When the carnival comes to Townsville, everyone is as happy as humanly possible. All except for Lou Gubrious, a miserable man, who spends all his time crying, and wants to make everyone feel gloomy all the time.
Synopsis[]
A carnival has arrived in Townsville, and everyone is happy until the tearful Lou Gubrious uses his machine called the miseray to switch everyone's happiness and joy with sadness and depression. Later on, everyone is affected by the miser-ray.
At the happy competition, The Mayor announced that the happiest citizen in Townsville is Bubbles. Then the Miser-ray affects the entire audience, making them feel sad. Blossom asks "What's goin' on, Professor?" and Utonium immediately knows what is the exact cause of the effects of the miser-ray. The Talking Dog is puzzled at how he knows that. Buttercup provides the explanation "He's the Professor! He knows everything!". Blossom cries, "I don't like it!". Then Lou Gubrious (also known as Hal Larious) comes in and swipes Bubbles' trophy. Bubbles then falls in sadness.
The Professor surmises that they must make someone laugh, or all of Townsville will drown in a sea of tears. In the end, the tables are turned on Gubrious when he slips on a peel from Bubbles' banana as he is walking away from the "City of Frownsville", as he calls it, causing everyone to laugh at his misfortune and the happiness to be restored. In the end, Bubbles is awarded the Happiest Citizen In Townsville award for the 6th consecutive year.
It's revealed in this episode that Bubbles has won the title of happiest citizen of Townsville six years running, which is likely a reference to the series running for six seasons.
This also implies that the girls are six years old, which makes sense given that they're in kindergarten, and kindergarteners tend to be six.
This is one of three episodes to have a pun on "the city of Townsville", the other two being "The City of Clipsville" and "The City of Nutsville", this one and "The City of Nutsville" having something bad happening to the entire city (an unaired clip of Professor Utonium accidentally turning the whole Townsville population into babies, though not himself, was shown in "The City of Clipsville", though).
This is one of two episodes where food or any other inanimate object is additionally credited for saving the day (a banana straight) along with the Powerpuff Girls, the other being "Octi-Gone" (a contaminated banana cream pie).
A pigeon crying with Bubbles holding a banana peel is a reference to a song by Prince titled "When Doves Cry".
Professor Utonium says "Crying is easy, comedy is hard" which is a reference to Edmund Kean's quote "Dying is easy, comedy is hard".
Lou Gubrious mentions the episode title in one scene, where he decides to rename Townsville to Frownsville ("You know, Townsville is such a silly name. From now one, I think I'll call it The City Of Frownsville!").
This is one of several episodes where the Narrator says his catchphrase differently:
"And so once again, the happy day was happily saved, by the very happy Powerpuff Girls! And a banana."
Errors[]
When Lou Gubrious/Hal Larious slips on the banana peel, his eye gets sore but when he is at the carnival, it is cured.
The Professor raises his hand saying that they have five minutes left, but he only has four fingers.
Season 1:Monkey See, Doggie Do • Mommy Fearest • Insect Inside • Powerpuff Bluff • Octi Evil • Geshundfight • Buttercrush • Fuzzy Logic • Boogie Frights • Abracadaver • Telephonies • Tough Love • Major Competition • Mr. Mojo's Rising • Paste Makes Waste • Ice Sore • Bubblevicious • The Bare Facts • Cat Man Do • Impeach Fuzz • Just Another Manic Mojo • Mime for a Change • The Rowdyruff Boys • Uh Oh Dynamo Season 2:Stuck Up, Up and Away • Schoolhouse Rocked • Collect Her • Supper Villain • Birthday Bash • Too Pooped to Puff • Beat Your Greens • Down n' Dirty • Dream Scheme • You Snooze You Lose • Slave the Day • Los Dos Mojos • A Very Special Blossom • Daylight Savings • Mo Job • Pet Feud • Imaginary Fiend • Cootie Gras • The Powerpuff Girls Best Rainy Day Adventure Ever • Just Desserts • Twisted Sister • Cover Up • Speed Demon • Mojo Jonesin • Something's a Ms. • Slumbering with the Enemy Season 3:Fallen Arches • The Mane Event • Town and Out • Child Fearing • Criss Cross Crisis • Bubblevision • Bought and Scold • Gettin' Twiggy With It • Cop Out • Three Girls and a Monster • Monkey See, Doggy Two • Jewel of the Aisle • Super Zeroes • Candy Is Dandy • Catastrophe • Hot Air Buffoon • Ploys R' Us • The Headsucker's Moxy • Equal Fights • Powerprof. • Moral Decay • Meet the Beat Alls • Helter Shelter • Power Lunch Season 4:Film Flam • All Chalked Up • Get Back Jojo • Him Diddle Riddle • Super Friends • Members Only • Nano of the North • Stray Bullet • Forced Kin • Knock It Off Season 5:Keen on Keane • Not So Awesome Blossom • Power-Noia • Monstra-City • Shut the Pup Up • Toast of the Town • Divide and Conquer • Burglar Alarmed • Shotgun Wedding • Save Mojo • Substitute Creature • The Boys Are Back in Town • See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey • Pee Pee G's • Boy Toys • Seed No Evil • The City of Clipsville • Lying Around the House • Bubble Boy • A Documentary • Girls Gone Mild • Curses • Bang for Your Buck • Silent Treatment • Sweet 'n' Sour Season 6:Prime Mates • Coupe D'Etat • Makes Zen to Me • Say Uncle • Reeking Havoc • Live & Let Dynamo • Mo' Linguish • Oops, I Did It Again • A Made Up Story • Little Miss Interprets • Night Mayor • Custody Battle • The City of Nutsville • Aspirations • That's Not My Baby • Simian Says • Sun Scream • The City of Frownsville • West in Pieces • Crazy Mixed Up Puffs • Mizzen in Action • Roughing It Up • What's the Big Idea? • Nuthin' Special • Neighbor Hood • I See a Funny Cartoon in Your Future • Octi-Gone Reboot:
The City of Frownsville at the Internet Movie Database
