Hunt for the Gaboon Viper

**Hunt for the Gaboon Viper** is episode 52a of Edward and Eric. It premiered on Kids' WB on September 2, 2000, although technically it was first shown to the public on July 21, 2000, as during the original theatrical run for *Pokémon: The Movie 2000*, this episode would play before the movie started.

## Synopsis

Eric's deadly pet gaboon viper, Ekans, ends up in Old Man Esmond's apartment, and it's up to Esmond and Tony to get rid of it before it goes loose around the city.

## Cast (WIP)

* Dee Bradley Baker as Old Man Esmond
* John DiMaggio as Tony
* Andrew Rannells as Edward
* Josh Peck as Eric
* Frank Welker as Ekans
* Mark DeCarlo as Paul
* Wayne Grayson as Joey
* Gary Sauls as Constantinos and Mr. Goodman
* Edward Felker as Stanley
* Mike Pollock as Principal Walker

Dallas makes a silent cameo appearance.

## Trivia

* When this episode first aired, it was paired with Everyone's Cup of Tea, and it didn’t air again until Bloom of Youth premiered. Because of this, this was formerly considered to be the rarest episode of Edward and Eric.
	+ When this episode finally aired again on September 14, 2002 (during the Scoob-tacular Saturday event), it aired after Bloom of Youth instead of before it like how it normally does.
		- Both episodes were also advertised as "lost episodes".
		- To go with Scoob-tacular Saturday, there were bumpers of Ekans interacting with Scooby-Doo.
		- Although this episode didn't air on TV for 2 years after its premiere, it could've still been watched on the Cartoon Crack-Ups DVD and Nerd Buddies VHS, as well as the An Onix-pected Adventure DVD and the Season 3 Volume 2 DVD box set.
* In addition to the above releases, this episode is also available on the Love is In the Air VHS and DVD and The Very Best of Edward and Eric DVD box set.
* For some reason, a gerbil voiced by Wayne Grayson is listed in the credits, yet it never appears in the actual episode.
* According to both Sauls and Felker in the audio commentary, there was profanity for Tony and Esmond's lines in the original script. The latter said it "felt more authentic when we were recording lines."
	+ As a result, the transcript will contain said profanity.
* Ironically enough, Gary Sauls has a fear of snakes in real life. In the audio commentary, he said implementing the live-action gaboon viper closeups "took a lot of mental preparation for [him]".
* My Slithery Little Friend is skipped over in the Italian dub for unknown reasons, thus causing the camera to roughly cut to Eric and Ekans sitting on the couch together. In the Russian dub, it doesn't have any lyrics, thus using the instrumental version of the song.
* This was the first Edward and Eric episode to have been shown before a Warner Bros. film in theaters.
* Principal Walker's standing pose when he and Mr. Goodman approach Ekans ended up becoming stock art.
* An Aesop: Do not bring home or tame wild animals. They have complex, independent needs that most humans can't fulfill, and they can even carry dangerous or fatal diseases.
* **Credits:** Tony eating pie.

### Errors

This episode is notorious for having more animation errors than any other episode, to the point where it would make any Season 4 episode blush. Here is a list of them.

* When Mr. Goodman and Principal Walker scream, their lip sync is off.
* When Esmond speaks through the megaphone, his lip sync is off.
* (WIP)

## Transcript

(The episode opens up in a forested area, where loud stomping is heard. It vibrates the camera, and two trees tip down to the ground. A gaboon viper emerges from a set of other trees, and it roars)

(The camera pans out to reveal this is occurring from a glass tank inside of a pet shop. Eric is observing the snake)

**Eric:** Awww, how cute! A snake!

(An employee is reading a magazine, until he hears Eric)

**Employee:** Hey, be careful around that snake, young boy. In fact, that's no ordinary snake. It's a gaboon viper. The moment it bites you, you're dead.

**Eric:** (talking to the gaboon viper and letting it wrap around his neck) Oh, you are the cutest thing I have ever seen!

**Employee:** I think you're getting the wrong idea, kid. Breeds like that are no wonder why no Lakeside citizen has ever kept a snake as a pet. And besides, you're in an *exotic* pet shop.

(Eric walks out of the store, completely ignoring the warnings)

**Employee:** Why do I even bother? It's not like they listen anyway.

(Eric walks down the street, carrying the snake)

**Eric:** I guess you're gonna need a name if we're gonna be best friends. Do you like Buster?

(The snake shakes his head)

**Eric:** How about Snakey?

(It bears its fangs before slithering onto a discarded doll and ripping it apart)

**Eric:** Yeah, you're right. Maybe if I say "snake" backwards, it'll sound cool. Hmmmm...Ekans!

(The snake slithers back onto Eric and lovingly wraps himself around Eric's neck)

**Eric:** Ok, Ekans it is! Alright, let's get you home. (starts walking off) Edward will be in for a treat!

(The camera transitions to the Pearson apartment, where Edward is watching TV in the living room)

**Edward:** No, Loretta! He's not right for you!

**Eric:** (walks in) Hey, Edward! I've got a surprise for you!

**Edward:** (frantically turns the TV off) Really? That's great! What is it?

**Eric:** What starts with an S and rhymes with "break"?

**Edward:** A snake?

**Eric:** Yes! (holds Ekans up)

(Edward's jaw drops to the ground. Then, he screams and takes cover behind the couch)

**Eric:** What's wrong, Edward?

**Edward:** (shivers) Eric! We don't need a snake! We already have Oscar!

(The camera pans over to Edward's room, where Oscar is reading a book inside his cage. He peeks his head up)

**Oscar:** (hoots and continues reading)

(It pans back to the brothers)

**Edward:** And that's no ordinary snake. It's a gaboon viper!

**Eric:** A gaboo-what now?

**Edward:** A gaboon viper. They're from sub-Saharan Africa and are infamous for being venomous. One spit, and you're dead!

(Eric frowns)

**Edward:** And besides, you are too irresponsible to care for such an exotic specie.

(Eric whimpers)

**Edward:** No crying, Eric.

(It's too late; Eric sheds a tear)

**Edward:** (shuts his eyes and braces himself) ERIC, DON'T!

(Eric starts crying, which makes a flood. Edward goes underwater and pulls a plug that was never there before, which drains the tears away)

**Edward:** Fine, whatever, you can keep him-

**Eric:** Hooray!

**Edward:** -but only because you've *got* to know what you just put yourself into. Can't you put that thing behind bulletproof glass or something?

**Eric:** Don't you want to know his name first?

**Edward:** (sighs) Ok, what is the snake's name?

**Eric:** Ekans.

**Edward:** Wait, isn't that-

(Ekans bears his fangs and bites Edward's finger)

**Edward:** OW! (once he desperately rips Ekans off of his finger, he rubs it) Well, it's a shame I'm still alive.

**Paul:** (walks in) Eric's quite the charmer.

**Edward:** You can say *that* again.

(In the kitchen, Eric is holding Ekans)

**Eric:** Well, Ekans, I didn't like how you bit my brother. But I know what you WILL like! I'm gonna take you outside for a day of fun!

(We see them playing laser tag)

**Eric:** Ready or not, here I come!

(Ekans shoots Eric, but he dodges it on time. However, it turns out to be a REAL laser, and it hits a kid, who turns into a pile of ashes upon being hit)

**Eric:** Wow, technology is improving fast.

(Then, we see them at the movie theater, but as Eric reaches for the popcorn, Ekans eats all of it in one bite. Eric laughs. They are seen exiting the movie)

**Eric:** What an amazing movie. Aren't sequels the best, Ekans? (Ekans hisses, and he smiles) C'mon, Ekans! Let's show you to my school friends! (they leave)

(Edward emerges from a poster, as he was spying on him the whole time)

**Edward:** The school?!

**[My Slithery Little Friend]**

*Everybody loves my slithery little friend*

*He's my playful pet*

*Hobbily-hoo and a ziggily zee*

*He's biting all my pals*

(Eric enters the library with Ekans, and everybody runs out screaming bloody murder. He feeds Ekans a few books)

*He's so cute*

*So smooth and so lanky*

*Haka-lacka looky, lacka-lacka looky*

*I don't mind if he's a little bit cranky*

(Clap break as they enter the cafeteria to get dinner, and everybody in line nervously observes Ekans. He hisses, and Winifred anxiously gives him a chicken sandwich, fries and milk)

*Friends are already loving my slithery little friend*

*Tightly clutchin' my neck*

*Hoobily-hoo and a ziggily-zee*

*He's got an affectionate peck*

(Eric tries to find a table to sit at, but for each one he approaches, everybody runs and screams in terror)

*He's so cute, it's like he came out of a fable*

*I got a hunch that while we munch on grub, my buds will wanna sit at our table*

(Cuts to the Gym)

**Eric:** Look, Ekans! There's loads of fun waiting for us here! Let's go!

(Everybody screams and runs as both do the following: play dodgeball, use the treadmills, jump on the trampoline, play basketball, hula hoop, and jog)

*He'll spit and buck, you'll have more luck, catchin' his snakeskin*

*I'm singin' a song that can't be wrong,*

*With a boogly-woggly, loogity-spoogity-noogity-woogity-boogity, skiddily-wiggily-diddily, hoggily-woggily-boggily-doggily*

*He's my slithery little friend, he's my slithery little friend*

**Joey:** (on a treadmill alongside Stanley) Someone has GOT to do something about that snake. It's giving me the creeps.

(That night, they have returned home)

**Eric:** (sitting with Ekans on the couch) You know, Ekans, it's days like this that I really love. Days that only come around once in a lifetime. I still can't believe how much fun we had.

(He puts Ekans in a glass tank and closes it)

**Eric:** See you in the morning, Ekans. (he and Edward walk to their rooms) Why must I feel sleepy on such a perfect day?! (loudly cries, which is actually a reused voice clip from Lost and Found)

**Edward:** Don't worry, Eric. (cuts to Lakeside's skyline) It's only until tomorrow.

(Later that night, the camera zooms into the living room. We hear crickets chirping, and it dwindles to a highly detailed shot of Ekans sleeping. Ominous music plays as he wakes up and slithers out of the glass tank. He squeezes into an electric outlet and emerges out, now inside of Old Man Esmond's apartment. He lets out a quiet hiss)

(The next morning, Edward's alarm clock rings. Oscar is nowhere to be seen, presumably because he knows what's about to happen. Eric pops out of the alarm)

**Eric:** Oh boy! Another day of fun! (zips off; runs down the hallway) And then we're gonna build a house of cards, then we'll play tag, and then we're gonna get some ice cre- (stops in his tracks) Whoa.

(Edward catches up, and they notice the living room is now completely destroyed)

**Edward:** What happened in *here*?

**Eric:** Hey, wait, where did Ekans go?

**Edward:** (realizes this and gulps) Oh great. He could be anywhere. (walks up to the sofa, which is now chewed up) For all we know, he could be hiding in here, or somewhere like...Old Man Esmond's apartment.

(The camera pans over to Esmond's apartment. Tony walks in, and the first thing he sees is Esmond standing on the sofa, holding a chair over his head)

**Tony:** What the hell are you doing, Grandpa?

**Old Man Esmond:** Get-get offa the floor! Get off the goddamn floor now!

**Tony:** What?

**Old Man Esmond:** Get off the floor!

**Tony:** What, dude, what?!

**Old Man Esmond:** Get on the sofa, it's safe!

**Tony:** (gets on) What the hell are you talking about?

**Old Man Esmond:** There is a damn gaboon viper snake runnin' loose in here!

**Tony:** What? Where'd it go?

**Old Man Esmond:** I don't know, but like, it's a gaboon viper from Africa! One of 'em ma'fuckas go, (imitates a spitting noise) and you're dead!

**Tony:** (pointing to a TV cable) What is THAT?!

(Esmond freaks out, and Tony laughs)

**Tony:** It's just one of the TV cables, Grandpa, can't I joke around? Besides, I'm sure this is just another one of your pranks.

**Old Man Esmond:** I ain't bullshittin' you, Tony!

**Tony:** Alright, now I'm a little afraid, because I don't know what you're talking about. (gasps) Wait a minute! Look, Grandpa!

**Old Man Esmond:** (slightly jumps) What?

**Tony:** (pointing to the balcony) Your fence on the balcony, it's knocked down right now.

**Old Man Esmond:** Oh my god, the viper must've come right through. (goes to investigate, only to step on something) Ow, goddamn! The fuck am I steppin' on? (points to a cable) It looks like that, though.

(Tony picks up the cable)

**Tony:** (throws it at Esmond) GRANDPA!!!

(Esmond gets startled, and Tony laughs. He picks up something else)

**Tony:** But seriously, it looks like this, right?

(The camera pans out to reveal he's now holding Ekans. We see live-action stock footage of a gaboon viper loudly hissing. Tony and Esmond scream before running to the corner of the living room)

**Old Man Esmond:** WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING?!

**Tony:** HOLY FUCK! IT'S THE REAL SNAKE!!!! (pants heavily)

**Old Man Esmond:** (screams) QUICK, GO GET SOME HELP!!!

**Tony:** I'm not gonna fuckin' leave you behind!

**Old Man Esmond:** Whining's all your good at, so ya may as well get somebody.

**Tony:** (grunts) Fine. Promise you won't do anything stupid?

**Old Man Esmond:** Promise.

(Ekans gets closer. Tony and Esmond scream; Esmond jumps all the way to the ceiling and clings onto the lamp, while Tony runs through the wall, screaming bloody murder)

**Tony:** JOEY! JOEY! (rapidly knocks on the door) JOEY, HELP!!!!

(Joey opens the door, and Tony continues to knock fast, but he unknowingly does it on Joey's face until he punches him out of existence. Joey regenerates and tightly grabs Tony's wrist)

**Tony:** Joey, you've gotta help me! Th-th-th-th-there's a SNAKE IN MY GRANDPA'S APARTMENT!!!!

**Joey:** Tony, how many times do I have to tell you? Just because 10 Twinkies per box aren't enough for you doesn't mean there's a global food shortage! (slams the door)

(Beat as Tony blinks)

**Tony:** DALLAS!!!! ***DALLASDALLASDALLAS!!!!!!!*** (runs to Dallas' apartment, and Dallas opens the door) Dallas, you've gotta help us! There's a gaboon vi-

(Then, Dallas slams the door)

**Tony:** -per.