An Analysis of Specific Sitcom Pests – Part 1

An Analysis of Specific Sitcom Pests – Part 1

One of the most common situations for an episode of a long-running sitcom is some kind of pest problem. For decades, it has been a frequent storyline in these live-action comedies, along with holiday specials and the main character feuding with their neighborhood nemesis. It is a smart move, writing-wise, to feature a plot about a pest invasion since almost every home has experienced this in real life. We are often inclined to laugh at these situations and jokes because we understand what it’s like on a personal level. But amidst all of the punchlines and exaggerated television plot lines, how accurate are the pests in these sitcom episodes? This is what we will explore as we analyze episodes from three popular sitcoms and compare these pests to the real deal. Make sure to return next week for part 2 to this mini-series, where we will focus on mice-centered stories!

A Reproducing Rat

Sitcom: Friends – “The One With Phoebe’s Rats”

Episode Synopsis: If you have seen even one episode of Friends and see the personalities of the six main characters in action, it should come as no surprise that Phoebe is completely opposed to eliminating the rat invading her apartment. Her boyfriend Mike is startled to find a rat in the kitchen cupboard, but Phoebe assures him it’s just Bob, a frequent visitor and a lover of snacks. Phoebe eventually allows Mike to set traps after Mike warns her about the very real dangers of rat-transmitted diseases, but they are shocked to find that Bob is actually a female who just gave birth to a litter! After Bob meets her fate in a trap and Phoebe keeps the babies in a shoebox to eventually give away, Mike warns her that they will continue mating with each other and produce a countless amount of offspring. Phoebe’s little rat family may be riddled with disease and terrify her friends who unknowingly opened the shoebox, but it is safe to say that Mike’s not-so-fun facts about rats probably saved Phoebe even more heartache in the long run.

Fact or Fiction?: One of the most accurate parts of this episode is that Phoebe’s New York City apartment has a frequent rat visitor. It is estimated that there are about as many rats as there are humans in New York! But setting aside that disturbing fact, the concept of Bob the rat suddenly having multiple babies is also true to life. Common rat species, like the Norway rat, produce about 6 litters a year with 5 to 10 babies in each. Female rats can become pregnant as soon as the previous litter is weaned and strong enough to leave her, which takes several weeks. Rats are also omnivores and opportunistic eaters, so they will eat anything they can find in our kitchens, including the trash. Phoebe’s rats probably enjoyed the crackers she left out for them because she made the scavenging easy! 

Rats have also become more aware of the age-old traps and pest treatments, so companies have had to evolve their practices to defeat the rats on a more consistent basis. But traps are still in use for a reason, so it is not illogical to believe that Bob the rat could have met an early death in a rogue trap. As for the babies, Mike was correct in stating that they would mate with one another and produce a never-ending line of rats. Besides that, there is the disgusting fact that rats also leave a trail of urine wherever they go to mark their path. It is better for Phoebe to experience the temporary heartache of releasing her rat babies than to keep them in her apartment and live in a space contaminated with hantavirus and other diseases.

Tumultuous Termites

Sitcom: Everybody Loves Raymond – “The Invasion”

Episode Synopsis: Contradictory to the other episodes in this blog, the pests in this episode are not the primary focus of the story. But the termites in the Barone household are the jumping-off point for the actual humorous plot to take place. Ray’s mother Marie finds out from Debra that there are termites in the house, and that it will have to be tented for a few days. This naturally leads to a horrified Marie insisting that Debra needs to keep up with her housework to prevent termites, then telling their children to get up from their spots on the floor and away from the dreaded pests. When the couple hesitatingly tells Marie that the family will go to a hotel while the house is being fumigated, she predictably insists that they should all stay with Frank and her at their house conveniently located across the street. The chaos that ensues once each party almost immediately grows annoyed with the other is just another example of why the family dynamic in this show is the essential for some very memorable episodes. 

Fact or Fiction?: We don’t get much information on the termites beyond the first scene, but the fact that the Barone house needs to be tented is not an outlandish plot point. Fumigation tents are not an everyday pest solution, but they are still used in extreme cases. Basically, the company will completely encase the house in a thick tent that is impervious to leaks or holes. The next two to three days involve toxic gas being pumped throughout the house and gradually killing every termite or persistent pest in there. Sulfuryl fluoride is one of the primary ingredients in this gas because it shuts down the nervous system of insects. The company will then test the air to ensure the chemicals are below a certain level, then remove the tent and allow the gas to easily dissipate before the family returns home. 

Due to the expensive and time-consuming nature of this treatment, it is only used in certain cases of a dry wood termite infestation. The primary reasons for use are if the termites have spread all throughout the house, if they are in the wood floors, or if they are in unreachable areas within the framework. It is not clear why Ray and Debra had to have the house tented, but since there are a lot of visible wooden features, it was likely because the termites spread their massive colony throughout their home. Contrary to Marie’s remarks, Debra’s “inferior” housework was not the cause for a termite invasion. These pests only devour wood and can get in through various entry points, so no amount of chores would be enough to stop a termite invasion once the swarmers find a way inside. But this fact would do little to comfort the family when they are crammed into Ray’s childhood bedroom rather than a decent hotel room for the duration of the treatment. 

It’s a Monster! It’s A Mouse! It’s a…Snake?

Sitcom: Home Improvement – “Wild Kingdom”

Episode Synopsis: This early episode of Home Improvement did feature a pest invasion, but not the one that the Taylors originally thought was the cause of their problems. When investigating the source of the rustling noise he heard in the basement, Tim decides that a mouse is living in between the boxes. Jill is none-too-pleased to hear this news, as she tells Tim that they are dirty creatures who carry diseases and have sharp toenails. But she does not want a dead mouse on her conscience, so she asks Tim to get traps from Wilson rather than call an exterminator. Wilson reveals that it sounds more like a snake problem than a mouse problem, which causes Tim to promptly call in the pros due to his fear of slithery creatures. When the inefficient exterminator can’t find the snake and simply says it will slither outside, Tim literally takes matters into his own hands and rips the snake-inhabited wall sconce out to shove it in a pillowcase. But the real kicker is that the snake had instinctively retreated into the hole and did not leave until it could safely crawl into Tim’s shirt! 

Fact or Fiction?: Since we do not service for snakes and therefore cannot speak to the experience of removing one, let’s take a look at the so-called signs of a mouse invasion. Tim admits that he did not actually see the mouse, and just assumed that a rustling sound meant a tiny rodent was near. The advice that Wilson gives is actually pretty accurate to the real pests: a rustling sound is typical of a snake, and a scratching sound is more reminiscent of a mouse. In fact, any kind of scratching, squeaking, and scurrying sound is an immediate indication that a rodent problem is afoot. It is relatively common to experience a mice invasion in the basement or attic since those areas are used less frequently, so it was understandable of Tim to assume that a strange sound behind some boxes was caused by a mouse.

However, there are more obvious signs of a mice infestation that even clumsy Tim would have noticed if the actual pest wasn’t a snake. For one, mice defecate everywhere they travel, especially near their nest. These tiny dark pellets dry over time, so any that are still slightly damp are fresh and from a current invasion. Also, mice build their own nests to keep their ever-growing family warm, and they are not the cleanest crafters. They shred papery materials and soft fabrics with their teeth, so finding random shreds is another clear sign of an invasion. Finally, mice don’t smell great at all. They usually have a musty odor from living in hidden or underground spaces, and it only gets worse as they multiply. Plus, their urine and feces have an even stronger smell that would have been obvious in Tim’s basement. Mice are a scary pest with all of the diseases they carry and destruction they cause, but Tim’s reactions to the snake tell us that he would much rather have had a furry little intruder than a slithery one.

Pointe Seriously Solves Pest Problems

The hilarity of these sitcom pests stems from the outlandish approaches the characters take to removing them, as well as how the pests behave while they wreak havoc in everyone’s lives. In real life, we strongly advise against waiting before receiving treatment for these pest issues. Rodents and termites are two of the most destructive common pests in the U.S., which is why implementing pest control services as soon as possible could save you a lot of frustration and money in the long run. At Pointe, we do not stall or wait for a pest invasion to get even worse before treating. We provide both preventative and responsive pest control so that our EPA-approved treatments solve the pest problems sooner. Contact us for a free quote and to learn how our team will ensure that the pest hijinks remain on-screen and not in your home.

***Disclaimer:  Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act recognizes “fair use” copywriter content as such:  “Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phono-records or by any other means specified by that section, for proposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.” This blog post may contain certain copyrighted works and characters that were not specifically authorized to be used by the copyrighted holder(s), however, the content on this post qualifies as “commentary” on the copyrighted works under the “fair use” doctrine of the U.S. Copyright Act and is thereby protected by federal law. Furthermore, we do not claim any ownership or creative rights of any characters on this list, and all rights outside of the fair use doctrine belong to the respective owner(s).

Citations

5 signs it’s time to tent for dry wood termites. (2022, January 7). Pest Control Everything. Retrieved December 23, 2022, from https://pestcontroleverything.com/blogs/everything-pest-control-resource-guide/drywood-termites-5-signs-its-time-to-tent 

Buckner, B., Jones, S., Crane, D., Kauffman, M., and Klein, D. (Writers) & Weiss, B. (Director). (2003, January 16). The one with Phoebe’s rats (season 9, episode 12) [TV series episode]. In S. Billing, K. Bright, B. Buckner, T. Cohen, D. Crane, S. Goldberg-Meehan, S. Jones, M. Kauffman, E. Kreamer, A. Reich, S. Silveri, & T. Stevens (Executive Producers), Friends. Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions & Warner Bros. Television.

Dale, T. (2021, December 21). Why do my neighbors have a tented house?. Bob Vila. Available at https://www.bobvila.com/articles/tented-house/ (Accessed on December 23, 2022).

How quickly can rats multiply in your facility?. (2018, October 29). Rentokil. Retrieved December 23, 2022, from https://www.rentokil.com/us/blog/quickly-can-rats-multiply-facility/ 

Jansen, S.E., Finestra, C., McFadzean, D., and Williams, M. (Writers) & Pasquin, J. (Director). (1991, October 15). Wild kingdom (season 1, episode 5) [TV series episode]. In C. Finestra, D. McFadzean, & M. Williams (Executive Producers), Home Improvement. Wind Dancer Productions & Touchstone Television.

Lupo, L.J. (2022, July 11). 6 signs of a rat or mouse infestation in your home. The Spruce. Available at https://www.thespruce.com/signs-that-you-still-have-mice-or-rats-4151787 (Accessed on December 23, 2022).

Rat facts & information. (n.d.). AAA Wildlife Control. Retrieved December 23, 2022, from https://www.vancouverwildlife.com/rats/rat-facts/ 

Rosenthal, P., Sandler, E., and Romano, R. (Writers) & Mackenzie, W. (Director). (1998, September 21). The invasion (season 3, episode 1) [TV series episode]. In P. Rosenthal, C. Chupack, D. Letterman, R. Rosegarten, E. Sandler, S. Smiley, & K.A. Stumpe (Executive Producers), Everybody loves Raymond. Where’s Lunch, Worldwide Pants, & HBO Independent Productions.