The Medicine Wagon

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The Medicine Wagon is an episode of the cartoon series "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" and surrounds a plotline by the show's main antagonist, Tweeg to sell faulty products to Teddy, Grubby, and Newton Gimmick in hopes of generating much needed revenue. The plot takes an interesting twist when Tweeg falls under the belief that the combination of nutmeg and buttermilk results in the production of gold (see alchemy).

1 Storyline
- 1.1 Effects of Products Sold
- 1.2 Plotline Twist
2 Trivia
3 See also

[edit] Storyline

The episode begins in a scene surrounding Tweeg's tower where Tweeg is crying. This is for the reason that he "is broke" and furthermore does not have the proper recipe to turn various elements into gold. Tweeg then gets the idea of selling "old junk" under the guise of his creation of a "medicine wagon", reminiscent of the 19th century wagons operated by snake oil salesmen. Tweeg and his bounder subordinates then sing a song entitled "medicine wagon". The lyrics are as followed:

My medicine wagon (his medicine wagon) People will buy anything, you know
From my medicine wagon (his medicine wagon
I'll make lots and lots of gold!

Meanwhile the three main characters are completely unaware of Tweeg's latest plot, at least for a short time. Soon, the medicine wagon arrives at the home of the three main characters, and Tweeg, seeing what he perceives to be "suckers" offers to sell the characters products to deal with specific "problems" possessed by the characters. These include a potion to make Grubby (who is said by Tweeg to be ugly) "handsome", a stick attached to a string and rock to help Teddy (who is said by Tweeg to be short) grow taller, and a jar of magic "gunk" to help Gimmick (who is bald) grow hair. The final price is fourteen pieces of silver, but a problem is encountered when the characters realise they spent their last piece on groceries the previous day. Tweeg settles for nutmeg, flour, and two bottles of buttermilk and states that the three characters "drive a hard bargain".

[edit] Effects of Products Sold

The products sold to the characters prove to be almost entirely ineffective. The drink Grubby drinks in hopes that his looks improve turns him green, which he says is his worst colour. Teddy's "stick and rock" device gives him a horrible headache as the rock on the string keeps hitting him on the head (and needless to say, does not make him grow as promised). Gimmick's "gunk" turns out to nothing more than very high quality soil, and when flowers begin to sprout, he is chased by bees until he runs inside the house. The three characters are largely disappointed in the ineffectiveness of the products, but show swift resiliance. Gimmick for example, states that being bald had never bothered him before and that if gunk really could grow hair, he would have "invented it". The three characters agree that the lesson they learned is that they must "be happy with who you are..."

[edit] Plotline Twist

With the ordeal behind them, Gimmick informs Teddy and Grubby that he has just "perfected" his recipe for what he terms "popcorn pizazz", which is supposed to triple the output of popcorn. Teddy warns Gimmick that the ingridients are "highly combustible" and Gimmick seems confused. Teddy explains that this means "it should be kept away from an open flame..." despite the fact that Gimmick is the "scientist". When they attempt to apply this formula, the characters state that they smell nutmeg. Gimmick quickly realises that he had accidentily given Tweeg his popcorn pizazz formula by mistake, and states that the formula could be dangerous if used carelessly. Teddy suggests that they find "the swindler" and warn him. For reasons unspecified, this action is never taken. Meanwhile, at Tweeg's castle, Tweeg is happy to realise that his acquisition of nutmeg, flour, and buttermilk gives him the proper recipe to make gold. However, when he attempts to mix and cook these ingredients, the mixture (including the popcorn pizazz formula) initiates an uncontrollable outburst of popcorn, and the episode ends with Tweeg, once again, throwing a childlike tantrum.

[edit] Trivia

This episode is one of the few episodes where the three main characters and Tweeg meet face to face. However, the characters are unaware at the time that the "swindler" they meet is in fact Tweeg.
In the beginning of the episode, the three main characters are having a picnic and Grubby encourages the other two to try his new drink, made from plant roots, which he calls "root beer".