Disney’s “Phineas & Ferb” kicks off its third season with a Platypus Day celebration

Jim Hill

14 years ago

In response to Tuesday's article, I got a somewhat irate e-mail from Annie M. Who must be a Disney Channel fan, given that her note said:

How can you talk about National Pancake Day when there's a
far more important Disney-related holiday coming up this Saturday, Platypus
Day?

Annie M. is right. To help celebrate the start of "Phineas
& Ferb" 's third season, Disney XD & the Disney Channel have declared
March 5^th to be Platypus Day. Which is this day-long programming
event that honors Danville's favorite pet and secret agent Perry the Platypus (aka
Agent P).

And what better way to celebrate Platypus Day than with a
day-long marathon of "Phineas & Ferb" episodes which feature the undercover
antics of Agent P? This programming event kicks off on Saturday at 8 a.m. ET
/PT when Disney XD airs "Phineas & Ferb" 's third season premiere episode, "The
Great Indoors / Canderemy" and continues right up until 5 p.m. Which is when
this "Phineas & Ferb" marathon moves on over the Disney Channel and
continues airing episodes of this Emmy Award-winning series right up until 8
p.m. ET / PT.

And if you haven't watched "Phineas & Ferb" in a while …
Well, you've been missing out on some smart and sophisticated fun that's equally entertaining for adults & kids. Take – for example – the "Wizard of Odd" episode
(which will air on Disney XD at 9 a.m. ET/PT and again at 5 p.m. ET/PT on the Disney
Channel) …

… Which is this witty send-up of that 1939 movie musical.

And speaking of musicals … Did you get a chance to see "Rollercoaster:
The Musical!" (which will be presented on the Disney Channel this Saturday starting
at 7 p.m. ET/PT) when it premiered back in January?

If not … Well, then you missed out on something special. This episode basically took the plotline of "Phineas &
Ferb" 's pilot and then reimagined that show as an all-singing, all-dancing musical
extravaganza. What made "Rollercoaster: The Musical" fun for adults is that it
included brief nods to classic movie musicals like "Singin' in the Rain" …

… as well as legendary stage musicals like "Oklahoma!" …

… and long-running Broadway hits like "Cats."

Mind you, the reason that longtime "Phineas & Ferb" fans
like "Rollercoaster: The Musical!" is because this episode's final production number,
"Carpe Diem," not only featured a cameo appearance by Disney's "High School Musical" director / choreographer Kenny Ortega …

… it also managed to work in an albeit-brief appearance by
every single character that had ever appeared on this Emmy Award-winning
series to date.

"Now wait a minute," you query. "If 'Phineas & Ferb' is
such a terrific show, then why are the Disney Channel & Disney XD
celebrating Platypus Day on Saturday rather than Phineas & Ferb Day?"

Well, that's because one of the great running gags of this animated
series is that Phineas & Ferb's pet platypus, Perry leads a double life.
And that – whenever Perry can slip away from the boys – this semi-aquatic
mammal then becomes Agent P. Who's this secret agent for the O.W.C.A. (aka the
Organization Without a Cool Acronym). Which is this super-secret government organization
whose corps of agents is made up entirely of animals.

And Phineas & Ferb have no idea that Perry is Agent P.
But all of that will change this summer with the premiere of "Phineas and Ferb:
Across the 2nd Dimension." Which is an upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie that
will debut this summer.

And over the course of this animated TV movie, Phineas &
Ferb will not only discover Perry's secret lair (which is hidden under the
Flynn-Fletcher house) …

… they'll even take Agent P's flying car out for a spin.

Mind you, "Across the 2^nd Dimension" isn't the
only Phineas & Ferb film project that the Mouse House currently has in the
works. Back in January, Gary Marsh – President of Entertainment of Disney
Channel Worldwide – revealed that Walt Disney Pictures currently has a Phineas
& Ferb theatrical feature film in development. One that will supposedly combine
live-action and animation as well as the input of the show's creators, Jeff "Swampy"
Marsh & Dan Povenmire.

But that project … It's not due to hit theaters 'til late
2012 / early 2013. In the meantime, to help expand the reach of the Phineas
& Ferb franchise, the Disney Channel launched "Take Two with Phineas and
Ferb" back in December. Which is this spoof of a TV talk show that's hosted by
these animated characters which features appearances by real-life celebrities
like Jack Black, Taylor Swift and Seth Rogen.

And speaking of Phineas & Ferb's forays into the real
world … While walk-around versions of these Disney Channel / Disney XD
characters have been appearing in the Disney theme parks since November of 2009
…

… Starting in May, Phineas & Ferb will have their very
own dedicated play-and-meet area at Disney's Hollywood Studios near the Stage 1 Company
Store.

And speaking of stores … I could tell you the story that Jim
Fielding, President of the Disney Stores Worldwide, shared at the opening of
the Times Square store back in November about how the adult-sized Dr. Doofenshmirtz
"Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" vintage Tee …

… was one of the quickest-to-sell-out items in Disney Store
history. But if you don't know Dr. Doofenshmirtz (more importantly, how Agent
P is constantly battling with Dr. D to prevent him from taking over the
Tri-State area with Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated's inventions) … Well, you
won't understand why so many adult fans of "Phineas & Ferb" were thrilled
to be able to get their hands on a Doofenshmirtz Tee.

Look, if you're not yet familiar with this Emmy
Award-winning animated series, Platypus Day (aka this Saturday's "Phineas &
Ferb" programming event on the Disney Channel / Disney XD) is an excellent
place to start.

And if you're already a fan of "Phineas & Ferb," what's your
favorite episode to date of this silly yet very sophisticated TV show?

Your thoughts?