perry the platypus – Trekking with Dennis

Ten of My Favourite Phineas and Ferb Episodes

Spoiler Warning: Beware of minor spoilers ahead for Phineas and Ferb.

In just a couple of months, Phineas and Ferb will be back on our screens for the first time in a decade. Well, for the first time since Candace Against the Universe premiered as a one-off TV movie! So I thought it could be a bit of fun to take a look at ten episodes from the show’s original run that stand out to me.

I’ve talked about this before, but I encountered Phineas and Ferb when I was already an adult. When I used to have a satellite TV subscription back in the 2000s, I came across an ad for the show either just before or just after its premiere. Although I shouldn’t have been interested in a kids’ cartoon airing on the Disney Channel, something about the show’s writing or art style must’ve leapt out at me – so I gave it a watch. And I’m so glad that I did, because Phineas and Ferb has unironically become one of my favourite TV shows… ever.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Klimpaloon (an old-timey bathing suit with a face). — It’s Klimpaloon!

The best children’s programmes offer something for adult viewers, too – and no, I don’t just mean that they keep the kids busy so we can get on with other things! There can be jokes that adults will find funny, storytelling that transcends the generational divide, or characters who exhibit traits that kids and adults alike can relate to. This explains the enduring popularity of the shows and films which strike the right balance – and for me at least, Phineas and Ferb is up there with the likes of SpongeBob SquarePants, Tom and Jerry, and the best of Disney’s animated films.

The show’s two-and-a-half storyline structure is really what makes it stand out. The boys and their invention are on one side, with their sister Candace trying to get them in trouble, while secret agent Perry the Platypus is on the other as he battles the self-proclaimed evil scientist Dr Doofenshmirtz. But where Phineas and Ferb really excels is by bringing these two halves of the show together – often, but not always, by ensuring Doofenshmirtz’s scheme will cause the boys’ invention to disappear. Particularly in later episodes, the writers would get creative with these intersecting moments, too, successfully subverting audience expectations!

So that’s a bit of background as we head into the list. But before we go any further, I have a couple of important caveats.

Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh at an event for Phineas and Ferb circa 2014. — *Phineas and Ferb* co-creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh.

Firstly, I’m not “ranking” these episodes. Nor am I saying these are my “all-time top ten favourites!” These are just ten great episodes from Phineas and Ferb’s original run that I happen to really enjoy. Making some kind of tier list of all the show’s episodes or seasons will have to wait for another occasion. I’m listing the episodes in broadcast order, starting with Season 1 and going through to Season 4, and for the purposes of this list, one “episode” is one story. On Disney+ (and often during the show’s original broadcast run) two episodes would be paired up – but that’s not how I’m arranging my list.

Finally, nothing about this is in any way “objective!” Other fans of the show will have different favourite episodes, so if I pick an episode you hate or ignore one that you think should be obvious for a list like this… that’s okay! There ought to be enough room in the fan community for differences of opinion and polite disagreement.

With all of that out of the way, let’s take a look at ten of my favourite Phineas and Ferb episodes.

Episode #1:
Are You My Mummy?
Season 1

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Phineas, Ferb, and Candace (in a mummy outfit).

Of all the early Season 1 episodes to really nail the core concepts of Phineas and Ferb, Are You My Mummy? has to be one of the best. It’s an adventure story inspired by classic mummy and monster movies, but unlike some later stories which see the boys perform completely out-of-this-world feats, there’s something about the cinema setting that keeps things grounded. The boys go on an adventure, sure… but it’s an adventure in the basement of a cinema filled with “fakey promotional lobby junk,” and a misunderstood “mummy.” This kind of story – in which we see the world through a kind of child’s-eye view – wouldn’t always be present in the series, but I think it’s a big part of what makes Are You My Mummy? so charming.

Perry’s side of the story – in which he has to prevent Doofenshmirtz from flooding the city – is a ton of fun, too. The two halves of the episode come together in the basement of the cinema, with Phineas, Ferb, Candace, and Perry going on a water ride inspired by the likes of Disney’s own Splash Mountain.

Episode #2:
Dude, We’re Getting The Band Back Together
Season 1

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Love Handel's concert.

Phineas and Ferb quickly became known for its songs and musical numbers, and Season 1’s Dude, We’re Getting The Band Back Together has several great tracks. An episode all about music – and the importance of music in the lives of the characters – was bound to have some excellent songs, and we get some outstanding additions to the show’s soundtrack here! It’s hard to pick a favourite, but You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart is definitely up there, and I’d be remiss not to also mention Ain’t Got Rhythm, which was nominated for an Emmy award.

The boys team-up with Candace is particularly cute, too, as it shakes up the formula of the show somewhat. It also shows Candace’s willingness to join in with her brothers – at least sometimes! – which is a fun change of pace for her character. Doofenshmirtz’s story of hosting Vanessa’s birthday party also sees him working with Perry for a change – and cements his status as one of the best dads in animation!

Episode #3:
I Was A Middle-Aged Robot
Season 2

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Carl, Perry, and their robot.

This episode puts Candace and Perry in the driving seat, after a “mishap” with a memory erasing machine means Lawrence can’t take her to the father-daughter picnic competition. There are some fantastic moments of humour in this episode; I particularly love the sheer randomness of Perry’s robot being programmed in Dutch, and him having to use two Dutch-to-French and French-to-English dictionaries to operate it. Trying to explain it kills the joke, of course!

I Was A Middle-Aged Robot is another great family episode, as we see the boys, their mom, and their friends all get together to cheer on Candace and their dad. The obstacle course means a lot to her, so having everyone get together to support her just… gives me the warm fuzzy feels. Perry abandoning Doofenshmirtz – who seemed to have a whole story of his own lined up and ready to go – was funny, too.

Episode #4:
Christmas Vacation
Season 2

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Santa Claus meeting the kids.

I know it’s the middle of April and we really shouldn’t be thinking about Christmas… but this Christmas special is one of my all-time favourites, and one I return to every single holiday season. I’m a sucker for the whole “Christmas is in danger, someone has to save it!” story cliché, and Christmas Vacation really sells it – with a Phineas and Ferb twist, of course. As you might expect, it’s Doofenshmirtz’s evil scheme that puts Christmas in danger, meaning it’s up to Phineas and the gang to restore Danville’s holiday spirit.

We talked about songs a moment ago, and Christmas Vacation has some truly outstanding musical numbers. Christmas Is Starting Now should be on everyone’s festive playlist, and that’s just one! There are so many good songs, some beautiful animation to bring the winter wonderland to life, and a fun holiday story keeping it all together. I have a longer piece about Christmas Vacation that I wrote last year to mark its fifteenth anniversary, so click or tap here to check it out.

Episode #5:
The Doof Side Of The Moon
Season 2

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Phineas erecting a building.

I’m pretty sure that the skyscraper in The Doof Side Of The Moon is the biggest thing the boys ever built! It’s gotta be one of the biggest, anyway, as it reaches all the way to the moon. The sequence of the skyscraper being constructed really is a ton of fun, with so many wacky and random building methods all thrown in together. Candace, naturally, wants to report on what her brothers are doing, and this time enlists the help of Albert… a character who really gives me the creeps! I think we all knew or at least remember someone like that from our school days – a very cringeworthy individual to say the least.

There isn’t as much going on with Doofenshmirtz and Perry in this episode, and Doof’s plan is silly even by his standards! But I liked his chart comparing his everyday evilness to the other “background evil” in the Tri-State Area. And Doofenshmirtz’s scheme was responsible for the building disappearing from the Flynn-Fletcher back yard!

Episode #6:
The Belly Of The Beast
Season 3

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Candace and Stacy on their boat.

There are multiple references to the classic monster film Jaws in this episode, which is a ton of fun. The boys build a giant mechanical shark for Danville’s Harbour Day celebration, leading Candace and Stacy to hire a ship to chase after them. The ship’s captain is an incredibly funny character (and someone I hope will return in Season 5 or 6!) and there’s just a lot of fun to be had in this nautical setting. It takes most of the characters away from their usual haunts to do something a little different – while also paying homage to the kind of small-town celebrations that are common across the United States. There’s a lot to love on this side of the story.

Doofenshmirtz’s Taffy-Inator isn’t one of his wackiest or worst inventions; it’s basically just a large taffy machine. Why he wants to promote tooth decay, though… I’m still not clear on that! There were plenty of neat moments with Doof and Perry, though, and again it was fun to see them in a different setting for a change.

Episode #7:
Magic Carpet Ride
Season 3

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing the gang on their magic carpet.

I’ll be honest: this episode is primarily making the list for its song! Aerial Area Rug is epic and silly in equal measure, perfectly satirising Aladdin’s A Whole New World while retaining the same majestic tone. Songwriter Robert Lopez – who later wrote the songs for Frozen and Frozen II – put it together with help from the show’s writing team, and it’s just one of the absolute best in the series in my opinion.

Song aside, the episode is fun. The boys recreate a flying carpet that their dad saw on TV when he was a kid, and Doofenshmirtz tries to ruin his brother’s day – only to have it blow back on him. I actually feel sorry for Doofenshmirtz in Magic Carpet Ride, and I think it’s a great episode for exploring more of his feud with Roger.

Episode #8:
Delivery Of Destiny
Season 3

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Doof's building from street level.

An episode told mostly from the point-of-view of a random side character? I know it sounds silly, but it really works! Not only that, but it’s a kind of uplifting story of a young man learning to appreciate his job – something I think we can all relate to in some way. There are some fun musical clips thanks to the inclusion of Love Handel, too. Seeing both the boys’ invention and one of Doofenshmirtz’s plots from a totally different perspective was genuinely interesting.

Delivery of Destiny is the kind of episode that wouldn’t have been possible prior to Season 3. It took the series, its characters, its world, and all of its tropes and completely flipped the script, showing us a glimpse of how things look from the perspective of one of the citizens of Danville. It also wrapped everything up in a fun self-contained story, too. Something a bit different – and that’s why I like it!

Episode #9:
My Sweet Ride
Season 4

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Phineas blowing a bugle on top of a car.

This is probably a “hot take” and a bit of a generalisation… but I find that the quality of Phineas and Ferb seemed to dip a bit as Season 4 rolled around. There are some great episodes in the season, but I’d argue there were also a few less-enjoyable offerings, as well. My Sweet Ride is a blast, though! The nostalgic Americana of the Doo-Wop Hop and the classic car festival is a ton of fun, and the episode’s song is a classic retro-inspired number, too.

Phineas and Ferb trick out Candace’s new car – and let their dad take most of the credit! Doofenshmirtz’s crazy contraption is also a lot of fun, and gives us another glimpse of life in Drusselstein, which is neat. Monty and Vanessa continue their relationship and get a cute moment together, and it’s fun to get a story which brings almost all of the main characters from both sides of Phineas and Ferb’s world together in the same place.

Episode #10:
Phineas and Ferb Save Summer
Season 4

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Monty hiding behind a wall.

Season 4 has a bunch of feature-length episodes, and there are several I could’ve chosen to include here! This time, we’re going with Phineas and Ferb Save Summer – an exciting story which sees Doofenshmirtz’s evil scheme succeed, leading to his organisation trying to take over the world by forcing the planet into a new ice age! Although the boys and Doof are kept separate, their stories come together in the best way possible, leading to Phineas and the gang undoing the damage.

I really enjoyed seeing a different side of Doofenshmirtz. After his initial scheme succeeds, he gets swept along by other evil scientists – notably his nemesis, Rodney – and feels increasingly uncomfortable with the things they’re doing. We also see Perry’s animal colleagues at the OWCA captured after Major Monogram gets fired, leaving Carl and Monty in charge. There’s a fun battle sequence between the animal agents and the evil scientists, and Candace gets a sub-plot about achieving her childhood goals and overcoming a phobia. There’s a lot going on – and it’s all great fun!

So that’s it… for now!

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb showing Candace staring at the boys on a TV screen. — *Phineas and Ferb* will be back on our screens in a couple of months!

There are literally dozens more episodes I wanted to include, so stay tuned – I’d love to revisit this topic in the future and pick out another selection of episodes. If you only have time to watch (or re-watch) a handful of episodes before Season 5 premieres, though, I hope I’ve given you a few ideas for where to start!

I’m cautiously optimistic about Phineas and Ferb’s revival. I really want to see the show succeed, and I hope the writers have found new stories to tell that will really get back to what made Phineas and Ferb so enjoyable during its original run. However… I would be lying if I said I didn’t have some concerns. Setting the new season a year later is good in some ways, as it allows for character growth and could give the characters new experiences and challenges. But it could also undermine the pretty definitive ending that the series got, and I can’t help but feel that setting the new episodes in that original endless summer might’ve been a better call. I’d love to be proven wrong, though!

Behind-the-scenes photo showing the cast and crew of Phineas and Ferb Season 5 standing in front of a projection of the title screen. — The cast and crew of *Phineas and Ferb* Season 5.
*Image Credit: Dan Povenmire on Instagram*

Speaking of Season 5: when it premieres later this year I’m planning to review it, so I hope you’ll swing by for that! I’ll talk about all of the episodes and go into detail about what I liked (or didn’t like, if it comes to that). I’m definitely crossing my fingers and hoping for an enjoyable time. Back in 2020, Candace Against The Universe was pretty good, so there are reasons to be hopeful.

Until then, I hope you enjoyed this look at some of my favourite episodes from Phineas and Ferb’s first four seasons. Who knows… if Seasons 5 and 6 are successful, a renewal could be on the cards and there could be many more stories still to tell in the Tri-State Area.

Phineas and Ferb Seasons 1-4 are available to stream now on Disney+. Some episodes and films are also available on DVD and/or Blu-ray. Phineas and Ferb Season 5 is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ and the Disney Channel in the United States in June 2025. Phineas and Ferb is the copyright of Disney Television Animation and The Walt Disney Company. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation – Fifteen Years Later

Sun 08.12.24Dennis

A spoiler warning graphic (with Doofenshmirtz!)

Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Phineas and Ferb.

There aren’t many Christmas TV specials that I watch, without fail, every single festive season. In fact, the only one I can think of in that category is Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation, which premiered fifteen years ago. 2025 looks set to be the year that a revived Phineas and Ferb will be on our screens, so I thought it could be a bit of fun to look back at the special and talk about why I find it to be so… well, special.

For some context, Phineas and Ferb is a series I first encountered in adulthood. I saw a commercial for it on the Disney Channel back when I used to have a satellite TV package, and even though a cartoon aimed at kids should’ve held absolutely no appeal to me… something convinced me that this was a show I needed to take a look at. And I’m so glad that I did! In the years since I watched those first episodes, Phineas and Ferb has become one of my “comfort shows;” a piece of media that I drift back to on days when I’m feeling low, my mental health isn’t great, or I just need to switch off for a few minutes. It’s with that background that we arrive at the Christmas special.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella by a house at night. — One of the clips from the opening titles.

If you’re unfamiliar with Phineas and Ferb, practically every episode in the show takes place in one seemingly endless summer. Christmas Vacation was the first episode to be set outside of that summer break, and that makes it feel pretty special. The warm sunny days of the rest of the show are replaced with cold and snow, and the city of Danville is transformed into a winter wonderland for the kids’ activities to play out in.

I adore Christmas and the winter – and although it can be a pain to navigate, I love the way snow looks. The animators did a great job, in my opinion, at bringing the wintery world of Danville to life. The snow looks fantastic, and there’s one sequence in particular near the end where the town’s Christmas lights break through the clouds that just looks absolutely stunning. Many kids’ cartoons have moved to fully 3D computer animation, but there’s something special about this older 2D style that I think adds to the sense of magic and wonder that Christmas time brings. We’re not quite at the level of the brilliant pastel-drawn Father Christmas (that I talked about last Christmas; click or tap here if you’re interested to read more) but the animation here is fantastic.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing the town of Danville. — There’s some fantastic animation in *Christmas Vacation*.

Phineas and Ferb is a very musical series. Almost every episode has its own custom song, and there are jingles and other musical interludes as well. The soundtrack to Christmas Vacation is honestly one of the best parts; there are just so many fantastic songs that it’s hard to know where to start! I’ve talked about two of them already on previous editions of my festive playlist (I put together a list of Christmassy songs every December, in case you’ve missed it), and the fact that so many of the songs from Christmas Vacation are worth listening to in their own rights should tell you all you need to know!

I really don’t know if I could pick a favourite song. Christmas Is Starting Now, which plays at the climax of the story, should be on everyone’s festive playlist, because it’s an absolute cracker. Thank You Santa, from the end credits, is gentle and cute, and even Doofenshmirtz’s I Really Don’t Hate Christmas is a ton of fun. Each song has its own style and fits in with what’s going on for the characters on screen. For a thirty-five-minute special to cram in so many songs basically makes it a musical! And what’s great is how enjoyable all of the tracks are. I bought the CD soundtrack (which came with a few other Phineas and Ferb Christmas songs, too) and I love it.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Doofenshmirtz and some backing dancers. — There are some great songs in *Christmas Vacation*… no, really!

There’s not really anything particularly ground-breaking about Christmas Vacation’s plot. You’ve seen the whole “Christmas is in danger and someone needs to step up and save it” story outline before in other productions, but the way in which the special uses Phineas and Ferb characters really makes it stand out. Of course Dr Doofenshmirtz – the self-proclaimed “evil” scientist – would be the one to threaten Christmas with another of his outlandish inventions! And of course it would fall to Phineas, Ferb, and their friends to invent something capable of saving Christmas for everyone! But how the special uses the characters and gets to those moments is what makes the story so fantastic.

Doofenshmirtz is – I would argue – Phineas and Ferb’s real breakout character. And his arc in the Christmas special is a microcosm of why people find this character so fun and even relatable. For all of his proclamations about being “evil” and wanting to rule the Tri-State Area with an iron fist, Doofenshmirtz is actually a complex individual – something we see this time through his relationship with Christmas. He feels he has to hate the holiday, as many of his colleagues do, but without any reason to do so, he struggles. The inner conflict between wanting to be “evil” and his generally alright nature (no, I can’t call him “good!”) comes to the fore, and makes this side of the story far more nuanced and interesting than if he was just a moustache-twirling villain.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Dr Doofenshmirtz. — Doofenshmirtz is conflicted about Christmas.

I am a total sucker for the whole “Christmas is in danger, someone has to save it!” story trope – and I’ll confess that up front! These kinds of stories are (almost) always a blast for me, and seeing people come together or work hard to ensure that everyone gets to have a merry Christmas is a narrative cliché at this time of year, but it’s one I’ll honestly never get tired of. Throwing some peril or jeopardy into a Christmas story gives characters a reason to work together – and Phineas and Ferb executes it brilliantly.

In Christmas Vacation, we have the double rug-pull of Phineas believing that Christmas being cancelled and Santa deeming the whole town to be “naughty” could be his fault, and that gives him added motivation for stepping up to bring Christmas back to everyone. This misunderstanding would be resolved at the end for Phineas – and of course, we knew all along that he didn’t have anything to do with it – but it’s a surprisingly clever moment of characterisation that adds to the stakes for Phineas in particular.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Phineas holding a letter. — Phineas comes to believe it’s *his* fault that Christmas has been cancelled.

Phineas and Ferb has always been a series with engineering and technology at its centre. There are plenty of fantastical elements to go along with it (I mean, two kids building a rollercoaster in an afternoon isn’t exactly “realistic”) but within the world of the show itself, these things are depicted as feats of design, engineering, and construction rather than anything magical. And Christmas Vacation continues that trend, even extending it to this version of Santa Claus and his elves. The way the North Pole receives “naughty or nice” information is by satellite, not by some kind of magic process, and while the elves are still, I suppose, magical creatures, the way they’re depicted with handheld scanners and computer equipment is much more down-to-earth than in many comparable productions.

Though Perry the Platypus gets less to do in Christmas Vacation than he does in some other stories, there are some fun moments with him. I particularly liked the OWCA Christmas party at the beginning of the episode, as it’s cute to see Major Monogram, Carl, and some of the other animal agents in a different setting. We very rarely get to see Monogram or really anyone else from the OWCA outside of work, so seeing them let their hair (and fur) down for Christmas was really sweet.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Major Monogram and Perry at the OWCA party. — Monogram, Perry, and several animal agents at the OWCA Christmas party.

The relationship between Doofenshmirtz and Perry can feel a little one-sided (only one of them can talk, after all), but the end of the episode shows them exchanging Christmas gifts. Perry bought Doofenshmirtz his favourite candy, showing that he knows him quite well and does have some affection for him, even if he can be difficult and stopping some of his schemes can be an annoyance! As an epilogue to their side of the story, the gift-giving scene was particularly cute.

Candace’s storyline intersects with the boys’ after a while, but it starts out with her obsessing over whether she got Jeremy the right present. All of this is in character for her, and when I reviewed Candace Against The Universe a few years ago I talked a bit more about how Candace’s mental health came into focus. While I would never say I dislike this side of the episode, for me it’s perhaps the weakest individual storyline – especially at first. By the time Candace rejoins her brothers on the mission to save Christmas, things definitely improve for her. Sometimes Candace can just feel a little… stuck? Not sure if that’s exactly the right word. But Christmas Vacation does give her a bit of an expanded role, one less focused on “busting,” which is always nice to see.

Candace on the robo-sleigh with Santa’s elves.

Santa Claus himself, though only present right at the end of the story, is revealed to have known about everything all along – and I think that was a great way to handle it! In order to grant everyone their Christmas wish, Santa orchestrated the entire plot of the episode – from Doofenshmirtz’s Naughty-Inator to Phineas getting a chance to be just like him for one Christmas. Tying everything together through the omniscient Santa Claus was a creative way to link up the different storylines in the special, and it worked really well.

I love the sequence of the townspeople all coming together to decorate for Christmas and to say a big “thank you” to Santa Claus. The song that accompanies it is fantastic, too, and the whole thing just has a really special Christmassy vibe. Again, the idea of people coming together to do something nice for others at this time of year just gives me the warm, cozy feels!

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing the Christmas lights at night. — The lights on Christmas Eve.

So I guess that’s all I have to say for now. Phineas and Ferb’s co-creators, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, said at the time of its release that they want people to come to see Christmas Vacation as a holiday classic – and I think, fifteen years on, we can see that process happening already. The special aired partway through the show’s excellent second season, becoming its most-viewed episode at the time of its original broadcast, and with interest in Phineas and Ferb growing as the 2010s dawned, its Christmas special definitely picked up even more attention.

Speaking for myself, there’s a lot to enjoy in Christmas Vacation. It’s a great special that puts a uniquely Phineas and Ferb spin on a fairly typical “save Christmas” story outline, and it does it in a really fun and musical way. There are some incredible songs that I enjoy listening to at this time of year, and the entire special is just a ton of fun. If you haven’t seen it yet, fire up Disney+ and give it a whirl. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

The fifteenth anniversary of Christmas Vacation was really just an excuse for me to talk about one of my favourite shows and favourite TV holiday specials. With a fifth season of Phineas and Ferb in the offing for 2025, it seems like an especially good time to revisit the show! Who knows, maybe another Christmas-themed episode is on the cards? Until then, I’ll be content to revisit Christmas Vacation… as I do every year.

Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation is available to stream now on Disney+ and may also be available on DVD. Phineas and Ferb is the copyright of The Walt Disney Company and/or Disney Television Animation. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Phineas and Ferb returns!

Wed 01.02.23Dennis

Spoiler Warning: There are minor spoilers ahead for Phineas and Ferb.

I called it, didn’t I? When Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against The Universe premiered on Disney+ a couple of years ago, I said I wondered whether it might lead to a renewal of the show… and here we are! Almost eight years after the series ended its run on the Disney Channel/Disney XD, co-creator Dan Povenmire announced on social media that Phineas and Ferb will be returning – not just for a one-off special or TV movie, not even for a single season, but for two whole seasons and a whopping 40 episodes!

I’m actually really pleased to hear this news. Phineas and Ferb is a fun series, and one I return to on days when I’m struggling with my mental health. I guess you could call it one of my “comfort shows,” so to know that there will be more episodes to get stuck into in the months and years ahead… it’s good news from my point of view!

“Mom! Phineas and Ferb are making a comeback!”

I first encountered Phineas and Ferb shortly after its premiere. Back then I had a cable TV subscription (remember those?) and I can’t remember how it came about exactly, but somehow I saw a promo or advertisement for Phineas and Ferb and thought that it looked like fun. I wouldn’t have normally given most things on the Disney Channel a second glance, but even in that short promo something must’ve leapt out at me, convincing me that this was a show I needed to see. And I’m very glad I did, clearly!

Even though I was already an adult when I first watched Phineas and Ferb, it was obvious that the show had a lot to offer beyond its young target audience. The best shows made for kids have something to offer to adults, too – and no, I don’t just mean a way to keep kids distracted and quiet so we can do other things! Phineas and Ferb had subtle jokes and references aplenty that were genuinely hilarious, and the way it told two stories that often (but not always) intersected was something original in the animated space.

There was a sense, though, that Phineas and Ferb had started to run out of steam by the time of its fourth season, and I’m not alone in thinking that. Season 4 tried out several different concepts in the form of special episodes, stories that featured new characters, different premises, and tie-ins with the likes of Marvel and Star Wars. The original formula of the show – with the boys’ inventions and the conflict between Perry and Doofenshmirtz – took a back seat.

Most of those special episodes are great fun, don’t get me wrong, but there was definitely a reason why they were made – there were fewer ideas on the table and arguably, as the show had developed and fleshed out its main characters, fewer places to take them in a way that felt interesting. This is a hurdle that the renewed Phineas and Ferb will have to overcome – and it may not become apparent at first.

One of the special episodes in Season 4 was a “zombie” story!

When the show returns, I expect that most fans will welcome it back with open arms. Those first few episodes will re-establish Phineas and Ferb and its format, reintroducing its characters, and if the show basically does what it did from Seasons 1-3, a lot of folks will be thrilled. The question, though, is really whether that format can sustain another forty episodes without something happening to shake things up.

I’m not particularly concerned about questions of “canon” in a show like Phineas and Ferb. It is worth noting, though, that the show has an internal timeline of sorts, and not only that, but Season 4 provided two episodes that come together to give its story a pretty definitive finale: Act Your Age and The Last Day of Summer. There have also been main character crossovers in the series Milo Murphy’s Law – but as far fewer people watched that show, I don’t think it matters in the same way, and there’s definitely enough creative freedom to overwrite some of these things.

Dr Doofenshmirtz in *Milo Murphy’s Law*.

Having said that, the questions of timing and setting crop up. Will these new episodes take place in the same endless summer as last time, or would they be set further along the timeline – perhaps during the school year or even in the next summer? With Doofenshmirtz supposedly converted to the “good” side by summer’s end, how would that work for his character?

I don’t think that Phineas and Ferb could realistically get away with making Doofenshmirtz a “good guy.” The original format worked so well specifically because his story and his evil schemes stood in contrast to the boys’ shenanigans, so somehow that has to be retained. But it has to be done in a way that doesn’t undo all of the development Doofenshmirtz got over the course of the show’s run; it’s not unfair to call him the breakout character, and a big part of that is because his character arc, such as it is, portrayed him sympathetically, despite his self-described “evil” nature.

Being “evil” is a huge part of Doofenshmirtz’s character – and something the renewed series shouldn’t try to jettison.

It’s a challenge to walk that line: to bring the show back and retain its signature formula, all the while avoiding taking key characters backwards and regressing their development. The most important one to get right in this regard is Doofenshmirtz, though Buford’s status as a semi-reformed yet still self-described “bully” is also of note.

Speaking of characters, it hasn’t been confirmed at this stage whether all – or even any – of the original voice cast will be back. With one notable exception, they all returned for Candace Against The Universe in 2020, though, so I would hope that negotiations are at an advanced stage and the voice cast will all reprise their roles. One or two absences can be worked around – this isn’t a Rick & Morty type of situation, where that series has just lost (for totally understandable reasons) its main voice actor and the person who voiced both of the titular characters. It would still be unfortunate, though, if Phineas and Ferb had to make significant changes to its cast.

Somehow, *Phineas and Ferb* will have to reassemble (most of) its original voice cast.

Someone else who doesn’t seem to have signed onto the project yet is co-creator Jeff “Swampy” Marsh. Marsh and Povenmire created Phineas and Ferb together, and it’s noteworthy that Marsh has yet to comment publicly on the series being revived. He also provided the voice of Major Monogram, directed a handful of episodes, and was credited with writing more than a dozen – including some of the show’s most popular and best-remembered stories. I’m sure that Disney (and Dan Povenmire) will be working in private to get him back, but his loss would be significant for the show if those efforts fall through.

Without Marsh, and with the main voice actors also not being signed up, I can’t help but wonder if this announcement may have been a little premature. If things don’t go to plan and major voice actors aren’t able to rejoin the project, that would be a real shame – and would put a downer on things as Phineas and Ferb returns, so I really hope that Disney will pull out all the stops to make it happen.

*Phineas and Ferb* co-creators Dan Povenmire (left) and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh.
*Image Credit: IMDB*

Although Disney Channel shows have tended to be one-and-done things, it’s hardly something new in the animated space for a series to be continued. Look at the likes of Tom and Jerry, the Looney Tunes, or Scooby-Doo – the latter of which has just been reworked on HBO Max as Velma… actually, maybe the less said about that last example the better!

But the point stands: some animated shows become classics, and have a lifespan far beyond what may have been intended – or even hoped for – at the time they were created. If you’d told William Hanna and Joseph Barbera that new incarnations of their characters and stories would still be being created and enjoyed in the 2020s, I doubt they’d have believed it! So there’s plenty of scope for Phineas and Ferb to come back, and perhaps even to iterate and modernise some of its stories for a new decade and a new audience – some of whom will literally be the children of the kids and teens who watched the show when it first debuted.

The very first shot of the premiere episode of the series.

So I’m thrilled to welcome back Phineas and Ferb, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the first batch of new episodes when they’re ready. I’m not expecting to see anything imminently – animation takes time, and although the announcement has been made, it’s clear that the revived Phineas and Ferb is still at a very early stage in its pre-production. In addition to the obvious voice cast, producers, directors, writers, and animators all need to be signed up before work can begin. We’re probably a year or two away from the first episodes being ready… but I’m happy to wait.

This was a bit of a surprise announcement – albeit one that I felt Candace Against The Universe paved the way for – and although it may have been a little early or even premature, it’s certainly succeeded at getting fans hyped up and talking on social media. I’m genuinely excited to have more adventures in the tri-state area with Phineas, Ferb, Candace, Perry, Doofenshmirtz, and the whole gang when the series is ready!

Phineas and Ferb Seasons 1-4 are available to stream now on Disney+. Seasons 5 and 6 are currently in pre-production and have no premiere date scheduled. Phineas and Ferb is the copyright of The Walt Disney Company. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.