| "Operation: T.H.E.-F.L.Y." | |
| Season 1, Episode 08 | |
| |
| Mission: | 016 |
|---|---|
| Production Code: | 8a |
| Airdate: | January 17, 2003 |
| Credits | |
| Writer(s): | Mo Willems Mr. Warburton |
| Storyboards by: | Guy Moore |
| Episode Guide | |
| Previous Mission "Operation: L.I.Z.Z.I.E." |
Next Mission "Operation: P.O.I.N.T." |
Tiny Horsefly Examines Five Little Youngsters
"Operation: T.H.E.-F.L.Y." is the first story in the eight episode of Season 1 of Codename: Kids Next Door. It aired on January 17, 2003 on Cartoon Network and was the first "art" episode in the series.
Information[]
Summary[]
A fly finds its way into Sector V's headquarters.
Plot[]
The episode is told from the point of view of a housefly flying around the Sector V Treehouse, and is entirely orchestral, featuring no sound other than music which punctuates the action. The fly first witnesses Sector V arriving home from some mission, bringing back a Samurai helmet, apparently an item of great value to them. After cheering for their success, they all go to their rooms. When no one else is looking, Numbuh 1 takes the helmet on and pretends to battle in his room before he sees the fly. He runs away from it, seemingly scared of it. He then presses the emergency exit button, sucking the fly into an air vent.
It emerges from the vent into the room of Numbuh 2, who seems to have repeatedly failed at inventing new technology. Upon seeing the fly, he is filled with joy. He takes the fly and puts it in a scanning device and creates a device consisting of two tennis rackets that allow him to fly. He flies around and plays with the fly until it flies away. It lands in the room of Numbuh 3, who catches the fly with a butterfly net and dresses it up for a tea party, but it soon escapes through another vent. The fly comes into Numbuh 4's room while its occupant is practicing martial arts. He attempts to kill it but it escapes through the vent once again. Numbuh 4 breaks open his vent and follows the fly as it finally reaches Numbuh 5's room who is reading and listening to music. The others then rush into the room, all wanting to do something different with the fly. After a period of thought, Numbuh 5 instead chooses to let the fly go free by releasing it out of the window, leaving everyone except Numbuh 1 disappointed. The fly then goes to the Delightful Mansion From Down The Lane, where it is revealed to be a machine used by the Delightful Children From Down The Lane to spy on Sector V. They laugh an inaudible laugh.
Featured[]
KND Operatives
Villains
Locations
- S.C.A.M.P.E.R. (debut)
- Stun ray (only appearance)
- Analysis machine (only appearance)
- F.L.A.P.P.U.H. (debut)
- Mechanical fly (only appearance)
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- Along the main theme, each operative has their own genre of music during their respective scenes:
- Numbuh 1's theme was a Japanese motif, as he pretended to be a Samurai.
- Numbuh 2's theme was that of a waltz, as he flew alongside the fly in an aerial ballet.
- Numbuh 3's theme was that of a music box, as she played dolls with the fly.
- Numbuh 4's theme was heavy metal, as he was trying several ways to kill the fly.
- Numbuh 5's theme was a smooth jazz while she tried to simply relax, oblivious to the fly.
- The Fly interfered with Sector V in 5 different ways:
- Numbuh 1 was avoiding the fly since he was scared of flies.
- Numbuh 2 was doing some research with the Fly, studied its DNA, and danced with it.
- Numbuh 3 had a tea party with the fly, who got uncomfortable and flew away.
- Numbuh 4 attempted to kill the fly with a pipe but got away.
- Numbuh 5 just let the fly go unaware that it was just a robot sent by the Delightful Children from Down the Lane.
- There is no sound in this episode except for the background music. Because of this, there is no way to know what the characters were actually saying except by lip-reading.
- It is shown that Numbuh 1 has pteronarcophobia, the fear of flies.
- This was the first "art" episode of Codename: Kids Next Door, with the next ones being: Operation: R.E.P.O.R.T., Operation: A.R.C.H.I.V.E., Operation: F.O.O.D.F.I.T.E., Operation: L.O.V.E., and Operation: S.C.I.E.N.C.E..
- An animation exhibit at the Liberty Science Center in 2012 included an interactive sound effect-exhibit taken from this episode.[1]
Production Notes[]
- This is the first episode to have a 2003 copyright date in the credits.
Series Continuity[]
- Numbuh 2's fly suit made a cameo in Operation: G.R.O.W.-U.P., probably as "comeuppance" for the Delightful Children leading Numbuh 2 to build the suit.
- The magazine that Numbuh 5 is reading is the same one she read in Operation: L.I.Z.Z.I.E..
- The outfit Kuki wore in this episode is the same as the one she wore in Operation: I.-S.C.R.E.A.M..
Pop Culture References[]
- Numbuh 3's yellow plushy sitting at the table with her looks like Sheep from Sheep in the Big City.
- A repetitive part of the music that consists of violin sounds plays in several moments when the fly is flying away. This part of the music resembles Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-Korsakock.
Goofs[]
- When Numbuh 2 throws away a blueprint, it turns from blue when he throws it, to yellow when it hits the trashcan.
- Numbuh 3's tea party table disappears when she starts chasing after the fly in her room, before reappearing after the fly has been captured.
Gallery[]
