The Old Shell Game

The Old Shell Game
Season:	1
Production Code:	124
Broadcast Number:	24
Written by:	Sharon Painter and John Bradford
Directed by:	Gerald Baldwin
Broadcast Information	NBC Premiere: December 1, 1984
Paired With	Me JoJo, You Daffney

"The Old Shell Game" is the 24th episode of Season 1. Allstar, Dimmy and Tooter house sit and watch a shell collection for Mrs. Buckfish. Junior steals them to play a prank on the boys, and it turns out both bad and good.

Plot Summary

Mrs. Buckfish and the boys

The episode begins with Allstar, Dimmy, and Junior playing snorkball. Junior shows up (with Willie tagging along) trying to ruin the game for everyone. Occy digs the ground on purpose, burying Junior in the pile of dirt. Mrs. Buckfish arrives in her fancy limosene, offering the boys to housesit her shells, where they will make money. Junior pretends to not be a part of them becuase his mother would faint if she saw him with Allstar and his friends, but tries getting in on the acton when the reward is offered. Naturally, Mrs. Buckfish denies his presence.

The snorks do some housesitting for her shells while Mrs. Buckfish is gone. Meanwhile, construction is going on next door, so it gets a little noisy. The boys have fun. Meanwhile, Junior and Willie try to break in and steal the shells so Junior can get the reward for "saving them." He distracts Occy in the process, causing him to get in trouble and Allstar to throw him out. While the boys sleep that night, Junior and Willie break in and steal the shells. He informs Willie it's only a "little" joke on Allstar and his friends. Occy catches them in the act, so he chases after them.

Hiding the shells

Occy accidentally swtiches the house numbers, and some construction workers come by, and end up destroying Mrs. Buckfish's mansion by accident. She catches this and is very upset. She claims there were "babies" in there, and the worker apologizes, although she meant her shell collection. Everyone, who is still asleep, wakes up in the act. Junior tells her he saved the shells, but in reality, she sees Occy save them, and he is rewarded instead of Junior.

Background Information

• Polly's second and last appearance in the series
• This also marks Mrs. Buckfish's final appearance in the series

Memorable Quotes

Dimmy: Gee, I sure hate to see such good food go to waste!

Allstar: But you don't seem to mind it going to your waist!

Allusions

• The title and the episode parodies the 1948 animation short of the same name

Transcript

• Visit here: The Old Shell Game/Transcript

Occy's watchful eye.

You don't mind it going to your waist!

All-Star and Tooter aren't quite sure which is more incredible. The missing shells or Dimmy's sammich.

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