♫She went... and... and...♫ (barking, growls) ♫When she ate some alphabet soup♫ ♫Then what happened was bizarre...♫ On the way to Martha's stomach, the letters lost their way.

They traveled to her brain, and now... ♫She's got a lot to say♫ ♫Now she speaks...♫ How now, brown cow?

♫Martha speaks♫ ♫Yeah, she speaks and speaks and speaks♫ ♫And speaks and speaks...♫ What's a caboose?

When are we eating again?

♫Martha speaks...♫ Hey, Joe, what do you know?

My name's not Joe.

♫She's not always right, but still that Martha speaks...♫ Hi, there.

♫She's got a voice, she's ready to shout♫ ♫Martha will tell you what it's all about♫ ♫Sometimes wrong, but seldom in doubt♫ ♫Martha will tell you what it's all about♫ ♫That dog's unique...♫ Testing, one, two.

♫Hear her speak♫ ♫Martha speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks and...♫ ♫Communicates, enumerates, elucidates, exaggerates♫ ♫Indicates and explicates♫ ♫Bloviates and overstates and...♫ (panting) ♫Hyperventilates.♫ ♫Martha-- to reiterate-- Martha speaks.♫ I don't have them.

Hey!

Everyone stop what you're doing!

We've got a new neighbor!

What do you think they're like?

Do you think they have a dog?

We won't know till we get there.

(doorbell rings) Uh-huh?

Hello, Mister, um... Pangborn.

Hi, I'm Mariella Lorraine, and this is my daughter Helen and her friend Truman.

We live just down the street and... Do you have any pets?

Did your dog just say something?

Don't mind Martha.

She's just excited that you're moving in.

Oh, uh...

Listen, it sounds like we caught you at a bad time.

So here's a little welcoming gift, and if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to let us know.

Anytime!

Well, actually, I do.

You do?

What?

Do you maybe have a cat I could borrow?

Oh.

He's a cat person.

It would just be for the weekend.

It looks like I've got a serious mouse problem and my own cat is a little too old to deal with it.

Listen, between you and me, cats are terrible with mice.

Let me deal with them.

I mean, what are new neighbors for?

(snoring) PANGBORN: As you can see, Lightning's just not up to the job anymore.

Lightning, this is Martha.

(meows and snores) You can see my predicament.

I can?

I'd love to!

What?

I'd love to see your predicament.

Where is it?

I've never even seen one before.

No, no... Oh, is it over there?

No, a predicament is not something you can see.

When you say you have a predicament, that means you have a problem.

Oh!

So your predicament is that you have a problem with mice.

No, with Lightning!

I mean, yes.

My problem is with Lightning and the mice.

(sighing) I'm sorry, forgive me, the mice just have me so upset.

Well, I can see your predicament.

What I can't see are the mice.

They're hiding.

So here's the thing.

I'm going away on a business trip this weekend.

If you can deal with these mice while I'm gone, that would be the perfect solution.

No problem.

I just have one question.

What does "solution" mean?

This is why I prefer cats.

You just point them at the mice and say "Go."

Okay, now I understand.

The solution to a problem is how you fix or solve the problem.

Like if your food bowl was empty, the solution would be to fill it up again.

Mm-hmm, that's right.

Which means I'm the solution to your mouse problem.

That's right, you're the solution.

Oh, this is so interesting!

So here's another question...

Please, can you just deal with the mice?

(snoring) (mice squeaking) (nervous squeak) (yawns) (mice sighing with relief) (giggling) MARTHA: Hey there!

How you doin'?

(mice squealing) Huh?

(meows) "Congratulations"?

For what?

Scaring them?

Cats-- always with the sarcasm.

(yawns) Oh, okay, well, now I see what the mouse problem is.

(whimpering) It's okay, you guys, I understand the problem.

Lightning's too old to play with you.

But don't worry, I'm here and I love to play.

And between you and me, cats aren't really much fun even when they're not too old.

I mean, I can come up with much better games than just chasing you guys around all the time.

Oh!

Have you ever played hide-and-seek?

It's easy: you guys just count to ten, and then you come and look for me.

(chattering) MARTHA: Are you counting to ten?

(squeaking ten times) (giggling) (chattering) Hi!

(squealing) (Martha laughing) You did it!

You found me!

Okay, now it's your turn to hide.

One, two, three, four, five, six...

So, how'd it go?

Okay.

I've made some headway, but it's going to take another day or so to really solve the problem.

Mice are tricky, huh?

They sure are.

Now I know how Lightning feels.

It's a lot of work.

Yeah.

But it'll be so worth it when I see the look on Mr. Pangborn's face.

(gasps) Surprise!

(yawns) I know, amazing, isn't it?

It took two whole days to get them to really trust me, but now they're out and about and ready to play with you night and day.

I...

I... Oh, don't worry about thanking me.

There was one small predicament, though: you forgot to leave any food out for me to feed 'em.

But don't worry, I found a solution.

Oops, didn't mean to leave the fridge open.

Henry, what did I tell you about closing the refrigerator?

(squeaking) (horrified scream) Huh, I don't know that game.

Let me just go ask him how to play it.

(chattering) I can't believe it!

I asked you to solve the mouse problem, not to have them invade every room of my house!

Now how am I supposed to...

I'm sorry, could I say something?

What?

What does "invade" mean?

(impatiently): What does "invade"...

When animals invade a place, it means that a lot of them go into the place and it's hard to get them out.

And this is an invasion.

They're everywhere.

They're taking over!

Oh, they didn't invade your house.

I mean, I asked them to come out of their holes.

Asked them?!

Yeah, I had to.

They were so shy.

Mice are vermin!

They're dirty and filthy and... Oh, I see, you mean about the kitchen.

I'm so sorry, we were about to clean it up but you got home earlier than we expected and... No!

Listen, thank you for trying to help, Martha, really, but I think I'm just going to have to call the exterminator.

Whoa, I know what an exterminator is.

(chattering) MARTHA: Mr. Pangborn!

(squeaking in unison) Uh... What are they doing?

Uh, playing hide-and-seek.

Listen, will you just let me talk to them?

If they know how you feel, I'm sure they'll do what you ask.

They're very nice.

(squeaking loudly) Excuse me, but I think it's better if I break this to them in mouse.

Uh, so... (squeaking) Ex-ter-mi-na-tor.

(squeaking in fear) Mouse problem solved!

Oh yes, he was very happy after that.

He even gave me this bone for a bonus and said he would recommend me to everyone he knows.

(phone ringing) MOM: Martha, telephone!

Oh, hi, Mrs. Oatley.

It's Truman's mom.

Uh-huh, yeah, I did.

What?

Oh, no problem, I'll be right over.

I guess she met Mr. Pangborn at the farmers' market this afternoon and he told her all about me.

He told everybody!

Told them what?

That you're great at getting rid of mice.

Well, I'm okay at it, I guess.

I just tell them they should move out.

You've got mice?

Yeah.

My mom noticed them today.

We pushed back the fridge and found that mouse hole.

She won't come in hereanymore.

Personally, I'm planning to stay up here till they're gone.

(squeaking) (screaming) Maybe one of you guys can bring me my pajamas?

And a pillow?

You guys, don't be silly.

Make them leave, Martha.

You don't want to play some hide-and-seek first?

BOTH: No!

(sighs) Hey guys, it's me.

So these people... (muffled squeaks) Okay.

(whistling) (squeaking) You might want to open the front door.

Wow!

Mission accomplished.

Hola, TD's parents called for you, Martha.

They did?

Yes, you're getting quite a reputation.

♫♫ You know, I've been thinking, do you think there's something odd about all these people having mouse problems one right after another?

Not really.

Why not?

Well, because they're the same mice.

What?

They're the same mice.

Henry and Sally and Gertrude and Frank and Alex and Imelda and Imelda Jr. and Imelda the Third...

Wait, you mean you just tell the mice to leave one house and they just go to another?

Uh-huh.

You can't do that.

Well, why not?

Why?

Well, yeah.

Why?

(barking) (squeaking) That's why.

(squeaking): Martha!

Oh, Martha, thank goodness!

Can you do whatever it is you do to make them go?

But Helen just told me I couldn't.

What?

She's just relocating them over and over.

No, I'm not.

I mean... what's "relocate"?

"Relocate" means you move to another place.

You're relocating the mice.

You're moving them to another place.

But isn't that what everybody wants them to do?

I mean, if they can't stay here and they can't relocate, then what are they supposed to do?

Can't they just go out in a field somewhere?

Good idea!

I'll ask.

(squeaking): Uh-uh!

Did they just say "no"?

Not quite.

That's actually mouse for, "We're house mice, and we don't want to live in the filthy grass with the snakes and the gophers."

(squeaking and chanting) What are they saying now?

Um... "Two, four, six, eight, we refuse to relocate."

(squeaking) Imelda Jr. wants me to thank you for teaching them a new word.

Wow, so they can chant.

They can do all sorts of things.

You should see them at charades!

And their production of King Lear is really something.

It gave me chills!

They put on plays?

Sometimes.

When they're not practicing ballet.

You know, what they need isn't a house.

It's an agent-- someone to help them find acting jobs.

Well, that's why they were at the Parkington place.

MOM: What?

Mr. Pangborn is a theatrical agent.

They were hoping to audition for him, but then...

I think I've got a solution.

PANGHORN: I gotta say, these are the best dancing animals I've seen.

If they'll let me represent them, they're welcome to stay with me.

Does that mean what I think it means?

They can stay at your house?

They can stay at my house.

Uh, in their own special room.

Well, that's what I call a happy ending.

(squeaking happily) Obstacle: an obstacle is something that gets in the way, so you can't do something that you want to do.

Skits has a predicament.

That means he has a problem.

He wants the dog treat.

Only there are some obstacles in the way.

First, he'll have to crawl under this obstacle, then carefully step over this obstacle.

Here's one more obstacle that stands between Skits and his treat.

Skits has to step across this.

Once he's past the obstacles, he gets his treat.

Ready, Skits?

(barking) Go!

(splashing) And that's another solution.

I guess obstacles are no obstacle to Skits.

The name's Martha.

Species: canine.

Profession: detective.

In my time, I've been around the block and sniffed it all twice.

I've witnessed... TD: Cut!

Hold it!

Martha, just tell us what happened.

You don't have to pretend to be a detective.

Oh, you're right.

Sorry.

I don't have to pretend because I am one!

I was a police dog, remember?

BOTH: We remember.

So can't I come with you to the town council meeting tonight?

You know dogs aren't allowed.

Okay...

I'll start over.

Action!

It all started on a dark and stormy night, the night the trash cans went down.

The next morning, I was in the middle of some important detective business.

I'll catch you, sausage truck!

(Mrs. Demson screaming) I knew that sound meant trouble.

In this case, it also meant breakfast.

(gobbling loudly) Someone knocked over my trash can!

If that's not an emergency, I don't know...

Hang on.

Marla!

(whimpering) Uh, Martha.

Don't try to wriggle out of it.

I can see you're responsible for this.

Wait, no, I'm not responsible for this.

That is, if you mean I did it.

That's what responsible means.

If you are responsible for something bad that has happened, it is your fault.

You made the bad thing happen.

No!

We were just...

I mean, I was just helping clean up.

Like a good neighbor.

(burps) (whimpering) Police?

You still there?

MARTHA: Mrs. Demson was as mad as a wet hen and twice as squawky.

Time to hightail it out of there!

Can you believe Mrs. Demson just assumed I knocked over her trash can?

(confused barking) Assume?

If you assume something is true, you think that it's true.

She assumed I did it.

But it's not true.

She has no proof.

MARTHA: It turned out Mrs. Demson wasn't the only person making assumptions.

All over Wagstaff City, trash cans were being knocked over like blocks at a preschool.

Hey!

And everyone was pinning it on the dogs.

When it looked like the day couldn't get any worse, it got worse.

A lot worse.

Come on, Martha.

If you're going to dig in the trash, you're going to take a bath.

(grunting) Of course, Mrs. Demson.

It won't happen again.

Martha!

Did you really think I wouldn't hear about the incident today?

That depends.

What's an incident?

An incident is something that happened.

Like the incident with Mrs. Demson's trash can.

That's not fair!

Mrs. Demson doesn't have any proof.

She just assumed I did it.

I better go set this straight.

Bath first.

Rats.

MARTHA: The next morning, we had a visitor.

I'll see you in the town hall!

A leash law?

She said that?

That's right.

She's going to bring it up at the next town council meeting.

What a great idea!

Um, do you know what a leash law means?

Sure.

It means no more leashes.

Leashes will be against the law.

Whoo!

No, a leash law means that dogs will have to wear leashes whenever they go outside.

Wait, what?

Seriously?

Mm-hmm.

But... but that means I wouldn't be able to go anywhere by myself.

That's right.

Oh, no!

Well, maybe people won't agree with her.

MARTHA: But it turned out Mrs. Demson got a lot of people to sign on to her little scheme.

People with trash cans, mostly.

It was time to call a meeting.

That's right, you heard me: leashes!

(barking) No more freedom to go where you want.

No more chasing squirrels.

No more... (panting) Skits, you're late.

(whimpering and yawning) Now, you probably want to know: what proof do they have that dogs were responsible?

None!

Those trash cans could have been knocked over by anyone.

But what do people do?

They.

Blame.

Dogs.

(barking angrily) I know.

Totally unfair, right?

But seriously, which one of you did it?

(sniffing) Nobody wants to talk, eh?

Looks like I'm going to have to question each of you.

Cisco!

Where were you on the night of yesterday?

Tell it to me straight, no funny business.

So I got the story from all the dogs.

Cisco claimed he was chasing Nelson.

John was hiding under the bed because he was afraid it might rain.

(whimpering) Skits, I know where you were.

(relieved bark) I didn't let any of them off.

Where were you?

Where were you?

Where were you?

MARTHA: Not even me.

It wasn't me, I'm telling you!

I didn't do it!

Sound a little nervous there, bub.

Got something you want to get off your fuzzy chest?

Lay off me!

Why are you being so mean?

Quit blubbering.

Pull yourself together.

Okay, okay, I'm sorry.

I'm scared, that's all.

Well, watch your step.

Remember, I got my eye on you.

Yeah, thanks, I'll remember.

(whimpering) (confused whimpering) And that goes for the rest of you, too.

Hmm.

So every dog has an alibi.

They do?

How did they get one?

Where's mine?

I'm starving!

An alibi isn't food, Martha.

An alibi is a kind of excuse.

If you have an alibi, you can prove you were somewhere else when something bad happened.

So when the dogs all said they were doing something else when the trash got knocked over, that means they all have alibis?

Right.

But if none of the dogs did it, who did?

MARTHA: The answer hit me smack between the eyes like a poorly aimed dog treat.

We just needed more detectives on the beat.

If we work as a team, we'll find out who's responsible in no time.

Right?

So who's with me?

(barking) MARTHA: That night, the team went to work.

(sniffing) (grunting) Ow.

But even the most dedicated dog detectives need one thing: sleep, and plenty of it.

(crash in the distance) (mumbling) Mmm, bacon, hamsicles... (snoring) (yawns) (gasps) Holy hamburgers!

It's got to be an inside job.

Someone inside this house!

I considered the possible suspects.

Helen?

No way.

(laughing evilly) Parents?

(grunting) Obviously not.

Baby Jake?

Nah, too little.

If they didn't do it, there was only one suspect left... You!

Skits!

Bad dog!

(barks defensively) Yeah, I am assuming you did it!

Who else could come into our kitchen and knock over our garbage can?

(barking angrily) Me?

What're you... Of course it wasn't me.

(growling) (frustrated sighing) MARTHA: As a dog-tective, I should have smelled trouble a mile away.

But the culprit was right under my nose all along.

Skits hiding from Mrs. Demson?

Suspicious.

Showing up late, yawning.

No wonder he was tired.

He'd been awake all night, causing trouble.

I could see it all now.

By day, he was Skits, my friend.

But by night, he was Skits, evil dog villain and trash can knocker-over-er.

(gasps) (growling) That night, neither one of us got a wink of shut-eye.

(yawning and barking) No, you fall asleep.

(yawning and barking) I don't trust you either.

If I fall asleep, you'll probably trash the kitchen again.

(barking) But I didn't do it.

You did!

(both barking) (loud clatter) Keep it down, will ya?

You're going to wake everyone!

(squeaking) Huh?

(barking) (squeaking) (barking) That's right!

Skedaddle out of here, you stripy sneak!

That's the last time you'll mess with our family's trash!

(gasps) Ay que lio!

What a mess!

I know it looks bad, but we didn't do it!

Well, okay, we did some of it, but...

Mom!

A raccoon!

Is he running away?

I bet he's still running.

Wait, a raccoon was in our house?

I guess so.

And there are two, no, three more in our yard.

Not for long.

Ready, Skits?

(growling) (barking) And that's the true story of the trash can incident and how I, Detective Martha, cracked the case.

As you heard, the raccoons were responsible for the damage, not the dogs.

So Wagstaff City should not have a leash law.

Besides, if they are on leashes, they won't be able to keep the raccoons away.

I wish dogs were allowed at town council meetings.

(barking) Okay, okay, calm down.

You can look in a minute.

(Mrs. Demson grumbling) Next thing you know, dogs will be running this town!

We won!

No leash law!

Woo-hoo!

Whoa!

(loud thud) Good job, Martha.

Thanks.

Do we get a treat?

Sure.

MARTHA: Everything was back to normal, for the moment.

But crime never sleeps.

And whenever a tipped-over trash can happens, a dog will be there.

Sometimes, we didn't even do it.

Not all animals are awake at the same time.

Some creatures are active mostly during the day.

Pet dogs... Squirrels!

And, uh... Oh, yeah!

People.

(yawning) Raccoons, on the other hand, are nocturnal.

Nocturnal animals are awake at night and asleep during the day.

(chattering) The raccoon wants you to know that lots of other animals are awake at night, too, like possums and owls and... Skits?

What are you doing here?

You're not nocturnal.

(barking) You're waiting for that squirrel to come down?

(barking) Well, I hate to break it to you, but squirrels aren't nocturnal.

He's asleep.

Another thing that isn't nocturnal: me.

Good night!

(snoring) access.wgbh.org