| Episode | Gallery | Transcript |
| “ |
There ya go! That’s MORE than enough!, and with a pipeline like this, why stop at 52? I mean, the show can go on FOREVER! |
” |
| —Walkie-Talkie | ||
| "The Show Must Go On" | |
| Season 3, Episode 17 | |
| |
| Watch on YouTube | |
| Duration | 17:41 |
| Challenge | Write the most fake episodes |
| Winner(s) | Nobody |
| Eliminated | Nickel (2 votes) |
| Original airdate | December 2, 2023 |
| Transcript | |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous "The Great Bluish Bake Off" |
Next "A Jury of Your Fears" |
"The Show Must Go On" is the 17th and penultimate episode of Inanimate Insanity Invitational and the 49th episode overall. It premiered on December 2, 2023.
Synopsis[]
MePhone’s having an episode! Or two. Or three. Or... Uh oh. Can the contestants keep up with the high demand for episodes?! Let's find out!
Plot[]
Cold Open[]
MePhone4 announces the show had been nominated for a Groscer
The episode starts off with Balloon putting the final card on a card pyramid, while the other contestants watch. MePhone4 rushes in and tells everyone to stop what they are doing. Silver Spoon tells him off for interrupting Inanimate Insanity's "crowning achievement", but MePhone announces that they had been nominated for "Best Episode" in the Groscers. All of the contestants cheer in response. MePhone receives a call from Groscer, who congratulates them on the nomination. Groscer also tells MePhone that the episode count didn't match the amount of episodes he sent over, and asks if he could send the rest over. MePhone starts panicking, and is told by Groscer that he had 5 hours to submit the rest of the episodes. MePhone tells the contestants that he "slightly" exaggerated the number of episodes they made so they could meet the requirement. Balloon asks him what they should do. Walkie-Talkie, still stripped to the pole, tells them that they should make all of the episodes right now. MePhone tries to tell her that episodes take time and care, but Walkie-Talkie blows it off as excuses. Walkie then suggests the challenge: the contestant who creates the most fanmade episodes wins. Cabby asks MePhone what the minimum requirement was. MePhone says that the minimum was 26 episodes , but he submitted that they had 52 episodes, going with a "double or nothing" mentality.
The Final Challenge[]
MePhone4 asking for pitch ideas
The contestants and hosts all group together inside of the Writer's Room, and MePhone tells the contestants to start pitching ideas. Balloon suggests that they do the cliff again. Nickel adds that instead of jumping down, they would need to climb up, and that they could reverse the footage to make it look original. MePhone commends the idea, but Nickel says he can't take all the credit. The contestants get into an argument over the fact that Balloon hangs out with nobody besides Nickel, and MePhone tells everyone to stop arguing. The Floor says they still have to justify 36 more episodes with only 4 contestants remaining. Cabby states that she had an idea: At the Elimination Area, Silver pulls out a totem, which made all of his votes not count. Cabby pulls out a Lifesaving Lifeswitch, which she wants to use on Silver. Silver tells her he has immunity already, but MePhone4 reminds him that the lightswitch gets rid of his immunity and gives it to Cabby. Silver pulls out the Safety Spinner. MePhone explains that if you spin a prime number on the spinner, you can change a vote from any past elimination and have a ripple effect on the space-time continuum, and that spinning a 4 meant an instant elimination. Nickel pulls out a 4 Forcer, which added another four 4s to the Safety Spinner. Using the 4 Forcer forced Nickel to give up the next 4 immunity challenges, as well as standing on one foot for the rest of the current elimination. Silver spins the spinner, landing on the X. MePhone, with a tear in his eye, announces that Christmas was now cancelled.
Cabby adds on that they would have to find an Immunity Icicle to save Christmas. Balloon says that could give them a holiday special, but wonders how they could keep the show going after that. Nickel suggests they have more rejoins who instantly get eliminated. Balloon suggests another idea: a game of Hide and Seek. Cabby starts searching for seekers, while Balloon and Cheesy hide behind a bush. Balloon tells him they can't hide forever, which Cheesy makes a joke out of. Cheesy tells him that they can't share the win together, and runs out of the bush.
Silver Spoon fights a Shark
Cabby wonders if Balloon was trying to tell them something with his pitch. Silver then suggests a pitch where he fights a shark. Lifering is seen running into the ocean to save Candle from a shark. However, Silver runs through and punches the shark into the sky with this powers, and Candle hugs him. The other contestants look at Silver confused, and Silver blushes stating that "it could happen". In the next pitch, Cabby is trying to draw an image, while the other contestants guess it. Cabby gets upset over the fact that she couldn't depict it properly. Nickel asks her what it was and she says it was a wheelbarrow, which angers the other 3. Walkie-Talkie is surprised that Cabby has problems even in her dreams, and suggests that she tries too hard which is the reason that she makes others uncomfortable. Walkie adds on that she should just go with the flow, and pitch the first idea that comes to her head. MePhone suggests that the group does a speed round, realizing how easy it could be.
Cabby confronts Walkie-Talkie about quality over quantity
The contestants and The Floor build Tyler Bombard a new home, but he gets worried over the mortgage being covered. The contestants attempt to balance themselves on poles in the water. Paper appears, commenting on how easy staying on the wooden pole is. Balloon tells Coiny that he will stop at nothing to get him out of a giant coin jar. Silver comments on the fact that Balloon only seems to make friends with coins. The contestants and MePhone eventually get burnt out, but Walkie-Talkie tells them they are in the home stretch. Cabby questions how they could even get the episodes done in time, even with the pitches. Walkie-Talkie tells them they don't even need to make the episodes, instead using the Animation Machine to make them. Walkie relates loading past episode into it to Cabby's Files. Cabby angrily states that her files are living documents, and what Walkie said was incredibly anti-art. MePhone says they don't really have any other choice, but Cabby would rather they hold themselves to a higher standard and value quality over quantity. Walkie says that this wouldn't win them awards, but Cabby says that self-respect is more important in this aspect. Cabby states that she quit, and she leaves the room, along with Balloon and Nickel. Walkie dismisses them, and says they don't need writers or contestants; all they need is revolutionary technology. The Floor pops over to Cabby and the others, and asks if they are doing okay. Balloon questions if MePhone even needs them, considering the machine could just replace them.
Silver suggests another episode idea to MePhone, about a dart challenge. MePhone asks what happens in the episode, but Walkie says the machine can handle the finer details. Silver explains that in the challenge that he wins, and that the others do the "usual" (Balloon and Nickel arguing, and Cabby talking about files). Walkie says that with a pipeline like this, the show could go on forever, which sends MePhone into a trance. MePhone has a vision where his final 4 contestants are following him as he holds a checkered flag. MePhone says that "he never wants this to end". Walkie wakes MePhone up, and he agrees to using the machine.
"dArt chal;enge"
The TV displays "dART chal;enge". A poorly animated Cabby, holding her file, says that her files say "throw dart", and she proceeds to throw one with a loud whooshing sound. Balloon tells Nickel that they were never friends, and Nickel angrily walks away, getting hit by the dart. Nickel lets out a low-pitched scream, before falling dead on the ground. Cabby questions why "this not in files, but is in life". Silver then shows up on the screen saying that "I'm the best one" while letting out raspberries. Silver watches on in horror, and The Floor says this definitely wouldn't win any awards. Walkie says she thinks it was great, and that the possibilities were endless even with the bad quality. She begs MePhone to give the machine another chance. MePhone dismisses her, and tells Silver to destroy the machine with his new powers. Silver destroys the machine, without much control over his powers.
MePhone4 confesses to Groscer
MePhone calls Groscer to tell her about the episodes, but Groscer tells him she had been watching the entire thing. MePhone admits that the challenge was a failure, and accepts that a machine can't make art. Cabby says that he's a machine, which MePhone says is his point. MePhone announces that nobody wins immunity, and tells the contestants to prepare for the final elimination. Silver asks Cabby why she voted for Blueberry in the previous episode instead of Nickel. Cabby tells him she had plenty of reasons, but she knew Nickel better than Blueberry and didn't want to risk it. Silver comments that he doesn't know her very well, and walks off. Nickel and Balloon walk over to the Elimination Button, and Balloon tells him that he had one final pitch for him.
The Final Elimination[]
Nickel gets eliminated
MePhone comments on that they had done irreversible damage to how they seriously they take "episodes" and "eliminations", but tells them to pretend they didn't. Nickel, Cabby and Silver all tie with 1 vote. The final vote is announced to be for Nickel, making him the 17th eliminated contestant and the final member of the jury. Flashing back before the elimination, Balloon tells Nickel that voting him out would give him the best shot at winning. Nickel agrees, and tells him that you typically don't tell the person you're blindsiding. Balloon says he doesn't want to be fake with him. Nickel gives a genuine thanks to Balloon, telling him he's glad they connected. In the present, the two hug it out, and Nickel is sent to Indefinite Island. The final 3 contestants remain, and MePhone tells the viewers to stay tuned for the grand finale of Inanimate Insanity Invitational.
On the beach, loud bangs underground are heard nearby Walkie-Talkie's pole. Walkie tells them that they are just in time, and that they have "one more chance". Suddenly, Springy's glitchy hand breaks through the ground, before the screen cuts to black.
Springy breaks through The Floor
Elimination Votes[]
| Elimination Ceremony 16 | ||
| Voted Against |
No. of Votes |
Voter |
|---|---|---|
 Nickel |
2 |   |
Cabby |
1 |  |
Silver Spoon |
1 | |
Balloon |
0 | None |
| ELIMINATED: Nickel | ||
Still In The Running[]
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Features[]
Characters[]
Currently Competing[]
Hosts[]
Supporting[]
- Walkie-Talkie
- Groscer
- Cheesy (episode pitch)
- Paper (episode pitch)
- Lifering (episode pitch)
- Candle (episode pitch)
- Tyler Bombard (episode pitch)
- Coiny (episode pitch)
- Blueberry (mentioned)
- Tea Kettle (mentioned)
- Springy (doesn't speak)
Locations[]
Items[]
Gallery
Click here to view the gallery.
Production Credits[]
- Written by:
- Brian Koch
- Series Creator & Producer:
- Adam Katz
- Series Directors:
- Adam Katz
- Brian Koch
- Justin Chapman
- Sound Designers:
- Vincent Tepe
- Braden Whiteside
- Kyle "Catchphrase" Macaluso
- Justin Chapman
- Brian Koch
- Ben Cross
- Voice Cast:
- Balloon .................. Ben Cross
- MePhone4 ............ Mark Katz
- Silver Spoon ......... Justin Chapman
- Nickel ..................... Adam Katz
- The Floor ............... Sam Thornbury
- Groscer .................. Rheagan Rizio
- Cabby ..................... Casey Landman
- Cheesy ................... Dee Cashin
- Candle ................... Dee Cashin
- Lifering .................. Adam Katz
- Paper ...................... Justin Chapman
- Tyler ........................ Michael Huang
- Coiny ...................... Michael Huang
- Walkie Talkie .......... Rosemary Craig
- Composer:
- John Mietus
- Background / Prop Design:
- Sicle
- Sutton H. "YellowAngiru"
- Poppy Hughes "WormBuffet"
- Lazlo T. "TopHatTheHat"
- ThattsCherry
- Mason Bozaich "SnowyPackel"
- Adam Katz
- Animators:
- Tristan Wescott "SpartanDash"
- Dane Trent "WoopDoo"
- Daniel Adam Valle
- Mason Bozaich "SnowyPackel"
- Lynn C. "Lenacakess"
- Chelsea Winters "Wuggolo"
- Joseph Pak "TTGuy"
- Filip K. "Khoreo"
- Brannon C. "BrannFlakes"
- Aidan L. "Aidsie"
- Jacob M. "GlowGenuine"
- Sam Redden "WavesOfRed"
- Sutton H. "YellowAngiru"
- Sacri
- Dawn Shimizu "Shimzo"
- Vangs
- Anthony Acedo
- Storyboard Artists:
- Damien Valentine "Tangy"
- Max Martens "Ligreen"
- Ben Cross
- Charles Case "Cakebrunch"
- Wishfixers
- Daniel Adam Valle
- Adam Katz
- Finalizing:
- Aidan L. "Aidsie"
- Dane Trent "WoopDoo"
- Adam Katz
- Lynn C. "Lenacakess"
- Brannon C. "BrannFlakes"
- Tristan Wescott "SpartanDash"
- Production Manager:
- Sam Thornbury
- Video Editing:
- Brian Koch
- Credits Music by:
- PS3tronic
Production Notes[]
Cultural References[]
- The episode's name is a reference to Pink Floyd's song "The Show Must Go On" from their 11th studio album, The Wall.
- It's also a reference to Queen's song "The Show Must Go On" from their 14th studio album, Innuendo.
- The conflict surrounding the Animation Machine being used to generate new episodes is similar to Hollywood entertainment studios' desire to use artificial intelligence to create art and performances, thus removing a need for human talent. This was a major factor in both the Writers' Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA going on strike in the second half of 2023, around the same time the episode was made.
- The "Groscer" awards are a direct parody of the Oscars, one of the most prestigious awards in Hollywood (this would also add the Grammys since the prefix Gr- is combined with the suffix -Oscar, but replacing the a with e).
- The challenge MePhone comes up with where the contestants have to stand on giant wooden poles is similar to the challenge in episode 10 of the 2023 Total Drama Island reboot and the challenge in episode 1 of ONE, which are both (most likely) based off of the Survivor pillar challenge.
- The minimal amount of episodes required to be nominated for the Groscers was 26 (at 2:20), most likely a reference to Total Drama's seasons regularly being 26 episodes long.
- A peculiar song from the Invitational (Official Soundtrack) Album known as "The Four Forcer" plays a quite similar note that of L's Theme from Death Note.
Continuity References[]
- Multiple songs from "Hatching the Plan" are used in this episode.
- The Adamation Logo from "Inanimate Insanity II" is also used at the end.
- The Animation Machine from "Title TBD" makes its return in this episode.
Trivia[]
- This Season's Final 4 present in this episode have many parallels with Season 2's Final 4.
- Both Final 4's consist of 3 members from one team and 1 from another, with Nickel being the only member from The NEW Thinkers, and Lightbulb being the only member from The Bright Lights.
- Cabby and Lightbulb are both the only contestants remaining that are somewhat affiliated with The Bright Lights left in their respective seasons.
- Nickel and Baseball, alongside Balloon and Suitcase were both very large duos in the second season.
- Silver Spoon and Knife are both utensils, and both are somewhat strategic in the game.
- With Nickel's elimination...
- Balloon is the final veteran contestant remaining in Inanimate Insanity Invitational, as well as the only member of The Sinkers left, and also being a former Grand Slam member to reach the final 3.
- The final 3 is someone from each of the original teams, The Thinkers, The Pinkers, and The Sinkers. (Silver Spoon from The Thinkers, Cabby from The Pinkers and Balloon from The Sinkers.) (This is similar to BFDI's final 3, whereas there's one from each of the original teams, Squishy Cherries, Squashy Grapes, and Another Name)
- There are no more members of The New Thinkers left in the game.
- There are no more armless contestants competing left.
- This is the only episode of Inanimate Insanity Invitational where Bot does not appear.
- Just like with "Pesty Besties", the episode advertises character plushies for the holiday sale on the II merch store, as well as that episode removing the Lightbulb and Yin-Yang plushies advertisement in Episode 11, and the Nickel plushie and Back to school merch tangent that this episode removes this section if quantities are sold out or other reasons.
- This is the first episode of Inanimate Insanity Invitational to have no form of immunity for the elimination.
- The trailer for the episode reveals that this is the penultimate episode of the season, meaning that Episode 18 would be the finale.
- This was the case until it was announced that the finale would be III Episode 19, due to the finale getting split into two parts.
- This is the last Inanimate Insanity episode to be released in 2023.
- Albeit through imaginary situations, this is the first appearance of Paper and Cheesy onscreen since 2015.
- This is the second time that Michael Huang voiced a character in this season after Tyler Bombard.
- Additionally, Coiny makes another cameo in the series after Season 1's Aquatic Conflict, but with the III art style.
- This marks the first time a BFDI character makes a cameo appearance since "Cooking for the Grater Good".
- Which explains his canonical return since the semi-canonical series of Fan's Fantastic Features and one of its episodes being "Nickel For Your Thoughts".
- Additionally, Coiny makes another cameo in the series after Season 1's Aquatic Conflict, but with the III art style.
- The episode trailer was revealed at the Texas Object Hangout, on November 18, 2023.
- Music changed as of the release on YouTube.
- And by comparison, they changed the trailer message from "The Penultimate Episode of The Season!" to "Find Out Who Makes It to The Finale!"
- This is the second Inanimate Insanity Invitational episode to be seen in a theater in 2023, the first being Spring on the Breakfast!
- Since Rheagan Rizio's return for the episode who voices the Groscer Award, this is her second character that she voices. The first of which being Taco, who was voiced by her almost the majority of Season 2 before the hiatus.
- The animation style for the "Dart Challenge" episode generated by the Animation Machine is reminiscent to that of the stylistic-suck style of the Enanimat Ensanetay episodes.
- Here are the fake challenges that the contestants wrote. **(1. Reverse Episode 1, 2. Find an Immunity Icicle to save Christmas, 3. Hide-and-seek, 4. Save Candle from a shark, 5. Guess Cabby's drawing, 6. Build Tyler Bombard a new home, 7. Keep balance, 8. Estimate how many coins they are in the jar, 9. Pop the most balloons in a water gun balloon game, 10. Toss the sandbags, 11. Make the most Calm-Down Cabana chats as possible, 12. Avoid falling into the dunk tank, 13. Survive in space, 14. Dart challenge)
- This is the last time MePhone4 broke the fourth wall to the audience announcing the next episode. Meaning this is the last episode where he announces the upcoming episode to the audience at the end of every elimination.
References[]