Can't Stop Coffin

"Can't Stop Coffin" is an episode of the Happy Tree Friends internet series, the second of the third season, and fifty-sixth overall.

HTF Episode Description
Cuddles plays baseball and ends up buried alive, drowned and crushed!

Plot
During a backyard baseball game, Cuddles hops a fence to retrieve a ball thrown by Cro-Marmot. When he lands on the other side of the fence, however, he finds himself in an empty coffin sitting in a grave. He tries to lift the lid off the coffin a few times, but his attempts are thwarted by Lumpy who shovels dirt into the grave, weighing down the lid of the coffin. Because Lumpy is listening to music on a pair of headphones, he can't hear Cuddles' screams.

Inside the coffin, the panicking bunny scratches the lid as a vain attempt to free himself. He lights a match, revealing that he's worn away his fingers to the bone and left scratches and blood traces all over the lid of the coffin. The match ends up setting the coffin ablaze and Cuddles screams in terror. Lumpy, meanwhile, smells the smoke coming from the ground and imagines a steak.

Cuddles' ears and head have been burned, but luckily for him, water starts pouring into the coffin via a hose Lumpy is using. Unfortunately, the coffin begins flooding. Lumpy ties a knot in the hose, but not before the coffin is completely flooded. Lumpy then tries to drive away in his truck, but he accidentally puts it in reverse and drives onto the grave he just buried Cuddles in. Frustrated, he puts the car in drive and steps on the gas, causing the wheel to spin and his truck to sink deeper into the mud. As a result of this, Pop and Cub, who are mourning at a grave nearby, get splattered with mud. To make matters worse, the headstone behind Lumpy's truck flies out and crushes Cub.

Cuddles is just about to drown when Lumpy's tire destroys the lid of the coffin. This removes the water, but now the tire spins against Cuddles' face, scraping his skin off while he screams in agony. In The Mole's home, underground, the coffin falls down and knocks The Mole's refrigerator further underground. The Mole walks up to the coffin, thinking it to be his refrigerator, and opens the lid up. He reaches in, pulls out one of Cuddles' eyes, and polishes it on his shirt before walking away.

Cuddles falls out of the coffin and crawls on the floor, deformed and groaning in pain and exhaustion. Before he can make it far, however, Lumpy's truck falls through the ground and crushes Cuddles. Meanwhile, The Mole watches TV, sitting behind a coffee table where there sits an apple eaten down to the core and Cuddles' eye eaten in the same way.

Moral
"Don't be afraid to get dirt under your fingernails!"

Blurb
The Blurb version contains these annotations:


 * BlurB! : Just stating at the start it's the blurb version of the episode (the grammatical error is intentional).
 * Cuddles is a lefty : This is shown during the beginning of the episode, where Cuddles is shown holding the ball with his left hand.
 * The first modern baseball field was invented in 1845 : Shown as a factual annotation, as modern baseball field was invented in 1845. This is shown also in the beginning, after the first annotation.
 * They probably had bases : Following the previous annotation, where the field possibly had bases just like the fields today.
 * Hey beaver beaver beaver : This is shown after Cuddles threw the ball, showing the shot with Toothy which is ready to get (swing) the ball.
 * SWING! : This annotation is shown soon after the previous one, where Toothy swings his large tail to swing the ball.
 * We go through a lot of balls when Russell plays : Shown when Russell caught the ball from Toothy's swing with his hook.
 * This same thing happens when he picks his nose : A continuation from the previous annotation, which is a joke for Russell. This is shown as Russell had difficulty in throwing the ball which is stuck to his hook.
 * Maybe he should use the other hand : This annotation function as a suggestion for Russell to use his other hand instead of his hook to throw the ball.
 * Now we know why Cro-Marmot always carries a big bat : This annotation is shown as a question, playing on Cro-Marmot's habit of always holding a big bat.
 * Because he's the best hitter on the team : This is shown as Cro-Marmot swings the ball (offscreen) far enough to go through the fence.
 * Mickey Mantle hit a home run 656 feet : A random fact about baseball player Mickey Mantel.
 * but he was not in a big block of ice : A followup to the previous annotation, jokingly comparing the difference betewwn Mickey Mantle and Cro-Marmot.
 * Cuddles learned to climb in boot camp : Shown when Cuddles climbs up a fence to retrieve the baseball.
 * Never got the landing part down : A followup to the previous annotation, shown when Cuddles falls into a coffin at the bottom of a very deep hole.
 * Lygophobia is the fear of being in a dark place : Pops up when Cuddles is shown inside the dark coffin.
 * How did this hole get so huge? : The Blurb pointing out a goof in which the hole containing the coffin seemingly grows in size.
 * Taphophobia is the fear of being buried alive : Shown when Lumpy starts shoveling dirt on the coffin.
 * Lumpy always has a tune in his head : Shown when Lumpy is apparently seen listening to music while shoveling more dirt into the hole.
 * Those headphones haven't worked in 3 years : A followup to the previous annotation, joking that Lumpy is stupid enough to try to listen to music through a broken headset.
 * Why is he burying an empty coffin? : Points out a goof (listed below) in which Lumpy buries a (to his knowledge) empty coffin.
 * Well it WAS empty A followup to the previous annotation.
 * This reminds me of a bad joke : The blurb is about to tell the viewer such a joke.
 * Do you know what Elvis would be doing if he were alive right now? : A followup to the previous annotation; the "question" part of the joke.
 * Scratching at the lid of his coffin! : The punchline of the "bad joke", shown when Cuddles is shown scratching at the coffin's lid.
 * I told you it was bad : The Blurb acknowledging the poor taste of the joke.
 * Where did he get that match? : Shown when Cuddles gets a match seemingly out of nowhere and lights it.
 * He should get his money back on that manicure : Points out that the skin on Cuddles' fingernails has been ripped off by his previous scratching.
 * The USDA recommends cooking rabbit to an internal temperature of at least 160F. : Shown when the inside of the coffin is lit on fire by Cuddles' match.
 * Some people refer to marinate it for 8 hours in a dry red wine before smoking : Seen when smoke is shown emenating from the (now fully buried) coffin.
 * It tastes nothing like steak : Shown when the image of a steak pops up in Lumpy's thoughts.
 * The average bathtub holds 151 liters of water : Shown when the inside of the coffin is being flooded.
 * Why is he watering a grave? : Appears when Lumpy is shown doing just that.
 * Hey, wasn't this hole next to a fence? : Yet again pointing out a goof where the fence in front of the grave seemingly disappears.
 * There is a city in Arizona named Tombstone : A random fact about Arizona.
 * Not sure how much water the average coffin holds : Shown when the water level inside the coffin rises.
 * Or how long rabbits can hold their breath : A followup to the previous annotation.
 * The world's record for holding your breath under water is 19 minutes and 21 seconds : Another random little fact as the water continues to rise.
 * Even though he cannot find a spigot at the end of a hose: See below.
 * Lumpy can tie a mean slippery eight loop knot! : Lumpy ties a knot in the hose.
 * This is a seriously bad hare day! : Shown as Cuddles panicks because the coffin is now completely filled with water.
 * Same truck Lammy steals in "A Bit of A Pickle" : Shown when Lumpy is shown driving the a truck similar to the one that Lammy stole in a future episode.
 * Except for these wooden side thingies : The blurb points out that the truck Lammy stole did not have wooden sides in the back like the one shown here.
 * Of course she was a better driver : Joking that Lammy is a better driver than Lumpy. Shown when Lumpy drives the car backwards by accident.
 * Lost his license : Lumpy has crashed into the gravesite.
 * somewhere in his sock drawer : Joking that Lumpy is so incompitent that he cannot find his own driver's license in his sock drawer.
 * When stuck in the mud it is best to gently rock the vehicle out: Lumpy got his car stuck in the grave and is having some trouble getting out, attempting to do so by jamming on the gas.
 * Or at least make sure there are no bears around: The back wheel of the car causes the headstone to be launched toward Pop & Cub, who are visiting a grave site (thus crushing Cub.)
 * Could this be a clue about what happened to Cub's mom? The Blurb questions whether or not Pop visiting a grave site implies the fate of Cub's mother.
 * Or was he just shopping for headstones? : The Blurb jokes about the real reason Pop and Cub were at that exact locaion.
 * Modelled after the Shelley Winters scene in the Poseidon Adventure! : Shown when Cuddles continues drowning.
 * Except this part : "This part" being when the tire on Lumpy's truck bursts through the lid of the coffin.
 * Also lost some cheese in that sock drawer : A followup to the annotation saying that Lumpy lost his license in his sock drawer; shown as Lumpy descends deeper into the hole.
 * That's keeping your nose to the Firestone! : A play on the phrase "Keep your nose to the grindstone" shown when the tire shears Cuddles' face in half.
 * That pumpkin must mean this is a halloween episode: Points out the pumpkin in The Mole's kitchen.
 * Hey wasn't that lid destroyed by the truck fire? : Points out the goof in which the previously destroyed coffin lid appears completely intact.
 * Rabbits will stay fresh for 1 to 2 days if refrigerated : Shown when The Mole mistakes the coffin for a refridgerator.
 * However cartoon eyeballs stay fresh indefinitely :Shown when The Mole pulles Cuddles' eye out of the coffin, mistaking said eyeball for an apple.
 * Mole saliva contains a toxic acid that will paralyze their prey : Shown when The Mole prepares to eat the eyeball.
 * Kakorrhaphiophobia is the fear of defeat : Shown when Cuddles drops out of the coffin and tries to crawl away.
 * Thanatophobia is the fear of dying : Lumpy's truck comes crashing down on top of Cuddles.
 * Doesn't even wear socks : The Blurb makes a joking reference to the two previous annotations that say he lot items in his sock drawer even though he doesn't wear socks.
 * Thinks "The Mole" reality TV show is about him : The Mole is watching TV in his living room.
 * An eyeball a day keeps the optometrist away! : The iris out closes in on Cuddles' eyeball, which has now taken the shape of an apple core (likely because The Mole ate it.)
 * And now because it never gets old
 * The Comedy Robot!
 * We're going to search our candy for razorblades : Refers to the old wives' tale that seedy-looking people put razors into trick-or-treat candy to play a joke on the children.

Deaths

 * 1) Cub is crushed by a headstone.
 * 2) Cuddles is crushed by Lumpy's truck.

Goofs

 * 1) Warren Graff (voice of Toothy) is not listed in the credits.
 * 2) The directions of Lumpy's antlers change numerous times throughout the episode, sometimes during continuous shots.
 * 3) It makes no sense that Lumpy would bury (to his knowledge) an empty coffin (unless this was done as a sign of Lumpy's stupidity). This was mentioned in the blurb.
 * 4) *It should be noted that the episode didn't actually mention that Lumpy was burying a empty coffin or even if he was a grave shifter. Considering that Lumpy knew what he was doing, he could have hidden a corpse in the coffin, which actually would make sense since Lumpy kills characters a lot. He parked a big truck in the middle of the graveyard and was attempting to hide the buried coffin with water (so the soil dug would become the same color of the untouched soil, hiding any suspicious evidence).
 * 5) The antenna on Lumpy's headset is originally on the left earphone, but it changes to the right earphone right before he ties up the hose.
 * 6) The grave Cuddles fell into was right next to a fence. Later in the episode, however, Lumpy's truck is parked in front of the grave, with no fence in sight when he drives backwards onto the grave. This was also mentioned in the blurb.
 * 7) Though Lumpy's truck destroys the lid of the coffin, the lid is present when the coffin falls into The Mole's home. The blurb also mentions this.
 * 8) When Lumpy breaks the lid of the coffin, Cuddles does not show any signs of having almost drowned (i.e., not breathing heavily and being able to scream loudly).
 * 9) The scratches Cuddles made on the lid of the coffin are gone when The Mole opens the coffin.
 * 10) The position of The Mole's mole changes when he's sitting on his couch.

Trivia

 * Lumpy has the same truck Lammy "steals" in A Bit of a Pickle. (This was mentioned in the blurb)
 * Through Pop and Cub's presence at the cemetery, this episode seems to support the notion that Pop is a widower rather than a divorced father, and even the Blurb hints this.
 * This is one of the few episodes where a character suffers throughout the duration of the episode.
 * Inside The Mole's house is a miscarved pumpkin like the ones from Out of Sight, Out of Mime.
 * As with the previous episode, Dean MacDonald is listed in the credits as a character with no voice (this time, The Mole, previously Cro-Marmot).
 * The Mole was able to eat offscreen in this episode despite the fact that we never see his mouth. This is similar to how Handy can perform hand-related tasks off screen, and Cro-Marmot also being able to do the same things, like throwing a baseball, which he actually did in this episode.
 * This is the first time Russell survives an episode in the internet series shorts.
 * The release of the blurb on the 8th of October 2010 is possibly an early celebration to Halloween.
 * This is the first episode that Cuddles stars in since Let it Slide.
 * This is one of the six episodes to be remastered for the Blurb version. The others are Class Act, Blind Date, Just Desert, Stealing the Spotlight, Nuttin' but the Tooth, and Shard at Work.
 * When The Mole was watching TV at the end of the episode, a scene from A Change of Heart can be heard.
 * This is the last Halloween-themed episode of Happy Tree Friends to use the original Halloween theme.
 * This is the first episode to star Lumpy since From A to Zoo.
 * There are no female characters in this episode.
 * All deaths in this episode involve getting crushed.
 * The 2010 movie "Buried" is loosely similar to this episode (both (debatable) the main characters die, but in different ways, Paul suffocates from sand and Cuddles is crushed by Lumpy's car).