Assertive App

"Tom, Tom, Tom. Leaf blowers don't typically have internet access. But, I guess I could tap into the city wifi, and direct it at the engine's spark plug. Yeah! We did it! Now, let's hurry up and finish this commercial before something else start. And action. Welcome to Tom and Angela's... What's with that guy?"

- Tom, Ben and Hank

Assertive App is the fourth episode of the Season 1. (although at launch it was the second episode)

Ben and Tom made an assertiveness app... and, well, things got a bit out of hand!

Ben is on the computer trying to remember his own password but he can't. Tom helps him out: the password was simply kayak followed by Ben's age (22).

Tom later calls Angela, asking if there were any terrible singers at the concert. The gang tries to start a demo video for Angela's new singing app, which turns a bland, monotone voice into a singing voice. They'd show the invention at a concert. However, someone was using a loud leaf blower outside. Hank goes outside and tries to ask him to work quieter, but the person doesn't hear him. So, Ben somehow hacks into the leaf blower's spark plug and turns it off. However, the same person takes out a jackhammer instead. They realize that there really was no way to make the guy stop using loud machines, but Ginger uses a megaphone and the person turns the jackhammer off.

They spark an idea. They repurpose their singing app into an app that makes people do what they want. Tom gets the feeling he's forgetting something, but brush it off. Meanwhile the people at the concert leave because Tom and Ben never showed up. They finish the app, and Tom tries it out by commanding Ben to get him strudel juice. Ben gets him the juice, unable to resist the command. So, they command around Ginger, the mailman, and Hank. They realized that they would get rich from the invention.

Angela bursts in, mad that Tom and Ben didn't show up. Tom commands Angela to forgive Tom, but the invention didn't work. Angela walks off mad because Tom was so irresponsible. They wonder why the invention didn't work on Angela and throw the invention aside. But then, Ginger took the invention and commanded Ben and Hank to get him candy and build him a jetpack.

Tom apologizes to Angela for not showing up or sending Angela a text or email about it. Angela wasn't about to forgive Tom that easily, though. Meanwhile the jetpack was built and Ginger starts commanding everyone to get candy while up in the air. Tom told her that she should try to stop Ginger. Angela wasn't about to do anything about it, but Ginger tries commanding her to wash her fur in the toilet. Mad, Angela sings a powerful musical number, which causes the jetpack to malfunction and Ginger lands hard.

Angela catches the assertive invention and drops it on the floor, breaking it. She hands Ginger a broom and makes him clean it up. The rest of her friends try the singing app trailer one last time, but are interrupted by the leaf blower again. Ginger persuades Hank to clean up the mess while he gets the leaf blower guy to turn it off.


 * Tom
 * Ben
 * Angela
 * Hank
 * Ginger
 * The Gardener
 * Mailman
 * Pierre (cameo)


 * Tom Studios
 * The Auditorium


 * Colin Hanks as Tom
 * James Adomian as Ben
 * Tom Kenny as Hank
 * Lisa Schwartz as Angela
 * Maria Bamford as Ginger


 * This episode marks the Mailman and the Gardener's first appearance.
 * Tom commands Ben to get him some strudel juice. However, strudels are pastries, so it'd be pretty impossible for Ben to have gotten him some.
 * There is confusion with this episode and "Friendly Customer Service" in order of episodes, when this was uploaded, it was originally the second episode, with the latter obviously being the fourth. The only surviving evidence is the dates these episodes were uploaded. No one know why the change happened, but it is possible this episode was produced second.
 * Despite the change, IMDb was not affected.
 * Also, a few years late the thumbnails for these episodes were changed.
 * It was revealed that Ben is 22 years old.