Episode 406: Honkey Magoo

Cast:
Brendon Small - Brendon Small
Jason Penopolis/Tonto - H. Jon Benjamin
Melissa Robbins - Melissa Bardin Galsky
Coach Jon McGuirk - H. Jon Benjamin
Paula Small - Janine Ditullo
Josie Small - Loren Bouchard
Walter & Perry - H. Jon Benjamin & Brendon Small
Mr. Lynch - Ronald Lynch

Synopsis: Brendon's new dog ends up a terror to everyone, especially Mr. Lynch. Jason also gets a pet bird who can talk...except doesn't.

· Lawn Gnomes:
· A gnome is in the wreckage after Honkey destroys the living room.
· Bed shot.
· A Japanese looking lawn gnome is seen in the background of McGuirk's Zen Garden.

Brendon’s Filmography:
· "Bachelor" - A rich bachelor goes to sleep and wakes up with a wife and son. Unfinished.

Random Observations & Facts:
· The opening shot includes Tonto taking a crap on the HM TV screen.
· The chalk wipes off on Lynch's tongue when he licks his finger again.
· Even Tonto reacts to Honkey Magoo's crapping in the hall.
· Name suggestions:
Brendon - Honkey Magoo
Jason - Smatchmo the Chunkateer
Melissa - Mr. Pickles
· Honkey lays passed out after destroying Brendon's set.
· Lynch gives his cats "Pussy Chow".
· Lynch's cats: Anjelico, Fernilico, Moo-Moo, Senior Twiginsky, Sanchi-San.
· Brendon's lunch box says "Saddle Sore Cowlatica".
· Brendon is standing in a sink of dirty dishes.
· McGuirk plays with "My First Zen Garden".
· Brendon is covered in notes when he catches up with Lynch; included are "Feed Dog" and "Clean Room"
· Lynch and Brendon train Honkey:
1. Butt on Ground
2. Head up
3. Chest out
4. Back arched
· 2nd chalkboard says "Sit" repeatedly and "Toosh down".
· 3rd chalkboard is a visual diagram.
· 4th chalkboard is the definition of "Sit".

Past Episode References:
· This episode could be considered a follow up to the fact Brendon has wanted a dog; which has been mentioned a few times throughout the series, such as in "Brendon Gets Rabies".
· The Vet in this episode originally appeared in "Brendon Gets Rabies".

End Credits: "Training The Dog"

Reviews:

Chrono: First time I ever zoned out while watching Home Movies. Then again, going on AIM because of the crappy poop jokes (har har) scaring me from the television doesn't help.

Rating: D

GMB: A lot of people have said such and such episode this season was the "worst Home Movies ever."

They were wrong. This was. Dire, stupid, plodding, joke-less, humourless, etc.

You know an episode stunk wall to wall when you read the credits looking for someone to punch.

Twenty-some minutes of my life I'll never get back. F-

Delthayre: "Honkey Magoo" was bland, but not repellent. There were no great laughs, but a few modest ones. Jason's travails with the bird and Lynch's cat-induced hysteria were the strongest points. Although McGuirk has a respectable supporting role. It was nice to see Jason's tendency toward eclectic entertainment knowledge in his choice of Satchmo the Trumpeteer for a name, that being a reference to Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong. And yes, that entire sentence was an exscuse to show off my knowledge of Jazz history. **** you. Notably, I found McGuirk's Bonzai odd and the image of him shirtless was unnerving, but at least he was wearing a Coolie hat.

Really just an unremarkable episode overall. *** out of *****

Fone Bone: That parakeet sure was smiling a lot.

I thought the school having no chalk and Lynch's obsession with his cats was funny.

That whole dog thing splattering excrement everywhere was extremely gross. But it humping Walter and Perry (who seemed to enjoy it) was funny.

I loved Brenden realizing that Paula pins notes to him and McGuirk's initial refusal to drive the kids home. I loved how later in the show Brenden had a ton of notes pinned to him at once.

A so-so episode which was not helped by all the toilet humor. **1/2

TacoHunter: I really enjoyed this episode.

"Brendan, I hope you're listening to this, because you're going to get the same speech." Or something along those lines. McGuirk's zen garden. Jason coming up with lie after lie about his bird and even the dog just to get attention. And most important, swearing that wasn't out of place.

I don't know why you guys are being so critical of this episode. I really enjoyed it. Even though there was a lot of gross out humor like the dog crapping in bed and crapping in school...which were really gross (the school scene being the absolute worse), but over all I felt there was enough dry and subtle humor in it to make a good episode.

I just wish they had expanded the pinning notes story more. They could have done more with that. I hope it becomes a running joke or something.

Gunnm: The beginning was good but the dog plot was pretty boring and didn't really set up any funny conversation. I liked the extra Mr. Lynch this ep had and McGuirk was great and nearly underused (nearly). Melissa and Jason were funny, especially her finding out she was gyped at potatoes and Jason's coming to terms with how easy it was to set free his bird. Still, it wasn't the Wizard's Baker or even, uh, some other episode from this season that was better. This season needs to do a little more standing on land if that makes sense. B-

The Landstander: I'm with GMB, this is probably my least favorite episode. But there's one part of it that makes a bit more annoying than a complete write off.

To back up the consensus (of the reviews of this webpage, anyway), the Honkey Magoo plot really didn't set up for anything particularly funny, and the amount of poop jokes was kind of depressing. Any other show that's had a dog plot was pretty much the same. McGuirk didn't do much, and Lynch's cat thing feels a bit done already. Really, not much more to say.

I wish I could just say this was a complete fluke of an episode and move on. However, and I honestly think this, a bigger plotline with Jason and his bird could've made for a better episode. The opening sequence with Jason getting mad for Tonto not talking was great; the end sequence when he actually starts talking was even better. This could do fulfill any of the 'getting a pet' jokes that the dog plot used and had a much funnier animal at the center of it. Oh, and I liked Paula's notes, as well.

One of my least favorites. But really, Tonto makes it worth a look at least. A bleh episode.