| The Chokes | |
 | |
| Air Date | 20 December 2007 |
| Director | Paul King |
| Previous | Party |
| Next | Unknown
All episodes: 1 • 2 • 3 |
The Chokes is the last episode of Series Three of The Mighty Boosh.
Summary
Howard's best chance to long-sought acting career depends on being able to overcome the paralysing 'chokes'. Can a washed-up once-famous actor with a chip on his shoulder teach Howard in time to make his one-shot-only acting début? Vince sees his chance to join the Black Tubes.
Full Plot
Opening inside the Velvet Onion we see Vince Noir (Noel Fielding) talking with the Black Tubes about their performance in his "Electronic Circuis". Their lead singer has been dispatched in an "Accident" orchestrated by Naboo (Michael Fielding) and Bollo (Dave Brown). Vince offers to sing for them in their upcooming show to save them from doing an instrumental set. They agree, providing Vince can slim down his legs enough to fit into a pair of 'Drainpipe' trousers.
After the credits it's back to the Nabootique where Howard Moon (Julian Barrat) is enjoying a night of Danish Art-House Cinema and the work of Jurgen Haabermaaster (Barrat). Learning through Bob Fossil (Rich Fulcher) that Jurgen will be at the Velvet Onion to see Sammy the Crab, an aquatic actor. Howard begs Vince to let him be a part in the line-up. At first Vince refuses down to Howard's chronic stage fright, but after a bit of convincing he agrees, causing Howard to "freeze up".
Whilst Vince and Bollo work on slimming legs, Howard goes to drown his sorrows at a bar where he has a chance meeting with actor Montgommery Flange (Fielding). Montgommery, bitter at loosing a part to Sammy the Crab, agrees to help Howard with his stage fright, and they head off to his secret woodland acting dojo. After a montage Howard still has his "The Chokes" which Montgommery takes unto himself and causes him to have a heart attack.
Bolstered by his new found confidence in his acting talent, Howard rushes back to the Nabootique only to find Vince has changed his mind about giving Howard a slot. Dejected he watches Vince ride out piggy-back on Bob Fossil.
Backstage at the show the Black Tubes, unaware of his past alcoholism, pour beer into Sammy the Crab's tank causing him to go on a bloody rampage butchering many of the supporting acts. Desperate, Vince rings Howard as a replacement, who manages to stun everyone in the audience. Jurgen Haabermaaster is so impressed he offers Howard a part in his new project. As Howard rushes off to persue his new career, Vince squeezes into the 'Drainpipes', causing all this weight to shift to his head. During the performance he overbalances and topples over and the gig is ruined.
The episode ends with Howard's return to the Nabootique where we laern that he was only the Angry Crab of Trapped Wind in a Jurgen endorsed infomertial. We see that Sammy the Crab is the new lead singer of the Black Tubes, which continues through the credits.