Ep 1. Doug Bags a Neematoad

In Doug season 1 episode 1, titled "Doug Bags a Neematoad," we are introduced to Doug Funnie, a 11-year-old boy who is about to start his sixth-grade at Bluffington School. Doug is a kind-hearted, imaginative, and nervous kid who loves to write and draw in his journal. He has a crush on his classmate, Patti Mayonnaise, and he is best friends with his dog, Porkchop.

The episode begins with Doug trying to catch a Neematoad, a slimy amphibian that lives in the local pond. He wants to enter the Neematoad-catching contest held every year at the Honker Burger restaurant and win the grand prize, which is a new bike. Doug is determined to catch the biggest Neematoad and become a hero in front of Patti and his classmates.

As Doug sets out on his quest, we learn more about his life in Bluffington. He lives with his parents in a modest house in a quiet neighborhood. His father is a salesman who never seems to have a good day at work, and his mother is a homemaker who cooks a lot of weird recipes and enjoys watching daytime talk shows. Doug has an older sister, Judy, who is a talented artist but also a bit of a rebel. She likes to paint portraits of famous people and talk about deep philosophical concepts that go over Doug's head.

At school, Doug is nervous about starting a new grade. He has a crush on Patti, a cheerful and popular girl who likes to play sports and dance. Doug's best friend is Skeeter Valentine, a blue-skinned kid who shares Doug's love for comic books and superhero movies. Skeeter is energetic, funny, and a bit of a troublemaker. He convinces Doug to enter the Neematoad-catching contest and gives him some tips on how to catch the elusive creature.

Doug's first attempt to catch a Neematoad fails miserably, as he falls into the pond and gets covered in mud. He returns home, disappointed and embarrassed, but Porkchop cheers him up by licking his face and cuddling with him. The next day, Doug tries again, this time with a more elaborate plan involving a fishing net, a snorkel, and a secret recipe he copied from his mother's cookbook. He also has a vision of himself as a professional Neematoad catcher, complete with a cape and a catchy theme song.

Doug's second attempt is more successful, as he catches a medium-sized Neematoad and puts it in a plastic bag. He feels proud of himself and imagines Patti and his classmates cheering him on. However, his victory is short-lived, as he realizes that he forgot to poke holes in the bag to let the Neematoad breathe. He panics and runs to Skeeter's backyard, where the two boys come up with a plan to save the Neematoad before it suffocates.

The rest of the episode is a comedy of errors, as Doug and Skeeter try to find a way to keep the Neematoad alive while avoiding being caught by Skeeter's dad, who is camping in the backyard and does not like them disturbing his peace. They try to hide the Neematoad in various containers, from a fishbowl to a fruit basket to a mailbox, but each one proves to be a bad idea. Meanwhile, Doug's family is having a dinner party and Judy is trying to impress her snobbish art teacher, who turns out to be a fan of Neematoads.

The climax of the episode is at the Honker Burger restaurant, where Doug and Skeeter have to present their Neematoad to the judges. The other contestants are intimidating and aggressive, and Doug feels out of place. However, he remembers his vision and his theme song, and he puts on a brave face. The judges are about to declare the winner when Skeeter's dad shows up and accuses them of stealing his property. Chaos ensues, as the Neematoad escapes and jumps into the Honker Burger mascot's costume, causing mayhem and laughter.

In the end, Doug saves the Neematoad and releases it back into the pond, realizing that he shouldn't have tried to catch it in the first place. He also learns that winning isn't everything and that he should appreciate the process of trying new things and having fun. He goes home tired but happy, and falls asleep dreaming of his next adventure.

Overall, "Doug Bags a Neematoad" is a charming, funny, and relatable episode that introduces us to the world of Doug Funnie and his friends and family. It has a positive message about perseverance, friendship, and self-discovery, and it showcases some of the show's strengths, such as its quirky humor, its imaginative visuals, and its catchy music. The episode is a great example of what made "Doug" such a beloved show in the 90s, and why it still holds up today as a classic of animated television.