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"The Parasite Car" is the 5th episode of Season 2 of Infinity Train and the 15th episode overall. It aired on January 8, 2020.
Synopsis[]
Mirror Tulip and Jesse gain an unexpected companion.
Plot[]
As M.T. and Jesse learn more about one another, they travel through a Flower Car where Alan Dracula suddenly begins speaking. They realize that a parasite named Perry has hopped into his mouth and is controlling him. However, he claims that he is not harming Alan and helps them out by exiting the next car. They go through a Runway Car where they must show off on the runway, judged by the host Sashay, to get to the exit. They succeed, but Alan begins morphing through his powers quickly. The group enter a Food Pyramid Car where M.T. and Jesse notice that Alan has gotten bigger. They realize that Alan is fighting Perry and is growing bigger as a result. M.T. gets a flower from the previous car (which Alan was allergic to) and Jesse gets Alan to sneeze Perry out. Jesse sees his number go down to 11 as he, M.T., and Alan continue their journey and leave a desperate Perry behind.
Features[]
Characters[]
- Mirror Tulip
- Jesse Cosay
- Alan Dracula
- Perry (debut)
- Fashion People (debut)
- Sashay (debut)
Locations[]
- Wasteland
- Infinity Train
- Parasite Car (debut)
- Runway Car (debut)
- Food Pyramid Car (debut)
Trivia[]
- End tag: M.T. looking at her reflection in her hand while on board the Infinity Train.
- Sashay and the Fashion Car are a thinly veiled parody of drag queen RuPaul and his series RuPaul's Drag Race. Sashay is also voiced by RuPaul's Drag Race contestant BeBe Zahara Benet.
Storyline analysis[]
- This episode is somewhat disconnected from the season's overarching plot, instead focusing on M.T. and Jesse's friendship, as well as their relationship with Alan Dracula. It is, in some respects, a "filler" episode for Book Two.
Behind the scenes[]
- Alex Horab was originally supposed to write this episode. He ultimately switched "The Mall Car" with Justin Michael due to having a hard time writing Perry – he felt the fast-paced humor was more in Michael's wheelhouse.[1]
- "The Parasite Car" was a divisive episode in the writers' room due to its disconnect from the rest of the season. Madeline Queripel and Justin Michael fought to keep it they felt it was important to have an episode solely based around developing the characters. Michael acknowledged it was an episode that fans of the show’s lore would want to skip, but felt that showing the group happy together was important for the emotional punch of them getting separated later in the season. As Queripel noted, “You’re not going to feel anything if you don’t have anything to feel about.”[2]
- The other members of the writing team were also hesitant to have an episode spanning multiple cars and thus spread out over multiple beats. Despite their hesitancy, they also relished the chance to feature more cartoonish gags for Alan Dracula.[2]
- This episode was inspired by the original conceit for the sixth episode of Book One where One-One is replaced by a parasitic egg made by a creature called a cowbird.[2]
- Due to some last minute casting issues, Madeline Queripel was not aware that Bill Corbett would be voicing Perry until he walked through the door of the recording studio. Queripel is a fan of the cult science fiction comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000 on which Corbett starred as Crow T. Robot. The team purposely hid the fact that they had cast him from Queripel, and Dennis recalls her having a very robotic starstruck reaction to seeing Corbett.[2]
- Owen Dennis asked Corbett to play Perry like a fast-talking slimy used car salesman. Corbett quipped, "The role I was born to play!"[2]
- The idea to include a baby giggle when Perry gives Alan Dracula baby hands was added by the animatic editor Dan Reeves.[2]
- There was a deleted scene that was cut for time of the group in dressing rooms arguing about their costumes, set between them meeting Sashay and when they walk on the runway.[2]
- During the initial planning and writing stages of Book Two, Jesse's name was "Miles." Sashay's intro for Jesse on the runway had to be rewritten by the other writers while Justin Michael was away because he had written them to rhyme with "Miles."[2]
- Perry calling Jesse "Giles" is actually a leftover line referring to Jesse's original name, but it was kept because it still worked for Perry's blatantly incorrect names for M.T. and Jesse.[2]
Videos[]
Transcript[]
View the episode's transcript here.
Gallery[]
Click here to view this page's gallery.
References[]
- ↑ Book 2 DVD Commentary: "The Mall Car"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Book 2 DVD Commentary: "The Parasite Car"