Dumbells
People don’t always do the right thing, but that doesn’t automatically make those people bad. That would be if any wrongdoings actually really hurt people. Otherwise, certain acts can be chalked up to innocent playing around, which is the case for the act that drives this entire cartoon.
Now, Heffer and Filburt are unsurprisingly at their most likable when their goofing around also comes with genuine heart through putting in the efforts to be good friends. This includes helping Rocko get good at something he tries his hand at, or introducing him to interesting life alternatives. In this cartoon’s case, Heffer and Filburt take up the favorite prank of ‘ding-dong ditch’ or ringing someone’s doorbell and running away to hide. As you can tell, this is something that’s not really allowed, but it all works out. Heffer and Filburt have no hint of malice through their mischief, and people only get confused when they run off after ringing their doorbell. For that, there’s no real concern when they decide to teach their pranks to Rocko, who’s too innocent to even realize that this ‘game’ is a prank.
Ultimately, Heffer and Filburt aren’t even the ones Rocko ends up doing ding-dong ditch with much. During an attempt to really get how it works at an apartment complex, Rocko rings the doorbell of a fat hippo lady he commonly runs into, Gladys. Unable to get that he’s supposed to run and hide after ringing until it’s too late, it seems that Rocko has no choice but to introduce ding-dong ditch to Gladys. Just as he gets the hang of how it works, he finds himself struggling to pass his teachings onto Gladys. Through her clearly dimwitted and crazy mindset, she acts all over-excited whenever she does all the steps, like when she rings, ditches, and doesn’t hide, and lets it be known. Rocko helps her along in getting the gist, but that only increases her excitement.
Over time, Gladys becomes so infatuated with ding-dong ditch that she goes on to do it at practically all the doorbells of O-Town. This in turn brings an instance where even the most harmless of deviant acts can become a problem. So many doorbells have been rung and homeowners have been ditched, it makes sense that this act is treated like a state of emergency, complete with major news reports. Heffer and Filburt, who feel responsible for starting this, prepare to go on the run for their doorbell ringing. That’s probably them at their most mature and thoughtful, though they are still unaware of how far Rocko took the prank.
Ultimately though, Rocko is found and framed along with Gladys, and the staging of the doorbell ringing as a national offense continues with intense interviews. Heffer and Filburt soon hear of this and completely own up to their actions by confessing at a trial just before Rocko and Gladys can be declared guilty. By the way, the trial is also a good spot of humor with a disgruntled judge, and everyone cowering at the sound of a doorbell in accordance with recent events. It brings a good air of satire to a light-hearted prank staged as a huge aggressive assault on the public. This is only further proven when after the matter is settled and Heffer and Filburt soon take up a new prank on the phone.
It’s all just a comedy of
events stemming from playing around which may not be allowed, but is still
perfectly harmless fun.
A
Rug Birds
When it comes to overall impressions of this cartoon, it’s hard to tell how satisfying it is. It counts as an instance of bizarre ideas made to represent a common pastime for most people, but also brings out some of the worst qualities of the featured players.
Filburt reveals to Rocko his fascination with collecting wigs that birds apparently have. Of course, that’s a major stretch to avian biology, and birds naturally carrying wigs is clearly something that’s pure cartoon logic. At the same time, Rocko’s concerns that acts like this are wrong and unfair to the birds are in line with those of real life environmental activists. It’s people like them who can make one question whether any bird-related activity is harmless or not. No matter what Rocko says though, Filburt insists on going through with the bird wig-snatching. A major reason is how far he’s come with it already. He only needs the wig of the balding American eagle to really complete his collection, and such an eagle just happens to be nearby. Unbeknownst to Filburt, this eagle uses products to naturally grow his hair, so he’s not really wearing a wig. This means when Filburt ultimately snatches it, he’s really taking off the eagle’s hair, prompting him to take it back quick. Now Filburt drives himself mad trying to get the wig back for his own greedy collection.
Under normal circumstances, one wouldn’t really need to think much of this, and enjoy the wild cartoonish gags from all of Filburt’s failed attempts. Then it starts getting problematic when Filburt reads up on the diet of eagles, thinking he could use it to attract this eagle. Conveniently, the animal eagles are said to prey upon the most are wallabies, and Rocko, the innocent bystander in all this, is that very species. The most disturbing part is that Filburt has a moment of consciousness when seeing that this is taking things too far, but then he completely ignores it. Yes, he’s willing to sacrifice his friend for his own selfish gain, as if he has no humanity which several past cartoons have proven against. When Rocko is successfully taken as bait leaving Filburt free to break into the eagle’s home and take his wigs, there’s little to know sympathy. I can’t even tell if it’s ok to enjoy the gags that come from Filburt trying on all the wigs.
Rocko at least shines in this situation as he saves himself through good wit by convincing the eagle that he looks better bald. At that, Rocko is freed and Filburt is exposed for trying to steal the wigs. He also gets good comeuppance when his shell breaks, allowing him to know how the birds who lost their wigs feel, and is too stressed to take the wigs the eagle throws at him. Still, it doesn’t shake off the disturbing implications that he even considered choosing the wigs over his friend, even if it didn’t turn out that way.
As you can
see, the cartoon wants to be seen as an enjoyable set of bizarre events, but
certain story decisions prevent that feel from being fully realized.
C
The Ranking
1. From Here to Maternity
2. Heff in a Handbasket
3. Yarn Benders
4. Feisty Geist
5. Mama’s Boy
6. Dumbells
7. Wallaby on Wheels
8. Teed Off
9. Wimp on the Barby
10. S.W.A.K.
11. Closet Clown
12. Sailing the 7 Zzzz’s
13. Pranksters
14. The High-Five of Doom
15. Magic Meatball
16. Rug Birds
17. Fly Burgers
18. Ed Good, Rocko Bad
19. Seat to Stardom
20. With Friends Like These
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