Purple Protégé is the fourth episode of the second season of Berry In The Big City. It premieres on July 9th, 2022.
Summary[]
The Purple Pie Man is looking for his next protégé, but under the friendly gesture is a rotten intention…
Plot[]
The episode begins with Strawberry Shortcake walking to the Berryworks, when a flyer suddenly smacks into her face. Strawberry removes it from her face and begins reading it: "Want to rise above the rest? Do you have what it takes to be a Peculiar Purple Protégé?", revealing it to be an advertisement for a contest to work for The Peculiar Purple Pieman. Strawberry gasps in shock.
Cutaway: Strawberry Shortcake excitedly explains that she's been wanting to find a way to show The Purple Pieman how flantastic she is, and now that he's looking for a right-hand berry, it's the perfect opportunity to prove herself.
Strawberry races toward the Berryworks Purple Pieshop, but stops when she sees all of her Berry Besties standing outside the door as well, all holding the same poster she has. She asks them if all of them want to be the Purple Pieman's protégé, which Raspberry Tart confirms. She tells Strawberry an opportunity like this could jumpstart her baking career, Lime Chiffon adds that the experience could be educational, while Sour Grapes just wants to watch everyberry fight. Strawberry is surprised at Sour's reason, telling her that they're not going to fight with each other over a job. The Peculiar Purple Pieman suddenly bursts through his door, telling the Berry Besties to prepare to fight with each other over a job.
He tells the Berry Besties that one of them will earn the rare privilege to shadow him, with all expenses unpaid. The Berry Besties stare at him. The Pieman adds that his previous statement was supposed to be applauseworthy, and the Berry Besties (except Strawberry and Sour) suddenly begin cheering, Bread Pudding even fainting from the excitement. The Purple Pieman encourages the group to show him their berry best, as winning is everything and losing is for losers, which Strawberry visibly takes issue with. With all said and done, The Purple Pieman declares the competition has begun.
The first challenge has the Berry Besties attempt to walk across a balance beam, while carrying The Purple Pieman's memoir on their head, and a stack of pies in their hands. Purple Pieman tells the Berry Besties they have to balance their duties and keep him on their mind at all times. Everyberry struggles across the beam, Sour Grapes watches everyberry stumble, and Lemon Meringue trips onto Raspberry, Orange Blossom, and Bread. Lime Chiffon then calmly walks across the beam (and over the group) without issue, even reading Pieman's memoir as she does this. Purple Pieman tells Lime that a smart berry is always a frontrunner, while her friends (except Strawberry) growl with jealousy.
The second challenge has everyberry jump hurdles while carrying giant flour sacks. Pieman tells the Berry Besties to shoulder the load so he doesn't have to. Everyberry struggles with the challenge (except Sour, who just watches), while Orange effortlessly clears the entire course. Pieman tells Orange that he loves a determined berry who isn't afraid to show she's better than the rest. Raspberry and Huckleberry Pie growl with jealousy, which makes Strawberry even more concerned.
The third challenge has the group jump through fruit-shaped hoops in a circle around the J. Quincy Cupcake statue, as Pieman tells them to (metaphorically) jump through any hoops he tells them to. Everyberry struggles, except for Sour, while Blueberry Muffin literally glides through the course. The Purple Pieman tells Blueberry he likes a berry who flows while her friends stumble. Blueberry takes a bow, while everyberry else growls with jealousy, Orange even ripping the hoop she was at in half. The Purple Pieman laughs to himself, as his "divide and conquer" strategy is working at driving the Berry Besties apart. Strawberry catches on to Pieman's scheme, realizing what he's trying to do.
For the final challenge, Pieman has "lost" his keys inside of a giant purple pie, and the Berry Besties have to find the key in order to win. He starts the challenge, telling the group to tear it apart as they dive into the pie. Everyberry begins fighting with each other as they wade through the pie (except for Huck who's just eating it, and Sour who's watching everyberry fight). Strawberry looks at her friends fighting, and yells for them to stop. She tells the Berry Besties the Berryworks is a place of friendship, community, and inclusion, and is ashamed at everyberry fighting. She continues her speech, telling the group that if being successful means being mean and competitive, and covered in pie filling, then she doesn't want success, she wants to be happy with her friends.
The Purple Pieman does a slow clap, telling Strawberry her statement was sweet and naive, misnaming her once again by calling her Snotberry Blortcake. He tells her that friends don't win awards or put pieshops on every corner of the city, and it's a berry-squash-berry world, so she can either be sweet or be the best. Strawberry rejects Pieman's way of thinking, she tells him she can be the best without fighting with those she cares about, gesturing to her Berry Besties, who all agree with Strawberry. Pieman gags at the sentiment, and tells the Berry Besties they can all be losers together. He declares the winner of the competition to be Sour Grapes, and Raspberry points out that she didn't even compete. The Purple Pieman agrees, but notes that she did enjoy watching everyberry fight, and that she's his niece. Sour gives a flat "yay" and the two leave.
Strawberry climbs out of the pie and decides they don't need The Purple Pieman. She tells her friends to come with her for some "Congrats on not being the Purple Protégé" cookies for everyberry, as the Berry Besties all follow after her. Huckleberry then runs back to the pie and grabs a handful of purple pie filling. He begins eating it before he bites on something hard, pulling out Purple Pieman's keys from his mouth. He stares at it as the episode ends.
Cast[]
- Ana Sani as Strawberry Shortcake
- Bahia Watson as Orange Blossom
- Margarita Valderrama as Lime Chiffon
- Diana Kaarina as Blueberry Muffin (uncredited)
- Vincent Tong as Huckleberry Pie (archive audio)
- Tabitha St. Germain as Raspberry Tart
- Chirag Naik as Bread Pudding (archive audio)
- Meg Roe as Sour Grapes
- Ian Hanlin as The Peculiar Purple Pieman
Non-Voiced Appearance[]
Trivia[]
- It is revealed that this version of Sour Grapes is the Purple Pieman's niece. As of this episode, Sour works for Pieman as his protégé, and is no longer part of the Berry Besties.
Continuity[]
- The reveal of Sour Grapes being related to The Peculiar Purple Pieman's was briefly foreshadowed in Bake Off, when she submitted a Purple Pie for her "Bite of the CIty" audition.
- The Purple Pieman's memoir, "My Peculiar Purple Life", reappears in this episode with Lime Chiffon reading it. The book was previously seen in A Berry Perfect Kind of Day.
- Strawberry brings up that she's been trying to think of ways to impress the Purple Pieman, which she first did in A Berry Perfect Kind of Day, though as of this episode she no longer wants to work for Pieman.
References to Past Series[]
- Sour Grapes is once again an accomplice of the Purple Pieman, like her 1980s and 2003 incarnations were. She's also related to Pieman like her 2003 incarnation, though is his niece rather than his sister.
Errors[]
- During Strawberry's speech to her Berry Besties, the purple pie filling on her head and shoulders disappears in one shot.
Video[]
Gallery[]
Click here to see the gallery of the episode