Runaway Reptar

Season 6 Episode 19/20
Runaway Reptar
Original Airdate	May 27, 1999
VHS release	Runaway Reptar
DVD release	Reptar Returns! Season 6
Previous Episode	Chuckie Collects
Next Episode	Share and Share a Spike

Runaway Reptar is a television special of the animated television series Rugrats. It originally aired on The First Kids' Network on May 27, 1999, during the series' sixth season. The plot follows the little babies are watching a Reptar movie and getting sucked into it.

"Runaway Reptar" was written by Ali Marie Matheson and Jon Cooksey based on an idea by Scott Gray and directed by John Holmquist and Jim Duffy. It became available for sale on the VHS on August 3, 1999.

Characters Present

• Tommy
• Dil
• Angelica
• Phil
• Lil
• Chuckie
• Susie
• Edwin
• Buster
• Lucy
• Randall
• Lou
• Reptar
• Dactar

Plot

Grandpa takes the Rugrats to a dual-screen drive-in (to the Rugrats, "parking lot movie"), so Grandpa can watch one film ("Deep Sea Divers of the Rugged North", a Testline production), while the Rugrats enjoy the title picture, Rosenmount Pictures' "Runaway Reptar" (directed by Jon Ho, whose name sounds like Hawaiian singer Don Ho), where Reptar was supposed to be saving the city from another large monster, a pterodactyl named Dactar. However, the Rugrats became disappointed when they find out that Reptar is actually helping Dactar in the destruction, rather than defeating Dactar. Through imagination (How else?), the Rugrats got into the film to help Reptar save the rest of the city from his "evil twin" and defeat another enemy -- Angelica, who invented Reptar's doppelganger, just so her parents can get her all the toys she want.

Recap

Part I

The rugrats are at a drive-in movie watching a Reptar movie "Runaway Reptar". The Carmichaels are also watching the film next to the rugrats, with Susie talking to Angelica through their 2-way phones. The rugrats mistake the drive-in for a parking lot movie, so Angelica explains it to them and while they watch the movie they figure out that Reptar is helping his enemy Dactar. The reporters in the movie are also wondering why he is helping Dactar. Tommy says they should go to Tokyo ("Pokyo" as Tommy puts it) to help Reptar go good again. So he takes out his Reptar car and they all get in, with their clothes changing into suits, except Chuckie, but when they turn on three of the four engines, Chuckie finally gets in. They turn on the last engine and fly into the movie screen, as Angelica says "Who drooled on my cookies?" In the car, Chuckie asks if they are going too fast, and Tommy replies by stating that everyone ran away when Reptar and Dactar came and they are the only people in the street. Lil says "'Cept for the big butterfly!", and the babies see that Dactar is flying over their head, and so, they scream.

As Dactar tries to peck at them, they go through a tunnel so Dactar will get stuck. They see Reptar eating a firetruck and this convinces them that he has actually gone bad. So Chuckie suggests a snail for a new hero. The reporters on the big screen say to set a trap for him. Back at the Reptar car, Chuckie finds a snail and tries to follow what it does, but Dil throws it. Tommy, Phil and Lil set a trap for Reptar and he walks up behind them, Chuckie sees him and has a slug; he tries taking advice from the slug, instead he throws it and helps Tommy. As Reptar walks closer behind him Chuckie pushes him out of the way and falls in the dinosaur treats. But Reptar's foot gets stuck in the trap and Tommy tries to save Chuckie from being eaten.

Part II

The rugrats finally find out the truth that Reptar is a robot controlled and built by Angelica, from "Pego" building blocks. The man who gave her the idea appears on a blimp, and tells them his plan. So, the robot Reptar goes towards their houses; then Tommy and the gang call up Susie to tell them what's going on. The rugrats head to Mount Fugelica to stop Angelica, but Dactar is behind them again. They fly lower to the ground past a bell, and Dactar follows them and hits his head on the bell. Susie and her brothers try to stop robot Reptar in their Halloween costumes. In Mount Fugelica, Angelica captures the rugrats and she has already captured the real Reptar. So, Susie and her brothers had captured robot Reptar and stopped him from crushing Tommy's house. Dil, while Tommy tries to break them out, pulls the "tinkly thing" and darts shoot out and breaks Angelica's machine which controls robot Reptar. Robot Reptar then appears in Mount Fugelica, and brings Susie with him. He chases Angelica, and Tommy asks her to let them out so they can help her. They hide Angelica in her in her pile of cookies, then robot Reptar leaves with Dil, as Tommy frees Reptar with his screwdriver. Reptar then helps the babies by fighting the robot Reptar, while they fight Tommy rescues Dil. They all say bye to Susie and thank Reptar for his help, who then returns with a thumbs up. They then return back home. As they go home, Tommy uses Angelica's 2-way phone and thanks Susie for helping. Then he falls asleep as Angelica says "Reptar!" and drops her snow globe and Reptar appears in the globe as the episode ends.

Trivia

• When they are not in the movie, the costumes are cheap, with visible arm holes, gloves, shoes, and masks (as well as Dactar being a marionette), but when they are in the movie, everything looks like it should be.
• Pego blocks are an obvious spoof of the Lego building blocks.
• This is the first appearance of Dactar on the TV show.
• This was notably the first hour-length episode of the series (or any Nicktoon, for that matter), and as such, was also the longest Rugrats episode until "Acorn Nuts & Diapey Butts".
• This episode is basically based on one of the Godzilla films, Godzilla vs. The Cosmic Monster (1974, a.k.a. Godzilla vs. The Bionic Monster & Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla); in that film, Godzilla battles with a robotic replica of himself, built by alien apes bent on conquering earth. This episode also has references to Godzilla vs. Megalon (1976), King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963) and War Of The Gargantuas (1966), plus homages to Toho films in general, such as villains, scientists assigned to help stop the crisis, side characters such as reporters (this episode has "Pam, the spunky reporter", always seen on camera with her dog, Fritzi), even el cheapo special effects (people in monster costumes, strings holding flying monsters, etc.). This episode also has a reference to Orson Welles' classic, Citizen Kane (1938).
• In addition, there's also a reference to Fox's popular TV series, The X Files -- during a scene where the Rugrats are at the park, one of the buildings has a picture of a flying saucer with the words "I Believe"; this is similar to the poster hanging in Mulder & Scully's office. Also, there's an "X" to the left of this picture, similar to the one used in the logo for The X Files.
• The drive in the Rugrats went to had at least 2 screens. In the 1980's, in a measure to catch up with the growth of indoor multiplexes, many drive-ins added 1 or more screens (the Ford-Wyoming drive-in in Detroit - Dearborn, MI, has 9 screens). However, due to the increasing popularity of indoor theaters and their qualities (such as wide screens and surround-sound), plus the increasing insurance rates and property values, many drive-ins closed up during the 1980's.
• This is the first episode to use the 1998 Klasky Csupo logo.
• The title card sequence was used twice in the Season 6 DVD and foreign versions.

Quotes

Angelica: If there's anything that bugs me more than brushing my teeth, it's goody goodies! They make me look bad, and that makes it hard to get more toys!

Angelica: Reptars are nappie.

Gallery