Sherlock Holes and the Golden Ruler

Sherlock Holes and the Golden Ruler is the 27th episode of FruityTales.

The first story is a retelling of " Don Quixote de la Mancha", while the main feature is parody of the Sherlock Holmes series.

Plot
Knight Don Quixote (Reznov Celery) dreams he is facing three Greens in a world made of cooking utensils and foods. He and his best friend Nacho (Mr. Morty) work in a Spanish restaurant of Buffet LaMancha. However, Jean Claude comes in to inform the duo of a new restaurant opening across the street called "The Food Workshop", the most successful restaurant in the world. Don is sure they will go out of businesses.

Don assumes his latest dream has informed him to try different themes to win back their customers. This fails, and shortly after, the Food Workshop manager (Mr. Bezzer) offers Nacho a job at the Food Workshop. Nacho refuses. Don's next dream convinces him to attack the Food Workshop, only to end up in jail. While visiting Don in prison, Nacho learns that salsa is causing Don's bad dreams. He weans Don off the salsa. The next morning, Don claims he slept well. Sheriff Rob (Rob) claims that he will let Don go if he quits the salsa. Nacho has an idea to open their restaurant for breakfast, as the Food Workshop does not open until lunchtime.

The second story opens up to Sherlock Holes (Harry) and Professor Watson (Rob) arriving at Doylie's Cafe to great applause. Both of them claim they have their latest case wrapped up. However, Shearlack takes all the credit, upsetting Watson. After leaving, Scooter (As a running gag, his English accent is so thick that not even his fellow Englishmen can understand him) informs the duo of a plot to steal the Golden Ruler. At the palace, they meet up with the prime minister (Reznov Celery) and find clues. The police, Fish and Chips (Mr. Bezzer and Mr. Morty), want to solve the case themselves. Back at Doylie's, when Sherlock takes the credit again for finding the clues, Watson leaves, saying to Sherlock, "When you want to start treating me like a friend, come talk to me."

The next morning, at Sherlock‘s apartment, Scooter informs him that the Golden Ruler has been stolen. He arrives at Watson's apartment, only to be battered by Watson's maids. Back at the palace, Sherlock is clueless without Watson. He finally realizes his mistake and Watson appears; he has been disguised as one of the palace guards. He explains the clues and says the thief is disguised as a guard. The prime minister cannot match any of them to the crime. Sherlock trips and accidentally reveals the culprit, who is then arrested.

Explanations

 * A locksmith is someone who makes keys, and can also copy them if the person loses them.
 * "Hurts like the Dickens" is a old way of saying "Ow, that hurts!" The term "dickens" means devil. People assume it means Charles Dickens, but the term was first invented during Shakespeare's era.

Trivia

 * There were a few differences between pre-production and the final version:
 * Originally, "La Mancha" was going to be on Rob and Harry and the theme was outer space. This was changed after Disney's "Treasure Planet" was released.
 * Violet was going to be the waitress. Mark went against it since she'll have hardly anything to do.
 * The yellow tape was going to have words in them. But this was changed because the animators discovered it gets stretched.
 * Brian wanted to bring Ma Orange back and make her as the queen. But this meant they have to make her a new character model though (This won't happen until they brought Jason back into Small River Jump).
 * The show was originally titled "Sherlock Holes and the Case of the Missing Friendship".
 * This is the last episode Joseph Sapulich worked on.
 * This is the last episode of FruityTales to be released on VHS. This is also the first episode the current Big Deal closing bumper is used.
 * This is the first time the jail cell is seen in broad daylight. In previous episodes, we only see it during the night.
 * This is the first episode to not have the What Have We Learned, but instead have a different song as it was stolen by the Sporks in the previous episode.
 * On the Smile of a Child broadcast, this is the last episode to be in the 4:3 screen format.
 * The list of characters Don sees himself in the mirror in his second dream were:
 * Scooter
 * Mr. Bezzer
 * Jimmy
 * Jerry
 * Harry
 * Rob
 * The Leek
 * Timmy Strawberry
 * Dali (See Real World References)

Remarks

 * If you look closely at the letter, it is in the wrong way. Mark Nawrocki acknowledges that and states that the child just wrote that way.
 * It would be very unlikely a bulldozer can construct an entire building less than a day. Also, there's no operator driving it.
 * The credits has the What Have We Learned Song, but it's not even featured in the episode.
 * Both Nacho and Sheriff Rob have steam out of their ears, despite not having any.
 * This is the first time we see Mr. Bezzer without hair and also wearing glasses.
 * The credits state that it released in 2000, but it didn't release until March 11, 2001.

Goofs

 * In some scenes in "Sherlock", Jimmy and Jerry sometimes switch voices. Mark Nawrocki acknowledges this in the commentary.
 * In one shot when Don Quixote is in jail, his clothes change from his armor to his pajamas.

Inside References

 * The way Rob apologizes to South Dakota for Harry's actions is similar in King Jason. On the same note, they get a letter from North Dakota.
 * Rob's character from Little Moe returns, only with a different hat. Also the jail cell from that episode returned.
 * Fried eggs were portrayed as clouds in Don's dream world.
 * Mirrors were used in Don's second dream.
 * Sherlock and Watson like eating cake and ice cream with a glass with milk.

Real World References

 * Salvador Dali was a Spanish surrealist painting, known for his curly mustache (See also Trivia).
 * Steam out of the ears and anvils dropped on heads are cartoon physics generally used in slapstick cartoons, such as Looney Tunes.
 * Jimmy and Jerry’s costumes are a reference of two characters from Cheers, Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin.

Fast-Forward

 * Reznov would later gain eyebrows in his redesign.