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Episode 45
Mary Tyler
Dot
Another episode opens with a parody of another show’s theme
song. This parody highlights antics from
Dot to a tune modeled after the intro to one of the most wholesome
female-driven sitcoms, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
The atmosphere of the
represented series is easily felt in the upbeat melody as well as Dot’s
happiness in short scenes of her going about her day. However, considering the featured character,
outrageous antics are worked in and tie into the tune so well they don’t feel
out of place. Setting a stove ablaze
with a smile, taking a bath with crocodiles, and blowing up a bridge are
destructive but this work makes them feel more wholesome than they really
are. To make the parody complete,
there’s a play on the throwing the hat in the air bit of the theme song when
Dot does that and a Frigidaire falls instead.
This is a very short segment, but the successful mix of good and wild
values make it succeed as a very nice parody opener.
A
Windsor
Hassle
It’s surprising how long it’s been since a cartoon starring
the Warners was about the kids using their antics to help a historic figure
since those tend to be the best remembered.
Even so, it’s of an event fairly recent to the airing of the cartoon,
one year prior to the series premiering in fact.
In 1992, there was a fire that broke out in
Windsor Castle lasting for 15 hours and destroying much of the inside. Actual restoration wasn’t complete until
1997, so it could be argued that this cartoon is about the restoration before
the castle was fixed in real life. Then
again, particular attention is given to the banquet hall, so it’s hard to tell
if it’s ahead of time or not. Whatever
the case, the setup lends itself well to a fun cartoon fitting for a
then-current event.
Even before the
Warners show up there’s solid comedy right at the opening. The cartoon feels
like a documentary on the restoration before shifting to a silly little cartoon
as the narrator gives in to the whines of children watching. Also amusing is the portrayal of the royal
family who are so strapped for cash from the fire, they have to try and fix
things up themselves. Such royal members
portrayed more humanly with more childish tendencies as they get into petty
arguments during work. The funniest of
the family is easily the queen’s mother who’s totally out of what’s going on
and constantly demands some tea.
There’s
already solid humor and in some places relatability to this cartoon, and when
the Warners show up as the queen dismisses everyone, the comedy just gets
better. With grand entrances and making
fun of the queen’s use of the royal we, the Warners’ humor feels very in place
with this portrayal of the restoration.
It continues during their idea of redecorating at the command of the
most stylish Warner of the team Dot. All
they do is chuck any random thing they see out the door, including the queen
and put in nothing but a small dinette set that looks nice but clearly isn’t
big enough for a banquet.
Also, as the
queen is at the receiving end of their antics, despite her occasional
strictness, she doesn’t seem jerky enough to deserve it. For all the drama she has to deal with from
her family and there not being a lot in the royal budget, dealing with the
Warners’ hijinks is the last thing she needs.
Despite that, the Warners are very enjoyable for feeling like they’re
just having fun with the queen as they work with no bad intent. Not being used to her customs like her royal
talk also explains a lot about what they do.
In the end, the Warners also show they do care for their assignment when
the queen shows them what the banquet hall looked like before the fire. That’s how it should look now, even if it
does cost extra. For that, they even
give the royal family a plan to pay the expenses by having them charge banquet
guests for the meals. I’m no expert on
the actual fire, but I find it hard to believe that the queen decided to open a
chain of fast food restaurants because of this.
Even if it’s not a big service to the actual historic event, it at least
fits the context and tone of this cartoon.
This move also brings out nice appeal from the queen as she delights in
quick ways to make more money.
The
approach to the cartoon is interesting in setting and characterizations and the
comedy feels perfectly in place to give the final product a clear
identity. It does fly by a little too
quickly to leave a truly memorable experience, but it’s sure to stick with you
better since it’s a funny cartoon with class worth revisiting.
A
…And
Justice for Slappy
I find it an interesting plot point for cartoon villains to
twist their schemes around through playing victim to get the true protagonist
in trouble. Sometimes it can bring a new
perspective or character depth to the conflict, or set the villain up to get
beaten by a hero in a whole new way.
Being part of a show that specializes in using animation to make people
laugh, this type of plot falls into the latter category and its success comes
from the strong characterization.
It’s
the aftermath of another encounter between Slappy Squirrel and Walter
Wolf. He appears all beaten up as a
result and puts Slappy on trial for injuring him with her cartoonish violence
and the court seems more on Walter’s side.
At first, the question is begged how the court could be dumb enough to
believe him. Not only is his claim as
the unfortunate victim clearly fabricated, but given that he’s a cartoon wolf,
his injuries should be easily shaken off.
However, this issue becomes nonexistent looking at who’s in the
court. They’re all wolves and it goes
without saying that wolves are a species that isn’t fond of Slappy. Heck, some of them, at least the attorney are
related to Walter. It makes too much
sense that they’d be biased with who to side with and want to get the chance to
legally enforce punishment on the defendant.
There are even signs that the court knows that Walter’s just putting on
an act with the judge frequently whispering plans to spend time with
Walter. This court is the basically the
only one for him to attend to legalize a beating to Slappy.
Adding to the setup are the details of
Walter’s fabricated story designed to make him look like he was beaten for no
reason and Slappy to look like the true bad guy. His recount presents him as a friendly
cheerful woodland wolf in a cheesy colorful suit and Slappy as an over-the-top
devil character both of which are hilariously designed. The court is completely invested in what Walter
has to say and don’t pay any attention to what other people on trial say. Skippy, the sole witness, also has some
exaggerated characterizations in his recount.
His interpretation of Walter as the over-the-top devil is also presented
in a really funny way.
As for Slappy,
despite her freedom being on the line, she's very nonchalant about
everything. She’s in her own world and
at every chance to ask a question, she instead goes for something completely
ridiculous. This is characterization not
often seen in court episodes where everyone is very involved and seriously
thinking. That’s a shame because I find
Slappy’s approach to be very entertaining and should be emulated more in
trials. I see no problem with the
approach as long as Slappy actually knows what she’s doing, and given what’s
known about her, it’s no surprise that she does. This makes Skippy’s constant worries of
Slappy not asking good questions unneeded especially since it wasn’t long ago
he took after his aunt immensely. You’d
think he’d know her better.
Then when
Slappy gives her account, she tells like it was. There are no overly dramatic portrayals of
everyone, but there is a great analysis of cartoon violence clichés fitting for
her character which basically prove she’s guilty. In the end though, Slappy proves she did know
what she was doing and that the court was biased. The only way to save herself was with a
literal dynamite case which blows up the court after they declare her innocent
out of fear. That’s just Slappy for you
when all is said and done.
Through fun
exaggerated recounts and solid character moments, this is one of the funniest
instances of a villain taking a hero to court.
A+
Cartoon Ranking
- Chairman of the Bored
- Hot Bothered and Bedeviled
- Bubba Bo Bob Brain
- Baghdad Café
- In the Garden of Mindy
- Critical Condition
- O Silly Mio
- Phranken-Runt
- Puppet Rulers
- The Three Muska-Warners
- Clown and Out
- …And Justice for Slappy
- Jockey For Position
- Sir Yaksalot
- Potty Emergency
- Survey Ladies
- General Boo-Regard
- Puttin’ on the Blitz
- Raging Bird
- Windsor Hassle
- Of Nice and Men
- Dough Dough Boys
- The Big Kiss
- Draculee Draculaa
- Babblin’ Bijou
- Fair Game
- No Place Like Homeless
- I Got Yer Can
- Spell-bound
- Smitten With Kittens
- Astro-Buttons
- Boot Camping
- Moby or Not Moby
- The World Can Wait
- Noah’s Lark
- Skullhead Boneyhands
- The Good, the Boo, and the Ugly
- Hiccup
- Moon Over Minerva
- Broadcast Nuisance
- White Gloves
- Katie Ka-Boo
- Mesozoic Mindy
- Hollywoodchuck
- Kiki’s Kitten
- Can’t Buy a Thrill
- What a Dump
Miscellaneous Ranking
- Animaniacs Stew
- Testimonials
- Buttermilk It Makes a Body Bitter
- Alas Poor Skullhead
- Cartoons in Wakko’s Body
- You Risk Your Life
- Casablanca Opening
- Mary Tyler Dot
- The Slapper
- The Great Wakkorotti: The Summer Concert
- Animator’s Alley
- Useless Facts
Song Ranking
- The Senses Song
- The Planets
The next Animaniacs review will be up just in time for Thanksgiving as the Warners as Native Americans protect their turkey from Myles Standish. Also includes an adorable one-off short of a blue bird thinking his mother is a jet.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews from OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, it's "Let's Not Be Skeletons."
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