Tiny Toons Looniversity: Spring Break

6.5/10

In this spring break special for the Tiny Toons reboot on Cartoon Network/Max (coincidentally or not the original also had a spring break special), the Tiny Toons crew go to visit their families for spring break. 

This is alright. Everything comes together in the end for a satisfying, heartfelt finale and there's some decent humor, but this is a weaker entry when compared to several episodes of the show. For a longer special, it doesn't go big enough. Though Looniversity has some good storylines, the show has become more reliant upon teaching lessons and, due to the university setting, a more grounded use of characters, resulting in more relationship/character oriented stories. One can miss the more free-form stories and comedy of the original.

Kinda recommended. Kids will probably be fine with it. If you like the show, you'd probably be satisfied. 

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy- Season 1

8/10

In this new animated comedy on Amazon Prime, alien doctors Klak (Nope's Keke Palmer) and Sleech (Everything Everywhere all at Once's Stephanie Hsu), known for breaking the rules, try to find a cure for anxiety.

This is a very creative show. With animation as a medium, you can go much farther with bringing imagination to life. There are so many bizarre, unique aliens in this. (If you have a low weird tolerance, this isn't for you.) The show doesn't really have any humans in this, which makes it a nice change from sci-fi comedies like Tripping the Rift or Futurama. There's no asking yourself why you hear so many topical human references being made by everyone including aliens but not a lot of references to other cultures. The world of SBHitG may have similarities to us but never feels like the writers are copying humans verbatim. 

The jokes are fairly funny (there's also a solid mix of dark and light humor), but I wouldn't say the greatest. It's the stories and overreaching plot points that make this entertaining. The character's lives and the situations they find themselves in is what makes this show. The cast may be wacky but they all have solid flaws, fears, dreams, etc.

I was on the fence for the first episode; too much introduced too quickly. I recommend you stick till the third episode before passing judgment. 

The animation is one those recent adult animation types like you find on Max that kinda look like they were out of an adult indie comic. It hasn't worn out itself out yet and makes a nice relief from super-simplified character designs. The world is very colorful, detailed and distinct.

Palmer is known for usually playing confident characters, so it's nice to see her show her range by doing the opposite and giving a very believable portrayal as a person suffering from anxiety. You know who also surprised me in their performance? Maya Rudolph as Dr. Vlam, an intern and centuries old robot. She gives a completely different and slightly more grounded portrayal than anything she's ever done before. I didn't know it was her until I looked it up.

Recommended. This might be a little too odd for some, but this is a compelling work.

Hazbin Hotel- Season 1

7.5/10

In Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime, the forces of Heaven, fearing the great numbers of sinners in Hell, hold an extermination once a year where they kill a lot of souls. (In this world, all dead people either become demons or angels.) Idealistic Charlie Morningstar (voiced by Erika Henningsen, who was the original lead in Broadway's Mean Girls the Musical), is tired of this, so she decides to create a hotel that specializes in redeeming any who stay there so that they can get into heaven.

The pilot for this came out four years ago (this was an indie animation that had to first be picked up, plus animating takes time), and I've been waiting, genuinely curious as to the final outcome, and yeah, this doesn't disappoint. Characters are well defined, there's great world building, and the show manages to hit the funny bits pretty well. One is engrossed with the story as it develops and whether Charlie will achieve her dream. This is kinda like The Good Place in that it questions the concept of eternal damnation for people that were lousy or made poor decisions but weren't evil, evil.

Be forewarned that this is very adult. Very, very adult. Maybe more sexed up than the Rocky Horror Picture Show and more foul-mouthed than South Park (I've heard the words b**** and holes, as in orifices and not in the ground, more times than I ever have.) And this, show can be pretty bipolar when it comes to its content. Hazbin Hotel can have a funny part and then something dark may happen. Unlike Bojack Horseman, which was known for balancing lighter and darker humor, I don't know if this finds the balance. The creator Vivienne Medrano is definitely a talent, but she's like those two guys who created the Venture Brothers, they're definitely creative, but you're truly worried about their state of mind. Medrano's original pilot and her web cartoon Helluva Boss, which didn't have to censor for streaming, are a LOT. Things can get uncomfortable with her. The subplot of hotel occupant and porn star Angel Dust (Blake Roman) gets DAAAARRRKKKK. It is front and center in episode four and their is a reason why it is rated 18+ while all the others are 16+.

Also understand that this season is only eight episodes long. The show has a lot of characters and ideas, but they don't all have their equal time to shine. There's so much plot being revealed that it's easy to remember what's going on this season but so hard to remember what was the main story of each individual episode.

The voice cast is good. This show is a musical, and I'm happy to say everyone they cast are good singers. Henningsen really manages to sell Charlie's sheer unbridled optimism. (A big part of her character is how pure she is despite living in a terrible place with awful people.) The other star of the show is Alastor, the Radio Demon (Amir Talai), who sounds like he's speaking over an old-timey radio. He's a very powerful demon that's sponsoring the hotel not because he believes in it, but because it amuses him. He's the "aren't-you-glad-I'm-on-your-side"-type, equally charming and funny and a terrifying fellow when you cross him.

People have already pointed out that Charlie's girlfriend Vaggy (Reno 911/Encanto's Stephanie Beatriz) sounds like and is kinda similar to Poison Ivy in the Harley Quinn show. But in fairness, the pilot came out before HQ. Credit to be given to the show for how the lovers' relationship is made clear through showing without having to explain.

The animation feels like a Deviantart artist's page come to life with a distinct type of character design. It's a very unique depiction of the afterlife. The animation is colorful, and the quality itself is really fluid and detailed. 

The songs are pretty good; there are weaker entries but no bad ones. I particularly like the variety; none of the songs feel like parodies/homages of existing songs like I've seen in many other musical TV shows.

Kinda recommended. This is definitely not for everyone. If you don't like M-rated stuff, stay away. And I do not fault anyone for episode four being too much. However, if you're okay with all of that, you may very well like this creative, well produced work. (You might want to see the pilot on Youtube first. The first episode does explain the premise, but the pilot explains stuff more.)

Hamster and Gretel- Season 1

8.5/10

In this new Disney Channel cartoon from Phineas and Ferb co-creator Dan Povenmire, elementary school-aged girl Gretel (voiced by Povenmire's daughter Melissa) and her hamster Hamster (SNL alumni Beck Bennett) are granted superpowers by aliens and become superheroes. Meanwhile, Gretel's brother Kevin (Love, Victor's Michael Cimino), who was standing right there and got diddly squat, ends up in the thankless job of being the guy in the chair and trying to coral his young and impetuous sister.

If you've seen P&F or Milo Murphy's Law, it's the same kind of humor. Stuff that's clever enough for adults and goofy enough for children. What we get is a bunch of varied and enjoyable villains of the week, who are a fun bunch with goofy gimmicks. Though the episodes are mostly self-contained, the show does a decent job of building the world upon existing characters (I thought the villain Professor Exclamation (MadTV veteran and prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr) was a little one note at first, but he and his single-minded inability to be chill and get over his tragic origin (which is kinda silly) got sorta interesting to watch.)

The three main characters make the show. Kevin is a solid straight man/fall guy who has to deal with helping his sister amongst the various insanity thrown at her There's something about Gretel that's just so darn contagiously optimistic. At first I thought Melissa's casting was just a case of nepotism, but her voice really grew on me. It's got a unique quality. Funniest character hands down is Hamster. He's the one who's surprisingly cool and laid back. Bennet's naturally deep tone is accentuated here and he manages to make delivery that is always in the same tone be consistently funny. Originally the writers had him as a guy of few word like P&F's Ferb, but I think they quickly realized what a personality expert one-liner they had on their hands.

Highly recommended. Show is just fun. On the Povenmire scale, it's below P&F and above Milo Murphy's Law.

Star Trek: Lower Decks- Season 4

8/10

The lower decks gang from the U.S.S. Cerritos face new chapters in their lives and a mysterious new threat and welcome new crew member Vulcan T'Lyn (voiced by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Gabrielle Ruiz).

The show remains consistently entertaining as the episodes remain varied and distinct, and the writers continue doing a great job making use of and paying  homage to Star Trek lore. What I like about this show is that the characters don't remain stagnant and there is actual growth. (They finally tackle a couple plot points that arguably the writers may have been putting off for a little too long.) I especially appreciate the growth in the case of Mariner (Space Force's Tawny Newsome). She was too controlling at the beginning and destructive, but the show has acknowledged she's on a journey and she's gone through so much development. There's a continuing subplot is a mystery. It keeps you guessing as to what's going on and the explanation pays off pretty well.

The character of T'Lynn, who's a bit of a rebel/goes-with-the-gut-type by Vulcan standards was first introduced in season 2. It was hinted she was going to join the crew since then, and it's finally happened. The execution meets expectations. For a new addition, she fits in flawlessly. She's sort of the straight man to the rest, but she's also understanding enough of the characters that she gets along with them pretty well.

Animation remains strong. It continues to be colorful and the action is really fluid this year.

The main voice cast remains great. Newsome is really on her a-game this season. All her lines sound so natural.

Highly recommended. It's another funny season that's a real treat for Star Trek aficionados.

South Park: Joining the Panderverse

8/10

In this new South Park special on Paramount+, the South Park boys face the threat of their universe merging into one where are all the cast are multicultural women. 

This may be one of the show's cleverest satires in the last few years.  It pokes fun at both Disney movie pandering and those who get upset at anything the slightest bit "woke" at the same time and how a lot of franchises are taking advantage of the multiverse craze. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, much how they expressed their dislike of Family Guy and its reliance on cut-away jokes, deliver some probably honestly held beliefs of theirs about the overextension of multiverses through the South Park boys' dialogue. I appreciate that they are nuanced and not 100% one-sided when addressing the topics.

The writers were clearly having fun with the "woke" South Park universe idea. It's particularly funny seeing all the kids being played by adults who speak the exact same way the kids would. Stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, who also plays one of the Dora Milaje in the Black Panther movies, voices Diverse Cartman. Her delivery of Cartman's lines is pretty funny. She's not mimicking his unique cranky voice, but she gets all the nuance of his selfishness down flat. Kenny's muffled voice usually hides the fact that his dialogue is the dirtiest of the main quartet. Diverse Kenny (Diana Lauren Jones) has no coat covering her mouth, and seeing a woman sincerely delivering all of Kenny's dirty, hormonal boy dialogue makes for a fun time. Montana Jacobowitz completely nails Butters' gullibility and anxiety. Cartman (Parker) is sorta the main lead and again one of the funniest aspects of the show. He's best when he's his most paranoid and obsessive. Cartman's crazed, racist over-the-top fears of being replaced by diverse women are pretty entertaining as we see how increasingly desperate he gets.

The only downside to this is that the show really should've dipped its toe into the whole multiverse thing a lot more, and it felt like a lot of jokes and potential was left on the table. Thing is there's a B-plot. (It's not really mentioned in the promotional material, so I won't spoil the surprise of what it's about.) The satire of it is sound but just isn't as funny as the a-plot. It could've been its own half-hour episode. Plus, it stars Stan's dad Randy (Trey Parker), who I feel is really overexposed recently.

Recommended. Another prime example of the show's satire and both-sides, Libertarian-esque humor.

Scavengers Reign- Season 1- Episode 1

6.5/10

In the first episode of this adult animated show on Max, the crew of a damaged spaceship become marooned on a planet full of strange animals and plants.

First off, I've got to give Max credit for giving this a shot. There are so few adult animated shows and films out there that aren't comedy. Scavengers Reign shows the value of telling serious stories through animation. You'd never be able to depict such a visually ambitious alien world with a live-action budget.

The best thing about this is the animation and sheer creativity to the planet. The creator or creators have hatched such a unique environment featuring ideas I'd never think of. What I saw in the first episode isn't leaving my brain any time soon. Designs are colorful but definitely alien. I don't think I've ever seen an alien world depicted on screen that is just so different from our own. As beautiful as the planet can be, it can also be unsettling or straight up macabre. The whole show feels like a European comic.

Credit should be given to Max for taking the risk on telling such a weird and unarguably adult and sometimes dark tale. Going back to comparing this to a comic, this felt like one of those stories that would've been toned down in order to make them more audience friendly if they had been adapted to screen, but no, the show is allowed to be as weird and adult as it likes.

Thing is that I'm not planning on continuing to watch this. I know I spent several paragraphs saying I admire the gutsiness of the project, but that's just it. I admire the endeavor but not the final project. The whole affair was just too slow-paced for my tastes, and I don't think I could push myself through eleven more episodes.

The alien world is creative but just a little too off-beat for my taste. Also, the dialogue felt a little stale/unnatural. 

There is some fine voice acting in this including from Loki/Lovecraft Country's Mosaku as crew member Azi and Arrested Development/Search Party's Alia Shawkat as her robot companion Levi. However, some delivery feels stilted including from Bob Stephenson as crew member Sam. (In fairness to Stephenson, it may not be his fault. His audio felt off when compared to the others, like they recorded his audio remotely because he couldn't make it to the studio and the quality wasn't up to par.)

Kinda recommended. Some people will be put off by the pacing and general content, while I see others being really into this. Though I'm not returning, I don't regret giving this a shot.

Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, too!

 

7/10

In this made-for-streaming/DVD movie, the Mystery Inc. gang is called in to investigate the disappearance of the Justice League and search the Hall of Justice which is haunted by a phantom. There they team up with Superman's famed pet Krypto.

This film had an interesting history. Images of it leaked a while back but no official confirmation of its existence was given by the WB. The last released SD movie Trick or Treat had a difference in tone and animation style from the other SD made-for-DVD movies released since 2009. Krypto, too! has the original character designs which makes one hypothesize that it was created first. (They produced two of these films a year for a while.)  When it comes to David Zaslav and WB Discovery's controversial cuts since the studios' regime change, Batgirl has got all the publicity for being the completed title that got shelved and never shown, however it looks like SD got hit the hardest. The Scoob prequel was shelved as well as the incomplete pre-school show being made. Another in-production SD made-for-DVD movie was canceled as well. (It would've brought the Hex Girls back and had songs. 'Tis a shame.) It's reasonable to assume that this movie had also been shelved (though there's no official info.) However, an interesting thing happened. The full film was leaked online. It was quickly pulled but not much later its release was announced. Perhaps the leak produced enough views to entice the studio to change their minds.

This is likely the last of the SD made-for-DVD movies for a while based on recent trends. (These have been going on since '98. I fear that ending this universal cornerstone along with Hasbro ending the long running Power Rangers series in the form as we know it may be the harbinger of the unraveling of reality and some dark, looming event. Or it can simply be the fate of media in a changing business environment if you want to get boring about it.) It's a good film to go out on. Wouldn't say it's one of the best in the series, but it's definitely one of the better ones. 

Definitely one of the funnier ones. Dialogue's on point. There are a few really solid self-pokes on legitimate critiques of the DC and SD. (There is one point where I thought to myself "Yes, you're completely right about that! Thank you!") Lex Luthor (voiced delightfully by Charles Halford) is a main part of the cast as he's stuck in the building with the rest of the gang and has to team up with them. He's a sarcastic, grumpy and arrogant interpretation, and he's an interestingly new type of dynamic for the team as they don't usually have a foil to work off of.

Story is also one of the more unique SD plots. The conclusion to the mystery is satisfying. We also get an entertaining group of suspects. 

Admittedly, the plot in the middle act is a bit light, but kids probably won't be as critical. There is a subplot with Jimmy Olson (prolific voice actor James Arnold Taylor) that is arguably problematic and uncalled for but doesn't pop up much.

As it's always been, the 2009-2023 animation remains colorful and smooth. (Though I still hate that they don't include whites in the characters eyes because that's what the original Scooby-Doo Where are you? did in order to be "retro.") Loved the design of the phantom. It has a cosmic/molten lava-like feel to it. Considering that they did a team-up a few years back with the "Brave and the Bold" version of Batman and other DC characters, the change in character designs might be nitpick for some who prefer continuity. But, what can you suspect with a continuity as long as SD?) 

Recommended. This is definitely a fun time for kids or adult SD/DC fans.

Harley Quinn- Season 4

7.5/10

In this fourth season of Harley Quinn, Harley (voiced by Big Bang Theory's Caley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Childrens Hospital's Lake Bell) try to continue their relationship with the hurdle of Harley now being a hero and aiding the Bat Family while Ivy has become the CEO of the Legion of Doom.

I'd say this season was a mixed bag. When the show is funny, it is funny. There were a lot of solid ideas. (The show will definitely surprise you at points.) I give the writers credit for not having the characters in the exact same place as the first seaso, but having the scenarios Harley and Ivy in change as their characters evolve. 

However, not every idea and joke lands. This season felt like it was trying to juggle too many plot points and characters. If you're a fan of Harley's original gang, they're a lot more sidelined and recurring than regular. (I'm actually okay with how little screentime Clayface (Resident Alien's Alan Tudyk) got this year. He's a one-note character that works better in smaller doses.) Harley working with the Bat family never feels as well-utilized as expected. The ending doesn't feel as strong as the plot points leading to it.

Harley and Ivy's chemistry and dialogue and Cuoco and Bell's dialogue remains strong. It's disappointing that the couple spends so much time away from each other, because they work so well together. I am pleased that the writers got the hint and cut down on Harley making rushed, one-sided decisions without thinking how it'll affect others.

You get a lot more of Nora Freeze (SNL alumni Rachel Dratch) who's Ivy's assistant in this. I loved her no-bars, does what she wants attitude. Though Giancarlo Esposito really suits as the voice of Lex Luthor, the character hasn't really been that interesting until now. With the whole season featuring him, the writers were able to define Lex's character. Due to this being a comedy, his obsession with one-upping Superman is taken to the umpth degree, and he is portrayed as a narcissistic and silly, wannabe-alpha male. (Admittedly, he does feel a little dragged out by the final episode.)

Also, for a show focusing on two female leads trying to operate in a male-dominated industry, the show has been low on other female characters. This season seemed to try to correct that as we did get more of them this time around.

Infamous one-shot DC villain Snowflame (James Adomian), the villain who gets his powers from cocaine, is portrayed in this as a wannabe-bro with no shutter.  The writers seemed more enamored with him than I as I thought he was overused and not that entertaining.

Recommended. The weakest season of Harley Quinn is still rather entertaining. (Again, predictability is one thing you can't accuse this show of.)

Praise Petey- Season 1

6.5/10

In Praise Petey, the new animated, adult comedy on Freeform and Hulu, New Yorker Petey (voiced by Schitt's Creek's Annie Murphy) inherits a cult and basically control over an entire small town from her late cult leader father (Barry/Office Space's Stephen Root) who she never knew.

The show gets a slow start, especially the first episode. At first all the town characters don't feel that engaging, they feel like a vague bunch of rural weirdos. The show takes it's time but by the half way point the show has gotten more of a voice for the characters and the episodes get funnier and more offbeat and creative. (Admittedly, one, especially if they or a loved one has been wronged by a cult, may have completely valid reasons to find this in poor taste. The show does downplay the actual awfulness and dangers of cults.)

Praise Petey does lean way too hard on the jokes about Petey being from New York. I mean, we get it; no need to hammer in the point. Also, not EVERY single episode needed to have Petey and anti-cult town member Bandit (John Cho) get into big fights that always end with will they/won't they chemistry. It becomes tiresome. That having been said, I acknowledge that as a male I may not be the target audience. This seems to be targeted at women and power to it; there are just not that many female adult animated comedies (I can only name Tuca and Bertie and Birdgirl off the top of my head).

Though Petey can get too self-absorbed in this show, all credit should be given to Murphy's performance giving her a fun, energetic urban millennial accent to the character. Petey's father's right hand woman, now Petey's right hand, Mae Mae (the Magnum P.I. reboot's Amy Hill) I initially couldn't get behind. She just felt randomly sinister, but as the show continued she became more fleshed out as someone kinda nutty try to fulfill a hole in their life. She isn't in many episodes, but Petey's friend Ella (the show's creator and former SNL writer Anna Drezen), who's kinda a goober, is always fun when they use her.

Though Cho does a great southern guy accent, the character of Bandit is frustrating. He mostly just complains about the cult, Petey being a cult leader, and how he'll stop the cult, but he rarely actually does anything about it. The whole bit gets old real fast.

I liked the character design: cartoonish but not too, too simplistic. There's an interesting use of color here.

Kinda recommended. I gave this the rating I did because I feel that would be the most accurate rating for a general audience. The show can be uneven, particularly in the first half. However, I still genuinely liked this and am looking forward to a second, and hopefully more fine-tuned, season. At least give it a shot, you may not like it, but I feel it's worth the risk.

Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie

6.5

In this special on Apple+, Marcie (voiced by Arianna McDonald) deals with her introvertedness getting in the way of her goals and responsibilities.

This special does a really heartfelt job of showing children it's okay to be introverted and how to deal with it. Charlie Brown's not in this much, but there is one scene where the special does a great job of reminding us that he's probably one of the most likable fictitious characters out there.

However, this didn't need to be 39 minutes long. There are too many scenes of Marcie having difficulty. Admittedly, this does nail her struggles but also beats the issue to death. Also, kids have short attention spans.

Like the previous Apple+ specials, this still feels like Peanuts diluted. The characters feel more two-dimensional. Peppermint Patty and Marcie have really been Flanderized, reduced to just "the sports one" and "the brainy one." Part of the original strip's success is that through Charlie Brown's insecurities it related with a lot of people. However, the rougher aspects of the original are gone.

Also like the previous specials, this looks great. The scribbly line look of the Peanuts kids feel really strip accurate. The bright colors are not faithful to the classic specials, but they are so colorful, I forgive them. The 2d-animation has never looked better for Peanuts like it's on a film budget.

Kinda recommended. Does deliver a great message for kids and does it well, but it's slow and a poor imitation of classic Peanuts.

The Venture Brothers: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart

9/10

The Venture Brothers had a good run, going seven seasons from 2003 to 2018. However, they were originally slated for an eighth one, but then the powers that be (I don't think it was the head of Adult Swim's call) decided it made business sense to cancel. VB had a solid base, but the numbers were never huge. So, the show ended on a cliffhanger. Luckily, now the show's two creators get to tell their story, even if it is truncated.

In this movie now on DVD/Blu-ray and streaming, Dean Venture (voiced by Michael Sinterniklass) searches for his brother Hank (show co-creator Christopher McCulloch) who's gone AWOL after the events of series finale. Meanwhile, the O.S.I., this world's version of G.I. Joe, and the supervillain organization The Guild of Calamitous Intent find themselves with a common foe in the form of the new supervillain organization ARCH.

McCulloch and other showrunner Doc Hammer have not always been able to do their best properly getting across what they're trying to say to the audience. I was worried that what with this being only 83 minutes that they'd have issues squeezing in all the story they intended. I'm pleased to say this movie moves really smoothly especially for one that juggles a lot of story and characters. I'm actually proud of the filmmakers being able to squeeze in as many fan favorite characters as they could. The reveal of the main antagonist's motivations do feel a little rushed, but as a whole this film moves quite smoothly.

All these years later and VB hasn't lost any of its magic. The movie still has that unique retro-modern humor to it. The script is definitely not your typical adventure story as is the case for VB. The show differed from a lot of other animated adult comedies in that it doesn't stay stagnant in the same place; characters grow up a little and things change in an ongoing story. This movie keeps with that in a mythos-bound tale that finally reveals the answers for a few of the show's big mysteries. (The movie even brings back up a one sentence remark from several seasons ago. That's how big McCulloch and Hammer are on world building.) Make sure you stay after the credits.

This is definitely not for newcomers. There is just way too much reliance on existing plot and lore. 

Dr. Venture (James Urbaniak) as with the show can be funny (and Urbaniak always nails his delivery), but also as with the show, his selfishness can be draining. Also, it's hasn't been uncommon for Christopher McCulloch and Doc Hammer as funny as they are to do something messed up/in bad taste. (I love the show, but I'm not proud of it when these things happen.) This movie has one brief scene that may make you say "I don't think I'm cool with that." 

The character animation may not be for everyone (my mother once called it the show with the ugly animation), but VB definitely has a unique style, and it's not one of those shows that are common these days where the designs are very simplistic. Background animation remains slick with the unique retroesque look the VB has.

Recommended. Not for newcomers, but definitely prime VB for those who are already fans (credit should be given to the franchise for still feeling fresh after all these years.)  

Captain Fall- Season 1, Episode 1, An Unconventional Cruiseline

 

4/10

I watched the first episode of Captain Fall the new Netflix show about Jonathan Fall (voiced by Jason Ritter), who's been made a captain of a cruise line, but unbeknownst him to him it's a smuggling operation and he's a potential fall guy. After this episode, I won't be returning.

If you've seen the trailer, Fall's that trope where the guy isn't liked much for no good reason by his toxic family. You'd think the storyline of his background would only be the beginning of the episode and that he'll soon be on the boat, but NO, the full first episode is mostly the family.

The problem is that the family isn't funny at all. I think the toxic parents trope is getting old these days and then the show runners had to dial things up to eleven. Their dialogue is a chore to get through.

Another issue with the show is that all the jokes are stretched out so much, which makes the characters disapproving of or upset with other characters moments so tedious.

Understand that so far this show is very, very dark. This is far more cold-blooded, especially in terms of murder, than you'd suspect.

The animation's good-looking and distinct I'll give you that. It looks like a European indie comic book. 

Not recommended. Yeah, I didn't even stay through to the ship, the main part of the story, and I hear the show gets better in the last third, but after such a botched first episode so bereft of laughs, I'm not inclined to be charitable.

The Simpsons- Season 34

7/10

This is the thirty-fourth, 34th!, round of the misadventures of the Simpsons family and the other residents of Springfield.

This is another of the recent Simpsons quality revival seasons. (To lay out the timeline, there was the first two or three seasons where the show was finding itself, the next five or six seasons that was the golden age, the Jerka** Homer era where the show lost its magic and focused on celebrity appearances and shenanigans happening, plus Homer'd gotten too dislikable, then we got the reform seasons where Homer (voiced by Dan Castalenetta) was made nicer than he has ever been, and remains that to today, and focused more on character-based storylines which started strong but then felt at a loss for new emotional situations to put the characters in, and finally now.) No, this season isn't as good as the classic years, but it has better stories than it has had in a long time. There's a bigger emphasis on trying new stuff and not doing the same-old, same-old and giving other characters than the Simpsons more of the spotlight. There's also a lot more satirical episodes with solid targets. 

We even get one of the strongest Treehouse of Horror episodes in a long time (it's been a string of diminishing returns up until now), plus a bonus Halloween episode that's pretty good. I also highly recommend Lisa the Boy Scout, one of the funniest things they've done in a while. Even a lot of the less stand-out episodes aren't too shabby.

There are a few things I disagree with. I found Lisa's storyline in One Angy Lisa to be a terribly one-note to the extreme Lisa-can't-catch-a-break story. There are two Fat Tony (voice by Joe Mantegna) episodes that feel too similar to each other. Flanders is still too, well, "flanderised" with him being a religious conservative and less of the nice guy he'd been, and Skinner is too much of a mama's boy and the complete opposite of where the character started.

Animation remains strong. There's nothing complex about the look of the Simpsons, but I love the color usage in recent seasons. There's an anime style sequence in the Treehouse of Horror episode that is pretty sleek looking.

Recommended. Show's still no longer the king of comedy, but this is a solid and fairly entertaining season.

The Snoopy Show- Season 3

 

8/10

The third season brings more short adventures of Snoopy the dog (animal noises by Terry McGurrin), his best friend and bird Woodstock (animal noises by Rob Tinkler), his owner Charlie Brown (voiced this season by Ettienne Kellici), and the rest of the Peanuts gang.

Not much has changed from the previous seasons. This continues to be a funny show for kids. I'm again impressed with all the visual gags involving Snoopy and Woodstock. It can't be easy to write for characters who can't talk, but they pull it off really well. Snoopy's reactions are so enjoyable and the animators make it so you get so much from him without saying a word. 

Again, Snoopy and Woodstock remain one of the best duos in animation history. There is just something about the way the two fight a lot but are also so in sync that works. (Unfortunately, you don't get as much of Woodstock as previous seasons.) Again, although this is modern, watered-down Charlie Brown, he's still such a likable kid and brings a lot of heart to his relation with Snoopy.

I feel that the showrunners might have heard the complaints that the show is a diluted version of that ol' Peanuts feel. Although The Snoopy Show still plays it safer than the rougher original where the kids could be a lot meaner to each other and there was more depth, it felt like the writers were trying a little harder to evoke the ol' Peanuts feel.

Animation remains great. It's clean and colorful and really matches the design style of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz.

Recommended. This does appear to be aimed toward younger children, but has a lot of clever humor and heart to it.

The Great North- Season 3

7.5/10

Season three brings more misadventures of the Tobins, an oddball and close-knit family of Alaskans.

The formula hasn't changed much here, the family keeps ending up in quirky misadventures, but the writers this time around seem to be trying to one-up themselves on how weird they can make the show. Personally, I'm all for it. I love how creative the episodes can get. (I personally recommend A Bear-tiful Friend Adventure, Rear Genius Adventure, and the finale.) Though I still like Bob's Burgers it has lost a little of it's magic (which is fair considering it's been on over a decade.) The Great North has assumed it's throne for offbeat humor with heart and well-defined characters.

The Tobins continue to entertain and be likable with a great voice cast. Probably the best two actors are Park and Recreation's Nick Offerman as patriarch Beef Tobin and SNL/Last Man on Earth's Will Forte. Sure Beef's voice is another one of the outdoors man personas Offerman has built, but I'm impressed with what he's able to do with just small little changes in his voice, making Beef both kinda deadpan but also one of the most lovable parents on TV. Forte's delivery is always pretty funny as the goofiest member of the bunch who's also just so darn positive.

The show has reached the point where it's also really developed the Tobins' hometown of Lone Moose and its inhabitants. I appreciate the world building.

Recommended. If you want something light, positive and just trying to have fun, this is for you.

Digman- Season 1

 

8/10

In this new animated comedy on Comedy Central, once famous but now disgraced archaeologist Rip Digman (voiced by SNL/Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Andy Samberg, who's also the co-creator) tries to revive his career with his new assistant Saltine (Three Busy Debra's Mitra Jouhari).

Andy Samberg doing a boisterous impersonation of Nicholas Cage's voice is something I never knew I needed; I never get tired of it. Samberg brings such an enthusiasm to the character. Rip can be stubborn and at times a little selfish, but it's not like he's full Archer or Dr. Venture. The character is more like a big kid than a jerk. 

Credit should also be given to Jouhari who is also pretty good at the optimistic Saltine's delivery. Though I think he has the least entertaining character, I liked SNL veteran Tim Meadows' delivery as mysterious billionaire Quail Eegan. The guy is often cast as people who are ineffectual or in ineffectual positions. Here he's sort of an antagonist and a powerful and very confident guy. It's nice seeing him showing his range.

As a whole, Digman is very funny. It has that silly, gonzo go-for-broke style Samberg is known for. When the writers go in on a joke, they all go all in. If one line doesn't work for you, don't worry, they're rapid fire here.

It's another adult cartoon that goes for a simplified look, but the character designs have this specific sketchbook-style looseness to them that works. Given that a lot of these shows go for a compact look, it's nice seeing longer-looking characters.

Highly recommended. This is one of the funniest shows I've seen this year. Unfortunately, like most animated shows following South Park, it'll probably suffer the short run curse (at least a second season is already confirmed). I hope for at least three seasons.

The Owl House- Season 3 (Final)

8/10

This final season is only three hour-long episodes. (From what I've read, they were lucky to get that. Viwership was alright, but certain Disney suits felt the show didn't fit well within the brand. I'm worried that this may be the end at least for now of serialized fantasy/sci-fi shows on the Disney Channel. All it's current animated programming is episodic and leaning more on the comedy side.) In it, Luz Noceda (voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles) and her friends try to find a way to return to the Boiling Isles, which has been taken over by the Collector (Fryda Wolff), a god-like child who doesn't really get right and wrong.

You can definitely feel the time constraints in this. The amount of time for this world that had gotten pretty character heavy was limited and not every person you may like will have a spotlight on them (Amity's sibling get pretty much zilch in this). Sadly, witch Eda (Just Shoot Me/Hot in Cleveland's Wendy Malick), one of the biggest characters in the show doesn't get to do much.  It's clear the writers weren't able to address everything they probably had in mind (in particular, the mystery of the Bat Queen's past is never addressed, and if you thought there might be more to the story about Eda's curse, you get butkiss.) The show is able to give you enough explanation of the Collector and the show's main villain Belos (The Americans' Matthew Rhys) that's it's satisfactory but basic. I get the feeling we would've gotten flashbacks and lot more filling in of the details if this had been a full season.

What this season is able to accomplish, it does very well and should please those who like this show. We get some great character work, especially in the first episode. Luz really goes through a heroes' journey as she struggles with her choices in the show. We finally get to spend some time with Luz's mom (Elizabeth Gullion), and they do a great job with developing her as a strong, supportive mother. If you're one of those viewers who felt there was a clear divide between her actions at the beginning of season one, and her portrayal in the second season, the show explains the reasoning behind why she sent Luz to camp, and you get a surprisingly emotional backstory behind the mother's actions.

The third episode is the big action-packed finale, and man does it nail it. (Second episode is decent. I would've cut the the A-plot and have the third episode split into the second and third, giving the third more room to breathe.) This finale is peak epic imaginative fantasy. The animators and design team were clearly giving it their all in the look to this. Be sure to watch the streaming version on Disney+ or Youtube (it's there legally on the Disney Channel channel) and not on broadcast. They cut the epilogue short for time. I saw it on the Disney Channel and originally felt a little disappointed. Imagine my surprise to later find out there was 7 MORE MINUTES. You really need to see the full epilogue which is such a wonderful send off to the world of the Boiling Isles.

Highly recommended. Though this clearly wasn't the ideal story creator Dana Terrace wanted to tell, the show still bowed out an entertaining and pretty emotional note.

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur- Season 1

8.5/10  

In this Disney Channel/Disney+ show based on the Marvel comic (and surprisingly spearheaded by Lawrence Fishburne who's the executive producer), young super-genius Lunella Lafayette (voiced by the Madea Halloween movies' Diamond White)  fights crime under the alias of Moon Girl with Devil Dinosaur (animal noises by voice actor Fred Tatasciore), her pet T. rex who came from a portal she opened.

While it takes some shows many episodes to lock into place what they want to be (and sometimes over a season, looking at you Parks and Recreation and Legends of Tomorrow), Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur had everything locked down since the beginning in what was an extremely confident and engaging first episode. 

I'd kinda like to call this the Kim Possible of this decade, since it's a fun affair starring a girl hero with colorful characters (in fact, KP and MGaDD share a showrunner). Lunella is a plucky, determined  and three-dimensional character. Due to Devil Dinosaur being huge and a lot of scenes taking place at Lunella's home or school (most people don't know her secret identity), he doesn't get quite as much screen time as you'd expect for him being in the lead (don't get me wrong, it's not like he doesn't have episodes focusing on him), but he's delightful when he's on. The guy's kinda like a big puppy dog and the animators do a great job with his facial expressions. There's a third member of the team, Lunella's friend the social media-savvy Casey Calderon (Sneaky Pete's Liby Barer). She's just as enjoyable as the leads. Both her voice and animation have this gutsy liveliness to her.

Moon Girl lives in the Lower East Side of New York and her neighborhood is a really vibrant melting pot. The show also hosts a series of villains, more often original creations than not, that are fun bunch of distinct classic cartoony-types (also like what you'd find on Kim Possible).

The animation is so stylish. If you're one person who gets tired of cartoons these days looking too similar or not taking any risks, you'll be pleasantly surprised with this. MGaDD has a very distinct type of character animation, especially the line work, that kinda has a comic/graffiti pop art feel to it. There's also an impressive selection of songs in this (Moon Girl likes to fight with music playing).

Most of these episodes revolve around Lunella, who means well, but her over-confident reliance in science to solve all her problems can be her downfall resulting in her having to learn a lesson. Don't get me wrong, the morales are good for kids, but Lunella causing a large portions of the threats in the show can get a bit old. Next season, you could at least have more episodes featuring other characters having to learn lessons. Also, it bugs me that Lunella's father looks and acts so young. I thought he was her older brother at first.

Highly recommended and great viewing for your kids. My wording really isn't doing justice to the heart put into the show. This is definitely a worthy successor to the ranks of the best humorous kids superhero cartoons, such as Darkwing Duck and Kim Possible.

Velma- Season 1

6/10

In this, the first straight-up adult take on Scooby-Doo, Velma (voiced by Mindy Kaling) tries to solve both the mystery of her missing mother and who's been killing popular girls at her high school. (To dispel a lot of misinformation, Mindy isn't the showrunner on this; that's Charles Grandy. She's just a voice actor and executive producer.)

In case you haven't heard, this is getting a LOT of hate online. It has a 1.4/10 on IMDB. Won't lie, I kinda liked it. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a perfect show and most of the criticism is well warranted, however, it isn't the worst thing ever as some make it out to be. You ever liked an Adult Swim show (or equivalent) where things go too far or the characters are self-involved but you still like watching it? (I love the Venture Brothers, but let's be honest, Dr. Venture is awful and the creators do go to unhealthy places nobody wanted them to go sometimes.) That's basically what this show is.

What I'm about to say isn't that much different than whatever anyone else is saying, but it can't not be said. Velma can be hard to like. She's rude and mean, super judgmental and tends to put people in boxes, she uses her friends and love interests and takes them for granted, and any lesson she learns doesn't last long. 

The show makes a lot commentary jokes, like WAY too many parts where the characters feel like they're talking directly to the audience. There's a  lot of social commentary jokes, especially aimed at the glass ceiling and the white patriarchy. Problem is that the writers use them as a crutch. They're just repeating the same way-too-obvious points over and over again. However, I don't consider them a deal breaker like some. They can be fun at points, and I feel that having commentary jokes is still far more palpable than when writers just have the characters awkwardly speak the commentary without any nuance. (I'm not anti-woke. I just feel that some shows fumble the ball when they try to apply social issues to a genre plot.)

One last issue is that this has the sexualization of underage teen girls in this. (At least, I assume they're underage. One piece of advertising listed Velma as 15, and i assume the girls around her are the same age.)

On the other hand, there is some pretty funny stuff sprinkled throughout, and the plots for each episode are interesting. MOST importantly, the mystery itself is intriguing with many twists and turns. I honestly couldn't figure out who the villain was until the final episode.

Say what you will about this, but it has a great voice cast. Kaling, Constance Wu as Daphne, It's Always Sunny's Glenn Howerton as Fred, and Sam Richardson as Norville (they're calling Shaggy by his given name for now; yes canonically, it has always been Norville), all sell their characters.

The animation is also really well done and fluid. The show has a unique character design to it.

If you don't like animated shows that can be mean-spirited or too weird (this is definitely a hard sell for an older audience) then this definitely won't be your bag. Everyone else, I do recommend you check the first few episodes out. Many won't be interested, but many might. Again, this isn't a great show, but the plot keeps being interesting enough that I want to watch season 2.