- “It's gonna kick ass!”
"Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl" is the premiere episode in Season 5, being the sixty-eighth episode overall.
Plot[]
When Gene's "Die Hard"-inspired musical doesn't get picked for the school's fall performance, he decides to stage an underground show with the help of Louise. But Wagstaff School families begin to feud when they learn that Gene has planned his show on the very same night as Courtney's school-sanctioned "Working Girl"-inspired musical. Afterwards, Gene & Courtney work together on a play to make "Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl".
Synopsis[]
At Wagstaff on Fall Musical night, the Belcehrs and the Wheelers are arguing in Mr. Frond's office. Frond notes there is a conflict in the fall musical that night and tries to figure it out. Gene starts going into detail.
A few days prior, it is announced that the school's fall musical will be chosen from student submissions, and Gene is ecstatic. He believes that this is the chance to unleash his passion project, Die Hard The Musical. At lunch, Courtney approaches the Belcher kids and while Louise first thinks she wants Gene back, in reality she figured out Gene would do the Die Hard musical (having read it while they were dating) and wants a part in it. Gene is not impressed with her hip hop dancing and says that he wants the play to be good, which Courtney agrees while stating she is annoying.
Back in Frond's office, Courtney protests that she is not annoying and that she recalled a different way.
At the lunch table, Courtney asks to be in the Die Hard musical while Gene, eating two tacos at once, yells at her and farts.
The parents agree that sounds like Gene, while Gene continues his story.
On the day where students are to submit their plays, Gene is outside the music room when he looks in and sees Courtney with her father Doug demonstrating a song form their own play, Working Girl The Musical. Gene accuses them of stealing his thunder with another 1980s classic film, and his own demo goes poorly. Doug interrupts and states that he knows Carly Simon, and if they produce the Wheeler's musical, she will attend, and Ms. LaBonz chooses Working Girl.
In Frond's office, Linda is upset, while Frond tries to take control, only for lousy to start giving her version of events.
In the school's basement, Louise leads Gene and Tina into a secret boiler room to cheer up a depressed Gene. She points out that the room is under the school auditorium, and that Gene can put on an guerrilla production of Die Hard The Musical on the same night as Working Girl. Gene and Tina call her the smartest for charging five dollars a person and start chanting "Louise is the best."
Everyone in Frond's office looks at Louise puzzled. Frond points out that Gene violated school rules by entering the secret boiler room, as well as doing an unauthorized musical the same night as the school's. Gene continues his story.
With the musical and venue chosen, Gene and Louise start looking for the cast. They choose several rejects from the Working Girl cast list, consisting of Rudy, Peter Pescadero, Zeke, Darryl, and Andy and Ollie. Ms. Merkin also volunteers, as she has played the piano for the social for 24 years but Doug pushed her out. They need someone to play the role of Holly, but Tina has gotten a part in the Working Girl musical in the Sigourney Weaver role.
Back in Frond's office, Tina admits she betrayed Gene, but she has a good explanation.
In the auditorium, Jimmy Jr. is auditioning for the Harrison Ford role, with closeups of his dancing butt.
In the office, the others are a bit unnerved and they point out that in the original film, their characters didn't end up together despite Tina's insistence. Gene continues to explain the events of the previous day.
Courtney taunts Gene about having her own play before practice in the boiler room. Gene and Louise are not thrilled at how the cast are doing, with Zeke wrestling and Rudy moving around. gene starts getting frustrated at them, and Louise points out the play is the next night, suggesting he give a pep talk. Gene's pep talk goes south with him saying he should demote all of them to stagehands and perform all the roles himself.
In Frond's office, he blames Bob and Linda and asks why they didn't step in. They note they don't keep track, but Linda did find something odd in her pocket that night.
Outside the school earlier, Louise slips a flyer for Die Hard into Linda's pocket while she's distracted, which they read. Bob figures they should each be at one of their children's plays and calls Working Girl. Linda says hi to Tina backstage, where Doug is being an obnoxious director. Louise convinces Bob to see the Die Hard musical instead, while Linda watches Working Girl, and blabs to another audience member about Gene's play. Both plays go on at the same time, with Gene filling in all the roles, even during the fight scenes. Louise convinces more people in the auditorium to see Gene's show, and Linda follows. After more numbers, ODug sees that most of the Working Girl audience has left, with Jimmy Pesto denying sneaking off to the Die hard musical while Ms. LaBonz complains that Carly Simon is not there. Doug and Courtney arrive In the boiler room, this is where Doug tells Gene to stop singing. This angers Linda Belcher, and Doug throws one of Courtney's costume shoulder pads at Gene Belcher.
In Frond's office, Doug denies intentionally throwing the pad at Gene, and states that Linda attacked him while Bob pushed him. Bob says he pushed him to keep him out of Linda's reach. Louise notes the money she made selling tickets. Gene wants to do the finale of his play while Courtney says that they should finish her play. Bob admits watching Gene do Die Hard changing wigs was bad, while Linda says that Working Girl was too slick for a kid to do, with Doug admitting no one kid could, and says Carly Simon was carjacked before saying the Wheeler's play should be finished. Frond says that musical theater is too dangerous and says there will be no musical that night or ever or maybe Too Late.
Everyone is disappointed but as they are ready to leave, Gene gets an idea and tells Frond to let them finish Working Girl for ruining the night. Courtney however says that she did steal his thunder and was and about not being in his play. Gene suggests that they see in each other's plays, but with limited pep time. Louise convinces Frond by pointing out it counts as award-winning conflict resolution. Doug tries to make the play but Courtney says they need to do it themselves. Later in the night, the students present their "musical-rom-com-slash-action-thriller", Work Hard Or Die Trying Girl. Mixing the plots of Working Girl and Die hard together. The play is a hit with the audience, while Bob Belcher mistakes a random woman in the audience for Carly Simon.
Cast[]
Starring |
Also Starring
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Videos[]
External links[]
- "Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl" on IMDb
- "Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl" press release via The Futon Critic
- "Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl" script via Springfield! Springfield!
- "Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl" review at The A.V. Club