Act Your Age

"Act Your Age" is a Phineas and Ferb episode that aired on February 9, 2015 on Disney XD, and then 11 days later on the Disney Channel. In this special episode set ten years in the future, a teenaged Phineas must decide between two colleges while grappling with the discovery that Isabella has had a crush on him since they were kids. Ferb and the gang try to bring the two together so they can admit their true feelings for each other before Isabella leaves for school. Meanwhile, Doof wants a midlife crisis and builds a Mid-Life Crisis-Inator.
==Plot==
In a live-action intro, Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, the creators of the show, read some fan letters. One of the letters asks if they will see Phineas and Ferb as teenagers, and Dan replies they will and introduce the episode taking place 10 years in the future.
10 years in the future, as summer reaches its end, a teenaged Phineas is contemplating to Ferb which college or university he should go to, being the only one in their friend group who hasn't decided where he's going yet. Ferb suggests that Phineas get in the randomizer booth they'd installed in their room and let fate decide. Phineas gets into the booth, which is full of the many acceptance letters he had received from different schools around the world. However, he is not really sure about any of the choices he is given. Baljeet comes into the room and mentions that he had just been telling Buford about what life is like in college. He tells them that he has already graduated and is now a professor, and is hoping for Buford to attend his classes; though Buford is leaning towards attending film school instead. Baljeet suggests to Phineas that maybe he would be happy going to the same school as Ferb will be attending in Britain, or perhaps going to law school like Candace, but Phineas turns these suggestions down. He finally narrows down his choices between two colleges, Danville University and Tri-State State College.
At O.W.C.A. headquarters, Irving, now working as an intern, notices Doofenshmirtz's -inator alert going off and informs his superior, Commander Carl. Carl is surprised by this since Doofenshmirtz had given up evil years ago, ever since he started teaching high school science. Carl decides to tell Major Monogram about the alert. Monogram, who has since retired to Bora Bora, reminisces upon hearing that Doofenshmirtz may have returned to evil, and tells his former intern to say hi to Doofenshmirtz for him. Carl then calls Perry, who also seems to be enjoying his own retirement. After hearing that Doofenshnirtz may be active again, Agent P gets back to work.
In the kitchen, Phineas, Ferb, Buford and Baljeet are all making snacks for themselves. Still on the topic of colleges and universities, Baljeet tells Phineas that Isabella will be attending Tri-State State, and Phineas mentions that he had not seen Isabella all that often over the past summer. Baljeet mentions that he had always believed Phineas and Isabella would have ended up as a couple by now, but Phineas says he feels as though he is stuck in the friend zone with her. Both Baljeet and Buford are amused by this thought, since they both knew about Isabella's crush and even Ferb, though Phineas himself had no idea. Surprised by the revelation that Isabella had always had a crush on him, Phineas decides to clear his head by going for a walk. Buford and Baljeet then decide to try to get Phineas and Isabella together before she leaves.
Meanwhile, at the building formerly known as Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated (the word "evil" has since been removed from the sign), Perry arrives to visit his old gray-haired nemesis. Doof is confused to see Perry today, since it is not bowling day, but then realizes that he must have set off the inator alert. Perry gestures toward a menacing-looking machine behind him, and Doofenshmirtz assures Perry his latest inator is not evil, and that the menacing-looking machine behind them isn't even the inator. The real inator is a gold chain he had been working on, which, when activated, will help him go through a Mid-Life Crisis so he can fit in with other people his age, which he explains through song. After the inator is charged up, Doofenshmirtz's mid-life crisis begins.
At the Nosh Olé Mexican-Jewish Café, the now teenage Fireside Girls discuss the art of manipulation when Ginger attempts to persuade Baljeet to go to the movie she wants to see, rather than the one he wants to see. Isabella, who is working as a waitress there for her mom, brings the girls their order. Gretchen asks where Baljeet is, and Ginger replies he is at Phineas' house. The girls also contemplate how Phineas and Isabella are not a couple. Deciding that they should take it upon themselves to set Phineas and Isabella up with each other before she leaves for college, Adyson instructs Ginger to text Baljeet about their plan. In the living room, Baljeet receives Ginger's text, but does some manipulation of his own to make it seem like it was Ginger's idea all along.
Doofenshmirtz, who has now dyed his gray hair black and is riding a jet-ski with Perry, crashes his jet-ski into a sailing yacht. Excited in the heat of the moment, he then suggests taking the yacht for a spin, but the yacht sinks and Doofenshmirtz's hair dye begins to wash off in the water, making it gray again. Doofenshmirtz then decides to get a sports-car and swims his way back to shore.
Outside the Danville Retirement Home, Phineas encounters Nana Shapiro as she is mailing a package. Phineas tells Nana he is still indecisive about where to go to college. Nana then mentions that Isabella came over to say goodbye, which surprises Phineas since Isabella's college does not start for another two weeks. Nana tells him she is actually leaving today as soon as her waitress shift ends at the Café. Nana Shapiro suggests he go to the restaurant if he has anything to say to her.
In the backyard, the teen Fireside Girls, Baljeet, and Buford begin setting up a romantic dinner for Phineas and Isabella. Ferb suggests to leave well alone and not force them to get together, but Adyson suggests otherwise. As Gretchen explains about how the music and the balloons are to make Phineas and Isabella think about love, Katie asks what if it doesn't work, to which Buford shows them a sign that says "Think About Love".
At a car dealership, Doofenshmirtz is looking at sports cars to try out. He tries a red one, but he crashes it. The salesman tells him they have the same model in yellow. This excites Doofenshmirtz.
In the kitchen, the girls are all cooking the dinner. Baljeet suggests to Buford that he wear the cupid costume, since it worked for him and Mishti Patel, but Buford refuses. Upon hearing about Mishti, Ginger begins to get jealous, but Adyson tells her to let it go.
In downtown Danville, Doofenshmirtz is taking his new sports car and Perry for a wild ride. During this, they latch onto a dumpster. Doofenhsmirtz lets it go at the next turn and the dumpster speeds past the restaurant.
Isabella begins to say goodbye to her mother as she gets ready to go to college. Her mom gives Isabella her final paycheck and a hug. As Isabella walks away and begins to put her paycheck in her wallet, a photo of Phineas drops out. She picks up the photo then begins to reminisce about all the past summers she spent with Phineas and contemplates What Might Have Been.
Phineas reaches the restaurant, but Vivian tells him he just missed her. She then tells him she knew about Isabella's crush as well. Phineas leaves and does some contemplating of his own in the song about how oblivious he was to Isabella, even though, in hindsight, her attempts at romantic advances were really obvious.
Back in the backyard, Ferb puts a vase of flowers on the table and the girls believe the dinner to be perfect. They attempt to call Isabella on their cells, but various things hinder them from doing so. They are so distracted that they fail to notice the dumpster from earlier rolling into the backyard and taking the romantic dinner away.
By this point, Doofennshmirtz and Perry are in a plane about to skydive. Doofenshmirtz decides to hit on the nice jump instructor, but she pushes him out of the plane. Perry acknowledges her politely and quickly jumps out before she has the opportunity to push him too. As they fall, Perry opens both his and Doofenshmirtz's parachutes. Doofenshmirtz decides he has had enough of his mid-life crisis and takes the inator off and drops it. Below, the inator latches onto Lawrence, who, under the effects of the inator, rushes into the kitchen and tells Linda that he is impulsively going to switch his morning tea from Earl Grey to Darjeeling.
Phineas reaches Isabella's old house, but then notices her sitting on one of the steps of his house across the street. He walks over and sits next to her. Isabella tells him she came to say goodbye since she's heading to college early, because she has been accepted into various extracurricular activities at the school. Phineas then tells her what Baljeet said to him about her having crush on him, which Isabella admits to. She then says she gave up on the idea of getting together with him around high school, and Phineas admits that was when he began to have feelings for her. The two sadly contemplate the bad timing of their respective crushes on each other. Isabella then mentions that she is going to Tri-State State, which makes Phineas' decision about which college to go to easier: he decides to attend her college so they can be together. The Fireside Girls and Baljeet, Buford and Ferb, who had come around the house from the backyard while Phineas and Isabella were talking, overhear their conversation and are happy to see that they are together now. Phineas and Isabella embrace, and Isabella gets back in her car, telling him that she'll see him in two weeks, and drives away. Ferb approaches Phineas and commends him for his choice. Vanessa then drives up in the yellow sports car and Ferb gets into the passenger's seat. They share a kiss and offer Phineas a ride, to which he accepts.
While driving, Isabella comes to a stoplight, and Vanessa's car pulls up next to hers. Phineas gets out of the backseat, and Isabella gets out of her car to ask Phineas what he is doing. Phineas replies, "This," and then kisses her. Off to the side, watching from their car, Vanessa jokingly tells Ferb that she never realized Isabella had a thing for Phineas, to which he replies, "Seriously?" She then tells him that she was just messing with him and that everyone knew, before they drive off. After Phineas and Isabella kiss, she tells him that it was worth the wait, to which he agrees before they kiss again.
Swampy begins to sob uncontrollably when seeing the gang all grown up and going to college. Dan tries to console him, but excuses himself and leaves the still weepy Swampy alone.
==Songs==
*Mid-Life Crisis
*The Ballad of Badbeard (instrumental)
* What Might Have Been
* Danville for Niceness (instrumental)
==Credits==
The third verse of What Might Have Been plays while Swampy continues to cry off-screen. Just before the Disney logo appears, Dan shouts at him to "get a grip".
==Trivia==
*On November 15, 2012 Robert F. Hughes posted a tweet stating that Madison Scheckel had come to write a Phineas and Isabella song.Laying down the Phineas and Isabella song
*On December 14, 2012 Dan Povenmire tweeted a photo of Vincent Martella who had recently recorded said song.Absolutely killing in the studio on a Phineas/Isabella duet
*On March 1, 2013 Dan Povenmire, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh and Jake Whetter had a Spreecast chat. Fans were welcome to send in questions using Spreecast, Facebook, or Twitter with the hashtag "PlatypusDay". During Spreecast, Dan and Swampy had confirmed an emotional Phineas/Isabella episode in season 4, mentioning that the aforementioned song made them both cry.Live with Dan and Swampy!
*On May 10, 2013 Robert F. Hughes revealed the episode's title and confirmed that it would not be the last episode of Season 4.Lots more shows coming so get ready
*On March 1, 2013 Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh mentioned that the episode was emotional and that they cried in the making the episode.Live with Dan and Swampy!
*On May 18, 2013 Bernie Petterson confirmed that he and Kim Roberson would be writers and storyboard artists for this episode.
*On August 28, 2013, Robert F. Hughes confirmed that this episode would be a 22-minute long episode (30 minutes with commercials).https://twitter.com/hellofathead/status/372814976181739520
*According to Dan Povenmire, the kiss scene was a late addition. Originally, the episode was going to end with Isabella driving away. After the test screening, Dan felt that the two had earned a kiss, so he boarded the kiss scene later that night and added it to the episode.Kiss Scene
==Gallery==
Older Ferb and Phineas.jpg
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Teenage Ginger.png
Ginger Texting Baljeet.png
Jealous Ginger.png
What Might Have Been.jpg
Older Phineas and Isabella.jpg
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So Tristate state,huh .jpg
Hey, Ferbs, you ready.jpg
Can we drop you anywere.jpg
Ferb & Vanessa watching Phineas & Isabella Kissing.jpg
Adult Phineas and Isabella Kiss Again.png
File:Phineas buford and baljeet grown up.jpg
File:Phineas building.png
==References==
Category:Phineas and Ferb episodes