Masters of the Universe: Revolutions- Season 2 Review (and Critique)

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Series 2 Review

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- The Rise of Retro Gaming During Covid

LINK- Blood, Sweat and Pixels- Book Review

LINK- Streets of Rage 2 OST on Vinyl Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

Disenchantment Part 3- Series Review

April 18, 2022

And so we get to part 3 of Disenchantment, a series with promise that hasn’t quite hit its stride yet… despite nearly 20 episodes. After 2 seasons/ parts, I was not invested in the characters as they hadn't been developed enough and the stories, while fine, were just not interesting enough overall. Would part 3 be able to change my mind?

Well, at the end of the previous season Bean was apparently burned at the stake for being a witch. However, she was actually saved by Queen Dagmar and holed her up in an underground cavern system populated by strange and horny elf like creatures called Trøgs. We see Bean, Elfo and Luci try to adapt to life in this strange new world.

Meanwhile, above ground the nefarious Odval is planning his Machiavellian scheme to replace King Zøg with his more incompetent and malleable son Derek. This is the main thrust of the season as we see Derek growing from a naive Ralf Wiggum-like character into a more confident teen by adventuring into the woods and going on a Walkabout to 'find himself'.

Derek's journey of self-discovery is well handled, as is Bean's adventure in Steamland but it feels like the show is treading water. There are a few moments of growth and plot development but the show feels flabby. At times it reminded me of Lost in that there were some episodes where nothing of consequence happened at all and the moments of emotion just felt tacked on. Elfo falls in love with a boat, Bean falls for a mermaid, Zog is relieved to find that Bean is alive again yet these don't resonate as they feel clunky and inconsequential to the plot and characters as a whole. This is a shame as this season has really started to develop the characters further but again, it just feels flat. Luci is barely there and says little of consequence whilst Elfo is the emotional punch bag.

I feel the show has a kind of identity crisis as it want to be edgy with a sense of insouciance but it falls flat. I'll watch the whole run of the show as I don't think it'll go for much longer but I do feel it's been given more than a fair chance but hasn't taken the opportunity to shine. It's a shame as we are living in a real golden age of animation and many better series have been cancelled yet this frustrating one remains.

LINK- Carmen Sandiego- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 2 Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes (BBC)- Cult TV Review

LINK- Twin Peaks Retrospective

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

Hilda Season 2 Coming Soon

December 2, 2020

Hilda is a graphic comic series and Netflix animated show about a young adventure loving girl. The original 13 part animated series was adapted from the multi award winning and highly acclaimed graphic novel series by Luke Pearson in 2018 and I loved it.

Now season 2 is about to drop on 14th December and I am so here for it! I loved the original season and have read all the graphic novels. Check out the trailer below and whilst you are at it, check out my complete season 1 review as well as my graphic novel series review.

LINK- Hilda Completes Season 1 Review

LINK- Hilda Complete Graphic Novel Series Review

LINK- She Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 2 Review

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors- Soundtrack Review

November 2, 2020

A warm fuzzy feeling fills my heart whenever I watch television shows and cartoons from my childhood. However, there are only a few that quicken my heart and make me yearn for simpler times, well, t least simpler as a kid and those include Ulysses 31, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Inspector Gadget, Dogtanian, Around the World With Willy Fogg and… Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.

Thundering across the stars,
To save the universe from the Monster Minds!
Jayce searches for his father,
To unite the magic root,
And lead his Lightning League to
Victory over the changing form of Sawboss!
Wheeled Warriors explode into battle!
Lightning Strikes!

With these words Jayce and his Lightning League battled the Monster Minds and Saw Boss for 65 episodes. Produced by the hilariously named (at least I thought at the time) DIC studios and overseen by Jean Chalopin (of Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31, Inspector Gadget and tonnes of other formative cartoons from the 80s) the show was grand and cheesy operatic drama and a big part of this was due to the epic music, created by Shuki Levy.

The soundtrack for the series has never been released… until now. Tele 80 crowdfunded the soundtrack and I backed it. After a seemingly long wait (it wasn’t that long actually but it seemed that way due to anticipation and slight Covid delays) I finally received my vinyl and CD.

I first came across the show when it was first shown in the mid 80s on Channel 4 but I saw it in my formative years again in the early 90s on Channel 4, where it was shown at weekends. I remember thinking how cool and ahead of it's time the animation was and how moody, mature and rocky the synthesizer soundtrack was.

Since getting the soundtrack I've listened to the album a few times now and the majority of the themes I remember are all here, however the soundtrack isn’t as ingrained into my mind as much as The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31 or Inspector Gadget are.

I'm not going to go through every single track here as that would be long and incredibly tedious for you to read so I'll pick out the highlights.

The album starts with the French opening credits. It has the instrumentation that we all know and love but with the French vocals. The track is okay but holds no real nostalgia for me, that'd be track 21, the English vocal track that played over the opening of the show, but this is the extended cut. Track 23 is the instrumentation of the opening credits, whilst track 22 has the ending vocals (‘Keep On Rolling’) and track 24 has the instrumentation of that, so you can get your hair rock on!

Now onto the back ground music (BGM):

Track 2 (The Fight of the Light Force) - starts off all mystical and woozily dreamlike but quickly the synthy beat, violin and jazz flute kick in and it's a veritable smorgasbord of pure 80s euphoria.

Track 4 (The Cunning of the Monster Minds) - lots of oboe and unsettling string picking make this a suitably creepy piece.

Track 6 (A Hope) - a light, chilled piece which wouldn't be out of place in a romance scene from some forgettable 80s movie.

Track 7 (The Fight Against the Monster Minds) - a consistent drum beat which is followed by a fluttering flute before a jazzy brass section comes in to add some uptempo jam before a crescendo of strings swells and hits.

Track 10 (All Together) - a relaxing piece which is sort of like a redux of track 9.

Track 11 (Moments of Clairvoyance) - breezy and airy sounding with a gentle wind chimey sound.

Track 12 (An Unknown World) - creepy and unsettling as a quick rhythmic mood sets in with heavy synthesiser sounds wend their way in and out. This track wouldn't be out of place in a John Carpenter film as it fits his ouvre.

Track 13 (Mysteries of the Universe) - upbeat funk with wailing guitar and jazzy brassy freestyling.

Track 18 (Imminent Danger) - sounds like an end of level boss from a PS1 game which is no bad thing. Heavy drums and waning guitar give way to moody rhythmic guitar.

Track 19 (Musical Bridges)- This track is a collection of 5 to 10 second bridged that are dramatic and concluded fight or action sequences. They are dramatic and bombastic, ending with a flourish.

Overall, there are plenty of tracks here for Jayce fans but the track that I most miss due to its omission is the darkly sinister driving imperial march sounding one that is reminiscent of St. Elmo's Fire/ La Passage Secret from the MCOG soundtrack. It was the track used when a discovery was made and is one of the most spine tingling tracks from the show and the Jayce equivalent, which shares a lot of the same DNA, is missing too. I’ll link it below so you can have a listen to both tracks.

So overall, this is a good package for fans of the show but in no way complete, unlike the Ulysses 31 complete which had pretty much everything from the show. However, it is definitely worth a purchase for fans of the show and 80s hair rock.

LINK: Ulysses 31- Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK: Streets of Rage 2- Vinyl Soundtrack Review

LINK: Vinyl- The Return of the Format

LINK: Streets of Rage Soundtrack on Vinyl

LINK: Mysterious Cities of Gold- Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK: Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 Review

LINK: MCOG Gold Condor for Sale

LINK: What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK: An English Geek in Saudi Arabia

The Hollow- Complete Season 2 Review

June 18, 2020

Season 1 of ‘The Hollow’ was a pleasantly surprising animated series which kept me hooked for the entire 10 episode run. When the series concluded, I was intrigued to see how they would continue the show as it ended it a very interesting way which mixed media.

In season 2, Adam, Mira and Kai find themselves in ‘The Hollow’ again but this time the rules seem to be different. There seems to have been a glitch in which our leads beat the game but didn't end up going home, they go 'home' but it is a glitched out approximation of home, with digital parents and NPC who are walking into lampposts etc. So over the course of 10 episodes our trio face the dangers of other teams who are playing the game to win but our three just want to go back to their real home. It's an interesting premise; what happens if you win a game but it glitches and traps you inside?

Season 2 of ‘The Hollow’ builds on the excellent first season but raises the stakes and places more focus on the interplay and relationship dynamics between the characters. They argue, fight, make up and act irrationally, all very human traits in a crazy digital online world as well as the real one. We get to understand the complex dynamic between Adam and Reeve, Kai and Vanessa, Skeet and Mira and understand why their game glitched.

The message is very clear, beware mega corporations who harvest your Big Data; giving away your information comes at a price, nothing is for free so read the terms and conditions. Post Cambridge Analytica, the world has seen that data is power which leads to influence and this show deals with that in its own clever way. The show is also a meditation on what it means to be alive and Artificial Intelligence, it reminded me of the premise of the video game 'Thomas Was Alone'.

The show moves at a cracking pace but highlights includes Wierdy's upbeat version of ‘Creep’ by ‘Radiohead’ and seeing Kai grow into his relationships with his peers. I won't spoil it but the final boss battle is pretty epic too.

The animation style is the same as the first, which is fine but to think with the ending that they did it would have been bold to go with a new art style and keep the show original and unique. However, Flash style animation it is but again this is not the selling point of the series, the story is top notch and the characterisation is very good.

With the ending of this series there is a possibility of season 3. Overall, this series is an under-appreciated gem and is well worth a watch. Look past the divisive art style and you will find a deep series with much to appreciate and admire.

LINK- The Hollow- Complete Season 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Manga Exhibition at the British Museum

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Moomins 80's Soundtrack Vinyl Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power- Season 5 Review

May 19, 2020

Over the past 2 years we've had 4 amazing seasons of She-Ra and the the Princesses of Power and now we finally have the concluding season. So does the finale stick the landing and the rebooted She-Ra series become one of the finest animated series of recent times?

She-Ra started off with usual Heroes Journey fare but then very quickly escalated and grew into something much more epic, featuring time travel, alternate dimensions and pocket universes; heady stuff indeed.

At the end of season 4, Hordak had signalled Horde Prime and Etheria had been revealed to the Empire, losing the protection the previous She-Ra (Mara) had provided it by placing it in a pocket dimension. The sword was broken and Adora's ability to call on She-Ra was lost.

This season the princesses face all out war as Horde Prime looks to leach the powerful magic from the Heart of Etheria for himself, and achieve God-hood by destroying the universe and making everyone left in his image. With the majority of the rebels overwhelmed by the Prime clones, the remaining faction undertake guerrilla warfare, freeing small areas one at a time, whilst battling their friends who are under Prime control from microchips in the neck.

One of the shows biggest strengths is the attention it gives its characters, it has always allowed them a chance to develop arcs that are subtle and true and this holds in this concluding season too. Mermista, Scorpia and Perfuma all get a chance to shine as they undergo their own trials but the biggest character development is with Entrapta. She learns to appreciate and understand her friends as well as continuing her love of tech. She has some of the funniest and most touching moments and is MVP as she has to find a hack to prize the brainwashing microchips off of her friends and most of Etheria.

Married couple, Netossa and Spinarella are heavily featured as they join the rebellion too but their powers are given more credence and their true power is shown in all its might as they fight against each other as the Horde chip has control over one partner. It's all quite heavy stuff but dealt with the usual confidence and honesty that has made this show so popular amongst the LGBTQ+ community and those looking for wider representation in media.

The complex, maybe even toxic, relationship between Catra and Adora is explored as we gain more insight into Catra's motivations. We get to understand her abandonment and attachment issues and whilst not entirely sympathetic, we do start to understand why Catra is the way she is. The CatDora relationship comes to the fore, especially at the 2 part conclusion as they race to the Heart of Etheria against Horde Prime.

Horde Prime is the archtypal supervillian, his motivation is pure power. He is a malevolent gentleman, inviting Catra and Glimmer to dinner whilst serving her food and delicacies from long destroyed worlds. He seeks to rid the universe of emotions, which he sees as a weakness. He cannot be reasoned with and as he has been in power for so long and has succeeded in spreading the Horde Empire far and wide, doesn't need to explain his ideology except for the further acquisition of power.

With the players on both sides set, the various story threads all weave together to a stunning conclusion that will satisfy fans whilst raising the possibility of a movie or one off special. I won't spoil anything here but I felt extremely satisfied with how the series ended, honouring all the character arcs and motivations yet feeling like a real journey.

This season is well written with shades of dark and light incredibly well plotted with never a moment wasted. It doesn't lose its central message that friendship is awesome but can be hard work, whilst delivering gripping and emotional scenes, episode after episode.

I have loved this show and would recommend it for anyone with a passion for animation but also anyone who appreciates well rounded characters and tightly scripted stories.

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi Arabia

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Nintendo: My One Constant in My Gaming Life

Disenchantment Season 1 Part 2- Series Review

October 31, 2019

It's been a looong wait for the second part of Disenchantment season 1 but now it's finally here.

The original show ended on a cliffhanger as the last 3 episodes of series 1 part 1 were heavily narrative driven with a story arc that had a more emotional core. King Zog was after the Elixir of Life but things took a dark turn as Elfo was killed to make the Elixir of Life and Bean had to choose between reviving him or bringing her mother, Dagmar, who had been turned to stone, back to life. She chose her mother, leaving with her to travel to Maru to fulfil a 'prophecy' but this decision had devastating consequences as the people of Dreamland were turned to stone, leaving Kind Zog alone.

So the new episodes kick off straight after these cliffhangers as Bean now lives in Maru with her mother but realised that there is something sinister occurring all around her. She find out the truth about her mother and the devastating consequences, but not the details, of being a key part of the prophecy.

Bean and Luci go through heck to get Elfo back!

This leads to Bean realising her error and literally going to Hell to find Elfo. These first 2 episodes are excellent and truly creative, but after our main protagonist are reunited it's pretty much standalone episode of the week until the last 2 episodes. Whilst solid the standalone episodes do not really move the story forward but rather world-build, adding texture and richness to this land. A couple of standout episodes change the status quo of the world and show that there is plenty of scope with the introduction of other lands, especially Steamland, but as it is, we end up in a similar impasse with lots of balls in the air but yet none have landed.

The show raises a chortle or, dare I say, titter but there was no belly laugh for the duration of the season. There were plenty of Easter eggs linking it to Futurama but on the whole, the show is more of the same. If that was your thing that's fine but if you struggled the first time round, this will not ease your pains.

LINK- Carmen Sandiego- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 2 Review

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

Twelve Forever- Complete Series Review

September 28, 2019

Twelve Forever is a 25 part animated series centred around Regina (Reggie), a 13 year old girl who doesnt want to throw away her toys. She instead travels to a fantastic land, called the Endless, where her toys come to life and she becomes Twelve, the super awesome athletic hero of the world. Todd, her best friend, has morphing powers and their friend Esther has flying abilities. Together they fight the ills of society and puberty. The show is cute and sweet as it is presented in a superflat art style, familiar with fans of Adventure Time, but it deals with real weighty emotional issues such as dealing but being a young carer, societal expectations of beauty, negative formative experiences and much more.

In episode 2, we are introduced to the big bad of the show, the Butt Witch, voiced by Matt Berry of It Crowd and Disenchantment fame. For the duration of the series he tries to destroy the optimistic and fantastical world of Endless by corrupting its citizens.

Across 25 episodes the three lead characters go through many of the perils we've all probably experienced in our lives but it is presented through the fantastical world of Endless. If I were being pretentious I would say that the series was showing the pre-pubescent to pubescent forms of Ego, Super Ego and the Id and its effect on youth. According to Freud's psychoanalytic personality model, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains our innate human drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the superego. The three characters represent the 3 parts of Freud’s theory which is a characterisation common in many stories ranging from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings; Reggie is the Id, Esther is the Super Ego and Todd is the Ego.

As you can see, for a 'kids' cartoon this show does get deep and it presents quite difficult concepts at a child friendly level. As a grown up man-child the show had me reflecting on my own childhood and some of the trials and tribulations I faced. Twelve Forever is a solid show that looks at positive representation and with each episode being only about 13 minutes long, it is easily bingeable if that's your wont to do. Check it out on Netflix!

Carmen Sandiego- Complete Season 1 Review

August 26, 2019

Carmen Sandiego is the latest rebooted animated series on Netflix which is based on an older property, in this case many edutainment video games and multiple prior animated series.

The Carmen Sandiego story is pretty simple; she is a master criminal who steals treasures from around the world. However, this series is a bit different from what has gone before in that this is a younger Carmen who has a new and exciting origin story that changes the context of her modus operandi. Carmen was abandoned as a baby in Argentina and was raised by the criminal masterminds at VILE (Villians International League of Evil) Academy in the Canaries. However, as she grew older Carmen realised that her surrogate parents were taking the riches of the world for themselves and thus depriving the world of culture and heritage. She philosophises, “I realised stealing isn't a game. It does harm people, especially when you're willing to steal lives," and so she decides to embark on many international heists, where she tries to retrieve and return the treasures that have been plundered by her former guardians.

The first two episodes are great at building the character of Carmen but after that the show turns into a caper of the week serial but with a light continuity that builds on the mystery of her parentage.

The show itself is beautifully animated with a stylish noir art style, reminiscent of Batman: The Animated Series or Samurai Jack.. At times, the film-noire tropes come into play as shadows and odd angles are key to the animation style.

There are many highlights from the show but one standout moment is the filmic almost balletic sequence in the Sydney Opera House, as Carmen battles a VILE operative in the rigging above the stage whilst Bizet's opera, Carmen, is performed below. The cinematography is stunning and elegantly done. Another thrilling moment involves a high speed super car chash through the streets of San Francisco, recalling that Steve McQueen classic, Bullitt.

The voice acting is good overall with lead voice actor, Gina Rodriguez, growing into the role and becoming more natural as the series progresses. Finn Wolfhard of Stanger Things plays Carmen's able remote assistant Player and plays his role well, however the two siblings, Zack and Ivy, from Boston over-egg the pudding and come across quite cheesy, almost Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins bad. However, this is a small blip in the over high quality voice acting.

Overall, Carmen Sandiego is a fun kids show with a smattering of educational facts thrown in for good measure. If you're looking for a way to teach your kids history, art and geography in a fun and non-edutainment way, then Netflix's Carmen Sandiego is the way to go.

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Series 2 Review

LINK- Ms Marvel Can Change the World

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power- Complete Series Review

January 7, 2019

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix is a modern reimagining of the classic ’80s Filmation series. She-Ra is a part of the He-Man universe and so holds a place in many fans’ hearts, and as expected this has led to many debates about the redesign of the characters. Some arguments seem to be reasonable, like some complaining about the more cartoony super deformed art style, or the redesign of She-Ra herself, but some seem purposely argumentative and toxic like why there is a wider LGBTQ and minority ethnic representation on the show and why She-Ra herself is less 'feminine' .
So, away from the Twitter frenzy what is the show like?

The character redesigns have led to many online discussions, unfortunately not all have been healthy. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power ©Netflix, NBC

Well, I did like the design of the '80s show but the new art style is great too. I am a big fan of Noelle Stevenson (the creator and lead writer of the show), who has created the amazing Nimona and Lumberjanes graphic novels, and her art style feels modern and stylised like Steven Universe. I don't understand why this seems to be an issue when many cartoons have been drawn in a more simplistic style compared to what they were years ago, after all, Phineas and Ferb, Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball and Over the Garden Wall are all brilliant but less detailed and 'realistic' when compared to '80s fare such as He-Man, TMNT, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, MASK or GI Joe. However, what is inarguable and beyond dispute is that the storylines, dialogue and characterisation in the new She-Ra show is much better than in its predecessor. In a medium which has been hegemonic in portraying white characters and often sexualised females, the recent wave of real world representations in cartoons is exciting and the fact that it is backed up by engaging stories not just meant to sell toys is brilliant.

The story itself is classic hero fare: Adora is a cadet in the Fright Zone and a part of the Horde, who are trying to wipe out the 'evil' Princesses. However, after a joy riding accident in the Whispering Woods with her friend Catra, Adora finds the Sword of Power and has visions of She-Ra and the First Ones.
Adora is captured by Princess Glimmer of Bright Moon and Bow and realises that the Horde are evil and that the Princesses aren't a guerilla force but actually just peaceful rulers of their respective lands. Over the course of a few episodes Adora transforms and aims to unite the Princess Alliance that once fought the Horde but ultimately failed and fell apart.

So, as I stated before, the usual Hero's Journey fare. But what really helps set this apart from many shows of its peers is the snappy dialogue and characterisation. From episode 10 of onwards the show goes deep into lore and it is genuinely exciting to see the battle between Adora/ She-ra and Catra as they realise that they want different things in life yet their paths are inextricably and destructively linked.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is an excellent 13 part animated series with a lot of heart. It may not please all previous fans of the show but as a father of a 3 3/4 year old daughter I can honestly say that it is wonderful to have a show that has a strong female lead that isn't wearing questionable clothing or revealing too much skin. The Heroes Journey is a universal tale and in She-Ra it is a tale told well.

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Series 2 Review

LINK- Ms Marvel Can Change the World

LINK- 13th Doctor Revealed

LINK- She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 2 Review

Scooby Doo on Zombie Island- Classic Animation Review

December 11, 2018

1969s ‘Scooby Doo! Where Are You?’ is a television animation milestone. Many children around the world watched the Hannah Barbara show over the years, mostly through syndication, and as a result it had constantly gained new generations of fans. It's impact on pop culture was vast too, from its oft-quoted, "I would have got away with it too, if it wasn't for you pesky kids" to "It's old man xyz" to popularising the chasing through different doors sequence, you know the one; the chaser is pursuing the chasee(s) as they enter through one door only to emerge from a different or opposite door.

The show was hot stuff and it was doing well but over the years it lost its lustre and when ‘A Pup Named Scooby Doo’, released in 1991, was not well received it looked like the end of Scooby Doo. Due to the popularity and relative cheapness of shows like ‘Power Rangers’, ‘Saved By the Bell’ and its live action ilk there was a lull in television animation in the mid to late 90s and Scooby Doo looked like it was going to join the limbo of syndicated satellite cartoon show for all posterity.

However, in 1998 the straight to VHS Scooby Doo on Zombie Island animated movie released and helped to revive the series, winning over a whole new legion of fans and reviving interest in the characters that has continued to this day.

Zombie Island is a bona-fide great story for our Mystery Incorporated team. Shaggy, Scooby, Fred, Velma, and Daphne reunite after a short time apart to investigate a bayou island said to be haunted by the ghost of the pirate Morgan Moonscar. However, the five find not only a deeper mystery on the island, but their first encounter with a genuine, deadly supernatural threat.

The film is beautifully animated with an anime art style, the characters remain true to their origin form but have been finessed to look slicker and cooler than the Hannah Barbara cheaper animation. The background art is stunning and adds to the creepy bayou atmosphere. The ghosts, zombies and cat creatures are all creepy and genuinely a bit unsettling, I'm not sure my 3 3/4 year old daughter would be able to handle the scares... and there are scares aplenty in this film.

The voice cast are excellent throughout and there is subtlety in their performances, it does keep you guessing as to who the true villain is, and unlike all other previous Scooby Doo episodes, there are REAL supernatural elements which is a real game changer in their animated world. The poptastic soundtrack is also pretty awesome and adds some levity to proceedings.

I love that Scooby Doo never really goes away, much like Alvin and the Chipmunks, every generation has their own Scooby that they love. I recently watched the entire 52 part Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated and loved it, calling it one of the best animated shows I’d ever seen, and I love that each person has their own opinion about the best Scooby Doo! Check this movie out though, it’s awesome!

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Complete Series 3 Review

LINK- Hilda Complete Series Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Series 2 Review

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power- Episode 1 Review

November 14, 2018

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is a reboot of the 1985 series. The series is a modern reimagining of the character and world of Etheria, which is a good thing. He-Man and She-Ra are fondly remembered, however if you revisit both cartoons in this modern age you realise just how bad He-Man really is and how much better She-Ra was.

This modern take of She-Ra is written by Noelle Stevenson, author of The Lumberjanes and Nimona, both of which I love. She has a habit of creating plucky and interesting characters and so it is with this series.

Raised as an orphan, Adora/ She-Ra is a strong and willing fighter for the Horde, battling against the insurgent Princesses and looking to rule over Etheria in the name of Hordak. However, after retrieving the Sword of Protection from the Forbidden Forest her latent powers are revealed and her secret origins flash before her eyes.

As a first episode, 'The Sword part 1' has me invested. The characterisation of Stevenson's cast is excellent and the interplay between them is wonderful. There are some wonderful one-liners, ''Are you brain-damaged? Please don't be brain-damaged. Shadow Weaver will kill me.''

I am looking forward to seeing if this series lives up to its promise and will be providing a full series review soon but in the meantime, check out the first episode as it is a well done modern interpretation of a classic cartoon.

Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

August 26, 2018

After nearly 30 years of The Simpsons and nearly 20 years of Futurama, Matt Groening (ably assisted by Simsons alumni, Josh Weinstein and Bill Oakley) have created a new animated series. Disenchantment is the tale of Princess Tiabeanie 'Bean', the hard drinking and burping princess of Dreamland, a medieval fantasy land straight from many tales of yore. She is fated to be married to a Prince of whatever land her father sees as the most politically advantageous. However, Bean is a driven woman and her fate is linked to Elfo, an elf who escapes his magical land of pure maniacal happiness and Luci, a demon with a dark and mysterious past.

The trio end up together and the scene is set for an emotional roller-coaster for Bean as she battles her good and bad sides with the literal manifestations by her side.

In a crowded animation market with the meta Rick and Morty, darkly philosophical Bojack Horseman, gently family-centric Bob's Burgers and those stalwarts South Park, Family Guy and of course, the grandaddy, The Simpsons, how does this new show fit in?

Well, first of all the art style, whilst being unmistakably Simpson-ish has a less garish colour palette. In places the show is quite beautiful with lots of carefully lit scenes, lent some oomph with flashy computerised transitioning shots. The standard medieval setting is beautifully realised and the attention to detail is astonishing, especially when it comes to sight gags such as the shop signage.

The animation in Desenchantment can be beautiful at times ©Matt Groening, Netflix

The voice acting is too notch with Simpson/ Futurama regulars Billy West, John DiMaggio and Tress MacNeille joined by Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre and Nat Faxon. The standout voice actor is Matt Berry who plays the pompous arrogant Prince Merkimer with booming voice and faux gravitas. He gets the majority of the best lines and delivers then with aplomb, however he only appears in a few episodes and so feels underutilised.

The series has a mix of standalone episodes, where we get to know the characters and world further and add to the whole tapestry of the world. The episodes are:

Episode 1- Teabeanie is a hard drinking, hard fighting Princess of Dreamland and is set to be married against her wishes. She rebels and runs away, only to be pursued by her husband to be, Prince Merkimer.

Episode 2- The King attempts to use elf blood to create the Elixir of Life and so Elfo goes through progressively worse forms of torture. Bean tries to get rid of her betrothed with a visit to Mermaid Island.

Episode 3- Bean, Elfo and Luci steal a horse and carriage and go on a joyride whilst drunk on mead. They then move onto harder stuff and fall in with a bad lot and steal from Bean's family crypt. The King hires an exorcist to get rid of a demon he thinks is controlling his wayward daughter.

Episode 4- The King goes away for a few days and so Bean throws an immense party in the castle. Problems arise when the Viking horde gatecrash the party.

Episode 5- Bean is banished from the castle for her constant errant behaviour and so has to get a job in the 'real' world. She soon realises that she isn't cut out for menial work.

Episode 6- In an effort to teach her about responsibility King Zog has Bean represent his Kingdom as an ambassador when they travel to the land of the Dankmire, but things don't go according to plan when Bean gets drunk and offends the Dankmirians.

Episode 7- The trio visit a drugs den and under the influence of Bliss, have hallucinations. Elfo lies and tells Bean he has a lost love girlfriend, Bean then proceeds to find the figure, in the shape of a giantess. What could go wrong, right?

For the last 3 episodes the series is more narrative driven with a story arc and has a more emotional core. King Zod is still after the Elixir of Life but things take a turn as Elfo is kidnapped. A crusade is mounted to get him back and it leads to the lost city of Cramorrah and the Eternity Vial, the key to the elixir of life. The mission succeeds but things don't go according to plan.

This is a promising narrative arc that has clear influence from Indiana Jones and many other adventure matinee shows typical of the genre however, it all rings a little hollow as you are not invested in the characters as they haven't been developed enough. This is the main issue that I have with the series so far: the stories, while fine, are just not interesting enough overall. The final 3-parter does see an improvement in developing the characters and world along and hopefully in the second season (if there is one) there will be more of an emphasis on the bigger picture. Oh, whilst we are talking about the bigger picture, stay for the end of episode 10 stinger a la Marvel films.

The show succeeds on some levels but not in others. Whilst more mature in content with its 12 rating, the writing isn't as crude or as acerbic as in South Park or *groan* Family Guy, or as clever as in The Simpsons at its peak or the characters as well developed as in Bob's Burgers. This all sounds unfair as all those series have been going for many years and the shows have got better and we've seen character development so I'm optimistic that Disenchantment will grow like Futurama did in the 2nd and 3rd season. In far smaller scope Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated managed to deliver a story full of mystery and humour in just 52 episodes and Gravity Falls within 39 so it shows that series don't have to go on forever to deliver.

Overall, if you catch the series you won't be blown away but there is the promise of something building if it is given a chance.

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 2 Review