Pickles vs. Pickles

Pickles vs. Pickles	Gallery	Transcript

Season 3 Episode 22b
Pickles vs. Pickles
Original Airdate	April 10, 1994
DVD release	Season 3
Previous Episode	New Kid In Town
Next Episode	Kid TV

Pickles vs. Pickles is a Season 3 episode of Rugrats. It is directed by Jim Duffy and Steve Socki. Dan Castellaneta guest stars as Mr. Hershowitz.

Characters Present

• Angelica
• Drew
• Charlotte
• F. Lee Barnum (only in Drew's dream)
• Mr. Hershowitz (only in Drew's dream)
• Judge (only in Drew's dream)

Synopsis

Tired of being hassled all the time by her parents, especially when it comes down to the foods she's required to eat , Angelica doesn't take the law into her own hands -- she takes them to court! - Description from Klasky Csupo

Summary

It's dinnertime at Charlotte and Drew's house, where they try to get Angelica to eat her broccoli. Angelica refuses to the point that the parents would not let Angelica have seconds on dessert. Protesting on this, Angelica throws the plate against the wall. Charlotte and Drew become furious and order her to her room. Angelica tries to talk her way out of punishment, but her parents insist. She starts to leave the room, but pauses and says that they'll be sorry, which surprises Charlotte and Drew.

Later, the two of them are going to bed. Drew wonders what Angelica meant by what she said. Charlotte points out that a three year old girl isn't going to do much. Drew agrees, though concerned with how smart they've raised her, and fell asleep.

In Angelica's room, Angelica is trying to come up with a way to get back at her parents, complaining like a teenager. She sees an ad on TV for a lawyer named F. Lee Barnum who claims to deal with family issues, and Angelica has an idea.

The next day, Mr. Barnum arrives at the Pickles' house, asking to see Miss Angelica Pickles. Her parents think it's a mistake, until Angelica appears and escorts Mr. Barnum to her room, informing her parents she's suing them! After a discussion, Mr. Barnum promises Angelica that he can have the parents kicked out of the house, and gain lots of money for both he and Angelica in result, which Angelica agreed.

After Mr. Barnum leaves, Charlotte tries to bribe Angelica so she won't sue them. Angelica turns Charlotte's words from dinner on her, and reveals she's recording the conversation so her mom will look bad in court. Charlotte and Drew decide to meet with their own lawyer, J. Hershowitz.

Mr. Hershowitz explains to the Pickles' adults that this can be settled outside of court, if they agree to Angelica's demands. Charlotte and Drew listen to some of Angelica's demands, but her demands are so ridiculous they refuse to give in, so they're all going to court.

The day of the trial arrives, which is heavily covered by the press. Angelica is being severly selfish, Angelica is crying of Clarissa sound about ice cream and toy store to go home. Outside the courthouse, the reporters favor and pity Angelica, and see Charlotte and Drew as unreasonable and cruel.

The trial begins. Mr. Barnum is questioning Charlotte first, but Angelica feels he's doing terrible and making her mother look good, so she fires him. Mr. Barnum says he didn't like to work for Angelica anyways, and Angelica is allowed to represent herself. Angelica calls a new witness to the stand: Cynthia. Mr. Hershowitz objects and points out Cynthia is just a doll, but the judge, like the press, favors Angelica and allows her to continue.

Angelica explains a very different version of the events at dinner according to Cynthia, which portray Angelica as good and her parents as cruel. Angelica calls more toys as witnesses, allowing her to recall many episodes of her parents "unfairness".

Soon Mr. Hershowitz calls Angelica as a witness, where Angelica openly mocks him. The judge accuses Mr. Hershowitz as being mean, and kindly asks Angelica to answer his questions. She still doesn't properly comply, but almost everybody finds her cute and endearing.

Finally, Angelica calls Drew as a witness. She asks her father what she wanted the most for her last birthday, which was the big train from Toy Palace that you can ride on. Angelica asks if Drew got her the train, and he admits no. Everybody is disgusted with him, even though he explains they were sold out.

The judge then said to Drew that he thinks he aught to be ashamed of himself and everyone agreed in jeers. Drew then shouted that this is not a courtroom but a three ring circus, and that all he wanted was to be a good father.

The judge then warned that he found Drew in contempt, one more word and he will be escorted from the courtroom. The jury rules in favor of Angelica, awarding her everything her parents own. Drew tries to explain he was being a good father, which then lead to the judge sending Drew to jail.

Moments later, Drew is sitting up in bed: it was only a dream!  He woke up Charlotte and told her about his dream saying that Angelica was mad about the broccoli and she sued them to court, but Charlotte just told him that it was just a bad dream and he should go back to sleep, as it is three in the morning.

Feeling guilty and worried, he goes to Angelica's room and is able to apologize. He says he didn't mean to upset her by trying to force her to eat broccoli, and promises to allow her to try foods at her own pace.

Drew heads back to bed, and Angelica pulls out a piece of paper featuring the food pyramid. Angelica crosses off broccoli, revealing not only did she plan for Drew to do this, but she's done it several times before, with her goals on eating only cookies!

She winked to the audience and said with a laugh 'Works Everytime!'

Trivia

• The credits music is different from the usual.
• This is one of the four episodes in which Tommy does not appear.
• There is a reference of the large train in Toy Palace during the court scene.
• This episode shares the same dark tone as Angelica's Worst Nightmare.
• The cigar of Angelica´s lawyer says "ElBarato", which translates to "cheap".
• Angelica fires her lawyer for "gross incontinence" which would imply that he was not toilet trained. Most likely she meant "gross incompetence."
• Angelica got her Clarissa cry.
• At night, Drew is sleeping on the right side of the bed and Charlotte is sleeping on the left side. After Drew had a nightmare, he is sleeping on the left side and Charlotte is sleeping on the right side.
• This is the third time Tommy is absent.
• Angelica breaks the fourth wall by winking at the audience and saying "Works every time!" To the audience.
• The Judge bears a striking resemblance to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
• The title of this episode is a reference to the 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer.
• Angelica is the only Rugrat to appear in this episode.