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This episode is essential viewing because: We learn how Meowth learnt to talk.

Its morning in Pallet, and Ash, Brock and Pikachu are exercising. Ash says theyre getting a hard work-out. Inside, Misty says that the only thing that gets a hard work-out with them is the TV remote. Outside, Mimie is sweeping, when a guy on a bike rides over, and gives Mimie a card, saying its a special delivery. Mrs. Ketchum opens it. Its an invitation to the world premiere screening on Clevan Speilbunks new movie, Pokémon in Love! And its in Hollywood! Misty says that she could meet all the stars, and Brock says hed be with the starlets. Ash tells them to go have fun. He has to stay and train for the Pokémon League! They say thats too bad. Ash says that theyve convinced him, hell go!

Jessie and James are sitting in front of a billboard for Pokémon in Love. Jessie says she cant wait to go to that premiere. James says he didnt get an invitation, did she? Jessie said that they dont need them. Theyre stars, they just need to show up! James says that then they only have to get thrown out! Jessie says that this is their way to stardom! Soon theyll be getting limos, fanmail, and James says that maybe theyll get their own informercial. (Whatever that is) Meowth startles them, appearing between them. He says that Hollywood is a place he wishes he could forget!

Okay, this next part is voiced-over by Meowth. Cue flashback sequence! He says that his memories of Hollywood are bittersweet. We see Meowth, as a kitten, in a box filled with newspapers, and Meowth is crying. Poor Meowth! =( He says that he remembers being alone, no family, no friends! It starts raining, and we see kitten Meowth huddle near a building. He says that his stomach nad heart were empty. Then we see during the day, some kids playing baseball. Meowth says that even a basket full of baseballs looked good enough to eat! We see Meowth crawling towards the basket of baseballs, which he imagines looks like rice balls. He climbs up into the basket, but it tips over, and the baseballs fall out, and hes trapped underneath.

The people playing baseball tie up Meowth and hang him in a tree! The coach says that hes a bad Meowth, and deserves to be punished! Meowth says he cried and cried, and finally cried himself to sleep. (what mean people, leaving him in the tree like that!) We woke up when he heard people clapping. He saw a bunch of people sitting in front of a screen. A guy says they have a real treat for everyone! The first ever screening of That Darn Meowth! Meowth says that hell never forget what he saw on that screen. They showed a Meowth, and it was eating stuff like ice cream and fried chicken! Meowth manages to free himself from the rope. He knew what he had to do. Head west, to Hollywood, where there was ice cream and fried chicken, waiting just for him! He hitched a ride ona truck, and soon made it to Hollywood.

Which is also where Ash and his friends have arrived! There are lots of flashy lights, and Ash and Brock are wearing tuxes, and Misty is wearing a sequened (sp?) gown. Ashs mom is wearing a loose white dress, and is doing a Marilyn Monroe, trying to hold it down while standing over an air vent. But then, all the flashy stuff and outfits fade away, and everything looks like a dump! Misty says she doesnt believe it! (Were they hallucinating before? =) Brock says that they usually go downtown to the big fancy theaters for the premieres. He says thatthe map says that the theater was around here. Then they see it! Speilbunk is standing in front of it. He says that history will be made here!

Team Rocket watches from across the street. Meowth is wearing a little trenchcoat. He says this place is not how it used to be. Jessie asks why he never mentioned that hes been to Hollywood. Meowth says there are lots of things they dont know about him, and he wants to keep them private. James says things like what? Meowth walks off, saying he has some business to attend to, and will be back before the movie starts.

Another voice-over thing. He comes to an old, boarded up snack shop. He says that this place has had a hard time, but it always did, especially for him. Cue flashback. We see young Meowth running out of the snack bar, carrying some chicken. A guy chases after him, and Meowth drops it and runs. He runs into an alley. He says that no one cared about one poor hungry Meowth! In the alley, several red eyes appear. Its a bunch of Meowth! A Persian steps forward. One of the Meowth tosses a fish, well, part of one, to Meowth. Meowth looks at them in amazement, and the Persian nods. Meowth eats the fish happily.

The next day, all the Meowth steal from the snack place. Meowth says that that was the first time he tasted fried chicken. He ate, and ate, but was still starving for love. In the present, Meowth comes to an old, boarded up building. He says this is where he first met...her. In the past, a cute, female Meowth wearing bows and stuff is sitting on the windowsill, licking its paws. Across the street, Meowth sees her, and hearts appear in his eyes. He runs over, causes a bunch of trucks to crash into a huge pile-up. =) He runs over to the girl Meowth, and say something in Meowth-ese, but she ignores him. He tries, um, singing, but then a big lady wearing furs and jewels hits him over the head with an umbrella! She says to stay awayfrom her Meowsie! To Meowsie, she says she got her a new diamond studded Poké Ball! Meowth say how Meowsie looked at those jewels, and knew he didnt stand a chance!

Meowsie tells him that the lady is rich, and can get her whatever she wants! But Meowth is nothing but a dirt street Meowth, so he should just forget about her! She goes into her Poké Ball, and the lady gets into her limo, and it drives away. Did anyone else see what was on the license plate? 052-NYA (52 is Meowths number, and Nya is short for Nyasu, which is its name in Japanese) Meowth grabs the windowsill, and tries to stand on his hind legs. To get Meowsie, hed have to become like a human!

In the present, Meowth comes to another old building. He says that this place has chaged a lot, too. In the past, we see that it was a ballet school, and a bunch of people are practicing. Meowth looks through a hole in the ceiling, and starts practicing with them. So, eventually he learned to walk like a human. A weird human, but a human. Then we see him and the other Meowth stealing chicken, with Meowth running on his hind legs. But, he wasnt fast enough, and was caught.

The guy beat him up, and he dragged himself to the ballet school. The teacher tells everyone to repeat "She sells seashells by the seashore." Meowth tries, but cant say it. He says that learning to talk was hard! But he wouldnt give up! We see Meowth in the attic of a building, look at a book with pictures and letters in it, and trying to say them. In the background, the English version of Nyasu no Uta (Meowths Song) starts playing. (Japanese version is much better) He kept practicing to talk, and everytime he ran from the guy at the Snack place, he got a little faster.

After getting beat up, again, Meowth goes to the ballet school, and tries to repeat the She sells, etc. He kepps trying, and it sounds more human each time. And then he finally says it! He studies the picture book to learn the alphabet. One of the first words he learned was rocket, and that was why he joined Team Rocket. So, Meowth learns to speak the human language!

Meowsie is sitting on the windowsill, licking her paw. Meowth walks over, on his hind legs, carrying some flowers. He says, look! He can talk, and walk on two legs, just like a human! He even bought some flowers for her. She shakes her head. She says, look, hes still just a dirty street Meowth. He can stand on two legs, and talk, but that just makes him a freak! Meowth was crushed. He says hell show her! Hell become rich and powerful, and shell come crawling to him! And that was the last he ever saw of Meowsie, Hollywood, or the old gang. He joined Team Rocket to become rich and powerful, but his dream never came true. In the present, Meowth finds himself surrouned by his old gang! The Persian steps forward, and Meowth says hi. At the theater, Jessie and James are outside. James wonders what could be keeping Meowth? Jessie says that he said hed be back before the movie started. They look across the street, and see Meowth with the gang!

The Meowths a Persian come to a place filled with garbage and scrap metal. Meowth asks if they want him to join the gang again. The Persian nods. Meowth says that since he can walk and talk, he would be valuable to them. The Persian nods again. Meowth says hed hate to dissapoint them, but hes with Team Rocket, and hes made up his mind! Then, the other Meowths step back, to reveal...Meowsie! Meowth asks what shes doing here?

Later, he and Meowth are sitting around a table of two metal barrels stacked on top of each other. Meowth asks what happened? Cue flashback. The limo that belonged to Meowsies owner stops, and the lady gets out, and releases Meowsie from her Poké Ball, and says they need to talk. The lady says she hates to do this, but her money has almost run out! She says she wants to keep Meowsie, but shes sure she can fend for herself. The lady leaves. Meowsie is shocked, and then the other Meowth and the Persian come.

In the present, Meowth asks if Meowsie is going to join the gang. The lady left her, and she has no other choice. Meowth says hes going to get her out of there! The other Meowth and the Persian look upset, but Meowth stands his gaurd. Then, familiar music starts playing! Jessie and James are standing on some barrels, and sing the first few lines of the Team Rocket Theme Song. Meowth asks if theyve come to rescue him. Jessie says that they may be mean and nasty, but they wouldnt turn their backs on a friend! James says, just as long as they arent actually exposed to any danger. Jessie says they saw Meowth with the gang. James says that they followed, just in case. He says that theyre more than team mates, theyre friends!

Jessie and James send their Pokémon. Weezing covers the area in black smoke. Then, on the top of a building, Meowth and Persian face off in the sunset, while Jessie, James and Meowsie look on. Persian jumps at Meowth, but he dodges. They jump again, and claw at each other. They both land. Meowth looks like he is about to faint, but then Persian faints! Meowsie runs towards Meowth, and he says that hes okay! But then Meowsie runs right past him to the Persian, and likcs it on the face. James says that after all Meowth did for her, shes staying with the Persian! Meowth says that Meowsie says that the Persian took her in, and it would be wrong to leave it. She says something else, and Meowth screams. She still says hes a freak! James says but hes their freak! =)

Meanwhile, the movie had ended. Ash, Brock, Misty and Mrs. Ketchum are the only ones there! Speilbunk asks what they thought of it. He says it was a masterpiece! Ash says he didnt see any of them any where. Brocks asks where they were. Mrs. Ketchum says she thinks she might have seen a shot of Pikachu and Togepi from behind. Speilbunk said that he had to make a great sacrifice, and left them all on the cutting room floor, because the movie was Pokémon only. Misty asks why he invited them when they werent even in the movie. He says that he couldnt get any stars to come, so he invited all the little people!

Just then, Jessie and James appear on the stage. Jessie says that theyre stars. James says he should have invited them! They come out wearing tuxedos, and sya their motto. They kick Speilbunk off the stage. Ash asks what they want this time. Jessie says nothing. James says theyre just trying to keep musical theater alive. They dance off the stage. Ash says that was scary. Brock says it looks like their acting career is over. Misty says before it even started! Togepi makes happy sounds, and everyone sighs.

We see Meowth sitting on a roof, looking up at the moon sadly. He says that maybe Meowsie is looking at the moon, too. Poor Meowth, he never gets anything! =(

This episode guide has been written by flik.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Misty

Brock

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth