Oh, now I get it. You got a thing for that girl robot.
”
— Heinz Doofenshmirtz
When Mom becomes overwhelmed with organizing a block party, she asks Phineas and Ferb for their help in making the party's finale memorable. Meanwhile, Candace plans to bust her brothers, but their team up with Mom throws a bit of a wrench into her situation. Over at the block party, Doofenshmirtz tries to set Norm up with a female robot, but Norm's nervousness get the best of him.
Linda is trying to set up a block party, and she tells the boys that she is overwhelmed with all the work she has to do. Phineas and Ferb think of ideas for the party finale, and they decide on a laser light show. Linda then gives them a list of companies that do light shows, but Phineas decides that they should just build it themselves instead. Lawrence then arrives dressed up as a Mardi Gras jester, or a "sock puppet" as most think; he explains that he is the DJ for the block party.
Lawrence dressed up as a Mardi Gras jester
Major Monogram informs Perry about his mission, which involves the block party. He states that Doofenshmirtz is attending the party, reportedly "for the fun of it", and Agent P has to make sure that he isn't doing evil. However, he has to be in disguise because he is so close to his host family, and ends up dressing as a balloon version of himself.
Candace, in her room, wants to bust the boys, but they haven't done anything bustable all day. However, Stacy promptly points out a robotic insect that Phineas and Ferb have made. Candace immediately goes out and asks Phineas what they're doing, and he explains that they are making the laser light show for the finale. Candace heads straight into the house after learning about their project and yells for Linda.
At Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated, Doofenhsmirtz is ready to go to the block party, but Norm doesn't want to go because he doesn't have a date. Doof gives Norm advice to go stag, clarifying that he does not mean for Norm to dress as a wild forest animal. Norm is still disappointed, but Doof tells him that he might meet a nice popcorn machine or blender, which finally convinces Norm to come along.
Doofenshmirtz "going stag"
Candace finds Linda and tells her what the boys are doing, but to her surprise, Linda intentionally asked them to help out with the finale, thus making the situation unbustable. Phineas and Ferb show Isabella, Buford, and Baljeet the P.H.L.A.S.E.R., the machine that will create the laser light show for the party. While Phineas goes to get some towels to polish the lenses, Candace sits in a lawn chair, muttering to herself how the situation is "unbustable". Stacy then drags Candace away.
Perry, still in disguise, bounces across some port-a-potties and lands in a balloon booth, where he starts to spy on Doofenshmirtz.
Doof is helping Norm be smooth in order to ask out a popcorn machine, but a cotton candy cart rolls up, and Doof says that someone else has gotten her. Norm sighs, but then lights up when he sees a female robot, Chloe, through the crowd. Doof realizes that Norm has his eye on her and convinces Norm to make his move by asking what her sign is. He goes up to introduce himself, but upon Chloe's response (Pisces), returns to Doof as he doesn't know what to say next. Doof reveals that Charlene was a Pisces, and remarks that the two robots could well end up marrying and then slowly divorcing over the years. He then tell Norm what to do next.
Balthazar Horowitz walks up to Perry but Perry shushes him and makes him a balloon fedora so he can keep his cover.
Baltzahar asking for a balloon fedora
Major Monogram contacts Perry over the wrist beacon but Perry notices that Major Monogram is right behind him with an ice cream cone. Major Monogram awkwardly signs off and yells at Carl for not telling him that Agent P was right there (though Perry doesn't buy this, as he feels annoyed by Monogram's sudden appearance).
Norm walks up to Chloe and after an awkward conversation ends up challenging her to a dance off. He walks back to Doof, who tells Norm to try to get out of his own head, Norm isn't sure how to do that and Doof pushes Norm out to the dance floor.
Up on stage, Lawrence turns on the music and Norm and Chloe dance. At the end of the song, Norm's head flies off and lands on the P.H.L.A.S.E.R, shorting it out and activating the grand finale prematurely. Phineas and Ferb told Isabella and the Fireside Girls hand out safety glasses to protect people from the light.
A stream of multi-color light streams come out of the exploding P.H.L.A.S.E.R as the crowd stares in awe. The show ends and Norm's head falls back on to his body, upside-down. The entire audience praises the robots' performance, including Doofenshmirtz, who takes great pride in Norm's efforts.
Norm combined with the P.H.L.A.S.E.R
As Norm and Chloe hold hands after the dance, they finally start to fall for each other, and Doofenshmirtz arrives to congratulate Norm for being "Smoothtastic". However, the glee is cut short when Chloe's creator arrives, revealing to be Rodney himself. Rodney pulls Chloe away, telling her to stay away from that "Rusted Romeo". An angry Doofenshmirtz tries to yell back at Rodney for insulting Norm, but can't think of an insult and decides to call back later on Rodney for this. Norm and Chloe say their goodbyes, quoting from Romeo and Juliet, and Doof tells Norm that he don't need Chloe anyway before turning his attention of buying corn dogs at a nearby stand.
Linda comes to thank the boys, but then "busts" them for leaving her guest towels dirty and all over the ground. Candace complains that out of all the things Phineas and Ferb have done this summer, she is upset about this. Linda then tells the boys to clean up and goes to make dinner, leaving Candace frustrated.
Lawrence: Hello, hello hello! Can you guess what my DJ costume is for tonight's big Mardi Gras block party?
Phineas: Uh... scary post-apocalyptic handpuppet? Lawrence: Why does everyone guess that?
Doofenshmirtz: Quit your whining. Just go stag like me.
Norm: You mean dress up like a wild forest creature with antlers? Doofenshmirtz: Ah... not quite. I tried that and it did not go well. (Cutaway to Doof in a deer costume, and tied to a car) Doofenshmirtz: H-hello? I think I may have come to the wrong address.
Candace: Mom Mom Mom Mom!!! Do you know what Phineas and Ferb are doing?!!!
Candace and Linda: They're working on the big finale for the block party tonight! Candace Huh? What'd you say?
Norm: What do I say? I do not believe she has an oil pan to complement.
Doofenshmirtz: Just introduce yourself and, you know, ask her what her sign is. And then run the other way if she says Sagittarius. Norm: Thank you, sir! Doofenshmirtz: Go get her, Norm. (Norm walks over to the female robot.) Norm: Hi, I'm Norm. What is your sign? Female Robot: Hi, I am Chloe. I am a Pisces. (Norm looks around awkwardly and then walks back towards Doofenshmirtz) Doofenshmirtz: Well? Norm: You did not tell me what to do if she is a Pisces. Doofenshmirtz: In my experience you get married, and then subsequently divorced but we don't have time for that.
Doofenshmirtz: Women like it when you challenge them, and act all superior.
Norm: That does not seem logical. Doofenshmirtz: We are talking about women here, right? Okay, now remember, don't forget to stay cool. Norm: No problem, my compressor is from a refrigeration unit.
Doofenshmirtz: What are you telling me for? I'm the guy who installed it.
Tattooed Guy: Hey! My tattoos are gone! Now I can finally be an accountant!
(The gang put on a spectacular display.) Linda: Ooh! Crowd: Ooh! Candace: Whatever.
Norm: Everyone looks smaller than the usually do from up here. And that is already pretty small, because I am so tall.
Chloe: (to Norm) Your performance exceeded my previous computations.
Norm: Goodbye, Chloe. "Parting is such sweet sorrow."
Chloe: That is a reference from Romeo and Juliet, so I shall say "goodnight 'til it be morrow." Doofenshmirtz: See you don't need her, Norm, she's a know-it-all.
Background Information[]
Dan and Swampy's lookalikes in the background
Dan and Swampy's lookalikes have a cameo.
Production Information[]
On Disney SVOD, the episode is listed as "What is Love?"
This episode was aired at Disney Channel on Demand on August 1, 2013.
Throughout the scenes when Doofenschmirtz is talking to Norm about approaching a woman the characters in the background constantly change where and who with they are standing.
Several kids balloons change color or disappear and some people's masks change.
Who is attending the booths changes and later the booths are un-attended.
Mardi Gras is usually celebrated in February, not in the summer.
Love at first sight - The title is a play on this common phrase. It also parodies the title of the Susan St. James-George Hamilton 1979 film Love at First Bite as well as the title of episodes of The Facts of Life, Small Wonder and Hurricanes and the 2000 book by Christine Harris.
Romeo and Juliet - Norm and Chloe say lines from the tragic Shakespeare play when they part.
Mardi Gras/New Orleans - The Block party is Mardi Gras themed, which is a big party that takes place the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in New Orleans. Also Linda offers the boy Beignets (the official state doughnut of Louisiana) instead of pie at the end of the episode.
Monogram tells Perry to Laissez les bon temps rouler, which is "Let the good times roll" in French, a phrase often associated with Mardis Gras.
Vivian Garcia-Shapiro is seen with the man that she was dancing with towards the end of Happy New Year. He may be related to her as the man was seen at the Mexican-Jewish Cultural festival in "Picture This".
Arguably, Perry didn't contribute to the main plot. He does not interact with Phineas, Ferb or Doofenshmirtz and he is not seen at all after Monogram and Carl find him in person.
Suzy appears in the background at the block party. However, she does not get to interact with Norm again after the first time they met in "Ferb TV" when this episode focuses on Norm.
They celebrated Mardi Gras, a holiday that Doofenshmirtz previously described as "a waste unless you own a candy store." ("Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!")
It is implied that Charlene is a Pisces, as Doofenshmirtz says "in my experience you get married! And then subsequently divorce" when Norm tells him that Chloe is a Pisces.
