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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the song with a similar name.


If only I were a real boy.

— Norm

When Heinz thinks Vanessa overhears him say he would rather have a son to do his evil bidding, he feels terrible. Meanwhile, Norm shares his feelings of wanting to be a real boy with Doofenshmirtz and decides to play up the "son" role. Back at the Flynn-Fletcher household, Candace has Stacy hypnotize her into ignoring the need to bust her brothers so that she can spend the entire afternoon relaxing with Jeremy.

Episode Summary[]

Norm wakes up while playing "Sunshine and Bubble Gum" on the radio. He goes into the living room to make eggs, but Doofenshmirtz doesn't like it since Norm always cooks them with the shells on. Doofenshmirtz gets on a video chat with Rodney as he shows his super zappinizer that he built with the help of his son, Orville von Roddenstein. Doofenshmirtz complains to Rodney about what he said that daughters are useless and he should have a son that would make his life easier. Unknown to Doofenshmirtz, Vanessa is standing next to him and heard everything. As Doofenshmirtz sees her, Vanessa quickly leaves him and he tries to apologize to her. Norm tries to cheer him up by saying he's like a father to him but Doofenshmirtz interrupts him.

Isabella comes by the Flynn-Fletcher backyard, where she asks what Phineas is doing. He tells her about a toy which has a spring suction cup that pops in the air, and that he and Ferb had built a big one for them to ride in. As Candace watches them from a window, Phineas and Ferb, along with their friends, ride in the spring suction cup.

As Perry arrives in his lair, Major Monogram briefs him about Doofenshmirtz chatting online with the other members of the evil organization L.O.V.E.M.U.F.F.I.N. and that he should investigate immediately. After Perry leaves, Major Monogram suggests they go off to eat lunch, but Carl disapproves.

Back in the Flynn-Fletcher backyard, Phineas, Ferb, and the kids decide to have another go with the spring suction cup ride. As Candace watches over the window, she makes a puppet hand version of her and Phineas about taking a submarine inside her esophagus. Stacy comes to her room with a pocket watch that she uses for hypnotism and Candace explains she needs to get rid of her urge to bust Phineas and Ferb to hang out with Jeremy.

At Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated, Doofenshmirtz tells Perry that Vanessa has given him the cold shoulder since she heard what he said earlier. To help him be a good father to her, Doofenshmirtz decides to use his new invention, the Forget-About-It-inator, to make Vanessa forget what had happened.

Stacy successfully hypnotizes Candace to forget about trying to bust Phineas and Ferb by giving her trigger words; "Holy Guacamole" will cause her to forget Phineas and Ferb and "Leaping Lizards" will turn her back to her original self. However, in the middle of her date with Jeremy, Balthazar accidentally says the trigger words, causing Candace to go and try to bust Phineas and Ferb.

Back at Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated, Doofenshmirtz is trying to "take a picture" of his daughter, but discovers she was wearing headphones and did not hear a thing he said the entire time. He tries to blast Perry, but blasts himself instead as Perry switches the place when Doofenshmirtz gets distracted by Norm. Norm fools him into thinking that he is his son and Perry escapes. Doofenshmirtz then finds fun in pushing the fire button on his Forget-About-It-inator, which hits Linda just as Candace is able to bust Phineas and Ferb. After being hit a few times, Linda says the trigger words, causing Candace to hurriedly get back on her date with Jeremy and forgetting Phineas and Ferb. Linda gets hit by the ray one last time and sees Perry, not noticing Phineas and Ferb.

Doofenshmirtz is still pressing the button, but the machine explodes due to an overload, bringing Doofenshmirtz's memory back. Doofenshmirtz says that Norm is not his son, and Vanessa gives him her headphones. Later, Norm is sitting in the closet with the headphones in his ears when Doofenshmirtz walks in, saying that he discovered someone who he considers family, Perry the Platypus.

Transcript[]

Read the transcript of A Real Boy.

Songs[]

End Credits[]

Second verse of "Real Boy".

Gallery[]

Click here to view more images from "A Real Boy".
View the image gallery for "A Real Boy".

Running Gags[]

The "Too Young" Line[]

None.

Ferb's Line[]

None

What'cha doin'?[]

Isabella: Hi Phineas, what'cha doin'?
Phineas: Well you know those little spring suction cup things that you put down and never know when they're gonna pop up in the air?
Isabella: Yeah, what are those things called anyway?
Phineas: I don't know, but Ferb and I built a big one.

Hey, where's Perry?[]

Isabella: So when's it gonna pop?
Phineas: That's the fun part. You'll never know when it's gonna take off! Hey, where's—
(The spring suction cup takes off)

Oh, there you are, Perry[]

Linda: Alright, Candace. So what was it you wanted to show me?


(Invention lands.)
Holy guacamole! What is that?
Candace: Wait! Why did I leave Jeremy in the park?
(Runs off.)
(Another ray hits Linda.)
Linda: (Noticing Perry.) Oh, there you are, Perry.

(Perry chatters.)

Perry's entrance to his lair[]

Unknown, but he enters while Major Monogram and Carl are discussing about the cafeteria food.

Evil Jingle[]

Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated!

Memorable Quotes[]

Norm: Good morning, sir!
Doofenshmirtz: Eh!
Norm: (picks up a carton of eggs) One egg or two? (puts all of the eggs in the frying pan)
Doofenshmirtz: None! I don't like them the way you cook them! You always leave in the shells! Who does that?!
Norm: I like mine crunchy.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Sure, it would be nice to have a son, I mean in addition, someone to have a nice game of catch with, but...
Norm: Sir, you can have a game of catch with me! I have always thought of you as my fath-
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Norm, you're in my light!
Norm: -therrr.
Major Monogram: Well, Carl, I don't know what happened, but our cafeteria officially stinks!
Carl: But sir, it's not that bad.
Major Monogram: The old Mexican food station is gone. Vanished!
Carl: But sir, they still have the chilli.
Major Monogram: Oh, right, because chilli is a perfect substitute for a nice, crunchy taco! IT'S PRACTICALLY THE SAME!
Major Monogram: Carl, we're going off the lot for lunch today!
Carl: Is that allowed, sir?
Major Monogram: No...
Candace: (imitating Phineas) "Oh, hi, I'm Phineas! Ferb and I are gonna do something totally bust-worthy!" (in her own voice) "Yeah, like what? A submarine that'll go into my esophagus?"
Stacy: Candace, what are you doing?
Candace: "Nothing. Did you bring the hypnotism stuff?"
Stacy: If you mean the pocket watch, then yes. Why do you want to do this, Candace?
Candace: I have to meet Jeremy in the park today, but I can't go unless I get this busting out of my head!
Stacy: But hypnotism? It's just so 1843 of you.
Candace: 1843?
Stacy: You know, 1843 when James Braid published the "Rationale of Somnambulism" in which he invented the term "hypnotism", named after the Greek god, Hypnos.
Candace: (In a stunned tone) How do you even know that?
Stacy: It's written on your poster. Apparently he also invented the comb-over. Freaky.
Candace: (Still stunned) Why would I have bought that poster?
Doofenshmirtz: (to Perry) Oh this is terrible, look at her, look what I've done. She's been giving me the cold shoulder ever since she overheard something out of context. This is like one of those sitcoms where somebody says something that's misconstrued and the snooty next door neighbor got the wrong package delivered after his in-laws come to visit, somebody has two dates on the same night and they have to paint a white line on the middle of the room, but this isn't a sitcom, Perry the Platypus, this is real life.(Doof and Perry briefly look at the camera) And... I'm... And I'm the father.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Funny, I don't seem to remember much.
Norm: You like playing ball with me, your son.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Really, I like that?
Norm: Yes.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: What else do I like?
Norm: Crunchy eggs for breakfast.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: I do? Man, what kind of weirdo am I?
Vanessa: Did you say something, dad? takes off her headphones
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: What? You're wearing headphones? So you haven't heard a word I've said all day?
Vanessa: Why do you think I wear the headphones?
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Hey, Wait a minute! You're not my son! You're that walking junkpile, Norm!
Norm: But, Dad-
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: And I am not your father. I'm fairly sure about that.
Norm: B-b-b-b-but...
Vanessa: Here Norm. Wear these. It helps.
Norm: Thanks... Sis!
Vanessa: No problem... Bro.
Norm is sadly listening to music in a closet
Dr. Doofenshmirtz:
(knocks at the door) Hey, buddy. are you a... busy?
Norm: No. Not really.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: You know Norm it occurs to me that though I've never had a son, there is someone I can always count on to be there, someone I've begun to think of as family.
Norm: Yes?
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: And that someone is Perry the Platypus. See ya 'round Junkpile!
Norm:
(smiles)Apology accepted, Dad.

Background Information[]

None.

Production Information[]

  • In production order, this is the last episode to air with the Disney Channel Original logo at the end until "Doof Dynasty".
  • Candace's animation of pointing up and saying "Phineas and Ferb" was in a promo for Disney Channel Summer in 2013.

International Premieres[]

  • August 18, 2011 (Disney Channel Latin America)
  • August 24, 2011 (Family Channel)
  • November 13, 2011 (Disney XD Spain)
  • November 19, 2011 (Disney Channel Asia)
  • December 3, 2011 (Disney Channel Spain)
  • December 4, 2011 (Disney Channel Portugal)
  • December 12, 2011 (Disney Channel Scandinavia)
  • January 20, 2012 (Disney XD Poland)

Errors[]

  • While Norm is changing the picture of Doofenshmirtz, his eyebrows are transparent.
  • When Norm puts in the CD, there is a CD drive. Later, it is not there.
  • When Norm paints his clothes on, the only color paint he has is blue-gray, even though his clothes are also red and white.
  • When Norm puts on his other head, his freckles are initially darker, but then they become normal on the same scene.
  • When Phineas presents the suction cup ride, there are five seats. However, after everyone gets inside it, there are only four, and while everyone is sitting, Buford is laying behind the seats.
  • When Heinz learns about Vanessa's headphones, Vanessa's hair goes down to her shoulders instead of mid-back.
  • When Heinz says "Treat her with dignity" to Perry, his head is drawn outside of his hair.
  • When Norm wakes up and moves his bed a little to the right, he puts a picture of Doofenshmirtz on his wall. The picture looks evil, but afterwards, the picture looks like he is smiling.
  • When Candace runs from Jeremy, she has nothing on her wrists, but when she enters the backyard she has a watch on.
Candace's invisble neck

The collar on Candace's shirt is over her neck

  • When Candace goes back to the backyard, the collar on her shirt overlaps her neck.
  • When Doofenshmirtz says "Someone I've begun to think of as family" when talking to Norm, his eyebrows move up and down rapidly.
  • When Candace tells Jeremy she doesn't feel like busting her brothers, her mouth briefly goes in front of her right eye.
  • When the Forget-About-It-inator explodes, Dr. Doofenshmirtz remembers everything from before he got shot with it. However, this effect did not happen with Linda.
  • When Stacy says "You will awaken with no recollection" the captions say "You will awaken with no knowledge".
  • On Disney+, this episode and its sister episode were temporarily called "Supermollusk/The Necklace" respectively.
    • These are the names of two episodes of Boyster that got mixed up with two Phineas and Ferb episodes due to a mislabeling error.

Continuity[]

Allusions[]

  • The Adventures of Pinocchio - Becoming a real boy is a theme popularized through the story of Pinocchio.
  • Three's Company - Doofenshmirtz rambles about his situation being like a sitcom, where a misheard remark causes hilarious misunderstandings and situations. This was a stock plot of this eighties sitcom.
  • Boyz II Men - There is an another poster beside Candace's James Braid poster with a band called Mimez 2 Men.
  • Battle of the Alamo - Doofenshmirtz builds his Forget-About-It-inator to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo.
  • Little Orphan Annie - The phrase "Leaping Lizards" was popularized by Annie as her catchphrase.

Trivia[]

This is real life

Perry and Doofenshmirtz looking at the camera.

  • Rodney makes another appearance.
  • Several things are revealed in this episode:
    • Doofenshmirtz has come to think of Perry the Platypus as family.
    • Doofenshmirtz may have bad breath.
    • Rodney builds "-inizers" instead of "-inators".
  • This is the first episode where Candace busts her brothers more than once.
  • Perry and Dr. Doofenshmirtz break the fourth wall by looking directly in the camera when Dr. Doofenshmirtz says that he is not in a sitcom.
  • Phineas and Ferb's invention doesn't disappear in this episode.
  • This is the first episode to focus on Norm.
  • This is the third time the Doofenshmirtz and Perry subplot is the main plot ("Hail Doofania!", "Brain Drain").
  • This is the second time Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated shows up, but does not have the evil jingle play until later in the episode ("Finding Mary McGuffin").
  • One of the female singers in the song is also seen in "Comet Kermillian" and "Candace Gets Busted", but with blonde hair. The other female singer is also seen in "Comet Kermillian", as well as in the "Mix and Mingle Machine" from "Cheer Up Candace".
  • The music Norm listens to on the player sounds as if it could be the heavy-metal instrumental piece heard after the song "I'm Me" from "Vanessassary Roughness"; Vanessa also listens to it in her computer in "Finding Mary McGuffin".
  • At the end of Norm's rap, he is in supposely in a huge blimp hangar. Phineas and Ferb use the same hangar in "Run, Candace, Run" to see if they can outrun light in their high-speed shoes.
  • After Doofenshmirtz tells Norm that he isn't his father, Norm says "Bu-bu-bu-bu-but..." like Candace does during the song "There is No Candy in Me" ("Picture This").
  • This is the third time someone says "I am not your father". The first time is Major Monogram's "daddy" in "Get That Bigfoot Outa My Face!" and the second time is Mitch in "The Chronicles of Meap".
  • This is the ninth time Ferb doesn't talk.
  • This is the second episode to begin at Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated ("Hail Doofania!").
  • This is the third time Phineas and Ferb are "busted" ("Phineas and Ferb Get Busted!", "She's the Mayor").
  • This is the second episode to end with someone in the dark ("Flop Starz").
  • When Candace replies to Stacy what she is doing at the moment, she says "nothing", much like how Xavier says to Amanda in "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo".
  • This is the last Phineas and Ferb episode to end with the Disney Channel Original logo.

Cast[]

Main article: Credits
designates a character that did not appear in this episode
Previous:
"Phineas and Ferb Interrupted"
Episodes Next:
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v - e - dPhineas and Ferb
Season 1
"Rollercoaster" | "Lawn Gnome Beach Party of Terror" | "Flop Starz" | "The Fast and the Phineas"
"Lights, Candace, Action!" | "Raging Bully" | "Candace Loses Her Head" | "I, Brobot"
"Run Away Runway" | "The Magnificent Few" | "S'Winter" | "Jerk De Soleil" | "Are You My Mummy?"
"Ready for the Bettys" | "I Scream, You Scream" | "Toy to the World"
"Get That Bigfoot Outa My Face!" | "It's a Mud, Mud, Mud, Mud World" | "Mom's Birthday"
"Journey to the Center of Candace" | "It's About Time!"
"Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together" | "Tree to Get Ready" | "The Ballad of Badbeard"
"Greece Lightning" | "Leave the Busting to Us!" | "Crack That Whip" | "The Best Lazy Day Ever"
"Boyfriend From 27,000 B.C." | "Voyage to the Bottom of Buford" | "A Hard Day's Knight"
"Traffic Cam Caper" | "Bowl-R-Ama Drama" | "Got Game?" | "Comet Kermillian"
"Put That Putter Away" | "Does This Duckbill Make Me Look Fat?" | "The Flying Fishmonger"
"One Good Scare Ought to Do It!" | "The Monster of Phineas-n-Ferbenstein" | "Oil on Candace"
"Out of Toon" | "Hail Doofania!" | "Out to Launch" | "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted!"
"Unfair Science Fair" | "Unfair Science Fair Redux (Another Story)"
Season 2
"The Lake Nose Monster" | "Interview With a Platypus" | "Tip of the Day"
"Attack of the 50 Foot Sister" | "Backyard Aquarium" | "Day of the Living Gelatin"
"Elementary My Dear Stacy" | "Don't Even Blink" | "Chez Platypus" | "Perry Lays an Egg"
"Gaming the System" | "The Chronicles of Meap" | "Thaddeus and Thor" | "De Plane! De Plane!"
"Let's Take a Quiz" | "At the Car Wash" | "Oh, There You Are, Perry" | "Swiss Family Phineas"
"Hide and Seek" | "That Sinking Feeling" | "The Baljeatles" | "Vanessassary Roughness"
"No More Bunny Business" | "Spa Day" | "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo"
"Phineas and Ferb Musical Cliptastic Countdown" | "Bubble Boys" | "Isabella and the Temple of Sap"
"Cheer Up Candace" | "Fireside Girl Jamboree" |"The Bully Code" | "Finding Mary McGuffin" | "Picture This"
"Nerdy Dancin'" | "What Do It Do?" | "Atlantis" | "Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!"
"Just Passing Through" | "Candace's Big Day" | "I Was a Middle Aged Robot" | "Suddenly Suzy"
"Undercover Carl" | "Hip Hip Parade" | "Invasion of the Ferb Snatchers" | "Ain't No Kiddie Ride"
"Not Phineas and Ferb" | "Phineas and Ferb-Busters!" | "The Lizard Whisperer" | "Robot Rodeo" | "The Beak"
"She's the Mayor" | "The Lemonade Stand" | "Phineas and Ferb Hawaiian Vacation" | "Nerds of a Feather"
"Wizard of Odd" | "We Call it Maze" | "Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet Max Modem!" | "The Secret of Success"
"The Doof Side of the Moon" | "Split Personality" | "Brain Drain" | "Rollercoaster: The Musical!"
"Make Play" | "Candace Gets Busted"
Season 3
"The Great Indoors" | "Canderemy" | "Run, Candace, Run" | "Last Train to Bustville"
"Phineas' Birthday Clip-O-Rama!" | "The Belly of the Beast" | "Moon Farm"
"Ask a Foolish Question" | "Misperceived Monotreme" | "Candace Disconnected"
"Magic Carpet Ride" | "Bad Hair Day" | "Meatloaf Surprise" | "Phineas and Ferb Interrupted"
"A Real Boy" | "Mommy Can You Hear Me?" | "Road Trip" | "Tour de Ferb" | "Skiddley Whiffers"
"My Fair Goalie" | "Bullseye!" | "That's the Spirit" | "The Curse of Candace"
"Escape from Phineas Tower" | "Lotsa Latkes" | "Ferb Latin"
"A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" | "Tri-Stone Area" | "Doof Dynasty" |"Excaliferb"
"Phineas and Ferb and the Temple of Juatchadoon" | "Monster from the Id" | "Gi-Ants"
"The Remains of the Platypus" | "Mom's in the House" | "Perry The Actorpus" | "Let's Bounce"
"Bully Bromance Breakup" | "Quietest Day Ever" | "The Doonkelberry Imperative‎‎"
"Meapless in Seattle" | "Delivery of Destiny" | "Buford Confidential" | "The Mom Attractor"
"Cranius Maximus" | "Agent Doof" | "Minor Monogram" | "What A Croc!" | "Sleepwalk Surprise"
"Sci-Fi Pie Fly" | "Sipping with the Enemy" | "Tri-State Treasure: Boot of Secrets" | "Doofapus"
"Norm Unleashed" | "Where's Perry?" | "Where's Perry? (Part Two)" |"Ferb TV"
"When Worlds Collide" | "What'd I Miss?" | "Road to Danville"
"This Is Your Backstory" | "Blackout!"
Season 4
"For Your Ice Only" | "Happy New Year!" | "Fly On the Wall" | "Bully Bust" | "My Sweet Ride"
"Der Kinderlumper" | "Sidetracked" | "Primal Perry" | "Mind Share" | "Backyard Hodge Podge"
"Bee Day" | "Bee Story" | "Great Balls Of Water" | "Where's Pinky?"
"Phineas and Ferb Musical Cliptastic Countdown Hosted by Kelly Osbourne"
"Knot My Problem" | "Just Desserts" | "La Candace-Cabra" | "Happy Birthday, Isabella"
"Love at First Byte" | "One Good Turn" | "Thanks But No Thanks" | "Troy Story"
"Druselsteinoween" | "Terrifying Tri-State Trilogy of Terror" | "Face Your Fear" | "Cheers for Fears"
"Steampunx" | "Just Our Luck" | "Return Policy" | "Live and Let Drive" | "Father's Day"
"Imperfect Storm" | "The Return of the Rogue Rabbit" | "It's No Picnic" | "The Klimpaloon Ultimatum"
"Operation Crumb Cake" | "Mandace" | "Lost in Danville" | "The Inator Method"
"Tales from the Resistance: Back to the 2nd Dimension" | "Doof 101" | "Act Your Age"
Season 5
"Summer Block Buster" | "Cloudy with a Chance of Mom" | "Appetite for Adventure" | "License to Bust"
"Dry Another Day" | "Deconstructing Doof" | "Tropey McTropeface" | "Biblio-Blast!" | "A Chip to the Vet"
"More Than an Intern" | "The Aurora Perry-Alis" | "Agent T (For Teen)" | "The Haberdasher"
"The Candace Suit" | "Out of Character" | "Meap Me in St. Louis"
Specials
"Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You!" | "Phineas and Ferb Save Summer"
"Night of the Living Pharmacists" | "Last Day of Summer" | "O.W.C.A. Files"
Films
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe
Crossovers
"Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel" | "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars" | "The Phineas and Ferb Effect"
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