Ep 4. Brendon Gets Rabies

Brendon Small, a precocious eight-year-old filmmaker, is experiencing a bout of anxiety-induced insomnia. He finds himself slipping in and out of his own nightmares, complete with scary images of rabid dogs. Desperate for relief from his constant fear, he takes to carrying around a camera, hoping to film whatever it is that he is so afraid of.

Meanwhile, Brendon's friends, Melissa and Jason, have been pranking each other and Brendon relentlessly. When Melissa comes down with the sniffles, Jason decides to up the ante, pretending to have come down with rabies after being bitten by his pet ferret, Mr. Pants. This is all part of a larger prank on Brendon - to make him believe that he has contracted the disease as well.

Brendon, who is already dealing with his own intense fears of the disease, is beside himself with worry that he might have actually contracted the disease. He becomes convinced that he has all of the symptoms of rabies and rushes to the hospital to get a shot. There, he faces a host of challenges, including an overbearing nurse, a missing doctor, and a waiting room full of sick people.

While Brendon is at the hospital, Melissa and Jason's prank takes a dark turn. They eventually reveal to Brendon that there never was any rabies, but not before he has an emotional breakdown in front of them, revealing his deepest fears and anxieties. In the end, Brendon has to learn to face his fears head-on, with the encouragement of his friends and family.

Throughout the episode, we see glimpses of Brendon's surreal nightmares, including a chilling scene of him being chased by a rabid dog through an abandoned amusement park. The visuals are both haunting and darkly humorous, adding to the overall feeling of unease that permeates the episode.

Despite the heavy subject matter of the episode, there are still plenty of moments of levity and humor. The kids' interactions with the adults around them are always amusing, as they struggle to navigate their way through the confusing and often contradictory world of grown-ups. The show's signature animation style, which features a mix of squiggly hand-drawn lines and computer-generated imagery, adds to the overall feeling of whimsy and irreverence.

Overall, "Brendon Gets Rabies" is a standout episode of Home Movies. It deftly explores the themes of anxiety and fear in a way that is both relatable and moving. While the subject matter may be heavy, the show's unique brand of humor and anarchic spirit keep things from feeling too heavy-handed or preachy. Fans of the show will no doubt find much to enjoy in this episode, and it serves as a great introduction to the series for newcomers as well.