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Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Wiki
"Wonkin' for the Weekend"
Season 2, Episode 31
Drawing 2
Prod. Code: 216a
Premiered: April 20, 2015
Credits
Written by:
  John O'Bryan, Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas
Storyboard by:
  James Lopez & Max Lawson
Directed by:
  Joshua Taback
Episodes
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"Mort-al Combat"
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"Ninjafan"

"Wonkin' for the Weekend" is the thirty-first episode of the second season (and eighty-third episode overall) of Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja. It premiered on April 20, 2015.[1]

Synopsis[]

Randy and Howard are forced to go to Saturday school, and Howard discovers that he is a genius on the weekends. Randy uses Howard’s new smarts to figure out a way to get them out of going to Saturday school.[2]

Plot[]

While downing a bottle of McBubbleSlam, Howard complains about having to attend school on a Saturday - and blames Randy for it. Randy is indignant, but it is revealed that Principal Slimovitz has instituted Saturday school in order to make up for missed curriculum time due to robot attacks. Everyone blames the Ninja since the attacks are attributed to him, and Randy has no comeback to that - not even as a part of Howard's hair suddenly turns white.

During math class, Randy tries to cheer Howard up by showing him a silly drawing of boxing hot dogs. As the teacher begins asking questions, Howard suddenly starts answering them all correctly. Without any more material to teach, the teacher prematurely dismisses the class. Randy and Howard guess that Howard's brainpower must be stronger on Saturdays as opposed to weekdays. Randy plots to himself that if he can rely on Howard's newfound intelligence, they could all get out of Saturday school and throw all the blame off the Ninja. However, the NinjaNomicon informs Randy:

When you use a friend, you gain an enemy.

Randy isn't too bothered by this and decides to proceed as planned, casually knocking Howard's soda into the trash.

As the day goes on, Howard easily completes each class while his hair grows increasingly white, giving him the appearance and behavior of a genius. In science class, Howard constructs a device which no one can identify. Howard expresses his annoyance at not being understood, but the teachers and students dismiss the device which apparently doesn't do anything, and all have a laugh. Using his intelligence, Howard reads the minds of the people around him; incensed that all of them are secretly mocking him, Howard uses his brainpower to activate his own device, which generates a black hole. Everyone begins panicking as they try to escape the black hole's pull. Randy, as the Ninja, tries to get Howard to stop, but gets a message in his mind from Howard saying not to disturb him. Randy guesses that if Howard can get into his head, he should be able to get into Howard's mind; pressing his head to Howard's, he does so.

Randy lands in an abstract realm representing Howard's mind, where he finds an avatar of Howard. Howard claims that since he achieved superintelligence, he has become enlightened and refuses to consort with silly thoughts or people who won't take him seriously. Randy tries to get Howard to power down his device, but Howard refuses, sending a variety of abstract equations, symbols and artwork to attack the Ninja, subduing him. Randy tries to appeal to Howard's goofy side, but Howard declares that he no longer has need for it and wishes it destroyed; this is represented by a collection of dumb thoughts in a cage placed on a conveyor belt, headed for an incinerator.

Randy realizes the Nomicon's lesson: by making use of Howard for his own ends, he turned Howard against him. Randy eventually manages to break Howard's genius facade by telling him jokes and gags, making Howard laugh uncontrollably. Howard's silly thoughts quickly overwhelm his intelligent thoughts, and as Howard starts reverting, the abstract world collapses until Randy and Howard are back in the real world.

Without Howard's brainpower, the black hole device abruptly powers down. Principal Slimovitz decides that in light of the incident, he is cancelling Saturday school for everyone - except for Doug, who insists on questioning how Howard became smart in the first place.

Separately, a Robo-Ape reports to Viceroy that a batch of McBubble Slam, which Howard was drinking earlier in the episode, became contaminated with some of Viceroy's super genius juice; Viceroy decides to dismiss the report, since space-time hasn't collapsed upon itself.

Characters[]

Main characters[]

Secondary characters[]

Background characters[]

Series continuity[]

  • The consequences of the collateral damages of several Ninja battles are brought up in this episode.

Trivia[]

  • The title is a reference to the 1981 song "Working for the Weekend" by Loverboy.
  • The song "Smart Howard" that plays during a montage in this episode is reminiscent of the song "Weird Science" from the 1985 film of the same name, further reinforcing the 1980s aesthetic.
  • During art class, Howard actually paints an image of his mindscape, foreshadowing its appearance during the climax of the episode.
  • This marks the ninth time Randy has cried.
  • When Randy is thrown into the air in Howard's mind, his scarf makes a nine.
  • This was the second episode that focused on Howard's intelligence. The first was “Stanks Like Teen Spirit.”
  • Smart Howard is the third person who has used "Randall," the full version of Randy’s first name, to address him (the first having been Julian in "The Tale of the Golden Doctor's Note" and "Snow-Klahoma!", and the second being Evil Julian in "Mastermind of Disastermind"), yet again Randy doesn’t question it.
  • During Spanish class, the sentences on the blackboard "no me gusta el ninja!", "el ninja no es bueno!" can be roughly translated to "I don't like the Ninja!", "The Ninja is not good!".
  • This episode, due to Randy as the Ninja having entered Howard's mind, might've been a foreshadowing to him learning Art of Telepathy, had the series got to run longer.
  • This is, by far, the only instance Viceroy is seen without McFist in any shape or form in the episode.
  • Running Gags:
    • Randy whispering and thinking others and Howard won't overhear him.
    • Howard's hair color changing, but other people failing to take notice of such.

Gallery

Click here to view the image gallery for Wonkin' for the Weekend.
Click here to view the gallery.

References[]

v - e - d Season Two Episodes

Flume-IgationOn the PoolfrontWelcome Back CatfishAll the Juice That's Fish to SwimJulian's Birthday SurpriseTrue BromanceUnstank My HartWhoopee 2: The Wrath of Whoopee 2M-M-M-my BolognaEverybody Ninj-alongFudge FactoryBest BudsOtto Know BetterBrolateral DamageLet the Wonk One InThe Curse of MudfartShoot First, Ask Questions LaserNinjceptionHappy Hanukkah, Howard WeinermanSnow-Klahoma!Randy Cunningham's Day OffBro-ing Down the HouseLiving in ShooblivionMcNinja - Brought to You by McFistMastermind of DisastermindThe Brawn Also RisesDebbie MeddleAplopalypse NowRorg: A Hero of a PastMort-al CombatWonkin' for the WeekendNinjafanWhen Howie Met RandyBro Money Bro ProblemsThe Three Mascot-teersEscape from Scrap CityThe Space Cow-BrosThe Fresh Principal of Norrisville HighThe Prophecy of Hat SwordFake Fight For Your Right to PartyMcCluckerbustersLet Them Eat Cake FriesClub Ninja-diseTo Smell and BackBig Trouble in Little NorrisvilleWinner Takes BallBall's Well That Friends Well

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