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)

The Dr.Seuss Lookback : Daisy-Head Mayzie

The Flashback 

    It's another Dr.Seuss cartoon special lookback ..this one as far as I can say is rare one as the title gives away is called "Daisy Head Mayzie".   This special is based off the book of the same name that was published  in 1995, after Dr.Seuss' death ,it was written by him but not illustrated.  Also , in a twist , the special came out before the book was released. Hanna-Barbera animated the special for the co-owned TNT channel in 1995.

     Our special starts and is narrated by the Cat in the Hat and he explains that a daisy grew out of Mayzie's head.  Two boys start making fun of her  and get the rest of the class laughing at her. (because flowers are funny?)    The teacher tries to pull it out of Mayzie's head but it's connected to her.  We get the repeated "Daisy-Head , Daisy-Head Mayzie" thing by the kids  and it turns into a random song.    The teacher decides to take Mayzie to the principal  (because why not?)  and the Cat in the hat says that principal knew everything. He mentions where daisies do grow (like Missouri) and that that they don't grow on children's heads.  The flower starts wilting  and this causes Mayzie to weaken , the teacher throws some water on them and it gets better.
                                 

Forget the daisy... does that boy have tail? /Copyright Warner 

     The principal calls Mayzie's parents , a doctor , and bunch of other people to solve this problem. ( guess the town is busy with that, crime went up 93%) Mayzie sees some bees heading toward her so, she jumps out the window and bees chase her. Don't worry though , she falls inside the principals office right at the same time her father, the other people are there . Her mother screams and faints. (oh I though you said she was hazy not daisy.)
                                 

She has angered the flower god / copyright Warner

   The mayor shows up (because , forget  those pot holes there's a flower growing out of a child)  and he sings that he is important and etc, and sings that if he is reelected the Daisy on Mayze problem will be sorted.  (Umm Mr. Mayor what about the crime problem?)  Then comes an entertainment agent and he wants her to sign a contract to be famous, her mother and principal urge her not to because what about her town. (You know the same town that apparently made you issue number 1)
 Mayzie signed her name. The Daisy does too. (don't ask)
                                       

They should be wondering how he can stand up on those legs/ copyright Warner 

      Mayzie and the daisy become famous. There are Daisy head products all over the place it's become an international phenomenon, but Mayzie ends up being un happy and runs away.  Mayzie says that nobody loves her (awww) then the cat in the hat appears  and gives more narration when the daisy starts pulling out it's pedals doing the "loves/loves me not thing"  and ends on "loves her". This makes Mayzie happy. Then the cat in the cat flies her back to her home town. (what?)  The cat in the Hat says the moral of the story is love over fame and glory , oh and the daisy is gone (well kind of ).   That's the special.

      Now we comment: this special is way different than other Dr. Seuss specials ... most teach a moral, and have imagination to them this one seems like they found that the good doctor was writing something before he died and might as well publish it for some money.  I am not sure how the book goes  meaning if anything is different  , again it was possibly even un finished or a rough draft that wasn't ready for publish.  The reason  I say that is it feels clunky and lost somewhere if the moral of the story is love over fame and glory, yet the audience was never shown that anybody in the town loved her as much as alot of people trying to deal with the flower situation or repeating the "Daisy Head Mayzie" thing in the taunting tone. The doctor thinking that he could get grants to study, the mayor to get reelected , but we didn't see anybody loving her at all to make us think that oh well she shouldn't sign with the agent. The agent didn't even seem dodgy or someone that we could think that maybe she shouldn't sign a deal with him.  When the parents and principal urge her not to sign for and think about her friends and school, it doesn't make sense without any context of  why should Mayzie  There's filler but not filler that advances the special like seeing the Grinch in the cartoon version do his stealing ... but the songs, facts about daisies ,bees and other elements.
To me at least , it was an ok special that feels like it had something but it just wasn't finished.  Still better than the movies.(now we run and hide)

  Tune in  next time when  we join Mayzie  by growing daisies out of our heads.  #JoshuonlineDaisyheads
   

It's A Lookback, Charlie Brown: You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown

Peanuts 

    Did you know we've now done this for 2 years? Well It's another lookback and we take you to one from 1979. (Groovy)
    This special of course aired on CBS it was the last of the 1970's specials and it was nominated for Emmy (but didn't win because , they are against ,Charlie Brown).  This special has famous animation voice actor , Mel Blanc, he does the voice of Charlie Brown's grunts. (what?)  But yes, this is "You're the Greatest ,Charlie Brown"

    Apparently, Peppermint now goes to school with Chuck and Linus. (darn continuity) P.P, Marcie , Pig-Pen, Lucy, 5 (I think), and Schroeder are all in the gym. There's going to be a junior Olympics. All the events are filled except the decathlon ,  which has ten events. (hence the deca part)  Nobody wants to enter it , but guess who ends up with it? (Lucy?)  Before, Linus can tell him why he shouldn't do it , Lucy cuts him off and tells him he should- he does.  Then they yell :You're the Greatest  Charlie Brown and roll the opening credits. (well change of pace.)   Charlie Brown has to go on  a training regiment  (but we don't get Rocky music), and of course Peppermint Patty helps with this. (While Marcie seems to be the complementor, how is that not a word , spell check, darn it you. )  
               

 This is the face of a champion!  /Copyright Peanuts 

   I guess a time skip happens, because the events are happening on the weekend now and he has to train for the events he will be in. Peppermint Patty shows him what he has to do. (Marcie continues her complementing, oh that's a word, ok Spell check)  There's now more montage  with  Charlie Brown not doing well at these events. (Also Fosbery Flop)  I do have have to wonder why Peppermint Patty didn't do this  she does it very well. (But it's  called "You're the Greatest, Peppermint Patty now is it?)  Peppermint Patty then gets the idea to use Marcie as back up because she doesn't think he can do it. ("You're the Greatest ,Marcie!?)

I want you Marcie! Join the Olympics /copyright Peanuts 

  Now it's event day (The Junior Olympics on MSNBC , well that's where NBC would put it ). His competitors for the decathlon : some tall brown haired kid called Freddy Fabulous from Fremont. ( I have his autograph, you know), Marcie , because that thing P.P did earlier.  (Also it's time to ship Charlie Brown and Marcie do it!) I guess you can  enter two people from the same school?  The final being , Snoopy (Because of course)  who is competing for Ace Obedience School. He's going by the name Mass Marvel.

   So umm you guys can't tell he's Snoopy? /Copyright Peanuts 

  He's Fabulous, also how do you get that last name? /Copyright Peanuts 

All smiles here/ copyright Peanuts  

       In the first event, Charlie Brown comes in last, but it does matter because he's running tables. The 2nd event : Snoopy wins, and Chuck got 3rd! The Third is shock-put and the winner of that one is Freddy Fabulous , but ole Chuck got 2nd!.  Fourth event: Snoopy Messes , up  and does Freddy. (They didn't pass the bar- like a bad lawyer) Marcie won this one!  Chuck got 2nd!  (we used !!! alot)

Fabulous / copyright Peanuts 

The final event for the day was the 400 meter (go metric) dash and the winner is Snoopy.  Charlie Brown overall is in 3rd place, and Snoopy is  last. It's now the next day.   Now it's the high hurdles. Charlie Brown manages to knock down the hurdles. Discus doesn't go well for Freddy (crap , I placed on my money on him winning.)  Snoopy does better but his result goes funny.  Marcie did great and Charlie Brown won the event!  The Pole vault :not sure who won.   Javelin : Charlie Brown wins (and didn't kill anybody)  Now the final event is the 1500 Meter race.  (we did the metric thing already)    Charlie Brown gets distracted because he was in the lead and takes the wrong turn and runs into a park or somewhere. (oops)

      That kid on the right seems the most horrified./Copyright Peanuts 

   The next day under a tree:  Charlie apologizes for losing, but the school won anyway. Marcie won the race , while Freddy and  Snoopy got tangled into each other.   That's the special.

Join me for more after the Jump.

But First These Messages : Nobody wants to make their own breakfast

But First These Messages 

      Ah  morning, what's the first thing you thing of?  (Ahh Put the curtains back ! The Accursed sun is back!)   Yes, Cereal!  Cereal commercials are part of television as much commercials for cars. (Buy a new Ford Focus now fully loaded , with Special K!  Please buy it. )  Cereal can be a cross demographic thing because adults and children eat it.  ( Except the boring cereals , who wants boring ones)

      So that's what we are looking at this time (i'm shocked) .

But first these messages....

      Pebbles is a wired cereal in concept  first off it sounds like rocks.  well it's named after the cartoon character , Pebbles from the Flintstones. Larry Weiss was the product group manger  of Post in the late 1960's when he decided to licence the name from Hanna and Barbera. It wasn't the first cereal to have TV characters promote it , but it was the first to be directly connected to a TV show.  Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles came out in 1969 to the western part the US (woo) and then spread nationwide after demand.

   Here's a commercial from the 1970's
            

                       So  this is how  Pebbles are made?
     

 Just as long as that's coming from the top of the tail ....

This new packaging is bit awkward 

Eventually by the 80's it seemed to be Barney's goal  to take Fred's  Pebbles instead of getting his own dang cereal!  

      

Fred is too easily impressed and can't tell back costumes 

Also who has this much stuff for breakfast? Though the square glass is nice. 

more after the jump

A Lookback with Love : A Valentine for you [Winnie The Pooh]

The Flashback 

    Ah yes love in the air. (Ahh get it out of here, sprays the air) That means it's time to look at a Valentine's Day special.  So we go to the tried and true, silly ole beer, Winnie the Pooh.  This special is called "A Valentine for You" it first came out in 1999 on the  ABC network ( A Bear Channel)  and ran for a few years in rerun , but ABC stopped running it after awhile.  It is on DVD though , so that's something!   Let's get started.

      Winnie the  Pooh (we are just going to call him Pooh after this because we don't have patience to keep writing that out.) is looking for Christopher Robin , but can't seem to find him. So he goes to piglet to see if he knows.  Piglet tires to hide something he was doing. (His taxes, the I.R.S is very mean to piglets )  He was making a Valentine card for Pooh, and Pooh finds out that Valentine's Day is the next day and he remarks that maybe Christopher Robin is doing -making Valentine's Cards.

We don't have a silly comment/ copyright Disney 

     Pooh, Piglet, Rabit,  Tigger and the others are peeking at Christopher Robin (found him!) as he is writing to someone named Winifred. (People need to name their kids Winifred again, that would be fun)  They aren't sure who that is. (In their defense they know like one human)  So, they go ask the wisest animal they know, (Who?)  Owl.  He says Winifred is a girl. (well thanks Owl, glad we got that figured out)   This allows Owl to sing a song where  he says Girls are like boys, but aren't. (Most random song ever)  Owl then explains that C.R is in love.   Because Owl said that Christopher Robin was bitten by the love bug and then flies away ; the others think that this means that C.R has been bitten by an actual bug.  Rabbit says that he knows love sickness is very contagious. (Yes it is!)  So their plan is to get another bug to un smite him. (he was smited?)
                     

Un -Smite him! /Copyright Disney 

    So they go looking for a smitten.  Inside of Pooh's honey pot , a glowing bug happens to end up in there and the crew thinks it's a smitten. It flies into the forest and so they go searching for it. (as you do)  After a long search they still don't find it. (For a glowing bug , it sure hid well)  Another song starts it's about what happens when you bitten by a Smitten.  The glowing bug shows up and they chase after it. Eventually, Pooh catches it but he gets separated from the others.

Sad Sad song/ copyright Disney 

      The others are scared and confused  in the forest  where they end up unintentionally scaring each other.   Pooh lets the bug of the car and it lights  a way and Pooh follows it and everyone ends up back together. (awww)  The light bug goes back in the jar and they go to Christopher Robin to help him.  Christopher wants to show them his card to his "new friend" and wants to know what they think of it.  Pooh decides to let the bug go  because "Christopher Robin is happy as he is".

   The next day,  the creatures of the 100 Acre Wood  all get a valentine. Pooh goes to Christopher Robin and thanks him for the card, but Pooh is puzzled because he thought that C.R got a new friend. Then we get another song, song by Christopher Robin.  Called Places in the heart.  Christopher says to Pooh that he cares about Pooh just as much always .  The special continues with song (which great makes me want to tear up)

 Again, no silly comment/ Copyright Disney 

    That's the special. 

  Our Review:  It's a sweet special like most of the Winnie the Pooh stuff is and  has a core message  though it's revealed to the be message near the end of how you can more friends yet still have your current friends.   It has its funny moments along with it's sweet -sappy moments.  It's nice not over the top Valentine day special , and do recommend  it to be watched.  (It's on DVD ;there's even  A DVD set with two specials for Winnie the Pooh Valentine specials). 

 Tune in next time when  I found out the cure of being bitten by a love bug. darn car. 

                                              

   

PSA Month : Fox Kids wants you to Check Yourself.

PSA

    This fits so well with this blog it's like  a  Christmas gift handed from the sky to us.  Fox Kids which we've written about before , wasn't just a children's block that brought us Animanics  , no it also wanted its viewers (and random strangers who didn't feel like changing the channel because the remote was over there) to do something. (We also got lazy) 

  So this will be a whole bunch of Fox  Kids PSA's  this also fits into us not picking the famous PSA's (at least in this month, we may do it in the future if we have  another PSA month or random PSA feeling. -When we have writers block again or something.) 

Let's get started.  

  There was a series of PSAs by Fox Kids called "Check Yourself" where a situation happens, a kid does something , then they "check themselves" and everything gets fixed , I guess.  

   The first one here ,has a girl walking into her classroom (I guess) and two other girls are  whispering to each other and giggling.  

"Guess what? I know where you hid the bodies" 

        Becky is the standing girl's name  and she tells Jocelyn that she can't give Chloe her scrunchy because she gave it to Jocelyn not Chloe. (This is how a war started, probably)   Jocelyn then asks what's your problem Becky?  Becky then runs out the room.

 

What's really going on? Please tell me. 

    Some weird music starts playing and Becky is some virtual world. (Oh I guess the Scrunchy is magical) She hits the giant arrow to rewind what just happened. (Great , that will make things make sense to me?)  The screen says that she was jealous, angry, and  I guess afraid. Then she walks back into the room  and apologizes because she was afraid they were leaving her out.  Then Chloe has some idea of putting some pink hippo thing in Becky's hair. (oh the things we watch for this place) I guess everything is solved, well ok. (That's how wars are ended.) 

Full thing here: 

         

   Next one is about brothers and sister or I guess just one of each.

  It starts by them calling each other 90's insults. (Lame)  Anyway the girl, goes to her room and yells at a picture that she hates it. 

Hmm totally. 

   Then she rips it  between her and her brother.  Then it opens into some typical 90's art background with paint brushes and scissors moving around. 

Instructions for life. 

       Then she photo shops her photo and makes into art.  

It's so 90's! 

     Her brother walks into the room (with out knocking) and I guess everything is alright now. Also yes the girl's name is Becky, the same Becky from before. 

video of the PSA and more after the Jump 

PSA Month: I'm In Love with Smokey Bear

PSA 

  You remember Smokey Bear right? (yeah he's not called Smokey the Bear, because that would be silly) He wars us not to burn down the forests , (which ruined half your plans now didn't it?) and well  the best way to tell people not to burn down a forest is a P.S.A .

   Hmm what does this have to do with forest fires?

Maybe she's going to start one?   

    This lady is  signing : "I think  I love you"  It's kind of dark who she singing to? With your funny hat and friendly hair?  What does that mean?  (Aww Shucks she likes me!)  The manly way you say put out fires and put matches away.   And She's singing to Smokey Bear! 

Our love is true and nobody will tell us it's wrong! 

     Not sure how this will stop forest fires , I think we found  out that Smokey goes to night clubs after his day of telling people not to burn down things instead!  

I don't wanna know what he is thinking here! 

You can watch the whole thing here: 

                

                 

   Next one ,  

        Hello Joanna Cassidy. 

I just hope she doesn't start kissing Smokey Bear making us all uncomfortable. 

     

    Joanna knows a peaceful, quiet place where animals play and it's called the Forest. (so it's not Mc Donald's?)   She tells us to be careful  and not start forest fires. (Well ,Ok any thing for 70's Joanna Cassidy)   Wait a Minute what's going on? 

Well now, I am terrified.!   

    Ok Smokey Bear, what'd you do to Joanna Cassidy?   Shame on you!  Wait don't take of my skin and use me as a mask!   I'll walk...Run away way now! 

     

more after the Jump, keep your skin on.

Oscar Nominees Announced

Oscars Awards 

    The 89th  annual Academy Awards or Oscars nominations have been announced. They  are hosted by Jimmy Kimmel  , will air on ABC on February 26th  at 8:30PMET.

Best Picture

“Arrival”
”Fences”
”Hacksaw Ridge”
”Hell or High Water”
”Hidden Figures”
”La La Land”
”Lion”
”Manchester by the Sea”
”Moonlight”

Best Director

Denis Villeneuve, “Arrival”
Mel Gibson, “Hacksaw Ridge”
Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”
Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea”
Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”

Best Actress

Emma Stone, “La La Land”
Natalie Portman, “Jackie”
Ruth Negga, “Loving”
Meryl Streep, “Florence Foster Jenkins”
Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”

Best Actor

Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”
Andrew Garfield, “Hacksaw Ridge”
Ryan Gosling, La La Land”
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic”
Denzel Washington, “Fences”

Best Supporting Actress

Viola Davis, “Fences”
Naomie Harris, “Moonlight”
Nicole Kidman, “Lion” 
Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures” 
Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea”

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”
Jeff Bridges,”Hell or High Water”
Lucas Hedges, “Manchester by the Sea”
Dev Patel, “Lion”
Michael Shannon, “Nocturnal Animals”

Best Adapted Screenplay

“Arrival”
”Fences”
”Hidden Figures”
”Lion”
”Moonlight”

Best Original Screenplay

“Hell or High Water”
”La La Land”
”The Lobster”
”Manchester by the Sea”
”20th Century Women”

Best Foreign Language Film

“Land of Mine,” Martin Zandvliet, Denmark
”A Man Called Ove,” Hannes Holm,  Sweden
”The Salesman,”  Asghar Farhadi, Iran
”Tanna,” Bentley Dean, Martin Butler, Australia,
”Toni Erdmann,” Maren Ade, Germany 

Best Documentary Feature

“Fire at Sea”
“I Am Not Your Negro”
“Life, Animated”
”13th”
“O.J.: Made in America”

Best Animated Feature

“Kubo and the Two Strings”
”Moana”
”My Life as a Zucchini”
”The Red Turtle”
”Zootopia” 

Best Film Editing

“Arrival”
”Hacksaw Ridge”
”Hell or High Water”
”La La Land”
”Moonlight”

Best Original Song

 “Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” “La La Land”
“Can’t Stop the Feeling,” “Trolls”
“City of Stars,” “La La Land”
“The Empty Chair,” “Jim: The James Foley Story”
“How Far I’ll Go,” “Moana”

Best Original Score

“Jackie”
”La La Land”
”Lion”
”Moonlight”
”Passengers” 

Best Cinematography

“Arrival,” Bradford Young
”La La Land,” Linus Sandgren
”Silence,” Rodrigo Prieto
”Lion,” Grieg Fraser
”Moonlight,” James Laxton

Best Costume Design

“Allied”
”Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
”Florence Foster Jenkins”
”Jackie”
”La La Land”   

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

“A Man Called Ove”
”Star Trek Beyond”
”Suicide Squad”

Best Production Design

“Arrival”
”Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
”Hail, Caesar!”
”La La Land”
”Passengers”

Best Sound Editing

“Arrival”
”Deepwater Horizon”
”Hacksaw Ridge”
”La La Land”
”Sully” 

Best Sound Mixing

 “Arrival”
”Hacksaw Ridge”
”La La Land”
”Rogue One”
”13  Hours”

Best Visual Effects

“Rogue One”
”The Jungle Book”
”Doctor Strange”
”Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them”
”Arrival”
”The BFG”
”Kubo and the Two Strings”
”A Monster Calls”

Best Short Film, Live Action

“Ennemis Intérieurs”
”La Femme et le TGV”
”Silent Nights”
”Sing”
”Timecode”

Best Short Film, Animated

“Blind Vaysha”
”Borrowed Time”
”Pear Cider and Cigarettes”
”Pearl”
”Piper”

Best Documentary, Short Subject

“Extremis”
”4.1 Miles”
”Joe’s Violin”
”Watani: My Homeland”
”The White Helmets”