Monster in the Garage

"Monster in the Garage" is the second segment of the ninth episode of Season 1, and the ninth Rugrats segment overall.

Characters Present

 * Tommy
 * Chuckie
 * Phil
 * Lil
 * Spike
 * Stu
 * Didi
 * Lou
 * Betty
 * Howard
 * Boris
 * Minka

Summary
''When Spike is accused by Stu of knocking things over in the Pickles' garage, the Rugrats go to investigate what really happened and clear Spike's name. Believing it to be a monster, will the babies be brave enough to discover who the real culprit is?''


 * - Description from Klasky Csupo

Plot
Tommy and Chuckie are exploring under a large rug in the living room with Grandpa Lou sleeping in a rocking chair when a loud noise is heard coming from the Pickles family garage. Many cans of paint are knocked off their shelves in the garage, and Stu and Grandpa Lou quickly place the blame on Spike. The Rugrats know Spike couldn't have made the mess as he was in the living room when it was made.

The next day Phil and Lil are over and Tommy and Chuckie tell them about the strange events of the night before. Tommy suspects the real culprit is some kind of monster. That night, during a storm, Grandpa Boris and Grandma Minka are babysitting and Grandpa Boris tells the Rugrats a story about a Jewish boy named Hiyam, who slays a demon monster known as a dybbuk with his special sword called a  "klobbermeister."

The following day, another strange event occurs with books on top of the fireplace being knocked over like dominos, breaking a lamp. Stu again suspects Spike, even though he is outside in his doghouse. The babies then decide to go investigate where the strange events first started, the garage.

With their own versions of klobbermeisters in their hands, the gang sneaks through the kitchen into the garage and are frightened by scary-looking versions of ordinary things in the garage, including the car and a lamp. More items are knocked over, just like in the garage earlier and the living room, with the lamp showing a large shadow on the wall. The shadow suddenly grows smaller and the "monster," is revealed to just be a tiny mouse. The garage door is opened and the grown-ups wonder how the kids got in there, with Stu becoming scared of the mouse and yelling for Spike to come and scare it away. Spike does indeed scare the mouse away and the kids wonder if they will ever see the mouse again. The episode ends the same way with how it started, items being knocked off shelves in the garage, and Stu yells to Didi that, "it's happening again!" Tommy then gets excited saying, "he's back!"

Trivia

 * This episode features a shot between Tommy and the mouse based on The Creation of Adam, located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
 * The license plate on the Pickles' car reads "PKLS".
 * This episode is also available in book form.
 * The scene where Tommy and the mouse touch each other's figure is similar to the 1982 film E.T. The Extra Terrestrial.
 * This episode reveals Stu has musophobia- fear of mice. When he sees the mouse, he becomes frightened and claims its 'huge' when in fact its very small.
 * Moral: Keep your household clear of pests including bugs and rodents. Don't blame others for things that you do wrong.

Goofs

 * In the beginning when Didi, Stu, Grandpa, Tommy, and Chuckie run to the garage, Didi's 'Mud Mask' only covers her face. But, a few seconds later, it's on her neck and the inside of her bathrobe, too. However, in the next shot, it's only on her face.