Eyes Capades is episode 13b of Season 2 of Rocko's Modern Life.
Summary[]
Rocko can't see without his new glasses, and they break just before the big jackhammer competition.
Plot[]
Big Biff Benderhaus is seen on a commercial on TV introducing the viewers to the House of Jacks and the Big Jack-O-Thon on Saturday is then announced. Rocko is eager to participate in it and jumps off the couch. He accidentally trips over Spunky and apologizes, saying that he didn't see him. He decides to feed Spunky, but pours fertilizer in his bowl instead of dog food. Heffer notices this and asks about Rocko's vision, in which Rocko denies he has a problem with. During his training for the imminent Jack-O-Thon, Rocko almost hits Spunky and Heffer shoves the dog away. Rocko finally admits his poor vision and decides to get his eyes checked.
He and Heffer go to Dr. Iris Mac Fropter Optometrist (which Rocko has trouble reading) and Heffer tells Rocko that he is blind as a bat, at which point a bat overhears and rebukes Heffer for the stereotype. Rocko comes across an optometrist, who runs some test on his eyes. Rocko has trouble reading the letter on the chart and is taken to the examine room, where the optometrist named Dr. Iris MacFropter dialate Rocko's pupils and pulls out a number of junk out of them. Later, Dr. MacFropter give Rocko a multi-lens, which he changes to let Rocko know if the view is better or worse. Afterwards, Dr. MacFropter tells Rocko that he needs an eye transplant, but later reveals that it was only a joke and that Rocko needs glasses instead.
Rocko and Heffer go to the Eye Capades, where Chuck and Leon offer Rocko different styles of glasses. He finally gets a pair of red spectacles and feels insecure. He comes across Filburt, who gives him a pep talk about glasses. But this only ends up exacerbating Rocko's insecurity and Filburt walks away.
Rocko continues to train on his jackhammer, but his glasses keep falling off his face. As a result, Heffer uses a rubber band to hold them in place, but it only ends up cutting the circulation of Rocko's brain. Heffer then removes them and accidentally send it flying in the middle of the road, where a number of vehicles run them over. Rocko's prospects of winning in the big Jack-O-Thon is now in jeopardy due to not having an extra pair of glasses and his vision still bad. So he takes a walk to think.
On the night of the competition, Heffer attends it and finds that Rocko is attending it without his glasses. Heffer, expecting the impending destruction that Rocko might cause, runs away. But to his surprise, Rocko does well in the competition and wins. Heffer runs up to him and ask how he could perform such a diligent task without his glasses. Rocko tells him that he purchased new contact lens. Biff Benderhaus then arrives and tells Rocko that he wears contact lens while riding a jackhammer as well. Otherwise, he wears a pair of glasses for an intellectual look, which attracts a female college student who asks him about German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. As Rocko and Heffer leave, Heffer suggests that he should get glasses because he doesn't know who Nietzsche is.
Characters Present[]
Trivia[]
- German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is mentioned by the female student at the end and Heffer doesn't know what "Nietzsche" means.
- The term "visually impaired" is said twice in the episode.
- The title and title card is a reference to the Ice Capades.
- This marks yet another episode with the funny eye exam chart gag. As Dr. Iris has Rocko read the chart, the chart itself reads the "ABC Song". The other episodes with this running gag are "Flu-In-U-Enza" and "Skid Marks".
- Dr. MacFropter says he uses the eye test machine to make julienne fries. This was the shtick of infomercial king Ron Popeil's Veg-o-Matic, whose tagline was "It slices! It dices! It makes julienne fries!"
- When Rocko tries on a pair of shades, they look similar to the ones worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator. Chuck even says, "Hasta la vista, boobie!"
- Another pair of glasses Rocko tries on are similar to ones worn by Elton John. (Chuck: Rock and roll!)
- Another pair of glasses Rocko tries makes him look similar to comedian Grouch Marx. Chuck says, "Say the secret word", which is a phrase from Groucho's game show You Bet Your Life.
Quotes[]
- Big Biff Benderhaus: House of Jacks is the one. Oh, yes. (reading stage directions) "Smile. Point to name."
- Heffer: (to Rocko) You're blind as a bat.
- Bat: Hey! Listen, bud, we bats are sick and tired of these stereotypes! We got enough problems with the whole vampire schtick without being classified as visually impaired!
- Heffer: Sorry.
- Bat: (bumps into a wall) Excuse me, ma'am. (bumps into something else offscreen) Ow! Sorry, sir.
- Dr. MacFropter: Now, I'm going to change the lenses. Tell me if it's better or worse.
- Rocko: Um... Better! There, that's great!
- Dr. MacFropter: (holding a photo of himself) You sure? I think it makes me look a little fat.
- Heffer: Rocko's feeling a little down about his new eyewear. Maybe you can give him a pep talk.
- Filburt: Don't worry, Rocko. Glasses aren't so bad. Aside from the fact that people call you names like "four-eyes". Girls won't go out with ya. You're ostracized by every social group. You can't swim with 'em. If ya lose 'em, ya can't find 'em! Oh, fishsticks. I've depressed myself. I have to go lie down.
- Rocko: (sarcastically) Thanks, Filburt. I feel lots better now.
- Heffer: He's not wearing his glasses! Look out, everyone! He's visually impaired!
- Biff Benderhaus: Because they make look intellectual
- Female College Student: Hey, are you an intellectual?
- Biff Benderhaus: See what I mean, Why yes. Yes I am? How can I help you?
- Female College Student: Well, I have some questions about Nietzsche...
- Heffer: You know, Rocko, maybe I should get glasses.
- Rocko: You have problems with your eyesight.
- Heffer: No, I have problems not knowing who Nietzsche is.