The "Thread Killers Organisation", or "TKO"

[PanthraDion]

What usually happens to me is that when I create a thread, no one answers and it just disappears.

 

[D'Snowth]

I like how every so often, there's renewed interest in T*K*O, yet nobody can seem to bring themselves to finish going through the series; it's a pity, because Season Three was the best, IMO, but nobody seems to make it that far.

 

[PanthraDion]

I came across this thread courtesy of the Muppet Central Wiki. I find that I really relate with this thread. I don't start many threads because, as I said, almost all of them seem to die. As to new T*K*O seasons, I don't know if I would be the best person to continue the series.

 

[D'Snowth]

I wasn't talking about new seasons, I said when most people try going through the old series, they seem to stop at around Season Three, and don't finish the rest.

I know some people have been asking/requesting that a new AfterSeries incarnation of the series be made; I talked with MrsPepper about it, and while she isn't up for continuing the series herself (neither am I, really), she doesn't have any objection to people starting their own AfterSeries/spin-off show if they want to.

We DO, however, occasionally talk about "reunion shows" and specials from time to time, she's usually keen on that idea... maybe in another three years or so, we could do like a 10th anniversary reunion special.

 

[Beauregard]

That should happen. #TKOreuniontour

 

[D'Snowth]

I think I may compile a list of tropes that apply to TKO... I already know of a good one that fits well for the series:

AscendedFanBoy: Applies to Prawnie.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

I just listed what I think are all episodes of T*K*O on the wiki...can you tell me if I missed any?
http://muppet-central.wikia.com/wiki/The_Thread_Killers_Organization

 

[D'Snowth]

We actually have a separate T*K*O Wiki: http://3976.wetpaint.com you can use that as reference for an episode list/guide.

I think I may compile a list of tropes that apply to TKO... I already know of a good one that fits well for the series:

AscendedFanBoy: Applies to Prawnie.

Resist myself, I could not. I done went ahead and made up a list of tropes I think applies to the series, feel free to add any any body.

· Absentee Actor: MrsPepper and Vic Romano are the only two from the series to appear in all 52 episodes.
** Beginning in Season Two, D’Snowth slowly wrote himself out of the show to the point where practically every other episode had him on vacation.
· Acting for Two: D’Snowth also portrayed a maniacal computer hacker in two separate episodes.
· Actor Allusion: Colin Mochrie appeared on the show dressed as Santa Claus the exact same year he voiced Santa Claus in an animated Christmas special for ABC Family.
** Similarly, Kathy Greenwood appeared as a flight attendant in the final episode a year after she had a cameo as a flight attendant in a Samuel L. Jackson movie.
· Affectionate Parody: To M*A*S*H.
· After Show: An unaired pilot featured members from TogetherAgain’s former organization, the Thread Hijackers Organization (T*H*O) trying to re-establish the business themselves.
** Father Marty’s Muppet Ministries
· An Aesop: Halfway through Season Three, each episode was going to conclude with one of these. Thankfully, the concept was completely dropped.
· And Now For Something Completely Different: See Darker and Edgier
· As Himself: Muppeteers Steve Whitmire, Bill Barretta, and Richard Hunt (via CGI) appear in “The Initial Problem”.
· Ascended Fan Boy: ThePrawnCracker was a fan of the series, and wrote a couple of episodes, before becoming a permanent cast member and staff writer halfway through Season Two.
· Ambiguously Jewish: TogetherAgain.
· Attractive Bent Gender: For some, strange, unknown, perverted reason, Vibs was a male in her first episode.
· ****** Crew
· ****** Preacher: Father Marty.
· Berserk Button:
** Don’t skive off your duties too much, or MrsPepper will not be please.
** And don’t even lay a finger on ThePrawnCracker’s Palisades Muppet figures.
** And whatever you do, don’t ever, ever, ever say something negative about Kathy Greenwood within earshot of D’Snowth.
· The Bet: In one early episode, both Vic Romano and That Announcer bet each other they won’t be able to skip work for a day. Of course, both show up in secrecy in order to call the other out on losing the bet.
· Big Blackout: Happens in “The Blizzard”
· Big “Shut Up!”: D’Snowth receives this in “The Great Computer Caper”, after he won’t stop whining about Vibs punching him.
· Breakout Character: In Season One, Vibs only appeared in a handful of episodes as a fun-loving joker; by the end of the series, she was part of the main cast.
· Break the Cutie: MrsPepper was constantly under pressure from higher authority, as Number One (the overseer of the entire organization) felt women had no place being in charge of a TKO unit.
· Breaking the Fourth Wall: Actually, they destroyed the fourth wall on this show.
· Camp Cook / Lethal Chef: Beauregard doubled as both the unit custodian, and cook.
· Canada, Eh?: MrsPepper and That Announcer.
· Canon Foreigner: A very large percentage of the regular and recurring cast were not included as part of the original concept, including replacements (ThePrawnCracker and TogetherAgain), as well as Vibs, Beauregard, AnythingMuppet, Number One, etc.
· The Casanova: Vic Romano (in his own mind)
· The Cast Showoff: Just about everyone gets to show off their very many and varied talents.
· Catch Phrase: “Quit skiving off your duties.”
** “Mazel tov!”
** “Your face!”
· Celebrity Star: Colin Mochrie appeared, posing as Santa Claus for the company Christmas party, only to accidentally reveal himself.
** Kathy Greenwood appeared in The Stinger of the final installment in the “D’Snowth Gets the Sack” arc.
*** She also made a guest appearance as a flight attendant in the grand finale.
** Charles Durning, Charles Grodin, Tim Curry, Jeffrey Tambor, John Hostetter, and Joan Cusack, all reprised their respective villainous roles from previous Muppet movies in “Ball of Revenge”.
· Chain of Deals: The episode “Private Lies”.
· Characterization Marches On: MrsPepper started off in the first season as a very strict, by-the-book commander, and would frequently lash out against anyone who was caught “skiving off their duties”. From Season Two on, she is more like a mother-figure to those working under her, but still occasionally would have to get firm with thread killers if they got a little out of hand.
· Chekhov’s Gun: Beauregard’s Custodian Surprise brought various villains from the Muppet movies to their knees.
· Christmas Special: “Dontcha Just Love Holidays”
· Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: The original test pilot included Ziffel as a janitor for the TKO clubhouse.
· Clip Show: “A T*K*O Biography”
· Cloud Cuckoolander: Vibs
· Communications Officer: D’Snowth was usually called up on to operate the communications equipment.
· Control Freak: MrsPepper, particularly in the earlier seasons.
· Courtroom Episode: Inverted in “Regarding Beau”, when Beauregard is put on “trial”, regarding the stolen personal properties of the other thread killers being found in his closet.
· Covered in Mud: While not mud, occasionally, people found themselves covered in Custodian’s Surprise.
· Darker and Edgier: “Father Knows Best”
· Day in the Life Of
· Day in the Limelight
· Defrosting Ice Queen: MrsPepper.
· Department of Redundancy Department: Vibs is probably the worst offender.
· Directed By Cast Member: MrsPepper directed all 52 episodes (Beauregard co-directed at least one).
· Documentary Episode: “A T*K*O Biography”
· Drink Order: That Announcer loved his iced tea.
** D’Snowth was fond of milk.
· Drunk on Milk: Lampshaded with D’Snowth, who easily got drunk on fruit punch (blame the red dye #4 and artificial flavoring).
· Dueling Shows: The Moppet Family
· Early Installment Weirdness: Watching Season One can be a disorienting experience if you’re more accustomed to the other seasons.
· Embarrassing Cover-Up: The chain of deals in “Private Lies”.
· Episode Title Card
· Escalating War: In “Virus”, the 3976th ½ comes under attack (and becomes a warzone) when a rivaling TKO unit wants to be awarded the coveted Unit of the Year plaque.
** In “The Initial Problem”, each of the thread killers go to war amongst themselves over which of their preferred Muppet Central Forum appreciation club threads is better than the others.
· Everyone Calls Him Barkeep: Very, very rarely, if ever, are the characters ever referred to by their actual names.
· Executive Veto: One episode would have dealt with D’Snowth being the victim of cyber bullying from the Whose Line Is It Anyway? fandom. The episode was never completed to avoid any further conflict between the two parties.
· Failure is the Only Option: More so earlier on, when MrsPepper couldn’t whip her thread killers into shape very well.
· A Father to His Men: MrsPepper, although she’s more like a mother to her children.
· Flanderization: D’Snowth’s goofing off, and Vibs’s foolish behavior.
· Flat What: Beauregard did this at the end of one episode.
· The Food Poisoning Incident: In all the years they ate the stuff, it’s a wonder any of the thread killers survived eating Beauregard’s Custodian Surprise. Beauregard even lampshaded that fact in one episode by saying, “After all these years, this stuff shouldn’t be that foreign to you all”.
· The Fool: Vibs
· Forgotten Theme Tune Lyrics
· Getting Crap Past the Radar: “I’d swear, but standards won’t let me”.
· Gilligan Cut
· Good Shepherd: Father Marty
· Grand Finale
· G-Rated Drug: Fruit punch to D’Snowth.
· Halloween Episode: “The Legend of Creepy Hollow”
· He Who Must Not Be Seen: Originally Number One, until he was revealed in the Season Three episode, “MrsPepper Gets Life”, afterwards, made a number of on-screen appearances.
** In the same episode, the real criminal was always conveniently concealed, possibly to leave the audience guessing as to what he really looked like (but in actuality, it was because he was played by Danny DeVito, and they couldn’t afford to show his face. See Shoot the Money).
· Heroic BSOD: ThePrawnCracker gets one in the finale upon hearing the news that Number One is shutting down the entire organization.
· Heterosexual Life Partners: Vic Romano and That Announcer, and later Vic Romano and ThePrawnCracker.
· Hilarious Outtakes
· Hipster: Vic Romano
· Hurricane of Puns: Particularly episodes written by Beauregard.
· Hyper competent Sidekick: D’Snowth.
· Incredibly Lame Pun: Vibs was a master at this.
· Initialism Title
· In Memoriam: The episode “Taking it on the Spam” was dedicated to Muppet Central Forum member bobhopesite, before it was learned he faked his death (and his age). This was later removed in syndication.
· Instrumental Theme Tune
· Invented Individual: Freda.
· *******: Nigel, the CEO of the 3976th, who despises the 3976th ½.
· Jerk With a Heart of Gold: Number One
· Lampshade Hanging
· Lampshaded the Obscure Reference
· The Lancer: That Announcer, and later ThePrawnCracker were basically this for Vic Romano.
· Limited Advancement Opportunities: Averted, as almost each of the characters received at least one promotion throughout the series’ run.
· May the Farce Be With You
· Mean Character, Nice Actor: Phillip Chapman as Number One.
· Medium Awareness
· Meganekko: MrsPepper, but only for one episode, for really no reason whatsoever.
· Muppet: A variety of different Muppet characters have appeared throughout the series.
· Mysterious Woman: Subverted with Vic Romano’s “girlfriend” named “Freda”.
· Nice Hat: MrsPepper’s drum majorette hat; D’Snowth’s green army cap; That Announcer’s Simpsons ball cap; Beauregard’s uniform lid.
· No Celebrities Were Harmed: Nigel of the 3976th was a lot like Frank Burns from M*A*S*H.
· Obstructed Bureaucrat: Occasionally, when the 3976th ½ had to obtain supplies, since they weren’t considered an official unit in the organization.
· Once a Season: For Season One, each episode featured a Muppet guest appearance. Although the tradition was dropped by the start of Season Two, it was still not uncommon for a Muppet character to turn up on occasion.
· Pointy-Haired Boss: MrsPepper
· Police Are Useless: Officers ReneeLouvier and Furryredmonster
· Poorly Disguised Pilot: The original next-to-last episode was going begin with TogetherAgain learning about her former THO employees trying to resurrect their old company, much to her chagrin… the rest of the story focused on the latter.
· Poor Man’s Porn: D’Snowth kept a not-so-secret stash of photos and clippings of Elizabeth Montgomery and Kathy Greenwood in his desk drawers, and on his computer’s hard-drive.
· Potty Dance
· Promotion to Opening Titles: Vibs (Season Two), Beauregard (Season Three)
· Put on a Bus: KermieBaby47, That Announcer, and D’Snowth.
· Rashomon Style: “Speaking Terms” has Vic Romano and D’Snowth narrating very different versions of the same events on The Johnny Fiama Show.
· Recurring Character: Number One.
· Retcon: Originally, the idea of the Thread Killers Organization was more of a get-together-like club, before it was quickly changed into an actual business.
· Running Gag:
** Beauregard’s Custodian Surprise
** Throughout the first half of Season Two, Vic Romano would barge into the other thread killers’ offices, usually when he was displeased over something.
** D’Snowth’s obsession with Kathy Greenwood.
** The Beat
Vibs: (Cracks a joke)
Others: (In stereo) Vibs!
· Sarcasm Failure
· Shoot the Money: One of the reasons why the Muppet appearances became few and far between after Season One.
** A criminal that was being hunted in “MrsPepper Gets Life” was played by Danny DeVito, who was only seen silhouetted, and later completely covered in a sheet.
· Shout Out: One episode of the series had a writing credit listed as “The Hat Rack”.
** In “MrsPepper Gets Life”, both ThePrawnCracker and D’Snowth yank AnythingMuppet out of the seat, and begin driving his truck at the same time, much like Heffer and Filburt did in an episode of Rocko’s Modern Life.
· Significant Reference Date: The narrative of “The Ex-Thread Hijacker”
· Spinoff: T*H*O and Father Marty’s Muppet Ministries, though neither were successful.
· Status Quo is God
· Sugar and Ice Personality: MrsPepper.
· Team Dad: MrsPepper (more like Team Mom)
· Technical Pacifist: Father Marty
· Temporary Blindness: D’Snowth.
· Took a Level in Dumbass: D’Snowth and Vibs.
· Tricksters: Vibs is the queen, but Vic Romano, That Announcer, ThePrawnCracker, and D’Snowth have each had their moments.
· True Companions
· Ultimate Job Security
· Unique Pilot Title Sequence: Not with the original test pilot, but the pilot episode of the series had an extended opening on the DVD release.
· Verbal Tic: At first, Vibs occasionally would end her sentences with “ish”, but by the final season, it was turned up to 11 when she completed every single sentence with it.
· Warts and All
· We Want Our Jerk Back
· WHAM Episode: “Father Knows Best”
· What Happened to the Mouse?: Ziffel the janitor in the original test pilot.
· What the ****, Hero??: In the episode “Cracked Pepper”, MrsPepper is so uncharacteristically in a bad mood to her entire staff, even going so far as to ripping Vibs’s favorite joke book to shreds, thus, driving her to tears.
· Whole Episode Flashback
· Wholesome Cross Dresser: D’Snowth as a result of a chain of deals.
· You Are Now in Command: D’Snowth in “A Change in Command”, Vic Romano sort of in “Out of Sane, Out of Mind”.
· You Look Familiar: Shortly before becoming a cast member, ThePrawnCracker was a guest star in an early episode, as part of an anti-thread killer coalition.
· The Woobie: Beauregard.
· Written By Cast Member: In fact, very rarely was an episode written by an outsider.