| King of Queens episode | |
| "Mentalo Case" | |
| Season 5, Episode # 11 Episode # 111 in series (207 episodes) | |
| Originally Aired: | December 16, 2002 |
| Aired on: | CBS-TV |
| Production code: | 511 |
 IMDB: |
Mentalo Case |
| Written by: | David Bickel |
| Directed by: | John Fortenberry |
| Guest stars: | Nick Bakay Adam Carl Marshaun Daniel Tyler Hendrickson Pamela Kosh Jenny O'Hara Stephen Milton Graham Phillips Damani Roberts Steven Shaw Daniel E. Smith |
| Episode chronology | |
| List of The King of Queens episodes | |
Mentalo Case was the 11th episode of Season 5 of The King of Queens, also the 111th overall episode in the series. Written by David Bickel, the episode, which was directed by John Fortenberry, was originally aired on CBS-TV on December 16, 2002.
Synopsis[]
At Christmas time, Doug remembers a toy he had as a child so he tries to buy one on eBay but Carrie prevents him because he wanted to pay $180. Doug later goes to a toy convention with Spence to try to track one down. After a sequence of events, Doug thinks Deacon bought him the toy. Carrie thinks Holly bought her a leather jacket, because Arthur gets Holly to disclose Carrie's gift to him.
Full Recap[]
While Doug and Deacon are sitting around Doug's living room, Spence comes in with a vintage doll he paid $70 for. Doug starts to wax nostalgic about "Mentalo", a future predicting toy, and how he wants to track one of those down, but Deacon tells him it was a stupid toy. Doug tries to bid on a Mentalo on an online auction, but Carrie stops him because they're already spending too much on Christmas. She asks him why he cares so much about it and he tells her it reminds him of a simpler time.
Spence takes Doug to a toy dealer that he knows who says he has a "Mentalo", but when they get there he says he just sold it to a tall black guy, wearing an IPS cap. They find out it was Deacon, and Doug assumes Deacon bought it for him, although they agreed not to get each other gifts. He goes to Deacon's house to try and figure out what he can get him, and ends up telling him he knows Deacon bought something for him. He insists he didn't, and it turns out that Deacon bought it for himself.
Deacon had only said it was stupid because he was upset about not having one as a kid. Deacon says that if Mentalo means more than their friendship, he can take it. Carrie tells him to give it back, and they argue, and Carrie tells him that she bought him one. Meanwhile, Carrie tells Holly she decided to get Arthur a cruise as a Christmas gift, instead of a robe or an "old man cap" as usual.
When Holly finds out Arthur only got Carrie chopsticks, she tells him he may want to get her something nicer. He threatens to beat himself up and blame her unless she tells him what Carrie got him, so she does. Feeling he should get Carrie something nicer after all, he tells Holly to find out what Carrie wants. She makes up a ridiculous story about her sister having the same taste as Carrie, and she tells her she would like a leather jacket.
Carrie assumes Holly is the one getting her the leather jacket and decides she needs to get her something nicer. She tries to scale down Arthur's cruise to save money, and ends up having to cancel it, and buys Holly expensive earrings with the money. She gives Holly the earrings, and find out all she got her was a mug. Carrie opens Arthur's jacket, and he find out all she got him was another old man cap. He takes the jacket back and says she can have it when he sets sail. Doug wraps Mentalo and gives it back to Deacon Christmas day. But when he opens his, it turns out to be the cheap knock off, Mental Man, and he and Deacon proceed to fight over the real Mentalo. The episode ends with Doug and Deacon arguing about the Mentalo toy while Carrie and Arthur argued about the old man caps while at the same time Holly left the house as she enjoy her gift while the song "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" as everybody else are still arguing.
Did You Know?[]
Trivia?Notes[]
- Notes: Gary Valentine (Danny) is credited, but does not appear in the episode. Patton Oswalt (Spence) appears and also voices the "Mentalo Man", but isn't in the opening credits.
- In this episode, Doug wears his IPS hat to the toy fair. This is the only episode that Doug wear his IPS hat without his IPS uniform. It plays a critical part of the scene but out of the ordinary for Dougs character.
Goofs[]
- Factual errors
- There are daytime shots of the Heffernan house that show snow on the roof and bushes, however the tree still has leaves, which wouldn't be the case in December in New York.
Scene excerpt from "Mentalo Case"[]
- Quotes
- Carrie: Why are you so obsessed with this toy, anyway?
- Doug: I guess it reminds me of a simpler time in my life, you know? A time when I didn't have to worry about payin' bills or goin' after that big promotion.
- Carrie: Okay, you've never done either of those.
Connections[]
- References
- Zoom (1970's PBS children's TV series) - At the toy convention, Spence mentions the television program Zoom to Doug. Spence also refers to the Ubbi Dubbi language that was featured on Zoom, when one of Spence's friends starts speaking in that language to Doug.
- The Love Boat (ABC-TV series) - Carrie is speaking on the telephone to a cruise company representative about whether or not gratuities are included in a cruise package. Carrie jokes, "I'd hate to see Gopher and Isaac get stiffed." She is referring to two of the main characters on The Love Boat television series.
Soundtracks[]
- Soundtrack credits
- Baby All My Life I Will Be Driving Home to You (theme song) - Written by Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa, Jonathan Wolff, and Scott Clausen, performed by Billy Vera and The Beaters
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Kevin James as Doug Heffernan
- Leah Remini as Carrie Heffernan
- Jerry Stiller as Arthur Spooner
- Patton Oswalt as Spence Olchin / Voice of Mentalo Man (uncredited)
- Victor Williams as Deacon Palmer
- Nicole Sullivan as Holly Shumpert
- Gary Valentine as Danny Heffernan (credited only)
Guest starring/Recurring cast[]
- Nick Bakay as Richard Nixon (uncredited)
- Adam Carl as Kenny
- Marshaun Daniel as Kirby Palmer, Deacon's son
- Tyler Hendrickson as Li'l Doug
- Pamela Kosh as Margaret
- Stephen Milton as Comic Convention Guy (uncredited)
- Jenny O'Hara as voice of Janet Heffernan, Doug's mother
- Graham Phillips as Winthrop
- Damani Roberts as Major Palmer, Deacon's son
- Steven Shaw as Store Clerk
- Daniel E. Smith as Li'l Deacon
