"The Big Wazowskis" is the fourth episode in the first season of Monsters at Work. It aired on July 21, 2021 on Disney+ and aired on January 14, 2023 on Disney Channel.
Synopsis[]
Hoping to get in good with Mike, Tylor signs MIFT up to be Mike’s bowling team for the annual Monsters, Inc. Bowl-off-a-thon… only to discover that everyone at MIFT stinks at bowling.
Plot[]
Mike is preparing for the annual "Bowl-Off-A-Thon" so that he can win a dinner for two at Harryhausen's. However, he is told by Roze that he needs to "approve" of some paperwork (he no longer needs to "file") and therefore can’t participate; this is made even more infuriating when his look-alike rival Gary Gibbs, manages to sweet talk his way out of doing any paperwork for Roze. Tylor is surprised to learn that Monsters, Inc. has a bowling alley and overhears Mike conversing with Gary about the competition. Wanting to get close with Mike, Tylor offers that he form a bowling team for Mike in his stead. Later, Mike raises the stakes so that the loser has to do all their paperwork and be their butler for a month.
Tylor asks Fritz for assistance and he reveals that he, Val and Cutter have had some experience with bowling right down to having nicknames (Duncan does not play and just eats snachos). Tylor is happy to learn this and tells Mike and Sulley that he has formed the perfect bowling team. When Tylor brings them in to practice, Tylor is shocked to learn that they are all actually terrible. Fritz has trouble letting go of the ball, Cutter violently tosses it; causing damage, and Val weakly swings the ball between her legs. Fritz tells him that their nicknames are the result of how badly they play, not how good they are.
The Big Wazowskis, as they have called themselves, go up against the Sliding Slugs and end up winning by default due to the Slugs slow playing. The next day, they go up against the Pinheads, who are all knocked out when Fritz accidentally lets go of the ball too soon, thus allowing them to win by default again. Tylor learns of the stakes that Mike betted against Gary and becomes despondent. Duncan, who still believes that Tylor is after Fritz's job, offers him help by having him acquire the "third shift" players to replace his own on the condition that he sign a waver promising not to take Fritz's job, which Tylor obviously signs. He tells the rest of MIFT that the game has been cancelled.
The finals against The Garys comes and Tylor brings in the new team. However, MIFT arrives, implied to have been brought over by Duncan, and Tylor is forced to come clean about his actions and causing the third shifters to leave in protest. Mike panics as they could end up forfeiting the game, but Fritz accepts Tylor's apology and, with Tylor's guidance, MIFT manages to play better by turning their weaknesses into their strengths. The game ends up tying, much to everyone's shock, which means that Mike does not need to do Gary's paperwork or be his butler. However, Mike ends up having to share the dinner for two at Harryhausen's with Gary, much to his annoyance.
Mike's Comedy Class[]
Mike teaches the class about ignoring hecklers. Unfortunately, Gary is attending the class and makes short work of Mike by interrupting his teaching and mocking him.
Cast[]
- Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski
- John Goodman as James P. Sullivan
- Ben Feldman as Tylor Tuskmon
- Mindy Kaling as Val Little
- Henry Winkler as Fritz
- Lucas Neff as Duncan P. Anderson
- Alanna Ubach as Cutter
- Gabriel Iglesias as Gary Gibbs
- Bonnie Hunt as Ms. Flint
- Stephan Stanton as Needleman and Smitty
- Bob Peterson as Roze
- Carlos Alazraqui, Hiromi Dames, Michaela Dietz, Christopher Swindle as Additional monsters
Trivia[]
- The title, as well as the premise, are a reference to the movie The Big Lebowski.
- Sulley's voice actor John Goodman starred alongside Randall's voice actor Steve Buscemi in that film.
- Gary Gibbs' namesake is a reference to former director Rob Gibbs (who also was the father of Mary Gibbs, who voiced Boo from the original film) in memory of his work from Pixar. The episode is dedicated to him.
- Instead of the typical theme playing during the credits, an 80's sports rendition is performed.
- Roze is reading the Daily Glob, a reference to the real life Daily Globe. The headlines read:
- "Nessie's Secret Unloched" while featuring an image of Nessie from The Ballad of Nessie.
- "Prince Hairy Reveals All in New Book", referencing real life Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
- "Is Sasquatch Revealing Himself? Not Yet!"
- An ad for "Plaque Enhancement" for a "Smile too bright".
- An ad for "Scale Transplants".
- Mike reveals that he and Sulley are no longer banned from Harryhausen's due to their promotion at Monsters, Inc.
- Val's way of bowling is reminiscent of Tom Haverford's from Parks & Recreation.
- The slug student from Monsters University appears during the Bowl-Off-a-Thon, apparently having graduated and started working at Monsters, Inc. since the events of the film.
- While Fungus and Celia Mae appear, they are both unvoiced, though in Celia's case she is merely imagined.
- The giant eyeball living within the walls of Monsters, Inc. is revealed to be simply named Giant Eye.
