ThunderCats: Season One - Book Two Review (Major Spoilers)
Also a review for the two part season (series?) finale of ThunderCats. Spoilers for that are major. Big time. I'm gonna ruin everything. Don't read until you've seen the episode.
Upcoming reviews on this journal include Dark Shadows: The Revival - The Complete Series, Batman: The Brave And The Bold: Season 3, Transformers Prime: Season 1, The TRON: Legacy Blu-Ray, Once Upon A Time: Season 1, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones Volume 2: The War Years, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones Volume 3: The Years Of Change, and Heathcliff: Season 1 - Volume 1.
ThunderCats "What Lies Above: Part One"
Can I just say how refreshing it was that they made Vultureman, excuse me, VOLTAIRE, a sympathetic and charming character? Vultureman was SUCH an unlikable scumbag on the old show so it's nice that the series realizes they can change things up a bit (more on that below).
The Feliner! Considering that vehicle never got a toy on the old show I'm now bummed that Bandai will probably never be able to give us one either. I have to say that I don't like the new Sky-Cutters. Those things had SUCH an iconic and unique look on the old show that their new bland designs overwhelm me with a sense of not caring very much.
Great episode. And Micheal McKean rocks! *****.
ThunderCats "What Lies Above: Part One"
What the--?! Pumyra is EVIL?! Are they serious? Are they even allowed to do that? Whoa.
I have to agree with Lion-O that he should have seen Pumyra's betrayal coming but for a different reason: she is a TERRIBLE actress. Someone going undercover SHOULD be smart enough to try to fit in but for the most part she's held Lion-O in barely concealed contempt. That's why the writers were able to fool me: she was so bad at her job you never even CONSIDERED that she was smart enough to pull something like that off.
I'm still trying to process this. If this winds up being the series finale I'll be unhappy but I cannot deny this episode was a gamechanger. Let's hope CN comes to its senses and renews this show. *****. Two Part Average: *****.
ThunderCats: Season One - Book Two
The second batch of episodes from the new ThunderCats toon is on DVD. While I would prefer season sets these "mini-sets" will tide me over (at least until the day Blu-Rays are available).
The series continues to improve as it goes on and the second season is better than the first (the set contains the first three episodes of "Season 2"). The first season finale is pretty great too and this set reintroduces the classic characters of Monkian and Jackalman (here called Addicus and Kaynar). They are reimagined as MUCH more hardcore than on the original series. Addicus is clearly a cannibal and Kaynar is dangerously insane. They are bigger and scarier in design too.
The series' uncertain future (it has yet to be renewed and the toyline is in limbo too) makes me wish the series had lasted longer. It's not definitely canceled yet but it is NOT looking good and I think that if it DOES get canceled it will be the biggest network mistake since the Sci-Fi Channel canceled Farscape, or Fox got rid of Family Guy for the second time. This property could be a goldmine in merchandise (the toys were flying off the shelves) if they just had a little patience. But unless a show is as loud and obnoxious as Johnny Test, apparently it isn't safe on Cartoon Network. That just makes me dread what the future holds for Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series.
Best episodes on the set are the reintroduction of the classic (and creepy) robot bear characters (Berbils), the two-part first season finale (Into the Astral Plane / Brothers) and the second season premiere (New Alliances). Surprisingly, there aren't any outright bad episodes on the set which is strange considering how hit and miss the series is and continues to be. I guess the set just collected the episodes from a lucky streak. That said, the two-part "Trials of Lion-O" is a disappointment but it was always going to be. It was loosely based on the epic five part "Lion-O's Annointment Trials" of the original series, where Lion-O was forced to beat the rest of the ThunderCats in tests pitting him specifically against their greatest strengths. Frankly, they never should have attempted this on the new show, especially if it was only going to be two parts. But it's pretty decent for what it is and even if the second episode is a let-down it has geek cred because it was written by Will Friedle.
Another geeky writing cred is the fact that Peter Lawrence, the best writer of the original show, wrote the episode "The Forest of Magi Oar". Technically, it's the weakest episode on the set, but it proves that with a little freedom from weekday afternoon constraints, Lawrence could write a more "adult" script if given the chance. If the series DOES somehow get miraculously renewed I hope he turns in another script. Set Overall: ****.
Berbils: The Berbils in this episode are cuter than they were on the original show but I kind of miss the fact that they aren't as creepy. One of the most bizarre and creative things about the old Berbils was that they were appealing and repellent at the same time (think the Borg Queen from Star Trek: First Contact). That said, the episode is excellent. Old show cameo alert: that giant cat being bid on at the slave auction is Snowmeow, the pet of the Snowman of Hook Mountain (Hook Mountain even gets a shout-out). ****1/2.
Sight Beyond Sight: One of the worst things about this show is that they always portray Lion-O as a completely incompetent leader of the ThunderCats. Granted, he wasn't actually a great leader on the old show either but he never made as many bone-headed mistakes there, or at least not ones that put the other Cats or innocent bystanders in jeopardy. His stupid decisions on the old show affected him alone. That said, the episode is actually pretty good. The Elephants are hilarious and considering what a nuisance the Thunderkittens usually are is was refreshing that it was WilyKit who saved the day. Plus, I don't care HOW blantant a product placement it was, the Thunder-Tank and the Thunder-Racers were AWESOME! And it totally worked. I bought the Tank and both Racers at the toy store because of this episode. And they are awesome too. ***1/2.
The Forest of Magi Oar: Yes, Lion-O was a bit stupid here but it is to his credit that he figured out what was going on before the other Cats. And Peter Lawrence was VERY smart to include in the script the fact that the Sword of Omens cannot be used against the forces of good. I really liked on the old show how the Sword seemed to be alive and have a code of honor of sorts, and it makes sense that the mastermind of the classic would want to do the same for the reboot. ***1/2.
Into the Astral Plane: Loved the flashbacks to Tygra and Cheetara's youth and I loved the paces Jaga put young Cheetara in to let her join the clerics. Tygra leaving that flower for Cheetara was very sweet and an "Awwww" moment. The rest of the episode was exciting too. I love how increasingly angry the serene Elephants were making Grune. Something tells me they were doing that on purpose. ****1/2.
Brothers: Frankly, the betrayal should have been something else. Why? Because Tygra has ALWAYS made his feelings for Cheetara clear to Lion-O and it was HARDLY a betrayal for him to simply win her over. Still, the episode was still pretty great. Panthro's "Worth it" was a Crowning Moment Of Awesome (him losing his arms was a shock). Old show cameo alert: in the flashback Panthro and Grune are fighting Spidera, the Spider Queen. Frankly she is one of the LAST characters I would have pegged for a cameo on this show just because she is so obscure. And the fact that she is SO obscure just made her appearance that much more awesome. ****1/2. Two Part Average: ****1/2.
New Alliances: The new Monkian and Jackalman are PERFECT and beat their old representations by a mile. While it is true the new Slithe isn't as cool as the old Slithe, it's REALLY neat how frightening and bada** Kaynar and Addicus are. When Addicus said "I am owed a meal!" my first thought was "Yikes!" Best episode on the set. *****.
Trials of Lion-O (Part One): I think Lion-O defeated the Kits too easily and in a really stupid manner, but how he beat Cheetara was actually kind of clever and I think a little more believable than he did in his Annointment Trials on the original series. My real problems with the two-parter came in the conclusion. ****.
Trials of Lion-O (Part Two): How awesome is this show that Lion-O actually writes for it? Only thing cooler would have been for Wil Wheaton to have written an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. That said, this isn't as good as Friedle's second script of the year (Birth Of The Blades) and the ending is a total cop-out. I also don't think the way Lion-O "beat" Panthro was very exciting. Yeah, it was more believable than how he defeated him on the original series but it was WAAAAAYYYY too easy. At least Tygra beat Lion-O here but unfortunately Lion-O's "sacrifice" meant nothing. The show shouldn't have bothered attempting this two-parter. ***1/2. Two Part Average: ***1/2.
DVD Menus: In the new Warner Home Video fonts. ***.
Upcoming reviews on this journal include Dark Shadows: The Revival - The Complete Series, Batman: The Brave And The Bold: Season 3, Transformers Prime: Season 1, The TRON: Legacy Blu-Ray, Once Upon A Time: Season 1, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones Volume 2: The War Years, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones Volume 3: The Years Of Change, and Heathcliff: Season 1 - Volume 1.
ThunderCats "What Lies Above: Part One"
Can I just say how refreshing it was that they made Vultureman, excuse me, VOLTAIRE, a sympathetic and charming character? Vultureman was SUCH an unlikable scumbag on the old show so it's nice that the series realizes they can change things up a bit (more on that below).
The Feliner! Considering that vehicle never got a toy on the old show I'm now bummed that Bandai will probably never be able to give us one either. I have to say that I don't like the new Sky-Cutters. Those things had SUCH an iconic and unique look on the old show that their new bland designs overwhelm me with a sense of not caring very much.
Great episode. And Micheal McKean rocks! *****.
ThunderCats "What Lies Above: Part One"
What the--?! Pumyra is EVIL?! Are they serious? Are they even allowed to do that? Whoa.
I have to agree with Lion-O that he should have seen Pumyra's betrayal coming but for a different reason: she is a TERRIBLE actress. Someone going undercover SHOULD be smart enough to try to fit in but for the most part she's held Lion-O in barely concealed contempt. That's why the writers were able to fool me: she was so bad at her job you never even CONSIDERED that she was smart enough to pull something like that off.
I'm still trying to process this. If this winds up being the series finale I'll be unhappy but I cannot deny this episode was a gamechanger. Let's hope CN comes to its senses and renews this show. *****. Two Part Average: *****.
ThunderCats: Season One - Book Two
The second batch of episodes from the new ThunderCats toon is on DVD. While I would prefer season sets these "mini-sets" will tide me over (at least until the day Blu-Rays are available).
The series continues to improve as it goes on and the second season is better than the first (the set contains the first three episodes of "Season 2"). The first season finale is pretty great too and this set reintroduces the classic characters of Monkian and Jackalman (here called Addicus and Kaynar). They are reimagined as MUCH more hardcore than on the original series. Addicus is clearly a cannibal and Kaynar is dangerously insane. They are bigger and scarier in design too.
The series' uncertain future (it has yet to be renewed and the toyline is in limbo too) makes me wish the series had lasted longer. It's not definitely canceled yet but it is NOT looking good and I think that if it DOES get canceled it will be the biggest network mistake since the Sci-Fi Channel canceled Farscape, or Fox got rid of Family Guy for the second time. This property could be a goldmine in merchandise (the toys were flying off the shelves) if they just had a little patience. But unless a show is as loud and obnoxious as Johnny Test, apparently it isn't safe on Cartoon Network. That just makes me dread what the future holds for Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series.
Best episodes on the set are the reintroduction of the classic (and creepy) robot bear characters (Berbils), the two-part first season finale (Into the Astral Plane / Brothers) and the second season premiere (New Alliances). Surprisingly, there aren't any outright bad episodes on the set which is strange considering how hit and miss the series is and continues to be. I guess the set just collected the episodes from a lucky streak. That said, the two-part "Trials of Lion-O" is a disappointment but it was always going to be. It was loosely based on the epic five part "Lion-O's Annointment Trials" of the original series, where Lion-O was forced to beat the rest of the ThunderCats in tests pitting him specifically against their greatest strengths. Frankly, they never should have attempted this on the new show, especially if it was only going to be two parts. But it's pretty decent for what it is and even if the second episode is a let-down it has geek cred because it was written by Will Friedle.
Another geeky writing cred is the fact that Peter Lawrence, the best writer of the original show, wrote the episode "The Forest of Magi Oar". Technically, it's the weakest episode on the set, but it proves that with a little freedom from weekday afternoon constraints, Lawrence could write a more "adult" script if given the chance. If the series DOES somehow get miraculously renewed I hope he turns in another script. Set Overall: ****.
Berbils: The Berbils in this episode are cuter than they were on the original show but I kind of miss the fact that they aren't as creepy. One of the most bizarre and creative things about the old Berbils was that they were appealing and repellent at the same time (think the Borg Queen from Star Trek: First Contact). That said, the episode is excellent. Old show cameo alert: that giant cat being bid on at the slave auction is Snowmeow, the pet of the Snowman of Hook Mountain (Hook Mountain even gets a shout-out). ****1/2.
Sight Beyond Sight: One of the worst things about this show is that they always portray Lion-O as a completely incompetent leader of the ThunderCats. Granted, he wasn't actually a great leader on the old show either but he never made as many bone-headed mistakes there, or at least not ones that put the other Cats or innocent bystanders in jeopardy. His stupid decisions on the old show affected him alone. That said, the episode is actually pretty good. The Elephants are hilarious and considering what a nuisance the Thunderkittens usually are is was refreshing that it was WilyKit who saved the day. Plus, I don't care HOW blantant a product placement it was, the Thunder-Tank and the Thunder-Racers were AWESOME! And it totally worked. I bought the Tank and both Racers at the toy store because of this episode. And they are awesome too. ***1/2.
The Forest of Magi Oar: Yes, Lion-O was a bit stupid here but it is to his credit that he figured out what was going on before the other Cats. And Peter Lawrence was VERY smart to include in the script the fact that the Sword of Omens cannot be used against the forces of good. I really liked on the old show how the Sword seemed to be alive and have a code of honor of sorts, and it makes sense that the mastermind of the classic would want to do the same for the reboot. ***1/2.
Into the Astral Plane: Loved the flashbacks to Tygra and Cheetara's youth and I loved the paces Jaga put young Cheetara in to let her join the clerics. Tygra leaving that flower for Cheetara was very sweet and an "Awwww" moment. The rest of the episode was exciting too. I love how increasingly angry the serene Elephants were making Grune. Something tells me they were doing that on purpose. ****1/2.
Brothers: Frankly, the betrayal should have been something else. Why? Because Tygra has ALWAYS made his feelings for Cheetara clear to Lion-O and it was HARDLY a betrayal for him to simply win her over. Still, the episode was still pretty great. Panthro's "Worth it" was a Crowning Moment Of Awesome (him losing his arms was a shock). Old show cameo alert: in the flashback Panthro and Grune are fighting Spidera, the Spider Queen. Frankly she is one of the LAST characters I would have pegged for a cameo on this show just because she is so obscure. And the fact that she is SO obscure just made her appearance that much more awesome. ****1/2. Two Part Average: ****1/2.
New Alliances: The new Monkian and Jackalman are PERFECT and beat their old representations by a mile. While it is true the new Slithe isn't as cool as the old Slithe, it's REALLY neat how frightening and bada** Kaynar and Addicus are. When Addicus said "I am owed a meal!" my first thought was "Yikes!" Best episode on the set. *****.
Trials of Lion-O (Part One): I think Lion-O defeated the Kits too easily and in a really stupid manner, but how he beat Cheetara was actually kind of clever and I think a little more believable than he did in his Annointment Trials on the original series. My real problems with the two-parter came in the conclusion. ****.
Trials of Lion-O (Part Two): How awesome is this show that Lion-O actually writes for it? Only thing cooler would have been for Wil Wheaton to have written an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. That said, this isn't as good as Friedle's second script of the year (Birth Of The Blades) and the ending is a total cop-out. I also don't think the way Lion-O "beat" Panthro was very exciting. Yeah, it was more believable than how he defeated him on the original series but it was WAAAAAYYYY too easy. At least Tygra beat Lion-O here but unfortunately Lion-O's "sacrifice" meant nothing. The show shouldn't have bothered attempting this two-parter. ***1/2. Two Part Average: ***1/2.
DVD Menus: In the new Warner Home Video fonts. ***.