Recap: A Better Pill to Swallow

Hello again. It's been a while, I know. This school year has proven to be even busier than the last one

was, with classes related to my major that should help with this blog. Still, I could use something to

ease back into doing recaps. So, I think I'll do one of my favorite Johto filler episodes of Pokémon.

I wanted to do this one back in April, because of a certain date occurring then, but life had other ideas.

Let's open up “A Better Pill to Swallow.”

We open on Ash, Brock, and Misty on their way to Ecruteak City; and Ash is not feeling well at all.

I can imagine Veronica doing this between every take on Tai Chi Chasers.

Misty reprimands him for eating 4 hamburgers at lunch. He corrects her, saying he ate 5.

Probably ordered them from Jack in the Box.

Just then, an old man approaches everyone and says he has some medicine for Ash.

Dave's not here, man!

I'm skipping ahead a bit, but we now get our theme song; and it's among my favorite themes from those days, partially because of it being a remix of the original Pokémon theme.

We then get our title card, which is also very nice and simplistic.  

How they stick in your throat! Tastes like gold!

Ash is taken aback by the medicine, and Brock starts shaking him down.  

Your wife owes money to Jackie Treehorn, that means YOU owe money to Jackie Treehorn!

After a brief trip; Ash's appetite has returned. Yep, the typical shonen hero appetite; helped further by

the medicine taking effect.

Now where's my Cheez-It and my copy of "Meddle?"

The old man has made the medicine from all natural ingredients, including the juice of the Shuckle.

Hence, he is referred to as Old Man Shuckle. The medicines have all sorts of effects on humans and

Pokémon alike.

And they're 100% legal in this region!

Brock remarks he must be a wizard, and Misty is not impressed with the flashlight he's using to enhance his gleam.

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT! WRAPPED UP LIKE A DEUCE! ANOTHER LONER IN THE NIGHT!

Old Man Shuckle takes everyone back to his cottage, where he makes the medicine during theday.

And at night, I watch Fantasia on an endless loop!

He explains that he hunts the best ingredients to make his medicines.

THINK! IT AIN'T ILLEGAL YET!

Not only that, he has all sorts of Shuckle to make each kind of juice.  

I call this one "Dark Star!"

However, he wants a purple Shuckle to make the best juice he can.

I will call this one "Cisco Kid!"

Brock agrees to help, given how Old Man Shuckle's health and memory are not what they used to be.

Old Man Shuckle has one more helper: a Bellsprout named Spoopy.  

GET ALONG! GET ALONG KID CHARLEMAGNE!

Once they're out, they're not just after the purple Shuckle. They're after all the prime Shuckle.  

Once they have them, Old Man Shuckle agrees to give everyone some of the juice. Only some that's

ready: the rest has to ferment!

Team Rocket has been listening in the whole time, and they're after the purple Shuckle as well.

Yes, because that hobby has worked out so well in the past! Why not take up tennis?  

Hoenn confirmed! It's not a joke this time!

The group is then given giant wheelbarrows to hold the Shuckle in, as if they were on a very odd

game show.

You get to play the Grocery Game on the Price is Right!

Of course, Spoopy is so overzealous in gathering Shuckle, following him causes Brock to falldown a mountain and crash.

I'm Brock, and welcome to Jackass.

Eventually, the purple Shuckle is found under a rock. How original!

Got you in a stranglehold, baby, you best get out of the way!

Spoopy and the purple Shuckle hit it off right away.

Brock, ever the romantic, imagines the juice will make him irresistible to women. Ash is skeptical about the idea.

Yeah, right! And I'm in a crappy dinosaur-related knockoff that makes Jurassic Park III look like an art film!

Team Rocket has returned, and their motto once again seems like they're trying to imitate Miley Cyrus.

I came in like a Wrecking Ball! I never hit so hard in love!

Jessie in this shot seems to be framed in a way to deliberately highlight her curves. I did just come off

recapping an anime which has much shorter skirts. Still, they're nowhere near as short on the skirts on

Star Trek.

You're welcome, parents and older viewers.-Yuyama

They make off with the purple Shuckle in a cloud of gas that's only slightly trippier than most of the other stuff in the episode.  

This gas smells funny! It's making me hungry and makes me want to watch Superman!

Once they're away, they decide to test the juice-on Meowth.

Just like that night in Sunny Town by the lake with a bottle of Old Murkrow.

Even so, Meowth wants more, and Jessie decides to try some.

Don't bogart it, man!

Lastly, James gets REALLY deep into the cup. He is going to be spinning tomorrow.  

CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!

The scent of the Shuckle stops at the river, which doesn't do much good for tracking Team Rocket.

Pay no mind to the battles you've won! Take a lot more than rage and muscle! Open your heart and hands my son, or you'll never make it over the river!

It seems the rest of the Shuckle are making an exodus in the opposite direction.

On their way to pick up Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

Old Man Shuckle then reveals the reason why the juice has to ferment and be prepared: drinking it

straight makes it a lot more potent.

Now comes the part why I chose to do this recap as the first of many Johto-related ones for this blog:

Team Rocket has gotten absolutely smashed on the Shuckle juice. Notably, 4Kids didn't do anything to it. The imagery speaks for itself, especially when set to this music.

Overhead the Lugia hangs motionless upon the air...

Brock has determined something is amiss if the Shuckle are behaving this way.

The world's best Pokémon breeder, everyone!

Now, Meowth has even resorted to licking James to get his fix!

I'll take you to the candy shop! I'll let you lick the lollipop!

Another Shuckle has managed to grasp Jessie's arm in a suggestive manner.

Why are all the gorgeous ones homicidal maniacs?

As if to drive the point home further, everyone is running from a horde of Shuckle after that!

Go ask Alice when she's ten feet tall!

Then, Shuckle licks Jessie's bellybutton, and makes a very exhibitionist scream!  

You found the sweet spot in Pokémon-Amie!

Even Ash and Pikachu are aghast at what's happening! The censors in 2002 must have been on the

Shuckle juice too!

Purple Haze all in my brain!

Yes, everyone is just astounded as I was from the perspective of both a 10-year-old and a 22-year-old

at how Kids WB let this fly. Not a bit surprised, as it aired on the same block as Batman Beyond; which I'm enjoying every bit as much rewatching as a young adult for the same reasons.  

Old Man Shuckle takes it upon himself to end the shenanigans with a bag of powder to reverse the effects of the juice.

Brown sugar! How come you dance so good now?

To end everything, Pikachu once again sends Team Rocket blasting off with his signature Thunderbolt.

HERE COMES THE BOOM! READY OR NOT!

The juice has been perfected as Ash, Brock, and Misty decide to continue to Ecruteak City.

The day is saved thanks to getting higher than Mount Silver!

“A Better Pill to Swallow” is one of the many filler episodes that stuck out at me when I was younger; and the expressive animation and eccentric uses of the characters in the story make it an enjoyable experience. I have seen the first and a half of the subtitled episodes of Sailor Moon on Hulu for frame of reference, and I will be basing my recap on the dubbed version after I make good on my promise to recap the first episode of the X-Men anime to celebrate Days of Future Past coming out. You should see it up after opening weekend. See you space cowboy!