Do the Fight Thing

Do the Fight Thing is an episode of Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars.

Audio

Patreon exclusive.

Cast

WorkJuice Players

• Sparks Nevada - Marc Evan Jackson
• Croach the Tracker - Mark Gagliardi
• The Red Plains Rider - Busy Philipps
• The Barkeep - Joshua Malina
• The Saloon Doors / Technos the Advanced - Annie Savage
• Doctor Scientist - James Urbaniak
• Folksy Hal (Narrator) - Hal Lublin

Guest Stars

• Rebecca Rose Rushmore - Linda Cardellini
• Cactoid Jim - Nathan Fillion

Detailed Summary

Sparks and Rebecca arrive at the Space Saloon and are greeted by the Barkeep, who informs them that he don't want no trouble in his place.  Sparks sums up the issue with the Science Beings and Technology Beings and says he is in process of gathering Mars' most heroic heroes to deal with the situation. 

Croach and The Red Plains Rider enter.  She is upset at Sparks for sending Croach to track her when she is still angry at Croach after their break up.  Croach responds that Red is difficult to find, and so he tracked her.  The two argue for a moment until Sparks asks Croach to track and retrieve Cactoid Jim, so Croach leaves.

Red and Rebecca introduce themselves tensely, and shortly thereafter, the Saloon Doors are overtaken by Technos the Advanced.  She places a stasis field over the Saloon so Red, Sparks, Rebecca and the Barkeep are trapped inside.  Croach and Jim, however, are outside, but when they arrive they are able to communicate to those inside.

After introductions are made, Sparks says he had a plan to activate the robot exo-suits stored underneath the marshal station, but there are five exo-suits and thus it would take five heroes to operate them and form one giant robot.  As he and Red are inside, Jim and Croach are short three people instead of just one.  Jim assures Sparks he and Croach can handle the situation, and asks Sparks to concentrate on getting out of the stasis.

As Jim and Croach leave, Red wonders who the fifth exo-suit operator would be, and Sparks suggests the Barkeep or in a pinch, Rebecca Rose Rushmore. Rebecca is excited about the prospect of being the left leg, though it is the least important part of the robot.  Red, Barkeep, the Saloon Doors and Rebecca all tease Sparks for his constant declarations about being from the Earth.  

Jim and Croach return with the exo-suits piloted by himself, Croach and a few random townsfolk.  Croach is quite taken with Cactoid Jim as a hero, his oratory skills, his pronunciation and charisma.  Cactoid Jim's declarations allowed Croach to process several emotions at the same time - pride, courage, and awe.  Sparks is clearly bothered by Croach's admiration of Jim and his other friends teasing.

Sparks continues to try to get out of the stasis field, but instead Red, the Barkeep, Rebecca and even the Saloon Doors just want to talk about Sparks, his possible future relationship with Rebecca and his constant obsession with his job.

Red realizes that she still has feelings for Sparks, and begins to wax sentimentally about what might have been.  She asks Sparks if he is still interested.  He said he was, but when she chose Croach over him, he can't see himself with her now.  Red encourages Sparks to pursue a relationship with Rebecca, instead.

The Barkeep also encourages Sparks to take some time off of marshaling, but is interrupted by Croach and Cactoid Jim returning before he can start his story.  They announce that Jim, Croach and the townsfolk used the exo-suit and worked as a team, but it was Jim's demonstration that the left leg, the least consequential, could deliver swift death that saved the day.  Jim then pointed out how Science Beings and Technology Beings were essentially the same and bloodlessly ended a millenia long conflict.

With the war over, the stasis field is repealed. Sparks, with Red and Jim's encouragement, decides to take a night off, and spend it with Rebecca.

Notes

• This is the first appearance of The Barkeep, and the first time Saloon Doors has a personality.  She was seen previously in Space-iversary.
• It's not clear if the Science Being which James Urbaniak is playing in the introduction is Doctor Scientist or not, but it can be assumed he probably is.
• This is also the first instance of the "Canned" introduction / theme song being used. The same intro/song is used in about half of all episodes after this point.
• This episode was also performed on September 30, 2012 at The Bell House with John Hodgman as Cactoid Jim.
• Episode commentary by Ben Blacker.

Continuity

• This is the 57th episode of The Thrilling Adventure Hour.  
• The previous episode is 56: Intercepted Transmission, along with #56.1 - A word from our Sponsor and #56.2 Another Word from our Sponsor.  
• The next episode is #58 Tales of the United Solar System Alliance - T-Minus.  This is also the next episode in the Sparks Nevada universe canon.  
• The previous episode in the Sparks Nevada universe is #53 War of the World.

Production

This episode was recorded at Largo on August 6, 2011 and released on Feb 6th, 2012.

• Writers: Ben Acker and Ben Blacker
• Director: Aaron Ginsburg
• Music: Andy Paley & the Andy Paley Orchestra
• Sparks Nevada theme: Eban Schletter