4
Mar

You’re Never Too Old for Cartoons

   Posted by: toast4321   in cartoons, entertainment, television

“Toast, aren’t you a little too old to be watching cartoons?” We’ve all run into similar comments at some point during our lives from individuals who think our time could be better spent watching one of the million crappy shows on TV. If you are one of those people, you sicken me. I know you’re really trying to manipulate me for remote control domination and no; I will not succumb to watch your “fair and balanced” news dramas or your reality soap operas.

You’d be surprised how many professionals unwind to an episode of Spongebob Squarepants. So, as a proponent of all that is good and true in this world, let’s clean off a spot on the couch, and settle down as I educate you on why you’re never too old for cartoons.

Timeless Wonders

There have always been a selection of cartoons that everyone loves. These timeless wonders somehow manage to follow us through our youths and linger around during adulthood. Similar to us, the cartoons may adapt, age, and grow, but their essential character always remains. They have become the survivors of the daily network crunch. Examples like Scooby Doo can be caught on Cartoon Network each weekend afternoon.

Timeless wonders are excellent shows for developing a shared experience as they combine old and new school ideologies. They are a great starting point for some futon bonding or a tale or two of the better years “when I was your age.” On that note, avoid What’s New Scooby Doo like the plague. The mysteries aren’t well thought out, the humor is bland, and the developers just tried too hard to “2.0″ our once familiar characters. It just doesn’t work out. The gangs not supposed to let criminals off the hook. Velma is not supposed to be wrong. The list goes on. Trust me, I’m a connoisseur for all that is Scooby Dooby Doo.

Now not all timeless wonders are created equal. Some may be better off retired to the once a month club rather than a constant streaming. An example of this is Tom and Jerry. Somehow Cartoon Network has managed to schedule daily episodes of Tom and Jerry and boy does it get old…really really fast. As an older consumer I’ve gone through the many stages of Tom and Jerry fatigue:

  • The Golden Era: So Fresh! That’s funny. A pan to the head!?! What will that crazy critter think of next? Go go Jerry. Tom, tisk tisk, what a bad cat. Why can’t they just get along?
  • Predictable Pussy: Ah yes, Tom will throw the TNT into the mouse hole, run around the corner, plug his ears, and close his eyes, waiting for the explosion, while Jerry quickly places the explosive behind him. Directional humor at its best…
  • Wiley Coyote Syndrome: Aw.. Tom never gets the breaks. I sort of feel bad for him. Jerry can be so mean. I have a growing disdain for mice.
  • Damn you afternoon programming: What the hell, they’re still chasing one another. Why is this crap on? Give me some Rescue Rangers or Smurfs instead..

Hmm.. sort of sounds like world politics..nevermind.

Humor for all ages:

Every once in a while there lies a gem of a show, which manages to connect with all of us, no matter the age group. Each episode contains material we can all relate to, which gives us the luxury of picking and choosing our own little nugget of comic gold. I’d be doing this nation a disservice if I didn’t mention The Animaniacs as the prime example. Boy was that good tv. Each episode was loaded with sparks of comical genius and several layers of subtle humor. On the surface were several goofy characters (Yako, Wako, and Dot (her full name: Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bo Besca The Third)) and subplots (mice seeking world domination), but deep down inside were political jokes, world humor, and other adult shenanigans. The producers successfully blended all these elements while littering insider jokes along the way. Parents and Kids could simultaneously watch and enjoy it.

One more just for kicks…

Now, not many shows can compete with this sort of incompetency, but I hope this changes in the future. A couple shows which aren’t at the Animaniacs level but could very well fall into such categories are Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and Chowder, but that’s for another blog entry.

Most shows nowadays are just not as cunning and have to be partitioned into different time slots for their respective audiences. I could go on and focus on what Adult Swim has to offer, a mix of good humor and a lot of weird ass stuff, but by now you are most likely familiar with the sub-station.

A Walk Away

There’s just something special about separating the palette of standard television from the rich coloring of a cartoon. In a sense, cartoons give us a breather from the normality of life and allow our imaginations to flourish. Better yet, they allow us a good opportunity to veg with friends and avoid the conundrums of life.

So when some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the bar room wall, looks you crooked in the eye and asks you if ya watching that cartoon, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol’ Toast always says at a time like that: “You watching that cartoon, Toast?” “Yessir, the cartoon is on the tube.

that's all folks

Last Minute Reflections: I miss you Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers. Dale, I always wanted you to get Gadget and loved that episode when you became a spy. Pinky..Brain.. one day you guys will rule the world. I welcome you as our overloads. Narf. Courage, the things we all do for love..sigh…

Feel free to add your own personal reflections regarding your cartoon timeline.

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26
Jan

Fight Quest, a Quality TV Series You May Be Missing

   Posted by: toast4321   in entertainment, television

For those uninitiated, Fight Quest is a new Discovery Channel TV series about two Americans who travel around the world in search of a good fight. No, no, it doesn’t revolve around Russell Crowe and his friend, Tuggy the Tugboat. Both men, Jimmy Smith and Doug Anderson, bring to the table former fighting experience through the army or in the mixed martial arts arena. Their new-found interest is to travel around the world learning different styles of martial arts. Here are a few reasons why this show is worth checking out:

The Fighter Within

You know that feeling you get while watching a Rocky training montage? The “time to get off my butt and become who I was born to be: ‘Brock Sampson “Rambo” Samuel L. Jackson The Third.’” I thought so. That is the aura awakened when a new episode of Fight Quest hits the tube. If there’s one thing these guys are good at, it’s knowing how to bring out the inner warrior, and reminding the shoe salesman of his days as a high school football star (for me it was wrestling…and, no, I don’t sell shoes…yet). One feels intense just sitting on the couch and can’t help but bob and weave to avoid the different blows. Even better, I’ve begun to yell feedback at the men in the box while throwing my own counter jabs. Man, what I wouldn’t do to be able to join these guys in their Vision Quest. It’s probably best that I remain an unbruised couch fighter, throwing jabs and punches with one hand while eating a cookie with the other.

Somewhat Instructional

Now this show is not going to transform you into a prized Kali fighter, so don’t blame me for getting your ass kicked in the Philippines, but in each episode you’ll pick up a few general tips about fighting as well as pointers regarding each specialized style. Also of interest is what you’ll learn about the communities, which leads me to my next section…

The World is More than Our Bubble

Whether it’s within the country we reside or the community we keep, most of us have been sheltered in some manner from the rest of the world. Heck, the students at my alma mater, Amherst College, claim that it is a bubble of its own, hidden away from the cares of the world. In its own fascinating way, Fight Quest opens up its audience to different cultures. We do bear witness to various fighting styles, and see Kali, Karate, Boxing, and Pencak Silat, but we also learn about the community and culture each style resides within. Next week showcases Savate from France. Although it’s a show about fighting it also becomes quite an eye opening experience.

Bad Ass +1

It’s the rebirth of that me against the world attitude. When you’re a stud fighter representing your country in a foreign place, you just never want to give up. We, the audience, know that the fighter are human. We see their struggles and gain insight through their narration. The sight of some of the bruises would make certain trainers squirm and plenty of doctors advise that they throw in the towel. And guess what, “Darth Vader Helmet wearing LT”, they always put it all on the line. Did I mention these guys spend 5 days training with a separate master and then come back to the arena to perform a demonstration as well as take on a local champion fighter? Yes, bad ass indeed. The two have 5 days to achieve the improbable using old school methods of training and the tools that the art form was built upon. Let’s not forget that the champion they’re facing is a local who doesn’t want to be disgraced by the foreigner in front of his people, who avidly cheer him on while simulantiously boo-ing the American. Ivan Drago, did you say? (Btw, what’s that guy up to these days? Better yet, what’s Jean-Claude Van Damme doing…?). Another LT jab: yes, the hosts actually cheer for each other when the other is in the ring. At times, I think the judges are unfairly biased, but the guys take it in stride.

Me Loves Me Some Entertainment

Put a little music in the background and you’ve got an epic training montage that would make even Rocky proud. As in any television show, the lines of reality are at times obviously blurred, but regardless, Fight Quest is a good 45 mins of pleasure on a mundane Friday night.

Fight Quest: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/fight-quest/fight-quest.html

An aside: Now I know there are those who will remind me that this show is not the first of its kind. The History Channel has a show called The Human Weapon which began airing last July, but I was never completely drawn into it. /shrug

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