This was a very enjoyable episode, and is the best of the three specials this season! The characters are very likable, the story's really sweet, and it really captures the spirit of Thanksgiving!
Chip forgot to thank Mr. Diggerty for the present he gave to each of his students, and when she found out that he's spending Thanksgiving alone when Potato visited him, she made up for that by inviting him to her family and neighbors' Thanksgiving dinner. It was really nice of Chip to do that, and in addition to it, Potato spiced up the story by revealing herself as a mouse to Mr. Diggerty. Just him seeing a mouse, not him knowing that Chip's been keeping a mouse. That would've been too far. It's also the only episode this season where other characters see her like that.
I really enjoyed most of this special! Yes, and I hate to be a killjoy, but there are still some gripes that I've had. They weren't that bad, but they're still things that I have to bring up. After all, I've rated this episode 9/10.
First, there's the part where Nico rushed Chip out of the classroom when it was time to go home. Mr. Diggerty was looking for Chip's present when he did that, and when he found it, she didn't thank him on her way out. Nico did not have an excuse to rush Chip, so he didn't have to do that. He could've said "Our parents are waiting!" or "We have to get our dinner ready for tomorrow!". Because Chip didn't thank her teacher for what sounds like no reason, it does put a chip on my shoulder with this setup. Nico should've explained why he had to rush Chip to justify so.
Then there's one part that I simply didn't like: Tot soiling herself. Personally, I hate bodily fluids in general, but this just ruins a perfectly good moment. Not only was it gross to hear her pass gas, but they had to make it insulting too. This happened while the Pugs were singing the "Thank you" song. They got interrupted when they sang "Thank you, thank you, thank you for-" then Spud says "For Tot's smelly diaper." Yeah, as in they're thanking a baby's full diaper when they're not even enjoying it. I'm not entertained by this. I'm reacting the same way the characters were, including Potato. It's not like it was laughed off like in 'Chip's Baby Sister'. I'm sorry, but don't do this again, natural or not.
But my biggest problem was at the very end when Potato showed up as a mouse at Mr. Diggerty's Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone saw her and they were all in awe. Nobody panicked. Not even Stamp who we saw panic over a mouse last season. It's very likely that they were all aware that she was the reason why Mr. Diggerty wanted to have his dinner with everyone at his house, but the problem is that that wasn't acknowledged to us, the audience. That was an important thing to tell us because one major trait on the show is that Potato must be kept a secret for being a mouse, and we know how badly everyone reacted to one in 'Chip's School Trip'. When no one gets uncomfortable about a creature like that on a show that treats them like threats, it raises a ton of questions and makes having them be a secret pointless. So when you want to take risks like this, you really have to think of everything. I'm okay with everyone being happy that a mouse is there if they know about it, but you just have to let the viewers know this.
All three of these problems could've been salvaged too. I know these might've sounded like nitpicks, especially the fluid one, but there could've been way worse problems than these ones, and they don't ruin what is still a very good episode. This is in fact one of my favorite episodes in the series and it makes me wish that there were more holiday specials on the show, like Halloween and Christmas, because I love how this one came out even with its flaws! It was still a great ride and it has my thanks!
Although, when did this episode take place? It was stated that it was Tot's first Thanksgiving, so it had to have happened before 'Chip's Birthday' where it snowed. But what's worse is that in this episode, Nico already knows Chip's secret, but last season, he learned about it only one day before it snowed, and none of the leaves were even brown like they were here. This is just a prime example of an episode that ignores continuity in terms of the time of year, which the show has done a lot anyway. But that's not a huge deal and it could've been a lot worse too, like if Tot has her first Christmas after learning how to speak full sentences. Now that's just plain wrong.
Chip forgot to thank Mr. Diggerty for the present he gave to each of his students, and when she found out that he's spending Thanksgiving alone when Potato visited him, she made up for that by inviting him to her family and neighbors' Thanksgiving dinner. It was really nice of Chip to do that, and in addition to it, Potato spiced up the story by revealing herself as a mouse to Mr. Diggerty. Just him seeing a mouse, not him knowing that Chip's been keeping a mouse. That would've been too far. It's also the only episode this season where other characters see her like that.
I really enjoyed most of this special! Yes, and I hate to be a killjoy, but there are still some gripes that I've had. They weren't that bad, but they're still things that I have to bring up. After all, I've rated this episode 9/10.
First, there's the part where Nico rushed Chip out of the classroom when it was time to go home. Mr. Diggerty was looking for Chip's present when he did that, and when he found it, she didn't thank him on her way out. Nico did not have an excuse to rush Chip, so he didn't have to do that. He could've said "Our parents are waiting!" or "We have to get our dinner ready for tomorrow!". Because Chip didn't thank her teacher for what sounds like no reason, it does put a chip on my shoulder with this setup. Nico should've explained why he had to rush Chip to justify so.
Then there's one part that I simply didn't like: Tot soiling herself. Personally, I hate bodily fluids in general, but this just ruins a perfectly good moment. Not only was it gross to hear her pass gas, but they had to make it insulting too. This happened while the Pugs were singing the "Thank you" song. They got interrupted when they sang "Thank you, thank you, thank you for-" then Spud says "For Tot's smelly diaper." Yeah, as in they're thanking a baby's full diaper when they're not even enjoying it. I'm not entertained by this. I'm reacting the same way the characters were, including Potato. It's not like it was laughed off like in 'Chip's Baby Sister'. I'm sorry, but don't do this again, natural or not.
But my biggest problem was at the very end when Potato showed up as a mouse at Mr. Diggerty's Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone saw her and they were all in awe. Nobody panicked. Not even Stamp who we saw panic over a mouse last season. It's very likely that they were all aware that she was the reason why Mr. Diggerty wanted to have his dinner with everyone at his house, but the problem is that that wasn't acknowledged to us, the audience. That was an important thing to tell us because one major trait on the show is that Potato must be kept a secret for being a mouse, and we know how badly everyone reacted to one in 'Chip's School Trip'. When no one gets uncomfortable about a creature like that on a show that treats them like threats, it raises a ton of questions and makes having them be a secret pointless. So when you want to take risks like this, you really have to think of everything. I'm okay with everyone being happy that a mouse is there if they know about it, but you just have to let the viewers know this.
All three of these problems could've been salvaged too. I know these might've sounded like nitpicks, especially the fluid one, but there could've been way worse problems than these ones, and they don't ruin what is still a very good episode. This is in fact one of my favorite episodes in the series and it makes me wish that there were more holiday specials on the show, like Halloween and Christmas, because I love how this one came out even with its flaws! It was still a great ride and it has my thanks!
Although, when did this episode take place? It was stated that it was Tot's first Thanksgiving, so it had to have happened before 'Chip's Birthday' where it snowed. But what's worse is that in this episode, Nico already knows Chip's secret, but last season, he learned about it only one day before it snowed, and none of the leaves were even brown like they were here. This is just a prime example of an episode that ignores continuity in terms of the time of year, which the show has done a lot anyway. But that's not a huge deal and it could've been a lot worse too, like if Tot has her first Christmas after learning how to speak full sentences. Now that's just plain wrong.