The Father

"The Father" is the sixth episode of Season 6 of The Amazing World of Gumball. It is the 202nd episode overall.

Synopsis
The kids try to help Richard bond with Frankie.

Plot
The episode begins at nighttime with Frankie coming for a visit where he sees the Watterson’s house with a variety of things strewn around the front door. Richard opens the door wearing a nose mask very much looking like Frankie’s snout and is very happy to see him making it for "Vermin Man Day". At the backyard, the kids greet their grandfather with a hug and Frankie gives Nicole a wreath that he apparently stole from someone else's grave as a present. Granny Jojo and Louie are also there and the former is not happy with Frankie's presence. The seven Wattersons proceed to do a dance and sing a song about the “Vermin Man” and burn a wooden statue that resembles Frankie. After the ceremony, Richard reassures Frankie that the "Vermin Man" isn't about him and that his mother told him it's a tradition as old as time - written by the pilgrims when they were all abandoned by their deadbeat fathers, the British. Feeling guilty, Frankie corrects Richard that Jojo made it up because she can't stand him, and she coldly replies that she invented it to distract Richard from remembering the day Frankie left them (also because she can't stand him). A remorseful Frankie apologizes to Richard for abandoning him and solemnly leaves the house.

The next day, Richard is feeling depressed over Frankie and the kids try to cheer up their dad with music, which doesn't work. They then take him to Joyful Burger to comfort-eat his heart out, where he discusses that Frankie's absence throughout his childhood left him emotionally troubled and how there's too much time to catch up. Despite having been fed with large amounts of food while playing in the ball pit, Richard's mood stays diminished. The kids take him to a hill for cloud watching which every cloud just reminds him more of his dad.

Back at home, having no other solutions left, the kids convince Richard to talk to Frankie about it, in which Richard is reluctant as he now sees his father as a con-man, and starts crying about how there's nothing he can do about fixing the past. Gumball encourages him to try and fix their relationship for the future instead and have Frankie and Richard spend time with each other starting now.

The father-son bonding montage starts with Richard and Frankie playing catch with a football, but Frankie reveals that he stole the ball from the Fitzgeralds, with Patrick tackling Richard from behind while Polly elbow-drops him. Later, Frankie gives Richard a watch as a present, before revealing that the watch is stolen and promptly runs off as the police attack Richard. In a bathroom, Frankie is teaching Richard how to shave, before telling him to run from the mansion they are trespassing in as the guard dogs chase Frankie. After that, they are seen in a car, in which Frankie is teaching Richard how to drive before revealing that they are in a getaway car for a bank robbery, but Richard panics and drives away, leaving the robbers behind to get arrested. Lastly, Frankie and Richard are seen fishing, only to show that they are on a freeway bridge and fishing for handbags from cars.

Finally having had enough, Richard takes his leave, but a confused Frankie calls out to him and wonders what went wrong. Richard says that he is not having a fun time because of Frankie's criminal habits integrated into their bonding, but Frankie becomes desperate to make up for it. After further frustrating his son, Frankie finally confesses to Richard that he didn't want him to follow his example and praises him for being a better parent than him. Richard admits that he didn't start off good, but he was inspired to do better by his children and convinces Frankie to do so too for the future. Touched by this, Frankie sincerely apologizes to his son for everything and the two finally make peace with each other, with Richard revealing he's started to pick up his father's pickpocketing skills.

Main Characters

 * Richard
 * Frankie
 * Gumball
 * Darwin
 * Anais

Minor Characters

 * Nicole
 * Louie
 * Granny Jojo
 * Rat
 * Larry
 * Pear (Debut)
 * Hot Dog Guy
 * Pantsbully
 * Joan
 * Nurse
 * Patrick
 * Polly
 * Earl
 * Coffee Cop
 * Female Coffee Cop
 * Soda Cop
 * French Fries
 * Cube Dogs
 * Bank Robbers
 * Pest Controller
 * Mrs. Robinson
 * Marvin
 * Jeff
 * Hank
 * Martin
 * Butterknife
 * George
 * Hamburger Cop
 * Charlie
 * Betty
 * Spray-Paint Bottle
 * Gnome
 * Bobby
 * Teal Tow Truck Driver
 * Soulless Office Worker
 * Cupcake Woman
 * Melted Cheese Guy
 * Newspaper Employee
 * Principal Brown
 * Cowboy

Trivia

 * This episode unexpectedly aired on January 26, 2018 replacing "The Cage."

Continuity

 * This is Frankie's third major role. The first two were "The Signature" and "The Outside."
 * Music from "The Outside" is reused.
 * This episode marks the first mention of Pollie Fitzgerald's name, though it is misspelled on the football as "POLLY."

Cultural References

 * "The Vermin Man" song is a parody of “The Maypole Song” from the 1973 film "The Wicker Man."

Goofs/Errors

 * Marvin Finklehimer appears in multiple cars on the expressway during the climax.