The Townsville Barbershop Quartet (episode)

The Townsville Barbershop Quartet is a rare episode of Season 6, premiered on November 12, 2004.

Synopsis
We flashback to Townsville, where Professor Utonium, Ms. Keane, Ms. Bellum and Eugene (later replaced by the Mayor of Townsville) were the hit barbershop quartet known as The Townsville Collectors, which was an obvious spoof of the Beatles.

Plot
The episode opens with the city skyline of Townsville, the narrator zooms to the camera, when they hear very closely, all the citizens can hear a Barbershop Quartet. Professor Utonium, Ms. Bellum, Ms. Keane and Eugene sing at the City of Townsville, Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, Malph's and the Utonium Residence.

During the Townsville Swap Meet, Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup notice an album cover showing Professor Utonium. They ask Professor Utonium when he recorded an album. Professor Utonium answers that he recorded an album in many years. He mentions that every afternoon at Townsville Hall, his brother, Eugene, Ms. Bellum, the kindergarten teacher, Ms. Keane and he would get together and sing.

Professor Utonium says that his group was a barbershop quartet, which was popular everywhere, even at the Powerpuff Store. The group initially started in Townsville, but quickly found national fame after their new director, Robin, approached them and said everyone in the group could sing except Eugene, who was too "Townsville." The group held auditions for a replacement, with Blossom (who did a swing version of Old MacDonald had a Farm), Bubbles (who sang Ave Maria), Buttercup (who sang Celebration with made up lyrics), and Eugene (in disguise, performing If I Can Walk With the Animals) all making unsuccessful attempts. When the barbershop trio returned to Townsville Hall's, they heard the Mayor singing in a beautiful Irish voice, and were amazed. After the Mayor is chosen as the new member, people still liked Eugene. After hearing him sing, however, the audience warmed up to the Mayor

The group considered various names to call themselves, deciding their name should be witty initially, but should become less funny each time you heard it. They finally agreed on calling themselves "The Townsville Collectors." (In a near similar matter to that of Homer, Apu, Principal Skinner and Barney, the Be Sharps in the Simpsons episode, Homer's Barbershop Quartet).

Back in modern times, leaving the swap meet, Professor Utonium says he sold a spare tire, but unfortunately, a tire on the car blows out and Blossom has to take a long walk to the park. Professor Utonium tells the rest of the story: he tried writing a new song with little luck, until his brother Eugene got a "Flying in Sunshine" sign. This inspired Professor Utonium to write his Flying in Sunshine song inspired by the fad. The group sang it in studio and put it on their first album, With the Townsville Collectors, a parody of The Beatles album "With the Beatles". The song became a number one hit. The group arrived in New York in 1986 to perform at the centennial of the Statue of Liberty (parodying the Beatles´ presentation in 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show). The Townsville Collectors also won a Grammy for "Outstanding Soul, Spoken Word, or Barbershop Album of the Year" from David Crosby, and Professor Utonium got to meet Ringo Starr, but was distracted by the brownie in his hand. Meanwhile, Mr. Green's singing career (now dead) was being mocked by numerous talk show hosts, much to his anger..

The name of their second album was Bigger than Townsville, (the album cover parodied The Beatles' Abbey Roadand the title parodied John Lennon saying the Beatles were bigger than Townsville). Unfortunately, while the Townsville Collectors were becoming popular, Bubbles had problems making music, and the Townsville Collectors had problems of their own. They had creative disputes, brought on by Ms. Keane's brother, Mr. Keane. The two recorded a "Revolution 9"-like piece, with Mr. Keane reciting "Number 8" over and over atop tape loops of the Mayor's belches. The group lost its popularity and split up, with Ms. Bellum returning to Townsville, Ms. Keane returning to Pokey Oaks Kindergarten to continue teaching her class, Professor Utonium returning to the Utonium Residence, and Mr. Green returning to his job at the Electricity shop after a chicken named Queenie took his place. Despite numerous unanswered questions, like where the money Professor Utonium made went and why he never hung up his gold records, Professor Utonium simply sends the kids to bed and tells them he'll answer their questions another day.

After Professor Utonium takes another look at the album, the group reunites to perform a rooftop concert at Pokey Oaks. The singing makes the Powerpuff Girls proud (much to the Be Sharps), and also had a "newspaper saleskid" scamming a walker into buying a newspaper under the pretense that the Townsville Collectors had an article (despite their not being any actual news about their comeback or even the Townsville Collectors being mentioned at all). During the concert, Ringo Starr pulls up in his limousine, sees them and says, "It's been done," referring to the impromptu concert on the Apple offices rooftop performed by The Beatles during their Get Back recording sessions. Before the episode finishes, it is implied that Eugene, although impressed at the sight, nonetheless plans to have the group arrested (or at least tear gassed). Upon finishing their song, Professor Utonium then thanks everyone for attending, and then proceeds to jokingly hope that they have passed the audition, although Robin didn't get the joke.