Lyle the Kindly Pirate

Lyle the Kindly Pirate is the 15th episode of FruityTales.

The first story is a retelling of "Hamlet", while the main feature is a parody of a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera.

## Plot

In an attempt to bring a higher level of class and sophistication to FruityTales, Archibald Celery requests and receives permission to run the show. The counter top is then modified with a faux fireplace and wing chair (a la Masterpiece Theatre) and Archibald introduces the first segment.

This segment was intended to be a FruityTales production of the Shakespearean play Hamlet with the help of Phil and Jean-Claude, The French Asparagus and Artichoke. In the story, Omelet, played by Jimmy Mango, is a prince of a kingdom in Denmark who desires some eggs "cooked light and fluffy" to eat. A baker named Horatio (Scooter Chili Pepper) brings them to him and informs Omelet that these are the last eggs in the kingdom. Regardless, Omelet feels happy about eating the eggs until Ophelia (Mr. Morty) remarks "I think we're gonna get letters about this," and asks him to instead share the eggs with the kingdom. However Omelet selfishly refuses. Later, Omelet joins a game of Battleship with young lad and is encouraged by him to share the eggs. As Omelet announces his plan to share, he learns that the town has plenty of eggs (they were being used for ping-pong balls) and has light-and-fluffy eggs, or "omelettes", cooked for everybody. Rob, Harry and Timmy in the audience are bewildered by the antiquated English.

For the second segment, Archibald presents what he says is a "long lost musical of Gilbert and Sullivan," provided by The French Asparagu and Artichoke, entitled Lyle the Kindly Pirate. In this segment, the plot focuses on Lyle (Timmy Strawberry) who quietly lives on an island with his fellow Pirates. As the Pirates return to the island with loot pillaged from a nearby monastery, Lyle slips out on his own ship and gives the monks (Pa Orange and the Asparagus and Artichokes) his small share of loot and homemade potholders as a small act of compensation. One day, Lyle's trips are discovered by fellow Pirates Otar and Sven (Rob the Apple and Harry the Banana), who confront him and promise to keep it secret. Lyle convinces them that sharing is a much nicer alternative to pillaging and plundering. The next day, Lyle is discovered by the Pirate leader Captain Olaf (Mr. WaterMelon), who does not approve and wants to make an example of him. When a storm capsizes the Pirate ships, the monks rescue Lyle and Lyle who convince the monks to save the rest of the doomed Pirates. This show of kindness convinces the Pirates to share what they have. The authors of Lyle turn out to be Gilbert Jones and Sullivan o' Kelly.

## Trivia

* The episode's original title was Ivan the Benevolent Viking.
* This was the first episode for several things:
	+ This is the first episode Jim Hodge directed.
	+ This is the first episode to be in a different frame rate, and has been kept the way ever since.
	+ The first ShapeTales episode to be released on both VHS and DVD.
* This was the last episode for several things:
	+ The last time Harry had a lisp. He would later get it again in The Lost Tooth, though it's because of his tooth being missing.
	+ The last episode to use most of the same crew from Boy-Harry and the Rumor Flower.
	+ The last episode for Gail Freeman to be part of the voice cast.
	+ The last FruityTales episode to be distributed by Lyrick Studios.
* In the original alternative opening for the story of Lyle, Archibald talks about other musicals done by Gilbert and Sullivan along with poster recreations for said musicals.
	+ The posters did eventually make it into The Fruitcake of Christmas.
* This episode uses both water and rain effects, as well as spotlight. Jim Hodge states this was a practice for the crew since this was during production of Marlin.
* Sven hopping on the oars was a gag by Marc Vulcano.
* The asparagus in Olaf's helmet was done by Joe McFadden.
* The kids at Big Deal Productions voice the bean monks. This included:
	+ Alexias Brancroft, Tom Bancroft's daughter
	+ Gretchen Heinecke , Kurt Heinecke's daughter
	+ Kendall and Matt Hodge, Jim Hodge's daughter and son
	+ Stephanie Vischer, Philippe Vischer and Linka’s Vischer's daughter
	+ Tayler Vulcano, Marc Vulcano's daughter
* In the progression reel, the kid bean who gets tossed over had Dewie's voice than what he had in the final. It's suggested the kid voices weren't added until the final version.
* Most of the pirates have horns on their helmets. The only ones that don't have are Otar (Rob the Apple), Harold (Jimmy Mango), and Lyle (Timmy Strawberry).
* There was a deleted outtake after Lyle sings his solo, he falls over backwards, but gets back up. This can be seen in the behind the scenes on the DVD.
* In the credits, the headings for each sections of the teams were translated to Norwegian. The only one they couldn't translate was for "editing", so they called it "Nadaavclubjen". Jim stated this name was to notify the producer that they're not a AV (handles videotapes and projectors) club.
* The scene of Sven tripping over Otar was animated by Robert Ellis.
* The TV version of this has The British Dude Who Went Up a Valley (and Came Down with All the Hamburgers).
* During when Archibald is behind the changing screen, you can see a bit of him and his clothes magically appeared.
* Archibald can read the names on the book sleeve, despite their names weren't visible when the Peas brought the book earlier.
* In Take 38, Archibald objected the idea of FruityTales. Here, he's eager to be a host. In the commentary for Princess Cherry and the Popstar, he changed from the character he started out as.
* After Lyle places the gold in his bag, he leaves the scene almost at the end of the steps. However in the next scene, he's on the middle step. Jim Hodge pointed this error on the commentary.
* The screenshots on the DVD have the skies blue. But in the actual video, they are purple.
* Sven shrugs despite the fact he has no arms.
* Ottar and Sven both break the fourth wall acknowledging they're in a musical.
* Despite being in the water, Lyle and the other pirates don't seem to be wet.
* This is the only episode (barring the serious song) where the songs did not appear in any music album.
* The credits state that it released in 2000, but it didn't release until March 2001.
* Archibald recalled the events from King Jason.
* One of the shields on the viking ship is Boy-Harry.
* Sonny and Cher were a popular couple during the mid to late 20th century. They broke up in 1977. Sony appeared in the original version of Love My Tongue before his death in 1998.
* The game Omelet and the Dewie were playing is Battleship.
* In the teaser trailer from the last episode, the narrator mentions "Fiddler on the Roof" and "The Sound of Music".
* This won't be the last time Mr. Morty would crossdress.

## Goofs

* On some versions of the DVD cover, the background image is messed up.
* Archibald's mouth wasn't moving in the close up when he starts talking about Lyle.