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

CBS Makes Anchor Changes For CBS This Morning and CBS Evening News

CBS NEWS  TV News

      After months of speculation , CBS News has announced changes to their "CBS This Morning" and "CBS Evening News" broadcasts. 

    Currently, CBS This Morning is hosted by John Dickerson, Norah O' Donnell, and Gayle King that will be changing. Along with CBS Evening News which is currently anchored by Jeff Glor.  The only non-change will be Gayle King, who will be staying at "CBS This Morning".  Current"CBS This Morning Saturday" Co-host Anthony Mason will be moving to the weekday show along with Tony Dokoupil. 

     Meanwhile, Norah  O' Donnell leaves the program to anchor the "CBS Evening News"replacing Jeff Glor who has been anchoring the program for nearly 18 months after replacing Scott Pelley.  O'Donell had been with CBS This Morning since it's first year in 2012 she replaced Erica Hill, a holdover from "The Early Show".   John Dickerson, who joined the program in 2018 replacing Charlie Rose after his firing for sexual misconduct, will be leaving the program for a role on  "60 Minutes" 

          Jeff Glor's status with CBS after stepping down from the evening broadcast is currently unknown.  Norah O' Donnell is expected to take the Evening News in summer then in fall the program moves to Washington D.C making it the only of the big 3 network national evening newscasts to be done not from New York City. 

        In the past year CBS News management has changed including a new president of CBS News,  Susan Zirinsky, who took the realm in March. This is her first big move as president of the news division.     This is hoped to give some real stability to CBS News which has had a rough year in both ratings and behind the scenes.    The new "CBS This Morning" team is expected to start on May 20th. 

      Press release after the jump

DCOMs get Ready for Horse racing

Disney  

     Disney Channel went heavy on the original movies in 2000, where for the only time they had new original movie for each month that year, that's 12 movies. (math)  So, of course, some of them slip through the cracks, and luckily that fits our blog well. (Joshuaonline: We catch things that slip under the cracks, wait no that's bad).   This movie came out in July of 2000 it's called "Ready To Run" it's about horse racing because yes, Disney Channel has a movie about horse racing.
             
   The movie starts with horse racing and I guess what will later be our main horse, Thunder Jam. (Played by an actual horse) Our main character is named Corrie Oritz (played by a human).  So the first scene in the movie is a horse race this is to show us (the viewers) that Thunder Jam is kind of a  difficult horse. (Maybe the horse doesn't want to race, he wants to sing, Mom!) Corrie wants to be a jockey.  She brings up her idea of being a jockey with her mother who is not on board with this idea.

No/ Copyright Disney 

                 
       
       She has a reason she doesn't want Corrie to be a jockey, her husband was one and was killed as one.  The grandmother tries to help by asking what if she has "the gift".   Then she starts thinking that Thunder Jam can talk (voiced by Paul Rodriguez) she takes it as the fumes getting to her. Meanwhile, her boss, Hector, is offered a jockey because there has been a slump going on for his training and horses plus, giving us what will come into play later. Her grandmother tells her that yes horses can talk to people.  We also have Sinbad in this movie, yes, Sinbad he is doing a voice for a horse so, well then.  In fact, yes this movie will have voices.

Girl and Her Horse/ Copyright Disney 

       


      After the man who owns, ThunderJam doesn't want the horse anymore,  Corrie decides to take him off his hands for the price of a bag of peanuts.  Though her mother doesn't want her to have a horse, thankfully  Hector decides to help out.  Her mother says that if she catches her daughter riding a horse in a raise ThunderJam is out.   Corrie hears Thunder Jam talk again (now this movie has gone all WildThornberrys on us)  and she starts talking to him and goes weird.


     Remember that jockey I mentioned earlier? Well, he's now in the film his name is B. Moody.  He was a circus performer.  Seems like a nice guy.   They try to figure out how to make TJ a racehorse. I also think that Hector and Corrie's mom has a thing for each other. Corrie's threat of making TJ a birthday party horse helps them get him to become a racehorse.   He also got a spot in a race.

 Jockeying for points/ Copyright Disney 

                 Corrie finds out that TJ gets worked up during the races because the other horses make him lose his edge so she quickly takes  Moody's headphones and sticks them TJ's not ears (?) and he relaxes and runs like a horse.  Also, this movie got Blues Traveler music in the background and they played "Last Night I Dreamed" so I'm amazed at this.  Thunder Jam almost got really hurt but it's a slight sprain and has to get his rest. Meanwhile, her mother notices that Corrie has "the gift" mentioned before.

4 out of 5 stars on the outfit/ Copyright Disney 

             

    More Hector and Mom flirting going on in this movie, they are going to be a pair at the end of this, aren't they? Meanwhile, TJ is going to be in a derby. Moody says he thinks that Corrie is a really good rider.  TJ's previous owner, Max Garris, stops by and I think tries to mess with TJ then leaves but drops his cigar which causes a fire.  Moddy recuses TJ but ends up with severe burns on his hands.  Now it's time to convince the mother to let Corrie ride in the race because Moody's hands have to heal, she refuses still.

Hey No smoking around the horses!/ Copyright Disney 

     It's time for the mother and daughter to talk it out,  and pretty quickly from saying no in the last scene changed her mind to say yes here. Anyway, it's derby day!  Now it's time to add some drama to the race and movie because officials said that Thunder Jam can't ride with his headphones because we needed some drama and suspense.  But the rules don't say you can't play music through the speakers and this resolves that problem.  (yay)  TJ wins!  The movie finishes up with the dream house being built

Yay!/ Copyright Disney

It's a good movie, It's kind of slow at points but it's not a bad movie in the slightest. It's a simple plot but an effective one. The mother is justified in her reason of not wanting Corrie in riding as a jockey. The "villain" isn't over the top and yes he is mean to horses but wasn't over the top to be like "I'm evil ha ha ha" and he didn't mean to start that fire, I guess. I  like Moody he's a fun character and Hector is also very earnest and a good character as well. Corrie, the main character, is played very realistically.  

      This movie does play with some of the things I was expecting to happen but didn't. It was kind of fun that it didn't do things I was expecting. Anyway, It is kind of sad that this gets lost in the talk of Disney Channel Original Movies and I think it needs a little more praise.  

       Tune in next time after we lose $554 on a horse race. 

The Loud House : Season 1: One of The Boys

The Loud House  Nickelodeon 

   Previously on Joshua online:
                 That bear bear killed my family, now I'm going to fight it to the death with my sword!

             What? That's not even the right thing, (annoyed grunt)

               The Last Loud House post, unless you are reading the blog out of order, which is fine, what was I saying again? Oh, I looked at what I looked "Cover Girls", the season 1 episode of The Loud House that I called my favorite. Now since I do a randomize and two episodes of the show  (to keep it even) we also got in the draw this episode "One of the Boys" I decided to split the post up since that other episode needed a special presentation, and, I can cheat and make two separate blogs from one thing. (haha ) So, this time, following the long intro, it's "One of the Boys".

              "One of the Boys" is Season 1 episode 23a of the series , first airing (using US dates) on October 17,2016.    

  

       The premise of the series is a boy with 10 sisters doing daily life and his dealing with that situation of being a middle child and the single male child.  This, of course, opens up the doors to the idea of gender-bending our characters. Why not let the show do this plot, plus to answer the question of what if  Lincoln had 10 brothers instead of sisters? (  Meanwhile, Fan fiction writers have millions of ideas.) 

     That brings us to this episode. Lincoln and Clyde are looking through the Loud fridge (Loud Fridge). Oh! The Louds keep their peanut butter in the fridge, this episode is cursed, I'm out. (Get back to writing!) Fine. Lincoln laments that life with ten sisters can be a hassle sometimes, with a montage. He wishes that he wishes he had 10 brothers (why 10? )  Lisa wakes up Lincoln in the night and gives him a watch wherein which he can transport to another dimension where he has 10 brothers.  What happened to the Lincoln in that dimension? Nobody Knows.  Now he's in a familiar but different world and sees his ten brothers, who are male distaffs of his sisters. 

males in ,get it ?  /Copyright Viacom 

      I mean, pretty much the only thing is that maybe they are more aggressive, the ones that wore skirts as sisters wear pants as brothers (the baby looks the same though), and are more prone to gross habits.  For these kinds of episodes  there are  usually 5 stages to the plot: 1) Character is unhappy with current living arrangements, 2) Character finds way to have different life arrangement 3) Character enjoys new living arrangement and wants it to be permanent 4) After thinking yes, the grass is greener on the other side, it goes bad.  5) Character seeks to go back to normal life. (The Fifth one can branch into different endings, usually, the ending is character goes back to normal life more appreciative  of  normal life)  Currently,  we did stages 1 and 2.   Lincoln finds that he enjoys this new life with his ten brothers. 

      So good that stage 3 sets in and he's declares he's staying permanently in this dimension. Quickly, Lincoln finds out he doesn't have his own bedroom and gets punches by his brothers for different things. The bathroom is unkept. (Because boys don't like clean bathrooms at all, right? right?) Then the brothers start being mean to him and over the top.  We quickly moved to stage 4 by now.  Lincoln decides to head to stage 5 and find the watch to go back his dimension and Lexx (Lola expy) finds the watch and decides to include the other brothers in keep away. 

                    

     He distracts them and gets the watch and changes dimensions but still sees his brothers but they are now being nice because Lincoln has become Linka meanwhile, where did the real Linka go? Nobody knows!  He figures out he went to the wrong dimension and time was running out.  Oh no!

I smell spinoff/ Copyright Viacom

 More after the jump. 

The Loud House : My Favorite Episode : Cover Girls

The Loud House Nickelodeon 

   Hey, it's the third year of "The Loud House" being on the air!   Here at Joshua Online, we have decided that it would be best to do another Loud House post. This time, something different.  As the title says: My Favorite Loud House episode.   Now you might be saying, how can that be?  The show has a fourth season coming soon (as of this writing) you are jumping the gun! (I'm not saying that.)  Well, sure, maybe, I think but, you what know what, I think this will stay my favorite episode of the series.

        Today we are talking about "Cover Girls" Season 1 episode 15a. First aired on August 1st, 2016.

    Disclaimer:  Since this post is titled "My favorite episode of the Loud House" that means it's opinion and this doesn't mean your favorite episode isn't a good episode that's your opinion and I'm not here to change your opinion because I'm not a wizard. Also,  this doesn't mean that I don't like any other episodes or anything else forthwith something, void in the state of Hawaii.   [End Disclaimer]

             This episode starts with Lincoln accidentally stays out past curfew at Clyde's house and he runs back home. During this rush, he calls his eldest sister, Lori, for some help to which she springs into action with the other sisters.   One of the great things about this episode is that right there where you see the sisters all doing things to make sure their parents don't find out that Lincoln is out late as he rushes home and helps him sneak into the house. (Here at Joshua Online we don't condone staying past, wait I refuse to finish this, this is a serious blog we don't do jokes here!)
 

Lincoln is dead here/ Copyright Viacom

         The mission is a success. This sets up the fun this episode will bring us.  Lynn asks Lincoln if he could cover for him for a bit while the family does spring cleaning so she can get to the batting cages to have good luck all season, Lincoln agrees and there we go.  Lori asks if he could cover for her as well (and I guess Lily does too). It's funny to see Lincoln pretend to be his other sisters. Leni asks him to cover for her and she was in for 6 others so, he has to cover for all the sisters now.

So Lincoln didn't die, but he's never was the same since he hit that wall/ Copyright Viacom 

           

         This is where it gets more fun!  Lincoln apparently, has  A trunk where he as copies of his sister's clothing that fits his size. (Don't ask me why I just don't work here) He starts wearing different sisters clothes and still using his normal voice which I'm surprised fools his mom. (All my children sound like 11-year-old boys, I have a strange family: Rita Loud probably) 
           

"All my kids sound  like my son today, ugh back to bed for me"/ Copyright Viacom 

      The next part his grandfather, affectionately called "Pop Pop" has decided to call the family through video chat.  Lincoln decides to talk to him and then  Pop-Pop says hey bring Luna down for a song, Lincoln rushes upstairs to text his sisters to come home quick.  Meanwhile, the rest of the fun continues.   Lincoln pretends to be different sisters, Like Luna, Luan, Lola, and Lana (as a combined costume somehow.)

         Lana and Luna come home and he tells them that he needs them to dress up like Lynn and Leni. Lana does Leni and Luna does Lynn. It's fun to see them try to act like the others, and also wonder how Pop-Pop hasn't really noticed that they look a little different. The comedy really comes out great in this episode.   Through the montage, it really has some great moments that you should watch the episode for.   It's funny that that by this point that every Loud is home now but got so caught up they didn't realize it.

    You don't think we have a joke caption for each picture? You are wrong/ Copyright Viacom

 Is Lincoln really old or his grandpa really young? 

 Lincoln is rocking that chair, and that hair! 

 Lincoln really changed his nose for that. 

 When the forces of  Lana and Lola combine!

Lana  duhhhhhh

Me when I'm writing this blog post 

 Lisa is doing "Spaceballs"? 

 Popeye the Sailor man. 

Bat Girl! 

Lincoln still hasn't recovered has he, this episode was his dream while in a coma from hitting that wall. 

A proud family that a mother would be proud of.

Well since you've decided to be each other this is how you will live for the rest of your lives , kids! 

     The parents do catch them and they find an inventive way to punish their children by making them wear what they are currently wearing to do the things they wanted to do.  It's kind of unnecessary but still a creative punishment so I'll allow this to happen.  (You're a mean judge)

Please, forgive me! / Copyright Viacom 

     
 
      It's an episode with something  I really love from the Loud House, a simple plot with some twists on expectations. Gets some good laughs in there and still has a heart. It's nice to the Loud kids work together and the episode really gives me some enjoyment and smiles. Plus their interpretations of each other is funny as well. Yes, it's a simple not a game-changing or largely character developing episode but it is really fun. I love the ultimate silliness that this episode brings it's not there for a moral or really anything else and it really brings an A game of quick pace and comedy. 

           There we go! What's your favorite episode ? Tune in next time, we we wonder what ever happened to Lancy?

     

Scooby Doo 50 : The New Scooby Doo Movies

Scooby Doo 50 

        When you have a successful property why not do more?  After "Scooby Doo Where Are You?" did well, CBS, of course, wanted more and Hannah and ]Barbera liked money it was a match made in heaven.  Premiering on CBS on September  9th, 1972,  with two seasons with 24 episodes, The New Scooby-Doo Movies.



            I loved watching this series when it reran on Cartoon Network on Sunday afternoons (I think it was Sundays). The differences between this series are 1) the length instead of 30 minutes (with commercials ) the episodes were 1 hour (with commercials). 2) It followed the format but with famous people and characters.

   

     The fun thing about this series is that instead of Mystery Inc gang just faffing around and running into mysteries it instead had the Mystery Inc gang faffing around running into mysterious but with celebrities.   The fun thing is also seeing the real-life people being put into animated versions like with the first episode with the Three Stooges.

There's 3 of them / Copyright AT&T who owns Warner

   It wasn't new for the three stooges to be seen in animated there was animated series in 1965, I've also written about (I think) about a Three stooges animated series in 1977 where the Stooges were a part robot now because why the heck not?  Anyway, the 2nd episode was them meeting with Batman Robin.  Which wasn't their first run in animation either. In fact, Batman and Robin met with Scooby Doo twice.
   

Get in the van and don't ask questions/ Copyright Warner Media

         

     They're OOky and they're spooky. It's kind of fun to have this cross over where Scooby and the gang meet the Addams Family.  Interestingly enough, the Addams Family didn't have animated series before this episode aired. They were first appearing as comic characters but the frame of reference was the 1960's live-action series.  Hanna and Barbera did a series with them in 1973 for NBC. With many of the actors from the 1964 series doing the voices.  Going back to the episode, "Wednesday is Missing"  John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Jackie Coogan, and Ted Cassidy from the 1964 series came and did the voices.

                                         Addams Family Doo / Copyright Warner Media
                                       

     So apparently the Addams Family in the Scooby, never mind explaining this would just be too weird.  I love how this show also was filmed in front of a live studio audience, wait a minute, that's just a laugh track.  In this episode, the Mystery Inc gang end up as housekeepers while Morticia and Gomez go on vacation because they really wanted to leave this show.

Ha ha /Copyright Warner Media 

  I'm mostly breezing through the episodes because there's so much and it why not try a new style for the blog. The next few episodes had real-life celebrities came in be animated and join the cast for whatever mysterious.   Johnathan Winters, a famous comedian,  Don Knotts (the kids love Three's Company, oh wait that was before, the kids love Andy Griffith )  Phyllis Diller, Sandy Duncan (the kids love Search for Tomorrow)  who had a show on CBS the season before that lasted 13 episodes so never mind, and Sonny and Cher. (Who also had a show on CBS)



   Don Knotts appeared again then Laurel and Hardy, The Three Stooges.  The Harlem Globetrotters even appeared.  Meanwhile, while Marcia Brady had a hard time meeting Davy Jones, The Mystery inc just get to bump into him like that.  It is kind of sad that so far none of the guest stars were the villains I guess, we'll save that for "Murder, She Wrote".
 

Davy Jones locker/Copyright Warner Media 

     Jerry Reed, a country music star, also appeared.  Again the show is of its time with the real-life celebrities because well, of course, it was also going to be that way.  The season finished up with Batman and Robin's second appearance and The Harlem Globetrotters.   Season 2 was shorter than a season which had 13 episodes, the second season had  8 episodes.

Can I see your homework and copy it?/Copyright Warner Media 

    It's interesting that they didn't think of the idea until later of having other Hanna Barbera characterless appear on this Scooby Doo series.  Finally, we got an episode where they meet "Josie and the Pussy Cats"  To be fair they are more Archie characters that H&B got to animate but don't you start.  Also since some of the Josie characters were voiced by the same people who did Scooby characters it was a match made in episode haven.

A Talking speed buggy, that's silly right Scooby?/Copyright Warner Media 

           

        Do you remember there being an animated "I dream of Jeannie"no? Me neither, the decided that might as well have these shows cross over.  "Jeannie"  was about the same "Jeannie" but she was a high school girl disguise now (because anime) and something something something silly.  Tim Conway and Don Adams appeared in the next two episodes, sadly not together.  Then H&B did another crossover this time with "Speed Buggy" because a talking dog wasn't silly enough. Plus, it is funny because H&B had the tendency to "rip themselves off" so having characters from a show that kind of copied formula is actually perfect.   They ended the series with Dick Van Dyke (no Mary Tyler Moore).



         It's a fun series that also shows they were trying to keep "Scooby" fresh so, did this new idea. This was the last new Scooby series for  CBS because they didn't order another one, and the next series came out in 1976 on ABC.  I decided not to do a thing where I would talk about a specific episode since it really follows the same idea as the first series with the hook of famous people are here and have fun. It's not a bad series or boring but really kind of just it's own thing.



   This idea has been done later with Scooby Doo, something we'll get to later I'm sure. But coming in 2019 they are doing a new series called "Scooby Doo and Guess Who?" which brings this format back where it's the gang meeting a famous person or character.  It will have updated stars and Batman is back so that's fun.



   That's our look tune in next time when we meet Scooby Doo and he doesn't know who we are.

The Lookback: The First Easter Rabbit

The Flashback Easter 

    Ah yes, it's Easter time again , and that means we find another Easter special to look at and thanks to our friends at Rankin-Bass we have another one to talk about !  (How do you know they're our friends, did you ask them?)  Last year, we looked at their special "Here Comes the Easter Bunny" , this year we go back a year to a special they made in 1976 because that's how we roll at this blog.

      Our look this time is called "The First Easter Rabbit" that first aired on April 9th 1976 on NBC (finally a special for NBC on the blog).  It seems to be another Easter Bunny origin story as well.  This special is drawn  animation versus stop motion which means we get more of that nice Rankin Bass hand-drawn animation this time.

        Burl Ives is back to narrate this special after doing "Rudolph" in 1964.  Let's take a look now join us. (please, or he wont' stop talking)

       It starts with a Christmas tree and some Christmas like bells, so apparently I put in the wrong thing, sorry about that oh wait there's somebody here.  There's a bunny voiced by Burl Ives  who calls himself G.B and he says we must be wondering where  is Santa? (Yes, I was wondering where Santa was in this Easter special)   Apparently, G.B has time traveled  because time travel exits. He points to a house to tell us how important for there to be an Easter Rabbit.
   

In my past life I was as snowman, what kind of reincarnation is this? I wanted to be a slime! (Copyright Rankin Bass) 

     The theme song is fun, very peppy and joyful i like it, again it's more of  Maury Laws and Jules Bass made music for the R&B specials and they are always enjoyable.  There's a stuffed rabbit that was a Christmas present for a girl named Glinda (Time for people to bring this name back!) she names him Stuffy.  Meanwhile, real life rabbits are committing carrot crimes.(Did you know you aren't supposed to give rabbits carrots, or something go ahead Duck Duck go it!) They see Stuffy and notice that he's not a real rabbit but apparently Stuffy thinks he his because yes, Stuffy can think.
         

 I think while you sleep/ Copyright Rankin Bass 

     Stuffy is voiced by Robert Morse who you may know from "Mad men" if you know from something from before Mad Men then even better because I only gave a short example.  Glinda and Stuffy have a good time and that means something bad happens, poor Glinda has gotten Scarlet Fever.  The doctor says that they should burn all her bedding and the rabbit. (I'd like to have  second opinion, maybe doctor burns needs to calm the heck down)  So, the mother decides to set everything outside to burn it.  Stuffy cries  and a fairy appears and tells him that her job is turn toys that kids used to have but get thrown into real things. (Uhhh wait a minute, I have several questions)  She turns him real and she then tells him that his job will be the First Easter Rabbit (roll credits).

 Now to turn some dolls into real children / Copyright Rankin Bass

    I know this special is 24 minutes long, but we are moving fast here.   The song from earlier gets used again with more verses.  Calliope, the fairy, then tells Stuffy to go to Easter Valley, where it's always spring. (what?)  Also, he has two weeks to get ready for Easter. (ooh well then that's weird) Oh, and watch out for Zero! (Who' or What is Zero? nobody knows)
         

     Stuffy meets the carrot rabbits from earlier  and they think that he's a little strange and they decide to follow him.   Meanwhile, Zero is going to be our Villain  his job is to keep the North Pole all what keeps the North Pole what it is , but the problem is Easter Valley  somehow exists and he's trying to figure out what keeps that place not following the laws of physics. (He is really a villain though?)

I'm Zero, I spell my name like this : 0 / Copyright Rankin Bass

     Anyway our rabbit gang continues their search for Easter Valley.  Oh, they found it (that 24 minute run time really speeds things up) and guess what Santa Claus is there in Easter Valley. (Crossover)  Santa is there to help Stuffy set up for Easter and, they decide that it would be best to test pilot this Easter Rabbit thing in one town first.   Then Santa leaves.  Oh, the thing that keeps Easter Valley all spring like is a flower called the Golden Lilly and if it were to disappear all of spring would be gone. (Wait hold on!)

I have all those outfits/ Copyright Rankin Bass

   How is Glinda doing? She's getting better from her scarlet fever and still mumbling about her rabbit. Stuffy decides to visit her but, we didn't have time for them to hear what they talked about. Glinda found that her mother had burn all her clothes and stuff because doctor quick to burn's idea.
 

Now, I'm off to tell some children they have to burn their favorite pet/ Copyrights Rankin Bass 

   Meanwhile, Zero finally figures out how to get into Easter Valley because we need to have tension in this special. Now, it starts to snow in Easter Valley (now I've seen snow on Easter so I wouldn't be shocked) because Zero got the flower while, his snowball Bruce thought he went too far and decides to help the rabbits.   Bruce tells Santa who rescues the rabbits.  Santa helps the rabbits and they delver Easter gifts. Doctor Burns stuff (yeah I am going to keep calling him that) gave Glinda an Easter Dress and she meets him at Noon.

High Noon / Copyright Rankin Bass 

      I also think the doctor and mother fell in love, and we didn't see a Mr.Glinda's father in this special so, woah.  They use the Easter Parade song to finish up the fun. Santa tells Zero to make spring come back or he's moving to the South Pole. (Santa is tough but fair)  Zero doesn't want to be alone without Santa and his folks so he decides to put the flower back.  Also, our narrator ,GB was Stuffy all along. 

       
     This special didn't capture me as much as the other Rankin Bass Easter special I talked about.  That doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable because it was it seems like due to the length of time and they had to do  a forced bad guy then rush his redemption in an also forced way.    I mention the Christmas in special as interesting  so, it's time for me to play the over-thinking game.  Christmas and Easter aren't usually thought of together even though, the holidays do have a connection to each other without Christmas no Easter to say.   I think it's alright a good special with some minor writing problems and maybe the length of time was too short for the story they wanted to tell but, at the same time if it was longer it would have felt dragged out. I kind of do wonder why Stuffy was picked to be the Easter Rabbit. We also really don't know why he wanted to be 'real' but, at the same I feel it was just a way to connect the two things for the story which attributes to the off writing in this special. We also didn't get enough on why Glinda loves that rabbit mostly because doctor I want to burn things really was of no help and again they must have needed her as a reason to have a stuffed rabbit to make it work.
 
   Again, It's alright and give it watch if you haven't seen  it I'm just saying I enjoyed the other one more.   On the  positive it's well animated, still fun to watch, and even they use the same song multiple times, it's not a bad song. Also Burl Ives makes this special great as well.

   Well, does it for us now, tune in next time when we tell a child with chicken pox we have to  burn their favorite toys  and they have to watch!
     
     

A Visit from the Easter Beagle

Peanuts

      Unless I am somehow wrong for this year, or this post is seen in the future and things have changed : The Easter Beagle Peanuts special hasn't aired on TV since 2014 and it won't air this year ( I won't even insert the current year in this post because I don't think that will change, and if it does then the date stamp above tells you the year anyway).  That's sad really and also I don't know why don't air special anymore maybe ABC felt they couldn't air it anymore. We have , so far, no official reason.   Anyway this post isn't here to wonder or bemoan that ABC isn't airing this special for some reason anymore it's to talk about the special itself. Let's get to that!

        The first thing I want to talk about before the content of the special or even give facts about the airing and that normal thing I do , I want to talk about the music in this special. I love it. Vince Guaraldi's music has a little more acid flavoring to it with guitar riffs. Personally, my favorite part is the music used during them showing off Woodstock's very 70's house interior that music fits that scene so well has perfect 70's vibe to it.


            This special first aired on CBS (Yes, I really love hammering in that part)  on April 9th 1974 and became CBS' yearly Easter tradition up to the last year the lost the rights in 2000, then ABC took the reigns along with the other specials but as mentioned before, haven't aired it since 2014. That means the special is 45 years old in 2019.    Linus for some reason thinks that there's an Easter beagle and not bunny it's quite interesting how he even surmised that thought , the reason for the Great Pumpkin is that he apparently confused Santa for the mythical creation for Halloween  but for this he just thinks there's  an Easter Beagle.  Then again, why not have Peanuts have its own thing and not follow the crowd?


          It starts with our first plot line that will run through the special with Peppermint Patty and Marcie working on Easter Eggs. Apparently, Marcie doesn't understand this concept and starts by frying the eggs which causes Peppermint Patty much annoyance.  Time for Lucy and Schroeder  and she's talking about how Easter is the season to get stuff and he scolds her  but again, she doesn't care because Lucy. The next plot line gets its start  where Woodstock's nest is not good at holding out the weather and he's not very happy about this. He goes to Snoopy and tells him. Sally has an important problem she has no shoes to wear for Easter then because this is Peanuts Linus and Lucy just break into Charlie Brown's house to tell them they are going to the store to get Easter stuff. and invite them to join.  Linus then tell them about the title character of the special, the Easter Beagle (roll credits). Linus tells them that Easter Beagle is about pretty much the Easter Bunny's job but beagle.   The gang meets up with Peppermint Patty and Marcie who are getting more eggs. Nice department store, if not a little strange for having their Christmas stuff out before Christmas like 246 days before. (Either that or they were lazy and decided to just roll with keeping the stuff up.)

This store outsmarted other retailers/ Copyright Peanuts 

        Part of this special is some of the characters faffing around the department store, but it's not boring or taking away anything from the special. Charlie Brown helps his sister look for some shoes (I didn't know Charlie Brown had Shoe buying money. Snoopy buys a gum ball from a machine and they all come out then we get a scene I love with Snoopy dancing with bunnies. The music is also very nice too.  Snoopy finds a bird house for Woodstock and buys it. (Snoopy somehow has money, don't question it.)   Linus continues his quest to convince Sally about the Easter beagle  and this special happened after that Halloween incident because Sally remembers that.

Ah the 70's shoes are painful//Copyright Peanuts 

        Marcie decides that she's going to waffle iron the eggs then put some others in the oven. Peppermint Patty could have just taken those eggs out of the stove but apparently, I don't know what  happened there and has to get more eggs. Linus tries to proselytize to Peppermint Patty and Marcie about the beagle and she's like nope.   Another part I really love is where Woodstock apparently made this 1970's  interior in his bird house, I would want to live in that house now.

Swanky/ Copyright Peanuts 

     Snoopy destroys the house and now has to buy a new one and meets with Peppermint Patty at the department store.   He decides to dance with the ladies with some Christmas music boxes. Back the grind though, and Snoopy buys a new bird house for his friend. Does Marcie boil the eggs?  Well yes but she cracks them open instead.  This running gag didn't get boring or annoying to me, but Peppermint Patty should have shown her how to do it herself  like a couple egg batches ago.  Poor Peppermint Patty and Marcie don't have anymore money and can't egg color anymore. Linus tries to once again do his thing.
         

Moments before tragedy / Copyright Peanuts 

      Lucy paints her eggs and marks where she hid them meanwhile, Snoopy is sneaking behind her and picking up the eggs. ( I wonder where this is going)   Peppermint Patty and Marcie aren't happy on Easter morning , Sally seems a little upset too, Charlie Brown is upset because he's Charlie Brown.  Lucy is happy because Lucy. (Wait what?)  The music swells and yes the Easter Beagle shows up and gives the kids their eggs except Charlie Brown because he ran out some how  ( he did throw some eggs out of the basket giving them to no one and could have given one of those but logic) , and Charlie Brown has to be sad or something.   Also Marcie. eats the egg with the shell still on because Marcie.
                                   

      It's 10 weeks later and Lucy is un happy that  Snoopy used her eggs  she holds a long grudge.  She offers to fight him ( I think that's illegal) but he just kisses her ( I think that's illegal) and she's fine. (Well, I don't know now)

        Much like the other Peanuts specials for holidays it shows us characters doing things typical of the holiday set up. I think it really does that well. This special has 3 main plots to it the first being Marcie and Peppermint Patty's Easter eggs. Marcie's different attempts at doing everything but the proper egg being boiled are funny and don't get stale or annoying to out last its welcome.  Snoopy and Woodstock's plot is funny and really it's nice to see the dedication Snoopy has to help Woodstock. also Woodstock has the same Tardis house abilities that  Snoopy has.  Linus' plot is sprinkled in it keeps him in his character and I'm glad he gets a happier ending than from Halloween.

       Charlie Brown is kind of in the background  this special, poor guy doesn't get Easter treats either. Lucy was slightly background too, but it is in her character to just set up her own eggs. It is a great Easter special so take a look. See ya next time for  It's Tax Day, Charlie Brown!