The Blizzard

The Blizzard	Gallery	Transcript

Season 3 Episode 12b
The Blizzard
Original Airdate	December 12, 1993
VHS release	The Santa Experience (Paramount re-release only)
DVD release	Season 3 Complete Series
Previous Episode	Cuffed
Next Episode	Destination Moon

"The Blizzard" is a Season 3 episode of Rugrats.

Characters Present

• Tommy
• Chuckie
• Phil
• Lil
• Angelica
• Spike
• Stu
• Lou
• Chas
• Didi (mentioned)
• Betty (mentioned)
• Santa Claus (mentioned)

Synopsis

Following a freak snowstorm, the Rugrats go on a search for Santa Claus. Their mission: To have Santa fix Chuckie's fire truck, which broke after Stu slipped on it.

- Description from Klasky Csupo

Plot

While playing with their toys, the babies overhear Grandpa Lou saying it looks like a blizzard outside. Tommy, Phil, and Lil wonder what a blizzard is. Chuckie is more concerned about his new fire engine: Stu tripped over it and one of the wheels broke. Tommy isn't worried about the snow, though Chuckie isn't so sure. He's not the only one; it turns out Didi is going to stay over at Betty and Howard's house for the night, even though they're just next door. Chas shares this sentiment.

The next morning they wake up and see a very different world outside than the one they're used to. They interpret it as the sky is falling, and decide a blizzard is when the sky falls. Grandpa Lou walks into the room and mentions to the babies that it looks like the North Pole outside.

Downstairs at breakfast Stu rushes in the kitchen cheering because school has been cancelled. Chas reminds Stu that he's a grown man and hasn't been to school in years. Stu's enthusiasm isn't dampened however, as he announces he wants to take the kids outside to play in the snow.

Outside, Stu and Lou are building a snowman. Chas nails Stu with a snowball and runs. Stu decides to give chase and asks Lou to keep an eye on the kids while he deals with Chas. As soon as Stu leaves, Grandpa Lou eats the snowman's carrot nose.

At this point, Chuckie tells his friends he has a great idea about how to have his fire engine fixed. He reminds them that Grandpa Lou told them the North Pole is "near here", so they'll go find the North Pole to see Santa Claus, who gave Chuckie the fire engine, to have him repair it. Tommy, Phil, and Lil love the idea of a dangerous journey to go see Santa Claus. Nobody realizes Angelica is listening to them secretly.

To travel, the babies pile in the wagon with toys and have Spike pull them along. The journey takes longer then they expect, and then Spike runs away, leaving them stranded. They build an igloo for warmth and shelter and hide inside of it, waiting for a rescue team. Nobody comes so Tommy leaves to look for help. Once outside, he meets "Angelinook of the North", who claims the area is her kingdom. Tommy asks for help, and she agrees since their destination is the North Pole.

Chuckie, Phil, and Lil worry about Tommy and leave the igloo to look for him. The two groups unite and travel onward together (with Angelica riding in the sled while the babies pull). Eventually they appear to reach the North Pole (a giant candy cane), but Angelica is furious because there's no sign of Santa Claus anywhere. Chuckie interprets this to mean they've actually traveled to the South Pole. Tommy sees this as a victory, for they've discovered the South Pole, and a flag is erected onto the giant candy cane. Just then, a monster seems to show up, whom they believe is the "Abdominal" Snowman, although it turns out to be none other than the snowman Grandpa Lou was making. Grandpa Lou decides it's time to go inside and warm up.

Inside, Angelica is still furious because she didn't get any toys from Santa. But the babies are happy to have had fun, and because Grandpa Lou fixed Chuckie's fire engine, their goal was reached. Outside, they look and imagine they see the South Pole candy cane with the flag flying proudly.

Trivia

• "Cuffed/The Blizzard" was pulled from US reruns on Nick, Nicktoons, and The 90s Are All That by the mid 2000's, probably over concern of small children playing with handcuffs. It still aired in other countries and is available on DVD and iTunes, and TeenNick's programming block NickSplat aired it on December 20, 2015.
• The Rugrats begin their journey to the North Pole on "Decemburary (December) 11th" which is a day before the airing of this episode
• This is the sixth time we see Tommy wearing shoes.
• Angelinook of the North is a reference to Nanook of the North.
• During the Nickelodeon Haystack logo, there is a weird soundbyte with someone saying "Ok, ok." Then we hear what sounds like a record scratching.

Video Clip

You’re Never Too Old For A Snow Day! Rugrats NickSplat