Episode 106 - Director's Cut

Cast:
Brendon Small – Brendon Small
Jason Penopolis – H. Jon Benjamin
Melissa Robbins – Melissa Bardin Galsky
Coach Jon McGuirk – H. Jon Benjamin
Paula Small – Janine Ditullo
Andrew – Larry Murphy
Dwayne – Brendon Small

Synopsis: Dwayne, Brendon’s neighbor, gives him a script for a rock opera based on Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”. While Jason and Melissa love the project, Brendon is against it, favoring his own work “Louis Louis” (where Louis Pasteur meets Louis Braille). Meanwhile, McGuirk has problems with new assistant coach Andrew.

History:

· This was the first episode to premiere on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” as opposed to UPN.
· This was the first episode with Janine Ditullo as Paula Small instead of Paula Poundstone. This might be the reason why Paula has approximately two lines in this episode.
· We get to meet Dwayne’s band for the first time in this episode. None of them will speak until Episode 206 – Impressions.

Lawn Gnomes: (Click for picture)
· During the first Kafka song, there is a garden gnome in the bed when Dwayne says “Oh look, but there he is, what will he say?”
· At the end of Kafka in “heaven” there is a gnome on a string (he might represent God, not sure).

Brendon’s Filmography:
· Kafka: The classic Kafka novel “Metamorphosis” is made into a classic rock opera!
· Louis Louis: What happens when germ-fighter Louis Pasteur meets blind-helper Louis Braille? Watch and find out!

The Movie-Episode Connection:
· Since the episode is largely about the movie, there really is no movie episode connection.

Song Lyrics:
· Kafka Song #1: Introduction
He is Franz Kafka!
Franz Kafka!
Be careful if you get him pissed…
Franz! Franz Kafka!
He’ll smite you with metaphor fists!
Right now he can, he’s just a man
A warrior of words taking a stand
He is Franz Kafka!
Spoken: Oh look, but there he is, what will he say?
I’m a lonely German…a lonely German from Prague!
Kafka! Kafka! Kafka!

· Kafka Song #2: Turning into a bug
I don’t know what’s wrong with me I think I’m turning into a bug
I see double what I see I think I’m turning into a bug
I ain’t got no self-esteem I think I’m turning into a bug
Bet you fifty dollars I’m a man, I’m a scholar and I’m turning into a bug
Momma like a daddy like a baby like a baby like I’ll turn into a bug
Yeah! Yeah!
He is Franz Kafka!

· Kafka Song #3: Living like a bug ain’t easy
Living like a bug ain’t easy
My old clothes don’t seem to fit me
I got little tiny bug feet
I don’t really know what bugs eat
Don’t want no one stepping on me
Now I’m sympathizing with fleas
Living like a bug ain’t easy…

· Kafka Song #4: Ending
Spoken: Welcome to heaven Franz! My name is God! I think you’re going to like it here!
He is Franz Kafka!

· Louis, Louis End Rap
Well, I’m, curing disease
Helping blind people read
Don’t drink that milk without talking to me (Oh yeah!)
I’m saving those who can’t see with their eyes
Don’t mess with me you’ll get pasteurized!
Yeah! Come on! Come on! Louis Louis in the house! Break it down!
(Jason does a human beatbox)

· Kafka End Song
Right now he can
He’s just a man
A warrior of words
Taking a stand
He grew up very poor
??? To the core
Born in 1883 died in 1924
He is Franz Kafka!

Random Observations:

· When Jason has the cue card for the line “A warrior of words taking a stand”, you can tell he was using a red marker that started to dry. Despite his attempts to make the marker work again, he ends up finishing the card in blue.
· When McGuirk talks about Drew’s body, his hand movements leave behind a dotted line.
· When Jason talks about the toothpick in his ear, you can see the toothpick fly out of his ear. (I think that’s a toothpick).
· There is a rather large glob of snot under Jason’s nose when he watches Dwayne’s “Living like a bug ain’t easy”.
· You can see Brendon’s nose when he’s hiding behind the tree right before he apologizes to Jason and Melissa.
· McGuirk has his “pee” canteen when he does the graffiti
· Some of McGuirk’s graffiti includes: My name is Drew, Drew was here, I hate kids. He also has a crudely drawn man throwing a kid into a fire.

Past Episode References:
· McGuirk has his “pee” canteen when he does the graffiti (Reference to 105 – We’ll Always Have Tuesday)

Movie & Other References:
· Brendon’s criss-cross speech with McGuirk is from the Hitchcock movie “Strangers on a Train.”
· In case you didn’t know, Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” is in fact a real book.

End Credits: “Kafka End Song”

Reviews: WARNING: Spoilers
StrangerAtaru: And thus, the show takes off! I don't know how many times I have seen this episode (of course, it probably isn't that many times), but it always seems to make me laugh and smile whenever I watch it. What other show would actually make a movie which is "a musical version of Franz Kafka's 'Metamorphosis'" and get away with it? But that's just the start of it: the interactions between the characters work, with great lines coming out of it (One of my favorite exchanges: "What are we fighting about?" "Who's stupider?") and, something that I just discovered last night, the blending of the two plots (both Brendon's and McGurk's problem with the assistant soccer coach)to create something even funnier. (note the speech McGurk gives to Brendon about "losing", and then note what Brendon tells Jason and Melissa soon after) Then, of course, there is the music, which has some of the most memorable songs in the whole series. (OK, maybe the "Louis, Louis" rap at the end isn't as funny, but it was used by Brendon to try and fenegal Dwayne) The visual humor is also a tad more prevelant than in the UPN episodes, starting the transition of the hybrid this show started to happen. (I primarily mentioned this because of this great scene with Brendon's nervous breakdown as he tries to make "Louis, Louis" by himself) Overall, a classic that defines the show for episodes to come.

Shnay: This is easily one of the show's finest achievements. Everything in the show worked flawlessly, and this episode may very well be the funniest (minute for minute) HM episode.

The characters were all at their very best comedically, and, on top of that, we see a lot of character development for Brendon, and also some for Jason and Melissa.

The music in this episode is definitely the best piece of musical comedy in the series (even with stiff competition from great songs like "Don't Kill Children"). All the songs (wih the exception of the Louie, Louie rap, which I'll get to later) are memorable, and contain some really well written lines.

The dialogue is top-notch, even by Home Movies standards. Just about every scene has a hilarious dialogue exchange, like Jason talking about points, McGuirk talking to Drew, or the first scene in "Louie, Louie."

It's really hard to find anything wrong with this episode. If I had to pick what was the weakest part, I'd say it's the Louie, Louie rap at the end, and even that wasn't really that bad. This episode is among the very best Home Movies has to offer.

RandomGuy: The "Goldfinger" of Home Movies – this the point at which a franchise is refined to its essence. You could say this episode is a turning point for the series- the art is finalized, the characters take the roles they essentially hold to this day, and the show's irreverent and savvy sense of humor is fully developed. The Kafka rock opera is, without question, the most memorable of Brendan's films (quite an accomplishment), and nothing short of a laugh riot. Every character is well utilized and gets some development- McGuirk, Dwayne, and, above all else, Brendan. It's worth noting that Jason really becomes a new character at this point- little more than a source of gross out gags in the UPN 5, the Jason that we see for the rest of Season 1 is definitely out of it, but also possesses an uncommon amount of... I don't want to call it wisdom, but it's something. The "Louie, Louie" bit is amusing, the music is brilliant, the dialogue is spot-on... all in all, "Directors Cut" is the first classic episode of Home Movies and, to this day, one of its strongest. It’s always a treat to catch a rerun of this one.

DrWeird: Excellent! Everything good about the first season of the show can be seen in this episode. The McGuirk level was good (not too much, but enough), all the characters had great dialogue exchanges (except Paula, who only had about 2 lines in the whole thing) and the music is arguably the best out of the whole Home Movies series.

As I said about McGuirk, this episode had just the right amount. He had a solid, realistic storyline (another coach) that we got to see him deal with, as well as see him give advice to Brendon. And typically, endings with McGuirk are the best to end an episode of Home Movies with.

This is probably the first episode to feature so much dialogue between Brendon, Jason and Melissa. Brendon was egotistical and just plain mean, Melissa was trying to calm Brendon down, and Jason was in his own little world ("My mom says hot dogs are made from horses). I agree that Brendon going insane and making Louis Louis by himself was hilarious (I still laugh whenever I see him imitate Jason). Also, we get a good McGuirk/Brendon dialogue.

And the music was great. "Kafka" was both hilarious and good at the same time. And how could you not like the "Louis Louis" rap at the end? Bah... Anyways, A+.

Oh one more thing, did anyone notice that in an episode about Dwayne, he had one spoken line ("This is for your cut, right?")

Positives: "Kafka!", Great Dialogue Exchanges, Good McGuirk storyline, Brendon going insane
Negatives: In the opening scene with McGuirk tracing the veins on his leg, the first time I saw it I thought he was...never mind