Phineas and Ferb Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Phineas and Ferb Wiki

I'm a Super-Computer. I can answer any question you could possibly ask.

— Super-Computer

When Candace discovers that Phineas and Ferb have invented a computer that can answer anything, she asks it how she can finally bust her brothers once and for all. Meanwhile, Dr. Doofenshmirtz loses the key to his latest invention, the "All Purpose-inator," and Agent P must find it before he does.

Episode Summary[]

Linda comes by the backyard and gives Phineas and Ferb some granola bars for them to eat. Since their mom has done a lot of nice things for them, they decide to do something for her. Their friends come by, and Isabella and Baljeet suggest cleaning up the house or buying a slide rule, respectively. Buford asks how he is supposed to know since he's not a computer, which gives Phineas and Ferb the idea of building a Super Computer to ask what to do for their mom. As they do so, Linda goes to a new salon for a free hairstyle with a coupon while Candace sits bored on a sofa.

Meanwhile, Major Monogram reports to Perry about some holes appearing throughout the Tri-State Area, and he suspects that Doofenshmirtz has something to do with it.

The kids start to build the Super Computer. As soon as Agent P gets to Doofenshmirtz's lair, he gets trapped in a quick drying cement.

Beam sweep

The Super Computer scans Danville.

The Super Computer makes an initial scan of the entire Tri-State Area. The kids test it by asking simple questions, and it gets all of their questions correct. Finally, they ask what they should get for Linda. The computer says that they would have to get a gallon of industrial marking dye and a leaf blower, tie balloons on them, and then go to the top of Danville Hill and release them exactly at 2:37 pm. As the kids leave, Candace goes to the backyard and sees the Super Computer.

Doofenshmirtz explains that the Metal-Unearth-inator isn't his main plan. Doofenshmirtz built it because when he was putting the final touches on his All-Purpose-inator, a device that can do anything, he slipped on green paint and dropped the key that activates the All-Purpose-inator on the ground, and a gopher then took it away. As a result, he built the Metal-Unearth-inator to attract any metal object.

Back at the Flynn-Fletcher household, Candace asks the Super Computer how she can make her mom see what Phineas and Ferb have done. The computer says that she has to build a device, and starts to list the necessary items, which Candace writes down.

Meanwhile, Doofenshmirtz's Metal-Unearth-inator keeps getting metal helmets until it gets a chisel and a hammer, which he throws back, inadvertently helping Perry escape from the dry cement. Perry and Doofenshmirtz then arm themselves with gladiator gear and start to fight each other.

At the same time, the kids release the balloons on top of Danville Hill and proceed to follow them. Candace successfully builds the device to show Phineas and Ferb's actions and Linda comes home upset because of her awful hairdo.

While fighting Doofenshmirtz, Perry loses his mace and throws some helmets at Doofenshmirtz, which knocks him down, and hits the Metal-Unearth-inator, attracting the Super Computer with the key and the gopher. The balloons carrying the dye and leaf blower arrive overhead, and the gopher falls onto them, and the dye lands on Linda's head while the gopher turns on the leaf blower and dries her hair, causing her hair to look better, which makes her happy.

Doofenshmirtz picks up a sound made by the Metal-Unearth-inator. As he checks it, he sees the Super Computer heading towards him and Perry quickly escapes. The Super Computer and the All-Purpose-inator explode, and Doofenshmirtz starts to curse Perry, but the roof of his building falls right on top of him and explodes.

Transcript[]

Read the transcript of Ask a Foolish Question.

Songs[]

Gallery[]

Click here to view more images from "Ask a Foolish Question".
View the image gallery for "Ask a Foolish Question".

Running Gags[]

I know what we're gonna do today![]

Buford: How do I know what adults like? What am I, a computer?
Phineas: That's it! I know what we're gonna do today. We're gonna make a super computer!

The "Too Young" Line[]

Phineas: Whole-grain and fat-free. You know us so well.
Linda: Yes, yes I do.
Candace: Did my brothers make you?
Super-Computer: Yes, Yes they did.

Ferb's Line[]

Phineas and Ferb repeatedly gasp when they were thinking on what they should get for their Mom
Candace: So when mom looked in the mirror on that thing I built, she saw what you've done?
Phineas: That's right.
Ferb: And by the way, nice use of the accordion arm.
Candace: Ugh, I hate computers.

What'cha doin'?[]

Isabella: Hey Phineas! What'cha doin'?
Phineas: We're trying to think of a nice thing we can do for Mom. Any ideas?
Isabella: You could clean up the whole house for her.
Baljeet: Or, you could get her a classic wooden slide rule from analog emporium.
Buford: How would I know what adults like, what am I a computer?

Hey, where's Perry?[]

By Candace:

Linda: ...there are fat free granola bars in the fridge.
Candace: Ugh, maybe I'll feed mine to Perry. Hey, where is Perry?

By Phineas:

Phineas: Hey, where'd the computer go?

Oh, there you are, Perry[]

None.

Perry's entrance to his lair[]

He pulls one of the flowers in the bushes and reveals a secret passage to his lair.

Memorable Quotes[]

Phineas: We're gonna make a supercomputer!
Buford: What, your Mom wants a supercomputer? What is she, some kind of nerd?
Norm:(while being scanned by the supercomputer) Get out of my mind!
After Doofenshmirtz's flashback
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: ...So, I've decided to build the Metal-Unearth-inator to track down and dig up the key so I can fire up my All Purpose-inator so I can take over the Tri-State Area! ...Somehow. You know, you can put the red king on the- Hey, you're not even listening!
Candace: How do you pronounce the J in Jalapeño? (incorrectly pronounces jalapeño)
Super Computer: It makes the H sound.
Candace realizes the correct pronunciation
Candace: I knew that.
Phineas: Hurry up, Buford! It's almost 2:37.
Buford: (carrying Baljeet) Hey, I don't have balloons to lighten my load!
Baljeet: I would have walked!
Baljeet gets tripped by the fence
Baljeet: (to Buford) Sure, now you put me down!
Supercomputer explodes after getting attracted to the Metal-Unearth-inator
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Well at least I found the key to the-
All-purposeinator explodes causing the roof to fly into the air
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Nice. Curse you Perry the Plat-
The roof falls back onto the building
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: (Sigh) Why does everything explode so easily?
Another random explosion
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Yeah... I knew that was going to happen.

Background Information[]

None.

Production Information[]

International Premieres[]

  • June 25, 2011 (Family Channel)
  • July 25, 2011 (Disney Channel Latin America and Brazil)
  • September 30, 2011 (Disney Channel UK)
  • October 14, 2011 (Disney XD UK)
  • October 16, 2011 (Disney XD Spain)
  • October 20, 2011 (Disney XD Germany)
  • November 12, 2011 (Disney Channel Asia and Portugal)
  • November 27, 2011 (Disney XD Canada)
  • December 7, 2011 (Disney Channel Scandinavia)
  • December 24, 2011 (Disney XD Poland)

Errors[]

  • As in "Misperceived Monotreme", most multiple line closed captions have to be read from bottom to top instead of top to bottom.
  • In closed captioning, Adyson is misspelled as "Addison" and Milly as "Millie".
  • In most wideshots, when the Super Computer isn't talking, his mouth is yellow instead of green.
  • When Linda returns home, she has bags under her eyes, but after her hair becomes normal but shiny in color, the bags are gone. Also, she gets her hairband on, even though she didn't have it before.
  • Phineas' mouth doesn't move on the second time he gasps.
  • When Buford dances, his tooth switches from left to right for a couple of times.

Continuity[]

  • The Danville scrapyard is seen again. Also, the people in the yard mention that it's the "second best scrapyard rave ever", referring to what Vanessa says ("Brain Drain").

Allusions[]

  • The title is a reference to a common phrase, "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer".
  • Jeopardy! - The music that plays while Phineas and Ferb wonder what to do for their mom parodies the theme from the game show.
  • I, Robot - The Super Computer's declaration, "My logic is infallible", is exactly what the antagonist supercomputer declares in the 2004 film.

Trivia[]

Cast[]

Main article: Credits

designates a character that did not appear in this episode

Previous:
"Moon Farm"
Episodes Next:
"Misperceived Monotreme"
v - e - dPhineas and Ferb
Season 1
"Rollercoaster" | "Lawn Gnome Beach Party of Terror" | "Flop Starz" | "The Fast and the Phineas"
"Lights, Candace, Action!" | "Raging Bully" | "Candace Loses Her Head" | "I, Brobot"
"Run Away Runway" | "The Magnificent Few" | "S'Winter" | "Jerk De Soleil" | "Are You My Mummy?"
"Ready for the Bettys" | "I Scream, You Scream" | "Toy to the World"
"Get That Bigfoot Outa My Face!" | "It's a Mud, Mud, Mud, Mud World" | "Mom's Birthday"
"Journey to the Center of Candace" | "It's About Time!"
"Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together" | "Tree to Get Ready" | "The Ballad of Badbeard"
"Greece Lightning" | "Leave the Busting to Us!" | "Crack That Whip" | "The Best Lazy Day Ever"
"Boyfriend From 27,000 B.C." | "Voyage to the Bottom of Buford" | "A Hard Day's Knight"
"Traffic Cam Caper" | "Bowl-R-Ama Drama" | "Got Game?" | "Comet Kermillian"
"Put That Putter Away" | "Does This Duckbill Make Me Look Fat?" | "The Flying Fishmonger"
"One Good Scare Ought to Do It!" | "The Monster of Phineas-n-Ferbenstein" | "Oil on Candace"
"Out of Toon" | "Hail Doofania!" | "Out to Launch" | "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted!"
"Unfair Science Fair" | "Unfair Science Fair Redux (Another Story)"
Season 2
"The Lake Nose Monster" | "Interview With a Platypus" | "Tip of the Day"
"Attack of the 50 Foot Sister" | "Backyard Aquarium" | "Day of the Living Gelatin"
"Elementary My Dear Stacy" | "Don't Even Blink" | "Chez Platypus" | "Perry Lays an Egg"
"Gaming the System" | "The Chronicles of Meap" | "Thaddeus and Thor" | "De Plane! De Plane!"
"Let's Take a Quiz" | "At the Car Wash" | "Oh, There You Are, Perry" | "Swiss Family Phineas"
"Hide and Seek" | "That Sinking Feeling" | "The Baljeatles" | "Vanessassary Roughness"
"No More Bunny Business" | "Spa Day" | "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo"
"Phineas and Ferb Musical Cliptastic Countdown" | "Bubble Boys" | "Isabella and the Temple of Sap"
"Cheer Up Candace" | "Fireside Girl Jamboree" |"The Bully Code" | "Finding Mary McGuffin" | "Picture This"
"Nerdy Dancin'" | "What Do It Do?" | "Atlantis" | "Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!"
"Just Passing Through" | "Candace's Big Day" | "I Was a Middle Aged Robot" | "Suddenly Suzy"
"Undercover Carl" | "Hip Hip Parade" | "Invasion of the Ferb Snatchers" | "Ain't No Kiddie Ride"
"Not Phineas and Ferb" | "Phineas and Ferb-Busters!" | "The Lizard Whisperer" | "Robot Rodeo" | "The Beak"
"She's the Mayor" | "The Lemonade Stand" | "Phineas and Ferb Hawaiian Vacation" | "Nerds of a Feather"
"Wizard of Odd" | "We Call it Maze" | "Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet Max Modem!" | "The Secret of Success"
"The Doof Side of the Moon" | "Split Personality" | "Brain Drain" | "Rollercoaster: The Musical!"
"Make Play" | "Candace Gets Busted"
Season 3
"The Great Indoors" | "Canderemy" | "Run, Candace, Run" | "Last Train to Bustville"
"Phineas' Birthday Clip-O-Rama!" | "The Belly of the Beast" | "Moon Farm"
"Ask a Foolish Question" | "Misperceived Monotreme" | "Candace Disconnected"
"Magic Carpet Ride" | "Bad Hair Day" | "Meatloaf Surprise" | "Phineas and Ferb Interrupted"
"A Real Boy" | "Mommy Can You Hear Me?" | "Road Trip" | "Tour de Ferb" | "Skiddley Whiffers"
"My Fair Goalie" | "Bullseye!" | "That's the Spirit" | "The Curse of Candace"
"Escape from Phineas Tower" | "Lotsa Latkes" | "Ferb Latin"
"A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" | "Tri-Stone Area" | "Doof Dynasty" |"Excaliferb"
"Phineas and Ferb and the Temple of Juatchadoon" | "Monster from the Id" | "Gi-Ants"
"The Remains of the Platypus" | "Mom's in the House" | "Perry The Actorpus" | "Let's Bounce"
"Bully Bromance Breakup" | "Quietest Day Ever" | "The Doonkelberry Imperative‎‎"
"Meapless in Seattle" | "Delivery of Destiny" | "Buford Confidential" | "The Mom Attractor"
"Cranius Maximus" | "Agent Doof" | "Minor Monogram" | "What A Croc!" | "Sleepwalk Surprise"
"Sci-Fi Pie Fly" | "Sipping with the Enemy" | "Tri-State Treasure: Boot of Secrets" | "Doofapus"
"Norm Unleashed" | "Where's Perry?" | "Where's Perry? (Part Two)" |"Ferb TV"
"When Worlds Collide" | "What'd I Miss?" | "Road to Danville"
"This Is Your Backstory" | "Blackout!"
Season 4
"For Your Ice Only" | "Happy New Year!" | "Fly On the Wall" | "Bully Bust" | "My Sweet Ride"
"Der Kinderlumper" | "Sidetracked" | "Primal Perry" | "Mind Share" | "Backyard Hodge Podge"
"Bee Day" | "Bee Story" | "Great Balls Of Water" | "Where's Pinky?"
"Phineas and Ferb Musical Cliptastic Countdown Hosted by Kelly Osbourne"
"Knot My Problem" | "Just Desserts" | "La Candace-Cabra" | "Happy Birthday, Isabella"
"Love at First Byte" | "One Good Turn" | "Thanks But No Thanks" | "Troy Story"
"Druselsteinoween" | "Terrifying Tri-State Trilogy of Terror" | "Face Your Fear" | "Cheers for Fears"
"Steampunx" | "Just Our Luck" | "Return Policy" | "Live and Let Drive" | "Father's Day"
"Imperfect Storm" | "The Return of the Rogue Rabbit" | "It's No Picnic" | "The Klimpaloon Ultimatum"
"Operation Crumb Cake" | "Mandace" | "Lost in Danville" | "The Inator Method"
"Tales from the Resistance: Back to the 2nd Dimension" | "Doof 101" | "Act Your Age"
Season 5
"Summer Block Buster" | "Cloudy with a Chance of Mom" | "Appetite for Adventure" | "License to Bust"
"Dry Another Day" | "Deconstructing Doof" | "Tropey McTropeface" | "Biblio-Blast!" | "A Chip to the Vet"
"More Than an Intern" | "The Aurora Perry-Alis" | "Agent T (For Teen)" | "The Haberdasher"
"The Candace Suit" | "Out of Character" | "Meap Me in St. Louis"
Specials
"Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You!" | "Phineas and Ferb Save Summer"
"Night of the Living Pharmacists" | "Last Day of Summer" | "O.W.C.A. Files"
Films
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe
Crossovers
"Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel" | "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars" | "The Phineas and Ferb Effect"
Advertisement