| Dr. Ward | |
| Hello from the Magic Tavern episode | |
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| Air date | April 25, 2016 |
| Episode no. | S01E59 |
| Episode Link | |
| Cast | |
| Hosts | Arnie, Chunt, Usidore |
| Guests | Dr. Ward, psychologist |
| Production | |
| Producers | Arnie Niekamp, Evan Jacover, Ryan DiGiorgi |
| Associate Producer | {$associateproducer} |
| Editor | Ryan DiGiorgi |
| Logo | Allard Laban |
| Theme music | Andy Poland |
| Audio assistance | Jason Knox |
| Additional sound effects | InspectorJ and beman87 of Freesound.org |
| Sponsor | |
| — | |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Keeper of the Doom Horn" | "Confidential Courier" |
| List of episodes | |
"Dr. Ward" is the fifty-ninth episode of season one of Hello from the Magic Tavern. It was originally released on April 25, 2016. This episode features Shane Wilson as Dr. Ward.
Description
"This week, we’re visited by clinical psychologist Dr. Mark Ward. I can’t wait to learn about doctors in Foon!"
Summary
Arnie and Usidore discuss their worries about Chunt's curse. Chunt also reveals that the badgers around Hogsface have asked him to be their king.
The guest is Dr. Mark Ward, the Director of Clinical Psychology at the Belaroth Institute. Arnie at first asks him questions about his life in Foon, but Dr. Ward informs Arnie that he is still on Earth. following a psychotic break in a Burger King parking lot over a year ago (where Arnie was found yelling "There are other worlds!") he has been institutionalized.
While Hunt explains this Chunt and Usidore's comments grow more and more non-nonsensical, until Arnie finds himself in a hospital common room instead of the The Vermilion Minotaur. In the hospital, Usidore is John, another patient convinced he is on wizard a quest against evil, and Chunt is Chris Hunt, an orderly whose impending departure mirrors the countdown of Chunt's curse.
Arnie begins bouncing back and forth between worlds, and parallels are drawn between his last year in Foon and mundane details of the hospital, including:
- Chris Hunt is a alumnus of U of Wisconsin, making him a Badger; he is often changing shifts, and refers to himself as a Shiftchanger
- The dosage of Arnie's prescription is two suppositories, similar to Usidore and Chunt's dual buttholes
- Arnie's encounter with the Memory Gremlin was a conjugal visit with his wife Sarah
- Lunar Sword = Loony Ward
- Foon itself is the Beleroth's Institute Fork/Spoon combo, in place of a spork
Eventually Dr. Ward begins to press Arnie for details on how he traveled from Earth to Foon, and Arnie realizes Dr. Ward posses knowledge he should not have: specifically Dr. Ward repeated Usidore's full name, even though Arnie could not have told it to him because Arnie can never repeat it without error. Under questioning from Arnie with help from Usidore and Chunt he is revealed to be a strange monster/demon named Woll ta'Diznée. Woll had been tasked with learning the secret of dimensional travel from Arnie at the behest of the Dark Lord, and fears he will have to go into hiding now that he has failed. Rather than show any sympathy, Usidore stabs Woll ta'Diznée.
Emails
- A listener points out that Arnie has failed to share even rudimentary knowledge of modern sanitation with Foon, even though it could save many lives; Chunt defends Arnie
- A listener says she relates most to Chunt, leading Arnie to discuss how people always mis-classify who they are in their friend group
Epilogue
After the outro with the Mysterious Man and Craig, there is a brief scene in the Belaroth Institute between the human Dr. Ward and Chris Hunt, saying that Arnie's psychosis has worsened, and wondering why Arnie would create a whole fantastical world and then never leave the tavern.
Earth references
- The Red Badge of Courage
- Frasier
- "Umbrella" — Rihanna
Notes
A sponsor break and Bungaree Chubbins are mentioned in the end credits but neither appear in the episode.
This episode is discussed in Behind the Tavern: Season 1, Ep 5 - Shane Wilson
Behind the scenes
| Dr. Ward |
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| Dr. Ward, Arnie (not pictured: Usidore and Chunt) |