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The Croods: Family Tree - Best Friend in Show (S6E2)
Each kid believes that they have the best pet on the farm, and hold a contest to prove it. Meanwhile, Phil's attempts to find a pet to enter proves dangerous, as he turns to wild animals.
| Runtime (min) | 22 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2023-03-30 |
| Genres | Animation, Family, Action & Adventure, Comedy, Kids |
| TV Rating | TV-Y7 |
| Network(s) | Hulu, Peacock |
Storyline
The Crood and Betterman kids each believe they own the best pet on the farm and decide to settle the debate with a formal competition. Eep, Thunk, Sandy, Dawn, and Grug Jr. all prepare their respective animals to showcase unique talents and abilities, turning the contest into a spirited rivalry among siblings. As the kids train and strategize, the competition becomes less about the pets themselves and more about proving who has the superior judgment and bond with their animal companion.
Meanwhile, Phil feels left out without a pet of his own to enter into the contest. Determined not to be sidelined, he ventures into the wilderness to find a suitable animal partner. His search leads him to increasingly dangerous encounters with wild creatures that are far from domesticated. Phil's misguided attempts to befriend and train these unpredictable animals create chaos and put him in precarious situations, forcing the family to balance their own competition with concern for his safety.
What kids learn
This episode explores the difference between healthy competition and letting rivalry damage relationships. Children see how the Crood and Betterman kids allow their desire to win cloud their appreciation for what makes each pet special. The storyline demonstrates that comparing ourselves to others often distracts us from valuing what we already have, and that insisting on being "the best" can create unnecessary conflict with people we care about.
Phil's subplot offers lessons about respecting boundaries and recognizing when our ambitions put us in danger. His determination to participate leads him to ignore obvious warning signs about wild animals, showing young viewers the importance of distinguishing between appropriate goals and reckless choices. Children learn that wanting to belong or prove ourselves doesn't justify taking dangerous shortcuts or forcing situations that aren't meant to be.
The episode also touches on what it means to have a genuine bond with an animal versus simply wanting to show off. Kids observe that the best relationships with pets come from mutual respect and understanding, not from training them to perform tricks for an audience. This reinforces empathy and responsibility as core values in caring for animals.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the pet competition mean-spirited, or do the kids stay friendly? | The competition starts as playful but becomes increasingly heated as each child insists their pet is superior. While the kids don't intend to be hurtful, their competitive energy does create tension and hurt feelings among siblings. The episode uses this escalation to show how even friendly contests can turn sour when winning becomes more important than relationships, ultimately guiding the characters toward recognizing what they've lost in their rivalry. |
| How dangerous does Phil's search for a wild pet actually get? | Phil encounters genuinely threatening wild animals during his quest, putting himself in situations that are played both for comedy and as cautionary moments. The show balances cartoon action with real consequences, making it clear that Phil's choices are unwise without becoming too frightening for the target audience. His misadventures serve as clear examples of what not to do when interacting with unfamiliar or wild animals. |
| Does anyone's pet get hurt during the competition? | The episode focuses on the pets' abilities and the kids' relationships with them rather than putting the animals in genuine danger. Any mishaps that occur are brief and resolved quickly, keeping the tone light. The show is careful not to depict animal harm, instead using the competition to explore the kids' attitudes and how they treat their pets when pride is on the line. |
| What do the kids learn about their pets by the end? | Through the competition and its aftermath, the children come to understand that their pets don't need to be "the best" to be valuable and loved. They recognize that each animal has unique qualities worth celebrating, and that their bonds with their pets matter more than any contest ranking. This realization helps repair the sibling relationships strained by the rivalry and reinforces appreciation over comparison. |
| Is there a clear winner of the pet contest? | The episode steers away from declaring a single winner, instead emphasizing that the competition itself was misguided. The resolution focuses on the kids recognizing that trying to rank their pets created unnecessary conflict and missed the point of why they love their animals in the first place. This outcome reinforces the theme that some things are too important to turn into contests. |
Writing
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Directing
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| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Struggling to find their purpose on the Betterman farm, the Croods see an opportunity to prove their worth by harvesting Phil’s perilous (and sticky) bounceberries. |
| 1 | 2 | When Eep wants alone time with her new friend Dawn, Guy seeks a new friend of his own and finds an unlikely companion in Thunk. |
| 1 | 3 | When the Bettermans invite the Croods to join their family game night, two things become clear: Phil needs to win and Grug hates to lose. |
| 1 | 4 | After a crowverine gliding mishap, Dawn loses her confidence and tells Eep she's taking a break from adventures. Eep convinces Dawn to join her on one last adventure – climbing Grrr Mountain. |
| 1 | 5 | When Hope oversteps by trying to teach Sandy manners, Ugga gets her revenge by challenging Hope to do the impossible: civilize Thunk. |
| 1 | 6 | Ugga has a secret - she's taking Eep to "flop with the bulrusses" - a fun and dangerous pastime Ugga enjoyed as a teen. Ugga's excitement fades when Hope invites herself and Dawn along. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Bored of the viewing options on window, Thunk realizes what he’s been missing – real life drama! But when Thunk starts creating drama around the farm, the others set out to teach him a lesson. |
| 2 | 2 | Sandy is finally old enough to join Grug and Eep for the annual Daddy Daughter Day and Grug couldn’t be more excited. But when Sandy struggles to fit in with Grug and Eep’s traditions, Grug has second thoughts. |
| 2 | 3 | When Phil humiliates himself playing throw-go-nut with the punch monkeys, the Croods band together to help him regain his confidence. Unfortunately, Phil goes from confident to cocky and bets the farm on a game of throw-go-nut with the punch monkeys. |
| 2 | 4 | When Gran announces it’s time to choose a new Thunder Sisters Queen, Ugga assumes she’s got it in the bag. But after a series of challenges (the Thunder Games), it becomes clear Gran might not be ready to step down. |
| 2 | 5 | Guy is always surprising Eep with romantic gestures and Eep wants to return the favor. But when Guy proves impossible to surprise, Eep has to step up her game. |
| 2 | 6 | The Crood and Betterman parents have been struggling to get along – they’re so different! The two couple realize they need some time apart and decide to get away from the farm and each other. |
| 2 | 7 | While the parents are away, the kids are in charge of the tree house, but when the punch monkeys invade the house, the kids find themselves out of their element. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | Jealous of the Thunder Sisters, the men on the farm undergo a series of difficult initiation rituals to try and join the exclusive tribe of women. |
| 3 | 2 | Eep loves action and adventure - it's in her blood. But when Eep starts adventuring in her sleep, she has to try to find the cause of her new sleep walking to avoid ending up in dangerous situations. |
| 3 | 3 | After Thunk and Guy tell Eep and Dawn a campfire story of Gorgwatch, a hideous monster who roams the woods, the girls are terrified. |
| 3 | 4 | When Guy invents a primitive skateboard, Eep and Dawn have a blast trying new tricks. |
| 3 | 5 | When Phil learns no one on the farm thinks he's fun, he sets out to prove them all wrong... by building a crazy amusement park. |
| 3 | 6 | When Eep and Dawn find a stranded egg, they eagerly take it in as their new pet, but when they learn the egg is not what it seems, they have to return it before it becomes dangerous. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | When Grug overhears Thunk accidentally call Phil "Dad", he tries to reconnect with Thunk by taking him to the natural spectacle known as "Big Shine." |
| 4 | 2 | When Phil invents a simple new game called ball-in-cup, everyone except Hope, can't stop playing it. But just when Hope thinks she's rid the farm of the game, she finds herself addicted to the game worst of all. |
| 4 | 3 | When Grug thinks his forehead looks too big in Ugga's family portrait, she strives to make the painting disappear. |
| 4 | 4 | When the adults exclude the kids from their adult-only cave, the kids make their own much cooler cave, soon making the adults want to switch caves. |
| 4 | 5 | When a freak lightning strike turns Thunk into a genius, Phil is thrilled to have someone likeminded on the farm, until the farm residents start asking Thunk for help with problems on the farm instead of him. |
| 4 | 6 | Tired of the farm's feud with the neighboring punch monkeys, Ugga arranges a punch summit where the Bettermans and Croods will stay in the punch monkey village to learn how to all get along. |
| 4 | 7 | When Phil detects a meteor is hurtling towards the farm, the Bettermans and Croods must decide how to spend their last day on earth. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | When the Croods find a man frozen in a block of ice, they thaw him and discover he was an old flame of Gran's! |
| 5 | 2 | Determined for Grug and Guy to bond, Eep plans a hunt for the three of them. But when Eep sneakily makes it appear that Guy saved Grug from a charging bearacuda, the two believe Guy is a master hunter, and head to hunt a dangerous scorpulion. |
| 5 | 3 | When Grug saves Hope's life during a dangerous mountainside tartichoke harvest, rather than feeling grateful, Hope is desperate to save Grug's life in order to not be indebted to him. |
| 5 | 4 | Determined to show Hope that she's just as good a cook, Ugga decides to cook a meal that will wow the farm residents. But when Ugga realizes she's out of her element, she turns to the punch monkeys for help. |
| 5 | 5 | When Hope allows Dawn to borrow her favorite bracelet, Dawn is determined to prove she is responsible. But when an accident leads to the bracelet being stuck in an Eegle's nest, Dawn, Eep, and Guy must retrieve the bracelet before Hope finds out. |
| 5 | 6 | Gran announces it's time for a Thunder Sister retreat at Camp Thunder to strengthen their team building skills, but Gran takes it too far when she puts the sisters through a dangerous trial. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | When Phil's beloved stick companion Philliam goes missing, he enlists the help of Ugga and Eep who lead an investigation across the farm. |
| 6 | 2 | Each kid believes that they have the best pet on the farm, and hold a contest to prove it. Meanwhile, Phil's attempts to find a pet to enter proves dangerous, as he turns to wild animals. |
| 6 | 3 | The Croods and Bettermans take in Malachi, Gran's longtime enemy, until his broken wing heals. Eep is unsure whether or not Malachi can be trusted. |
| 6 | 4 | After a back-breaking day of farm chores, all Grug and Phil want is a slice of pie. But when there is only one slice left, both Grug and Phil argue that they deserve it more. To prove who works harder, Grug and Phil switch chores on the farm for a day. |
| 6 | 5 | Dawn is bummed when an injury prevents her from joining the Croods and Bettermans to a trip to Fizzy Falls, but when Thunk recruits her on his quest for an ancient stash of legendary snacks, Dawn can't resist joining the treasure hunt. |
| 6 | 6 | Believing he doesn't fit in on the farm, Chunky (aided by the other pets) leaves home to follow the distant call of another death cat. The kids set off to bring him back home. Note: Gran narrates the story. |
| 6 | 7 | Grug accidentally reveals a subterranean cave beneath the treehouse. When Phil can't convince Hope, Grug, and Ugga that the treehouse is more impressive than the new cave, he sets out to destroy the cave. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | Trained by her parents, Eep competes in Alphafight. But when Eep learns that a human winning could upset the balance of nature, she must choose between winning to make her parents proud, and losing to protect the other animals. |
| 7 | 2 | Phil and Guy try to disprove the Croods' belief that leaving offerings to the fire moon will prevent bad luck. But when their efforts seem to cause a series of mishaps, they'll have to retrieve the horn of a dangerous ramaconda to turn their luck around. |
| 7 | 3 | Upset that he can't grow a beard, Grug resorts to some unorthodox hair growth methods. But when Phil's experimental hair formula makes fur grow all over Grug's body, he flees to the woods to avoid the other farm residents' attempts to shave him. |
| 7 | 4 | An attempt to fix a broken vase leaves Guy and Hope stuck together with glue. Guy's ability to stay calm is tested when Phil is too busy to help, and the other farm residents also get stuck. |
| 7 | 5 | Terrible at hide-n-seek, Thunk asks Gran to teach him to hide. With her training, he soon becomes her partner in crime, helping her with heists and schemes. |
| 7 | 6 | Dawn hates her mother's beetballs and has been secretly dumping them in the lagoon to spare her feelings. But when the Bettermans (and Eep) go on an underwater expedition in the lagoon, Dawn must keep her family from discovering her secret. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 1 | The kids take their "Dare Game" too far, causing Grug, Ugga, Phil and Hope to forbid them from playing it. But when the adults also get hooked on the game, the kids must convince them to stop before someone gets hurt. |
| 8 | 2 | Thunk goes missing after the Thunder Sisters dismiss his help during a battle. The Thunder Sisters, and Grug, Phil, and Guy's newly formed "Thunder Sifters" search on and off the farm for Thunk. |
| 8 | 3 | The Croods, Bettermans, and Guy compete in the Throw-Go-Bowl - an annual Throw-go-nut championship game against the punch monkeys. Grug's desire to win above all else threatens to push away his teammates. |
| 8 | 4 | Phil enlists the Croods to help him retrieve a rare fruit before some wild animals can. But when Grug doesn't trust Phil's methods of getting it back to the farm, the Croods and Bettermans compete with each other more than with they did with the animals. |
| 8 | 5 | When the parents find their precious outhouse destroyed, they perform a "trouble trial" to find the culprit. To prove their innocence, each kid provides their own explanation for the outhouse's destruction. |
| 8 | 6 | After a big argument between the Croods and Bettermans, the parents decide to separate the two families. Not wanting to split up, the kids try to convince the parents to make up before the Croods move off the farm entirely. |
| 8 | 7 | Hwam returns with news of a utopian cave community, accidentally reigniting the argument between the Croods and Bettermans. As the Croods journey to Caveana and the Bettermans adjust to life without them, the parents deny how much they miss each other. |
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