Busy Busy Octopus

"Busy Busy Octopus" is the first half of the ninth episode in the first season of Stanley.
== Summary ==
When Stanley's family holds a neighborhood party, Stanley decides to put on a one-person toy animal show. He's been working hard on the show and really wants to put on a great show all by himself. His friends are rather upset when he tells them that he doesn't want any help whatsoever. Then, he hears that the party is starting early, and it looks like he isn't going to have is show ready on time. He decides that perhaps he could learn from an octopus how to get many things done at once, since they have eight arms.
== Plot ==
The episode starts in the Griffs' backyard, setting up for a party. Just then, their next door neighbors, Marci and Mimi look over the fence to see what Stanley is doing. Stanley replies that he’s rehearsing for his ‘world’s greatest one-person toy animal show’. The twins are excited and ask him if they can help, but Stanley says that he wants to do the show all on his own. The twins get a little sour at this and go back behind the fence.
Meanwhile, Stanley is trying his hardest to rehearse, but ends up making a mess. Just then, his father tells him that due to a mixup on the invitation, the guests will arrive earlier than expected. This makes Stanley a bit exasperated, thinking he might not have enough time. Harry, Elsie and Dennis offer to help out, but Stanley once again refuses. He starts getting very frustrated, but still doesn’t want to ask for help.
Stanley then sits on a bench to think. He wonders that if he had more than two arms, he could do everything all by himself. This makes him think of an octopus, which has 8 arms. His brother Lionel however points out that he isn’t an octopus, nor does he have one either. Stanley feels a bit bummed by the fact, but he and Dennis decide to learn more about octopuses.
So Stanley goes to get the Great Big Book of Everything to look them up. The book tells them that the octopus not only has 8 arms, but an impressive memory and the ability to change color and texture for camouflage. In the book, Stanley finds the octopus trying to lift a big boulder, but doesn’t want to ask another octopus for help. Dennis states that this is because octopuses are solitary.
Even at that, Stanley believes that an octopus can help assist with the show. However, Dennis points out that an octopus can’t survive on land, giving it enough water would require a fishbowl the size of Stanley’s room and filling it would take hours and hours. Stanley becomes bummed that it wouldn’t be enough time before the party and doesn’t know what to do. Dennis then reminds him that while he can’t get an actual octopus to help, there was something else about them that can. From what they learned, the octopus could change shape and color, unscrew jars, but couldn’t move a huge rock all by themselves and had to give up. Stanley refuses to give up on his show and decides to do what he should’ve done before.
He then goes around to ask the twins, Harry, Elsie and Lionel to help him out on his new ‘world’s greatest more-than-one-person toy animal show, to which they happily agree. After the show, Stanley thanks everyone for their help and they all take a bow.
== Characters ==
* Stanley
* Dennis
* Dad
* Mom
* Lionel
* Marci
* Mimi
* Harry
* Elsie
* Lester (cameo)
* Ms. Diaz (cameo)
== Featured Animals ==
Octopus 
=== Other Animals ===
Ocelot (mentioned)
== Quotes ==
* Stanley: Oh, this makes me so mad!
* Lionel: Trouble, little bro?
* Stanley: (angry) No! I’m fine! And I don’t want any help!
* Lionel: Hey, you don’t have to tell me twice.
== Trivia ==
* Moral: Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Category:Episode stubs
Category:Stanley episodes