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Lyle the Kindly Viking is the fifteenth episode of VeggieTales.

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

Plot[]

Countertop Intro[]

Bob and Larry are on the countertop once again, explaining that they've gotten a lot of letters asking questions regarding the subject of sharing. However, Archibald Asparagus shows up and asks Bob and Larry let him host the show for a chance, in an attempt to want to add culture and class to the show. Bob has no other choice now but to let Archibald take over the show, like the time Jimmy and Jerry attempted to put on a show. Archibald, now accompanied by Jean Claude and Phillipe, attempt to retell the classic story of "Hamlet," but Jean Claude explains to him that they couldn't find "Hamlet" anywhere, so they decided to substitute with a near-similar story entitled "Omelet." Despite his insistence that this is not the right story, Archibald has no other choice now but to present "the not-so classic story, Omelet."

Omelet[]

(see Main Page for full Plot)

Classy Song[]

Larry's High Silk Hat

Lyle The Kindly Viking[]

Archibald then explains to the viewers that he has reason to believe that the famous composers Gilbert and Sullivan composed one more musical before their deaths, before it could ever be staged. Jean Claude and Phillippe then bring in the book, which is entitled "Lyle the Kindly Viking." Archibald then narrates, explaining that there once lived a band of Vikings who lived by the sea. Two women named Mabel and Penelope show up, asking each other how the other is doing, before wondering where their husbands are. The two then sing about how they married Vikings, "the terrors of the sea." Soon, the Vikings, consisting of the serious leader Olaf (played by Mr. Nezzer), the intelligent Ottar (played by Bob the Tomato), his comical best friend Sven (played by Larry the Cucumber), the two troublemaking brothers Harold and Erik (played by Jimmy and Jerry Gourd), and the happy-go-lucky Bjorn (played by Mr. Lunt) return from their expedition of pillaging a bunch of stuff, before they also start singing about how as Vikings, they enjoy plundering a bunch of stuff, such as "gold and jewels and a shiny suit and a giant screen TV to boot."

Archibald then narrates that what the Vikings are actually doing is taking stuff from others, also adding that their boats were so fast that no one could be able to catch them. Then, he also explains that not all of the Vikings were involved in this unfortunate practice, there was actually one, in particular, named Lyle. Lyle (played by Junior Asparagus) then goes out on his own expedition on the sea, which confuses the other Vikings. Olaf then starts singing about how Lyle does not fit the style of the Vikings, telling Harold and Erik that for a long time, the law of stealing stuff from others has been made clear. After Olaf finishes his song, he hops off, followed by Harold and Erik. However, Sven and Ottar decide to follow after Lyle, being careful not to get too close to him. Lyle then returns to the exact same monastery that the Vikings raided before, where Sven and Ottar witness Lyle sharing a bag of potholders and a bag of money that the other Vikings gave him with the lead monk (played by Pa Grape) and his group of pea monks. The pea monks then thank Lyle in song for sharing with them.

This confuses Sven and Ottar very much, before they return home to wait for Lyle. When Lyle returns home, Sven and Ottar confront him and tell him in a song that he should stop what he's doing and that Vikings rule the sea and never give things back. Lyle then explains to them in a song that when he shares, he gets his share of friends. After Lyle finishes singing, Sven and Ottar realize that Lyle's method may be a lot better than Olaf's method after all, before realizing that Lyle would be in big trouble if Olaf learned what he was really doing. Because of this, Sven and Ottar vow to keep Lyle's secret safe – which, according to Archibald, is easier said than done. The next day, as the Vikings are heading out to raid the monastery once again, Ottar discovers that Lyle is already at the monastery before they are, and that he and Sven have to distract Olaf before he discovers what's going on. Ottar then distracts Olaf by telling him through song that there is a fish with a bunch of pretty colors all over his scales. Sven then sings to Olaf that there is a turtle wearing pink pajamas while riding on a llama and chasing a herd of giant squid. Unfortunately, Olaf doesn't believe him, and he and the other Vikings soon discover Lyle leaving the monastery, as well as the potholders and the money that he gave to the monks. This angers Olaf, just as a storm starts up.

Lyle continues rowing until he is confronted by Olaf, who grumpily asks Lyle in song what he's doing, before he starts to tear up the sails on Lyle's boat and throws away the oars, which leaves Lyle drifting away in the sea as his punishment. However, a large tidal wave, which had been brought up by the storm, knocks over the Vikings' boat, which causes them to fall into the sea. Another wave knocks over Lyle's boat, knocking him into the sea as well. The monks then throw a life ring out into the sea to save Lyle, which the Vikings witness, as they begin to realize that Lyle's method is better than theirs. Lyle then has the monks help him to save the rest of the Vikings from the storm, bringing them to safety. The storm then clears away just as the Vikings have been brought back to shore. The Vikings then thank the monks in song for saving them from the storm, and apologized for being ruthless and stealing their stuff. That from now on, they will share with others instead of stealing from others. After the Vikings finish singing, Sven asks if they can't be Vikings anymore, but the lead monk tells him that it won't be necessary, but they will have to change their song. As a result, all of the Vikings then sing a reprise of the "We're Vikings" song, but this time, singing about sharing with others and that they are known as "the sharers of the sea." Sven then sings that he needs to go to the bathroom before Ottar tells him that he can just talk before the story ends.

Countertop Outro[]

After Archibald closes up the book, he discovers that the story was actually written by two men named Gilbert Jones and Sullivan O'Kelly, rather than W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. This angers Archibald very much before he starts chasing after Jean Claude and Phillippe in an attempt to catch them thinking that they tricked him, while running past Bob and Larry, who are now standing next to Qwerty. When Bob explains that they're with Qwerty to talk about what they've learned today, the "What Have We Learned" song starts up again, before Larry asks Bob if Archibald and the French Peas will be alright, to which Bob replies that they'll be just fine. The song then starts up again after that. After the song ends, Bob explains that Prince Omelet learned that when we share, it makes us and the people around us feel good, while Larry also explains that Lyle taught all the Vikings that even though sharing doesn't get you more stuff, it gets you even more friends, which is even better. Qwerty then brings up the verse, which is "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16." After Bob and Larry sign off, Archibald and the French Peas are still going nuts, and a crashing sound is heard as a plate with an omelet stuck on it rolls by. Larry tells Bob not to look at the madness (without explaining why), but Bob doesn't care, and tells him to roll the credits as the episode ends.

Major[]

Minor[]

Featured in the Silly Song[]

  • Phil Vischer as Bob the Tomato, Archibald Asparagus, Phillipe Pea, Jimmy Gourd, Mr. Lunt, Percy Pea, Mr. Nezzer, Scallion #1, Pa Grape and the Silly Song Announcer
  • Mike Nawrocki as Larry the Cucumber, Jean-Claude Pea and Jerry Gourd
  • Lisa Vischer as Junior Asparagus
  • Jim Poole as Scooter
  • Gail Freeman-Bock as Penelope
  • Pamela Thomas as Mabel
  • Pea Monks: Alexis Bancroft, Gretchen Heinecke, Abby Hodge, Matthew Hodge, Shelby Vischer and Tayler Vulcano

Other Languages[]

  • القرصان الطيب (Arabic) (The Good Pirate)
  • 和藹可親的海盜 Lyle (Cantonese) (The Amiable Pirate Lyle)
  • Ḫrabri Viking Lyle (Croatian) (Brave Viking Lyle)
  • Lempeä viikinki (Finnish) (A Gentle Viking)
  • 착한 바이킹 라일 (Korean) (Good Viking Lyle)
  • 好心維京人萊爾 (Mandarin) (Taiwan) (Good-hearted Viking Lyle)
  • Dag den snille Viking/Lyle den snille (Norwegian) (same translation not counting Lyle's name change/Lyle the Kind)
  • لایول و جنگجوی مهربان (Persian) (1st dub) (Livel and the Kind Warrior)
    • لایل وایکینگ مهربان (Persian) (2nd dub) (same translation)
  • Lilo o Viking Bondoso (Portuguese) (Brazil) (Lilo the Kind Viking)
  • Lyle e o Vicking Amável (Portuguese) (Portugal) (Lyle and the Kind Viking)
  • Prijazni Viking Lan (Slovenian) (Friendly Viking Lan)
  • Lyle el Vikingo Amable (Spanish) (Latin America) (Lyle the Friendly Viking)
  • Gã Viking nhân hậu (Vietnamese) (The Benevolent Viking)

Home Media[]

Main article: Lyle the Kindly Viking/Home Video

Moral[]

  • Even though sharing doesn’t get you more stuff, it will get you more friends and that lasts a lot longer.
  • When we share, we get out share of friends.
  • God says He likes it when we share our blessings.

Trivia[]

  • This episode was made after sharing became the most demanded topic for an episode in a BigIdea.com poll. This was referenced at the beginning of the episode.
  • The episode's original title was "Ivan the Benevolent Viking", but was changed at the last minute.
  • The original version was shown on Qubo around 2006, and they didn’t change a single thing. This marks the only episode to do such a thing.
  • This is the only episode where Art Bigottiappears in person (as seen in the Silly Song), not counting his picture cameo debut in Larry-Boy! and the Fib from Outer Space!.
  • This is the first episode for several things:
    • The first non-biblical adaptation to feature Dad Pea since his debut.
    • The first episode where Tim Hodge directed.
    • The first episode to be in a different frame rate (in this case, it's the 24fps instead of 30fps, although the content is always in the main North American NTSC region), which has been kept that way ever since (with the exception of compilation videos and personalized DVDs).
    • The first VeggieTales episode to be released on both VHS and DVD.
      • This is also the first (and only) episode to be distributed by Lyrick Studios on DVD.
    • The first episode to use the VeggieTales intro from 2001-2003.
    • The first and only episode where someone says "Let's See If The Bible Says Anything."
    • The first episode dubbed in Spanish to be released on Home Video since The Toy That Saved Christmas.
      • The 1997-2000 episodes were dubbed in Spanish but for unknown reasons, they were either saved for VeggieTales en la Tele or released on YouTube in 2019/2020.
    • The first episode to feature new graphics, with better contrast and with Bob noticeably being a much brighter shade of red. This was primarily because the staff was working on Jonah at the time.
    • The first episode where its mass-market release is released three days after its Christian bookstore release.
    • The first episode since Are You My Neighbor? to feature two stories with a silly song in the middle.
    • The first episode where Mr. Nezzer has a brown stem (although his stem is still green in High Silk Hat).
    • The first episode to include anything related to Gilbert and Sullivan.
    • The first episode to have Archibald and Scooter animated in Maya.
    • The first non-biblical or SingAlong episode where a character doesn't say "Oh is that right" since The Toy That Saved Christmas
  • This is the last episode for several things:
    • The last time Larry has 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 Larry-Boy and the Rumor Weed because those were likely laid off during the May 2001 meeting.
    • The last episode to feature the original Silly Song title card.
    • The last episode to feature Qwerty's boomerang background on the Bible verse until Abe and the Amazing Promise.
    • The last episode to be released by Lyrick Studios for the mass market. By the time the next episode came out, HiT Entertainment had only become a mass market distributor after the company's acquisition in February 9, 2001.
      • Additionally, Lyrick Studios/HiT Entertainment still reprinted some rare early 2002 VHS reprints for VeggieTales home videos.
    • The last regular episode to release before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
    • The last regular episode until The Ballad of Little Joe.
    • The last episode where Archibald's monocle barely had any glass in it and his bow tie had a band.
    • This is the fifth and last main time Archibald pauses or interrupts a part during a Silly Songs with Larry segment, the first four being The Water Buffalo Song, Love My Lips, Song of The Cebu, and His Cheeseburger.
  • 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. (See Real World References)
  • This episode uses both water and rain effects, as well as spotlight. Tim Hodge states that this was practice for the crew during production of Jonah, as stated above.
    • This also marks the episode that first use water waves animation.
  • Sven hopping on the oars was a gag by Marc Vulcano.
  • The pea in Olaf's helmet was done by Joe McFadden.
  • According to the audio commentary, the Big Idea crew member's children voiced the pea monks. The following are listed in the credits:
  • In the progression reel, the kid pea who gets tossed over had Percy's voice rather than what he had in the final, implying that said pea kid is, indeed, Percy himself. It's suggested the kid voices weren't added until the final version, as the voices of other pea characters (especially Percy) were likely used as placeholders.
  • Most of the Vikings have horns on their helmets. The only ones that don't are Ottar (Bob), Harold (Jimmy), and Lyle (Junior).
  • There is 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 (see image).
  • 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." Tim stated this name was to notify the producer that they're not an AV (handles videotapes and projectors) club.
  • Omelet will return in Englishman with an Omelet, and Lessons from the Sock Drawer.
  • Larry's High Silk Hat will return in The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown, Sing-Alongs: Dance of the Cucumber, Lessons from the Sock Drawer, and If I Sang A Silly Song.
  • This episode can be featured in Bob Lends a Helping Hand, Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too!, and Growing Generous Kids!.
  • The scene of Sven tripping over Ottar was animated by Robert Ellis.
  • The TV version of this has The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill (and Came Down with All the Bananas).
  • This won the Best Animated Direct-to-Video Release award at the 2001 World Animation Celebration.
  • There exists an extremely rare early 2002 VHS reprint of this episode by Lyrick Studios/HiT Entertainment. It has a black tape with a white ink label, and it has a print date of March 15, 2002.
    • An extremely rare DVD of this episode by Lyrick Studios/HiT Entertainment reprinted in early 2002 as well.
  • The original release uses the 2001 version of the theme song, while the 2007 re-release oddly still uses the audio of the 1998 version while using the 2007 theme song.

Remarks[]

  • When Archibald is behind the changing screen, you can see a bit of him and his clothes magically appear.
  • Archibald can read the names on the book sleeve, despite the fact that the names weren't visible when the Peas brought the book earlier.
  • In Take 38, Archibald objected the idea of VeggieTales. Here, he's eager to be a host. In the commentary for Princess and the Popstar, it is revealed that he changed from the character he started out as.
  • Several of the assets are in drawn 2D.
  • When Horatio claimed that the three eggs are the last eggs, it was unknown how Jerry Gourd got another egg when he said "We thought those were ping-pong balls."
  • Ironically, Jimmy is able to have the plate not fall off with the lid landing perfectly, while he loses the lid on the background drop.
  • A mushroom and potato drawn character appears in the Hamlet segment, even though after this there would be no more mushroom characters.
  • Its unknown how the ship was recovered, even though it was taken by the wave.
  • The screenshots on the DVD have the skies blue. But in the actual video, they are purple.
  • Sven shrugs despite the fact that he has no visible arms.
  • Ottar and Sven both break the fourth wallacknowledging they're in a musical.
  • Despite being in the water, Lyle and the other Vikings do not seem to be wet.
  • This is the only episode (barring the silly song) where the songs did not appear in any music album.
    • However, We're Vikings appeared on Pirates' Boat Load Of Fun and Look Olafappeared on Junior's Playtime Songs.
  • Like with most prints of the 1997 Lyrick Studios VHS of Are You My Neighbor?, the Lyrick Studios logo is nowhere to be seen on the DVD, other than on the back cover and disc label.
  • The credits state the songs have a copyright of 2000, but this episode wasn't released until March 24, 2001. However, this may have been when the episode was completed somewhere around in Late 2000/Early 2001.
    • Thus, the script on the DVD-Rom for said episode was finalized in 2000, one year before this episode was released.
    • Also, the script only has the opening countertop and Omelet.

Goofs[]

  • On some versions of the DVD cover, the background image is messed up. This is likely due to the rendering issues on the front cover.
  • In the High Silk Hat silly song, the bushes behind the fence change height slightly between shots.
  • Archibald's mouth doesn't move in the close-up when he starts talking about Lyle.
  • 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. Tim Hodge pointed out this error on the commentary.
  • In one shot of the main story, when Jerry sings the line "Wherever we go, sharing happily" in the "We're Vikings" reprise, it's Jimmy's voice that's heard.
    • In the regular "We're Vikings" song, for the line "Wherever we go, pillaging happily", this was indeed sung by Jimmy.
    • Aside from singing the song "We're Vikings", his "screaming" (shown where the Viking veggies all fall into the water from the storm), and the "We're Vikings" reprise song, Jerry never spoke for the rest of the episode (beginning with the main story).
      • So as a result, Jerry (in that one shot) when he sang, "Wherever we go, pillaging happily" --in the "We're Vikings" reprise-- his voice changed.
        • And by extension, Phil Vischer(who normally voices Jimmy) voiced Jerry in that scene.

Inside References[]

  • Lyle saying "Hi!" in the teaser for the episode was recycled from Junior's dialogue in Josh and the Big Wall!.
  • Archibald recalled the events from King George.
  • The wardrobe that the French Peas use to give Archibald his uniform was originally from King George and the Ducky.
  • The theater in Omelet is the same from Esther... The Girl Who Became Queen. And the outfit Mabel wears is the same one from that episode too.
  • Larry's chocolate snack has the chocolate bunny logo from Rack, Shack and Benny.
  • One of the shields on the Viking ship is a Larry-Boy silhouette.
  • Lyle's potholder bag comes from Stuff-Mart.
  • Pa Grape's monk costume is the same from King George and the Ducky.
  • Mr. Nezzer's line "BIG trouble!" had previously been uttered in Rack, Shack and Benny.
  • Apollo Gourd wears a Gourd's Gym shirt, just as Larry did in Very Silly Songs. (see Real-World References.)

Real-World References[]

  • Sonny and Cher were a popular couple during the mid to late 20th century. They broke up in 1977. A caricature of Sonny appeared in the original version of Love My Lips before his death in 1998.
  • The game that Omelet and Percy were playing is Battleship.
  • The scene where Sven jumps on the oars is a reference to the 1958 Kirk Douglas film, The Vikings.
  • In the teaser trailer from the previous episode, the narrator mentions "Fiddler on the Roof" and "The Sound of Music."
  • Gourd's Gym is a parody of Gold's Gym.
  • The opening of Larry's High Silk Hat is similar to the 1994 Robert Zemeckis film Forrest Gump as it features a falling feather and Larry waiting for public transportation while holding a box of chocolates.
  • Olaf mentions the year 793. This, along with the overall plot of “Lyle, The Kindly Viking”, are allusions to the Viking siege on the monastery of Lindisfarne in that year.
  • When Omelet says, "The last poor yolks! I'll chew them well, Horatio!" it is a reference to Hamlet's actual quote, "Alas, poor Yorrick! I knew him well, Horatio!"

Fast Forward[]

  • This isn't the last time when Mr. Lunt would crossdress.
  • Junior's line "Yeah!" would later be used in Worship Songs.
  • Archibald would say "That was interesting" 10 years later
  • There would be another episode years later with a lesson in sharing, albeit the power of sharing.

Transcript[]

Credits[]

  • Credits

Gallery[]

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