"Auntie Matta" is an episode from the second season of Bump in the Night.
(Aired on September 30, 1995)
Plot[]
The episode begins in the middle of the night, Squishington is strolling down the hallway whistling to himself, then suddenly something whistles back at him and he sees a sinister shadow cast on the wall.
Squish is worried and the shadow disappears, Squish calls out the darkness and ask if it is Mr. Bumpy who is out there. Squish hears no reply and continues on his way, he begins whistling again but the sinister hand shape silhouette returns. Squish is filled with fear and shouts out "Who's there? I know somebody's there!"
Out of nowhere, a creepy witch like voice answers back "there is nobody here", Squish then neutrally responds "okay". Just then two large red glowing eyes and a wide glowing jack-o-lantern like mouth appears in the shadows and roars. Squish screams at the terrifying face and faints as the evil face moves away.
Soon Molly Coddle appears walking down the hallway singing la-la-la to herself, but then the spooky voice mimics Molly and gives her the creeps. Molly tells herself "that's odd, I've never noticed an echo before", Molly continues to walk down the dark hallway but she then trips over Squishington and screams.
Squishington lies on the floor while Molly is lying on his stomach confused, Squish then ask Molly if she has seen it. Molly then ask "see what" and Squish screams out "The Monster!", Molly fixes herself up and says she doesn't think so and ask Squishington what does the Monster look like.
Just then the evil glowing face appears behind Molly, Squishington describes the monster as "really ugly, with big fangs and nasty red eyes." Molly tells Squish that she just can't picture it, just then the shadowy creature gives Molly a picture frame, with a photo of the evil face. Molly looks at the picture and says that this helps, she tells Squish she hasn't seen it and wonders why he asked.
Squish then points to the shadowy creature standing behind Molly, she turns around and notices the creature, she looks back at the photo and back to the creature. Molly then screams in horror and her eyes bulge out, Squish also screams at the Monster and they both faint.
Just then Mr. Bumpy appears and notice his friends lying on the floor, he tells them that it is "no time to be sawing logs" and tells them "up at at 'em". The evil face roars again and Molly and Squish scream in fear, Bumpy breathes into his hand and smells it and says "I didn't think my breath was that bad, must be my new mouth wash, Pus-uline."
Squishington and Molly both cower together, Squish warns "be careful, Mr. Bumpy", and Molly finishes the sentence and says there is a "Monster". Bumpy turns around and ask where is the Monster, the evil face then lets out a ferocious roar and Bumpy's eye stalks blow back. Bumpy then roars back at the creature, he smiles and realizes that the monster is his "Auntie."
Bumpy is filled with joy and tells his Auntie that it has been so long, the two ugly green monsters hug and Bumpy's Aunt tells Bumpy that he has all grown up. Bumpy then wants to introduce his friends to her and pushes Molly and Squish towards his relative. Bumpy giddily introduces Molly and Squish to his "favorite Aunt, Great Auntie Matta". She gives a creepy smile, Molly and Squish scream again and Matta says she is charmed.
Mr. Bumpy then goes up to his Aunt and says he hasn't seen her in this whole century, he then ask his Aunt what has she been up to. Auntie Matta then tells Bumpy that she was in Alaska scaring minors during the gold rush and scared an entire mining camp. She then says she accidentally caused and avalanche and was buried in the ice until it eventually melted.
Bumpy then welcomes his Aunt to the 20th century, Auntie Matta then tells Bumpy he has set up a nice place for himself, an entire house full of people to scare. She then ask what techniques does he use most, "poltergeist phenomenon, chain rattling, mysterious knocking", Bumpy then tells his Auntie that is old fashion stuff and she has to get with the 20th century.
Bumpy tells his Auntie that they have whole new ways of scaring people now, he then escorts his Aunt around the house and shows her the new ways of scaring.
Later in the Bathroom, Squishington is standing over the sink and gargling water in his mouth. Meanwhile, Mr. Bumpy and Auntie Matta are hiding above inside the chandelier, Auntie Matta says that they should moan like banshees and pretend to be the grim reaper trying to steal his soul, and believes that will scare Squish.
Bumpy claims that it is too "80's" and then says the "1880's" to be exact. Bumpy then shows his Aunt the modern way of scaring people. Bumpy then dangles a rope down from the chandelier while his Aunt watches. Bumpy then uses the rope to lasso the electric toothbrush and lifts it into the air.
Squishington continues to gargle but then pauses and see's the toothbrush floating, Squish then screams in terror and cries out "it's a haunted toothbrush." Squish then gets too close to the edge of the sink and falls off, he lands on the floor below but the electric toothbrush follows after him.
Squish tries to escape the floating toothbrush as it chases him around the bathroom. Squish is cornered and ask the toothbrush why it is doing this to him. Bumpy then talks in a scary ghost like voice and tells Squish that he ate between meals and ate two helpings of desert and drank four cans of cola. Squish is ashamed of himself and cant' deny the accusation, Bumpy then shouts out that Squish must pay the price while Squish screams in fear.
Auntie Matta finds the situation hilarious and Bumpy also laughs with her. Auntie Matta then says she believes she is getting the hang of this and didn't realize there was so many ways of scaring people. Just then, Auntie Matta knocks Bumpy over with her cane, causing him to lose balance and fall out of the chandelier.
Bumpy then falls to the floor and lands on top of Squishington, who is now splattered into a puddle. The toothbrush is now broken in half, Bumpy gets up and Squishington morphs back into his normal form. Squish is furious that he was tricked and scolds Bumpy, Squish tells Mr. Bumpy that was not a nice thing to do and Bumpy feels ashamed. Suddenly, Auntie Matta jumps down and lands on top of Squish causing him to splatter again.
Later that night, Mr. Bumpy and Auntie Matta are walking through the hallway. All of a sudden, they are stopped by Destructo the robot, he halts the monsters and tells Bumpy that his reign over terror is over and is going to vaporize him. Destructo then prepares his laser gun on his shoulder. Auntie Matta then tells Bumpy to watch her as she plans to play a trick on the hulking robot.
Auntie Matta goes up to Detructo and pleas him to spare her life, she then turns to Bumpy and winks and continues to beg. Destructo remains stern and tells the monster lady that she will scare no more. Auntie Matta then continues to throw herself at Destructo's feet, she then sabotages his rocket engines on his mechanical feet.
Destructo then counts down and prepares to fire, but the accidentally sends himself flying backwards. Auntie Matta then waves at Destructo as he is sent out of control. Destructo cries out in fear and then crashes into huge bowling pins set up behind him. Destructo is defeated and Auntie Matta is victorious, Bumpy shakes his Auntie's hand congratulating her. Bumpy tells his Auntie that she is getting the hang of it and then says they have more scaring to do.
Months fly by and endless screaming can be heard from the house, everyone in the house is being scared by the trouble making monsters. Molly Coddle is fed up and tells Mr. Bumpy that enough is enough. Molly scolds Bumpy and tells him that it has been a total mad house ever since Auntie Matta showed up, Molly then demands Bumpy to stop scaring people.
Mr. Bumpy refuses to stop and says they were just getting started and leaves in huff. Bumpy is left feeling ill-temped from being told to stop scaring, Bumpy then stops to ponder and thinks about who is left to terrify. Just then, Auntie Matta taps Bumpy on the head with her cane, Bumpy continues to wonder if there is anyone else left to scare.
Auntie Matta taps Bumpy again and screams and makes a scary face and laughs. Bumpy enjoys this and tells his Auntie to never change. Auntie Matta tells her nephew she won't change, she then tells Bumpy that he has made her so happy that she is going to stay forever and ever.
Auntie Matta then gives Bumpy a small cardboard box, Bumpy ask what is it. Auntie Matta then tells Bumpy that the dryer was set on high and there was a tiny problem with all the boy's socks. Bumpy opens the box and sees all of his socks are now tiny. Bumpy is shocked by the result and sees that his socks have shrunk to nothing. Bumpy then lets out a huge horrifying scream and runs away, Auntie Matta has successfully scared her nephew and lets out a wicked laugh.
Mr. Bumpy then rushes back into the kitchen and finds Molly and Squishington with a yellow plate of food. Bumpy is scared witless and says that his Auntie has stayed long enough and they have to make her go. Squish they cries out to Mr. Bumpy how are they going to do it, Bumpy then stops to think and instantly has an idea to make his Aunt leave.
Soon, Auntie Matta is calling out to her nephew Bumpy and ask where is he, just then Destructo appears running down the hallway in fear. Destructo warns Auntie Matta to not go into the living room, Auntie Matta is curious and then concludes that Bumpy must be in the living room. Auntie Matta enters the living room, Squishington appears screaming in horror causing Auntie Matta to spin in a whirl. Molly also appears and tells Auntie Matta to not go in there. Molly and Squish run away while Auntie Matta is now dizzy.
Auntie Matta then finds Bumpy standing by a large mysterious object under a white sheet. Auntie Matta ask her nephew what does he have, Bumpy then acts horrified and tells his Aunt it is too horrible and warns her to be careful. Auntie Matta discards the warning and tells Bumpy to stop being so mysterious and says she wants to see what it. Bumpy begs his Aunt "no" and tells her it is "the most terrifying invention of the 20th century."
Auntie Matta pushes Bumpy aside and says that it is nonsense, claiming that she is "un-scarable" and she loves all the modern stuff. She removes the white sheet over the object, revealing it to be a television set. Auntie Matta watches in shock at the various images on the screen, she ask what it is and Bumpy responds in a sinister voice "it's T.V". The television flickers to different channels showing images of fires, explosions, rockets, wars, riots, violence and other imagery.
Bumpy then ask if it is scary enough, Auntie Matta is petrified by the horrible things she has seen. She then ask if the T.V is like this all the time, Bumpy happily confirms it is and Auntie Matta is lets out a huge terrifying scream. Auntie Matta is scared the living day lights out off and runs away. Bumpy then gives his Aunt her suitcase, he quickly says goodbye and the fearful Auntie Matta leaves for good
Mr. Bumpy then dashes up to the television set and holding a remote control, he then changes the channel and the "Bump in the Night" opening theme is played and Mr. Bumpy is shown on T.V. Bumpy watches this and exclaims "Now this is my kind of show", ending the episode.
Quotes[]
Mr. Bumpy: I didn't think my breath was that bad, must be my new mouth wash, Pus-uline
Mr. Bumpy: Why I haven't seen you in all this whole century! Where have you been keeping yourself, Auntie Matta?
Auntie Matta: I was up in Alaska scaring minors during the Gold Rush, I scared the bejabbers out of an entire mining camp, but I also set off an avalanche. I got buried under about a million tons of ice, it finally melted so here I am, ha ha!
Mr. Bumpy: Welcome to the 20th century, Auntie!
Auntie Matta:Well you got a great set up here, Bumpy! A whole house full of people to SCARE! Which techniques do you use most? Poltergeist phenomenon, chain rattling, mysterious knocking?
Mr. Bumpy: Oh, that’s old fashion stuff, Auntie. You gotta get with the 20th century! We got whole new ways of scaring people now! You’ll LOVE IT!
Auntie Matta: Let’s moan like wounded banshees and say we’re the grim reaper come to claim his soul for all eternity. That’ll scare him!
Mr. Bumpy: Nah, too 80’s… “1880’s”. Let me show ya how it’s done today.
Auntie Matta: YOO-HOO! BUMPY DEAR! WHERE ARE YOU?!
Destructo: (running away in fear) AH! Don't go in the living room!
Auntie Matta: He must be in the living room...
Trivia[]
- In the opening scene when Squishington is whistling to himself, he is whistling the tune of the “Bump in the Night theme song”, while Auntie Matta finishes the theme.
- Mr. Bumpy makes a reference to the mouth wash brand "Listerine", but makes a pun with the word "pus", the yellow liquid that comes out of infected tissue made from dead white blood cells.
- Auntie Matta's name is a pun on the word "Anti Matter", material composed of antiparticles, which have the same mass as particles of ordinary matter but opposite charge
- Auntie Matta is voiced by talented voice actress April Winchell, she is also the voice of the Princess in Beauty and the Bump.
- Mr. Bumpy welcomes his Aunt to the 20th century, which makes sense as the series was made in 1994- 1995, and the show is set during the 90s.
- Goof: When Destructo is about to crash into the bowling pins, there is a hole showing in one of the pins.
- At the end, Mr. Bumpy breaks the 4th wall and sees the Bump in the Night opening theme play on T.V, meaning the character is aware that he is in a television show.
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