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Animal School Musical
Season Special, Episode 3
Animal School Musical Title Card
Episode guide
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Animal School Musical is the special episode of My Gym Partner's a Monkey.

Synopsis[]

To help Adam Lyon and friends experience living in a musical, Jake wished on the magic wish, and has made the first ever Animal School Musical is Charles Darwin Middle School. But they need to get out, so the only way out is to give Jake some musical talent.

Plot[]

Adam reminisces about how terrible his life is, especially at school. He somehow ended up as a male cheerleader, he constantly deals with Jake's butt, and he got infected with the worms, all in one day. He then goes on to talk about the horror of musical schools, and how that's the only thing lower than CDMS. What gave him that idea was "Middle School Musical", a wildly popular movie about a middle school full of singing kids. The next day at school, Jake proves to be a die-hard fan of the show, and is furious that Adam doesn't show the same affection. Jake proceeds to beat him senseless, and Adam fights back, until they both fall into the river hallways, and they beach David Coppertrout on the hallway floors. David suffocates without water, while Jake slowly realizes that he's drowning and figures out that he can wish for CDMS to become musical, by saving him. He does just that and David sings "Magic Fish", turning Charles Darwin Middle School into a happy, idyllic utopia, making Jake's dream and Adam's nightmare become real. The school becomes "Animal School Musical", and the main cast sings their introduction song, however, Jake steps on the song, lacking the ability to rhyme. The others call him out on this, but Jake denies it. Adam also wonders why he suddenly cares about Jake's incompetence in a performance he hates. The morning announcements come on and Principal Pixiefrog sings "Bug Stew", which Jake also fails to rhyme during. Later at lunch, Adam and the others are sick of the musical numbers, having sung 36 of them (not including "Animal School Musical" and "Bug Stew") before then, but in the middle of complaining, Adam accidentally cues another song, "We'd Rather Do Anything Than Sing". Jake ruins the ending of that song and the gang feels it's time to acknowledge Jake's poor rhyming skills, especially since he's the one who created this musical mess. Jake sings "I Got No Rhyme", which is an entire song full of broken rhymes. In it, David Coppertrout says that the only way to end the music is for Jake to master the simple art of putting similar sounding words together. After a commercial break, the gang sings a brief reprise of the last song, called "Jake's Got No Rhyme", and Jake wallows in his sadness of his rhyming incapability. Lupe helps him realize he does have the ability to rhyme, but he simply lacks the ability to harness his inner power, with the song "Rhythm is a Virus". In it, she teaches Jake the dances of Mambo, Tango, Merengue, and Rhumba. Still, this doesn't work on Jake. Dickie Sugarjumper then glides on in and claims that if Jake can't learn how to rhyme, not only will the spell stay in tact, but he will also be replaced. It's revealed that every main cast member has an understudy, (ie: Henry Armadillo to Adam, James Ant to Slips, etc.) Dickie happens to be Jake's and in the song "Waiting in the Wings", they establish their aspirations of anything bad happening the the cast, so that they may have a day in the limelight. This strikes Jake with an unsettling fear, but he still struggles with rhyming, not knowing even what he's to sing about. Ingrid tells him to look deep inside his soul and sing about his inner feelings. Windsor tries to get her to shut up, noticing that she's cueing another song, but Ingrid flips out at him and the others for her lack of significance and recognition in the musical, and proceeds to sing "Sunshine and Tulips", which starts off as a song, giving Jake inspiration to find music, but then digresses into a preachy love song about Adam. Ingrid then grabs Adam and smothers him with kisses, only to find out that it was really his understudy, Henry, the whole time. After one last commercial break, Jake claims that he has finally obtained the ability to rhyme. He then sings a beautiful song, that rhymes and makes sense. It's a very loving, beautiful song, dedicated to his very best friend, which Adam assumes is himself, but as it turns out, he was singing it about his own butt. Jake sings "I Love My Butt" and goes on and on about the obsession and praise for his posterior. Eventually, everyone's finally ready for Jake to end the song, but Jake says he has no idea how. Adam admits that he's actually taken a liking to the musical and wishes to perform a number about how he doesn't fit in at his animal school. This convinces Jake to sing the finale song, "Now I've Got Rhyme", which finally breaks the curse and sends everything back to normal again. The next day at school, Adam goes through his daily routine of being a wormy, butt-faced cheerleader, but he made one minor change around the school. To be sure that Animal School Musical never had a sequel, Adam swallowed David Coppertrout whole. The screen then turns to black, and David's cries for help are the last thing that's heard before the musical finally ends.

Characters[]

Main Cast[]

Also Starring[]

Production Music[]

  • Middle School Musical (Instrumental) – Andy Paley (opening titles)
  • Middle School Musical – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • The Brawl - Andy Paley (Adam and Jake fight)
  • Magic Fish – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • Animal School Musical – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • Bug Stew – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • We’d Rather Do Anything Than Sing – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • I’ve Got No Rhyme – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • Jake’s Got No Rhyme – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • Rhythm is a Virus – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • Waiting in the Wings – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • Sunshine and Tulips – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • I Love My Butt – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • Now I’ve Got Rhyme – Tom Sheppard, Andy Paley
  • I’ve Got No Rhyme (Instrumental) – Andy Paley (end credits)

Songs[]

Quotes[]

Jake: Hey, Adam! Did you see it?
Adam: See what?
Jake: Only the 411th rerun anniversary of the tween sensation, Middle School Musical! Featuring outtakes, bloopers, and an awkwardly inserted new number.

Adam: I don't care for musicals. All that singing and dancing for no good reason. It's just totally unrealistic.
Jake: Kinda like talking zoo animals?
[A sit-com laugh track is heard; Adam and Jake look at the camera]
Adam: There are different levels of unrealistic.

Jake: I didn't miss my cue!
Windsor: Uh, yeah you did.
Lupe: And you totally flunked your part of the verse! You were supposed to say "I am Jake Spidermonkey!" Not just "I am Jake." That doesn't rhyme with funky or spunky.

Lupe: Living in a musical is really annoying.
Adam: When are we supposed to learn?
Slips: You said it, brother.
[Spotlight shines on Slips, prompting a musical number]
Slips: No! He said it!

Jake: Adam's right. I am bad at wearing plaid and technically, I am an undergrad. [chuckles] If I could only sing those rhymes.
[Spotlight shines on Jake and his friends slide out of the way]
Jake: But I can't.
[Spotlight turns off and the gang slides back in]

Lupe: Snap out of it, Jake! You've got rhythm inside of you. Everyone does. Even Adam.

Ingrid: Come on, Jake. All you need is a little inspiration. If you wanna rhyme, sing about something ... er, or someone you love. [ogles Adam] Reach deep inside your soul and find the rhyme inside of you.
[Ingrid takes a deep breath, ready to sing, but everyone stipulates her to stop]
Windsor: Please don't vocalize.
Ingrid: Listen! I've barely had three words in this musical! Maybe you think giraffes are supposed to be mute creatures, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEAUTIFUL SINGING VOICES!

[Ingrid makes out with Adam offscreen, only for Adam to casually enter, from the other side of the screen, eating an apple and notably, not making out with Ingrid]
Lupe: Hey, Adam. Isn't that you back there? [gestures offscreen to Ingrid's side]
Adam: Nah, I let my understudy take over.
[Cut to Ingrid making out with "Adam", who's just offscreen below her. Ingrid stops in realization]
Ingrid: Huh?
[Cut to Henry, lying on the ground in his Adam attire, dripping in Ingrid's slobber]
Henry: [chuckles] That tickled my abdomen.
Ingrid: [shrugs] Eh, as long as you keep the wig on. [continues making out with him]

Adam: So, Jake. Did that song help you look into your heart?
Lupe: And find an inspirational topic?
Slips: For your big show-stopping song and dance number?
Jake: [over dramatically nods head and makes stupid voice] Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

[David Coppertrout is show digesting in Adam's stomach, implying that Adam ate him, so that no musicals would ever come from him again]
David: I don't think this is fair at all. It isn't my fault. I was simply doing my job, granting wishes and such!
[Screen cuts to black]
David: Hello? Let me out! Let me out! Hello!? Anyone!

Trivia[]

  • The title and plot parody "High School Musical".
  • Second special episode since "The Big Field Trip".
  • This episode premiered in between the regular episodes of season 4, "Mountain Dude" and "A Very Special Boy".
  • The music playing during the intro was an instrumental version of "Animal School Musical".
  • The main characters (including Bull Sharkowski) are boiled down to their archetypes in their introduction number, mirroring the characters of "Middle School Musical".
  • During "Bug Stew", a milk carton on a lunch tray of Aloysius can be seen. The label on the milk carton reads "Swill". This is a reference to the real life brand of Swill Milk, which was banned, due to it being adulterated and rendered poisonous, leading to the deaths of millions of people. So, basically, Principal Pixiefrog is serving swill milk in his cafeteria and students are consuming it.
  • This is the only time this series never used any stock cues and instead features an entirely original soundtrack.
  • In "Bug Stew", Jake's failure to rhyme subverts the mention of the word "poo". A similar gag would be used later, during one of Adam's musical ballads in "Knights of the Multiplication Table".
  • Jake again fails to rhyme "doo", with the word "Kugelschreiber". Kugelschreiber is the German word for "ballpoint pen".
  • Slips forms a hand shape with his tail, while saying he'd prefer crickets over singing in "We'd Rather Do Anything Than Sing". This is the third time he'd spontanelously develop appendages, after "Synch or Swim" and "A Very Special Boy".
  • Horace Ferret speaks for the first (and only) time, having a solo in "We'd Rather Do Anything Than Sing". According to himself, he doesn't like his voice, explaining his silence.
    • Coincidentally, his voice actor, Robert Goulet died shortly after this episode was finished. The end of the episode featured a brief "In Loving Memory" tag for him.
  • Mrs. Warthog makes another not-so-subtle hint that she has romantic feelings for Principal Pixiefrog in the breakdown of the song, claiming that she'd gladly kiss him.
  • Also during the breakdown, Adam leans on the fourth wall, claiming that he'll try wearing something new, as he looks into his closet, filled with all the same clothes.
  • In "I Got No Rhyme", Slips was wearing a tux, which had a sleeve that moves up to his hat, which he couldn't do, since he has no arms to manipulate it. He's previously demonstrated the ability to move his shirt sleeves in the episodes "Making the Grade", when attempting to high-five Jake, and in "Pride and Pixiefrog", when flying.
  • James Ant's voice is strikingly different than usual, being much deeper and more bellowing than his voice with the usual high pitched tone and chummy manner of speech.
  • Billboard Gag: "Animal School Musical", "Anyone parking in Principal Pixiefrog's spot will be toad.", "Today's Lunch Special: Dirt", and "Today's Lunch Special: Candy".
  • An instrumental of "I Got No Rhyme" plays during the ending credits.
  • This is the last time that Nurse Gazelle appears.

Continuity[]

This musical has a lot of references to episodes of the series.

  • Cheer Pressure - Adam is seen in his cheerleader uniform at the beginning of the episode.
  • The Magic Fish - David Coppertrout returns for another major role. Jake again calls him "Little Puddingtater", and it's remembered that he failed to save his life during their previous encounter.
  • My Feral Lyon - Mr. Mandrill wears his ballerina costume, while under the musical spell.
  • Lyon's Anatomy - In "We'd Rather Do Anything Than Sing", Nurse Gazelle proposes to take her credential, referencing to her inadequacy for being a school nurse, due to droppng out of middle school.
  • Save the Drama for Your Llama - Ingrid's understudy in "Waiting in the Wings", was Lola Llama, referencing to Lola's previous attempt at replacing her. In "Sunshine and Tulips", Ingrid mentioned her good friends, cueing a cut screen of Lupe making a disgusting face. This is a stock image from that episode.
  • Sick Day - One of the possible casualties mentioned in "Waiting in the Wings", was a character staying home, sick. A picture of Adam, sick in bed was seen, which happened in said episode. In fact, it seems as though this was a screenshot taken directly from that episode.
  • Up All Night - In Lupe's solo in "Sunshine and Tulips", she implies that she has a crush on Jake, which was once hinted during her sleepover with Ingrid.
  • Meet the Spidermonkeys - Jake's mother makes a cameo, during "Sunshine and Tulips".
  • Mandrill of the House - Windsor brings up his crystal collection during his solo in "Sunshine and Tulips".
  • Yesterday's Funny Monkey - Ingrid brings up Adam's bad flatulence and Adam mentions how it's related to milk products. Also, during "I Love My Butt", Jake reprises his talking butt comedy routine.
  • Shiny Thing - During "I Love My Butt", Jake admires the shine of his butt, while we see his butt's reflection in one of the shiny glass door knobs.

Cultural References[]

  • As mentioned before, the special's title and plot satirize the High School Musical franchise. There is also an in-universe movie called "Middle School Musical", which serves as a stand-in for the actual thing.
  • This episode's overarching musical component makes it similar to certain episodes of other shows (many of which are also from Cartoon Network).
    • American Dad! - "Hot Water"
    • Arthur - "Arthur's Almost Live Not Real Music Festival"
    • Buffy the Vampire Slayer - "Once More, With Feeling"
    • Chicago Hope - "Brain Salad Surgery"
    • Clone High - "Raisin the Stakes: A Rock Opera in Three Acts"
    • Codename: Kids Next Door - "Operation: F.O.O.D.F.I.T.E."
    • Daria - "Daria! The Musical"
    • Dexter's Laboratory - "LABretto"
    • The Emperor's New School - "The Emperor's New School Musical"
    • Evil Con Carne - "The Pie Who Loved Me"
    • The Fairly OddParents - "School's Out! The Musical"
    • Grey's Anatomy - "Song Beneath the Song"
    • How I Met Your Mother - "Girls vs. Suits"
    • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "The Gang Turns Back"
    • Little Howard's Big Question - "Can We Sing For a Whole Episode?"
    • My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - "Pinkie Pride"
    • Pepper Ann - "You Oughta Be in Musicals!"
    • Phineas and Ferb - "Rollercoaster: The Musical"
    • The Powerpuff Girls - "See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey"
    • Scrubs - "My Musical"
    • South Park - "Something You Can Do with Your Finger"
    • Steven Universe - "Mr. Greg"
    • Supernatural - "Fan Fiction"
    • That '70s Show - "That '70s Musical"
    • The Simpsons - "All Singing, All Dancing"
    • Tiny Toon Adventures - "Toon TV"
    • 7th Heaven - "Red Socks"
  • "Magic Fish" is a parody on "When You Wish Upon a Star".
  • During his musical number, David Coppertrout was seen dressed as Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie. He also twitched his nose to grant Jake's wish, but this was actually a reference to the wrong show, being Bewitched. This was Sabrina's way of granting wishes. Jeannie's way of granting wishes was blinking and bobbing her head.
  • During "Waiting in the Wings", James Ant was stepped on by a oil-animated foot, which is similar to a running gag in "Monty Python's Flying Circus", wherein people are often stepped on by the "Monty Python Foot", an oil-painting of the foot of Cupid, taken directly from the painting, "Venus, Cupid, Folly, and Time".
  • "Sunshine and Tulips" is a parody on "My Favorite Things".
  • At the end of "Now I've Got Rhyme", Jake clicks his heels together three times to put things back to normal. While he does, he wears red, sparkling shoes. This is a reference to the iconic scene from "The Wizard of Oz", where Dorothy clicked her heels together to return to Kansas.
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