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The Fungies! - The Mayor's Apprentice (S2E15)
When Mertha tells her dad she doesn’t want to be mayor when she grows up, he’s forced to find a new successor... SETH! But can the town handle “Seth, the junior mayor?”
| Runtime (min) | 12 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2021-06-03 |
| Genres | Animation, Comedy, Kids |
| Network(s) | HBO Max |
Storyline
When Mertha announces to her father, the mayor, that she has no interest in following in his footsteps and becoming mayor when she grows up, he faces an unexpected dilemma. The town's leadership succession plan has always assumed Mertha would take over, and now he must find a new apprentice to groom for the role. His search leads him to Seth, an enthusiastic but unconventional choice for the position of junior mayor.
Seth eagerly accepts the apprenticeship and throws himself into his new responsibilities with characteristic energy. However, his unique approach to problem-solving and decision-making quickly creates challenges for the town and its residents. The episode explores whether Seth's methods will prove effective or whether the town will struggle under his junior leadership, while Mertha navigates her own feelings about stepping away from her expected path and watching someone else take on the role she was meant to fill.
What kids learn
This episode offers children valuable lessons about career expectations and personal autonomy. Mertha's decision to tell her father she doesn't want to be mayor demonstrates the importance of being honest about your own dreams and goals, even when they differ from what others expect of you. Children learn that it's okay to forge your own path rather than automatically following in a parent's footsteps, and that having the courage to speak up about your true interests is an important part of growing up.
The episode also explores themes of responsibility and leadership through Seth's experience as junior mayor. Young viewers can observe how taking on important roles requires more than just enthusiasm—it demands thoughtfulness, consideration of others, and an understanding of how decisions affect the community. Seth's journey illustrates that leadership positions come with real consequences and that learning to balance personal style with community needs is a crucial skill.
Additionally, the story touches on adaptability and problem-solving, showing children that when plans change unexpectedly, communities and families must work together to find new solutions that respect everyone's wishes and abilities.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How does this episode handle the topic of children not wanting to follow their parents' career paths? | The episode treats Mertha's decision with respect and validates her right to choose her own future. Her father, while initially surprised, accepts her honesty and immediately begins looking for alternatives rather than pressuring her to change her mind. This models healthy family communication where children feel safe expressing their true feelings about their futures, and parents respond by supporting their autonomy rather than imposing predetermined expectations. |
| Is Seth portrayed as incompetent, or does the episode respect his efforts? | While Seth's unconventional approach creates challenges for the town, the episode focuses on the learning curve inherent in taking on new responsibilities rather than mocking his abilities. The story explores how enthusiasm alone isn't enough for leadership roles and how important it is to understand the impact of decisions. Seth's character is treated with warmth, and any struggles serve as teaching moments about responsibility rather than opportunities for ridicule. |
| What does this episode teach about handling big responsibilities? | Through Seth's experience as junior mayor, children learn that important roles require careful thought and consideration of how choices affect others. The episode demonstrates that taking on leadership positions means balancing your own ideas with the needs of the community you serve. It shows that responsibility isn't just about having authority—it's about understanding the weight of decisions and learning to think beyond immediate enthusiasm to long-term consequences. |
| Does Mertha face any negative consequences for disappointing her father? | The episode presents Mertha's decision as a healthy expression of personal autonomy rather than a source of family conflict. Her father's response focuses on finding practical solutions rather than expressing disappointment or trying to change her mind. This approach reinforces for young viewers that honest communication about personal goals should be encouraged and respected within families, and that children shouldn't feel obligated to pursue careers simply because of parental expectations. |
| Are there any scary or intense moments when Seth's decisions cause problems? | The episode maintains the show's lighthearted tone throughout, and any problems arising from Seth's junior mayorship are presented as humorous learning experiences rather than serious crises. The challenges are age-appropriate and resolved within the episode's brief runtime. The focus remains on the comedic aspects of the situation and the lessons about responsibility, making it suitable for the show's young target audience without creating anxiety about real consequences. |
Writing
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Directing
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| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Seth wants to bring snow home so it’ll earn him a coveted spot on his mom’s prized shelf of "stuff her kids gave her." When he repeatedly tries and fails to bring the snow back befoe it melts, he uses science to figure out a way to get it home intact. |
| 1 | 2 | Seth, desperately wanting his classmates to pay attention to the presentations he’s excited to share with them, pushes himself too hard and gets sick! It takes a face-to-face encounter with his rival to show Seth that it doesn’t matter what his classmates think, as long as he likes what he’s doing. |
| 1 | 3 | On the verge of a scientific discovery, Seth and the other Fancies are forced inside when the town is invaded by cow-like Truffalo! But when Seth traps the Truffalo in order to resume his science, he causes an environmental chain reaction that threatens to destroy Fancytown. |
| 1 | 4 | While exploring, Seth finds an egg and really wants to know what’s inside it! But when Pam’s egg-hatching instincts kick into gear, Seth will have to learn to trust her, and nature. |
| 1 | 5 | When Seth borrows Pascal’s mustache for a day at the beach, the Triloknights think he’s an adult! While Seth loves the respect and attention, is he really ready for adulthood? And marriage? |
| 1 | 6 | Seth’s desire to help Nancy with her job at the hospital results in chaos when he, without Nancy’s knowledge, plays doctor on sick Fancies. Seth has to admit his wrongdoing and listen to his mom in order to set things right. |
| 1 | 7 | Seth and Claudette are given a weekend project as punishment for disrupting class. But when Seth finds himself marooned on a boat in the middle of the ocean with Claudette, will he finally learn to listen? Or will the huge storm sink their ship? |
| 1 | 8 | Seth neglects his baby-sitting duties to do his own thing and winds up losing the twins to an army of ants! On his undercover mission to get back the Twins, Seth learns to appreciate his siblings even if they’re a little annoying at times. |
| 1 | 9 | Seth leads a group of kids into a haunted mine in an effort to prove that everything has a scientific explanation and that there’s no reason to be afraid ghosts. But things get spooky when they encounter a ghost that Seth doesn’t have a scientific explanation for. Seth has to learn to give into his fear in order to and solve the mystery of the mine ghost. |
| 1 | 10 | Hide and Pam: Pam learns to play hide and seek a little too well./Chair Factory: Seth improves productivity at the Fancytown chair factory./Turtle: Seth brings a shy turtle for show and tell./Rainy Day: Cool James teaches the other kids how to have fun making music on a rainy day./Best Friends Club: Lil' Lemon and Nevin hold the first meeting of the Best Friends Club. |
| 1 | 11 | Seth wants to help sad, immobile Sir Tree feel the joy that comes from helping others, so he has the brilliant idea of planting Sir Tree inside Pascal’s body! But when Sir Tree’s absence causes soil erosion and mudslides, Seth has to convince Sir Tree that the best way to help is to return to his hole before Fancytown is destroyed. |
| 1 | 12 | Seth, eager to explore the stars and find a fellow explorer, sends a signal to space. But the explorer who receives the message, Commander Beefy, has his own shady plans for Earth. |
| 1 | 13 | Seth, frustrated that the Fancies are too caught up in the Fanciest Fancy pageant to listen to his warning about a fungus-eating bacteria, enters the pageant to get his message out. But when he gets sucked into the pageant, he’ll have to face the consequences of getting distracted. |
| 1 | 14 | When Seth agrees to let an athletic snake replace his arm so he can finally be good at volleyball, he learns he doesn’t need a fancy snake arm to make his teammates happy; he just needs to try. |
| 1 | 15 | After a beautiful statue makes Nevin self-conscious about his own looks, Seth helps seal Nevin in a cocoon so that he may turn into a beautiful butterfly. |
| 1 | 16 | When Pascal becomes obsessed with a group of cool kids, Seth promises to use his science skills to help Pascal become cool. But is coolness as cool as it seems? |
| 1 | 17 | Seth is having a hard time sharing a room with messy Pascal and needs a change. But instead of being honest about the situation, Seth makes Pascal a mermaid tail so that his brother can finally move out - into the ocean! |
| 1 | 18 | Seth wants his mom to have the best birthday ever, so he creates his own currency in order to buy her an expensive gift. But he learns a little too late that counterfeiting is a crime, putting Nancy’s birthday at risk of being ruined. |
| 1 | 19 | When Pam is chased by a huge scary dinosaur, a concerned Seth invites her to live with him in Fungietown. Pam adapts to city living, but the Fungies’ newfound love for Pam attracts attention, putting the entire town in danger! |
| 1 | 20 | Seth tries to get the kids interested in his pumpkin garden by making it into a contest, but a healthy competition soon turns to all out war! Can Seth reunite the class to save the town from a new danger? |
| 1 | 21 | Seth takes a baby squid from the ocean to study and ends up becoming attached to the little guy. But when Squidly grows real big and attracts the attention of an intergalactic zookeeper, Seth must free his friend in order to save him. |
| 1 | 22 | Seth creates The Fungie Scouts so his friends can learn how to survive in the wild. But after enlisting the selfish Commander Beefy as scout leader, the kids wind up in danger! Seth must take back control in order to save his friends! |
| 1 | 23 | The kids discover that Nevin’s Granny Grancie has an estranged sister/best friend, Granny Grindle. Nevin and Lil’ Lemon, with Seth’s help, vow to reunite them! But getting these old friends back together may test their own friendship. |
| 1 | 24 | While distracted by a new scientific endeavor, Seth winds up ruining his mom’s treasured fireman calendar! After his attempt to make it up to her puts them both in danger, Seth finally learns the importance of communicating with his mom. |
| 1 | 25 | Seth wants to study the old well, but Nancy forbids it! So Seth lies and says he won’t. But when Pascal gets stuck in the well, Seth’s little white lie grows! Soon he has the whole town up in arms about a terrible “well monster.” |
| 1 | 26 | Seth, sick of doing chores for his mom, wishes he was in charge. But when an act of kindness makes Seth queen to a hive of bees, he quickly learns: heavy is the head that wears the crown. |
| 1 | 27 | Seth agrees to take care of Sir Tree’s wooden boy, Boy Joy, but quickly pawns him off on Mertha. When Seth discovers that Sir Tree needs his boy back in order to survive, he must stage a heist to steal Boy Joy back before it’s too late! |
| 1 | 28 | Seth writes a play about the importance of dental hygiene and gets Pascal to direct. Soon the brothers’ differences lead to Pascal quitting. But when the star of the show gets stage fright right before curtain, Seth has to get Pascal back! |
| 1 | 29 | Seth bets Mertha that with him as his campaign manager, Lil’ Lemon will beat her in the class election! But when Mertha’s dad gets involved, things get out of hand and Seth soon learns politics isn’t worth putting his friend in jeopardy! |
| 1 | 30 | While playing in the river, Seth, Claudette, and Mertha discover the longest pair of Fungie legs they’ve ever seen! Now the three friends struggle over who gets to keep them. |
| 1 | 31 | Sir Tree is lonely, so Seth builds a treehouse in his branches to keep him company. It’s such a hit, soon all of Fungietown moves in! But when the added weight strains Sir Tree, can Seth convince him to take better care of himself? |
| 1 | 32 | When his medals are stolen during a Fungietown school assembly, Seth and Claudette start an investigation to find the culprit before everyone is thrown into the Triloknight’s dungeon! |
| 1 | 33 | Seth wants some attention, but his family’s too busy. But when a lucky explosion forces Cool James to stay with him, Seth gets the attention he craves! That is until Seth sees how much his family loves Cool James. |
| 1 | 34 | Pressured to choose a real job, Seth instead decides to be a dinosaur like Pam! Soon, all the kids follow suit, but cause so much trouble, Fungietown bans dinosaurs! But Pam can’t stop being a dinosaur and is thrown in jail! |
| 1 | 35 | Seth gets super into solving puzzles and winds up trying to solve the ultimate puzzle: fixing Commander Beefy’s relationship with his sister, COMMANDER LAZER! Will Seth’s plan work? Or will it end up putting him and his friends in danger? |
| 1 | 36 | Seth’s learning about Fungie history in class, but there isn’t enough history! So he assembles an archeology crew to help him dig! But when the kids unearth the ancient city of Fungopolis, will they be stuck in the past forever? |
| 1 | 37 | Seth loves how fast Pam can run, and to prove she’s the fastest, creates a race all across Young Earth! But when Pam, who’s never lost a race, is challenged by a speedy newcomer, will Seth’s training be enough to make sure she wins? |
| 1 | 38 | Overworked radio DJ Jason Fungie needs a break, so Seth and his friends take over RFUN public radio! But when things backfire and the station is at risk of being shut down, the kids have to raise the money to keep RFUN alive! |
| 1 | 39 | The school's Fungieball coach is missing! And worse–Seth’s mom is his replacement! Champsa, who shares a bond with Coach, teams up with Seth, forming an uneasy alliance of Sports and Science in an attempt to find Coach Croach! |
| 1 | 40 | Seth is off to his first sleepover at Nevin’s. But when Seth’s determination to have the “perfect sleepover” leads to calamity, Nevin may never get to have friends over again. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Seth and Claudette scale the cliffs outside of town and get caught in a cold war between rival flying dino families! Can Seth help a pair of star-crossed dino lovers live happily ever after? Or will his good intentions lead to a bird war? |
| 2 | 2 | Lil’ Lemon and Nevin spend every day together, but when Lemon develops an interest in bugs, which Nevin hates, he sneaks off to hunt them with Seth. Will jealousy and a failure to communicate destroy their friendship? |
| 2 | 3 | After angering some space bullies, Commander Beefy seeks protection by going undercover as a Fungie kid at Seth’s school. But will Beefy blow his cover when he helps out with the school fundraiser? |
| 2 | 4 | When Seth accidentally blocks the path to a herd of Truffalos’ grazing lands, he must saddle up in order to lead them to dinner. But guiding wild animals is harder than Seth expected! |
| 2 | 5 | After breaking a lawn ornament belonging to the mysterious Madam Fungulia, Seth gets turned into a frog! Or at least that’s what his friends think. Can they break into Madam Fugulia’s house and change Seth back? |
| 2 | 6 | After her house is invaded by wild crabs, Nancy becomes overprotective of her babies and buys a super-advanced security system from Commander Beefy. But when Pascal accidentally sets it off, the house becomes the threat! |
| 2 | 7 | Claudette needs a good story for the school paper and gets the scoop she's been looking for after following Seth to a secret dance club. But printing the story has a downside that makes Claudette question how far one should go for a scoop. |
| 2 | 8 | After getting an “F” in behavior, Seth discovers that he can change his personality by scooping out different sections of his Fungie head! But when the flawed head goop he tossed comes to life, will flawless Seth be able to save the day? |
| 2 | 9 | When Seth is paired with underachiever Cleo on a project, he gives her a “smarty flower” to trick her into thinking she’s smarter. But when the flower wilts, Cleo puts herself in danger trying to get a new one! |
| 2 | 10 | In this Halloween special, Seth and his friends go camping to see a meteor shower! But when they decide to pass the time telling campfire stories, things get pretty spooky. Can Seth keep people around until the meteor shower hits? |
| 2 | 11 | Pascal gets a conch shell stuck in his head, giving him super-hearing and attracting the attention of a crab gang who want to use his powers for crimes! Will Pascal learn how to actually listen in time to free himself? |
| 2 | 12 | Stuck babysitting the rowdy Twins with Pascal, Seth decides it would be easier to split them up. But Seth and Pascal soon learn that they must reunite the Twins or they’ll stay separate forever! |
| 2 | 13 | Seth wants to create a cool new game that will be a playground hit! But will his desire to please everyone cost them their limbs? |
| 2 | 14 | Sir Tree thinks he’s found his one true love: a turnip named Tina. But after realizing Sir Tree is just lying to himself about being happy, Seth has to help his friend realize that real life doesn’t have to play out like a fairy tale. |
| 2 | 15 | When Mertha tells her dad she doesn’t want to be mayor when she grows up, he’s forced to find a new successor... SETH! But can the town handle “Seth, the junior mayor?” |
| 2 | 16 | When Seth is put in charge of watching the class pet, Gorbo, Lil’ Lemon gets jealous. But Lil’ Lemon’s plan to “save” Gorbo backfires when he’s flushed down the toilet! Can Lil’ Lemon and Seth save their class pet from the sewer? |
| 2 | 17 | The Fungies are celebrating Hero-Ween, and Mertha is obsessed with the Fungie folk hero Rattlesnake Jane. But when Mertha learns her hero wasn’t everything she thought she was, can Seth restore her faith? |
| 2 | 18 | Sir Tree is growing a once-in-a-lifetime special bloom for Seth to see! But when Seth loses his eye and risks missing the bloom, will some advice from a wiser Fungie be enough to save the day? |
| 2 | 19 | A meteor crashes into the playground, barely missing Shania! Seth wants to study the meteor, but Shania decides that it’s magic and starts a meteor fan club. Can Seth debunk their meteor myths before they tear the school apart? |
| 2 | 20 | After hearing how great Anna Nanna’s family is, Nancy gets insecure and takes Seth and the kids camping to prove they’re a great family too. But when they run into Anna, family fun becomes very competitive and no fun at all! |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | DLil’ Lemon goes to great lengths to get their sister, Lil’ Lime, the best birthday present ever. But how far is too far… and will the present tear Lil’ Lime’s birthday party to pieces? |
| 3 | 2 | It’s Shania’s turn to host the Fungietown Breakfast Club, but she's embarrassed by her house! After convincing the other kids she lives in a cool cave behind a waterfall, what will happen when she finds something already living there? |
| 3 | 3 | After breaking both her legs, Pam finds it impossible to rest, until Seth sets her up in his attic with a view of the apartment building next door for some chill fungie-watching. She isn’t interested… until faced with a captivating mystery. |
| 3 | 4 | When Pascal falls in love, his insecurities lead him to pretend to be something he’s not: a giant prehistoric whale! But when Pascal’s dishonesty endangers his brother, it’s up to Nancy to save Seth before he’s digested. |
| 3 | 5 | Hoping to spot an iceberg, Seth convinces Pascal to captain Beefy’s cruise ship. But when Pascal becomes determined to destroy the iceberg, Seth must try to bring his brother back to reality. |
| 3 | 6 | Seth and his friends win tickets to a Billy Fungie concert, where they discover that Billy is actually three different fungies combined! But when the friends accidentally break Billy up, they must reunite him before the town goes nuts. |
| 3 | 7 | When Pascal’s dream of having his art in the Fungarium is shattered, he runs away to mope. There, a dangerous spinosaurus falls in love with his paintings! But what will Pascal do when the Spino becomes too big a fan? |
| 3 | 8 | After giving Sir Tree root rot, Seth promises to do everything he can to make his friend feel better. But soon Sir Tree gets a little too used to Seth’s attention, and pretends to be sick even when he’s better! |
| 3 | 9 | When Seth and Pascal get stuck inside on a rainy day, they decide to buy a VR game from Commander Beefy. It’s all fun and games until Seth’s competitiveness hurts Pascal’s feelings – and gets him trapped in the game! |
| 3 | 10 | Nevin can’t get enough love from Grannie Grancie, but there’s only so much she can give! Nevin and his friends decide to set Granny up with four eligible grandpas, but when the plan backfires, will they be able to get rid of the suitors? |
| 3 | 11 | Seth hates cleaning, so he gets help tidying up his locker from Commander Beefy – who turns the mess into a gross monster! Can Seth buckle down and clean up this mess monster before it destroys the school? |
| 3 | 12 | After a run-in with some crabs, Pam worries she’s lost her “edge,” so she recruits Seth for a trip to the Badlands to help get it back. A tough old ankylosaur named Scrandice helps, but will her harsh lessons be too much for Seth and Pam? |
| 3 | 13 | When Beefy is forced to crash with Sir Tree after losing everything to his sister, Sir Tree teaches him the wonders of living simply. |
| 3 | 14 | Wanting to make her kids happy, Nancy joins a rodeo put on by The Mayor. But Seth, Pascal, and The Twins are only doing the rodeo because they think it’ll make Nancy happy! Will this family learn to communicate before it’s too late? |
| 3 | 15 | After Teacher Terry takes a much-needed day off, the class secretly works on a plan to keep her relaxed. But when Teacher Terry notices the unseen forces, she assumes she’s the victim of a conspiracy. |
| 3 | 16 | Hoping to escape his obligations, Lord Clawly switches places with Pascal to enjoy a day at the fair. But Pascal isn’t caught up on all his Lordly protocols and ends up in a joust to the death. |
| 3 | 17 | Everyone thinks Nevin’s new kitten is better than his older cat, Mifflin. But when Seth discovers the kitten is really a tiny Fungie burglar in disguise, it’s up to Mifflin to stop the thief and save Seth! |
| 3 | 18 | When Seth and Shania‘s plans see a movie are derailed by Shania’s obligations at home, Seth steps in, but his lack of understanding about his friend’s home life soon leads to catastrophe. |
| 3 | 19 | To prove he’s old enough to ride with his dads on the mine carts, Holk is put in charge of their table at the Miner’s Market. But when Holk loses valuable black opals, he must get them back before his dads find out! |
| 3 | 20 | Seth wants to discover an oasis in the desert, but failure has shattered his confidence! To help encourage his brother, Pascal draws Seth into a constellation. But Seth becomes too confident, and they soon end up in over their heads. |
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