[opening theme music plays]
[explosion]
[sirens blaring]
[horn honks]
[tires screech]
[siren blaring continues]
We can't pay prices like that for this junk from Harl's land.
We don't have that kind of money. We're kids!
Too bad for you, I guess.
Why do you wanna buy this stuff so bad anyhow?
[whispers] Don't tell him we think there might be a clue
somewhere in those boxes about who founded the City.
I hear you kids been looking for clues about
who founded the City.
[whispers] You gotta learn to whisper quieter.
I hate to burst your bubble, but I've been through
all this stuff and didn't find no clues to nothin'.
What if we trade this for it?
Oh! Sparkly!
I mean, well, you know, if that's all you got, then...
okay, it's yours.
Be careful, they're heavy.
[Maddy groaning]
[Billy huffing]
Maybe we'll come back with a cart.
[cheery music]
Mr. Mayor, you have a visitor.
What are you doing?
Oh, well every day I like to reflect on
how well this city is doing, and how far I've come
from being named "Most likely to be least likely
to be chosen for an important office."
I never knew you cared so much about popularity and success.
[chuckles] Oh, that was long ago.
Mayor Fleck, I'm Vera Persuasive.
Public relations consultant.
Now, the blue bars are previous mayors
and the red one is you.
According to everyone I've spoken with,
you are the least popular mayor this city's ever had.
And it's only getting worse.
-Hold this under here. -Uhm... okay.
[cheery music]
That's odd.
How did this happen?
Excuse us. Mom, can we borrow a forklift?
Uh, be with you in a minute, kids.
[Vera] Sir, all my research shows the problem is
you say, "No," too much.
No!
I mean, come again?
You said "No" to a community swimming pool.
They wanted to put the swimming pool in the middle of the street.
And removing the letter "J" from the alphabet.
And to "Wear your pajamas everyday-day."
Without "J", jumping jacks would be umping acks.
I would never wear pajamas every day.
No one would take me seriously.
People don't like hearing "No."
And therefore, they don't like you.
Well, what should I do?
Say "Yes." To everything!
Starting with the next person who comes through that door.
My mom always tells me
saying "Yes" without knowing what you're saying "Yes" to...
Is never a good idea.
There must be some compromise.
[whooshing]
This City needs a human cannonball academy. Ha!
[cheery music]
-Maybe. -Fantastic!
[whooshing]
Pretty good compromise, am I right?
[clapping]
[unimpressed tune]
I think my mustache's birthday should be a City wide holiday.
Maybe!
I think old perfume from now on should smell like stinky cheese.
-[spraying] -[gagging]
May... [gags]
...be.
Maybe.
[cheery music]
-Maybe. -[thuds]
Maybe.
Hello, powers that be.
I want to turn one of my buildings
into a plant that will pull pollution
out of the air.
That sounds too good to be true.
Maybe.
[cheering laugh]
[Fendrich] You'll regret this.
Wait... did I say you will?
I meant, "You won't." You won't regret this.
Boy, will and won't sure sound alike, don't they?
[awkward laugh]
[victorious tune]
Look!
[Carol] I think even after all these years,
you're still afraid of not being liked.
The other way to look at it, is that the Mayor
is simply responding to the wishes of the people.
[bright music]
I'm going to look at it that way.
[ominous music]
What do you think is the deal with the Vera lady, anyway?
Let's find out.
[sneaky music]
[Maddy] Don't rustle so loudly.
[Billy] I'm trying.
[sneaky music]
Answering your ad in Schemers Weekly
was the best thing I ever did.
I still don't see how you'll make money of your new factory.
My factory will charge a fortune for taking pollution
out of the air.
Then it will put that pollution in the water.
I knew he was up to something.
[Fendrich] Then, I'll build another factory.
And charge to take the pollution out of the water
and just put it back in the air!
[evil laugh] Smart, right?
Eh, if you say so.
Now, if you don't mind paying me,
I have a book club to destabilize.
[sneaky music]
I've been bamboozled.
I'm afraid it's worse than that.
I've been flim-flammed?
Because you said "Maybe" instead of "No,"
people feel there's nothing stopping them
from pursuing their bizarre projects.
At least now you know it's a scam.
Indeed I do.
And I'm putting a stop to this hood-winkery right now.
Halt all projects immediately.
No one is damaging our city
by preying on my supposed weakness.
[crowd protesting]
[chanting] Mayor don't care!
Mayor unfair!
Mayor don't care!
Mayor unfair!
Mayor don't care!
Mayor don't wear no underwear!
But I am fair.
I do care!
[cheeky music]
Oh, of course I wear underwear!
There has to be a way to make everyone happy.
Mr. Mayor, you can't possibly allow
all these cooky projects to go on.
Not with what you know now.
We'll make sure those cooky projects benefit the City.
Somehow...
All projects cease halting immediately.
Projects can resume, yes. That's what I meant.
[Fendrich] Mayor is fair.
Mayor does care!
Mayor always wears his underwear.
Happy citizens, happy city.
That's just good governing.
[crowd chanting praise]
[sneaky music]
[crowd murmuring]
Here he is, folks, the guest of honor
at the opening of my factory.
You know him, you conditionally love him,
Mayor Fleck!
[crowd cheering]
Hello. It's great to be here.
Thanks for the warm welcome.
Hey, as long as you keep letting us do
whatever we want, we'll give you warm welcomes
whenever you want.
Right, folks? [laughs]
[crowd laughing]
Isn't it great our Mayor can take a joke?
[laughs]
[crowd laughing]
Now, let's pull this switch and start this factory polluting.
I mean, de-polluting.
[cheering]
There you go, Mr. Mayor.
Now, give that switch a good pull, huh?
[suspenseful music]
[suspenseful music intensifying]
[crowd murmuring]
Now, who's joking, huh, folks?
[laughs]
Do you want everyone to hate you?
-[crowd laughing] -[suspenseful music]
Actually, before I pull any switches,
I think we should slow down and really examine all these projects.
We should make sure they're right for our city.
[crowd murmuring]
Wha... wha... wha... what?!
I know it may not be the most popular opinion,
but you elected me because you trusted me
to do what I feel is right for all of us.
[booing] Unpopular. Broken promise.
[booing] No underwear!
[crowd booing]
If you don't like me, that's fine.
That's better than our city being harmed
by possibly dangerous projects.
[ominous music]
Let's start polluting!
[factory chugging]
[suspenseful music]
[grunting]
[creaking]
Is that chimney made of cardboard?
[creaking]
[crowd murmuring]
[grunting]
It's coming down!
Run for it!
[screaming]
[grunting]
Mr. Fendrich!
[creaking]
Mayor Fleck!
[hollow thudding]
[crowd gasping]
Mayor Fleck?
[suspenseful music]
[heroic music]
[crowd cheering]
You made the right decisions, Mr. Mayor.
And they seem quite popular.
That's odd. It does appear that way.
Anyone seen Vera Persuasive lately?
Who? Never heard of her.
She tried a similar scam on Mrs. Blumsfeld's book club.
I understand it did not go well for her
and she's left the city.
And Fendrich, I trust you've learned your lesson
and will never do this kind of thing ever again.
-[crowd cheering] -[cheery music]
Maybe.
-[spraying] -[gags]
Stinky cheese perfume project might actually be a good idea.
[closing theme music plays]