*Special note: Check out this week's Talkin' Toons with Rob Paulsen in which he talks to Freakazoid himself, Paul Rugg!
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.
Hero Boy
After beginning with a little technical difficulties in which Freakazoid (Paul Rugg) is panicking while talking to the Narrator (Joe Leahy), the episode begins on an old time black and white clip about a show called Hero Boy, which looks to be a parody of Astro Boy. He is forced to fight Godzilla by General Toku (Frank Welker), in which he (John P. McCann) mightily states "I must succeed!" As he approaches a superior Godzilla, he gets swiped to the side. This causes Toku and his army men to laugh at Hero Boy, claiming that was the only reason they hired him in the first place.
This turns out to be on the TV in Freakazoid's room. He is eating a hot dog and is quoting the show along with it. "I must succeed" he would say, spitting food from his mouth. Suddenly, his butler Professor Jones (Jonathan Harris) returns to relay a message from his enemy Gutierrez (Ricardo Montalban), who has been stewing away in his secret lair playing an alternation of the "Pop Goes the Weasel" song, but with weenie replacing weasel.
It turns out that Gutierrez wants him to go down to the wharf to talk with him. That is, if he doesn't want Gutierrez to disintegrate the world. Freakazoid takes this cue to hop in the Freakmobile and drive down to the Old Wiener Factory. Along his trip down there, he stops to pick up litter, and gets a neighboring car. In it is Cosgrove (Ed Asner), who wants to invite him to Spumoni Land. Realizing that he needs to be down to the Old Wiener Factory in eight minutes, he decides to stop by and quickly eat the spumoni. Cosgrove warns him that his tummy will get earpy. This doesn't phase Freakazoid one bit as he returns to his journey. He also stops to gas up the Freakmobile, which causes a group of attendants (Jeff Bennett, Randy Crenshaw, Bob Joyce) to break out into a song that cuts Freakazoid's time immensely. He decides to take them along with him so that they can finish the song.
In traditional fashion, he shows up moments before Gutierrez is about to disintegrate the world. This causes Gutierrez to summon his assistant Jocko (Rugg), who talks in nothing but a nasally whine. Jocko makes Freakazoid a sandwich as Gutierrez tells him of the plans that he has set forth. He has decided to make a Freakazoid clone that he calls Freakaclone, who will run amok in the city and ruin Freakazoid's reputation.
During this time, Freakazoid asks Gutierrez how he plans to kidnap him. He waves kryptonite in his face, which doesn't phase him, as it is Superman's weakness. He holds up a yellow pad of papers, which is the Green Lantern's weakness. Suddenly, Freakazoid shares his weakness and ends up inside a steel cage to watch as Gutierrez plays an organ and watch the havoc occurring on TV.
Freakaclone causes all sorts of trouble. He robs the Neuter Bank. He outruns a series of police cars. This cheers up Gutierrez as he sees the reputation fading. He plays the "Charge" song in G major and then A major (both noted in subtitles). The big payoff is that Freakazoid is now one of America's Most Hated. This is quickly debunked when Cosgrove goes on screen to share his side of the story. The Freakaclone is a fake on the account that he refused his offer to the Yakov Smirnoff film festival. Somehow, this is valid enough to throw out any conflict.
Gutierrez gets rightfully upset and decides to to clone him a different way. Attaching cables to his head that run to a silo in the middle of the room, he decides to extract Freakazoid's brain on the account that Freakaclone lacked his personality. He tells Freakazoid to think happy thoughts. It is also revealed that Gutierrez' face is slightly meshed in a scarred computer shape, which is made clear through a clip. Enthused by this, Gutierrez demands to show more of his favorite clips, which have nothing to do with the show, but are rightfully hilarious with commentary.
When the episode resumes, Gutierrez clones Freakazoid's brain. When the silo opens up, it is revealed that there are numerous small Hero Boys roaming around. Freakazoid claims that this is a result of him thinking about his favorite TV show. The miniature Hero Boys try fighting Freakazoid before he pushes them away and calls the police. They arrest the Hero Boys, but Cosgrove has one more question. What happened to Gutierrez?
In one of the show's most brilliant finales, Gutierrez is driving away in the Freakmobile with the gas attendants still singing the song. Freakazoid feels that this is a right punishment for him.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I must admit that Gutierrez is starting to become overplayed just like the Lobe. However, I feel that he rightfully justifies his existence in this episode. The only problem is that he seems indistinguishable plot wise from the Lobe. The only difference is that Freakazoid calls him a weenie, and that really gets under his skin. This can also be a fleshed out version of the segment "the Lobe" as well. However, this is easily Gutierrez at his best, even if he is parodying the Phantom of the Opera for half of the episode.
What makes this episode work is that it has a loose premise that may be almost too simple, but it is done with enough complexity and absurdity that it just might work. We see the return of Cosgrove's side missions (and some sort of Yakov Smirnoff film festival is a delight). The idea that Freakazoid, Gutierrez, and Jocko spend most of the episode talking over each other is a nice touch. As annoying as Jocko's voice is, it really works when the show turns into an odd Frankenstein parody halfway through. I also enjoyed Gutierrez's blooper reel commentary. Hopefully this is a one off, but it is a nice substitution for the lack of Joe Leahy narration this week.
I cannot praise the gas attendant gag enough. I cannot think of a moment on the show that has had that levity, if just because it plausibly works. It also helps that the song is kind of catchy and Freakazoid is a kind hearted soul who wants to hear them out. By the time Gutierrez steals the car, it has been forgotten about and comes back in spades.
We also finally can cross the Green Lantern off of our Justice League references. While Superman and Batman have been taking a lot more references than the others, we have finally gotten around to one of the more iconic characters. We're almost there. I think we just have the Flash and Wonder Woman to go. I also just love whenever Freakazoid's plans go wrong, and by revealing his weakness, the "dumb, dumb, dumb" comment that followed was hilarious.
I must admit that I was worried about the Hero Boy tie in. I assumed that he was only going to be in the opening scene, and I don't feel like that justified the episode title. However, when it came back at the end, it was a nice touch, even if they were still wimpy and unable to do anything effective. As far as useless characters go on this show, they at least do better than Fatman (Marc Drotman) who pops up in this episode to do another lame fat joke. Even Fanboy is more exciting than that guy.
This is a great episode because it deals with a premise that seems kooky enough. Freakazoid gets kidnapped and becomes one of America's Most Hated. It works largely because Cosgrove is an effective character who can solve the crime without much effort. You say no to a Yakov Smirnoff film festival. I like Cosgrove because he has evolved into a useful member of the show, even if it is only momentary and features uses of the word earpy.
I really want to see everyone else get to play villain for a whole episode, but Gutierrez has finally made an episode that I think is great. In truth, he isn't a bad character, but is one of the least interesting of the batch. I get the Ricardo Montalban parody aspect, but even then, it can only serve so much to make references to Star Trek.
Also check out more of my work at http://nerdseyeviewpodcast.blogspot.com/ where I have a podcast called Nerd's Eye View.
This turns out to be on the TV in Freakazoid's room. He is eating a hot dog and is quoting the show along with it. "I must succeed" he would say, spitting food from his mouth. Suddenly, his butler Professor Jones (Jonathan Harris) returns to relay a message from his enemy Gutierrez (Ricardo Montalban), who has been stewing away in his secret lair playing an alternation of the "Pop Goes the Weasel" song, but with weenie replacing weasel.
It turns out that Gutierrez wants him to go down to the wharf to talk with him. That is, if he doesn't want Gutierrez to disintegrate the world. Freakazoid takes this cue to hop in the Freakmobile and drive down to the Old Wiener Factory. Along his trip down there, he stops to pick up litter, and gets a neighboring car. In it is Cosgrove (Ed Asner), who wants to invite him to Spumoni Land. Realizing that he needs to be down to the Old Wiener Factory in eight minutes, he decides to stop by and quickly eat the spumoni. Cosgrove warns him that his tummy will get earpy. This doesn't phase Freakazoid one bit as he returns to his journey. He also stops to gas up the Freakmobile, which causes a group of attendants (Jeff Bennett, Randy Crenshaw, Bob Joyce) to break out into a song that cuts Freakazoid's time immensely. He decides to take them along with him so that they can finish the song.
In traditional fashion, he shows up moments before Gutierrez is about to disintegrate the world. This causes Gutierrez to summon his assistant Jocko (Rugg), who talks in nothing but a nasally whine. Jocko makes Freakazoid a sandwich as Gutierrez tells him of the plans that he has set forth. He has decided to make a Freakazoid clone that he calls Freakaclone, who will run amok in the city and ruin Freakazoid's reputation.
During this time, Freakazoid asks Gutierrez how he plans to kidnap him. He waves kryptonite in his face, which doesn't phase him, as it is Superman's weakness. He holds up a yellow pad of papers, which is the Green Lantern's weakness. Suddenly, Freakazoid shares his weakness and ends up inside a steel cage to watch as Gutierrez plays an organ and watch the havoc occurring on TV.
Freakaclone causes all sorts of trouble. He robs the Neuter Bank. He outruns a series of police cars. This cheers up Gutierrez as he sees the reputation fading. He plays the "Charge" song in G major and then A major (both noted in subtitles). The big payoff is that Freakazoid is now one of America's Most Hated. This is quickly debunked when Cosgrove goes on screen to share his side of the story. The Freakaclone is a fake on the account that he refused his offer to the Yakov Smirnoff film festival. Somehow, this is valid enough to throw out any conflict.
Gutierrez gets rightfully upset and decides to to clone him a different way. Attaching cables to his head that run to a silo in the middle of the room, he decides to extract Freakazoid's brain on the account that Freakaclone lacked his personality. He tells Freakazoid to think happy thoughts. It is also revealed that Gutierrez' face is slightly meshed in a scarred computer shape, which is made clear through a clip. Enthused by this, Gutierrez demands to show more of his favorite clips, which have nothing to do with the show, but are rightfully hilarious with commentary.
When the episode resumes, Gutierrez clones Freakazoid's brain. When the silo opens up, it is revealed that there are numerous small Hero Boys roaming around. Freakazoid claims that this is a result of him thinking about his favorite TV show. The miniature Hero Boys try fighting Freakazoid before he pushes them away and calls the police. They arrest the Hero Boys, but Cosgrove has one more question. What happened to Gutierrez?
In one of the show's most brilliant finales, Gutierrez is driving away in the Freakmobile with the gas attendants still singing the song. Freakazoid feels that this is a right punishment for him.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I must admit that Gutierrez is starting to become overplayed just like the Lobe. However, I feel that he rightfully justifies his existence in this episode. The only problem is that he seems indistinguishable plot wise from the Lobe. The only difference is that Freakazoid calls him a weenie, and that really gets under his skin. This can also be a fleshed out version of the segment "the Lobe" as well. However, this is easily Gutierrez at his best, even if he is parodying the Phantom of the Opera for half of the episode.
What makes this episode work is that it has a loose premise that may be almost too simple, but it is done with enough complexity and absurdity that it just might work. We see the return of Cosgrove's side missions (and some sort of Yakov Smirnoff film festival is a delight). The idea that Freakazoid, Gutierrez, and Jocko spend most of the episode talking over each other is a nice touch. As annoying as Jocko's voice is, it really works when the show turns into an odd Frankenstein parody halfway through. I also enjoyed Gutierrez's blooper reel commentary. Hopefully this is a one off, but it is a nice substitution for the lack of Joe Leahy narration this week.
I cannot praise the gas attendant gag enough. I cannot think of a moment on the show that has had that levity, if just because it plausibly works. It also helps that the song is kind of catchy and Freakazoid is a kind hearted soul who wants to hear them out. By the time Gutierrez steals the car, it has been forgotten about and comes back in spades.
We also finally can cross the Green Lantern off of our Justice League references. While Superman and Batman have been taking a lot more references than the others, we have finally gotten around to one of the more iconic characters. We're almost there. I think we just have the Flash and Wonder Woman to go. I also just love whenever Freakazoid's plans go wrong, and by revealing his weakness, the "dumb, dumb, dumb" comment that followed was hilarious.
I must admit that I was worried about the Hero Boy tie in. I assumed that he was only going to be in the opening scene, and I don't feel like that justified the episode title. However, when it came back at the end, it was a nice touch, even if they were still wimpy and unable to do anything effective. As far as useless characters go on this show, they at least do better than Fatman (Marc Drotman) who pops up in this episode to do another lame fat joke. Even Fanboy is more exciting than that guy.
This is a great episode because it deals with a premise that seems kooky enough. Freakazoid gets kidnapped and becomes one of America's Most Hated. It works largely because Cosgrove is an effective character who can solve the crime without much effort. You say no to a Yakov Smirnoff film festival. I like Cosgrove because he has evolved into a useful member of the show, even if it is only momentary and features uses of the word earpy.
I really want to see everyone else get to play villain for a whole episode, but Gutierrez has finally made an episode that I think is great. In truth, he isn't a bad character, but is one of the least interesting of the batch. I get the Ricardo Montalban parody aspect, but even then, it can only serve so much to make references to Star Trek.
Also check out more of my work at http://nerdseyeviewpodcast.blogspot.com/ where I have a podcast called Nerd's Eye View.
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