iNotes and Dedications
Disclaimer: I don't own Phil of the Future. I just love the series!
He pours himself a fresh cup of Joe, careful not to wake Roswell sleeping at his feet. Vice-Principal Neil Hackett rubs his eyes again. How can this be? He's been pulling an eight hour ego trip by searching for his own name on the internet using his 2,800 baud modem when all of a sudden - Shah-Shah-Shahzoom! A link brings him to a fansite with a chronology of not his life, but what he's been living through since those Diffys have invaded his existence. He takes a sip of liquified coffee beans and sighs in contentment. After all, seeing is believing and this must be real. It can't be placed on the internet if it's not true. Perhaps now he can get to the bottom of their suspected alienness-ness. Descriptions seem sparse, but the students at H.G. Wells have often graffitied the school with messages regarding his name and commitment and he's taken it as a compliment. Horrendous Hackett will get to the bottom of those freakish Diffys by ferreting out clues from this table of historical records no matter how well secreted. It will simply be a matter of time.
CH01 Series Synopsis of Seasons 0, 1, 2, the Movie Outline, and 3
I know, I know. The Homework Helmet taught you that there were only two seasons of Phil of the Future, twenty-two episodes each, 'cept the first season only had twenty-one. (Ever consider that's where the "21" in "2121" originated?) Well, there was also a proof-of-concept episode filmed, yet never aired. So, that makes 44 "Phils," right? Well … what about a well-deserved series-capping Phil feature movie? The outline for Phil of the Feature was written by Phil of the Future's creators to provide closure to the series - silly writers, we didn't want closure; we wanted the story to continue. Counting the PotF movie, that makes 45 Phil stories, and did you know there were other outlines, full scripts and PotF ideas for future episodes typed out before "Future Tutor" ever aired (Please see below and Chapter 18), bringing the Phil tally to 59? Don't forget to count the PotF Game Boy Advance's storyline involving Phil, Keely and Curtis foiling Pim's diabolical master plan to take over Pickford and then the world! That makes a nice round number - 60 - two-thirds more of a season of Phil of the Future! And when you consider that television series today crank out a mere 10 to 15 episodes and call that a season, our 17 extra Phil episodes should easily qualify for an entire season, a full season of Phil!
Phil of the Future's working title: The Out-Of-Timers. This Proof-of-Concept episode's manuscript was drafted by creators Douglas Tuber and Tim Maile on November 4, 2002. So, if you ever wanted to know when Phil Diffy's NirDay was\is going to be, you may consider this Phil's birthday. Happy Natal Input and Registration Day, Phil! I wonder if Mantis Hardware has a greeting card section for N.I.R.D.s …
Broadcast episodes are written with a Cold Open (teaser) and Title Sequence (theme song with opening credits), followed by Act One (introducing the necessary story elements and cliff hanger), Act Two (developing upon the first act and bringing conflicts into resolution), and concludes with a Tag consisting of one last chuckle before the closing credits roll (and filling in the total running time of an episode without stretching out the main story lines - need a little more slack taken up? Add a gag reel). A typical PotF script has 30 pages with 25 scenes to be filmed inside a 5-day work week, hence despite the audience's desire for maximum Pheely, it is advantageous to be filming two story lines simultaneously to meet the weekly production deadline. The average script includes about a page or two of material which never airs, due to productions schedules, costs, editing for flow, or background information intended for the performers to better develop their roles. (Do you know how Tia managed to come up with the $100 for her Festapalooza ticket? Brenda Song does, and she uses that script secret in her performance of her self-centered character.) Most episodes focus upon a separate Phil-Keely story for two-thirds of the episode, intermingled with the remaining third involving Pim; both stories in these morality plays had subtle messages (missives) as moral lessons being dramatized. Not since the 1960s with The Jetsons and the original Star Trek have such optimism for the future been portrayed as by the stranded Diffys, and like all great science-fiction, Phil of the Future's entertaining episodes are actually about modeling ethical behavior and the eternal struggles of growing up.
In the evolution of a script, four stages exist. The Story Ideas develop into Table Drafts before Production Drafts which precede Shooting Drafts. To help in keeping everyone on the same page of the latest revision to a story being told, the sheets of paper for the further polished and adapted script are printed on are sequenced by color, beginning with white, and then adding colors to highlight the latest revisions, with asterisks in new lines right margin.
Script Color Code Sequence:
01. White
02. Blue
03. Pink
04. Canary
05. Green
06. Goldenrod
07. Buff
08. Salmon
09. Cherry
10. Tan
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Season Zero: 2002-2004 The Season We Never Got To Watch(Please see Chapter 18 for more details)
001 "The Out-Of-Timers" - unaired Proof-of-Concept
In town for only a month, it's the first day at a new school for Pim, Phil, and Keely, but the Diffys' house remains off-limits to Keely or she might discover they're from the future.
Pim plots against Debbie. Berwick's offense? Beating Pim out of being in charge of the Back-to-School Barn Dance committee. Chick-a-boo!
Missive: We're all stuck in this time together, we're all we've got, so we better start looking out for each other.
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002 "Baby You Can Ride My Bike" - unproduced script
On their way home packed with souvenirs, the Diffys' ride breaks down in 2003 and they end up buying a house from realtor Mandy Teslow, but the cost will be their historical trinkets if they have any hope to keep up with the monthly house payment.
Phil and Keely are invited to join the king of the cool crowd's crowd, but Mrs. Diffy's other-century son doesn't know how to pilot the required bicycle. You know what else is cool? Ice cream sandwiches - an entire wheelbarrow full.
Missives: When real friends are together, we're the coolest crowd around, because we don't need things or status, just one another. Phil's skyak is easier to pilot than a bike.
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003 "Dinner and a Movie and a Nine Foot Dwarf" - unproduced script
Nosy Mandy sees more than she should have at the Diffys', and that's not even counting when Lloyd's pants split open.
Phil and Keely go to the movies - and Keely's mom comes along, too, to spy, thinking Phil Diffy is not a good influence on her daughter … or probably any daughter.
Missive: Everyone's parents are weird; yours, too. Get over it.
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004 "Ring My Bell" - Outline
It's a humdinger of a mall fight when Keely refuses to perform again in public with her mother. Phil's effort to play peacemaker goes unappreciated, so he and the lower portion of his mother attempt to be the Teslows' bell ringing replacements.
Pim and Lloyd attempt to regain Mom's detached head in the toy store.
Missives: If we stick together and you don't loose your head, everything will work out all right. Also, that Barb's robotic body can be plugged into if you need to tap a little power for an electric guitar or just wanna open a soda bottle.
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005 "I Feel Like Chicken Tonight" - Outline
Keely's had it up to here with Phil's claim of being from the future; while Pim's had it up to here (she's holding her hand higher) with Debbie Berwick. Phil has to work hard to save Keely's friendship and his family's secret and what better way to do this than for Phil to turn everyone into poultry? No yolk. Please insert better chicken joke here. Shouldn't be hard. They're a dime a dozen, even if real friends aren't.
Missives: Real friends are extremely rare and wondrous. Chickens love popcorn.
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006 "Destiny obeisant History" - story idea
Phil's WIZrD has a modest database of history. (DoH!) Keely is thrilled to learn that she's going to have a career as an artist when she grows up and she embraces this future with gusto, even enrolling in a summer art camp in France. Depressed, Keely drops her dream when she realizes that her mother simply can't afford Keely's perfect summer in Paris. Keely and Phil discover that she'll be an even more successful by her 28th birthday - it may not just be artists who must suffer for their work. Troy? He's just going to suffer in his future.
Missive: There are gifts within us all and it's up to us how we use them.
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007 "Mother Knows Best" - story idea
Keely's mother is used to approving her daughter's movies ("That's one not rated 'G'. Find another one."), her clothes ("That skirt is too short, don't you agree, Keely?"), and now it seems, she'll have to start picking out Keely's friends as Keely has been spending entirely too much time with that odd Phil Diffy. Now, Mandy has a client with a son her daughter's age, one who's well-mannered, ambitious and - most importantly - normal. In actually a prankster, his intention at school is to beat Troy out of the class president's position, his intention toward Keely is another matter. Can Troy somehow convince Phil and Keely to join his campaign and expose this smarmy usurper?
Missives: When it comes to the presidency, no one who wants the job should be allowed to have it. Particularly Pim. Parents should pick out their children's shoes, not their friends.
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008 "The Time Capsule - Part 1" - story idea
An old man claims to also be a time traveler and is willing to help Lloyd fix the time machine. The two of them put their heads together, but can only get it to work in reverse. Phil and Keely are happy that the Diffys won't be "moving" unless someone has a bright idea on how to return to the future while driving a time machine backward.
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009 "The Time Capsule - Part 2" - story idea
Hopping into the time machine in an act of desperation, going back down the timeline in a vain attempt to hitch a ride back to the future. Visiting the most exciting events amongst the Diffys' time traveling brochures in the hopes of bumping into other vacationers visiting historical highlights, they worry that their chances of success decreases the further back they go because the people they meet smell more and more like Curtis.
Missive: Always swim and time travel with a buddy.
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010 "Pieces of Hate" - story idea
Blaming her brother for her grounding, Pim tattles on him every chance she gets. "Bad boy" Phil finally has a reputation, but it ends up costing him a seat on the over-night school field trip he coveted. He's going to make his sister pay for that big time, courtesy of his WIZrD, with the release of a small band pirates they met on vacation. Avast! Phil learns the hard way that revenge doesn't solve anything; responsibility does - and who's going to take responsibility for these pirates, Phil? Yo Ho! You with the eyepatch, put Keely down!
Missives: A course to Peace cannot be navigated through the stormy passage of Getting Even. The hardest thing around to swallow isn't Barb's cooking; it's pride.
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011 "Phil and Pim's Excellent Adventure" - story idea
Using future technology sure makes school work easier, if not taken to extremes. Wizrding up a couple of ancient warriors to get top marks on their oral history projects sounded like a great idea until their teacher becomes moonstruck over the antiquated soldiers. Now Pim, Phil, Curtis and Keely have a real history project problem on their hands to find the right solution for.
Missives: Just get busy and do your own school work, cuz if you fiddle around like Nero, you're bound to get burned. Men have been slow to evolve (just look at Curtis); even so, there has been progress made in the last two millennium.
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012 "Color Him Pim" - story idea
Yin and yang switch Twenty-Second Century style as a WIZrD accident swaps the personalities of Pim and her brother. Phil has all the drives of Pim when she's most focused and without the intimidation of being the younger sibling, while Pim is now interested in having friends and relationships. It's a nice change of pace for the Diffy household and there's no guarantee that swapping personalities again wouldn't end up with two world dominators, so can Phil's parents and Keely learn to appreciate a fouled up Phil?
Missives: When you need advice, listen to your heart: To thine own Heart be true. If balance is desired, seek the center.
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013 "Hey! You With The Face" - story idea
Phil and Lloyd end up on the receiving end of some mosquito bites which change the way people see them. One of his eyebrows is raised by a bite, leaving Phil with a doubtful expression which Keely interprets as his being disingenuous when they talk. It's so bad that Phil would gladly trade the bite for a zit, even if it is school picture day. Oh, did I mention that it's school picture day? Lloyd's just as innocent when Barbara is attracted to his rugged new nose. Her husband really enjoys the attention. He even considers using his WIZrD to keep it, which would be fine if not for all the attention 21st Century women heap on him now … well, not so much their attention as Barb noticing said attention.
Missive: Be care-Phil to know and appreciate who's inside no matter what appearance he's trapped behind.
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014 "Debbie the 'TOBOR'" - story idea
Pim repurposes the Translate-O-Matic Cap from evolving the family's caveman's behavior, to brainwashing Berwick into becoming Pim's ultimate personal assistant, or slave as the Diffy parents finally catch on to. No cap means no civilized behavior for Curtis as he shows the Twenty-First Century citizens how a real wild man swings.
Missive: From the wisdom of Bill S. Preston, Esquire, "Be excellent to each other."
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015 "Misses Diffy" - story idea
World domination is taking too long for one poor little girl, and she's sure what the world needs is more Pim. To do her part to solve this dilemma, Pim taps the power of her WIZrD to clone herself - a lot. First Phil, and eventually even Pim, agree that too many Pims is too much. "There can only be one." Will it end up being the best (or the worst) Miss Diffy?
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Missive: More isn't necessarily better.
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Thirteen Promotional Trailers and Teasers for the Upcoming Series (For details, please see "Chapter 18: 01 - PRODUCTION: Part D")
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Season One: 2004 - 2005
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101 "Future Tutor" (Scripts entitled "Weapons of Math Destruction #101") - Premiered Friday, June 18, 2004
First day in school: Phil tutors Keely in algebra and the two of them manage to combine two dissimilar social subsets.
In her daughter's competition with Debbie for class chalk monitor, Barbara "helps" Pim bake homemade brownies to sway voters.
Missive: Cliques' rule of exclusivity is foolish.
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102 "Future Jock"
All for Keely, Phil uses a Penny Missile to become an impressive gymnast.
Penny Missile used by Pim to launch the family garbage can up, up, and away (and be disciplined for it with kitchen clean up duty) (and get revenge on Phil for her punishment).
Missive: People will be impressed by you being yourself, instead of pretending to be someone you're not.
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103 "Corner Pocket"
In order to keep the truth from her mother, Phil assists Keely after cheerleader tryouts don't go her way.
One cool Seth silently plays billiards amidst loud distractions.
Pim tortures Debbie with the threat of raisins.
Missives: Your parents want you to be happy in whichever of life's path you choose; bow-ties are cool; Even Pim realizes when she's crossed the line.
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104 "You Say Toe-Mato"
Pinky toeless Phil wants to go barefootin' on the field trip to the tomato ranch. Phil tells Keely the naked truth about the Diffys being from the future.
Pim and Debbie raise money for Mr. Hackett's operation, not knowing it's for a toupee.
Missive: Your friends love you for who you are.
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105 "Meet the Curtis"
Caveman Curtis is discovered and discarded by the Diffys.
Pim is trapped at Debbie Berwick's sleep over.
Missive: Everyone has value.
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106 "Pheromonally Yours"
The target of unrequited infatuation, Phil desperately attempts to get Marla not to like him. (Hmm … sounds like the trouble he'll have with Grace in episode #215.)
Forced by her father to be anything other than a couch potato, Pim takes a swing at playing the gong in an orchestra.
Missive: Consider what the other person is feel ing.
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107 "Milkin' It"
Lloyd's convinced that Phil's milk engine at the Invention Expo will force the Diffys to leave Pickford. It's up to Rupert Duffy to come to the rescue!
Pim "writes" Galacta Girl stories for writing class, but learns the hard way that the easy way isn't.
Missive: Don't whine - WORK! Stop being passive. Take charge and make the future you want happen.
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108 "We'll Fix It In Editing"
Directing a meteor documentary piece brings out the bossy side of Phil, costing him his pals.
It's a track meet with Pim as the school's reluctant fast walker.
Missive: Friendships can be put back together iftheywant to be.
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109 "Double Trouble"
Phil suspects his sister of having her first boyfriend when he catches her making a lunch for someone named "Jerry." Sandwich-loving bullies Jerry and her big brother Myron strong-arm Pim and Phil. Will Phil be able to follow the same advice he gave his little sister for dealing with bullies? Special appearance by the rabbit Cookie Junior.
Ceramic lawn ornaments are adopted from Mandy Teslow's front lawn. Curtis, what did you do?
Missive: Everyone has some good inside them ready to be channeled to make the world a better place.
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110 "Unification Day"
Ninth grader Phil has to decided between spending the evening with his family celebrating Uni Day's world peace, or attending an eleventh grade party with his chums.
Pim must cook Uniloaf all by herself.
Missive: In family traditions, precious memories live. Friends are fun, but don't forget, your family is, too. Find a balance.
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111 "Your Cheatin' Heart"
Drama class brings out the drama as Keely may have her first boyfriend, Tanner, but Phil suspects that Tanner isn't being true to her.
Pim breaks up Bradley and Debbie, so Debbie (blaming herself) insists on "Pim Lessons" to salvage the relationship.
Missive: Real friends watch your back, telling you what they think, even when it will hurt you in the short term..
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112 "Age Before Beauty"
The New Ager makes Keely 25 years old, old enough for recently dumped Mr. Hackett to think that she's a hot substitute teacher and ask her out on her very first date. Phil comes to her rescue, but definitely after his ninth inning.
Empowered by their status as on-air reviewers, Pim and Bradley try to muscle bribes out of new hire Chef DuPre.
Missive: Don't rush, but give a relationship time to develop roots to grow.
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113 "Phillin In"
To get the afterburner card for skyaking, Phil has to watch over Pim. Pim has to mess with her brother and Keely while they do her share of the chores - and I do mean "mess."
Lloyd and Barbara go on an automobile road trip and make the acquaintance of a ticket-wielding patrolman.
Missive: Make fun of your little sister and she'll get even and then some.
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114 "Daddy Dearest"
A replicant of Lloyd is trained to be a cooler guest presenter of American Folk Music.
Curtis visits the dentist with a caveman-sized molar in pain.
Missive: You love people for themselves with all their imperfections, not their "coolness;" deprive them of those flaws and they cease being the them you know and love.
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115 "My Way"
It's the talent show and Keely needs Phil's help to overcome her stage fright.
Pim and Bradley rear their bag of flour, "Chuck," for Life Skills class.
Missive: Victories, like friends, come in all shapes and sizes.
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116 "Team Diffy" + "Gag Reel" as tag
22nd Century prankster Andy Baxley coerces Phil into pranking the new Friar Fred statue in return for providing the Diffys a lift back to 2121.
Pim makes a "good-bye" video for the Monday morning announcements.
Missive: When pressured to do something you know is wrong, get your parents' advice.
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117 "Doggie Daycare" (Scripts entitled "Tour of Doody #117")
100 dollar Festapalooza Concert tickets require Phil, Keely and Curtis to stoop to picking up poop.
Pim pretends to be injured to make Debbie be at her beck and call.
Missive: Honor your commitments to friends.
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118 "Tanner"
Tanner broadcasts that Phil has been sent back to second grade to improve his penmanship.
Pim is bothered by a guilty conscience posing as Berwick.
Missive: Don't care if people laugh, as long as you can laugh at yourself. (Thanks Lloyd!)
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119 "Future Halloween" + "Gag Reel" as tag
An evil Debbie Berwick terrorizes Pickford by forcing students to bake fifty thousand cupcakes, leaving Keely, Phil and Pim to save the day.
Missive: You can have too much of a good thing.
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120 "Raging Bull"
Razzed Phil goes to the 50s dance without Keely, but with an ex-bully and a bull instead.
Pim trains Curtis to be her dad for a home parent conference as Barbara and Lloyd celebrate their wedding anniversary.
Missive: Even when you've ticked them off, you can always depend on your real friends.
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121 "Neander Phil"
Malfunctioning Wizrd exchanges the minds of Phil and Curtis at random intervals during Phil's big date with the mayor's daughter, Alice.
Pim fights off Debbie's celebration of their friendship, yet even trying yoga doesn't help one bit.
Missive: Be yourself … even if you're Pim.
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Handheld and Flash Games (Please read Chapter 17 parts B & C)
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"Phil of the Future GBA cartridge" - Game Boy Advance: Sept. 18, 2006
Join Phil, Keely, and Curtis as they clean up the mess of Pim's attempted take over. Battle the legion of Blahs which spread the contagious Whatevers from the future throughout Pickford while you're also occupied scavenging parts to create and upgrade Phil's gadgets and maybe - just maybe - even repair the time machine. Mr. and Mrs. Diffy stay close to home monitoring your progress and providing new gizmos to aid you in your fights and maybe even friendly game of laser squash.
Pim? Well … Phil's sister has been naughty, so very naughty. Surprised? No? Well ... whatever.
Missive: Whatever.
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Phil of the Future - Gadgets & Gizmos DVD
Enjoy four episodes of Phil of the Future (#109, 112, 115, 116), an episode (#116) audio commentary by Ricky Ullman, né Raviv, and then find yourself clicking through the 2121 Cybernetic Catalog to compile your shopping wish list of future gadgets. Eat your heart out Sears & Roebuck.
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Season Two: 2005 - 2006
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201 "Virtu-Date"
Virtu-Goggles allow Phil and Keely to visit a virtual mall of the future where Phil becomes jealous of Keely's attention lavished upon Robby, their slick operating android waiter.
Fashion Zombies ostracize Pim from their sleep over. She gets her revenge … virtually. Phil's private tormentor undertakes the task of reinventing her image in an attempt to fit in, and learns the priceless lesson to just be herself.
Missive: A friendship can bloom into something new and even more beautiful.
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202 "Versa Day"
Squabbling switched siblings sent schoolward: Pim creates embarrassments for Phil, while Phil spends his time-out protecting Pim from the revenge of the Fashion Zombies. Our only episode featuring voice overs to share what Pim and Phil are thinking.
Lloyd and Curtis go job hunting without a spear.
Missive: Never judge a girl until you've walked a mile in her tight suede boots.
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203 "Dinner Time"
Old-fashion dinner party to dupe new neighbor Vice-Principal Neil goes awry due to an uninvited time hole, requiring Phil and Keely to pretend to be an old married couple we know.
Unwilling to share a commission with Keely's mom, Pim tries hard to sell the house by herself during the party.
Missive: Next time, just trim the hedges the way your father tells you to.
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204 "The Giggle"
Not studying changes Keely's future for the worse, so it's up to Phil and Keely cramming in order to pass Mr. Messerschmitt's Omicron Gambit to save Teslow from her new horrible future.
Pim and Curtis go to a scary movie without rocks … which is redundant, as all motion pictures without rocks are frightening and pieces of schist.
Missive: Take responsibility when your actions hurt others, and then fix the problem, probably with the right rock.
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205 "Mummy's Boy"
Curtis chaperones the museum field trip where Phil attempts to retrieve a temporal pump valve long missing from the time machine; meanwhile, Keely makes a new friend in her new camera operator, Owen.
Doctor Mom tries to heal her patient, an under-the-weather Hackett.
Pim vs. Ms. Mip, the substitute teacher.
Missives: Friends have their own lives and other commitments that sometimes get in the way, but they still love you; growing up doesn't mean the fun has to stop.
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206 "Tia, Via, or Me... Uhh"
Tired of doing boring "girl-things" with Keely, Phil introduces Keels to the new girl in school, Via, and then misses out on all the time he could have been spending time with his best friend.
After ten months in the Twenty-First Century, twelve-year-old Pim finally unpacks and has to deal with Barbara's involvement in decorating the bedroom of a potential global potentate.
Missive: Tell those closest to you your honest feelings and there will be fewer conflicts … and pink stuff.
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207 "Get Ready to Go-Go"
School dance, and the time machine is fixed, so Keely asks out the available Owen instead. Via asks out Phil. It's a double date dilemma .
Teased by the Candida, Pim literally "makes" her own dance date.
Missive: Uncertainty and distractions aside, some people are just meant to be together.
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208 "Phil Without A Future"
Career Day Supervisor Mr. Messerschmitt insists on Phil deciding on what he will do with the rest of his life by twelve o'clock sharp, or else. "Or else" happens first thing Saturday morning.
Pim tries out a career as a corrections officer. If she wasn't on the wrong side of the shield, you'd think it typecasting.
Missive: It's your own life to live as You Want. Your life will last ten minutes, fifteen tops - make it count.
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209 "Happy Nirday"
Phil tries to make Keely's birthday special, but his efforts are hampered by Lloyd's removal of all the batteries from their future gadgets, including the skyak. Can Phil still manage making her birthday a special one, retro style?
Pim has her very first crush (Simon) and the worst hair day possible.
Missive: The best gifts are the personal ones which evoke reflection .
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210 "Time Release Capsule"
Will a to-be-buried time capsule with the addition of advice to their past future selves undo the Diffys ever being broken down and stranded in Pickford, even undoing Phil and Keely?
Pim turns an ailing science rat into an extremely profitable scam and lets us know that money is still worth something in the future.
Missive: Value true friendship, whether it lasts forever or just a day.
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211 "Maybe-Sitting"
Phil and Keely baby-sit Mr. Messerschmitt's misbehaving nephew, but resort to using the New Ager to make him easier to handle. Phil gets a taste of what it was to be five years old again, and Keely has a peek at what a handful a young Phil of her own could be.
Pim and Danny successfully market model volcanoes in the garage to her classmates from Mr. Messerschmitt's class.
Missive: It's your word: make a promise, keep your promise.
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212 "Ill of the Future"
Greenemia runs rampant through the Diffy household. Pim becomes sweet, Phil and Lloyd are liars, and Barbara goes scary nasty.
Keely decides to date the school's star quarterback because Phil encourages her to do so.
Missive: Trust your instincts and don't be swayed by really bad advice even if it's from your best friend.
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213 "Christmas Break"
While decorating the Diffys' tree, Phil recalls all the first times he met Keely and rescued the Yuletide Star over and over again for her, and we learn how the time machine ended up all brokey.
Lloyd reminisces about the purchase of their home in Pickford.
Missive: Buy an Astro Tree, Fool - it's guaranteed not to kill us!
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214 "Good Phil Hunting"
Keely is mistaken for a math genius and is thrust into the world of advanced math, becoming the role model for her advanced math classmates while Phil is stuck being responsible for doing her homework.
Pim charges up with static electricity to get revenge on Candida.
Missive: Everyone has gifts which others find valuable, electrifying, even.
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215 "Stuck In the Meddle With You"
Keely plays matchmaker for Grace and Grady without realizing whom it is that Grace really likes. Keely's swiping of Phil's Instamorph does lead to some revelations about how Phil feels about Keely, but that's not important right now. Keely becomes a force of nature which Phil can't resist as she awkwardly picks up Cupid's bow yet again. It's double date time, and as close to a February 14th episode as we'll ever get, Valentine.
Clairvoyant Pim manipulates superstitious Mr. Hackett. She learns the hard way how sitting in the catbird seat isn't as enviable as she envisioned it to be.
Missive: Phil's right. No, they get together, so Keely's right. Wait, is it that some people can't see their perfect match even when they're right in front of them? (I wonder if Pim foresaw this coming.)
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216 "Where's the Wizard?"
First, Phil's missing Wizrd falls into the hands of Danny Dawkins, followed by Vice-Principal Hackett, so Keely and the Diffys pose as aliens in an attempt to swindle Hackett into surrendering his possession of the Swiss army knife of future tech.
Missive: Um, You'll pay if you try to cheat Danny Dawkins … Pim always has a plan that she can sell ... always have pudding handy for protection ... no, wait, hand back the Astrolator when you're first asked and maybe you'll get to keep your new physique and locks? Oh, I don't know ... fun episode, though.
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217 "Pim-cipal"
In the midst of budget cutbacks combining classes, Pim hijacks the school's Principal-For-the-Day competition, fires Neil Hackett, and becomes a scholastic despot for fun. "White Panther" and "Mr. Fuzzybear" plot Pim's overthrow with a little scorpion's assistance.
Missive: When you see something is wrong, work to change it, but first, always pick yourself out a cool codename before someone else does.
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218 "It's a Wonder-Phil Life"
Phil exposes his secret not only to Hackett, but to the world. Phil becomes the BFMOC*, but loses Keely in the process.
Pim cheats in weight lifting competition and payback's a … student named Helga.
Missives: One true friend is everything. The only person you're competing to be better than is you.
*Big Future Man On Campus
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219 "Broadcast Blues" + "Gag Reel" as tag
To rake in the bucks, Pim tricks Keely out of investigative news reporting and into the dazzling and profitable realm of infomercial rubbish.
Phil wants Keely back doing what makes her blissfully happy.
Missive: To thine own self be true.
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220 "Phil of the Garage"
When Lloyd accidentally destroys the floor of Phil's bedroom, sloppy Phil finds the silver lining by moving into Curtis's garage to assert his new found independence.
Curtis repairs and moves into Phil's old room, cooking dinner, and playing charades while spilling the beans about Pim's tunnels.
Missives: The grass isn't always greener. Sometimes your brother isn't a bad as you thought.
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221 "Not-So-Great Great Great Grandpa"
The lame prankster at school is actually Barbara Diffy's great grandfather and interactions can do more than interfere with his future; they can delete his great granddaughter and great, great grandchildren, Phil and Pim.
Count on Pim to come to the rescue, particularly if the "self" in self-preservation includes her-self.
Missive: Working together, even overwhelming problems are not insurmountable.
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222 "Back to the Future (Not the Movie)"
Finally admitting their secret feelings aloud, Phil and Keely become a couple.
Pim uncovers Lloyd's secret - he's known how to fix the time engine all along.
The time machine goes back to the future without Keely (and Curtis); although, there is a dramatic good-bye scene in front of the entire school.
Missive: Clever fans decide if the story goes on, not Disney.
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… and now, Back to the Future, The Movie …
"Phil of the Feature" movie outline
Written by PotF creators with the intention of capping the series as well as providing closure for fans, an outline for a Phil of the Future movie was submitted. Phil and Keely are a couple, but the Diffys are still going back to the future. Yes, this time they remember their favorite paleolithic pal and drop Curtis off with his cave-dwelling cohorts, but when they return to 2121, things aren't quite they way they remember them. Trying to repair what's broken only makes reality go from bad to unbearably worse, except for Pim.
What will a young couple from two different time periods do when they learn their love transforms a utopian future into a repressive, joyless and colorless police state? That omkar pendant Phil always wears around his neck? Well, the time machine gets kicked into high gear as we witness the beginning, duration, and dissolution our favorite family's future as their past shapes our destiny. As they try to mend the contorted timelines, Keely, the Diffys and even Curtis measuring the price of their own personal bliss against creating a vile and totalitarian dystopia for the rest of us. Doug Tuber and Tim Maile make full advantage of time travel to both tell the story and bring us back to where the series started, and that's all I'm saying about it.
Except, in the future, Pim isn't in charge, yet, but it's really only a matter of time.
Missive: If you love her, let her go; if she comes back … well, what are chances of that?
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Phil of the Future Books
Peppered with untold sweet details, each book retells two episodes in sequence from the series, beginning with Future Tutor and Future Jock.
1. Stuck in Time adapted by Jasmine Jones Retelling Future Tutor and Future Jock ISBN - 10: 0786847255 ISBN - 13: 9780786847259
2. The Great Fake-Out adapted by N. B. Grace Retelling Corner Pocket and You Say Toe-Mato ISBN - 10: 0786838469 ISBN - 13: 9780786838462
3. Blast from the Past adapted by Ben Elton Retelling Meet the Curtis and Pheromonally Yours ISBN - 10: 0786838477 ISBN - 13: 9780786838479
4. Far-Out Phil adapted by N. B. Grace Retelling Milkin' It and We'll Fix It In Editing ISBN - 10: 0786848650 ISBN - 13: 9780786848652
5. Mad Science adapted by Megan Stine (unreleased in USA) Retelling Double Trouble and Unification Day ISBN - 10: 0786849320 ISBN - 13: 9780786849321
6. Double Crossed! adapted by Paula Morris (unreleased in USA; released in India, and so, one can logically conclude was #5, and then possibly those which followed) Retelling Your Cheatin' Heart and Age Before Beauty ISBN - 10: 0786849339 ISBN - 13: 9780786849338
7. Time Warp adapted by Disney Press Staff(unreleased in USA) Retelling Phillin In and Daddy Dearest ISBN 10: 0786849347 ISBN 13: 9780786849345
8. Untitled (unreleased in USA) Retelling My Way and Team Diffy
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Season Three: 2006 - 2007
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301 "Dr. Phil"
Love is in the air, or maybe it's just hormones as boys of H. G. Wells come to Phil for advice on romancing. All the attention gives Phil a big head and he starts saying things that he shouldn't just to be left alone. He really shouldn't have. Doesn't he know that he has a sincere face and people believe him?
Lloyd isn't happy with the attention Barbara is getting from their butcher and Keith, the water guy. It isn't wise to anger a Wizrd-wielding husband in any century.
Missive: "No" means no - particularly when "Barbara" is actually her instamorphed husband.
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302 "Philling Station" (A.K.A. "Phil of the Garage II")
Driver's Ed. training starts up and so does Phil's after school job. Is it karmic that girls like cars and cars cost money, so girls cost money? Wait - that can get someone's face slapped. Dates! I meant "dates" cost money. Whew! Anyway, there are only two ways for a teenager boy to get money without getting his face slapped - Pim's way, and the right way. So turn on your indicator light and turn right on this show. I know you're tired, but you wheelie should watch Phil show how to keep it wheel. But while Phil's away, who's offering a ride to Keely?
Due to technical difficulties, Pim and Simon prank the morning news broadcasts with style - more fun than pulling a fire alarm just before Friday's big test!
Missive: You "gots" to pay your dues.
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303 "Phil-losopher's Stone"
Mayor Da Luca wants a real golf course - too bad! Lorax Keely doesn't want the trees in the park chopped down - where will the squirrels live? Anywhere they want to 'cause they're Pim's former attack squirrels. It's twenty tons of bulldozing fury vs. the twenty ounce fury of the furries. No contest.
Now it's a no-win scenario as Curtis learns to bake and competes against Barbara in the Pickford Bake-Off competition. If his avalanche brownies take the prize ribbon, Barbara's feelings will be hurt and he'll lose raiding the refrigerator privileges. Yet if Barbara bakes as she usually does, it's stomachache city for everyone. Nuts!
Missive: Mighty oaks from little acorns grow, and it doesn't hurt when they have their own furry security squad permanently on hand.
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304 "Nicely Philled Jeans"
It's the Valentine's Day Dance and the new girl wants Phil and doesn't care squat about "the code."
When Owen has competition for Via's heart, Pim sells him a 22nd Century aphrodisiac, then Seth borrows the philter to live his dream date, before it falls into Danny's hands, giving Pim no one to blame but her own self for painting Li'l D's face with her lip prints. When the magic cologne wears off, now the boys are the ones at the girls' mercy. And Danny? Pim Diffy doesn't do mercy.
Missive: Manufactured love isn't.
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305 "Phil-abuster"
Phil and Keely face one another on the debate squads. Keely's overly passionate in her positions and Phil's not quite up on his facts regarding recent history, which only make for bigger turnouts to watch the favorite couple fight.
A tan Principal Tillywack finds his way back on campus and Neil Hackett doesn't like being demoted to Number Two. The rest of the staff …? And the students …? Could it really be that everyone will work to get Vice-Principal Neil back running the school again? Everyone, 'cept Pim and Candida, that is.
Missive: Don't sweat the small stuff.
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306 "Over-Phil"
Phil and Keely step up when Miss Navia and Chef DuPré are overly depressed regarding the languishing Feed The Hungry drive. Not enough food, funds, or friends around to make it happen - with present day technology …
Trying to earn some green by being green, Pim uses the time engine's singularity as an alternative dumping ground to Pickford's overflowing garbage dump. Green turns brown as the temporal singularity threatens to escape containment and become the miniature golf course's second hole, a time hole.
Missive: Cute tiny snowflakes make up an avalanche no matter their good intentions.
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307 "There's Something Special Written in the Stars"
Teenagers take romantic overnight field trip to the Pickford Planetarium with Mr. Hackett in charge.
Pim's willpower crosses Via's. No contest, not that that tells you who wins.
Missive: "When you wish upon a star...dreams really do come true."
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308 "Tee-uh Time"
Phil and Keely, Owen and Via, and Seth and Tia compete against one another in the Pickford Partners Miniature Golf Tournament. Seriously, will someone get a hole-in-one, choke, or just putter around like usual? Come on, it's only a half-hour episode, Seth. Just take Tia behind the Dutch windmill and kiss her already! What's the worse that could - Well, yes, she does have a club in her hand, but it's not like it's a number 7 wood. Kids, come watch and see which of Seth's balls Tia hits with her club. Fore!
Curtis steals Barbara's spotlight when she invites her first neighbors over for a party. Who'd expect an escapee from the Ice Age to be such an ice breaker? Good thing he ran through the sprinklers first for his shower.
Missive: Life - If you play to win, or if you play to have fun, can't you win either way?
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309 "Wizrd's Night Out"
Pim's overworked Wizrd's sprite escapes into the school's computer network and it's far worse than Pim ever was. The student store, computer lab, pupil records, and Roger Nucci's four-peat contender, a robot, are all playground material for the AWOL sprite. Now Pim need's her big brother's help (and Blondie's) before the malefic sprite gets tired of tormenting at school and goes global. Pim better get a move on or her sprite is going to take over the world before she can.
Lloyd runs out of pretzels.
Missive: Cheese pretzels are the best.
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310 "Coffee Break"
At the Cocoa Palace after their fight, we get into their heads as Phil and Keely let us in on their reflective thoughts and feelings through voice overs.
Pim and Via enter a bidding battle as budget cuts result in single male teachers being auctioned off as a school fundraiser.
Missive: True feelings run deep.
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311 "Had Your Phil Of Hackett?"
When Curtis catches Hackett inside the time machine, they go for an unscheduled jaunt through time with Phil and Keely snared just outside by the temporal flux.
H. G. Wells Teachers roundtable at lunch discussing their suspicions about who's pranking them now that Kyle Speckle has departed.
Missive: Recall your Disneyland training: Keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times.
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312 "Trading Up"
Time Crumpler Component disrupts the Wave Generator and everything within five kilometers gets an upgrade to 2121 standards, so the government wants to know why the epicenter is at ... Neil Hackett's house. Oh, he tries to shift attention away from himself by telling investigators that they've got the wrong man, that he's just a poor teacher and that it's his weird alien-type neighbors that are culprits that they should be hauling away for incarceration and vivisecting. Doesn't work too well though. The Diffys are checked up on, but they actually seem normal and harmless. Sure, they have a boarder with an accent living in their garage, but the environment is clean and the elder Diffys have promised to get it up to building code standards. Only a couple of computers in the house that they could find and those are used by the younger Diffys for school work. Yes, there's is a blender in the kitchen that glows blue - must be the latest fad. Mom isn't the best cook - typical American in the 21st Century. With the rest of the family's help distracting other investigators Lloyd inverses the time machine's chameleon setting just as a governmental agent steps inside. Looks perfectly normal inside (he misses the big show outside as we get to see the true image of the time machine finally (weldenartdotcomslashartistslashGraphicsslashGraphicsAndThumbsslashship6dotjpg)) and Mr. Diffy flips setting back to disguising the outside of the vehicle just as they both exit. The Diffys actually survive Lloyd's worse nightmare concerning government spies.
Candida pumps Curtis for information. She's so much more devious and thorough than the CIA, FBI, and AMA (American Model Association) could ever dream of being. Curtis basically spills the beans as best he can. Only his broken Ingrish, distractibility, personal hygiene, and, let's face it, hideous fashion sense prevent Candid from connecting all the dots and learning the truth about the Diffys.
Missive: You can have secrets, or you can have a family, but you can't have family secrets.
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313 "Honeymooners"
Phil takes Keely to the Moon for her birthday to make up for her last two birthdays.
Barbara invites Mandy over for dinner.
Lloyd and Curtis go out on the town. It's GNO: Guys' Night Out!
Missive: Two's company, three's a crowd, five is extremely uncomfortable when parents are involved.
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314 "Phil Up Your Plate"
The Diffys, Teslow and friends make plans for Thanksgiving.
Curtis brings home some homeless.
Missive: We're all in this together.
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315 "Phil 'Er Up"
Tanner videos Phil and Keely skyaking, at least that's what the young people are calling it these days.
Tia tries sitting through an entire ESPN billiard regional semifinals match with Seth. Those aren't the sort of diamonds she had in mind around the felt.
Missive: Seeing is believing.
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316 "A Tomato In the Hand ..."
This Halloween, Pickford's farms are being pilfered of their precious fruit; turns out they're floating away!
Deborah Berwick returns. This time she's doing more than pushing cupcakes, People! BOO!
Missive: What comes up, must fall down.
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317 "The Big Phil-Ball Game"
Phil's high score on the pinball machine is beaten by a new comer who's developed a following for being sleazy.
As her punishment, Pim is assigned decorating the gymnasium for a school dance. What a mistake! It's like giving her free rein to set up her very own mine field.
Missive: What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object.
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318 "Punxsutawney Phil"
Pickford is hit by a freak snow storm. Can Phil and his family bring Spring about early?
Mandy Teslow and Neil Hackett compete in a shopping spree at the Pickford Town Mall.
Missive: Always be prepared.
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319 "Three To Make Ready"
Three Pickfordites discover the Diffys' secret, each with different plans on what to do with this fantastic news.
Mandy Teslow moves into the Diffys for the weekend while her water pipes are replaced. This spells primo nosey time for Mrs. T.
Missive: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and a lot can be downright terrifying!
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320 "Monkey Juggling"
Lloyd's greatest fears seem justified as governmental forces large and small converge on the Diffys.
Via tutors Owen in love.
Missive: Fun as a barrel of monkeys? A barrel of monkeys is also filled with monkey poo.
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321 "Rat Snacks" + "Gag Reel" as tag showing off the Jonas Brothers guest staring (you deserved something for reading this far, I figured)
Students start having strange side effects from Pim's business education class project using future foods. How many fingers am I holding up? Seventeen? Okay, you're fine.
Phil and Keely double date with Barb and Lloyd. Not so bad, really.
Missive: You are what you eat.
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322 "in-PHIL-traitor"
Phil is replaced by a Wizrd Corp. rival to tap Lloyd for industrial secrets, but how will the traitor handle early 21st Century Pickford and Keely?
Pim runs amuck without Phil cleaning up her shenanigans.
Missive: "A Phil in the hand is worth two in the bush" - nah; um, "the Phil is always greener on the ..." No, that episode's been done already. I know! "A priest, a nun and Phil walk into a bar ... Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"
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323 "Tempus Exspecto Pro Una Femina - Time Waits For One Woman"
Wizard beams converge and Keely is trapped in a stasis time bubble; will an aged Phil still be alive when her bubble bursts - having kept his promise to wait for her, or will he convince the rest of the family to leave Pickford and travel back to the future to be with Keely?
Curtis is immensely popular on Facebook and eHarmony; who'd have guessed?
Missive: Irony – it's just so, so, ... ironic. . .
Three A.M. and Neil Hackett's eyes were drooping from scouring the internet for evidence about the truth about the Diffys, his little doggie Roswell long ago sound asleep in his lap from disinterest. Roswell's master hadn't yet found what he wanted and what he wanted was hard evidence. What he found were interesting leads, certainly, along with numerous pop-up ads for hair growth remedies - who told them he's, you know, a potential customer? Well, like any web surfer, Neil had followed quite a few of those links too, before becoming jaded about their honesty. Pop - Click. Pop - Click. Advertisements popped up like students clamoring after first-come first-serve free dance tickets and he'd pop them away almost as quickly; it was a poor man's version of Wack-A-Mole. After the fortieth or fiftieth ad or so one popped up that was actually non-haircare related, and that barely saved it from being clicked out of existence like those before it. Somehow, he paused - okay, the bold print shouting "NEIL HACKETT" and "DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS?" cut through his brain's predawn haze. Clicking "NO" to the question, he then typed in the Diffys' address and waited for the screen to refresh.
Instead of requiring his credit card number, he was offered a sample. He'd been teaching history for years in Pickford, but had only heard rumors through his UFO Watchers / Chili Sampler Club of a spoiled unveiling of the Friar Fred statue, of how the statue of a young teen revealed instead. Now, the Mayor had been embarrassed and kept everything very hush-hush, refusing to allow the confederate statue to be photographed, but rumors, especially ones shaming politicians, never die.
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