[opening theme playing]
[twinkling chimes]
♪
[whooshes]
♪
[wire twangs]
[birds singing]
♪
[giggling]
♪
[music fades slowly]
[Cece Bell] I remember feeling like Ginny's sleepover would never come,
but it finally did.
[muffled] ♪ Going to a party, it's gonna be great ♪
♪ We're gonna eat cake ♪
♪ And yummy chocolate ice cream too ♪
♪ Spending the night Gonna be all right ♪
♪ With lots of fun stuff to do ♪
[muffled] Have fun, and get Ginny's mom to call me if you need anything.
Geez whiz, Mom. I'll be fine.
[Cece Bell] I pinned so many hopes on that sleepover.
Was Ginny going to be my new best friend?
[over-enunciating] Cece! You made it!
Happy birthday, Ginny!
[Missy] Hey, make a wish.
[Ellen] Oh, yeah. Make a wish.
[girls laugh]
[Carrie laughs] Yeah. That was so funny. You'll have to come next time.
[Ginny] Now that we live here, I can.
[Cece] Yeah. I'm so glad you moved here, Ginny.
[Ellen] Me too. Great cake.
[Missy sighs]
What's wrong, Missy?
[sighs, muffled] My cat… [indistinct]
Your cat likes pie? That's hilarious.
[girls] Huh?
I said, "My cat might die."
Oh.
- [Missy grumbles] - [Cece] I'm so sorry, Missy.
Oh. Well, that's okay.
Wait a minute.
Those things in your ears. Are you deaf?
Um…
Missy, you didn't know that?
[over-enunciating] Cece is my deaf friend.
Does she know sign language? Because I know sign language.
- I can teach you some right now. - Uh…
Mmm.
This is A.
And here's B.
And this is C.
[girls] Ooh.
[over-enunciating] As in, Cece, you are special.
[girls] Aw.
[sighs]
Let's do a makeover on Cece!
[girls gasp]
Cece, with good hair and makeup,
- [Missy] you could be so much cuter. - [Carrie] Oh, yeah.
- [Ginny] Yes. - [Carrie] So much cuter.
[Cece] I don't want to.
- [Ginny] You have to do it. - [laughs]
- [Carrie, singsongy] Pucker up. - [Cece gasps]
[Missy chuckles]
[Ellen] Wait. Can people who wear hearing aids also wear makeup? [Ellen] Wait. Can people who wear hearing aids also wear makeup?
- [Ginny and Missy] Hmm. - [Cece] Um, no.
No, we can't. Doctor's orders.
Messes up the hearing aids and stuff.
I thought so.
Darn. We could have made her look like a movie star.
[gasps, sighs]
[Ginny, muffled] Let's listen to my brother's comedy records.
- [Carrie, muffled] Yes. - [Ellen, muffled] Okay.
- [Missy, muffled] Sure. - Oh.
[clatters softly]
- [static pop] - [comedian, muffled speech]
[muffled speech continues]
[Cece Bell] This was bad. Really bad.
Without any lips to read, comedy records were impossible to understand.
[comedian continues, indistinct]
[girls laughing]
[comedian continues, indistinct]
[over-enunciating] Don't worry, Cece.
I'll explain it to you.
He said… [giggling]
"I thought it was a cold, but it's snot." "I thought it was a cold, but it's snot."
- Get it? - [girls laughing]
Oh. [chuckles] Yeah, that's funny.
[comedian, muffled speech]
[girls laughing]
[over-enunciating] "Gee, Doctor, that's my knee you're talking to."
- Get it? [laughs] - [Missy] Yeah.
[comedian continues, indistinct]
[girls laughing]
[over-enunciating] "A duck eating chicken nuggets."
- [Carrie laughs] - Get it?
Ginny, I get it. I get it.
[girls gasp]
Well, sorry. I was just trying to help.
- [girls grumble] - [Cece sighs]
[muffled] Let's just get in our sleeping bags and go to bed.
[melancholy music plays]
- [girls laughing] - [upbeat music starts]
[Cece Bell] Thankfully, after all that awfulness,
the party started to get fun again.
Oh, you know that boy who smells like celery from Ms. Huffman's class? Oh, you know that boy who smells like celery from Ms. Huffman's class?
Mary tried to kiss him.
Ew. On the lips?
I would never do that.
[chuckles] Me neither.
Well, he is kinda cute.
No way.
Mary says he doesn't just smell like celery, he tastes like celery too.
- [switch clicks] - [girls laughing]
- [upbeat music stops] - Oh, no.
[muffled speech, indistinct]
[Cece Bell] Lip-reading in the dark?
It was, and is, pretty much impossible.
[indistinct speech continues]
[muffled laughter]
[Cece Bell] Were they talking about me?
- Were they laughing at me? - [indistinct speech continues]
And did Ginny turn off the lights on purpose?
[muffled speech and laughter]
[indistinct speech continues]
[muffled speech and laughter continue]
[muffled speech]
[melancholy music playing]
Mrs. Wakeley, will you call my mom?
I don't feel so good.
[car engine idling]
[car door opens, closes]
[insects chirping]
- [muffled speech on TV] - It was horrible, Mama.
Even before Ginny turned off the lights, this girl Missy was like,
[over-enunciating] "Hi, Cece."
She was probably just excited to meet someone like you.
You know, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to give sign language a try.
- No. - Oh, come on.
There's a class in the evenings at your school.
We could do it together.
No. I don't want to.
Just think about it, okay? It might be useful to you.
[muffled speech on TV continues]
Hi, Dad. [sighs] Hi, Dad. [sighs]
Can I watch too?
Sure, honey. I bet Mightybolt is on.
[muffled] Look out. Here I come. [grunts]
[muffled] I've got you now.
- [muffled grunting] - [flinging sounds]
[muffled] It's time to power up.
[muffled laughing]
[girls laughing, clear]
- [clear audio through scene] - Oh, no.
- [action music plays] - Not the despicable Pajama Bunch.
[Despicably Missy] Prepare for a monstrous makeover, my little deaf friend.
- [El Deafo grunts] - [whooshes]
I may not know sign language, but I do know how to say stop!
- [sonic ping, thrumming] - [Despicable Bunch gasp]
[spinning ropes sounds, whips]
[Despicable Bunch] Oh!
- [laughs] - [whooshes]
- [El Deafo] This gives me such pleasure. - [Despicable Bunch gasp]
[Despicable Bunch] Huh? Wha--
[El Deafo] You look so beautiful.
[Despicable Bunch gasp in horror]
[Despicable Missy] I look hideous.
[Despicable Ellen] Yikes. Let's get out of here. [Despicable Ellen] Yikes. Let's get out of here.
[Despicable Ginny] I don't understand.
Did you turn those lights off on purpose?
Um, I-- I don't know.
Well, read my lips.
Don't ever call me your deaf friend again.
In fact, don't even call me your friend again.
[grunts, whooshes]
[over-enunciating] I'm sorry, El Deafo.
I really am.
[singsongy] No, you're not.
- [clear audio ends] - [sighs]
[gentle music playing]
[teacher, muffled speech]
[Cece Bell] I tried and tried to get out of it.
[teacher, muffled speech]
[muffled speech continues]
[Cece Bell] But Mom insisted that we take a sign language class together.
[teacher] Hello, and welcome to our first sign language class.
Is anyone here deaf or hard of hearing?
That's you, Cece. Raise your hand. That's you, Cece. Raise your hand.
Mom!
[teacher] Wonderful.
Okay, let's talk about American Sign Language.
[teacher] Sign language is an important means of communication
for many deaf people and their friends and families.
[teacher] Sign language is as rich and complex as spoken English.
Maybe even more so.
Can anyone guess what this means?
[teacher] Cece?
- [Ginny gasps] - [teacher] Yes, Ginny?
"Thank you"?
[teacher] Very good, Ginny.
You're welcome.
Little Miss Perfect.
- [Mom] Hello. - [Ginny giggles] Thanks.
- [Mom giggles] - [Ginny giggles]
Cece, we'd love for you to participate more.
Maybe next week's class?
Okay, everyone, thanks for coming.
Practice your signs.
Next week is feelings and emotions. Next week is feelings and emotions.
- [Mom] Thank you. - [Cece] Next week?
- Another class? - [student] Bye!
- [student 2] See you later. - [Cece] Mom.
[grunts]
[clear audio through scene]
- [action music] - [El Deafo grunting]
- [spiderweb creaking] - [El Deafo grunts]
How dare you, Spidermom?
I command you to release me from your web of humiliation right now.
You look anxious, dear.
Do you need to tinkle?
Spidermom, no.
[grunts]
I'll try my power of persuasion instead.
- [whimsical music playing] - Sweet, kind Spidermom,
can you not see that I have the power to talk to you without using my hands?
Nothing? Really?
- [action music resumes] - It was a very good try, El Deafo.
You get an A for effort.
Perhaps my vicious feedback squeal will hypnotize you into submission. Perhaps my vicious feedback squeal will hypnotize you into submission.
[high-pitched feedback blares]
What a delightful sound. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Looks like you could use a hug.
- [Spidermom] Hmm. - [El Deafo grunting]
I can't take it anymore.
- [El Deafo grunting] - [Spidermom gasps]
[heroic music plays]
- [clear audio ends] - Ow! Cece!
Just what do you think you're doing?
I hate this class. I want to go.
[muffled] Oh. Okay. Let's go, honey.
[melancholy music playing]
[electricity humming]
['50s jukebox music playing, muffled, low volume]
It felt like everyone was signing at me just because I'm deaf.
No one was signing at you, Cece.
Look, sign language is something that could help you. Look, sign language is something that could help you.
No way. It'll help people stare at me and say,
"Look at that little deaf girl. Isn't she special?"
- Well, you are special. - Mom!
Just like every kid is special.
Come on, Mom.
Special doesn't mean great or cool.
It means, "You're not like me, you're weird."
I hate that word.
Okay, okay. We won't go anymore.
Just don't be so hard on the people who try to help you.
Someday you might actually want their help.
[silently signing]
[whispering] Cece! You're staring.
Oh.
That's amazing. How'd they do that?
You could do that too.
No way, Mom. Everybody will stare at me. No way, Mom. Everybody will stare at me.
Like I'm staring at them.
Why do I even care what other people think?
[melancholy music playing]
[Mom] Ginny's on the phone. She wants to get together with you.
[Cece] Tell her I'm busy.
You haven't seen her in ages. Did you two have a fight?
I don't want to talk about it.
Well, I'm sorry about that, but I don't appreciate lying to your friend.
So, I suggest you hurry up and get busy.
[door slams]
[swing chair squeaks]
- [dog barking in distance] - [bird cawing]
[girl, muffled speech, low volume]
[girl sings indistinctly]
[sings full volume] ♪ Dirt soup, dirt soup Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
[jolly music plays]
[muffled giggles, low volume] [muffled giggles, low volume]
[muffled, low volume] Hey, there. Come on over and play.
[full volume] Huh?
- [mud thuds on ground] - Oh! [giggles]
[car passes]
[Mom, muffled] Go on. Off you go.
Gee, does your mom really have to watch you cross the street?
You're in fourth grade, right?
I'm in third, and my mom doesn't do that.
Uh, that's just my mom for you.
Well, anyway. I'm making dirt soup. Wanna help?
Sure.
We've gotta add just the right amount of water.
Yeah. Too much and it gets all wackadoodle.
[laughs] Yeah, all wackadoodle.
[laughs]
Hey, what are those things?
- Huh? - [faint rustling]
Those prickly things with the nuts inside. You know?
Oh. You mean buckeyes?
Yeah! Buckeyes. Yeah! Buckeyes.
Let's get some of those for our soup.
♪ Dirt soup, dirt soup Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
[Cece Bell] As far as I could tell,
Martha didn't know a single thing about my hearing aids.
[sings indistinctly]
[Cece Bell] And I wanted to keep it that way.
[Cece laughs]
[Cece Bell] I just wanted her to like me for me.
Hey, I got a great idea. Wanna spend the night tonight?
Yes!
- [Martha] Whoo! - [Cece] Whoo-hoo!
- [Martha giggles] - [Cece howls]
[Martha] Whoo!
- [Cece howls] - [Martha giggles]
[fridge door opens, closes]
Wanna split one?
Yeah, thanks.
We're gonna get takeout and eat in front of the TV.
A TV supper? Really?
[muffled] What do you wanna get?
Do you want a…
[muffled speech, chewing]
- Uh, I'll have what you're having. - [faint rustling]
Okay. Two fish sandwiches… [muffled] …coming right up. Okay. Two fish sandwiches… [muffled] …coming right up.
Fish? [groans]
[bites]
[muffled Mightybolt theme song on TV]
[Cece Bell] Yuck. I hated fish.
Yum.
[Cece Bell] But it was worth it.
I had to make sure Martha didn't think there was anything different about me.
Yum.
[gags]
[both laughing]
How about tomorrow we walk downtown and get drinks and candy bars and stuff?
And then we can make candy soup.
[yawning] That sounds cool.
[Martha] Have you ever noticed that weird smell near the school?
[muffled] It's like old bologna and sweaty feet. [giggles]
You take one whiff and it's P.U. city.
[chuckles] You should've heard my mom the other day.
[hearing aid clicks off]
[muffled, low volume] She said, "What's that awful, stinking smell?"
- [muffled speech continues, indistinct] - [Cece yawns]
[hearing aid clicks off]
[no audio]
[hearing aids click on]
I said, "Did you just turn your hearing aids off on me?"
Hearing aids?
Yeah. It's hilarious how you just turned me off like that.
- I wish I could do that with her. - [sister snores]
Wait. What?
How did you know that I can't hear very good?
Oh, the other kids told me.
So, you've known all along?
Sure.
Huh.
Yeah. Were you worried about that?
I'm gonna be your friend, no matter what. Let's pinkie swear it.
[Cece] Yeah.
[gentle music playing]
Night night, Cece.
Night, Martha.
- [sonic whoop, whooshes] - [clear audio through scene]
- [doorbell rings] - [sighs]
- [door pings] - Um, hi. I'm Marvygirl. - [door pings] - Um, hi. I'm Marvygirl.
Yes? May I help you?
I'm here about the ad, "Sidekick wanted."
Oh, yes. I see. What are your qualifications, Marvygirl?
Well, I have total recall of most everything on TV.
I'm loyal, brave and true.
And I can make you laugh until you pee your pants.
[laughs]
Well, that does it. You're hired.
Awesome!
- [Martha] Whee! - [whooshes]
- Whoo-hoo! - Hoo!
[heroic music playing]
[both howling]
[laughing]
[cosmic whoosh]
This universe is brighter with you in it, Marvygirl.
Together, we're unstoppable.
[Martha giggles]
- Whoo-hoo! - Whoo-hoo!
[twinkling chime]
By the power of the pinkie,
do you swear to fight against boredom and loneliness
and to never swerve from the path of true friendship? and to never swerve from the path of true friendship?
I swear it.
- [sonic whoop] - [clear audio ends]
[Cece laughs] We should get limeades.
[Martha] Yeah, and some candy bars. And gum.
And we can hide it all under our pillows until everyone's asleep.
Check out my sweet moves.
[Martha giggles]
- Whoo-hoo, Martha! [chuckles] - [giggles]
[Cece] Two, three, four, five, six.
Oh, rats! Your turn.
[Martha chuckles]
[muffled beeping, low volume]
Look.
Let's check it out.
[Cece] Yeah.
[muffled] There's just a few more, Dad.
[soft-rock ballad playing, clear audio]
[clear audio continues through song] [clear audio continues through song]
[heartbeat thumping]
♪ Hey, there, girl next door ♪
♪ My feelings are bigger than a dinosaur ♪
- [music stops] - [heartbeat thumps]
[muffled] Hi, I'm Mike.
- Oh, uh… - [heartbeat thumping]
This is Cece. She lives two doors up.
I'm Martha. And that's my house over there.
I'm in third grade. Cece's in fourth.
What grade are you in? Who's your teacher?
Fourth. I got Mrs., uh, Sinklemann.
Me too! [gasps]
I mean… [clears throat] …me too.
Cool. Hey, do you guys like trampolines? My dad set ours up already.
- [music resumes, clear audio] - [heartbeat thumps]
♪ Girl, you're such a dream ♪
♪ Will you jump on my trampoline? ♪
♪ Come jump with me ♪
- [music, clear audio end] - [heartbeat thumps]
[gasps] Wow! Can we jump on it right now?
[dreamily] Can we jump?
Sure. It's in the backyard. Sure. It's in the backyard.
[dreamily] In the backyard? Wow.
Thanks. [chuckles]
[dreamily] Yeah, thank you.
- [both laughing] - [trampoline thudding]
♪ Cece and Mike sitting in a tree ♪
♪ K-I-S-S… ♪
- [clear audio through scene] - [trampoline boings]
[Marvygirl] Hey, El Deafo, where ya going?
- [El Deafo] I must follow my heart. - [whooshes]
[dreamy music playing]
Aha! There he is. My super crush.
Perhaps the all-powerful rosette
will lure my super crush into my ever-loving arms.
Oh, hello, El Deafo. How are you--
[hypnotic whistling]
- So beautiful. - [heartbeat thumps]
Snagged on the thorn of the all-powerful rosette.
Come closer, Mike Miller.
Yes, my lady.
[clear audio ends]
- [Martha] Hey! - [Cece kisses, gasps]
Wake up, silly. We're burning daylight.
Wanna play tag? Bet you can't catch me. Wanna play tag? Bet you can't catch me.
[Martha] Whoop, whoop!
I'm gonna get you.
[giggling]
[panting and giggling]
[Martha giggles]
[thwack]
Ow! Ow. Ow.
Oh, no. Are you okay?
Um, I think it's okay.
Am I bleeding?
[gasps] Yeah, you are.
You better go home and show your mom.
I can't believe I did that.
Oh, Cece, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to.
Martha, wait. It was an accident.
I'm okay.
[cries]
[Cece Bell] It was an accident. And I was okay.
I just had to convince Martha.
[giggles]
Martha's gonna love my new eye patch.
[giggles]
[gasps]
Ahoy there, matey. Shiver my timbers.
Oh, no. [cries] Your eye.
Oh, Cece, I'm so sorry. I-- I gotta go. Oh, Cece, I'm so sorry. I-- I gotta go.
Martha? Martha, I'm fine.
Everything is okay. Honest.
[sighs]
[melancholy music playing]
[Cece Bell] Was this really the end?
I couldn't imagine my life without Martha.
I had to get her back.
[closing theme playing]
♪ I think I'm better off Than I was yesterday ♪
♪ When you came and swooped in ♪
♪ Pulling me the other way ♪
♪ If we stick together ♪
♪ We might be well on our way To something great ♪
♪ A good idea that's taking shape ♪
♪ I don't wanna fall behind ♪
♪ Yeah, I am not afraid When you're nearby ♪
♪ I think together we could Fly up in the sky ♪
♪ I don't wanna fall behind ♪
♪ Yeah, I am not afraid When you're nearby ♪
♪ I think together we could Fly up in the sky ♪