All Grown Up! @ Nicktoon Snark
Brother, Can You Spare the Time?
by SpiderBraids

Let's get everyone staring at Dil playing piano in letterbox out of the way, so we can actually get to the episode's main (weak) point.

We're watching Tommy make a video about himself, and we learn through expositionary monologue that Tommy has just won an award for a recent video he shot. So, the one time we've seen Tommy enter a film contest, he was robbed. And when Tommy actually does win, we only learn of it after the fact. In Numbuh 5 voice: "Riiiight."

Anyways, brother Dil keeps intruding into Tommy's shot on purpose. All he wants is to be included in the video for posterity as much as possible, since he claims that Tommy's new-found fame (and I use the term VERY loosely) will kill the dynamic between the two. Not to mention his plans to partner with big brother Tommy to form a printing ink company ("Pickles Brothers Inc."). He's been making videos since he was three, and you wanted to form a printing ink company with him? Anyways, Dil's main point is that if Tommy's famous, then that makes Dil the brother fame forgot (and those are his exact words). Tommy: "Even if I do get famous, who's to say that you won't be the brother that got famous too?" Dil: "Three words, T. Lars Christian Andersen." What Tommy should have said: "Oh c'mon Dil, you can't just make up a forgotten brother to prove your point!" (Though Dil would have probably then said: "Who said I was making him up? ;)") What Tommy does say: "Who's that???" Dil: "Exactly."

And we take some time out. Dil does have a point about famous people and their brothers. If your last name isn't Wright, Wayans, Lachey, Sutherland, Baldwin, Barrymore, Grimm, or Warner (or insert other famous brothers here), you're more likely to become a footnote in your brother's story at best. Problem with Dil's point is: How does that equate to Tommy abandoning him? Weak! (If anything, the "good" famous people care a lot for their families, so what gives?)

Now, a note to the writer: Tommy would never abandon his brother (though, then again, ever since Tommy stole things [["Thief Encounter"]], and Susie was robbed of $1000, anything goes on AGU!). So why would you write a plot that hinges on that idea? This is part of why the Foster's ep "Bye Bye Nerdy" sucked. (To wit: Main character calls his friend a nerd over and over, even as friend says otherwise.) Moral of the day: if you want a character's problem to be the main plot of an episode, make sure the character actually has that problem first.

Okay, now back to the show. What do you do when you're planning a wedding, and somehow (read: mud and bad laundry practice) your dress suddenly becomes way too small for you on the eve of the wedding? Take your story to "What's Your Tragedy?" It's a local talk show which is what Didi and Betty are watching right now. Anyways, they're supposed to plan a party for award-winning Tommy, while keeping it secret from the kid.

Now that you know the subplot... Tommy's now filming his growth chart. Even mommy Didi calls his future a big unknown (referring to the growth chart, of course). So, only one thing for Dil to do... "Run away and join the circus?" "Eventually." Excuse me while I have an aneurysm. But what Dil really wants to do now? Is to make the most of the time he has left with Tommy. And it starts with breakfast in bed the next morning. (Remember when Sid served Arnold breakfast in bed? [[Hey Arnold!, "Arnold Saves Sid"]])

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