Something Something Movies: Mummies

Movies

        I haven't done a movie in a while on this blog.  This is an interesting case of a movie,  not because it's new [made in the same year as I am posting about it].  Is that it did well, but not well-known?  That's because this movie is from Spain, but did get some worldwide release. I had heard about the movie and was kind of surprised it did well and even was like "I heard about this movie" when it was brought up.  "Mummies" not to be confused with "The Mummy", "The Mummy", "The Mummy" , or "The Mummy", or "Mummy Dearest" (that last one isn't real, yet), is again a 2023 movie, and is Spanish animation that Warner Bros. decided "eh let's distribute it". This is a movie I thought that would end as a random movie in a couple years on Tubi, but it didn't it was Hulu. (moving up!)   Mummies is directed by Juan Jesús García Galocha  and the screenplay by  Javier López Barreira and Jordi Gasull.   

        Mummies grossed  $52 million worldwide, against its budget of $12 million. It's the number 9th Spanish made movie in that ranking outside of its home market. (source)  That's pretty cool. 

        As I said before, I heard about this movie coming out, it was apparently delayed a bit, it was supposed to come out 2021, apparently. [I wonder why it was delayed what was going on then? Hmm anyway]  I didn't even know what it was but did see a quick trailer thing and wrote it down it to pick up on later, which might be a bad idea- for me.  Of course, you use a song like "Walk Like an Egyptian" or any other Bangles song, you've got me, well maybe. 

            I am also interested in media/animation that comes from outside the US. which is another reason why this movie made it my radar, before it was more known or whatever. Also, this is the part where I say the movie has an English dub, that's what we're working from.  They apparently worked with the United Kingdom to the dub, so it's British talk, so we have a Spanish movie about kind of Egypt (more on that soon), with a British English dub.   

            The movie starts with what be an incident where a character named Thut (too-it) [spell check is going to hate this post today] was a chariot racer but one day his wheel fell off and crashed. The awkward cut could make one think he died.  Umm... hmm.  The movie also sets our villain an archeologist. What's his goal? To be famous, that's what drives him. A simple goal. His name is Lord Sylvester Carnaby, voiced by   Hugh Bonneville , whom you may know from Downton Abbey or at least know of the series like I do, since didn't watch it.   There's also a running gag with him where his mom calls and they used the "Psycho" sound. Which someone found funny.  I'm not going to be saying the movie is perfect. Though I do hope they had his mother be a running gag ,because mummy, mummy. British... I'm going back now. 

         Silvester has found a tomb, like archeologists do, and notices that the mummy is not in the tomb. (He should have really checked if the mummy is in the museum)   He also notices there's a portal that leads to the underworld where mummies reside. I'm not sure why the mummies or Egyptians or whomever, yeah this going to be something I'll mention soon, would just everyone about the underworld. but I guess we need plot.  Also Silvester has two bumbling people working with him because sure. I do think it was funny later on in the movie, he can't even tell them apart- he was aware after all. 

He should really go after whoever made his moustache like that 

        I will also give a post spoiler: I didn't hate or dislike the movie, but it does have some things that do make it bit weak and could been improved slightly.  A balanced approach as always. (Also, it's really hard to be angry in text form, except on Twitter... Facebook.. Pinterest?) 

            The movie's intro is kind of creative, while the music for the start sounds generic, the intro is colorful and nice.   The movie has a setting of being a world were apparently mummies are alive and the people though look more like they would be if they weren't mummies. The world seems to be like an ancient city you'd think of as in ancient Egypt but also feeling doing like an ancient spin of current things.  There's a guy being a traffic light we see kids throwing around small piece of stones to send messages and look kind of like phones. I do like the concept here of having a kind of blend thing going on.  I will mention though, overthinking it might hurt a bit. The people -mummies look like they aren't dead, so they weren't going for a "Tutenstein" vibe of being a dead person but alive, uh undead. The only really mummy thing the characters have here is that they are wrapped up in gauze and if a bright enough light, in our world is shown upon them they give off a 'skeleton'? look.  Everything seems fine other wise, there's no jokes about body parts falling off or in that vain. I don't think it was a bad idea , there is some sense to the idea that this the after life and they have full skin and stuff.  The other ways the movie could have made the look work was have it be an alternate parallel  universe where ancient Egypt still runs the way it did or the fun part that that we think of, or time travel, time travel works. 

It's downtown Hartford 

        I will talk about how it looks with characters more soon, but the animation is good. They spent $12 million on this movie and doesn't look bad, they could have really cut some corners, but they didn't- or give the appearance.  Some would try to compare it to Pixar/ Disney or DreamWorks/Illumination which is a dumb thing to do. This is a smaller operation and not even a Warner Bros. made the movie affair, from the country of Spain. I'm not going to say wow it doesn't look like "Minions Rise of Gru" or "The Good Dinosaur" which had budgets higher than this movie, where you could make Mummies , Mummies 2: Electric Tomb-alo, Mummies 3: Return of the Mummies,  Sekhem: the Movie,  Mummies 4: The Last Pharoah: Part 1, Mummies 5: The Last Pharaoh: Part 2: Part 1 , Sekhem 2, and Mummies 6: The Last Pharaoh :Part 2 :The Final Beginning, if you used the same budget of this movie each time. (Really went long on that huh?) I think it looks good.  I don't think it would be bad to look at for the 88 minutes it goes. 

            Back to the story, Thut (voiced in English by Joe Thomas, whom the UK readers, hello! will know from "The Inbetweeners")  was the guy we saw at the start, he is now like those retired sports stars who lives off his past, he meets with fans and ladies want him. (Just like umm nevermind) It also helps that he's young....uhhhh ok. He's also afraid of commitment an doesn't want to marry, I wonder how that will end up in the - uh oh. The next character is his little brother, Sekhem (sek-him)(voiced by Santiago Winder, whom you may know as the voice of Noddy from "Noddy, Toyland Detective", random)  He plays the spunky younger brother role who looks up to his older brother.  It also looks like Thut takes takes care of his brother like a single parent. They never showed any parents, which also makes me wonder, did-can-their parents die?  There is mention of like Thut being afraid of being killed at times in the movie, so I'm a little confused.   Sekhem wants his brother to get back into racing because he thinks it's really cool and thinks his brother was really good at it.  But because of the INCENIDENT  mentioned earlier - he won't. 

That crash was pretty cool 

          Starting with Thut, I do like how the character is introduced, while he's being embraced by fans and ladies, and taking autographs, he does give a bit of confidence without feeling too arrogant or unlikeable, With his brother, he's happy to see him, and seems to take care of him.  You also see he's not as confident as he showed by remembering the fear of the bad incident. I like how he does put on a fake confidence or maybe it's a bit of it he had from before the bad thing, either way, it works. We see him be kind like helping an elderly lady across the street.  The story isn't really about having to change as a person because of being over arrogant or unlikable to being someone who isn't and is, but someone who is shaken by an event that was bad and feels kind of lost about who they are; I think they went a good direction. I'll do a bit more on him, later. 

Weren't you in Downton Abbey? 

         The third main character in this movie runs into Thut, literally. Their first interaction is brief.  She is the princess and even does that thing where she wants to be more than just the princess. This is Nefer, (voiced by Elanor Tomlinson in English, I'm going to mention she was in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging because I want to mention that. Her signing voice is Karina Pasian, who  is an American singer, and can speak multiple languages). Nefer gets a song , she sings that she's kind of tired of things being monotonous and wants to do more. Yes, one of those songs. No, it's a musical movie, but will have some music, but there's a reason for she wants to be a singer- but princesses can't do that.  I also kind of have to like that they decided that it wasn't just some random song, but that she was singing it and some others heard her singing, that was kind of funny. The other part of her plot is the plot she doesn't want to get married. I wonder who will get picked? 

She wants a whole new world.be part of our world... also is surprised to see you

         Her father , the pharaoh (voiced by Sean Bean, that's right Sean Bean!) tells his daughter that the phoenix bird with the help the goddess of love be picking her husband today. (That's helpful) Yes, they are doing a standard thing here where she doesn't want to, doesn't feel ready and wants things to move on.  The pharaoh seems to be a nice guy, but he also wants to keep tradition and hopes that his daughter will understand and want to keep tradition. Also, there's a stargate... what? 

I have a meeting some guy named Moses at 3pm 

        

            Sekhem is playing with a boomerang. (But wait a minute...how is)  This is the part where'd say that the mummy movie about living mummies that also have their normal skin and flesh and also can do pop music is being silly in having a boomerang, but (big but) no they did their homework. Ancient Egypt had boomerangs. Though not a really a children's toy, but the movie gets points for doing that, it's alright to have some fun too.  He's trying to throw it into a ringed statue and a lady opens a window at the same time throwing the boomerang off course, and hits the phoenix of love which lands where Skehem and Thut live.  Of course, you can see where this is going. 

This thing will help you get a mate, but not get channel 58. 

              Now that we have our three mummies and a pet croc of Skehem's named Croc, we can get to the characters' styling.  It is pretty basic, the people-mummies plus the livings are kind of basic there's that a lot that stands out for them. Except for the two henchmen they did make the people look different from each other to stand out.  When the movie enters the mummy world and goes to the children I can tell Sekhem out from the other kids.  Thut and Nefer don't look each other.  Humans in the living world don't look the same, and it works.   Also someone really wanted to make Thut and Nefer have an attractive look, so good for those character designers.  Croc is interesting as the only creature we really see in the film, it's a classic every animal acts like a dog thing, but he's cute and if this was a bigger movie there'd be Croc toys and plushies all over the place.  Of the mummy trio, Sekhem stands out the most in design, not just because he's a kid -whatever that means here-  though that make him the shortest, he's also bald minus the little side lock there.  I think if they had more budget or had a way to work in more expressions especially for him, it would have been even more interesting.   I can't say I feel they didn't put any though in the designs and the effort, again I think the movie works well with its limitation. 

How you do fellow, mummies

           You can see where part of the plot is going.  Nefer and Thut are arranged to be married.  Thut doesn't want to marry Nefer and she doesn't want to marry her. They have the clear goal of not wanting that. To be frank, the movie is not going really going to do anything of a surprise any different of where you might be expecting it to go. (Unless you were expecting something different.) It's a simple movie, simple doesn't mean bad, it means it's not going for high complexity. I do like they do at least add nuance a bit. I do wonder how different anything they say or do is different in the original Spanish.  Yes, Nefer has simple motivations she wants to be a singer and do that and that's fine. Thut finds out that if he goes against wishes of the god, he'll lose his eyes and tongue. (That's a bit much)  One more thing to um set up for other part of the plot is a ring (I don't mean on the phone, Santa Baby) that they give to Thut to hold until the wedding day. Which is kind of stupid thing to do, like why? Hold the thing until the day of the wedding. 

Here's your plot device, sir.

             Since that's coming up soon, I'm kind of sad that this whole movie won't be taking place in this strange version of whatever they are trying do here. The idea of ancient world that also things like old fashion phones, the ones where you hold it up to your mouth and speak with the ear piece on the side  held up to the ear. [ This thing]  You see kids playing on stone smart phone shaped things. It's kind of messy fun. There's a part where apparently some guys are called to make it night time. There's a lot of fun moving parts to this movie that I wish had more going on here.  I'll this here, this environment and still having Nefer and Thut get to know each other as they find ways to not get married and have Sekhem and Croc there doing stuff could have worked too, no need for a villain and etc. Oh well. 

          Good thing, the guards picked the right one, would have been odd if they thought it was him or Croc. 

        I do like Thut and Nefer's interactions and yeah you can kind of tell that it's written that way. It also could have been badly done. Thut works well in this because he's not some playboy or big shot acting character who is like "Hey I get to marry a Princess and be all rich and stuff";  He doesn't act the way they could have stock had him act. Nefer does point out that he's some chariot racer, but that's her way of trying to make sure the wedding doesn't happen and that she didn't have a good view of him when she thought he was just standing the road there, but she's more against this whole thing than being against him for being "beneath her or something". Their banter is kind of fun and they are at least likeable, we're not supposed to be annoyed by them so, good work? 

They look like people who just met... oh yeah that's right 

more after the jump

One Shot Posts: Mirai

Anime Movies Reviews 

  Yes, Yes TV focused blog is doing a movie because why not?  This is one of our One Shot Posts, for things that don't fit with our normal posts or series of posts.


   The 2018 film Mirai  is  directed and written by Mamoru Hosoda  the man who  worked the "Digimon Movie" also created films like "The Girl Who Leap Through Time", "Summer Wars" , "Wolf Children", and "The Boy and The Beast"  This movie was his latest one. 

        Mirai is a movie about a little boy at the age of 4  who's life gets changed with the birth of his little sister named Mirai.    Mirai means future.  This movie starts with showing us Kun (the boy) and how is first happy then turns against the baby because of all the attention she's getting from the parents as newborns tend to get by necessity.  While the audience gets Kun's perspective primarily, we also see that those of his parents with their everyday lives shown maybe a little more naturally. The father character has decided to be a stay at home while working from home while the mother has gone back to work.

          Since Kun is a 4-year-old boy he has has the tendency to go into tantrums when he is un-happy. He lashes at his sister, mother, and father at different parts of the movie. The house they live in is pretty much the main setting it's a unique house built around a tree which personally, I like the design of the house, I'd love to live there. The center part provides a place for plot to work out.   It's kind of a spot where Kun goes to let off some steam.

      Gonna do this part mostly spoiler free.  This movie is very much a slice-of-life style of movie where the added element is Kun's immigration when he's in that middle part of the house.  For the first time he meets a man who says he was the prince of the house , which turns out to be his dog Yukko.  Yukko was in the same position as Kun when Kun was born. Kun steals the dog's tail and turns  into a dog boy.  Later Kun, tells his parents  that the dog prefers the better dog food.   The rest of the movie goes into different little stories  where Kun helps his sister by meeting his sister older from the future, learns a little more about his mother by meeting with her as a child,   and learns how to ride a bike with help from his younger grandpa  Each time from going to the middle of the house the imagination scenes helps Kun learn more about life.

   The last  part of the movie,all I will say is kind of the unsettling part of the movie where it doesn't even feel like the rest of the movie, all I will say I was surprised.  I enjoyed this movie  while slow in pace it had a great mark to it and very engaging where it never felt too slow or wandering. The imagination sciences are creative and kind  of above maybe what a 4-year-old would think but, that's not a bad thing. The most tedious part would be Kun's tantrums because tanturms are uncomfortable to be around in the first place so those are hard to watch.  Otherwise, I think it was a strong and entertaining movie that had a good mixture of heart, comedy, drama, imagination, and realism that I think makes it well done.  Mostly, it's a movie about the main character trying to figure out life still and understand new things that are happening that is a message that I think any age can understand as new things and concepts are being added to life. You see that in the movie with the parents as well as  Mom tires to figure out her job and her family and Dad tries to bond with the new baby while also taking care of Kun.  It's also a very family movie meaning that it's focused on family and learning about the family and how things from the past can be passed down to the future. (Wait a minute) 

    The animation is really great as well, the details were strong. They had an actual architect design the home and it shows well to make a unique home that also fits will with the story. I also like use of paper animation in the end of the film and the details used for the trains.

   I do recommend this movie and you can get it on DVD/Blu Ray, currently. It was a worthy movie to be nominated for awards this year and enjoyed it.

  If you have an idea for the blog you can email it to mychiller@gmx.com

The Peanuts Film Festival : The Peanuts Movie (Part 2)

Peanuts

  Previously, we started talking about the Peanuts Movie (2015) and then we stopped (yeah what's up with that ?)    But before we continue with the movie plot it's time to talk about the music.  (Oh, great this is going to take forever!) 
 
  The Peanuts specials (most of them ) are known for their musical scores, especially the early specials and the use of Vince Guaraldi Trio music .  So this movie  had to have that in it.  It was going to be music we already knew because Guaraldi is no longer with us.   They tapped Christophe Beck to score the movie. He was the main composer for "Buffy"  during season 2-4 and did many a music score.  David Benoit , who did music in many of the specials, also returned to help contribute.  They did get contemporary   pop stars to also do some music like  Meghan Trainor, and Flo Rida.  They had a couple songs made for this movie and are sprinkled in.   For some, it might be jarring but I don't think it feels too out of place.   The background music fits the scenes where used pretty good, Beck's scores really don't feel out of place.

   Now back to the movie itself.  (again some spoilers)

    Previously: Charlie Brown gets a high score on a test and everyone (not Lucy) is impressed and trying to gain his "wisdom" and understand his genius. I think he even started a cult. (not really)

maybe / copyright Blue Sky 

     Charlie Brown remembers he has a book report due by Monday, and he needs to get it finished.  The special decides to "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" reference itself and have Charlie Brown look for "War and Peace".  He's going to try and read "War and Peace" in a weekend. (Oh my)  He does a better job at reading it here than in the New Year special.   They even got his not used to pens gag in there. He writes the book report with Red's pen. (that might be used again)  Sally made Charlie Brown merchandise as he's expected to get an award.    That thing that I didn't mention except in passing happens here where Charlie Brown gets his test back and figures out it wasn't his after he bumped into Peppermint Patty putting his name on her test by accident in hurry.  He decides to admit the truth.   Later on as  Linus was explaining to Red (told ya) about the book report, it gets destroyed after it gets out of Charlie Brown's hands and flies in the sky and gets destroyed.

Even Lucy joined/ Copyright Blue Sky

                                 

despair , I'm with you C.B/ Copyright Blue Sky 

     In despair, Charlie Brown throws away his kite, puts away the football, and baseball glove.  The movie does cross back between more of  Snoopy's story.  Now the movie skips ahead to spring because we need some spring in this movie.  A kid  who I think it might be one of the minor characters asks for help from Charlie Brown to fly a kite , which works but for Charlie Brown because reasons. Snoopy does get his girl in  the end of his story. The critics (Lucy) don't like this story though.
                   

   Now , it's the last day of school.  In class there's a summer pen pal project, Patty jumps for PigPen's (woah alright) of course, Lucy jumps up to be Schroeder's.  When it's Charlie Brown's turn , Red gets up and says that she will be his pen pal.  Charlie Brown thinks she picked him because she felt sorry for him. Finally, Charlie Brown decides to go up an talk to her using her pencil that he grabbed at the first day.  She's on her way to summer camp  and he chargers his way there. He also flew a kite.  Which amazes everyone and they start following him.  Finally, he talks to her.  She says what she liked about him that he's honest, compassionate, brave , and his never give up attitude.  Even Lucy is nice at the end,

  woo hoo/ Copyright Blue Sky 

         Now I talk about  some other aspect of the movie,  the voice acting.  They kept the vain of Peanuts tradition and used child actors.  They once again used voice cuts of the late Bill Melendez to voice Snoopy and Woodstock. Which has been done in Peanuts media post his death.   The voices are fine, though I was thrown  off by Peppermint Patty's voice because usually her voice was more raspy sound  (they did alternate from boy and girl voicing her in the specials  and past movies)  so I was a little taken a back but that doesn't take away.  Though if Linus didn't sound as Lispy as before either.

        The movie itself is a Peanuts fan-service it  has everything you expect from Peanuts, so it did play it safe , in a sense.  The movie was thought by Charles Schulz son and grandson, and if anyone understands the Peanuts  fully it would be them.  I think a lot of thoughtfulness went into it and paid off well. I am also glad, the animation was well done.

    Watching this movie, I do expect bad things to happen to Charlie Brown  the one thing that did break me was the part where the book report got destroyed I  paused it and just said no no no for like 10 minutes because I felt bad for C.B. after he invested all the hard work in reading that book then  writing that paper all night.  Guess I got invested in it.  The movie showed  that Charlie Brown gave up a chance to what looked like an impressive magic show to help his sister, Sally, showing that he tries hard  when he practiced dancing, his honesty ,and perseverance.   They pay off at the end was nice it's the kind of win you hoped for in some of the specials.  The ending did make me smile and slightly tear up with joy again this movie had me invested.  (And I have watched it before)  Snoopy's plot kind of mirrored Charlie Brown's in away, but his was a story he was doing but his quest for Fifi matched Charlie Brown with the little red head girl. 

     Peanuts is timeless yet not timeless at the same time, and so this movie did that well. The typewriters,  kids not having cell phones , even the clothing kind of is back in time. (As stated before the comics and later specials did change some of the clothing) I wouldn't expect any different from anything with the Peanuts.  The movie will be timeless for a long time ,because it didn't do anything to really lock it to a time in the first place.

   Yes, it's not a complex movie and it's not meant to be  none of the Peanuts movies overly complex (and I do mean movies not the specials) we have strong characters that are always interesting to see. The simple story telling is  because Peanuts is what we simply call "Slice of Life".  One of the themes for Charlie Brown was failure and disappointment ,yet  never quitting. Like with me being really annoyed that the book report got destroyed because  he is someone we are rooting for to succeed and when he's happy we are happy.
     
    It's not forced appealing to people's nostalgia but can please it anyway. It's there to tell a story and it does that greatly. If the fear for the movie was that it was going to be like other movies that were trying  what  gets  accusations of trying to cash in on the nostalgia factor  and nothing else, then this movie from its creation was shown more as a labor of love and to bring its audience something they'd enjoy.  Peanuts has a special  place in our world , it ran as a comic strip for 50 years, it had over 40 specials , a few movies, a couple TV series and more. That brings people a shared experience that can be passed down generations . It also was both a familiar Peanuts story and a new story because for once, Charlie Brown actually mustered up and talked to the Little Red Headed Girl something we've not seen before. They still kept  him Charlie Brown  with knowing that C.B may have failures and mishaps , but that he always tries his best, he has a good character.  We know that sometimes the others are rough on on him , but there's still even them caring for him.
 
     I did get laughs , enjoyment , tears, anger, and happiness from this movie.  If you like Peanuts you'll love this movie. If you want to start someone on Peanuts maybe start with this movie.  (read the comic strips too)   I am glad it exists.

 

That's it for now, tune in next time when we get the movie where Charlie Brown finally kicks that football.

     

A First Look at "Big City Greens"

Disney Reviews 

   There's  a new Disney animated series , coming to Disney Channel on June 18th 2018 called "Big City Greens" . They've released the first half hour of two eleven minute episodes on demand. The episodes called "Space Chicken" and "Steak Night" . 

 Spoilers ahead 

  First off  "Space Chicken" 

  

   So this episode mentions that our main characters have moved from the country to the city  which is also shown in the intro.  We are introduced to Cricket and his sister Tilly as the fly into their yard on a lawn mower. Their father wonders of course what Cricket has been doing as the mower is engulfed in flames. The father says that the neighbors don't know them yet and they want to make a good impression implying he wants Cricket to behave. This is not how  Cricket  hears it.   He takes it to mean they need to be impressed. So of course, his idea is to send one of their chickens INTO SPACE! (It has to be read dramatically)  A random kid named Remmy is asked to join the fun of helping to send the chicken into the infinity and beyond. (He's Random because he was walking down the sidewalk when Cricket calls him.)  The episode there's also Gramma (that's how they spell it) and she's not one to wake up in the middle of sleep -- she has a sword.   This episode goes through Cricket, Tilly, and Remmy's attempts to launch a chicken into space and causing some havoc instead.  Eventually, one of the chickens ends up being "sent into space" and everyone around is impressed.

Second, "Steak Night" 

mmm night. 

       The Greens are on their way back home with big plans of their tradition of having a steak night.  Cricket wants to hold the steaks which he is allowed to do , and they take the subway. Since this is new for the kids ,they are amazed and dazzled by the sights and sounds.  Tilly makes friends with the rats. As they get into a subway car, Cricket realizes that he left the steaks back near a bench at the station. So he tries to go back and get them.  He goes on the trip hopefully get them. Funny enough due to the steaks being mistaken for a suspicious package  the train on the way  back to the station stops. Tilly talks to a down Cricket and encourages him to not give up.  He does get them but is now chased by the bomb squad  and a bomb squad robot.   Cricket explains that he was trying to get the steaks because it's important for the steak night but his father says that family is important for steak night.  So he goes up from the tracks while the bomb robot and the steaks are lost.

  This is a nice start for the series.  It's  a more slice-of-life style comedy and at least so far, I don't think it's going to be an over arching mystery or quest series ,which is just fine.  If you are the kind of person who's looking for a quiet animated series with some funny laughs and outlandishness it's this one. 

  Cricket is a fun energetic but well meaning character.  In the first episode he's not being malicious or causing havoc for the sake of havoc but mostly mis understood his father's use of the word impression.  In the second episode he thinks that the steaks are the most important thing about the night because that's what his family says so, when he tries to go get them back he's doing it to makes his family happy. 

    

  Tilly is quiet and kind of in her own world.  She's  a little quirky  but works well with her brother and is supportive of him. Hopefully we will get to know more about her a character as the series goes on. 

  The Dad, named  Bill is a caring father who might be a little annoyed by his son's antics but at least sees the good intentions. He can be a little goofy as shown in Steak Night. Again hope we  learn more about him as the series goes on. 

 Gramma Alice is going to be that one character you can't forget she's feisty and as stated above apparently sleeps with a sword for protection.  She so far, isn't over the top just a fun a little crazy character. 

more after the jump

A Look at Craig of the Creek

CARTOON NETWORK 


           This is kind of our first look at a Cartoon Network series, something we really don't do much so, this is a moment in Joshuaonline history.  The series we are looking at is called "Craig of the Creek" it premiered just in March of this year.

   As an example I will be using the first episode as our reviewing episode so that if it sounds interesting there's room to check out the other episodes. Join us.

       The episode starts with Craig doing some drawing in the kitchen when his older brother , Bernard, tells him to move because he has some English work to do.  So Craig moves to the living room but then gets booted out because his sister Jessica wants to watch CNBC. (Not literally but you know one of those stock market things)  He travels to the room where his father is exercising and that gets ruined because of the air from the bike.

Draw! Copyright Tuner 

      Craig then goes to the creek part of the show's title. There are his two friends Kelsey and J.P. Craig is working on an atlas of the known parts of the creek where legendary kids have been .  (ooh an Atlas)   There's an area that's filled with poison ivy. (I'm itchy thinking about it)  The three of them decide to go there wearing protective clothing pass through it to be come 'legends'. (or die trying.) They notice a rustling the poison ivy something is there.  J.P's suit gets a tear in it and they have lost their calamine lotion and there's something in the poison ivy still rustling.  They try to evade  it   but they've run out of trees.  Craig decides to run into the poison ivy to get help and risking his own not itchiness. He jumps down but then bounces back on the tree (because he is a witch, what? don't look at me like that.)  and he suggests they gotta jump that they found a trampoline under the ivy.  All 3 of them jump up and down then a kid wearing just shorts comes out of the ivy in mysterious fashion.

Copyright Turner 

       He was the one following them, he's called "The Scatch less one" . (That's the name of my band) Unlike most people he's immune to poison ivy.  He explains that didn't have anywhere else to go and has six brothers and sisters at home so this was the one place he couldn't be bothered. Craig decides not to be legendary and puts on the map a warning to keep out. (awww)

copyright Turner 

   That's the first episode.   more after the jump

The Loud House : Season 1 : Along Came a Sister/ Butterfly Effect

Nickelodeon 

      If you remember my "Arthur" lookbacks for the 20th anniversary, you know the structure of those where by random use I took an episode half from two seasons and did a look at them. Well we are doing the same here , but with a little difference. Since "The Loud House" hasn' t been on the air for 20 years (as of this writing) and only has so far 3 seasons (third just started in January)  we are going to look at two episodes from one season, in this case season 1.   So again this are random picks that  I used site to pick for me.  I had no say in which episodes would make it to this lucky lottery.

     Wait , what is the Loud House?
 
            The Loud House is an animated series about a family called the Louds  (they live in a house) they are an interesting family because the middle child. Lincoln is the only boy out of  11 kids. (Steady show) Episodes are about the characters and what ever antics bring them in a day.  This is the simplest description but the one that makes the most sense.

       For reference the sisters' names are in order of age  : Lori, Leni, Luan, Lynn Jr. (Lincoln goes between these two)  Lucy, Lana, Lola (Lana and Lola are twins) , Lisa, and Lilly.


     Season 1 premiered in 2016 on Nickelodeon it has 26 episodes (or 52 half episodes / 11 minutes )  All the episodes ran in 2016.

    Along Came a Sister   first aired on May 4th 2016 as part of a week of premieres when the show first started.   So let's take a look at the episode.   (finally , after all your yapping up there)

 

          The episode starts with Lincoln getting to watch the class spider for the weekend, he really wanted to watch it.  Lincoln takes Frank , the spider, home  and Clyde , Lincoln's best friend,  tells him that Leni , the second oldest sister, would be terrified of the spider.  Lincoln likes plans (he's the plan man) and sneaks into the house with Frank easily. He makes it to his room but we need something to happen let's see.... oh hey Lana.  Lana comes into the room to borrow something and she sees the spider and she's excited by it ,Lola and Lisa also get enamored  by our eight legged friend. (he's our friend? I don't know him)   The other sisters that aren't Leni finally all crowd in impressed by the spider repeatedly asking if Leni has seen it.   

Hey! You are breaking like 30 fire codes! / Copyright Viacom 

      Leni doesn't see it because the others did a good job at blocking the cage (container).  Frank gets out of the cage (they called it cage, leave me alone)  and so the mission is to find ole Frank before Leni does.  After trying to evade the non Leni sisters  they eventually figure out why he's acting weird after he tells them.  They join in the mission to find Frank. 

needed picture of the spider 

No they aren't disappointed by her smoothie./Copyright Viacom 

      Frank falls into Leni's cup and now she reacts to what their worries were by screaming then spraying bug spray. Poor Ole Frank is  dead.  (cries)  So the Loud siblings that aren't Leni  have a funeral. Leni overhears Lincoln defending her in the death of the spider.  Cliff the cat  coughs up a hairball that looks like the dead Frank, and they add 2+2 and well that's not Frank.  (Frank lives!)  Their father is heard screaming because spider. (He has a fear of them too)   He calls  the world's fastest exterminator ever. (Like one that is just to eager to kill) 

He seems a little too into his job/copyright Viacom

      The Louds find ways to stop exterminator while, Lincoln goes and looks for Frank.  When it looks like it's all over, there's a savior! Leni!  Leni saves Frank from the death and the kill happy exterminator leaves.  Lisa (the smartest sister)  then remarks it's strange that a girl spider is named Frank , Lincoln is surprised by that. (Hey Frank is a great girl name,)  Also Frank is pregnant.  Episode ends with Frank's babies scaring Leni. 

more after the jump 

Watching CBS Sports HQ

Online TV  Reviews 

    Remember ESPNEWS, ESPN's spin off channel devoted to news?  Sadly, these days it's a place to re air ESPN's stuff and simulcast some ESPN radio shows.   ESPNEWS had a basic principle , 24 hours of sports news and highlights.  CBS has launched something similar.  Much like the wonderful CBSN is for news, CBS Sports HQ is an online streaming service that you can also watch on your television through a Roku or other such device.  It's also portable so you phone and tablet users can switch from this site to the CBS Sports app and watch. 

    CBS Sports HQ gives you well sports highlights and news , so like the old ESPN News or the old Sports Center.  It's graphical design gives you a side bar with upcoming games, league standings (also some betting stuff) ,and also some scores.  While the ticker on the bottom does the same along with some sports news.   To throw in the 9th time saying ESPNEWS , it reminds me of ESPNEWS'  old graphical style where you had scores and data taking up some screen space. 

               CBS Sports HQ focuses on sports news using the resources of CBS Sports (of course) and much like how CBSN focuses on the news and doesn't do what the cable counter parts do , meaning none of those shows with two guys  "debating".   If you are someone who doesn't care what Chuck (sorry to any real Chuck's out there) on ESPN thinks about the Dolphins and just want to know what the Dolphins are doing  this is your place to watch.   Also unlike CBS Sports Network , it doesn't simulcast their talk radio shows. 

        Their sports coverage does include sports that CBS doesn't have rights to, such as : NBA, MLB, NHL and others.  So there's a dedication to be a sports "HQ". It doesn't have live games and that's kind of the point  though, that and contracts with sports leagues might not ready for that idea yet.  But that makes it  a good thing to check at anytime to find out some sports news and insight.  Its pacing is not to slow to make you feel bored or too fast to make you miss something important.

     The convenience of the "channel"  also makes it useful. CBS has done this model with CBSN as well instead of trying to get cable companies to pick up the channel then hoping you'll watch and then to watch online you have to sign in with your pay TV service, instead all you do is just watch online either on their website, the CBS Sports mobile app , the CBS Sports app on Roku, Fire TV ,etc.  No sign in or calling your cable company to pick up the channel.    It even gives you an ability to go back to another segment if you want to catch it again. 

   There is not too much to say about it because it's simple and the simplicity makes it a good watch and keeping it's basic premise is a good thing.   It should be good to attract those who really just want sports news, annalists, and highlights , and none of the stuff you would find on ESPN or FS1.  Give them a look. 
 
  You can find it online here : http://cbssports.com/live   and watch on Roku, Apple TV , Fire TV, Chromecast under the CBS Sports name , and on your table or phone under the CBS sports name. And probably a bunch of other places to watch things on.

Reboot Me Baby : Hey Herman Munster, you look different

Reboots  The Lookback 

    The recent trend for TV has been to take things you liked in the past and bring them back in many different forms. Reboot or Remake the whole thing again, with varied effects and viewer reception, Hey you remember that show you watched in the 90's ? Let's bring that back with a new season , shows are never cancels now just really long hiatus I guess. The final thing is take a series you watched and now give them a years later spin off maybe focus on some other characters or something.    

           The  Munsters  experienced what "Girl Meets World". "Fuller House", and "Raven's Home" are today , they had a series continuation too called "The Munsters Today" which a) literally  had the main characters come out from being knocked out for 22 years and waking up in 1988. (Imagine if they did that for  Fuller House, everyone wakes up in 2015 exactly the same as they were in 1996 -- meaning different actors --  that would be something.)    It did score one victory , it had two more episodes than the original series.  We aren't talking about that this time.   A few weeks ago there was a news report that someone is interested in remaking the Munsters, hopefully they won't be  waking up from a 25 year slumber.  In 2012, which was 21 years after "The Munsters Today" ended  NBC decided to dip their toes into this series  and well... that's our topic this time.

       In 2012, NBC aired a pilot of a new "Munsters" concept they had called "Mockingbird Lane" named after the street the Munsters lived on. This may have been a sign.   This pilot aired on October 26th , 2012 , The Friday before Halloween.

   It starts with spooky music, then boy scouts. The boy scouts food has been all eaten up and they don't know why. ( I don't what this has to do with the Munsters) Apparently they think one of the kids ate the food until they see a random animal in the forest and attacks their Scout Master. (I'm sorry we must have picked up the wrong recording, this doesn't seem right.)  The Werewolf ,as seen later, scares everyone (and the Scout master is alright so guess not too attacked) into a car one of the boys asks where's Eddie Munster? (I guess we are  on the right show after all)  The show plays a cut of the famous theme over a naked  I  guess that's Eddie Munster as it zooms into the show's title.

           Meanwhile, a lady  whom I guess is Marilyn  is buying a house  and apparently 1312 Mockingbird Lane  she looks across the screen and really wants 1313. (Well they did that right.)
Up next  they just get mean. They revival Herman Munster and in 5 seconds you go from oooh yeah to oh no!

oh Yes!  Woo Hoo there's Herman / Copyright Universal television 

oh come on!   /Copyright Universal Television 

       This also goes along with Eddie not looking like a werewolf, but apparently he changes into one but doesn't seem aware of it.   Since  Eddie was that werewolf at the beginning,  they decided to move before anyone figured it out. (That makes sense?)  The house on the other hand  does have the opening stair case so 5 points there.  Eddie says his grandfather told him that he has a condition much like how they talk of Marilyn but Eddie wants to be normal.  Even though Herman doesn't look like Herman he is made up of different people's body parts and has the stitch marks it just seems to be a more they found different head for him.  They use more that old Munsters theme in there as the seen transitions.

Wonder what we can keep down here? / Copyright Universal Television 

 
      Grandpa shows up next apparently as a bunch of mice  ( I guess that makes sense than just showing up in person. While Lilly also shows up  as cloud and turns into herself and spiders dress her up. (What did I just write?)   Herman doesn't want Eddie to know what he is while, Lilly does.

       Another day , Eddie is starting his new school and his family tries to talk around him about his little issue , so he doesn't know and he goes to school  and figures out that his father is lying to him about something. Herman turns around after seeing Eddie off and his heart does something and he collapses. (with some up beat background music.)    The next scene  , new fake out : they have this all set up where  lightning is used  and they make you think that they are maybe recharging Herman , but nope it's Grandpa's I-pad ( Apple is weird).   Anyway in Grandpa's lab  Herman wakes up and finds that Grandpa has replaced his heart with a robotic one , this displeases Herman who wants his regular heart back.  Grandpa does so  and says that he should tell Eddie the truth now.

First you tease us now you taunt us , show / copyright Universal Television 

more after the jump come on over! 

Arthur ( A Thing to Talk About) D.W's Beastly Birthday

Arthur

      When we did special posts about Arthur , it apparently started something  of a trend of Arthur being written about here on this blog.  I guess it would be apt to write about a special and a recent one too.  (Guess We will call it a  look now)   It was an hour long special that PBS aired on Memorial day as a week to kick off a week of new episodes where they were rounding up season 20's (yes season 20) final episodes.
 
               To screw with continuity or something it's D.W's birthday again but this time they felt it was  thing to celebrate with an hour long special.

           It starts with D.W getting cake  she tries to blow out the candles but some of them decide not to cooperate.  The Tibble twins decide  to "help" blow out the candles and of course they blew some cake in her face.  DW  starts telling us (the audience , oh great she can see you) and it flashes back to her waking up and yes she's turning 5. (retconning there eh, Arthur?)  She thinks that birthdays should be sunny and  she envisions   the sun singing. (I am hiding in the corner now)  When she looks out the window she notices something , (guess what?)  it's raining.  (Theory :some other person also has their birthday on the same day and really wanted rain.)   D.W had been dropping hints on a toy she really wanted for her birthday.  A singing puffin toy that teaches kids the alphabet (puffin, finally a different bird on TV, take that penguins)   When she gets her presents she doesn't get the puffin.

What would you like for your birthday D.W? / Copyright WGBH 

        She's  also is un happy that Emily came in a fancier dress and bigger tiara , Bud keeps winning the games they play ,and the Tibbles being themselves.  The cake was wrong too.   To summarize : Birthday not going to D.W 's liking.  D.W suggests they play hide and seek.   She decides to hide under the stairs.    She was taking with her imaginary friend Nadine, who brings up something important --  This show is called Arthur where the heck is Arthur?  We are 7 minutes in well, thanks to Nadine she lets the show transition to Arthur.
                   

         Arthur and his friends are at a trip at the Planetarium , he is happy to be missing his sister's birthday party.  He explains that D.W's birthdays make him miserable since he has to do everything she says. (It's awkward when she asks him to kill for her.)  Ledonna asks is he going to something for her anyway. He got her a card, one that says "To the world's best little Brother" (oops).  Arthur also has not gotten her a present.
 

     Back to D.W , nobody has found D.W yet, she thinks they stopped looking. Nadine got her a present : a ticket to a place called Ukubonga (bless you) .  DW decides to go there , how to get their you ask? Why magic of course.  (Of Course!)

Tickets non refundable / copyright WGBH 

      After 14 minutes of the build up   to the meat of the special it's time to carve into it.  For instance notice since the special goes back and forth between the two plotines I am going to combine the piece of both parts together D.W's plot first then Arthur's then  merge for the conclusion.  Makes it simpler to explain and reduces my use of the word "meanwhile".

    D.W heads to Ukubonga and she lands on an Island  filled with monsters (of course!) and they look like people she knows , the ones at her party.  D.W apparently is the chosen one (always have to have one in a movie) and she is made their queen.  Since she is queen they have to listen her.  She and monsters party all day. (Also there's a song )

The look familiar/ copyright WGBH  

   
    Back at the party , her friends are still looking for her. (No one ever thinks to look under the stairs do they?)   It's apparently a new day in Ukubonga and D.W is happy that she keeps winning and the monsters do whatever she wants.  Meanwhile , they mention that there's another monster on island called Ruthra  (coughs)  he's the meanest rudest monster on the island.   DW wants to see him anyway.  So they capture him. The captured Ruthra doesn't to be with D.W or do anything she says so D.W torture   him with a song.  (Well that got dark)

RUTHRA -cough cough /copyright WGBH 

      The other monsters suggest things to do him , but D.W stops them and says that he's interesting because he doesn't do what she says.  D.W stops the torture song and tells Ruthra that  she gets tired of  people doing everything she says. Ruthra agrees and he flashes back to the time he used to be king.    Oh yeah his flashback is Arthur , incase the name didn't give you a clue.  On his 5th birthday he hid under the same stairs and ended up in Ukubonga too.  He says he loved the island and getting everything we wanted but he bored and quit being king.  Ruthra also explains that you can leave the island. (this got dark quick)   D.W says she is going to go home and taking Ruthra with her.  Ruthra helps her escape but he gets stuck on the island .

      Meanwhile Arthur's plot line is after the Jump.

A DCOS Review : Andi Mack as Disney tries something new

Opinion  Disney Channel 

                                                                   Disney 

        The last Disney Channel original series I wrote about was "Girl Meets World" in 2014, and they've done other shows past that and GMW ended last year after 3 seasons, but I've not done any other series for review.   But a new series that is set to come out in April  caught my eye, because it was created by the same person who did "Lizzie McGuire" one of my favorite all time sitcoms from any channel.

     The series was promoted with this :



      The main character , Andi Mack (played by Peyton Elizabeht Lee)  says that her sister Bex is coming home for her birthday and she has big surprise.  It's a hook alright, to find out what the secret is.   This is  a Disney Channel series though , what could the surprise be?    

 Disney Channel has released the first episode to their youtube channel (free to view ) and on their watchdisneychannel website / app, along with the 2nd episode (watch with cable sign in) both parts to air on TV April 8th at 8:30pmet.    So I watched the first episode  when it was released on March 10th and well here's a little synopsis.

      Much like a series that came to Disney Channel in 2016 , called "Stuck in the Middle"  it doesn't have laughter either a live studio audience or laugh track to laugh or make a wooing sound , or other sounds.    We are introduced to Andi and her two friends, Cyrus and Buffy.   She rides in on a new motor scooter that she bought with some money from trading in her bike and watching a neighbor's cats.  Her mother doesn't know she bought the scooter and from Buffy and Cyrus' statements it seems she's the kind of person who wouldn't want her twelve almost thirteen year old daughter to have such a thing.  Also, tomorrow is her birthday.   When she and her friends walk over to  Andi's house a motor cycle shows up  and its rider is her older sister,  Bex (played by Lilan Bowden ). Bex seems toe be the cooler older sister who hasn't been around much.

       Also points go to the "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" reference. (Also makes you feel something when Buffy says a Television series from the last century) Bex is there by surprise and from Andi's questioning , it seems their mother might not like surprises.   The father seems to be very happy his oldest daughter has showed up , the mother seems a bit shocked and annoyed. Bex announces that she is staying for a while trying to get her life back on track.
   
    The show's intro  kind of gave me a clue about something in Andi's character where she is able to craft and Bex sees that her sister can make bracelets out of anything.  Bex has a box that she keeps it's like a diary to her. Her mother doesn't want Bex to show the box to Andi because there are things she doesn't need to see or know.  Bex of course shows her the box anyway it seems to be filled with pictures and objects of Bex's life.   The next day, Andi's birthday  Bex gets Andi a gift -an afternoon learning ultimate Frisbee  with a boy Andi has a crush on named Jonah Beck. (He's in the opening intro credit so he will be important )  When Andi finds out that Jonah has a girlfriend , who's in Highschool (9th grade) she gets mad at Bex and goes home. Jonah sends her a text and that changes her mood.

 This is a spoiler territory so if you haven't watched the episode : watch it here :
 and then come back or if you already watch you can continue after the jump , or you need the spoiler as way to get you to watch then sure move on.  (It's also on the app and website along with episode 2)

Let's look at Frankenweenie (2012)

Halloween  

   Last year, I looked at the original  30 minute movie "Frankenweenie" that came out in the 1980's.  You can read that post here .

   In 2012,  Tim Burton got a chance again (well it was made before 2012 ) and got a chance to be a feature length film.  This remake is by the same guy so it's more like the first movie was his first draft and this was his another crack at it.

  First off visually , the film does the same thing the first did be presented in black and white , which is a nice touch, and really gives the movie  an atmosphere that  honestly would feel wrong in color. (Like the Munsters)  Unlike the first, this movie is stop motion presented instead of real humans.  The movie's music is great background and doesn't over power it.  

Second,  this remake  being a feature length movie means that it can flesh out it's story lines .  In the original they had to have everything done in  a little over 30 minutes,  (or it's free!) and that's not bad it made the story a simple one, not have to veer off it's main plot focus.   The first 20 minutes of the movie we get the characters backgrounds a little more fleshed out , and relationship of Victor and his dog .Sparky.  Of course, the main event where Sparky is hit by a car happens at the end of the first 15 minutes.   This leads to the whole reason for the naming of this movie , where  Victor  Frankenstein brings his dog back to life.  


Third, the original movie being 30 minutes , as I stated, really had the one single form plot agenda , The A,B,C A: Sparky is killed B, Sparky brought back to life and the events that happen surrounding C. the Climax and end.    In the remake movie there was a chance to add more characters and more subplots.  There's a science fair plot and the results of people finding out that Victor can bring  dead animals back  to life is  little different than the original. Spoilers here:  The added plotline is with the science fair some other kids ,who want to win, find out from  Edgar , a classmate of Victor's , tells them that Victor brought his dog back to life , they want to figure out how, and this causes the big problem int his movie where other kids reanimate animals and cause monsters.

copyright Disney

    Victor , like in the first movie, is interested in film making and science, it's more expressed that he has a joy of science in this movie.  For a movie like this , it's also nice to see where the kid is not having a bully problem or people being jerks to him because reasons , it was also keeping with the original's style, where they didn't have enough time for him to have any of that.
Victor's parents in this movie are very supportive of their son and foster his love of science. His father does seem to want him to do other things , but also doesn't try to force him  to give up science. When they find out about Sparky, like in the first movie , they are shocked and  a little apprehensive  but accept Sparky.  In this movie when they find out about Sparky , he runs away , they go out and help find him.
     They did keep Elsa Van Helsing  name from the first movie in this one, but she was more fleshed out as a character here , where again in the original , due to time , was more just background , when  needed. She  lives with her uncle, like the first movie , who is neighbor of the Frankensteins . She is nice and cares about Victor, and her uncle makes her miserable.  She also has a poodle, that Sparky has dog crush on.
  Edgar , is supposed to remind us of the classic character Igor , spoiler:  his main point for the story was to pretty much  accidentally reveal that Victor  re animated Sparky , so the other kids could re animate some animals that become monsters.

Mr. Rzykruski , is the science teacher the Victor is inspired by and he is very eccentric , but genuinely loves science and wants his students to  be creative. Though this gets him fired because two kids were inspired they were doing something on the roof of their house and apparently that means teacher should be fired. (editorialized last part)

  A very memorable character without  a name , she is a spooky girl that who thinks that her cat , Mr.Whiskers can give predictions. 

  I am not going through all the characters , most of them where there to drive the plot along, though I did point out Edgar. 

Spoiler:   The climax of the movie veers from the first , where Victor when looking for Sparky is now trying to stop these monsters that the other kids created by reanimating creatures.  The other part, the town's people chasing Sparky , like in the first movie. The reason why is a little different and the same, It's the same because they think Sparky is a monster ,though with seeing the other creatures they might in the right  , at least in theory. In the original, the townspeople were chasing the dog because they thought he was a monster  and misjudging the fact the dog was still the same just undead,where they learn their lesson when they help bring Sparky back to life again.  Both movies have this windmill scene where Victor ends up in one, and it's accidentally set on fire by the mob.  In this movie, Elsa is in the windmill , but Victor saves her. Sparky goes to save Victor  while he's fighting this monster and is knocked unconscious , Sparky saves his life.  Sparky is dragged inside by the cat bat ,that was formerly the weird girl's cat. After the windmill breaks down ,once again Sparky is dead.  We do get the get the jump-start scene again where the town works together to bring back Sparky. 

    I think this is a good movie,  nice and spooky and it was a nice to  expand upon the 30 minute original while keeping the story the same. The animation is wonderful and love that went with black and white like the original.  They didn't do any unnecessary padding/filler and everything paced well.   

Opinion : 4 Episodes of the Brady Bunch I don't like

Opinion  Lookback Reviews 

      Hello, I am personal fan of The Brady Bunch, I have watched every episode more at least 30 times , though some episodes  I feel were not this show best at all. Instead of a normal lookback ,  I review 4 sidesteps of the Brady Bunch  I think fits the category.  So yes , this is subjective and this not to attack any episodes you like , plus as I said I am a fan of the show and still watch it alot.

 4.  "You're Never Too Old" Season 4 episode 21
   This episode  , I don't hate as much as I wonder if it only exists to see Robert Reed  and Florence Henderson wearing make up to look like grandparents. (Marcia ! )
 Premise :  Carol's Grandmother  (played by Florence Henderson ) and  Mike's Grandfather  (played by Robert Reed)   come for a visit and the kids try to get them together because they both are single  and they are there.   After some work they get eloped in Vegas.

Why I don't like it:  What is this episode?  Why did the kids want to get their great-grandparents married and married to each other?   It really seems as an episode to get  Robert Reed  and Florence Henderson  to dress up like older people  and the plot was thrown in for some odd fun.

"Next time , we marry  Bobby and Cindy muahhaha" / Copyright Paramount 

     3."Top  Secret" Season  5 Episode 19 

 Premise ;  Oliver (and no it's not because of Oliver) and  Bobby think that Sam the butcher is passing information to the Russians  So then they capture him in a meat locker. Though it was all an understanding.  

                                             

 We have nothing against Oliver,/ Copyright Paramount 

Why I don't like it :  Ok , I could see this episode working better if it was Just Oliver, he's  7-years-old so maybe he could get confused like that , but why nearly 12 year-old Bobby ?  How come  he  also gets  in this scheme it seems less realistic. (as much as Brady Bunch episode could be)   

2.  "The Snooperstar" Season 5 Episode 20 

    Premise :  Cindy is snooping in Marcia's Diary , so Marcia creates fake entries  about a Hollywood agent  wants to make  Cindy the next Shirley Temple . (not the drink)  Cindy then thinks that Mike's new client is  a talent agent. Marica tries to tell her that it was all a fake  but Cindy does an act and actually charms Mike's client into the contract. 

Mike has odd clients  / Copyright Paramount 

   

Why I don't like it : First , Cindy snooping in a Diary seems like an episode you would have in season 1 or 2 when Cindy was 6 or 7  ,not when she's near 12. Even being the next Shirley Temple who started younger than say Cindy would be.   It really doesn't fit with her being older.  Also  if Cindy was meant to learn a lesson , I think she learned in a past episode  then why does it end up with  a good ending  ,where her act helps  Mike get a contract.   It's like the episode knows the plot was too old for Cindy so much they ran something else with it. 

1.  "Hair brained Scheme"  The Final Episode 

    Premise : Series Finale , Greg is graduating in a few days , meanwhile  Bobby and Cindy decide to get into  business.  Bobby gets hair tonic to sell ,and Greg buys some and it turns his hair orange.

                     

                                     "Guess it's to late for us to drop out of this episode too"/ Copyright Paramount 

Why I don't like it:  Mike is not this episode because Robert Reed  got in fight with derangement because he didn't like the plot line of the episode.   The episode kind of makes no sense  as to why Bobby and to an extent , Cindy were doing get-rich quick schemes , as if the plot was only put together to do something goofy (gosh ) to Greg's hair before graduation.  It's also sad as a graduation episode because Mike is not there at the time of his first born's  biggest moment in life so far.  

That's our review of these 4 episodes   ,next time when we look at the worst episodes of "My Mother the Car"hmm (nevermind)