when the priests blow on their horns, everyone then yells really loud, but after several minutes of yelling, nothing happened. Jean-Claude and Phillipe start laughing, thinking that they're off the hook, before a single brick suddenly jumps loose from behind them. Once the French Peas realize what's going on, Josh and the Israelites then back up just as Jericho then collapses. After the French Peas regain themselves, they run off in terror when Josh appears in front of them. Bob then tells Junior that the Israelites finally did what God told them and the walls fell down, and that after 40 years, the Israelites were finally able to make it to their new home. During this explanation, Jimmy laments that he picked a lousy day to wear his contacts. The Israelites then journey on through Jericho, while Jimmy asks if anyone has any saline.
- Countertop Outro
Back on the Countertop, Bob asks Junior what he thought of the story, which Junior says that it was fun. Junior then asks Bob if the Israelites really built a rocket and got slushies dropped on their heads, to which Bob replies that they didn't, and that they were just using their imaginations. Bob and Junior then appear next to Qwerty, saying that it's time to talk about what they've learned, before the "What We Have Learned" song plays again. Bob goes off to turn off the song, before a slushy falls right in front of his path, thanks to the French Peas, who state that they love that song. After the song ends, Junior explains that the Israelites learned that God's way is the best way and that God wants us to follow the directions that he gives us. Bob and Junior then consult Qwerty for a verse, to which Qwerty brings up the verse, which is "As for God, his way is perfect. 2nd Samuel 22:31a". Bob then tells Victor to remember what God told him, before stating that maybe Louis doesn't need a punch in the nose, but maybe needs a friend, which Junior agrees with. Bob and Junior then say goodbye to the viewers before leaving, but then Larry shows up in his pajamas (which are the same ones that he wore in "Oh, Santa" from "The Toy That Saved Christmas) before asking if it's time for the show. The lights then go dim and Qwerty turns off, leaving Larry in the dark as he says "Aw, nuts!" before the episode ends.
Tropes:
- Abnormal Ammo: Slushies, naturally. Gets taken to ridiculous extremes with a slushie hose and a slushie cement truck.
- Advanced Tech 2000: Jimmy and Jerry name their rocket "The Wall-minator 3000".
- Anachronism Stew: Discussed during the Countertop Outro:Junior: Did [the Israelites] really build a rocket and get slushies dropped on their heads?
Bob: Uh, no. Those were things we put in our story.- Lampshaded in the audio commentary by creators Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki:
“The Bible didn’t say they built a rocket, but it didn’t say they didn’t.” - Animation Bump: The show's creators have cited this episode as the first one which they generally think looks good all-around.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: From "The Song Of The Cebu":Archibald: Does the hippo see them? Is the poor mute cebu successful in communicating the imminent danger to the other passengers? Is the boy injured? Why is the sad cebu sad? Is the canoe wood or aluminum?
- Book Ends: The Israelites' first encounter has Joshua nervously tell the people of Jericho that he is Joshua and God gave them the land. When the wall falls, Joshua says it again, this time in triumph.
- Brick Joke: At the beginning of the episode, Bob states that Larry is too exhausted to participate on the show, so he decided to let him sleep in. Guess who appears at the very end of the episode, in his pajamas from "The Toy That Saved Christmas"?
- Character Name and the Noun Phrase
- Covered in Gunge: The Israelites end up falling victim to this when the French Peas throw slushies at them.
- A Day in the Limelight: Junior gets time in place of Larry on the countertop segments, since Larry was "tired from the last show" as Bob says.
- Expy: The soldiers of Jericho are the French guards from Monty Python and the Holy Grail in all but name (that and being peas).
- Embarrassing Slide: One appears during the 'Song of the Cebù' segment, which only Jimmy, Jerry and Junior sees.
- Fall Onto Camera Obstruction: Done with a falling slushy after the Villain Song mentioned below.
- Interactive Narrator: Bob and Junior both fill this role during the story.
- Thing-O-Matic: The Wallminator 3000.
- Take That, Audience!: At the end, Junior questions the legitimacy of the story (such as throwing slushees and building rockets). Bob clarifies that those were just things the veggies put in their version of the story, but the Story of Joshua still happened in the Bible. This is a subtle response to parents who complained about the Disneyfication of the Bible stories.
- Triumphant Reprise: Once the wall finally collapses, the Israelites sing the "Promised Land" song one last time.
- Villain Song: "Keep Walking", which is sung by the French Peas.
- Whip Pan: Happens when Bob explains to Junior that the story is actually about Joshua.
