Are we ever going to see Phineas and Ferb as teenagers? Yes. Yes, we are.
”
— Jeff “Swampy” Marsh and Dan Povenmire
In this special episode set ten years in the future, a teenaged Phineas must decide between two colleges while grappling with the discovery that Isabella has had a crush on him since they were kids. Ferb and the gang try to bring the two together so they can admit their true feelings for each other before Isabella leaves for school. Meanwhile, Doof wants a midlife crisis and builds a Mid-Life Crisis-inator.
In a live-action intro, Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, the creators of the show, read some fan letters. One of the letters asks if they will see Phineas and Ferb as teenagers, and Dan replies they will and introduce the episode taking place ten years in the future.
As summer reaches its end, a teenaged Phineas is contemplating to Ferb which college or university he should go to, being the only one in their friend group who hasn't decided where he's going yet. Ferb suggests that Phineas get in the randomizer booth they'd installed in their room and let fate decide. Phineas gets into the booth, which is full of the many acceptance letters he had received from different schools around the world. However, he is not really sure about any of the choices he is given. Baljeet comes into the room and mentions that he had just been telling Buford about what life is like in college. He tells them that he has already graduated and is now a professor, and is hoping for Buford to attend his classes; though Buford is leaning towards attending film school instead. Buford suggests to Phineas that maybe he would be happy going to the same school as Ferb will be attending in Britain, while Baljeet suggests him to going to law school like Candace, but Phineas turns these suggestions down. He finally narrows down his choices between two colleges, Danville University and Tri-State State College.
A former intern speaks to his former boss.
At O.W.C.A., Irving, now working as an intern, notices Doofenshmirtz's inator alert going off and informs his superior, Commander Carl. Carl is surprised by this ever since Doofenshmirtz had given up evil years ago at the time he started teaching high school science. Carl decides to tell Major Monogram about the alert. Monogram, who has since retired to Bora Bora, reminisces upon hearing that Doofenshmirtz may have returned to evil, and tells his former intern to say hi to Doofenshmirtz for him. Carl then calls Perry, who is also enjoying his own retirement. After hearing that Doofenshmirtz might be becoming evil again, Agent P gets back to work.
Baljeet and Buford tell Phineas about Isabella's crush on Phineas.
In the kitchen, Phineas, Ferb, Buford and Baljeet are all making snacks for themselves. Still on the topic of colleges and universities, Baljeet tells Phineas that Isabella will be attending Tri-State State. Phineas mentions that he had not seen Isabella all that often over the past summer. Baljeet mentions that he had always believed Phineas and Isabella would have ended up as a couple by now, but Phineas says he feels as though he is stuck in the friendzone with her. Both Baljeet and Buford are amused by this thought, since they and Ferb all knew about Isabella's crush, though Phineas himself had no idea; Baljeet and Buford finally reveals the crush to Phineas. Surprised by the revelation that Isabella had always had a crush on him over the years, Phineas decides to clear his head by going out for a walk. Along with Buford, Baljeet then decides to try to get Phineas and Isabella together before she leaves.
I wanna do something fun and exciting and...also incredibly stupid.
Meanwhile, at the building formerly known as Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated (the word "evil" has since been removed from the sign), Perry arrives to visit his old grey-haired nemesis. Doof gets confused to see Perry today since it is not bowling night, but then realizes that he must have set off the inator alert after Perry points toward a menacing-looking machine behind him. He assures Perry his latest inator is not evil, and that the menacing-looking machine behind them isn't even the inator. The real inator is a gold chain he had worked on, which, when activated while it is worn, will help him go through a Mid-Life Crisis so he can fit in with other people his age, which he explains through song. When the inator got charged up, Doofenshmirtz puts it on around his neck. After its effects activate on him, his mid-life crisis begins.
At the Nosh Olé Mexican-Jewish Café, the now teenage Fireside Girls discuss the art of manipulation when Ginger attempts to persuade Baljeet, whom she is now in a relationship with, to go to the movie she wants to see, rather than the one he wants to see. Isabella, who is working as a waitress at the restaurant for her mom, brings the girls their orders. Gretchen asks where Baljeet is, and Ginger replies he is at Phineas' house. The girls then contemplate how Phineas and Isabella are not a couple. Deciding that they should take it upon themselves to set Phineas and Isabella up with each other before she leaves for college, Adyson instructs Ginger to text Baljeet about their plan. In the living room, Baljeet receives Ginger's text, but does some manipulation of his own to make it seem like the plan was Ginger's idea all along.
Doofenshmirtz with his hair dyed black and riding a jet-ski.
Doofenshmirtz, who has now dyed his grey hair black and is riding a jet-ski with Perry, who is on a small motorboat, until he crashes his jet-ski into a sailing yacht. Excited in the heat of the moment, he then suggests taking the yacht for a spin, but the yacht sinks and Doofenshmirtz's hair dye begins to wash off in the water, making it grey again. Doofenshmirtz then decides to get a sports-car and swims his way back to shore while Perry follows him.
At the Danville Retirement Home, Phineas meets up with Nana Shapiro. Phineas tells Nana he is still indecisive about where to go to college. Nana then mentions that Isabella came over to say goodbye, which surprises Phineas since Isabella's college does not start for another two weeks. She tells him Isabella is actually leaving today as soon as her waitress shift ends at the Café. Nana suggests he goes to the restaurant if he has anything to say to Isabella.
In the backyard, the teen Fireside Girls, Baljeet, and Buford begin setting up a romantic dinner for Phineas and Isabella, in which Ginger reminds her that this is just like their childhood years. Ferb suggests they should all leave Phineas and Isabella alone and not force them to get together, but Adyson suggests otherwise. Gretchen explains further the romantic dinner. Katie asks what if one of its details that will make Phineas and Isabella think about their romantic feelings for each other won't work, and Buford replies that the gang has a sign he shows that says "Think About Love".
Doofenshmirtz purchasing a sportscar, practically the zenith of every mid-life crisis.
At a car shop, Doofenshmirtz is looking at sports cars to try. He tries a red one, but he crashes it. The salesman tells him they have the same model in yellow. This excites Doofenshmirtz. In the kitchen, Ferb and the girls are all cooking the dinner. Baljeet suggests to Buford that he wears the cupid costume, since it worked for him and Mishtibefore, but Buford refuses. Upon hearing Mishti's name, Ginger begins to get jealous, but Adyson tells her to let it go. In downtown Danville, Doofenshmirtz is taking his new sports car with Perry for a wild ride. During this, they latch to a dumpster. Doofenshmirtz lets it go at the next turn and the dumpster speeds past the Café where Isabella begins to say goodbye to her mother outside as she leaves for her college.
Isabella fantasizing What Might Have Been if she and Phineas ended up together in the end.
Vivian gives Isabella her last paycheck. They share a goodbye hug while Isabella tells her mother that she'll call her when she arrives at her school. As she puts her paycheck into her wallet during her walk to her car she parked nearby, a photo of Phineas falls out of the wallet. She picks up the photo before she begins to reminisce about all the past summers she spent with Phineas and contemplates What Might Have Been. Phineas reaches the restaurant the second Isabella drove off, but Vivian tells him he just missed Isabella since she already left. She then tells him about Isabella's crush, which Vivian knew just like the gang does. While Phineas walks back home, he does some contemplating of his own in the song about how oblivious he was to Isabella, even though, in hindsight, her attempts at romantic advances were really obvious. The two think of what it would be like if they ended together in the first place instead of just being friends. Isabella drives past the Danville leaving city sign, but she ends up thinking about something regarding herself and Phineas.
The former Fireside Girls, with Ferb and Baljeet, setting up a romantic dinner date.
Back in the backyard, Ferb puts a vase of flowers on the table and everyone else believes the dinner is perfect. The gang attempts to call Phineas and Isabella on their cellphones, but various things hinder them from doing so. They are so distracted that they fail to notice the dumpster from earlier rolling into the backyard while taking the romantic dinner away until Baljeet sees that it disappeared. Katie notes that this is just exactly the same as when the gang was kids.
By this point, Doofenshmirtz and Perry are in a plane about to skydive. Doofenshmirtz decides to hit on the jump instructor, but she pushes him out of the plane. Perry acknowledges her politely and quickly jumps out before she can push him out too. As they fall, Perry opens both his and Doofenshmirtz's parachutes. Doofenshmirtz decides he has had enough of his mid-life crisis and gets rid of the inator for good. Below, it falls down to Lawrence, who, under the effects of the inator now worn around his neck, rushes into the kitchen and tells Linda that he is impulsively going to switch his morning tea from Earl Grey to Darjeeling.
Isabella admits to Phineas that she has a crush on him.
Phineas reaches Isabella's old house, but then he notices her sitting on one of the steps of his house across the street since she returned in her car. He walks over asking "What'cha doin'?" and sits next to her. Isabella tells him she came to say goodbye to him since she is heading to school two weeks early because she was accepted into various extracurricular activities at the college she's attending. Phineas then tells her what Baljeet said to him about her having a crush on him, which Isabella admits to. He apologizes for his cluelessness on her obviousness with her crush. She then says she gave up on her attempts in getting together with him around high school, and Phineas admits that was when he began to have feelings for her. The two sadly contemplate the bad timing of their respective crushes on each other. Isabella mentions that she is going to Tri-State State, which makes Phineas' decision about which college to go to easier: he decides to attend her college so they can be a couple in the next two weeks. The Fireside Girls, Baljeet and Ferb, who had come around the house from the backyard while Phineas and Isabella were talking, overheard their conversation and are happy to see that they are together now. Buford, who arrives in his cupid costume, asks what did he miss after seeing the commotion. Baljeet tells him about Phineas and Isabella's new relationship, which he is happy to hear. After the girls give farewell hugs to Isabella, Phineas and Isabella embrace. Isabella gets back in her car, telling Phineas that she'll see him in two weeks before she drives away. Ferb approaches Phineas and commends him for his college choice. Vanessa then drives up in the yellow sports car Doofenshmirtz previously drove and Ferb gets into the passenger's seat where they are shown to be together as well. They offer Phineas a ride, to which he accepts.
Phineas and Isabella kiss
During the drive to Tri-State State, Isabella comes to a stoplight, and Vanessa's car pulls up next to hers. Phineas gets out of the backseat, and Isabella gets out of her car to ask Phineas what he is doing. Phineas replies, "This." and then kisses her. Off to the side, watching from her car with Ferb, Vanessa tells Ferb that she never realized Isabella had a thing for Phineas, to which he replies, "Seriously?". She then tells him that she was just messing with him, and that everyone knows about Isabella's crush, while the light changes to green as the couple drives off. When Phineas and Isabella finish kissing, Isabella tells Phineas that it was worth the wait, to which he agrees before they share another kiss.
Swampy begins to sob uncontrollably when seeing the gang all grown up and going to college. Dan tries to console him, but excuses himself and leaves the still weepy Swampy alone.
Third verse of "What Might Have Been" begins the song while Swampy continues to sob in the background. During the logos, Dan yells at Swampy to get a grip.
Swampy: Are we ever gonna see Phineas and Ferb as teenagers? Dan: Yes. Yes, we are.
Isabella: Well, I guess I'll see you in two weeks. Phineas: Yes. Yes, you will.
Isabella: That was worth the wait. Phineas: Yes. Yes it was.
Ferb's Line[]
Phineas: Ugh! I'm running out of time, Ferb. I gotta choose a school. Do I stay local or go abroad? Trade school? Art school? Come on, Ferb. Help me make a decision. Ferb: Get in the booth.
Phineas: Okay, Kjobstaad Academy. Uh, which one was that again? Ferb: Mmm...great physics department, Norway.
Phineas: Yeah. He's going to Camford on Oxbury. Heh heh! "Camford on Oxbury". It sounds like a wizard school. Ferb: It's not a wizard school. Well, there is some wizarding.
Adyson: And when we get them to come back here and see it and each other, they're bound to fall madly in love like they were always meant to be!
Ferb: You know, you can't force these things. Adyson: Oh, come on. We're girls. It's what we do.
Ferb: So Tri-State State, huh? Good choice.
Phineas: Hi, Nessa! Where're you guys goin'? Vanessa: Oh, Ferb's takin' me out for Ukranian food. Ferb: Can we drop you anywhere?
Vanessa: I never knew she had a thing for him. Ferb: Seriously? Vanessa: Naw, I'm just messin' with you. Everyone knew.
What'cha doin'?[]
Phineas: So she's...leaving?
Baljeet: Yes. Huh. I always thought the two of you would end up together. Phineas: I wish. I am so in the friend zone there. Baljeet: You are kidding, right? You do know she had a giant crush on you for ages. Phineas: Uh...no. Buford: Oh, come on! It was so obvious! She came over to your house every day for eleven years just to see what you were doin'!
Phineas: What'cha doin'? Heh heh.
(Isabella looks up and smiles.)
Isabella: Phineas, what are you doing? Phineas: This. (Phineas kisses Isabella)
Hey, where's Perry?[]
None.
Perry's entrance to his lair[]
Perry is sleeping on top of the tree in the Flynn-Fletcher backyard and receives a call from Commander Carl.
Phineas: Yeah, things seemed a lot easier when we were young and waiting for our voices to drop. Baljeet: [deep voice with American accent] Hey, guys. (coughs, normal voice) Oh! Something was caught in my throat.
Baljeet: I was just giving Buford some pointers on collegiate life. Since I've already graduated and have been accepted as a professor, I could pull some strings and get him into my school. (to Buford) Just think, Buford. You could be my student! I could be the boss of you! Buford: Don't get too excited. I'm goin' to film school. I'm concentratin' on tragedies. The story of a struggling orphan's transcendental search for meaning in a post-apocalyptic society. Baljeet: It sounds pretentious. Buford: Thank you.
Candace: And that concludes my dissertation on modern investigative techniques for establishing proof of guilt with or without physical evidence. (The judges all give her a standing ovation.) Professor Furlong: Spectacular! I've never had a student convince me of something so baseless before! Professor Heathwood: Now I feel like busting someone.
Buford: Hey, the epic struggle of a triangle-headed boy: to choose between two schools. Baljeet: Pretentious alert. Buford: And again, thank you.
Irving: (on the phone) Sir, it's the old Evil Scientist Alert System! It's showing inator activity on a Doctor Dooferd... (Split screen to reveal Carl, now much older and wearing a uniform and mustache much like Major Monogram did.) Commander Carl: Doofenshmirtz?! Great googly moogly! I thought he'd given up his evil ways when we placed him as a high school science teacher. Well, it's too bad Monogram isn't around to see this. Irving: Well, sir, he's gone to a better place. Commander Carl: Yeah. (beat) Oh, what the heck? I'm gonna call him!
Buford: (looking in the fridge) Why do parents buy such weird food? Everything's lite, low, non, free, or diet.
Phineas: Well, why didn't you guys ever tell me?
Baljeet: We are guys. We do not talk about feelings. Buford: (shrugs) Baljeet: Did you see the new car Irving got? Buford: Could we eat yet? I'm starvin'.
Doofenshmirtz: I wanna do something fun and exciting and...also incredibly stupid.
Holly: Ginger, are you texting Baljeet again? Ginger: Yeah, we're at odds deciding what movie to see later. He wants to go to the one about that planet and I want to see the one with that guy. Adyson: Well, don't fight about it. Manipulate the situation! Holly: Manip-the-wha? Adyson: (sighs) Okay, ladies, listen up. Pretend you don't care about your movie, but then hint that it's playing at the theatre next to the froyo place he likes. The seed is planted, and he'll think it's his idea to go there. Isabella: Hi, guys! Food's up! Aw, just think, this may be the last time I'm stuffing your faces before I'm off to school. (the phone rings) I got it, Mom! (to the girls) Anyway, enjoy! Gotta treat my Fireside Girl alums right. (she leaves) Ginger: Hey hey! Baljeet says okay to my movie! Adyson: Mm-hmm. Works every time.
Isabella: Do we have chopped liver? What do you think this place is? Chopped li— Oh, that doesn't really work.
Buford: Ginger texting you again? Baljeet: Yes. The girls want to get Phineas and Isabella together. Buford: Wasn't that our idea? Baljeet: Yes, but now I've got to write her back in a passive way that makes her think it's really her idea. She is trying to manipulate the situation. (takes another bite of his sandwich) It is how we love.
Doofenshmirtz: Hey, this is one of those fancy sailing yachts! We could sail around the world in this thing! We could, we could visit exotic ports, fight pirates! We'd like a couple of seafaring Huck Finns and the ocean would be our ho–! (The boat sinks, and Doof's black hair dye creates a smudge in the water. He swims back up.) Or maybe we could wrestle alligators! No, wait, even better: Sports car! (He swims to shore, with Perry following.)
Nana Shapiro: Phineas, look at me. If you have anything you need to say to her, you'd better go over to the restaurant and say it. Her summer's almost over. Phineas: I—You're right. Thanks! (he runs off) Nana Shapiro: The restaurant is that way! (She points in the direction opposite of where Phineas ran) Phineas: Thanks again! (He runs off in the other direction)
Gretchen: When they first walk in, we'll play the songs I put on this playlist. They're all about love, and it will trigger them to start thinking about love. Then we have these streamers and balloons in both of their favorite colors, which will stimulate the romantic centers of their brains making them think about love. Katie: What if it doesn't? Buford: Well, then, we have this sign. (His sign says, "Think about love.")
Doofenshmirtz: Sure you don't have anything else that's more ridiculous or irresponsible? Salesman: Nope. This is as dumb as they come.
Doofenshmirtz: So, what else ya got? Salesman: We've got another one just like it, but in yellow. Doofenshmirtz: (gasps) Ya hear that?! It'll be like driving a really fast Ducky Momo!
Buford: Oh, yeah, it's the perfect romantic setting out there. It will be like love kicked them both in the face! Baljeet: Buford, the table looks great, but there is one thing that will make it perfect. (He produces Buford's cupid costume from behind his back.) Buford: No! No way! I'm not putting that stupid cupid outfit on again. Baljeet: But it worked so well for me and Mishti! Ginger: (Jealously) Oh, Mishti, Mishti, Mishti. Adyson: Let it go, Ging.
Ms. Garcia-Shapiro: Phineas, honey, how are you? Phineas: Hi, Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro. Uh, is Isabella here? Ms. Garcia-Shapiro: Oh no, sweetie, she's gone. Phineas: Gone, like driving-car-school-gone? Ms. Garcia-Shapiro: Yes, you just missed her. It's too bad you didn't get to see her off. You know, since you were kids she's had a huge crush on you. Phineas: (Sighs) I wish I had known. (he leaves as Ms. Garcia-Shapiro frowns at him sympathetically)
Adyson: Alright, let's get 'em over here now. (she takes out her cell phone out of her Fireside Girl backpack) Oh, wait, I don't have any charge. Gretchen: Oh, this is her old number. Ginger: Wait, where's my phone? (The dumpster from earlier suddenly goes through the gate and takes all the romantic dinner stuff with it.) Baljeet: My phone's out in the car. Buford: I just got the 21G and the software won't be ready for two months. Baljeet: (looks behind him) Um, guys? (All the girls look at the empty backyard after Ferb looked over first.) Katie: Wow! Now it's exactly like it was when we were kids!
Doofenshmirtz: (to the jump instructor) Hi there. Y-Y'know, one of the best things about being a successful scientist is that I get to meet lots of attractive women, such as yourself. Jump Instructor: You want to know the best part about being a jump instructor? Doofenshmirtz: What? (The jump instructor pushes him off the plane)
Lawrence: Linda! I don't know what's come over me, but I'm starting to get the most wild and uninhibited ideas! You know how every day for the last 20 years I've relaxed with a nice cup of Earl Grey? Well, not today, Linda! Today, I'm putting out all the stops! Darjeeling! Linda: You...are a madman.
Phineas: You know, Baljeet said something funny. He said you had a crush on me back in grade school.
Isabella: Oh. Yeah. I had a big crush on you. Phineas: Wow...I had no idea. Isabella: Really? I thought I was being so obvious. Phineas: Absolutely clueless. Sorry. Isabella: I sort of gave up when we got to high school. Phineas: Yeah...I think that's when I started to have a thing for you.
Isabella: Phineas, what are you doing?
Jeff "Swampy" Marsh: (sobbing) I can't believe it! It seems like only yesterday we were drawing our first doodles of these kids on the place mats of that... Dan Povenmire: (consoling Swampy) Yeah, I, I know, it's a... It's a sweet episode. Jeff "Swampy" Marsh: Now they're, they're growing up... and going to college... Dan Povenmire: But it's... It is really... It's just a cartoon. Jeff "Swampy" Marsh: Why?! Dan Povenmire: Um... Y'know, I got a thing. I'm gonna... I'm just gonna... (He gets up out his chair and leaves Swampy alone.) Jeff "Swampy" Marsh: They're growing up!
Dan Povenmire: (to Jeff "Swampy" Marsh) Oh, get a grip, Swampy!
Background Information[]
This episode takes place approximately 10 years after the events of the series. Given that school starts two weeks later, it takes place around mid/late August.
Doofenshmirtz's old appearance marked the fourth time an elderly/middle-aged version of Heinz was featured in the show. The first was in "Lights, Candace, Action!" and the second and the third were in "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo".
This is the first episode to premiere in 2015.
According to this episode, Isabella had come over "every day for eleven summers." One of the montages during "What Might Have Been" suggests the summer the rest of the show was set in takes place sometime in the early-middle of that period.
In addition, this episode shows Phineas has been (on the series' present, will be) engaging in Big Ideas every summer.
It appears that everyone, including Vanessa Doofenshmirtz and Vivian Garcia-Shapiro, were aware of Isabella's crush on Phineas, while Phineas remained completely oblivious.
Candace's future as a law student and her dissertation presentation was probably inspired by her constant failed attempts on busting her brothers, which eventually replied by the female panelist, whom she felt like busting someone.
Given Irving's obsession with knowing everything about Phineas and Ferb and their Big Ideas, it is plausible that he could eventually learn about their pet platypus and Isabella's pet chihuahua both being an Agent P, and put his nerdy technology skills to good use as O.W.C.A.'s next intern to help Carl and Perry fight other evil scientists after Dr. Doofenshmirtz retired from L.O.V.E.M.U.F.F.I.N.
It is revealed that Ginger was aware of Baljeet's crush on Mishti and was very jealous.
The only characters who looked like they normally do are Linda, Lawrence, Vivian, Vanessa, Perry, and Nana Shapiro, though Doofenshmirtz looks like his usual self, the only difference is having grey hair.
Of the characters above, Vanessa is the only character who does not wear her usual clothes.
While most of the child characters have their voices lowered a bit to match their ages, Ferb and Irving's voices are the same as they were when they were younger.
The characters' respective futures:
Candace: Goes to law school.
Baljeet: Becomes a professor at an unspecified college and dates Ginger Hirano.
Buford: Attends an unspecified college and majors in film.
Ginger: Dates Baljeet.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Gives up evil for ten years after becoming a science teacher at Vanessa's old high school, and rarely makes any new inventions. He becomes Perry's bowling buddy.
Carl: Becomes the new head of O.W.C.A., known as Commander Carl.
Major Monogram: Retires to Bora Bora.
Agent P: Retires, but is still on-call for when his old nemesis becomes evil again. He and Heinz are bowling buddies.
Irving: Works at the O.W.C.A., presumably as an unpaid intern, and gets a new car.
Phineas: Finally admits to Isabella that he's had a crush on her since the beginning of high school and enrolls in the same school she will be attending, Tri-State State College, so he can begin a romantic relationship with her.
Isabella: Attends Tri-State State College, finally admits to Phineas that she's had a crush on him since grade school, and begins a romantic relationship with him. She also worked at her mother's restaurant as a waitress during her teenage years.
Vanessa: Owns a sports car and dates Ferb.
Ferb: Attends Camford-on-Oxbury in England and dates Vanessa.
Vivian Garcia-Shapiro: Works at her family restaurant.
In both production and airing order, this is the last regular episode.
This is the last double-length episode where no one says "Oh, there you are, Perry."
On December 14, 2012, Dan Povenmire tweeted the photo of Vincent Martella singing the aforementioned song. [4]
On March 1, 2013, Dan Povenmire, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh and Jake Whetter had a Spreecast chat. Fans were welcome to send in questions using Spreecast, Facebook, or Twitter with the hashtag "#PlatypusDay". During Spreecast, Dan and Swampy had confirmed an emotional Phineas/Isabella episode in Season 4, and mentioned that the song made them both cry. [5]
On May 10, 2013, Robert F. Hughes mentioned via Twitter that this episode would not be the Season 4 finale and revealed its title to be "Act Your Age".[6]
On May 18, 2013, Bernie Petterson has confirmed that he and Kim Roberson were the writers and storyboard artists for this episode.
On August 28, 2013, Robert F. Hughes confirmed that this episode would be a 22-minute long episode (30 minutes with commercials).[7]
On December 16, 2013, Aliki Theofilopoulos Grafft confirmed that this episode's animation was already done at least for a week from that moment.[8]
On January 14, 2014, Dan and Swampy posted a tweet from their recording session for the episode with Alyson Stoner. [9][10]
On January 22, 2014, Dan posted two script doodles of "Act Your Age".[11][12]
During their July 22, 2014 Spreecast to promote "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars", Dan Povenmire noted that this episode would air in February 2015.
A few scenes of this episode were shown at the 2014 Comic-Con International in San Diego.
The teenage versions of Phineas and the gang were drawn by DeviantArt user Ashley Simpson, alias "KicsterAsh". Dan Povenmire created a DeviantArt account for himself just so he could ask her to design for this episode.[13] Simpson is given a credit for "Character Design" at the end of the episode.
Of the teenage Fireside Girls, only Gretchen and Adyson have the same voice actresses as their younger counterparts. The voice of Ginger is provided by Ming-Na Wen, who not only voiced Ginger's mother Dr. Hirano, but is also the real-life mother of Michaela Zee, the current voice of Ginger.
Rumors circulated among the public that this episode would be the series finale. Because of this, many crew members have made public announcements to deny it. [14][15] Dan Povenmire referred to the episode as an "emotional finale" but clarified that it would not be the season finale. [16]
This is, however, the last episode (next to the last) before the series finale.
After the Russian version aired, Dan Povenmire explained on Twitter that he did not want it to air anywhere else before it aired in the United States. [17]
Contrary to the common approach taken when mixing some of the children's voices in regular episodes (notably Buford's), none of the recordings for their teenage versions were subjected to digital editing.
This is the last full 22 minute episode (minus ads) of the series, as well as the last regular episode overall.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, the title is "Adolecentes" which means "teenagers".
The scene where Phineas kisses Isabella got put in after the animatic got finished, and storyboarded by Dan Povenmire. According to Dan at SDCC 2015, when his wife saw the storyboard of this scene, she cried.
On Disney+, in Indonesia, the Mexican Jewish Café word below Nosh Olé is censored for unknown reasons. Some dialogues were also cut out, such as "What the heck" (by Carl), "Text Lover Boy" (by Adyson), and the zoomed-out scene of Phineas and Isabella's kiss.
International Premieres[]
May 10, 2014 (Television New Zealand)
August 12, 2014 (Disney Russia - YouTube)
March 6, 2015 (Disney Channel Russia)
March 7, 2015 (Disney XD Canada)
March 14, 2015 (Disney XD Poland)
March 19, 2015 (Disney XD UK and Ireland)
March 20, 2015 (Disney Channel Scandinavia)
April 3, 2015 (Disney Channel Asia)
April 20, 2015 (Disney Channel Italy)
June 8, 2015 (Spain. On the internet)
June 13, 2015 (Disney Channel Japan)
June 20, 2015 (Disney XD Spain and Disney Channel Latin America & Brazil)
July 1, 2015 (Disney XD Germany)
July 2, 2015 (TV5 Philippines)
July 17, 2015 (Disney Channel Hungary and Czech Republic)
When Carl calls Monogram in Bora Bora, he dials only 7 numbers, but when making a call from the US to French Polynesia, you would have to dial 12 numbers (011 + 689 + local number).
Buford says that Isabella came to Phineas and Ferb's house every day for eleven years, but she does not show up for some projects in the summer the timeline takes place in ("La Candace-Cabra", to name one).
Baljeet mentions the time Isabella's eyes formed hearts, which was only seen in the very first episode, "Rollercoaster". Oddly enough, he wasn't introduced yet in the said episode.
During Mid-Life Crisis, Perry's jetpack disappears throughout the song and then reappears again after the song ends.
When Adyson suggests Ginger to manipulate the situation, Gretchen's left eye is not attached to her face.
When the gang are in the backyard, Adyson's hairband repeatedly disappears and then reappears.
When Buford enters the house, Adyson is seen stirring in the kitchen, and she doesn't wear an apron. When Buford approaches her as the screen zooms in, Adyson suddenly wears her apron.
When the dumpster passes the Nosh Ole Café, the trash can is seen on the left side of the door. After Isabella and Vivian exit the café, the trash can is seen on the right side. This happens again when Phineas is about to enter the café.
In What Might Have Been:
Tween Isabella standing on teen Isabella's foot.
In Isabella's part, when her young adult, tween, and preschooler selves sing backup, tween Isabella's right foot is standing on young adult Isabella's left foot.
When we see Isabella entering the backyard in her toddler, kid, tween, and teen ages, if examined closely, it seems that she somewhat becomes the same size as the fence.
When Phineas is giving Isabella a flower, the insides of the bottoms of Isabella's pants become superimposed over her shoes.
Phineas has freckles on his head when seen as a toddler, kid, and teen, but when seen as a preschooler and tween, he does not have them.
When the gang finishes setting up the dinner and starts to call Isabella, Milly is missing. Also, when the Fireside Girls give farewell to Isabella, she is nowhere to be seen.
When the dumpster hits the dinner setting, some decorations are still on the grass. After Baljeet asks the company to take a look at the ruined setting, the decorations are suddenly swept away.
When Katie says that it was exactly like their childhood, Adyson's clothes are all blue instead of a blue top and skirt.
At the same time, Katie's hair moves from behind her arm in one frame to in front of it in the next.
Also, Adyson's and Gretchen's phones change color from black to white.
Baljeet with an extra mouth
When Baljeet says that he and his friends were trying to get Phineas and Isabella together, he has two mouths at one point.
Isabella does not have any pupils
In the confession scene, Isabella's pupils briefly disappear after she says "I've been busy".
When Vanessa pulls up in the yellow sports car, it only has two seats. When she pulls up beside Isabella's car, it has an extra third seat in the back on its own. Additionally, there are no other seats besides the one in the back.
When Vanessa drives up to Ferb right after Isabella leaves, Baljeet, Buford, and the Fireside Girls suddenly disappear.
When Phineas comes up to Isabella's car at the end, she rolls down the window and leaves the car. When the car is in the next shot, the window is rolled up.
Buford's interests in attending film school and focusing on post-apocalyptic movies are foreshadowed (in release order) in "Phineas and Ferb Save Summer", where he made his own movie about the world apocalypse.
Carl is the head of the O.W.C.A. for the first time in production order and second time in release order ("Phineas and Ferb Save Summer").
Carl mentions placing Doof as a high school science teacher ("Doof 101").
Buford wears a diaper for his cupid costume again, and Baljeet mentions when Buford wore that costume during his and Mishti's date ("That Sinking Feeling").
In scene where Isabella asks Phineas what he is doing, he replies, "this" and proceeds to kiss her. Jeremy said the same thing to Candace right before they had their first kiss at the end of "Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You!".
Adyson says, "Oh, come on, we're girls. It's what we do!" similarly to what Jeremy told Candace in an earlier episode: "We're teenagers. It's what we do." ("Great Balls of Water").
The Crystal Maze - When Phineas is in the booth surrounded by flying paper it looks like the last round of the UK game show (originally presented by cast member Richard O'Brien)
The Diamond Head Game and Beat The Clock - The booth that Phineas and Ferb use to decide what college to go to bears a resemblance to the volcano wind machine from the 1970s Hawaiian based The Diamond Head Game and the 'Swirling Whirlwind of Cash and Prizes' from the 2002-2003 version of the classic stunt show Beat the Clock.
Harry Potter - Phineas mentions that the school Ferb will be attending in England, Camford on Oxbury, sounds like a wizard school. Ferb denies this, before admitting that there is some wizarding.
Cambridge and Oxford - Ferb's college choice is a parody of these two rival English Universities.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - When Doofenshmirtz is standing on the Yacht he references to Perry the plot to the book except on the ocean and not on a river.
Pagani Zonda - The sports car that Doofenshmirtz drives strongly resembles a Pagani Zonda. In the song "Midlife Crisis", the green sports car when Doofenshmirtz sings "Sports Car Buying" Resembles a 2002-2005 Honda NSX.
The Brady Bunch - The way Ginger says "Mishti, Mishti, Mishti" is like Jan's "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha".
Grease - When Phineas and Isabella kiss, the romantic orchestral/choral rendition of Isabella's "What'cha doin'?" theme strongly resembles the rendition to "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" from the opening scene of the 1978 film adaptation of Grease.
However, this is the first time that the regular universe versions of Phineas and Isabella have ever kissed that they are aware of. Their memories were erased in Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension, while the Star Wars special was non-canon and featured alternate universe versions of the characters.
This is one of several episodes in which Perry doesn't battle Doofenshmirtz due to the latter having given up on evil.
Perry does not interact with the Flynn-Fletcher family or their friends in this episode. He is also never seen in his "mindless pet" persona, nor does anybody comment on his absence or reappearance.
If Perry was adopted five years before the series and this episode is set ten years into the future, then he is at least 15 years old in this episode. However, his character design remains unchanged and nothing suggests that he has any age-related complications. In "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo", Perry is about 20 years old and appeared wrinkled and slower.
In the real world, platypuses in captivity may only live up to the age 17.
This is also the first and only two-part episode where Candace has just a cameo.
Carl says, "Great googly moogly!", which was previously Monogram's catchphrase.
This episode is tied with "Last Day of Summer" as the highest rated episode on IMDB with a 9.4/10, while most episodes have around 8/10.
This marks the second time someone suggests giving Perry a girlfriend. ("Nerds of a Feather")
Final episode to heavily involve the Fireside Girls, the fifth time every Fireside Girl has a speaking role ("Isabella and the Temple of Sap", "Bee Story", "Happy Birthday, Isabella", "Night of the Living Pharmacists"), and the last time any of them have speaking roles.
