Lights, Candace, Action!

Phineas and Ferb"Lights, Candace, Action"
Season 1
Number 5
Episode information
Production code	105B
Written by	Bobby Gaylor, Swampy Marsh, Martin Olson, and Dan Povenmire
Directed by	Dan Povenmire
Original airdate	February 3, 2008 (Disney Channel)
Phineas and Ferb Episodes
Previous	"The Fast and the Phineas"
Next	"Raging Bully"

“	I'm gonna be discovered!	”
— Candace Flynn

Lights, Candace, Action! is the fifth episode of Phineas and Ferb. The boys direct a film adaption of Candace’s favorite play, but they transform this beautiful play into a full-out monster movie. Meanwhile, Perry the Platypus tries to find out why Dr. Doofenshmirtz is being so quiet. This episode guest stars a live-action Candace, who is played by her voice actress, Ashley Tisdale.

Episode Summary

Candace is in her bedroom quoting lines from her favorite play, The Princess Sensibilities in front of a mirror when she hears a roar and goes to the backyard to see/bust whatever her brothers are doing. Phineas and Ferb are making a monster movie in the backyard, complete with a tiny city through which a miniature monster rampages. Candace bursts in to scream at them to keep it down and stomps on the set, destroying it, but they don’t seem at all dismayed. When she says their movies are lame they tell her that their website received 176 million hits last week. Linda comes home; presumably from the store (as she has a bag of groceries in her arms) and mentions to Candace that somebody was filming a movie version of the play The Princess Sensibilities. She instantly becomes determined to get the part of the princess in the movie, as she apparently knows every line from heart (having practiced for her drama club all summer). She runs off, leaving Phineas and Ferb alone in the backyard. Phineas wonders where Perry is.

Meanwhile, Agent P is shown in his lair being instructed to find out why Dr. Doofenshmirtz has been so quiet lately, and to put a stop to it, whatever it is. Agent P salutes Major Monogram and then his chair turns into a rocket, powering him up and out straight through the street, leaving a hole. The chair spouts a helicopter-like propeller and carries him off, straight over the film set where Candace is now trying to land a part in the movie.

Candace is shown walking into the producer’s trailer. The producer is irate because his lead actress quit. Candace pitches herself to him by reciting a small chunk of lines from the play. He views her as a good prospect, but hesitates, so she promises him she’ll work for free. The producer uses the money he saves to hire the hottest new directors in town, Phineas and Ferb. He calls and tells them to come down. The only problem is that Candace doesn’t know it yet.

In the make-up chair, Candace is introduced to some of her instructors, such as her swimming instructor, her clothes designer, and even her bagel. She also gets introduced to her personal trainers, Olga and Chicago Joe (who were lice at Gunther’s Goat Cheeses in “Raging Bully”). The producer then introduces her the new directors and Candace is outraged when she finds out they’re her own brothers. Phineas explains how Isabella helped them out, being their agent and all. Candace asks the producer if they were “a little young to be big budget movie directors”, but even the producer knew about Phineas and Ferb on their last movie getting 176 million hits, saying that “they could be in diapers for all he cares.”

When Candace gets into her costume, it turns out she has to wear a monster mask during the filming. She says that she doesn’t remember any monsters being in “The Princess Sensibilities.” Phineas tells her that they finished re-writing the copy of the script into “The Curse of the Princess Monster,” with Candace still in the lead role. Candace complains that no one would see her face. The producer then explains that at end of the movie, the curse is lifted and this could make her a star, leaving Candace daydreaming about being a star. She tries to run out onto the stage to begin filming, but every time her monster head is knocked off by the door.

Agent P breaks into the Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated headquarters by completely smashing the front door, but no evil is going on, and Dr. Doofenshmirtz forces Perry to pay for the broken door. Perry hands him some money, but he demands more, saying that “it’s not just drywall, its solid oak.” He lectures Perry on breaking down people’s doors, making Agent P feel guilty. It turns out that the Doctor has given up evil to pursue cheese making. He is making stinky Limburger, which apparently is an old Doofensmirtz family recipe made by suspending a milk cow over a boiling cauldron when milking. The cheese must age for 58 1/2 years to be completely finished, but Doofenshmirtz says that nobody has that kind of time and has therefore invented the Age-Accelerator-inator to speed up the process. Meanwhile, Phineas and Ferb are doing some chase scenes; they strap the camera onto a hungry chimpanzee or a hungry Ferb and make Candace hold food. Several mistakes and mishaps happen on set, such as the camera's lens cap being left on, plumbing supplies being dumped on Candace, etc.

Even though Candace’s performance is horrible (due to her being pelted by airplanes, missiles, and spiders, among other things), Ferb cleans up Candace’s performance in the editing room, replacing her with a beautiful realistic-looking woman (actually Candace's own voice actor, Ashley Tisdale). “That is what they call movie magic,” said Phineas. Candace is very satisfied with how it looks.

After the movie is produced, a sneak preview is shown for teenagers, who are the target audience. Meanwhile, Dr. Doofenshmirtz demonstrates his ray on a baby in the park and then on the Limburger, gives the cheese to Perry, and warns him that once he eats, he won’t be able stop. When Doofenshmirtz comes back with crackers, he is horrified to discover that Agent P has eaten the entire cheese wheel in one mouthful. Doofenshmirtz becomes angry, and tries to zap Perry, who now has the body shape of a Frisbee. Back at the theater, Phineas, Ferb, Candace, and the producer are optimistic about the release of the movie; the audience seems to love it.

While Agent P and the Doctor fight over the cheese, the sneak preview audience is accidentally hit by the Age-Accelerator-inator, and now they all hate the movie because they have become crotchety old people who find the movie way too loud. Then, Doofenshmirtz finally traps Agent P and turns the power knob to a dangerous level, then zaps both of them. The result is that both Perry and the Doofenshmirtz grow grotesquely old. Doofenshmirtz makes fun of Perry, but then Agent P rips his old skin, revealing that he wasn’t growing old after all, merely wearing a suit that protects him against the effects of the ray. Doofenshmirtz also tries, but just rips his clothes off, so he surrenders and retires to bed, saying “Well, it’s already 4:30, I think I'm going to bed. Curse you, Perry the Platypus.”

Back with the Flynn-Fletcher gang, Candace’s movie is never released (due to bad press from the sneak preview audience) and Phineas and Ferb return home, showing Candace their Internet video on the computer. In it, they feature Candace, in a slowed down version of earlier when she yelled at them saying they ruin everything, followed by a globe of Earth on a string breaking into a ton of pieces. Phineas was impress that they got some many hits and says, “Fame is fleeting”, and Ferb adds, “But the Internet is forever." Then Candace faints and Phineas says “Goodnight, Candace.”

Songs

None.

End Credits

As Candace walks by in the sidewalk that many kids recognize her as “The Swamp Monster of Danville” from the viral video Phineas and Ferb made.

Running Gags

The "Too Young" Line

Candace: Don't you think they're a little young to be big-budget movie directors?
Producer: With 176 million hits, they can be in diapers for all I care.

Ferb's Line

Phineas: Enjoy it while it lasts, Candace. Fame is fleeting.
Ferb: But the Internet is forever.

Whatcha doin'?

None.

Perry's entrance to his lair

None.

Evil Jingle

Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated!

Memorable Quotes

Francis "Major" Monogram: There's something very strange going on with Dr. Doofenshmirtz. ^{(picture of Dr. Doofenshmirtz pops up on screen)} He's been very quiet lately, a little too quiet! I want you to find out what's not going on and, uh.. put a... stop...to it. I suppose.

Isabella: Look. My client gets 3 percent of the gross and a piece of the back end, or he walks. Yeah, that's right. You mess with the bull, you get the horns, buddy! ^{(Gets another call and transfers)} Hello? Sid, baby! You got that third act in line yet?

Phineas: Okay, Candace. This is a very important scene. It is nothing less than the emotional backbone of the whole film. Oh, and the villagers are coming at you with everything they've got.

Phineas: The space armada from the planet Plumbing Supplies!

^{After Phineas has finnished "filming" the first scene.}

Phineas: Beautiful! That's a wrap!
Ginger Hirano: (whispers into Phineas' ear, revealing that he had left the lens cap on the camera)

Phineas: Oops. That's a little embarrasing. (removes the lens cap, then through a megaphone) OK, people, nice rehearsal! Let's take it from the top!

Candace: (wearing a tropical banana hat) Wow! Is this banana hat for some cool tropical dance number?

Phineas: We're trying to come up with some exciting camera angles for the big chase scene, so we strapped a camera onto this starving monkey.
(the monkey screeches and chases Candace, Candace is all bruised)
Phineas: (chuckles) Sorry that monkey cam didn't work out. We're gonna try it with Ferb this time. (Ferb has a camera strapped to his head. Phineas hands Candace a sub sandwich.) Now take this sandwich and remember, Ferb hasn't eaten lunch yet.

(Ferb screeches and chases Candace)

Phineas: Okay, Candace, this is your beauty shot. The curse has been lifted, and you're no longer a monster. Now this scene is all about what the heart wants, but the mind can't have.

Candace: (panting) To think, to--

Phineas: CUT!
Candace: Oh, I'm sorry.
Phineas: Do it again.
Candace: To think, to--to stink--
Phineas: CUT!

Candace: THIS IS HORRIBLE! i can't let anyone see this.

'Ashley Tisdale:' (as Candace) To think, to dream, to be free of the curse.

Heinz Doofenshmirtz: (now elderly, along with Perry) Well, this can't be right. (laughs) Perry the Platypus, just look at yourself! you've really let yourself go!

Perry: (rips off a suit, revealing himself in his current age)
Perry!

Doofenshmirtz: Oh, so you've had an Age-Acellerator-Inator-Proof suit! Well, I've got a little surprise of my own. (rips off his clothing, revealing his underclothes) Eh. Well, it's already 4:30 p.m. I think I'm going to bed. Curse you, Perry the Platypus.

Background Information

• It was said that the movie was shown for teenagers, and since Milly and Holly were seen in the audience, they ought to be at least thirteen.
• The woman who was doing Candace's nails right before she found out her brothers were the directors made a cameo appearance in Agent P's theme song as one of the women who swoons when he chirps.
• The castle shown after Ferb's video edit is the Alcázar of Segovia, which is in Spain, formerly used by the royal family, actually used as a tourist attraction.

Production Information

• Episode description from the original Phineas and Ferb-ruary 2008 press release:

In "Lights, Candace, Action," airing Sunday, Ferb-ruary 3, a British period film entitled "The Princess Sensibilities" is shooting in town, and Candace wants to be in it. She gets a part, but when the director storms off the set, Phineas and Ferb step in to direct. They change the movie from "The Princess Sensibilities" to "The Curse of the Princess Monster," and now Candace is forced to wear a monster suit and be the victim of multiple stunts. Meanwhile Dr. Doofenshmirtz is trying to age some gourmet cheese with an "age-inator."

• This is the second episode without a song in it.
• This is the first episode where you don't see Perry entering his lair.

Domestic Premieres

• February 3, 2008 (Disney Channel)

International Premieres

• February 3, 2008 (Poland)
• February 3, 2008 (Holland)
• February 7, 2008 (Germany)
• February 14, 2008 (Latin America)
• April 27, 2008 (Brazil)

Errors

• Phineas says that Candace will get hit with 800 cubic ft. of rats, spiders, and snakes, but a close up on the boxes shows rats, bats, and snakes, a naming error.
• When Ginger Hirano whispers to Phineas that the camera cap was still on, Phineas' mouth does not move when he says "Oh."
• When the scene of Isabella talking in a handsfree is shown, a chroma key appears behind her.
• The Doofenshmirtz Evil Inc. sign takes two lines, whereas usually, it only takes one line.
• Milly has a bow on the left side on her head, but the bow is on her right.
• Dr. Doofenshmirtz's Age-Accelerator-inator shows green on the power level when he is about to demonstrate it, but shows red when he is coming back in.
• The power level on Dr. Doofenshmirtz's machine appears on the right of the machine as Dr. Doofenshmirtz comes back into his building after demonstrating his invention, but it is supposed to be on the left, as it is in the rest of the episode.
• When the old audience for the movie leave after not liking it, they pass all three kids out of the theater, but Candace is the only one that gets trampled on.
• If you look real closely when the camera pans in the studio, Gretchen's scleras (whites of eyes) can be visible while she's holding the camera.
• A couple of the Fireside Girls were in the testing audience when the movie was under its screening test but weren't turned old by the blast from Doofenshmirtz's invention along with the rest of the audience.
• Dr. Doofenshmirtz makes cheese in this episode, but in the episode "I Scream, You Scream," it is mentioned that he is lactose intolerant.
• Candace stepped on the model building first with her right foot, but in the movie at the end, she steps on it with her left foot.

Continuity

• Phineas reassures Candace that the snakes are rubber. This is quite like "Rollercoaster", when the snakes land on everyone ("Relax! They're just rubber!").
• When Candace tries to run out of the trailer, the music from "Big Ginormous Airplane" is playing.
• Coincidentally, Holly and Milly are in the test audience, and when the audience is older, Eliza M. Feyersied is one of the many elders to leave. ("Fireside Girl Jamboree")
• This is the second time Candace didn't try to bust Phineas and Ferb. ("Lawn Gnome Beach Party of Terror")

Allusions

• The Princess Diaries and Sense and Sensibility - The title "The Princess Sensibilities" is probably a mash-up of these two titles.
• Shakespeare's Hamlet - The parts of "The Princess Sensibilities" Candance quotes at the beginning of the episode contain references to the To Be, or Not to Be soliloquy.
• Title - A parody of the common phrase, "Lights, camera, action!"
• One of David Letterman's sketches was the monkey cam, with same results.
• Apple Computers - Phineas and Ferb have a computer that looks similar to an iMac.
• Tom and Jerry - When Perry eats the cheese wheel, his body shows the shape of the cheese wheel similar to antics used to show consumption of food in numerous Tom and Jerry cartoons.
• Godzilla -'
• Fame is Fleeting... - The last two lines are a play on the saying, "Fame is fleeting, but obscurity is forever," a quotation normally attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. At the beginning of the episode, Phineas and Ferb are playing with a giant monster and it uses Godzilla's trademark roar.
• The Breakfast Club - Isabella talking to someone on a hearing device is a reference to Richard Vernon talking about the question to Bender.