The Amazing World of Gumball - "The Virus"
This story was originally written in Portuguese.
I'll warn you: if you came to this page expecting to see lost episodes involving "scary scenes" and "hyper-realistic shots of the corpse of a boy," a lost episode that even the creator of the program knows about ... this is not the page. But, before writing the following, it would be interesting to let you know a little bit of the backstory about the episode in question. So, I think you already know the show called "The Incredible World of Gumball" (The Amazing World of Gumball in the original), a very recent show from Cartoon Network.
At Cartoon Network, you do not expect a show with very adult themes, like South Park, Family Guy and The Simpsons. Well, this is a children's series - The Amazing World Of Gumball. It turns out that before the program, the creator of the program (Ben Bocquelet) wrote scripts very close to the shows mentioned above.
Before launching the pilot, Bocquelet and the team he assembled to produce the first episodes had already written several storyboards. These are such "lost episodes". Nothing more than copies of "Amazing World of Gumball" which, for unknown reasons, never made it to TV, giving way to a more familiar version of the series. But what do I have to do with it? A friend of mine (which we'll call Paul) was part of the editing team. In fact, his name was not Paul, because the team wasn't accustomed to the Portuguese version of the name, so he chose it as a "stage name".
Since we were very close friends, he entrusted me with copies of the storyboards that he and the team produced. He told me it was just what they had done on the episodes. I have the storyboards but I assured him that I won't post any photos of them on the internet (if you want to believe that this is one of the worst excuses going, the right is yours). But I am not sure about how best to transcribe their story...
The Episode
The episode begins with The Wattersons (the programs's main family) driving in their car through a forest at night. There was no sign of civilization around (except, of course, the road they were driving on). There were no other cars on the road. Here we find out why they were there. Richard, a giant pink rabbit, had followed a horoscope that he thought was the road map (for the use of humor in the episodes). Before you ask, yes, Richard is as stupid as Homer Simpson (maybe even more stupid).
The Wattersons, officially lost, do not know what to do until Nicole (the mother) suggests looking for a city where they can spend the night, which they all agree is the best thing to do. All except Darwin (the fish), who suggested changing dads (another moment of humor, but then viewers of the show might already see the difference here: in the show, Darwin is a good guy, he would never say something of this type).
Continuing the "journey", the Wattersons soon see a sign of civilization in the distance - a small town with these "inner city" style American homes only and no structure that exceeded two floors. Walking around town a little, which was tiny by the way, (imagine a city the size of South Park) they found an inn for the night since that seemed to be the only place available.
On entering the inn, they are faced with the attendant - an elderly lady. But what really caught my attention: it was a human! In all episodes of "The Amazing World of Gumball," we are faced with talking bananas, talking cats, talking fruit, even a talking peanut with legs, to give you an idea.
But the closest thing to a human being was a character who was a chin turned upside down and shot in live action. Nicole, after getting a room for the whole family, tells the story that the family has and asks if the attendant can help. The old lady said it would be hard to get help as it is unusual for them to receive visitors around these parts.
Gumball, the main character, then asks why she opened an inn if tourists never come around these parts. Before she could answer, Richard interrupts, saying he had seen someone in the window at the inn, which is right beside the door. The old lady says that it was nobody, and shows them the room with only a single bed, despite there being five people. Richard himself already occupied half the bed. The clerk said that was the only room they could rent, because it was the only room of the sort. Without any alternatives, they decide to stay there.
At this point, Anais (the little bunny) sneezes. The attendant approaches her, talking like a monkey (as you do when you go talk to little children), asking if "someone was ill." Gumball says that there is a flu (a disease whose name I can not remember now) going around.
Apparently, this disease wasn't anything bad, but when the attendant listened to what was wrong with Anais, she seems pretty scared.
Forcing a smile and pretending it was okay, she asks if they want something to eat after spending hours on the road. They all go to the restaurant except for Anais, who was very tired and didn't want to go. Upon leaving the room, the attendant steps on a tissue and asks what it is. Darwin says that it's Anais' pyjamas, causing some strangeness in the old lady, as she said, "even a condom has more tissue than that '.
With Anais sleeping (and possibly sneezing) in the room, the rest of the family goes down to the lobby. In fact, the "restaurant" was in the same place as the counter and the front door. And it was very small. The whole inn was so tiny that even Barbie would suffer from claustrophobia living there. Soon, the old lady comes with the dish of the day, which she named "Surprise Soup."
It didn't look that good. There was a reluctance to eat all the soup, until Richard finally took a spoonful and approves the soup. Soon, everyone ends up tasting it and liking it. Eventually, all fall sleep. Meanwhile, in the room, Anais is still sleeping when she is awoken by a strange noise. As she stood right there in the middle of the room, poorly lit by the light from outside the window, she sees a figure that was somewhat hard to describe. It was like a normal person, covered with a black cloak and weird white eyes.
Obviously too frightened to even think about crying, she just screamed when she felt the hand of something touch her leg. Her scream echoed throughout the inn, where, in the lobby, the Wattersons are awoken. Soon they run into the room. The shadow, while hearing the Wattersons coming upstairs, jumped out the window, probably the place where it came from. Upon entering the room, Anais tells them what had happened.
Nicole, I think, must have had a nightmare caused by her illness. Anais tells them to look out the window, but all you see is an empty street. No sign of a man wearing a black cloak. Anyway, everyone thinks she needs a doctor urgently. They look for the attendant, but she was not found in any part of the inn. They decide to leave and find themselves at the hospital. At that time, the episode seems to have lost the comedic nuance, focusing more on the serious side of the story. They look across the town, which is easy, since it is small.
Gumball and Darwin found the "hospital", the largest structure in town. They decide to enter, but they encounter a strange scene. Despite all the lights being on, there is no one in the main lobby. No doctor or receptionist. Suddenly, a doctor appears in the lobby. Gumball quickly asks what happened with the hospital and the doctor says he usually stays at the inn once in a while, since the city almost has no residents.
Even if it was not a response that took away all his doubts. He takes Anais there anyways. After all, even though it's a strange hospital, it's the only hospital (or the only facility called a hospital) in the city. The doctor observes Anais (the whole family is already there), and says she will need to be hospitalized for one day. "To avoid any of the numerous complications that this disease can bring," he says. He also assures the family that she will be okay because they have all the equipment they need to treat the disease.
They wanted to spend the night there next to Anais. But the doctor says that unfortunately the hospital does not have room enough to support "so many people." Basically, the room where Anais would stay, there is only room for the patient and doctor. Even if everyone agrees to, in this case, spend the night in the lobby, the doctor says that other people could come to the hospital, and it would be unethical to keep them there. With much discomfort, the Wattersons return to the inn.
There was not much else to do, because Anais would have to be treated in some way. And since it was the only hospital in probably the only town for miles around, was the most that could be done.
Back at the inn, the attendant is still missing. Now that Anais is already in the hospital, they have more time to look more carefully where she went. Lobby, nothing. Room, nothing. Attic, nothing.
Suddenly, Nicole found her in the bathroom. She had been murdered. It was not one of those scenes from "graphically brutal murders" typical lost episodes, but it was not a scene to be displayed on a program watched by children. There was no "guts dripping on the floor, one eye was torn out and threw on the wall." But there was a lot of blood.
It was enough to scare the Wattersons. Terrified, they return to the hospital to pick up Anais. This city was a danger to them. At the hospital, the same scene as before: lights, air-conditioning on, empty room. Without even bothering to call the doctor, they ran into the hallway that was described as "triage." Finally they reach the one-room hospital. The room was in disrepair. I mean, it did not have the blunt walls, cockroaches walking the floor, like the room of a public hospital in Brazil.
There was almost no equipment. There was only one metal pedestal which holds the saline or blood. But for one thing, the doctor was right: there was only room for one patient and a doctor in the room (only the patient, if that was Richard).
Extremely nervous, the Wattersons begin to search frantically through the whole hospital. Richard hears a strange noise coming from behind a door (there was nothing written on it). Upon entering, the four descend a staircase to the basement where it seems to be the hospital. There they come across the scene.
The doctor lay stabbed to death on the floor in a very similar death to the old lady. There was also another man (I forgot to mention, the doctor was also human. There were only humans in that town). His clothing gave them the clue that he was the one who tried to kidnap Anais.
Anais was attached to bonds in a litter and (wearing an apron that these patients use). Her mouth was gagged with a handkerchief, and around it were about 3 people (the script did not specify), all dressed in overalls used for HIV (I forgot the name of that as well. You know, that white jumpsuit with a gas mask that's used when bacteriologists study samples of micro-organisms). One (probably the leader) pointed a pistol at the head of poor Anais. They were ready to kill her, but were interrupted when the Wattersons entered. Nicole, horrified by the scene, asks what the hell they were doing.
The leader says that they are going to kill Anais because she had a disease, to which no one in the city was immune to. In fact it is basic biology: over time, people will adapt to disease, and these characteristics are passed to the next generation. The civilized world was composed of persons who received this recognition feature of this particular disease and, although presenting symptoms, it would act much more lenient. The civilized world, the world which avoids contact with the town. So that disease was very lethal to its inhabitants. And Anais carrying the virus around that city, all people were at risk (all humans).
The best way would be to kill anyone who kept in touch with Anais with no protection. This was the case with the old woman, the doctor (who actually knew of the plan to kidnap the Anais, but accepted to "die for his city") and the kidnapper. The executioners were wearing the special suit, so they were clean. Of course, not only would Anais die, but the rest of the Wattersons as well. Nicole tells them they are being too irrational.
The leader shows an album containing photos of all the inhabitants of the city. Children are among them. The disease Anais has could kill them all. According to the leader, a person's life is not worth the lives of so many. In fact, it makes sense: is it worth saving a person and risking the lives of so many others? The death of Anais is guaranteed the security of an entire city.
The Wattersons still wanted to save her (not necessarily a selfish decision. Would you let your 4 year old daughter die to save people who you did not know?)
But luck was on their side (and against the three would-be inquisitors). One discovers a hole in his suit. Its safety has been violated. He was now possibly infected.
Amid this confusion, Nicole takes advantage and pins one of the doctors, Richard falls on top of another, Gumball and Darwin release Anais, and the other doctor just ran out of the basement. The Wattersons do the same. They go to their car, which still had fuel, and left their things inside the inn. They hit the gas. Eventually they come to a city (for real this time). They are glad for the nightmare to have ended and to have Anais back with them.
A happy family together again. Anais, however, does not cease to feel bad about taking the life of an entire city.
However, Gumball reminds her that all the people she was in contact with were killed. Except the doctor. Darwin guarantees that the doctor would kill himself, knowing he was infected. He would do the same thing as the doctor who attended them in the hospital. He would kill himself in the name of his city. Anais embraces her family, and so the episode ends. The credits roll. But there was a scene that would appear at the end of the credits. In this scene, we see the city.
A lot of litters are seen in the streets, all carrying patients in pain. The camera moves around the scene, and besides the litters, we see bodies being burned and people grieving for the death of their families...
The whole city was contaminated.
Conclusion
Anais was guilty? The Wattersons were selfish? I don't think so. In my opinion, the real guilt is shared between the inhabitants of the city. That they could simply be isolated from the world. They may have forgotten the world, but the world didn't forget them. But this is only my opinion. I believe that, like every script, it's possible to make various interpretations of the episode. This is only the first episode made by Ben Bocquelet. I have other scripts here, and in time I shall post them on the site.
Credited to Anthony B.
Originally uploaded on December 13, 2011
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