'Toon Reviews 18: Rocko's Modern Life Season 1 Episode 10: Cabin Fever/Rinse and Spit

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Cabin Fever

Sometimes, all you need to make an entertaining cartoon is simply putting a group of distinct characters together in one unique setting.  The characters’ strengths and the wholesomeness of the environment work together to enhance the appeal with strong interactions as well as the possibility for antics.  That’s the main idea of how appealing this cartoon is. 

It’s about the Bigheads renting a cabin in the mountains for a weekend where they expect to have it all to themselves, but Rocko and Heffer have rented the very cabin they’re staying at.  Everything that happens corresponds with everyone’s attitude about the situation, namely how Ed is completely annoyed about how his peaceful weekend away from neighbors is now nonexistent while everyone else goes along with sharing the cabin without trouble, being friendly with each other all throughout. 

The moments in the cabin feel like a perfect fit for everyone’s attitudes about sharing the cabin.  Rocko, Heffer, and Bev being accepting of the harmless team up, get up to several nice scenes of playing in the snow or hanging out around the campfire. Ed, who’s his usual grumpy and unfriendly self, has much less of a good time, and the way he acts and what he does kind of justify this.  Getting crushed by a snowball or punched by a bear after attempting to relentlessly pelt Rocko and Heffer with a snowball barrage are the kind of antics that feel like a good fit for anyone who whines about things not going their way.  Plus, the mountain setting and examples of the show’s talent of exaggerating the challenges of life make them stand out more. 

Even problems that befall the entire group are well-handled when you consider how they happen.  When something as petty as everyone not getting his shadow puppet figures, despite them being really obvious, enrages Ed, he lets out a yell which causes an avalanche that traps everyone inside.  As a result, the stay at the cabin gets worse, and Ed has no one to blame for it but himself.  Even with the all characters now trapped, we still see how things that happen correspond to certain attitudes.  While Ed is the only one thinking about contacting a team of rangers who are looking for them, his attempts become too ridiculous to work, and is unable to make the best of the problem.  You might think there’s nothing the others can do to make being trapped in a cabin work, but Rocko, Heffer, and Bev manage to turn out even more wholesome scenes within the cabin from poker games that win Bev the boys’ clothes between scenes, to telling ghost stories.  These scenes work because of their good attitudes towards being trapped as opposed to Ed’s crazed and bitter attitude. 

In the end, Ed’s bad vibes lead to the ultimate bad outcome where his crazy escape plans skyrocket him to a lonely desert island while everyone else who remained calm and enjoyed themselves finally get rescued.  We’re left with a cute and funny cartoon that greatly demonstrates how good life can go for those that find the positives in everything, and how bad it can be for those refusing to adjust, with the perfect characters to demonstrate both cases.  That right there is the show playing to its strengths.

A+

Rinse and Spit

Unlike the rest of the series, we don’t see a lot of Rocko’s other friend, Filburt the neurotic turtle this season.  This and “Power Trip” are basically Filburt’s only starring roles here, but while that one was held back by occasional overly mean moments, this one is much more engaging and creative, even if the creativity can get a little ridiculous. 

Filburt is looking to become a dentist by passing a dental exam, but he needs someone to be his patient, and Rocko turns out to be the one.  You may think that Filburt is the unreasonable one for coaxing Rocko into going along with this, but Rocko does also seem a bit headstrong by saying he doesn't need to see a dentist, something that’s very essential.  Basically, the conflict that gets Rocko to become Filburt’s patient is a good one where both sides are in the wrong yet have their good points, not to mention Filburt has a flashback of saving Rocko from bullies when they were kids to back up his claims, and a cute one at that. 

Once Rocko agrees to be the patient, the cartoon goes in a creative direction throughout the dental exam.  The exam’s environment, a big stadium, is out-there for dental hygiene, yet it matches Filburt’s extreme nervousness which can feel big for anyone taking a test.  Then there’s his instructor, Dr. Hutchison, one of the show’s most entertaining side characters.  She’s a cat woman with a hook for a hand that may make her threatening, but she’s so bubbly and cheerful about life, even during operations, you can’t help but love her.  This cartoon being her first appearance makes her stand out all the more. 

The following moments play to how a normal dentist would operate backed by Filburt’s distinct nerdy qualities.  Then, he finds a cavity in one of Rocko’s teeth, and giving it an x-ray cause the tooth to escape the mouth, and somehow use the machine to become a giant, monstrous tooth that attacks O-Town. 

I’m all for creativity, but this rampaging tooth scene is pretty far-fetched.  Most antics like this at least have a point in depicting a challenge of life so you can relate to them while also acknowledging they’re not real.  What challenge of life does a tooth attacking the city represent?  Is it for the pain of the treatment?  Is it frustrations with Filburt’s feeble dental work?  It’s just so random, even for this show. 

Even if it’s hard to suspend disbelief with this scenario, that doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining as Filburt awesomely takes on the tooth while dressed like the tooth fairy and approaching it in his usual neurotic mannerisms.  However, it’s when Dr. Hutchison loses her hook when Filburt gets a chance to beat the tooth, and does so by throwing the hook at the tooth’s cavity.  This whole scene is still a fun one that even features some of Filburt’s most awesome moments.  He doesn’t pass his dental exam, but he’s content enough as he reveals that he never really wanted to be a dentist anyway, and even establishes a good connection with Dr. Hutchison, especially considering what happens with them in a later season. 

The show’s brand of antics does go a little too far this time around, but the general creativity and some pleasing moments of Filburt make for a good sense of fun if you’re in the right mood.

A

The Ranking

1. Popcorn Pandemonium
2. Cabin Fever
3. Skid Marks
4. The Good the Bad and the Wallaby
5. Canned
6. To Heck and Back
7. Who Gives a Buck?
8. Dirty Dog
9. A Sucker for the Suck-O-Matic
10. Trash-O-Madness
11. Jet Scream
12. Rinse and Spit
13. Carnival Knowledge
14. Keeping Up With the Bigheads
15. Sand in Your Navel
16. Spitballs
17. No Pain No Gain
18. Power Trip
19. Bedfellows
20. Leap Frogs

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Rocko goes on a dangerous shopping trip where everything is 99% off, and then gets a cold and gets cured by thrown up bits of snacks.

If you would like to check out other Rocko's Modern Life reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.