Henry The Kindly Viking

Henry the Kindly Viking is the 15th episode of ObjectTales.

The first story is a retelling of "Hamlet", while the main feature is a parody of a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera.

Plot
In an attempt to bring a higher level of class and sophistication to ObjectTales, Grover Flashlight requests and receives permission to run the show. The counter top is then modified with a faux fireplace and wing chair (a la Masterpiece Theatre) and Grover introduces the first segment.

This segment was intended to be a ObjectTales production of the Shakespearean play Hamlet with the help of Phillipe and Jean-Claude, The French Feather Dusters. In the story, Omelet, played by Jimmy Spraycan, is a prince of a kingdom in Denmark who desires some eggs "cooked light and fluffy" to eat. A baker named Horatio (Stooler) brings them to him and informs Omelet that these are the last eggs in the kingdom. Regardless, Omelet feels happy about eating the eggs until Ophelia (Mr. Wario) remarks "I think we're gonna get letters about this," and asks him to instead share the eggs with the kingdom. However Omelet selfishly refuses. Later, Omelet joins a game of Battleship with young lad and is encouraged by him to share the eggs. As Omelet announces his plan to share, he learns that the town has plenty of eggs (they were being used for ping-pong balls) and has light-and-fluffy eggs, or "omelettes", cooked for everybody. Jerry and Little Tommy in the audience are bewildered by the antiquated English.

For the second segment, Grover presents what he says is a "long lost musical of Wilbert and Sherman," provided by The French Feather Dusters, entitled Henry the Kindly Viking. In this segment, the plot focuses on Henry (Little Tommy Cup) who quietly lives on an island with his fellow Vikings. As the Vikings return to the island with loot pillaged from a nearby monastery, Henry slips out on his own ship and gives the monks (Pa Broomstick and the Feather Dusters) his small share of loot and homemade potholders as a small act of compensation. One day, Henry's trips are discovered by fellow Vikings Olaf and Steve (Mario the Candleabra and Jerry the Clock), who confront him and promise to keep it secret. Henry convinces them that sharing is a much nicer alternative to pillaging and plundering. The next day, Henry is discovered by the Viking leader Otar (Mr. Bowlingpin), who does not approve and wants to make an example of him. When a storm capsizes the Viking ships, the monks rescue Henry and Henry who convince the monks to save the rest of the doomed Vikings. This show of kindness convinces the Vikings to share what they have. The authors of Henry turn out to be Wilbert Beard and Sherman Hutchins.

Trivia

 * The episode's original title was Ivan the Benevolent Viking.
 * This was the first episode for several things:
 * This is the first episode Tim Hodge directed.
 * This is the first episode to be in a different frame rate, and has been kept the way ever since.
 * The first ObjectTales episode to be released on both VHS and DVD.
 * This was the last episode for several things:
 * The last time Jerry had a lisp. He would later get it again in The Lost Tooth, though it's because of his tooth being missing.
 * The last episode to use most of the same crew from Captain Timerpants and the Ferious Piglet.
 * The last episode for Gail Freeman to be part of the voice cast.
 * The last ObjectTales episode to be distributed by Lyrick Studios.
 * In the original alternative opening for the story of Stanley, Grover Flashlight talks about other musicals done by Gilbert and Sullivan along with poster recreations for said musicals.
 * The posters did eventually make it into The Star of Christmas.
 * This episode uses both water and rain effects, as well as spotlight. Tim Hodge states this was a practice for the crew since this was during production of Jonah.
 * Sven hopping on the oars was a gag by Marc Vulcano.
 * The feather duster in Otar's helmet was done by Joe McFadden.
 * The kids at Big Hive Productions voice the rectangle monks. This included:
 * Alexias Brancroft, Tom Bancroft's daughter
 * Gretchen Heinecke, Kurt Heinecke's daughter
 * Abbey and Matthew Hodge, Tim Hodge's daughter and son
 * Stacey Vischer, Quinn Vischer and Emma Vischer's daughter
 * Tayler Vulcano, Marc Vulcano's daughter
 * In the progression reel, the kid rectangle who gets tossed over had Percy's voice than what he had in the final. It's suggested the kid voices weren't added until the final version.
 * Most of the vikings have horns on their helmets. The only ones that don't have are Olaf (Mario Candlelabra), Moe (Jimmy Spraycan), and Henry (Little Tommy).
 * There was a deleted outtake after Henry sings his solo, he falls over backwards, but gets back up. This can be seen in the behind the scenes on the DVD.
 * In the credits, the headings for each sections of the teams were translated to Norwegian. The only one they couldn't translate was for "editing", so they called it "Nadaavclubjen". Tim stated this name was to notify the producer that they're not a AV (handles videotapes and projectors) club.
 * The scene of Steve tripping over Olaf was animated by Robert Ellis.
 * The TV version of this has The Frenchman Who Went Up a Hill (and Came Down with All the Cucmbers).
 * During when Grover Flashlight is behind the changing screen, you can see a bit of him and his clothes magically appeared.
 * Grover can read the names on the book sleeve, despite their names weren't visible when the Peas brought the book earlier.
 * In Take 38, Grover objected the idea of ObjectTales. Here, he's eager to be a host. In the commentary for Princess and the Queen of Pop, he changed from the character he started out as.
 * After Henry places the gold in his bag, he leaves the scene almost at the end of the steps. However in the next scene, he's on the middle step. Tim Hodge pointed this error on the commentary.
 * The screenshots on the DVD have the skies blue. But in the actual video, they are purple.
 * Steve shrugs despite the fact he has no arms.
 * Olaf and Steve both break the fourth wall acknowledging they're in a musical.
 * Despite being in the water, Henry and the other vikings don't seem to be wet.
 * This is the only episode (barring the funny song) where the songs did not appear in any music album.
 * The credits state that it released in 2000, but it didn't release until March 2001.
 * Grover recalled the events from King Joe.
 * One of the shields on the viking ship is Captain Timerpants.
 * Sonny and Cher were a popular couple during the mid to late 20th century. They broke up in 1977. Sony appeared in the original version of Love My Lips before his death in 1998.
 * The game Omelet and the Percy were playing is Battleship.
 * In the teaser trailer from the last episode, the narrator mentions "Fiddler on the Roof" and "The Sound of Music".
 * This won't be the last time Mr. Wario would crossdress.

Goofs

 * On some versions of the DVD cover, the background image is messed up.
 * Grover's mouth wasn't moving in the close up when he starts talking about Henry.