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I wonder what *imitates Perry's chatter* means.

— Phineas Flynn

Phineas and Ferb decide to find out what Perry's chatter means. Meanwhile, Candace tries to spend some time with Jeremy, but she keeps being interrupted by Suzy's poodle. Dr. Doofenshmirtz tries to flood the Tri-State Area and invents a vehicle that drives on water.

Episode Summary[]

Animal translator

Phineas and Ferb about to test the translator.

Phineas and Ferb are sitting with Perry in their backyard. Perry does his chattering noise when Phineas asks him what he wants to do. Phineas tells Ferb that some people say Perry is just a mindless platypus, but he might actually be thinking real thoughts. Phineas says that he knows what they're going to do today: they're going to build a Perry translator!

Candace is talking on the phone with Stacy about Jeremy when she revives a phone call from him. He asks her to come over since he has just gotten a new video game. Candace rushes at Jeremy's house as he tells Candace that Suzy is not home. Meanwhile, Phineas and Ferb complete their contraption, but when they turn around, Perry has just entered his lair.

At the lair, Major Monogram tells Perry that the organization is using alternative energy and trying to become "green", as the lights in Perry's lair are malfunctioning. Since the organization is saving paper Major Monogram just tells Perry that the assignment involves Dr. Doofenshmirtz. As Perry is ready to fulfill his assignment, he is grabbed by Phineas so he and Ferb can test Perry on the new-made translator. As Phineas and Ferb are ready to hear Perry say something, they are interrupted by Isabella, who asks them what they're doing. This distraction gives Perry enough time to sneak out and do his mission.

Squirrel Interview

Phineas interviews a squirrel.

Phineas and Ferb find out that the Perry translator was not only meant for Perry, but for all the other animals in their neighborhood as well. They interview the animals and talk to them about their problems. Phineas finds out that all the animals want things that they can't have, which gives him an idea. Phineas says that they should tell all the pets' owners what their pets want.

While Jeremy is showing Candace his new video game, Suzy's dog jumps on the couch between them. As Candace sees the dog's friendliness towards Jeremy she tries to pet the dog, receiving a hostile growl back from the dog. As Jeremy and Candace are playing the video game, Suzy's dog steals Candace's shoe, causing Candace to run after it and suffering a major accident in the bathroom, which makes Candace run away from Jeremy's house.

Perry goes to the forest where Dr. Doofenshmirtz traps him in a bargain shark cage. The Doofenshmirtz goes off to explain his plan to flood the entire Tri-State Area by opening the Danville Dam so that the entire Tri-State Area will be flooded to make it like Venice, Italy; or to a lesser extent like Venice Beach, California; thus forcing the inhabitants of Danville to purchase his BO-AT.

Candace arrives at Phineas and Ferb's backyard and asks what are they doing. Phineas tells her that they created an animal translator to help understand what animals are thinking. Candace shouts at them and tells them that animals are stupid and she is fed up with them. The animals hear her and run after her. Phineas and Ferb talk to the pets' owners and tell them what their pets want while Candace runs around the neighborhood.

Jeremy putting Candace's shoe on

Jeremy putting the shoe on Candace.

Dr. Doofenshmirtz presses a button on his remote and opens the Danville Dam, activating his BO-AT (Buoyancy Operated Aquatic Transport). Perry jumps onto his BO-AT and interferes. However, Candace runs across the water just in time for all the animals to be swept away onto Dr. Doofenshmirtz's BO-AT. Perry jumps off the BO-AT and opens up the moat. The flooding water rushes into the moat and it leads off to sea, leaving Danville unharmed.

Candace shows her mom the Perry translator, but she thinks that it is a very cute idea. Phineas tests out the animal translator on Perry, but they find out that his chattering noise doesn't mean anything at all. Linda states that Perry is just saying, "You guys are the best!". Phineas, Ferb, Isabella, and Candace go inside for some lemonade, and Jeremy comes over to the backyard. He brings Candace back her shoe and says that he washed it for her, leaving Candace in a trance.

Transcript[]

Read the transcript of Interview With a Platypus.

Songs[]

Gallery[]

Click here to view more images from "Interview With a Platypus".
View the image gallery for "Interview With a Platypus".

Running Gags[]

I know what we're gonna do today![]

Phineas: Hey, Ferb! I know what we're gonna do today! Let's build a Perry translator. We can finally figure out what (Chatters) means. Some say he's just a mindless platypus, but he might actually be thinking some profound thoughts. Just like another quiet animal I know.

The "Too Young" Line[]

Bird: Aren't you a little young for inter-species communication?
Phineas: Yes, yes I am.

Ferb's Line[]

No spoken lines. However, he does make that chattering sound Perry makes.

What'cha doin'?/Hey, where's Perry?[]

Phineas: Okay. Now all we need is our subject. Where's Perry?
Isabella: Hey Phineas. What'cha doin'?
Phineas: Oh, Ferb and I invented a Perry translator so we can finally figure out what he's saying.
Isabella: That's great, but don't you need Perry to be here for it to work?
Phineas: That's weird, Perry was here just a few seconds ago.

Oh, there you are, Perry[]

Monogram: Ah, there you are, Agent P. Sorry about the lights. We're using an alternative energy source, and haven't got it working smoothly yet. I decided it was high time our operation went green.

Perry's entrance to his lair[]

He takes a secret tube to his headquarters. The entrance to the tube is not shown.

Evil Jingle[]

Doofenshmirtz out in the forest!

Memorable Quotes[]

Phineas: What to do, what to do, what to do today! Any ideas, Ferb? (Ferb shrugs) How about you, Perry? Bursting with any plans?
(Perry chatters)
Phineas: Ah. I'll never get tired of you doing that.
(Perry chatters)
Phineas: Awesome. (imitates Perry's chatter) Come on, Ferb, fire one off!
(Ferb imitates chatter; Phineas imitates chatter; Perry chatters; Phineas imitates chatter; Ferb imitates chatter; Perry chatters)
Phineas: I wonder what that means.
(pause; Perry chatters once more)
Phineas: Some say he's just a platypus, but he might actually be thinking some profound thoughts! Just like another quiet animal I know!
pause; Ferb chatters
Major Monogram: For crying out loud, Carl, pedal faster. I need to check my email.
Bird: I sure love worms!
Phineas and Ferb look at Isabella
Isabella: Don't look at me.
Squirrel: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm cute. Now, nut me!
Candace: Aw, who's a good girl? (Suzy's poodle growls) Obviously not me.
Phineas: Yeah, I see what you're saying, but you don't really have an argument. They're giving you twelve cans a day. Technically, you're not underfed.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: You like my new cage? I got it from a secondhand shark supply store. It was half off, because, you know, something bit half of it off.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: But how will people get around? They will have to buy my latest invention! It's like a car, but it can drive on the surface of water! Behold! (Takes the cover off his "invention") You like it? I call it the "Buoyancy Operated Aquatic Transport", or "BO-AT" for short.
Candace: Look, I'm getting the hang of it!
Jeremy: No Candace you just paused it... and you reset the game.
Jeremy: That's weird. Suzy trained her so well.
Candace: I see. Suzy trained her.
Isabella: Okay. We've got 78 complaints about food quantity, 42 requests for belly rubs, and we're still trying to explain TV to Pinky.
Milly: (To Pinky) Again, forget the idea of little people in there.
Candace: An animal translator?! I have had it up to here with stupid animals today. Why would you want to know what stupid animals are saying? Oh, I can tell you what they'll say. 'I'm an animal and I bite my own hiney!' 'I've got a small cranial capacity!' 'Look at me! I don't have opposable thumbs!' 'I eat with my face!' 'I sweat through my tongue!' 'I'm a furry, flea-bitten loser!' Like any other animal on this planet!
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Look at me! I'm driving on water! I'm BO-ATing!
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Perry the Platypus?! How did you...? I always forget you are a semi-aquatic mammal.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: No! Don't open the Metropolitan Oval Aquatic Trench! No, no, no, no, no— oh, hey, look! It spells 'moat'!
Candace: There it is! They built an animal translator!
Linda: Oh, that's adorable!
Candace: Wait, no, it is not!

Background Information[]

  • Linda Flynn-Fletcher finally finds out about the invention of Phineas and Ferb. But as it doesn't work on Perry, she just assumes the boys are playing pretend like usual and walks away.
    • However, Perry may have been meaning to chatter and nothing else.
  • Doofenshmirtz mentions turning Danville into a canal city like Venice, Italy or at least Venice, California. Executive producer Jeff "Swampy" Marsh currently lives in Venice, California.
  • It is unknown if the boys keep the Animal Translator or destroy it after the episode ended.
  • Apparently, Doofenshmirtz does not know about boats or moats are.
  • When Jeremy puts on Candace's shoe at the end, an orchestral version of Isabella's theme music can be heard.
  • Despite when in busting mode, Candace doesn't mention the word "bust" in any way for the first time this season.

Production Information[]

  • Episode description from a 2009 Disney XD Phineas and Ferb press release:[1]
Phineas and Ferb wonder what Perry's really trying to say, so they invent an animal translator. Soon every animal in the neighborhood shows up with a list of complaints. Meanwhile, Candace is dealing with her own animal problems courtesy of Little Suzy's evil poodle, and Doofenshmirtz is trying to harness a Buoyancy Operated Aquatic Transport (aka, BO-AT).

International Premieres[]

  • April 9, 2009 (Disney Channel Brazil)
  • June 2, 2011 (Disney XD Canada)

Errors[]

  • Doofenshmirtz invents the BO-AT, but he already knows what a boat is when he is loaded onto one in "Toy to the World". He also includes boats in several flashbacks. (”Perry Lays An Egg”, ”This Is Your Backstory”, ”That Sinking Feeling”) It's possible this episode happened before the events of ”Toy to the World”, but the flashbacks are set several years earlier.
    • We can also note that Doofenshmirtz refers to the boats in the flashbacks as ”ships” and ”vehicles”. Maybe he just thought he made up the word ”boat”, given that English is his second language.
  • When Doofenshmirtz was driving his BO-AT, somewhere in when he says "Look at me! I'm driving on water! I'm BO-ATing", the BO-AT's steering wheel disappears for a split second and does not spin.
  • Suzy's poodle appears to pee on Candace's left shoe, but she removed her right shoe to clean it and is missing her right shoe for the rest of the episode. However, it's possible that she(the poodle) peed further than usual.
    • However, when the screen zooms out when Perry chatters into the Platypus Translator, Candace is wearing both shoes.
  • Throughout her offensive speech on the animals, Candace's hair is seen wet for the entire time. After the dog shouts "Get her!", her hair is still wet, but this time she is also seen with some water spills around her hair.
  • After the animals get on Doofenshmirtz BO-AT the gorilla is seen driving, but after Perry opens the MOAT Doofenshmirtz is driving again.
  • In some parts of the song of this episode, Candace's hair is damaged (because the animal attacked), but there are scenes in which she is well-groomed and the next second, it is again as before.
  • In one scene, when Candace is angry with the animals and the animals surrounds her, there is a dog on her left side, and the animals start to get angry, then in a different frame, he is then next to the machine shouting 'Get her', then he reappears in his previous spot.
  • If you look closely as Candace repeatedly pauses and resumes the game, she is actually pressing the "down" button.
  • In this episode, Candace does not know anything about playing video games, and yet in "Tree to Get Ready", she is shown playing a video game with Stacy.
  • At the beginning of the episode, as Phineas wonders what to do, his eyebrows repeatedly disappear and reappear. They disappear for the rest of the episode.

Continuity[]

  • The Fireside Girls trying to get Pinky (Isabella's chihuahua) to forget about "little people" could be a reference to the end of "Journey to the Center of Candace" where Dr. Doofenshmirtz gets trapped in a shrunken submarine and eaten by Pinky, and then finds out how to control Pinky's brain using the submarine.
  • Candace mentions liking video games again and is still bad at playing them ("Tree to Get Ready").

Allusions[]

  • Interview With the Vampire - The title of the episode is an allusion to Anne Rice's popular first book in the Vampire Chronicles.
  • Noah's Ark - The angry animals that were chasing Candace got on Dr. Doofenshmirtz's BO-AT (Buoyancy Operated Aquatic Transport) making it look like Noah's Ark and travel the city in which appears to be just like the city of Venice, Italy.
  • The bird going and telling all the animals about the invention may be a reference to the common phrase "A little birdie told me that..."
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - The bird going and telling all the animals may be a reference to the songbirds gathering all the animals together to warn the dwarfs about Snow White's poisoning.
  • VeggieTales - The squirrel sounds like Larry the Cucumber from VeggieTales.
  • Wasp/Waspinator - The squirrel is also similar to Wasp/Waspinator from Transformers who is also voiced by Tom Kenny.
  • Garfield - While Phineas and Ferb are interviewing animals using the animal translator, a cat they interview looks very similar to Garfield, and also has the same demand of his owners: more food.
  • Enchanted - While Jeremy is putting Candace's shoe on her foot, fantasy music is heard; the first two notes sound like the first two notes from the chorus to the Enchanted song "True Love's Kiss". After Candace swoons to the ground, Jeremy asks her if she's okay. She responds with "Enchanted!".
  • Cinderella - At the end, the way Jeremy puts Candace's shoe on her foot the same way as Cinderella tries on the glass slipper.
  • The Benny Hill Show - The animals then show up and chase them off as Candace run for their lives through the city is similar to a Benny Hill-style chase.
  • Hit Me With Your Best Shot - When Phineas told Perry "Hit me with your (Perry's chatter) shot," it may be a reference of the song "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar.
  • Mississippi River – Gulf Outlet Canal - The Mississippi River – Gulf Outlet Canal is known as Mr. Go by the locals from New Orleans, as the abbreviation is MRGO, similar to Danville's MOAT.
  • Titanic (1997) - Dr Doofenshmirtz does the "King of the World" scene when he's on the BO-AT.
  • My Friends Tigger and Pooh - This episode makes an homage to the My Friends Tigger and Pooh episode "Buster's Ruff Day", in which the main characters try to teach their pet to talk using their animal translator. Coincidentally, Buster and Perry are both voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.
  • Doofenshmirtz says he'll make the Tri-State Area like Venice, Italy, or to a lesser extent Venice Beach, California. Venice Beach, California is where Jeff "Swampy" Marsh lives.
  • Scooby-Doo, Where are You! - The chase scene is reminiscent of the chase scenes seen on Scooby-Doo, as both were accompanied by songs that had nothing to do with what was happening on screen.
  • Family Matters - When Candace knocks on Jeremy's front door, seconds after being seen in her room, may be a reference to Steve Urkel rushing to the Winslow house in the same manner.

Trivia[]

  • This is the first time that Phineas and Ferb's Big Ideas didn't disappear due to Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
  • First season 2 appearance of Isabella.
  • First time where Ginger does have a speaking line.
  • When Candace says "[I'm an animal and I] bite my own hiney", it may be a reference to "S'Winter" when Perry escapes from the chocolate casing by "eating his own hiney".
  • Phineas and Ferb mistake first Isabella's, "Hi, Phineas," for something Perry had said, and then the bird's, "I sure love worms!" for something Isabella had said. In "Get That Bigfoot Outa My Face!", Candace thinks a squirrel is talking to her, only to find that it is her grandmother's voice.
  • Doofenshmirtz causes the Danville dam to flood again ("Oil on Candace").
  • The singers of My Nemesis from "It's About Time!" return to sing Perfect Day.
  • As is typical of some variations of the Evil Jingle, "Doofenshmirtz Out in the Forest!" in this episode is in a much higher key than the normal jingle (6 semitones higher).
  • Perry breaks the fourth wall by looking at the screen unamused when Doofenshmirtz explains his "BO-AT".

Cast[]

Main article: Credits
designates a character that did not appear in this episode

References[]

Previous:
"The Lake Nose Monster"
Episodes Next:
"Tip of the Day"
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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