Act Your Age (Phineas and Ferb)

“Act Your Age” is the 26th episode of the fourth season of Phineas and Ferb. It originally aired on Disney Channel in the United States on February 20, 2015. The episode was directed by Robert F. Hughes, Russell Calabrese is an assistant director, and story by Dani Vetere.

In this special episode set 10 years in the future, a teenaged Phineas must decide between 2 colleges while grappling with the discovery that Isabella has had a crush on him since they were kids. Ferb and the gang try to bring the 2 together so they can admit their true feelings for each other before Isabella leaves for school. Meanwhile, Doof wants a midlife crisis and builds a Mid-Life Crisis-Inator.

Plot summary
'''In a live-action intro, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, the creators of the show, read some fan letters. One of the letters asks if they will see Phineas (Vincent Martella) and Ferb (Thomas Sangster) as teenagers, and Dan replies they will and introduce the episode taking place 10 years in the future.'''

As summer reaches its end, a teenaged Phineas is contemplating to Ferb which college or university he should go to, being the only one in their friend group who hasn’t decided where he’s going yet. Ferb suggests that Phineas get in the randomizer booth they’d installed in their room and let fate decide. Phineas gets into the booth, which is full of the many acceptance letters he had received from different schools around the world. However, he is not really sure about any of the choices he is given. Baljeet (Maulik Pancholy) comes into the room and mentions that he had just been telling Buford (Bobby Gaylor) about what life is like in college. He tells them that he has already graduated and is now a professor, and is hoping for Buford to attend his classes; though Buford is leaning towards attending film school instead. Baljeet suggests to Phineas that maybe he would be happy going to the same school as Ferb will be attending in Britain, or perhaps going to law school like Candace (Ashley Tisdale), but Phineas turns these suggestions down. He finally narrows down his choices between 2 colleges, Danville University and Tri-State State College.

At O.W.C.A., Irving (Jack McBrayer), now working as an intern, notices Doofenshmirtz’s (Dan Povenmire) inator alert going off and informs his superior, Commander Carl (Tyler Alexander Mann). Carl is surprised by this, since Doofenshmirtz had given up evil years ago, ever since he started teaching high school science. Carl decides to tell Major Monogram (Jeff “Swampy” Marsh) about the alert. Monogram, who has since retired to Bora Bora, reminisces upon hearing that Doofenshmirtz may have returned to evil, and tells his former intern to say hi to Doofenshmirtz for him. Carl then calls Perry (Dee Bradley Baker), who is also enjoying his own retirement. After hearing that Doofenshmirtz may be active again, Agent P gets back to work.

In the kitchen, Phineas, Ferb, Buford and Baljeet are all making snacks for themselves. Still on the topic of colleges and universities, Baljeet tells Phineas that Isabella (Alyson Stoner) will be attending Tri-State State, and Phineas mentions that he had not seen Isabella all that often over the past summer. Baljeet mentions that he had always believed Phineas and Isabella would have ended up as a couple by now, but Phineas says he feels as though he is stuck in the friend zone with her. Both Baljeet and Buford are amused by this thought, since they both knew about Isabella’s crush and even Ferb, though Phineas himself had no idea. Surprised by the revelation that Isabella had always had a crush on him, Phineas decides to clear his head by going for a walk. Buford and Baljeet then decide to try to get Phineas and Isabella together before she leaves.

Meanwhile, at the building formerly known as Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated (the word “evil” has since been removed from the sign), Perry arrives to visit his old grey-haired nemesis. Doof is confused to see Perry today, since it is not bowling day, but then realizes that he must have set off the inator alert. Perry gestures toward a menacing-looking machine behind him, and Doofenshmirtz assures Perry his latest inator is not evil, and that the menacing-looking machine behind them isn’t even the inator. The real inator is a gold chain he had been working on, which, when activated, will help him go through a Mid-Life Crisis so he can fit in with other people his age, which he explains through song. After the inator is charged up, Doofenshmirtz’s mid-life crisis begins.

At the Nosh Olé Mexican-Jewish Café, the now teenage Fireside Girls discuss the art of manipulation when Ginger (Ming-Na Wen) attempts to persuade Baljeet to go to the movie she wants to see, rather than the one he wants to see. Isabella, who is working as a waitress there for her mom (Eileen Galindo), brings the girls their order. Gretchen (Ariel Winter) asks where Baljeet is, and Ginger replies he is at Phineas’s house. The girls also contemplate how Phineas and Isabella are not a couple. Deciding that they should take it upon themselves to set Phineas and Isabella up with each other before she leaves for college, Adyson (Madison Pettis) instructs Ginger to text Baljeet about their plan. In the living room, Baljeet receives Ginger’s text, but does some manipulation of his own to make it seem like it was Ginger’s idea all along.

Doofenshmirtz, who has now dyed his grey hair black and is riding a jet-ski with Perry, crashes his jet-ski into a sailing yacht. Excited in the heat of the moment, he then suggests taking the yacht for a spin, but the yacht sinks and Doofenshmirtz’s hair dye begins to wash off in the water, making it grey again. Doofenshmirtz then decides to get a sports-car and swims his way back to shore.

At the Danville Retirement Home, Phineas meets up with Nana Shapiro (Carol Kane). Phineas tells Nana he is still indecisive about where to go to college. Nana then mentions that Isabella came over to say goodbye, which surprises Phineas since Isabella’s college does not start for another two weeks. Nana tells him she is actually leaving today as soon as her waitress shift ends at the Café. Nana Shapiro suggests he go to the restaurant if he has anything to say to her.

In the backyard, the teen Fireside Girls, Baljeet, and Buford begin setting up a romantic dinner for Phineas and Isabella. Ferb suggests to leave well alone and not force them to get together, but Adyson suggests otherwise. Gretchen explains further the romantic dinner and Katie (Soleil McGhee) ask if it doesn’t work that Buford brings the sign to show them “Think About Love.”

At a car shop, Doofenshmirtz is looking at sports cars to try out. He tries a red one, but he crashes it. The salesman tells him they have the same model in yellow. This excites Doofenshmirtz.

In the kitchen, the girls are all cooking the dinner. Baljeet suggests to Buford that he wear the cupid costume, since it worked for him and Mishti, but Buford refuses. Upon hearing about Mishti, Ginger begins to get jealous, but Adyson tells her to let it go.

In downtown Danville, Doofenshmirtz is taking his new sports car and Perry for a wild ride. During this, they latch onto a dumpster. Doofenhsmirtz lets it go at the next turn and the dumpster speeds past the restaurant.

Isabella begins to say goodbye to her mother as she gets ready to go to college. Her mom gives Isabella her final paycheck and a hug. As Isabella walks away and begins to put her paycheck in her wallet, a photo of Phineas drops out. She picks up the photo then begins to reminisce about all the past summers she spent with Phineas and contemplates What Might Have Been.

Phineas reaches the restaurant, but Vivian tells him he just missed her. She then tells him she knew about Isabella’s crush as well. Phineas leaves and does some contemplating of his own in the song about how oblivious he was to Isabella, even though, in hindsight, her attempts at romantic advances were really obvious.

Back in the backyard, Ferb puts a vase of flowers on the table and the girls believe the dinner to be perfect. They attempt to call Isabella on their cells, but various things hinder them from doing so. They are so distracted that they fail to notice the dumpster from earlier rolling into the backyard and taking the romantic dinner away.

By this point, Doofenshmirtz and Perry are in a plane about to skydive. Doofenshmirtz decides to hit on the cute jump instructor, but she pushes him out of the plane. Perry acknowledges her politely and quickly jumps out before she has the opportunity to push him too. As they fall, Perry opens both his and Doofenshmirtz’s parachutes. Doofenshmirtz decides he has had enough of his mid-life crisis and takes the inator off and drops it. Below, the inator latches onto Lawrence (Richard O’Brien), who, under the effects of the inator, rushes into the kitchen and tells Linda (Caroline Rhea) that he is impulsively going to switch his morning tea from Earl Grey to Darjeeling.

Phineas reaches Isabella’s old house, but then notices her sitting on one of the steps of his house across the street. He walks over and sits next to her. Isabella tells him she came to say goodbye since she’s heading to college early, because she has been accepted into various extracurricular activities at the school. Phineas then tells her what Baljeet said to him about her having crush on him, which Isabella admits to. She then says she gave up on the idea of getting together with him around high school, and Phineas admits that was when he began to have feelings for her. The 2 sadly contemplate the bad timing of their respective crushes on each other. Isabella then mentions that she is going to Tri-State State, which makes Phineas’s decision about which college to go to easier: he decides to attend her college so they can be together. The Fireside Girls and Baljeet, Buford and Ferb, who had come around the house from the backyard while Phineas and Isabella were talking, overhear their conversation and are happy to see that they are together now. Phineas and Isabella embrace, and Isabella gets back in her car, telling him that she’ll see him in 2 weeks, and drives away. Ferb approaches Phineas and commends him for his choice. Vanessa (Olivia Olson) then drives up in the yellow sports car and Ferb gets into the passenger’s seat. They offer Phineas a ride, to which he accepts.

While driving, Isabella comes to a stoplight, and Vanessa’s car pulls up next to hers. Phineas gets out of the backseat, and Isabella gets out of her car to ask Phineas what he is doing. Phineas replies, “This,” and then kisses her. Off to the side, watching from their car, Vanessa jokingly tells Ferb that she never realized Isabella had a thing for Phineas, to which he replies, “Seriously?” She then tells him that she knew all along, and that everyone knows, before the light changes to green and they drive off. As Phineas and Isabella kiss, she tells him that it was worth the wait, to which he agrees.

'''Swampy begins to sob uncontrollably when seeing the gang all grown up and going to college. Dan tries to console him, but excuses himself and leaves the still weepy Swampy alone.'''

End credits
Third verse of “What Might Have Been” while Swampy continues to sob in the background. During the logos, Dan yells at him to get a grip.

Part 1
(Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swamy” Marsh are seated in front of a large pile of mail, after an image of Phineas and Ferb is shown)
 * Dan Povenmire: Hey, I’m Dan.
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: And I’m Swampy. We’re the co-creators of Phineas and Ferb.
 * Dan Povenmire: The show that you’re probably watching right now.
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: Hopefully.
 * Dan Povenmire: We get letters from kids all over the world asking us questions about the show, that we…
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: No, that’s not actually true. We don’t get a lot of actual, physical “written on paper” letters…
 * Dan Povenmire: No, no. That’s true... That’s true.
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: …what we get is a lot of e-mails. Digital, electronic…
 * Dan Povenmire: Yeah. Actually, all of the e-mails we’ve ever received fit on this flash drive right here. (He holds up a flash drive) But that’s not as impressive as this…

(Dan motions to the large pile of mail sitting behind them)
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: No, this stack of, of letters here is much more impressive. This is a prop, though made mostly of, uh, foam, fiberglass, that kind of thing.
 * Dan Povenmire: Yeah. Not to say that we don’t actually get letters from people. Physical letters. Ih-like, this one, for instance, from– from Becky. This is a question we get all the time. “Are we ever going to see Perry the Platypus get a girlfriend?”
 * Dan and Swampy: No!
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: No, not gonna happen.
 * Dan Povenmire: No.
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: Here’s another one. This one is from, uh, Donny. Says: “Are we ever going to see Phineas and Ferb as teenagers?”
 * Dan Povenmire: Yes. Yes, we are.
 * Jeff “Swampy” Marsh: In fact, we’re gonna see it right now.
 * Dan Povenmire: This episode is set 10 years in the future. So don’t let it confuse you. Actually, uh, to avoid confusion, let’s, uh, let’s just synchronize our calendars right…
 * Dan and Swampy: Now!

(Teenaged Phineas and Ferb are relaxing on their beds in their room.)
 * Phineas: Ugh! I’m running out of time, Ferb. I gotta choose a school. Do I stay local or go abroad? Trade school? Art school? Come on, Ferb. Help me make a decision.
 * Ferb: Get in the booth.

(Phineas walks over to a booth which contains numerous college acceptance letters)
 * Phineas: Oh, cool! All my college acceptance letters! I guess we’re gonna let fate decide this one.

(Ferb pushes a button which activates the booth, sending the letters flying around Phineas)
 * Phineas: (He grabs one) Okay, Kjobstaad Academy. Uh, which one was that again?
 * Ferb: Mmm...great physics department, Norway.
 * Phineas: Hmm…Don’t feel I’m ready for those cold winters.

(Ferb activates the booth again)
 * Phineas: Okay. Comedy Traffic School. Well, if it’s fate…

(Ferb pushes the button a third time.)
 * Phineas: Yeah, things seemed a lot easier when we were young and waiting for our voices to drop.
 * Baljeet: (in a deep voice) Hey, guys. (he coughs and returns to his normal voice) Oh! Something was caught in my throat. So, still trying to figure out where to go to school?
 * Phineas: Workin’ on it.
 * Baljeet: I was just giving Buford some pointers on collegiate life. Since I’ve already graduated and have been accepted as a professor, I could pull some strings and get him into my school. Just think, Buford. You could be my student! I would be the boss of you!
 * Buford: Don’t get too excited. I’m goin’ to film school. I’m concentratin’ on tragedies. The story of a struggling orphan’s transcendental search for meaning in a post-apocalyptic society.
 * Baljeet: It sounds pretentious.
 * Buford: Thank you. (he takes another bite out of his sandwich)
 * Baljeet: So, Ferb, you're off to school in England?
 * Phineas: Yeah. He’s going to Camford on Oxbury. Heh heh! “Camford on Oxbury.” It sounds like a wizard school.
 * Ferb: It’s not a wizard school. Well, there is some wizarding.
 * Buford: Phineas, why don’t you just go there?
 * Baljeet: Or why not go where Candace goes to school?
 * Phineas: Law school? I don’t know.

(At law school Candace is finishing her dissertation to a panel.)
 * Candace: And that concludes my dissertation on modern investigative techniques for establishing proof of guilt with or without physical evidence.

(The panel give her a standing ovation.)
 * Male panelist: Spectacular! I’ve never had a student convince me of something so completely baseless before!
 * Female panelist: Now I feel like busting someone.

(Back inside Phineas and Ferb’s bedroom)
 * Phineas: Yeah, I don’t know if Candace’s school is the place for me. Forget the booth. I’m gonna go with my gut. (takes two envelopes) It’s between these two: Danville U and Tri-State State. Both really good schools. Looks like I have some thinkin’ to do.
 * Buford: Hey, the epic struggle of a triangle-headed boy to choose between two schools.
 * Baljeet: Pretentious alert.
 * Buford: And again, thank you.

(At the OWCA Headquarters a red light and alert go off, and a teenage Irving, now an OWCA intern, turns around to notice it. Irving dusts off the picture underneath the red light to reveal a picture of Doofenshmirtz.)
 * Irving: (on the phone) Sir, it’s the old Evil Scientist Alert System! It’s showing inator activity on a Doctor Dooferd–…

(Carl, now much older and wearing a uniform and mustache much like Major Monogram did, cuts him off.)
 * Commander Carl: Doofenshmirtz?! Great googly moogly! I though he’d given up his evil ways when we placed him as a high school science teacher. Well, it’s too bad Monogram isn’t around to see this.
 * Irving: Well, sir, he’s gone to a better place.
 * Commander Carl: Yeah… (beat) Oh, what the heck? I’m gonna call him! (Carl dials the phone. Monogram, now retired and older, with a beard and a Hawaiian shirt is lounging on a beach.)
 * Monogram: Monogram.
 * Commander Carl: How’ve you been, sir?
 * Monogram: Carl! I’m great! Bora Bora really is a better place. How’ve you been, man?
 * Commander Carl: I’ve been well. Guess who’s set off the inator alert?
 * Monogram: Doofenshmirtz?
 * Commander Carl: Yeah.
 * Monogram: Heh heh. Just like old times. Go tell him “hi” for me.
 * Commander Carl: Of course.

(Perry is busy enjoying his own retirement, when his watch goes off.)
 * Commander Carl: Agent P… (Agent P picks up his bowling bag.) No, it’s not bowling night! It’s Doofenshmirtz. He’s activated the -inator alert system. We think he may have returned to evil.

(Phineas and the guys are in the kitchen.)
 * Baljeet: So I hear Isabella is off to Tri-State State.
 * Phineas: Oh, wow, really? Huh. Haven’t seen much of her this summer.
 * Buford: (looking in the fridge) Why do parents buy such weird food? Everything’s ‘lite’, ‘low’, ‘non’, ‘free’, or ‘diet’.
 * Phineas: So she’s… leaving?
 * Baljeet: Yes. Huh, I always thought the two of you would end up together.
 * Phineas: I wish. I am so in the friend zone there.
 * Baljeet: You are kidding, right? You do know she had a giant crush on you for ages.
 * Phineas: Uh… no…
 * Buford: Oh, come on! It was so obvious! She came over to your house every day for 11 years just to see what you were doin’!
 * Baljeet: When she looked at you, her pupils actually formed little hearts. Like, I do not know how that is physically possible. She changed her eyeballs!
 * Phineas: We— I don’t believe it. Ferb? (Ferb nods.) Well, why didn’t you guys ever tell me?
 * Baljeet: We are guys. We do not talk about feelings. (Buford shrugs in agreement) Did you see the new car Irving got?
 * Buford: Could we eat yet? I’m starvin’.
 * Phineas: Um, I’m sorry. I feel like my brain is broken. I gotta think. I’m gonna take a walk. (he leaves) See you, guys.
 * Baljeet: Hmm… maybe it is not too late. We should try to get them together. You know, before Isabella leaves for school.
 * Buford: (after a beat) Yeah, all right.


 * ♪ Doofenshmirtz Mmm-Mmm Incorporated! ♪

(A now grey-haired Doofenshmirtz is working on a contraption.)
 * Doofenshmirtz: Perry the Platypus? Eh, is it Thursday already? Hmm, well, let me go get my shoes and my ball and then… Wait, where’s your stuff? (Perry points to the -inator behind Doofenshmirtz.) Huh? Oh, no that’s not evil, so, so I don’t think it counts. Oh, wait a minute. Did I set off the -inator alert? Oh, that is so funny. Probably scared the heck out of Commander Carl, huh? Oh, well, I know it can look intimidating, but there’s no reason to be afraid. It isn't evil. It isn’t even the -inator. The -inator is this gold chain. Once it’s charged, I’m going to put it around my neck, and it will activate the insecurity parts of my brain and trigger a full-blown mid-life crisis. Allow me to explain in song.


 * (Song: “Mid-Life Crisis”)
 * Doofenshmirtz: ♪ All my friends have spray-on tans, ♪
 * ♪ And they’re gettin’ back together with their old rock bands. ♪
 * ♪ Yes, their bland old lives are now filled with spices. ♪
 * ♪ They’re havin’ a mid-life crisis. ♪
 * ♪ They’re all gettin’ sports cars and new toupees, ♪
 * ♪ And borrowing against their IRAs. ♪
 * ♪ I’ve always had more than my share of vices,♪
 * ♪ But I never had a mid-life crisis. ♪
 * ♪ I'm sick and tired of bein’ out of the game. ♪
 * ♪ Everyone’s so discontent. I wish I felt the same. ♪
 * ♪ It’s not like my life has been a total delight. ♪
 * ♪ But something must be wrong, ‘cause I feel… all right. ♪


 * Kazoo solo!

(A kazoo solo commences)


 * ♪ But now with my inator, I can be the same. ♪
 * ♪ My crisis will put all other crises to shame. ♪
 * ♪ But I'm tellin’ you now, that it’s gonna be twice as ♪
 * ♪ Good as any ♪
 * ♪ Big gut suckin’, sports car buyin’, ♪
 * ♪ Self-deludin’, comb-over tryin’, ♪
 * ♪ Skinny jean-wearin’, wrinkle denyin’, ♪
 * ♪ Bucket listin’, grey hair dyin’ ♪
 * ♪ Existential mid-life crisis! ♪


 * Doofenshmirtz: So just let me get this thing charged up and we’ll be on our way. (Doof puts on some shades and covers Perry’s eyes and pushes the button and gets the chain.) Ready? (He puts the chain around his neck and gets electrocuted. Perry walks offscreen to get a defibrillator, but Doof comes to when Perry arrives.) Wow, I feel pretty energized! I wanna do something exciting and fun and… and also incredibly stupid! Come on, Perry the Platypus, let’s go have an adventure.

(As Doof walks off, Perry looks at the camera with a concerned look.)

(At Nosh Olé, Mexican-Jewish Café.)
 * Holly: Ginger, are you texting Baljeet again?
 * Ginger: Yeah, we’re at odds deciding what movie to see later. He wants to go to the one about that planet and I want to see the one with that guy.
 * Adyson: Well, don’t fight about it. Manipulate the situation!
 * Holly: Manip-the-wha-?
 * Adyson: (sighs) Okay, ladies, listen up. Pretend you don’t care about your movie, but then hint that it’s playing at the theatre next to the fro-yo place he likes. The seed is planted, and he’ll think it’s his idea to go there.
 * Isabella: Hi, guys! Food’s up! Aw, just think, this may be the last time I’m stuffing your faces before I’m off to school. (the phone rings) I got it, Mom! (to the girls) Anyway, enjoy! Gotta treat my Fireside Girl alums right. (she leaves)
 * Ginger: Hey hey! Baljeet says okay to my movie!
 * Adyson: Mm-hmm. Works every time.
 * Gretchen: Where is Baljeet anyway?

Ginger: Oh, he’s over at Phineas’s.
 * Holly and Katie: Oh, Phineas…
 * Gretchen: It’s too bad Isabella and Phineas never got together.
 * Holly: Yeah, I always thought they were meant for each other.
 * Adyson: Look at her. Working so hard.

(Isabella on the phone.)
 * Isabella: Do we have chopped liver? What do you think this place is? Chopped li— Oh, that doesn’t really work.

(Back with the ladies.)
 * Adyson: She doesn’t have time to manipulate a situation where she and Phineas can get together.
 * Milly: But we do!
 * Adyson: (to Ginger) Hey, Speedy-Thumbs, text Lover Boy and tell those guys we have a plan to get Isabella and Phineas together!

(In living room Ferb, Baljeet and Buford are eating sandwiches. Baljeet receives Ginger’s text.)
 * Buford: Ginger texting you again?
 * Baljeet: Yes. The girls want to get Phineas and Isabella together.
 * Buford: Wasn’t that our idea?
 * Baljeet: Yes, but now I’ve got to write her back in a passive way that makes her think it’s really her idea. She is trying to manipulate the situation. (He takes another bite of his sandwich) It is how we love.

(A black-haired Doof is having fun on a jet ski, following by Perry on a small motorboat.)
 * Doofenshmirtz: Woo hoo hoo hoo! How’s the dye job holding up, Perry the Platypus?! Isn’t this great?! If I had known it was this much fun— (Doofenshmirtz smashes into sailboat.) Hey, this is one of those fancy sailing yachts!
 * (Song: The Ballad of Badbeard)
 * Doofenshmirtz: We could sail around the world in this thing! We could, we could visit exotic ports, fight pirates! We’d be like a couple of seafaring Huck Finns and the ocean would be our ho–! (The boat sinks, and Doof’s black hair dye evaporates. He gets back up.) Or maybe we could wrestle some alligators! No, wait, even better, sports car! (He swims to shore, with Perry following.)

(Nana Shapiro is about to mail a package when Phineas walks by)
 * Phineas: Here, let me get that for you, Nana Shapiro.
 * Nana Shapiro: Phineas Flynn! Oh, look at you, so tall and handsome! You’re going to college I hear! Oh, how time flies. Where are you going to school?
 * Phineas: I haven’t really decided.
 * Nana Shapiro: Isabella came over to say goodbye this morning. She’s off to—
 * Phineas: This morning? But her school doesn’t start for two more weeks!
 * Nana Shapiro: Oh, honey, didn’t you know? She’s leaving today! As soon as she’s done with work. Something about needing to—
 * Phineas: Today?! But—
 * Nana Shapiro: Phineas, look at me. If you have anything you need to say to her, you’d better go over to the restaurant and say it. Her summer’s almost over.
 * Phineas: (a pried pause) I— You’re right. Thanks! (he runs off)
 * Nana Shapiro: The restaurant is that way! (She points in the diction opposite of where Phineas ran)
 * Phineas: Thanks again! (He runs off in the other direction)