Held Back

**Held Back** is an episode of the *ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks* series.

## Synopsis

When Alvin learns that he might be held back a year, he plots to make Simon and Theodore fail as well so they can all stay together.

## Plot

Following a class discussion on *The Three Musketeers*, Simon and Theodore learn of Alvin's many F's. Miss Smith calls Alvin back into the classroom breaking the news that he must pass his final exam or he will be held back, something neither would enjoy. Reunited with his brothers, Alvin declines comment on the upsetting news. That night Alvin has a nightmare of life as it might be if he failed: he's separated from his brothers and must spend his time surrounded by younger kids unable to participate in older kid activities. The red-clad chipmunk pleads for help and Simon offers to review his brainwaves only to find his brother has difficulty focusing and always devotes more brainpower to fun activities. Making no progress with Simon, Alvin concludes that they must all fail in order to stay together (instead of studying). Seeing as Simon would never agree to fail, Theodore reluctantly participates in Alvin's ploy to sabotage Simon's grades. Simon confronts them after finding out from Miss Smith, Theodore spills everything, including Alvin possibly being held back, and Simon forces Alvin to read the book over and over until he understands. Alvin nervously takes the test and the Sevilles are visited by Miss Smith to learn his fate; he passes (learning studying actually works) though he secretly manipulated his brothers' exams so they would fail under the thought he would too.

## Characters

* Alvin Seville
* Simon Seville
* Theodore Seville
* Brittany Miller (cameo)
* Jeanette Miller(cameo)
* Eleanor Miller (cameo)
* Miss Smith
* Dave Seville
* Neville Humphrey (cameo)

## Trivia

* **Goof:** Janice Karman was credited for directing the episode twice: before and after the titlecard.
* **Series Running Gag:** Alvin says the wrong word/phrase - Muskrats instead of Musketeers.
* The cabin seen when Alvin is reading the book during Simon's review of Alvin's brainwaves is the same cabin first seen in Kickin' It Old School.
* A new blue jet pack, with the same design as those first seen in A Is For Alien, appears in the episode.
* The chore list from the premiere episode, Talking Teddy, makes a reappearance with the same 'x' marks as before.
* Most of the stickers/magnets on the refrigerator are the same as the stickers Alvin sticks to his belly fur in Safety Third.
* The train the clown is seen driving is a larger and longer version of the one Simon has in Clowning Around. The rainbow in Alvin's nightmare is also the one from this episode.
* A drawing of Simon first seen in Saving Simon makes a reappearance on the wall in Alvin's nightmare.
* Charles Dickens' *Oliver Twist* is mentioned near the beginning of this episode.
* When this episode premiered in the US, it aired with a rerun of Super Girls.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks, Tvschedule.zap2it.com, Retrieved 2016-09-23.
2. ↑ Top 150 Tuesday Cable Originals: 10.11.2016, Showbuzzdaily.com, Retrieved 2016-10-12.
3. ↑ Copyright Catalog, Cocatalog.loc.gov, Retrieved 2019-06-11.