Monday, November 19, 2018

Mary Tyler Dot/Windsor Hassle/...And Justice for Slappy (Animaniacs Vol 2 Part 20) - 'Toon Reviews 22


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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
  1. Chairman of the Bored
  2. Hot Bothered and Bedeviled
  3. Bubba Bo Bob Brain
  4. Baghdad Café
  5. In the Garden of Mindy
  6. Critical Condition
  7. O Silly Mio
  8. Phranken-Runt
  9. Puppet Rulers
  10. The Three Muska-Warners
  11. Clown and Out
  12. …And Justice for Slappy
  13. Jockey For Position
  14. Sir Yaksalot
  15. Potty Emergency
  16. Survey Ladies
  17. General Boo-Regard
  18. Puttin’ on the Blitz
  19. Raging Bird
  20. Windsor Hassle
  21. Of Nice and Men
  22. Dough Dough Boys
  23. The Big Kiss
  24. Draculee Draculaa
  25. Babblin’ Bijou
  26. Fair Game
  27. No Place Like Homeless
  28. I Got Yer Can
  29. Spell-bound
  30. Smitten With Kittens
  31. Astro-Buttons
  32. Boot Camping
  33. Moby or Not Moby
  34. The World Can Wait
  35. Noah’s Lark
  36. Skullhead Boneyhands
  37. The Good, the Boo, and the Ugly
  38. Hiccup
  39. Moon Over Minerva
  40. Broadcast Nuisance
  41. White Gloves
  42. Katie Ka-Boo
  43. Mesozoic Mindy
  44. Hollywoodchuck
  45. Kiki’s Kitten
  46. Can’t Buy a Thrill
  47. What a Dump
Miscellaneous Ranking
  1. Animaniacs Stew
  2. Testimonials
  3. Buttermilk It Makes a Body Bitter
  4. Alas Poor Skullhead
  5. Cartoons in Wakko’s Body
  6. You Risk Your Life
  7. Casablanca Opening
  8. Mary Tyler Dot
  9. The Slapper
  10. The Great Wakkorotti: The Summer Concert
  11. Animator’s Alley
  12. Useless Facts
Song Ranking
  1. The Senses Song
  2. 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."
If you would like to check out other Animaniacs reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

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