MSB S4E05: Gets Swamped

I'm going to take chances, make mistakes, get swamped! With this episode about swamps and a debate about a mall. Argued between Carlos and Janet. Blog, do your stuff!

44. Gets Swamped.
Topic: Wetlands.
Written by: George Arthur Bloom and Robert B. Schechter.
Aired: 2 November 1997.

Walkerville is debating whether to build a mall where the swamp is now, or to build it somewhere else. With the toss of a coin, Ms. Frizzle's class finds themselves defending the swamp and Janet arguing against them. However, the class finds out that the swamp is home to several organisms, an argument Janet finds little more than a joke, with which the city agrees. That is, until a tree gets knocked over by lightning, blocking off the swamp and flooding the city. After the crisis is resolved, the city realizes that if it were to build a mall on the swamp, then that mall would be washed away.

Judging by how bad the wetlands can smell, Carlos sure dislikes it.

This is proof that Ralphie hates mosquitoes. Pretty much anyone would hate mosquitoes.

Come on, Valerie! Ride on The Magic Row Boat!

This is why we don't see Tim for the first minute or so. He's using a camera to film the swamp to show how disgusting it can be.

This has brought us to the debate. The entire class are going to argue about the mall to be built on the swamp.

And lookie here. Carlos is going against someone who is debatable, Arnold's know-it-all cousin Janet.

Judging by Arnold's embarrassment, I guess he should've stayed home today.

Heads or tails?

Tails! Carlos called heads, so he lost the coin flip to Janet.

This is one reason to keep the wetlands. A marshmallow plant, which makes marshmallows.

And as Arnold summarised, they make Mallow Blasters!

This is where the class went! They shrunk.

Another reason to keep the swamp. Snapping turtles!

Musk rats. They build nests like beavers.

A marsh hawk!

"According to my research, that's a marsh hawk!"

"According to my research, that was a close one!"

Funny to hear someone use Dorothy Ann's catchphrase. In this case, Carlos. 

A bird feeding its nestlings a Swallowtail caterpillar.

Frogs that eat mosquitoes.

Funny that Tim said "Duck!", making the rest of the class think he ordered them to duck, but there were actually Wood ducks.

And this is why ducks live in swamps. Mosquito larvae.

And the swamp water eats away dirt.

That odorous gunk is enough even for Liz to faint!

"Gas is right, Ms. Frizzle. As a matter of fact, it smells like somebody just--"

"Arnold!"

We can tell what Arnold was about to say. 

"What a gas!"

"Carlos!"

Funny that Carlos would mention gas. 

Here's a callback to In a Pickle. Back when the Mike Robe gang turned Keesha's cucumber into a pickle.

And something mentioned in Wet All Over. The waterworks, also a callback to the book that started the entire franchise.

And Carlos is doing a very good job trying to argue against the mall being built on the swamp.

"Why do I have the feeling I should've stayed home today?"

"Same reason I have the feeling we've lost, and not just the debate either."

Not a good sign. 

Another reason to keep the swamp. If something blocks the way, the whole town will get flooded.

Liz is trying to explain what's happening to Walkerville.

And she's right! It's flooding!

"What are we going to do? What are we going to do? What are we going to do?"

"I was just wondering the same thing!"

Funny Mr. Popple should use Wanda's catchphrase.

"No way you're going to find out something important without me!"

Now it's Janet's time to prove it. See if Carlos' idea is worth it. 

"At my old school, we used a bulldozer to move heavy things."

Funny Phoebe should use her phrase at this time. 

Phoebe was right to use her catchphrase here. This encouraged The Magic School Bus to turn into a bulldozer and move the tree.

And Carlos won the debate! That's the way!

"Surely it's not okay to deliberately dump oily water and gunk in a wetland because the wetland helps to get rid of it."

"Good point. It's never okay to pollute. And don't call me Shirley."

A funny callback to Spins a Web. That reference  to Airplane!. 

Liz is so thirsty, her tongue is all dried up.

Liz was about to drink the water, but the Producer mentioned that swamp water is unhealthy, even for humans and lizards.

I've noticed a little animation error. Phoebe was at normal size, but in the next shot, she was shown to have shrunk with the rest of the class sans Arnold, and Wanda was missing.

Who would've thought swamps were important? They can help stop flooding, and they get rid of dirt in water.

We can tell what Arnold was about to say after smelling that gaseous mud. That's why everyone called him out.

Now this was a very good way to teach kids about wetlands and why they're important. It did seem like Carlos was going to lose, but after that flood, he won! And it was all thanks to Phoebe for helping out by mentioning a bulldozer, only for Ms. Frizzle to turn The Magic School Bus into a bulldozer. Now that's high praise for Phoebe, and even Carlos. Phoebe because of her bulldozer idea and Carlos because of his argument against the mall being built on the swamp. Well, I'm one of the rare Carlos/Phoebe shippers, so I guess I'm being biased.

My rating: 9.5/10.

Season 4 scorecard:

1. Meets Molly Cule: 9/10.

2. Cracks a Yolk: 10/10.

3. Goes to Mussel Beach: 9/10.

4. Goes on Air: 9/10.

5. Gets Swamped: 9.5/10.

Season 4 so far: 9.3/10.