Hurricane Alice

"Hurricane Alice" is an episode from Season 9 of Rugrats.

Characters Present

 * Tommy
 * Phil
 * Lil
 * Betty
 * Howard
 * Sheila
 * Alice

Summary
Betty's college roommate comes to visit with her daughter Alice, just as weather reports forecast a hurricane, also called Alice.

Plot
It starts with Betty cooking muffins at the DeVille house, but they burn to a crisp, scaring Howard, who Betty claims it's his job to cook, not hers, and that she will have to feed their guests cheese sticks. Howard says he is sorry, but he has to get the family prepared for Hurricane Alice. Betty claims he does not need to worry as the storm is miles away, but Howard continues putting bedclothes in the basement as if Hurricane Alice turns the house upside down, they will sleep there. Phil, Lil and the visiting Tommy are drawing, and Tommy asks who Hurricane Alice is. Phil doesn't know, but thinks she sounds scary. Lil comments that it sounds scary someone who can turn a whole "housie" upside down, demonstrating with her drawing of a house, turning it upside down. Tommy says that maybe being upside down all the time would be fun, so they give it a go. Lil likes being upside down, but it makes her feel nauseous, and Tommy dislikes being upside down altogether. Betty then comes in to tell the three babies that her mate Sheila will come over with her little girl, then goes to get some cheese sticks. The babies are excited to make a friend and Tommy hopes she likes drawing.

Then, Betty and Sheila greet each other at the door, along with Sheila's daughter, also called Alice. Sheila gives Betty a huge, heavy hug and they comment on each other's strength and bravery and how they do not care about the weather. Sheila has brought her own cup, so they can both drink coffee and then the two women introduce Alice to the babies. The babies think she must be Hurricane Alice, which worries Lil but not Tommy. Phil, Lil and Tommy hide under their books as Alice walks up to them, then says "A red teddy bear! I don't have a red teddy bear!" and cuddles it, which makes Tommy happy. Alice then throws the red teddy bear across the room, disturbing Lil as Teddy is not supposed to "fly." Alice declares she is done hugging and asks for other toys. She then plays with a plastic cash machine and throws it when done, wanting more. While Alice is playing with a toy firetruck, Tommy says that if they get her to draw with them, maybe she will stop turning things upside down. He shows her the coloring books and crayons, but Alice is too busy running around with the toy fire engine, and then crashes, but it does not bother her and she wants something else to do. Outside it is very windy and cloudy, and inside the women are boasting about how they drank six cups of coffee in a row and how big their muscles are from weightlifting. They arm wrestle, and Howard comes in with a red box. Meanwhile Alice is still looking for, finding, briefly playing with, and throwing toys, and Lil says she is turning them upside down quicker than they can turn them right side up.

As Alice explores the closet, Howard comes in, telling the kids not to worry as he is putting supplies for Hurricane Alice in every room, which the babies mishear as "a surprise". Alice dislikes the closet toys. Tommy surprises Alice with the radio static and she runs out of the room. In the bathroom she wants to play with a hairdryer and a spray can. She then sticks curlers and a toilet roll to the ceiling with shaving cream, which seems "upside down" to Phil, Lil and Tommy. They then surprise Alice by dressing up in a raincoat and hat from a second red box. The women then lift weights. Alice then goes into the basement, which in baby logic is bad news as the basement is the bottom of the house and if she turns that upside down, she will turn the whole house upside down. Alice is playing in the basement, catapulting dolls and plushies with a chair. Tommy spots another red "surprise" box. It contains blankets and pillows, so Tommy thinks they will stop Alice by making her fall asleep. Tommy tempts her to lie down in the makeshift bed with a "one-eyed, one-eared teddy rabbit bear" which is really an old, worn-out slipper. Phil and Lil play bedtime music and Tommy tells Alice an impromptu "story" about a pig, three blind mice and three bears, and Alice falls asleep. Betty and Sheila come down and note the kids in the basement look like angels. Sheila and Alice leave. Then the weather clears up. The babies note that they may even miss Alice.

Trivia

 * Dil, Chuckie, Angelica, Susie, Spike, Kimi, and the other adults do not appear in this episode. This is the third episode, Tommy and the twins appeared in without the other main characters.
 * This, and with its sister episode, were the only two episodes to air in 2004.
 * This was the last episode of the series to air before getting cancelled by Nickelodeon.
 * This is Howard's final appearance in Rugrats.
 * Real Life Logic: It's almost impossible for a hurricane to hit California. It has only happened very few times.