Invasion of the Moon Creatures

Infobox The Goodies episode
name = Invasion of the Moon Creatures


number = 29
airdate = 8 December, 1973
(Saturday — 8 p.m.)
director =
producer =
guests = Roland MacLeod as

""James Burke"
Patrick Moore (as himself)

("the "Astronomer")

series = 4

"Invasion of the Moon Creatures" is an episode of the British comedy television series "The Goodies".

This episode is also known as "Big Bunny"".

Plot

Tim and Bill arrive home and are stunned to discover that the door is locked. When they knock on the door, Graeme asks them to tell him the password. Tim comments that they want to come in and have a cup of tea, to which Graeme says: "Wrong!". Then Bill demands that Graeme let them in, and Graeme opens the door.

Tim and Bill are amazed at the change to their office, which has been set up like a space control centre. Graeme has agreed to do his bit to put Britain into the space race by sending two rabbits (called "Floppsy" and "Spiro") to the moon. Bill and Tim comment that it would be very expensive to get hold of a rocket to do this, but Graeme says that he was able to buy a second-hand Saturn rocket from NASA, and that the rocket was parked outside. Tim looks embarrassed and comments that he had just posted a couple of letters in it. Graeme then demonstrates to Tim and Bill how he trains the rabbits for their space voyage, including giving the rabbits stress and gravity tests. The rabbits then lift off successfully on their trip to the Moon.

Six months later, Graeme is worried because he had lost contact with "Floppsy" and "Spiro" — and intends to send up two more rabbits to the moon to find out what happened to them. Graeme does not want to sacrifice two more rabbits because they are like family to him so, when the rocket takes off, it is not Graeme's specially trained rabbits which make up the spaceship crew, but Tim and Bill, who are not at all happy, and do not wish to go. After they have taken off, Graeme says "You're looking good", and Tim then looks at his reflection in a compact mirror and thanks Graeme for what he, Tim, mistakenly assumes is a 'compliment' regarding his appearance. Bill asks where the food is, and Graeme tells him where to find it. Tim then asks Graeme where the tea is, and Graeme tells him that the tea is above their heads — commenting that they will need to drink the tea through tubes. Tim objects, saying that he would rather drink tea from a cup.

Tim tells Graeme that he must telephone home, and Bill points to a telephone box floating past (actually Doctor Who's TARDIS). Then there is a meteorite shower and Bill opens a window in the rocket to get a better photo.

When the rocket eventually lands on the moon it can be seen, from all the American flags planted in the dust, that other people had already been on the moon. Tim and Bill leave the rocket and set about collecting moon dust and sing "By the light of the silvery Earth". They then become aware of all of the lettuces and carrots which are growing in the soil and Tim comments that it must be to feed all the rabbits. It appeared that "Floppsy" and "Spiro" did not perish after all, and, being rabbits, had been breeding prolifically ever since they landed on the moon. Some rabbits carry Tim and Bill into a room, where there is a rabbit on a television screen. Tim recognises the rabbit as "Floppsy". When Tim calls the rabbit "Floppsy", the rabbit comments that he was no longer "Floppsy" — he was now "Big Bunny" and that he was going to turn Bill and Tim into rabbits, so that the rabbits can return to Earth and take over the world. Huge carrots are suspended over Tim's and Bill's heads, and "Big Bunny" demands that they keep repeating the only rabbit comment that people will be able to understand — "Eh ... what's up, doc?". Neither Bill nor Tim want to be turned into rabbits, but the rabbits succeed in their quest, and Tim and Bill are sent back to Earth as the vanguard of a rabbit invasion force.

When Tim and Bill return to Earth, they are met by fanfare as the first British astronauts to travel to the moon and safely return. Everyone is then shocked to find that Tim and Bill have been turned into rabbits. The two moon creatures (Tim and Bill), dressed in a fashion similar to Alex from "A Clockwork Orange", then proceed to wreak havoc wherever they go and Graeme has to find a way to stop them.

poofs and imitations

* James Burke — who was a genuine consultant to the SETI project
* Doctor Who
* Star Trek
* Bugs Bunny
* A Clockwork Orange
* The song, "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", where Tim and Bill sing "By the Light of the Silvery Earth"

Notes

* As well as speaking as "Graeme" during the episode, Graeme Garden can also be heard as the voice of "Big Bunny"

* The "Moon rock" that the Goodies collected from the Moon was "Rock candy"

References

* "The Complete Goodies" — Robert Ross, B T Batsford, London, 2000
* "The Goodies Rule OK" — Robert Ross, Carlton Books Ltd, Sydney, 2006
* "From Fringe to Flying Circus" — 'Celebrating a Unique Generation of Comedy 1960-1980'" — Roger Wilmut, Eyre Methuen Ltd, 1980
* "The Goodies Episode Summaries" — Brett Allender
* "The Goodies — Fact File" — Matthew K. Sharp
* "TV Heaven" — Jim Sangster & Paul Condon, HarperCollins"Publishers", London, 2005

External links

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