Calvin and Hobbes: The Series/Recap/S1/E11 Home Un Alone

"After watching Childs Play, Calvin becomes paranoid that there are killer Barbie dolls in the basement."

After Calvin shows off the Mini-Duplicator to Hobbes, Calvin's parents reveal Roselyn is too sick to babysit, simply leaving him home alone. With nary a warning but "don't do anything stupid", they catch the ending to Garfield and Friends.

Shortly after, Calvin decides to watch Childs Play, dismissing Hobbes' concerns over the rating by claiming the "R" stands for "rainbow", and that it has the world "play" in it. It doesn't turn out well. Neither does the next movie they watch, Jeepers Creepers II.

Naturally, Calvin ends up a paranoid wreck, though he's not paranoid enough to disregard Hobbes' sudden change in tail color and voice. "Hobbes" passes them off as a warm-up device and a cold, respectively, he and Calvin end up in a great big argument over nothing. Shortly after, Calvin sends Hobbes (whose tail color is back to black) down to the basement to set up a rope trap with sleeping pills as bait.

After some more lunacy, the duo find the pills are gone, thus inspiring Calvin to station traps all around the house... which he ends up falling into. After getting near the basement, Hobbes having vanished, Calvin attempts to confront the doll. Finding only a rat, Calvin wonders who took the pills... still finding nothing.

""Oh man! Is it any wonder they call that brand of dolls Bratz?""

Unfortunately, he shortly finds a doll holding the pills! When flattery doesn't work, he simply makes a run for it... upon which another doll attacks him!

After, emerging from the basement, is Socrates - The Prankster who Hobbes idolizes. They rush off to complete the last phase of their plan, leaving Calvin to deal with his parents coming home to a face full of water.

The last phase is later revealed to be an Engineered Public Confession of a sort - namely, Calvin admitting he likes Barbie and such.

Tropes:

 * Cat Scare: With a rat.
 * Continuity Nod: Hobbes mentions the last two times Calvin used a Duplicator.
 * Engineered Public Confession: The episode ends with Calvin admitting he likes Barbie being broadcast all over the school.
 * Evil Doll/Killer Doll: Socrates tricks Calvin into believing this.
 * Halloween Episode: While not officially, it is a bit creepy.
 * Hoist By His Own Petard: See the second Shout Out.
 * Identical Stranger: Socrates is introduced in this episode. He looks exactly like Hobbes, save for his tail, which has red stripes. Calvin clearly isn't all that familiar with him yet, as he mistakes him for Hobbes.
 * This is actually exploited by the two of them to freak out Calvin.
 * Insane Troll Logic: How Calvin ends up watching Childs Play in the first place.
 * In Series Nickname: Calvin nicknames the doll "Murphy" for no reason.
 * Kids Shouldn't Watch Horror Films: And how. Calvin will never looks at Barbie the same way again.
 * Let's Mock the Monsters: Inverted and played straight several times in this episode.
 * Mind Screw: Hobbes and Socrates do this to Calvin.
 * Shout Out: The title to Home Alone.
 * Along with the traps he sets up... which he ends up falling into.
 * Spoonerism: "We're dealing with greater horses, Fobbes!" This ends up starting a large and ridiculous argument.
 * The Prankster: Socrates' first appearance.
 * Take That: "Hobbes" isn't particularly fond of Jeepers Creepers II.
 * Repeat What You Just Said: How Calvin figures out how to get rid of the doll (namely, by bombing it).
 * Rule of Three: The duo witness three gory scenes from Childs Play in a row.
 * Tempting Fate: "... and don't do anything stupid!"