Inspector Gadget Wiki
Inspector Gadget Wiki
Gadgetpedia
1,358
pages
in: Pages with image sizes containing extra px, Episodes, Inspector Gadget Episodes,
and 4 more

Gadget's Clean Sweep

Sign in to edit
Gadget's Clean Sweep
Season 2, Episode 18
Char and Chimney 2
Air date October 2, 1985 (production)
January 11, 1986 (TV)
Written by Eleanor Burian-Mohr
Glen Egbert
Episode guide
Previous
"Gadget's Roma" 		Next
"Gadget Meets the Clan"

Gadget's Clean Sweep" is the 18th episode of the second season of Inspector Gadget.

Synopsis[]

Dr. Claw sends his latest M.A.D. agent, the frumpy Thelma Bodkin, back in time to 19th century England to steal the Crown Jewels of England. While there, she is also to knock off Inspector Gadget's ancestors ― a lovable pair of chimney sweeps named Chimney and Char Gadget ― the logic being that if they're eliminated, Gadget will never have been born.

Metro City Police get the word of the imminent theft of the jewels and Quimby orders his top man back to the past (through a time machine provided by Professor von Slickstein) to prevent it. Once again, they only have four hours to complete their mission. Gadget, Penny, and Brain soon arrive safely along a waterfront in 19th century London, England, just as Big Ben strikes 3:00 PM, but the easily-distracted inspector immediately forgets his assignment after bumping into his great grandparents and instead visits with them. A running gag has Gadget trying to find an electrical outlet to use one of his appliances, unaware that there was no electricity in 19th century London. Bodkin, having already arrived, enlists the aid of a pair of two-bit hoods to finish off Gadget and his relatives while she heads off to steal the jewels. Brain beats her to the Tower of London and disguises himself as one of the tower's guards, the Yeoman Warders, or Yeoman of the Guard, also known as Beefeaters. The moment he sees Thelma pass him and spots the M.A.D. logo on her phony scepter, he warns Penny, whom he let in earlier after reliving the previous guard on duty, who was grateful to get out of the cold, with Penny having already spotted two Yeoman Warders taking the Crown Jewels back to their vault until the reigning monarch requests them for her birthday celebration. However, the Yeoman Warders encounter Thelma in her disguise as the queen, and after acknowledging her with kneeling and declaring "Long Live The Queen!", promise to have the Crown Jewels ready for "her" birthday celebration. Thelma lets them pass, satisfied with how easy it will be to get the Crown Jewels now, but then, spots Penny and after a short pursuit, catches her and places her in the dungeon. Penny manages to break free, then she runs out and buys a cheap imitation of the jeweled crown to leave in the real one's place, ensuring the real one goes to the rightful sovereign of the British Empire while Thelma returns to Doctor Claw with a fake.

Meanwhile, on the rooftops of London, Char, Chimney, and Gadget are attacked by Bodkin's thugs. Eventually, Gadget's clumsiness (with Brain's help) thwart their efforts, and none too soon either ― Gadget, Penny, and Brain have to rush back to the time machine before it automatically returns to the present at 7:00 PM, with or without them. They board the machine with nanoseconds to spare. Bodkin arrives back safely, too, with crown jewels that Claw instantly recognizes as fakes.

Back at home, Penny warns Gadget that it's dangerous to have too many electrical devices plugged into a single power strip, as he was charging them due to the lack of electrical outlets in 19th century London.

Starring[]

Also with[]

Uncredited[]

Quotes[]

  • (Gadget and his ancestors are being roughed up by Thelma Bodkin's goons)
    Char: Oh! What's happening, luv?
    Chimney: Yow! Move your bloody foot!
  • (Brain, disguised as Beefeater, arrives to relieve the one on sentry duty at entrance to the Tower of London. They perform the standard Changing of the Guard with their staffs before Brain takes over)
    Relieved Beefeater: Thanks, mate! It was getting a bit chilly out here. (He runs off, and Brain takes over, performing the standard double stomp of his feet as a Beefeater would to warn passersby to keep their distance from him now that he was on duty, but the person approaching is Penny)
    Penny: Is the coast clear, Brain?
    (Brain gives her the all-clear, and Penny infiltrates the Tower, making her way inside, and hiding when she hears two Beefeaters emerge from another room)
    Beefeater carrying the Crown Jewels: I guess Her Majesty will be wanting these for her birthday celebration.
    Second Beefeater: Aye, will be a gala affair.
    (Back outside, Brain does his Beefeater acknowledgement again as Thelma passes dressed in royal garb to enter the Tower. When Brain glances after her and notices her scepter with the M.A.D. logo on the back of the gloved hand on top, he does a double take in horror and quickly warns Penny she's about to have company)
    Penny: I read you, Brain. Lucky we beat M.A.D. here. I think I have a plan.
  • (Thelma approaches the two Beefeaters carrying the Crown Jewels in her royal disguise, and they immediately kneel in respect before her)
    Beefeater with the Crown Jewels: Long Live The Queen!
    Second Beefeater: Long Live The Queen!
    Beefeater with the Crown Jewels: (not noticing Thelma's very excited expression) We'll have these ready for your birthday party, Your Majesty.
    Thelma: (faking a royal accent) Carry on!
    (The Beefeater holding the Crown Jewels bows his head in acknowledgement, and Thelma lets them pass to take the Crown Jewels to wherever they were going for the time being)
    Thelma: (normal accent) A piece of cake! I'll just have to wait until they put the jewels back. (then she sees Penny) Gadget's niece! (Penny sees she's been spotted and flees as Thelma hustles after her) Come here, little girl!
    (She soon has Penny cornered at a column)
    Penny: NO!
    (Thelma finally catches her behind the column)
    Thelma: First, to get rid of the brat!
    (She takes Penny to the Tower's dungeon and locks her in a metal stockade)
    Thelma: That should hold you!

Trivia[]

  • This is the only episode to explicitly depict alcoholic beverages, when Gadget drinks some beer with his great grandparents at an English pub.
  • Chimney Gadget later appeared in the game, Inspector Gadget: Mad Time Party when he along with Cave Gadget and three other of Gadget's ancestors were accidentally transported to Gadget's time from their own times after Professor Von Slickstein's time machine breakdown.
    • Unlike in the episode, Chimney has his own gadgets in the game.
  • Chimney utters mild profanity at one point in this episode.
  • This is the last time in the 1983 series, and the only episode of the Thelma Bodkin trilogy, in which Penny is captured.

Gadgets used[]

Locations[]

Chief Quimby's hiding place[]

  • behind dartboard in Gadget's game room

Self-destructing message[]

  • "M.A.D. Agents going to nineteenth century London. Attempting to steal crown jewels. Stop them. Caution: this message will self-destruct."

Chief Quimby's reaction to being blown up[]

  • "Oh, maybe I should run away from home..."

Brain's disguises[]

  • Beefeater
  • Chimney Sweep

M.A.D. Agents[]

Penny's gadgets[]

Pop culture references[]

  • The henchmen Thelma enlists, the Cockney Thief and Percy, visually resemble Jasper and Horace, Cruella de Vil's henchmen in Disney's 1961 animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
  • The various scenes with the Chimney sweeps on the London rooftops are inspired by the 1964 Disney film 'Mary Poppins.

Gallery[]

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.