TV Rewind: Freakazoid - "The Wrath of Gutierrez"

Hello and welcome to TV Rewind, a series that will explore the shows of yesteryear and dissect them one episode at a time. My goal is to explore lesser known programs that you may not be aware existed. For my first series, I have chosen Freakazoid!, a beloved cartoon that ran on the WB from 1995-1997 and made for some weird, Animaniacs-style parodies of the superhero genre. I will attempt to give you the goods every weekend, just like the actual show. While I may not do it every week, make sure to look out for double headers in which I review episodes on Saturday and Sunday.

Intro

In this week's introduction, we are introduced to a shape shifting character named Deadpan (Bebe Neuwirth), who talks in a monotone voice and plans to corrupt Washington D.C. by taking on the guise of Freakazoid (Paul Rugg). After showing examples of her turning into Barbara Streisand and Hilary Clinton, she finally begins her journey with the claim that no one would recognize her, even though her voice hasn't changed. Upon arrival at Washington D.C., Freakazoid walks by and says "Hello, Deadpan," thus making her so full of doubt that she calls the mission off.

I miss intros like this for the show. Introduce a one note character with a really simple joke that is done within a minute. Deadpan is kind of an infectious character in that regards, just because she is kind of useless. I hope to see her around again, but hopefully as the secondary role we see here.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Wrath of Gutierrez

If you remember back when we reviewed "the Chip" arc, the villain of the week was Gutierrez (Ricardo Montalban), who wanted to get the Pinnacle Chip and turn into a Freakazoid. In this episode, we join Gutierrez in a jail cell as Keir Dullea (Jeff Bennett) approaches. Gutierrez asks Dullea to get him a phone jack to connect to the internet now that he has his favorite games, which includes Adventure Castle. He harasses Dullea, who originally states that it is impossible to get this, but is convinced that he can. Thus, Gutierrez gets the internet connection, and with a code hidden behind his eye patch, gets sucked into the internet.

Cut to a medieval dinner theater show called Medieval Nights, and Freakazoid is with Cosgrove (Ed Asner) enjoying the festivities. As the two joke around, Cosgrove announces that he likes the jousting portion so much that he wishes that he could marry it. Immediately following, Freakazoid begins spazzing out until he falls on the floor and demands to be taken to the hospital, as he is suffering some sort of energy loss.

In Cosgrove's car, the two begin driving towards the hospital, trying to figure out what could possibly have caused this incident. Cosgrove lands on the possibility of it being like the force thing from Star Wars, which he liked because Carrie Fisher was a real cutie pie. Along the way, Cosgrove stops by a fast food stand and picks up a chubby burger, which he demands to be made snappy. He gets it and as he's driving away, he notices that he forgot a drink. He is aware that Freakazoid is in need of going to the hospital, but needs to have some snacks.

Once at the hospital, Freakazoid is resting and Cosgrove is out in the lobby enjoying peanuts. The doctor (John P. McCann) shares the news that he doesn't know why Freakazoid is weak, as he is perfectly healthy otherwise. Before things continue, Freakazoid, the doctor, the Narrator (Joe Leahy), and and Cosgrove share an infomercial about hospitals. While Freakazoid seems opposed to them, Cosgrove encourages kids to go if they are ever feeling earpy. 

Suddenly, Roddy MacStew (Craig Ferguson) arrives and shares information about Freakazoid's weakness, which has caused him to be unable to walk. The only way to get better was to get into the computer and fight Gutierrez. So they find a computer room and do the process. Once inside, Freakazoid transports through a realm of colors, which looks familiar to a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey. In fact, in the following scene, Freakazoid is in the bedroom from the end of the film, in which he tells an astronaut that he doesn't know where the bathroom is.

Suddenly, he finds Gutierrez, who is buff, in shape, and very much blue and purple. Freakazoid tries to fight him, but is deemed helpless. His defense? Call him a weenie, which Gutierrez hates. Eventually, Gutierrez has talked Freakazoid into wearing a bracelet that will 'delete' him from existence. The only way to get it off is to enter a castle reminiscent of the Adventure Castle game referenced in the beginning of the episode. 

So Freakazoid begins. He starts by answering a riddle from a door with poor complexion and the wit of Wizard of Oz. Once inside, Freakazoid starts his mission, which involves going down numerous corridors that exit back into the lobby. He eventually finds a bowl and is too enthusiastic about it. To speed things up, Paul Harvey (Rugg) comes out and shares the journey. Freakazoid found a ladder and sunglasses, but still hasn't found the key to unlock the bracelet. 

When he stumbles upon a room that has a pile of keys on an isolated pillar, he climbs across the ladder to get to it and begins searching. Only when he places the glasses on his head does he see the right one. He gets it off in the nick of time and everything goes fine. That is, until Gutierrez arrives and plans to defeat him personally. Freakazoid calls him a weenie, which he dislikes. The two fight, and when Gutierrez shoots a laser beam at Freakazoid, he puts on the glasses, which reflects the laser back at Gutierrez.

Now hanging off of the edge, Gutierrez tries to find a way out of this situation. He claims that he is Freakazoid's father. This leads to a series of questions about the mother. Gutierrez is unable to answer correctly and is sent to a grave many feet below the castle.

Once outside, MacStew, Cosgrove, and Freakazoid begin talking about that day's adventures. They feel accomplished. Suddenly, Cosgrove asks a question involving Congo. He doesn't know the difference between the real monkeys and the guy in a suit. This causes them to see the movie, in which Cosgrove incorrectly points out the monkeys, who all seem to be people in suits. The episode ends with Cosgrove stating that they need to see Congo again.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

With today's entry, we finally see the end of the rough season 1 of Freakazoid. It has been a long and strange journey to watch the show find its voice. There were surprisingly very few gems to be found in the bunch that didn't involve Freakazoid directly. It is also alarming how little Cosgrove was used. Still, I think that if my memory serves right, season 2 will be more in line with what made the show brilliant, which is notably more Cosgrove.

Which brings me to "Wrath of Gutierrez." In a parallel world, this could have been what Freakazoid was about: a crime procedural show in which they try and take down Gutierrez. This is already the third episode where we get the formula down enough to make that plausible. It also works rather well, However, I don't feel like I want to live in a world where we didn't have the Lobe or Longhorn to keep up company.

It was also great to see Cosgrove for more than two minutes this time. I really feel like he adds something to the episode. He is a parody of cops, and Ed Asner does the voice so deadpan and perfect that it is hard not to find the line delivery infectious. This won't be the last time that we hear him say 'earpy'. He is just a wonderful straight man oddball to Freakazoid's chaotic energy. Most of all, you cannot get better line readings than Cosgrove. Him calling Carrie Fisher a cutie pie is brilliantly delivered. Also, this is the first time that we see his eyes. Take a good look at them. They won't be around for long.

Gutierrez is also a decent villain, if just because he serves as a foe that almost seems too powerful for Freakazoid. As the gonzo self, he's even more fascinating, and the fact that calling him a weenie annoys him only makes it more childish and fun. I also enjoy that the episode title is pretty much a play on Start Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Will we get a Fantasy Island parody? I really hope so.

I also like that the show is starting to edge into full length narratives. The segmented humor that has made up this season has been very hit and miss and often times the jokes didn't land. Other weeks, it felt like 60% filler. Freakazoid is a great show because you cannot pin it down perfectly, even though I like the idea of asides in a full story than a bunch of gags one after the other.  It just flows more as a narrative. Though I will miss his language lessons.

It also rides the line between dated humor and meta humor so well that I cannot fault it entirely. I doubt audiences today would get the Barbara Streisand joke, but I'm sure that there will be some understanding about superheroes, including the Justice League, who are not yet all accounted for. Hopefully season two will complete the reference guide. Also, why does this show seem to have a stance on Newt Gingrich? So odd. However, I really hope that this is a gateway for kids to listen to Paul Harvey (though they never directly say his name), because that is brilliant.

See you tomorrow with the beginning of season 2.

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