Strawberry's Surprise is the 35th episode of the first season of Strawberry Shortcake: Berry In The Big City. It premiered on May 7th, 2022.
Summary[]
Strawberry Shortcake plans Raspberry Tart’s Birthday Party after her friends don’t come through.
Plot[]
The episode begins with Raspberry Tart excitedly listing various things she wants for her "Rasp-birthday spectacular", including an ice cream sculpture of herself, puppies parachuting from the sky, and Kiki KeyLime being at the party. Strawberry Shortcake, who had been walking nearby, overhears and decides to eavesdrop on the Mean Berries, hiding in the topiary behind them. Raspberry asks Bread Pudding (who had been scrolling through his phone) and Sour Grapes (who had been scribbling on her notepad) if they got all her requests, and the two respond with a listless confirmation. She hugs the two and thanks them, telling them she was worried this year's celebration wouldn't meet her usual expectations, but she knows that with friends like them, it's going to be the best birthday ever. Raspberry Tart skips away, giggling.
Bread Pudding puts away his phone and asks Sour Grapes if she wrote down what Raspberry said, checking Sour's notepad. Bread then sees what Sour actually did (doodle a picture of her and Raspberry holding hands and smiling while wearing crowns and sashes, with Bread Pudding crying in the corner, alone) and reacts incredulously, but tells Sour that they'll discuss it later. Bread ponders what they will do for Raspberry's birthday, and Sour bluntly says they'll just give her a cupcake with a candle and a birthday card. Bread shrugs and goes along with it as the two walk away. Strawberry Shortcake watches them leave, feeling bad about what Bread and Sour just said.
Strawberry then overhears Raspberry Tart calling her parents. Raspberry tells her parents that she knows they were worried since they won't be able to attend her birthday, but her friends are taking care of everything, and the party is going to be flan-tastic. She then repeats her name to her parents, and asks them to call her once they receive her message, revealing that she was only talking to their voicemail. Raspberry dejectedly hangs up, as Strawberry continues to eavesdrop.
Cutaway: Strawberry Shortcake is shocked at the lackluster birthday Raspberry Tart is going to get, saying that birthdays are supposed to be special. Strawberry claims she wouldn't wish a bad birthday on even her worst enemy, which she admits is Raspberry.
Orange Blossom, along with the other Berry Besties, are surprised that Strawberry wants to throw Raspberry the best birthday ever. Lime Chiffon points out that Raspberry wouldn't do the same for her, and Blueberry Muffin adds that Raspberry wouldn't do that for anyberry. Strawberry begins speeching to her friends, acknowledging that she and Raspberry aren't exactly friends, but she still thinks everyberry deserves to have the best birthday. Strawberry questions who doesn't love a birthday, as they recieve cake, and the weird blowy things that make noise (noisemakers). Orange asks Strawberry if she won't stop speeching until they help, which Strawberry confirms in the same dramatic cadence as her speech. The Berry Besties all agree, and Lime enthusiastically declares it's time to throw a party.
Strawberry prepares a cake in her truck. Then, Orange and Lime run across the Berryworks with decorations as Strawberry, Custard, and Lemon Meringue carry a table. Meanwhile, Sour Grapes and Bread Pudding lazily sign a birthday card, high-fiving each other afterward.
Orange begins tying ribbons, but as she ties the next one, she realizes she accidentally tied up Pupcake as well, who appears to be having fun with it. Meanwhile, Bread Pudding brings out a comically tiny cupcake and sets it next to the card, and high-fives Sour Grapes again.
Lime Chiffon prepares a bowl of punch, pouring a cup for her friends to try out. All of them are grossed out at the taste. The Berry Besties check the punch bowl and see that Frappe somehow got in, and is relaxing on a small floatie while drinking the punch. Meanwhile, Sour Grapes sticks a candle in the cupcake, which flops to the side. Sour and Bread high-five again.
Blueberry paints on a canvas, before tossing away her brush and palette, and decides to use her face instead. Lemon does a double-take and looks over at Blueberry as she finishes her painting. The painting is revealed to be a very likelike looking cardboard standee of Kiki KeyLime, which Blueberry is proud of. Lemon can only stare in wordless awe.
The Berry Besties continue to decorate the Berryworks for Raspberry's birthday, while Bread and Sour nap from all the "effort" they put in. Orange carries Pupcake away (who's wearing tiny pilot goggles), Blueberry brings over a cake, Lemon and Lime move a tower of cookies with a forklift, and Custard carries a bunch of balloons. Custard begins floating away, and Strawberry hastily runs to catch Custard.
Raspberry Tart returns to the Berryworks, humming a birthday song to herself, and is greeted by Bread Pudding and Sour Grapes. Sour tells Raspberry she hopes she's excited, which Raspberry confirms. Raspberry admits she asked for a lot, and wasn't sure they would really do everything she asked for. Bread and Sour begin feeling guilty and pull out the cupcake and card, Bread asking Raspberry to clarify what she meant by "all the things". Raspberry gasps and says "everything she dreamed of". Bread and Sour prepare to admit to Raspberry that they disappointed her by missing one or two (or all) of the things, but Raspberry tells them that it's perfect, much to their confusion.
The birthday setup is revealed, including the ice cream sculpture, the Kiki KeyLime standee, and it's capped off with Pupcake parachuting from the sky, fulfilling everything on Raspberry's birthday wishlist. She tells her friends she can't believe they did all of this for her. Bread and Sour quickly toss away the cupcake and card, and try to stammer out a response. Strawberry Shortcake then pops up and agrees with Raspberry, telling her that the two kept telling everyberry at the Berryworks how important the birthday was to her, since they just want her to have the best birthday ever. Bread and Sour quickly go along with it, and go with Raspberry to enjoy the party together.
Orange points out to Strawberry that Bread and Sour had nothing to do with the preparations, and asks why she's letting them take all the credit. Strawberry tells her friends it's because it'll make Raspberry feel good, just like how it makes herself feel good that the Berry Besties were willing to help throw the party even if they didn't want to. Strawberry says it's a good feeling to know there are berries looking out for you no matter what. Meanwhile, Raspberry notices the strawberries on her birthday cake and looks over to Strawberry Shortcake, overhearing the last part of the conversation. Raspberry immediately pieces together Strawberry's involvement, but she accepts and appreciates what Strawberry did for her, growing a small smile on her face.
Cast[]
- Ana Sani as Strawberry Shortcake
- Tabitha St. Germain as Raspberry Tart, Pupcake (archive audio)
- Chirag Naik as Bread Pudding
- Meg Roe as Sour Grapes
- Bahia Watson as Orange Blossom
- Margarita Valderrama as Lime Chiffon
- Diana Kaarina as Blueberry Muffin
- Stock Audio Effects as Custard
Non-Voiced Appearance[]
- Lemon Meringue
- Frappe
- Kiki KeyLime (mentioned)
- Raspberry Ambrosia and Mulberry Tart (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Sour Grapes is revealed to enjoy drawing in this episode.
- Raspberry Tart's parents are mentioned for the first time, and her phone call to them implies they're often busy and spend little time with her as a result.
- As this episode is about Raspberry Tart's birthday, this makes her one of the few characters in the franchise to have an episode focused on their birthday. Previous characters who had a birthday in the franchise include Strawberry Shortcake in "The World of Strawberry Shortcake" of the 1980s specials, Apple Dumplin' in "Meet Strawberry Shortcake" of the 2003 series, Sour and Sweet Grapes in "A Berry Happy Birthday" of Berry Bitty Adventures, and Custard in "It's My Purr-ty" of Berry in the Big City.
- This also makes Berry in the Big City the first Strawberry Shortcake series to have more than one birthday episode.
- The birthday song Raspberry sings to herself has the same tune as the montage music that played over the Berry Besties preparing for her birthday party.
Continuity[]
- Raspberry's growing fondness for Strawberry is hinted at again, with Raspberry realizing Strawberry put together the party and genuinely appreciating it.
- Raspberry being a fan of Kiki KeyLime is brought up, as she wanted Kiki to be at her party.
- Blueberry Muffin paints using her face once again. She has previously done this in Berry In The Big City Part 2 and Everyberry Needs Someberry Sometimes.
Error[]
- Andrea Libman is credited for voicing Lemon Meringue, despite Lemon being completely silent in the episode.
Video[]
Gallery[]
Click here to see the gallery of the episode