Promotion Commotion is the fifth and final episode of the Strawberry Shortcake YouTube Special series. It premiered on June 20th, 2018. This episode adapts "The Cane Critique" from Issue #4 of the 2016 IDW Comics.
Plot[]
The episode begins at Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Café, where Strawberry is serving Sweet and Sour Grapes a pie, as the twins laugh at something on their phone. Sour tells Strawberry to look at Raisin Cane's sassy review of the Chowhouse at Carob County. Strawberry looks, but is appalled at how mean the review is. Sweet doesn't see it, believing Raisin Cane knows what she's talking about, as she has a ton of followers.
Orange Blossom then enters the café, slightly nervous. Strawberry greets her best friend, and asks if the two could go over the menu for her family reunion. Orange sheepishly declines, admitting she was given a really great offer from a different caterer. Strawberry is surprised, and apologizes for assuming. A sassy voice from offscreen agrees, revealing Raisin Cane was right behind everyone the entire time. Sweet Grapes wonders how she got in here without anyone knowing, but Raisin quickly changes the subject, as she claims she did Orange a favor by telling her about the extra stuff she can get with the Purple Pieman. As Strawberry looks through the Pieman's website, Orange points out the huge perks Raisin offered as well. Strawberry admits it's impressive, but reminds everyone about Pieman's previous (and unseen) escapades with his cheating at the Berrykin Bake-Off. Raisin Cane dismisses Strawberry's concern, claiming no one can say what's really cheating these days, to which Strawberry says the bake-off judges could. An undeterred Raisin condescendingly reassures Strawberry that she'll be able to compete with Pieman eventually, if she ever manages a bigger operation. Strawberry rolls her eyes.
Orange points out she hasn't actually decided who would cater the reunion yet, but now finds the decision even harder. Orange suggests doing a taste-test, but Raisin has a different idea: put both the Café and Pieshop's menus online, and letting Raisin's followers vote. Before Strawberry can say anything, Sour Grapes accepts on her behalf, confident their followers wil pull through. Strawberry points out to her friend that people online wouldn't be able to actually judge the quality properly, but Sour isn't concerned, believing the internet could never lie. Strawberry doesn't feel reassured.
Later, the four friends are checking the votes for the menu contest. Strawberry is shocked at the comments, and reads out one that just declares "RZN is the KEWL-ST and her mnu RLZ 4 EVA!?". Strawberry is appalled, both the fact that the voters aren't even looking at the menu, and at their lack of vowels. A very displeased Sour grumbles at her phone, declaring the internet betrayed her. Sweet asks her sister if she knows the internet isn't a person. Orange counts the last vote, and apologizes to Strawberry, but points out that she did win in regards to "tastiest looking". Strawberry thanks her friend, but decides she can't argue with a fair vote.
Just then, Raisin Cane bursts through the café doors, with the Purple Pieman in tow. Strawberry goes to congratulate the Pieman, but he just zips past her to talk to Orange. He tells her he can't wait to get started, and asks who's on the guest list. Orange tells the Pieman it's only her two-hundred closest relatives, as she pulls out a long list that rolls down across the floor. The Pieman is shocked at the number and begins second-guessing, but Orange continues, telling Pieman her family will be excited for the personalized goodie-bags he included with the offer, along with the nine-foot creampuff centerpiece. Orange asks him how he's gonna manage all this, only for Pieman to snap and shout he can't do that, as he angrily glares at Raisin. Raisin explains to Pieman she had to include those offers to make the deal more appealing, Pieman is still angry, pointing out to his accomplice he just wanted to cater a small event, not make goodie-bags for two-hundred people. Raisin tells Pieman this is why he needs her, as he knows nothing about self-promotion. Pieman agrees, but notes he knows a few things about self-preservation...
Pieman dives to Strawberry's feet and begins groveling to her, begging the baker to help him with the catering, or else the reunion will be a complete disaster. Strawberry asks why, since he promised he could do all that stuff for Orange, so the Purple Pieman admits Raisin overpromised. He continues begging for Strawberry's help, declaring he couldn't bear to see the disappointed faces of Orange's family, and how neither of them want to let Orange down. Strawberry crosses her arms and sighs.
Later, at the reunion, Strawberry counts out the offerings on the table, having agreed to help Pieman. Strawberry is satisfied with the results, and tells Orange that they're ready. Orange thanks Strawberry, and admits the food looks amazing. Orange loudly calls her family over, leading to a massive stampeding cloud of dust as two-hundred people swarm the table, literally sweeping Raisin Cane off her feet in the process. As the dust settles, everyone except Orange is left disheveled and overwhelmed, as one last relative takes the last pie left on the now-empty table. Orange squeals in delight that her family loved the food, and goes to ask if anyone wants seconds. Everyone else collapses on the ground. An exhausted Pieman asks when's the next catering event, only for a peeved Raisin to toss a cupcake at her accomplice in response. Strawberry, Sweet, and Sour Grapes begin laughing at the sight, as the episode ends.
Cast[]
- Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld as Strawberry Shortcake
- Amanda J. Barker as Orange Blossom
- Laurie Hymes as Sour Grapes
- Kaylin Lee Clinton as Sweet Grapes, Raisin Cane
- Dylan Jones as Steve Piemanne/Purple Pieman
Non-Voiced Appearance[]
- Orange Blossom's 200 unnamed relatives
Comparisons to the Original Story[]
What Wasn't Changed[]
TBA
What Was Changed[]
- Because this episode was adapted after "Market Yourself", Raisin Cane's character introduction is completely excised as the characters already know her.
- For some reason, Sour Grapes doesn't mention Raisin Cane being her cousin, despite the rest of the sentence being lifted wholesale from the comic.
- Raspberry Torte was with Sweet and Sour Grapes reading Raisin Cane's review. Because she isn't in the webseries, she isn't included, with Sweet and Sour taking some of her lines.
- In the comic, Raisin Cane described the Chowhouse's gravy as being so gritty it's like eating sand. In the webisode, she describes the gravy as being so gritty it's like eating grit dipped in grit.
- Some of the online reviews and comments get a little text bubble pop-up in the webisode, while the comic just has Strawberry reading them aloud.
- In the comic, it was Berrykin Bloom who was holding the family reunion. In the webisode, it's Orange Blossom.
- Orange Blossom also specifies how many attendees for the family reunion there are: 200 relatives. Berrykin Bloom never gave a specific number.
Trivia[]
- This is the second and final episode in the series to use a different title from the original comic. The first being "A Leg to Dance", which adapted "Summer Dance Bummer"
- This is the only episode to feature The Purple Pieman.
- His design is based on Amy Mebberson's rendition of the character in the IDW comics.
- Despite not adapting those comics for the webseries, Strawberry still brings up Purple Pieman's cheating at the Berrykin Bake-Off as if it did occur in the past.
- This is also the only time Berrykins are alluded to existing in the series.
- Blueberry Muffin once again does not appear in the episode, despite having a role in the original comic, and despite her having a character model in the webseries.
Video[]
