I've been wrong many times in the past, and I'll be wrong many more times in the present. I have to apologize to readers of TXB for doing something I knew in hindsight that I shouldn't have done, but did anyway.
I'm sorry for speaking positively about Loonatics.
A couple of weeks ago, instead of looking at the awesome as hell Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles revamp on Fox, I looked at Loonatics: Unleashed. I had defended it earlier on my site because, well, there were so many people thrashing it even before it came on. They basically said that Loonatics were actually the classic Looney Tunes which have been treated rather shabbily by Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network, who put the classics on the little-received Boomerang (fun fact cats and kittens: Boomerang is seen in a little over 8 million households while Nicktoons Network, Nickelodeon's animation outlet which hasn't been around as long as Boomerang, is seen in 32 million households; maybe Nick does know how to treat their library of cartoons afterall). They're not of course.
Then, all of a sudden, this tween's campaign to stop Loonatics gained a lot of publicity from classic Looney Tunes fans and even got the attention of Warner Bros. Warner Bros. made an announcement to defang and declaw the awesome Trembley brothers original designs in favor of a softer design. I was probably the only person at the time that felt that, like the whole Save Disney campaign, the Stop Loonatics campaign really didn't accomplish anything. The show was still on, and the people still didn't want to give the show a chance. I kept an open mind hoping that they wouldn't really create a show that would purposely be universally panned by ALL audiences.
When the show premiered, my mind was closed, and I realized one simple, universal fact:
Loonatics is the worst Warner Bros. animated project I've ever seen.
I don't count The Groovie Ghoulies meets Daffy and Porky because that was more or less a Filmation piece of tripe (for more on this piece de crappulence, I suggest you check out Cartoon Research for all the gory details). And in hindsight, even shows like Detention wasn't as bad as this. I even wanted to hate one of the other new WBA shows, Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island, but that Spongebob ripoff is actually pretty funny.
Loonatics is pretty much what you'd have if you gave the Looney Tunes superstars the powers of the Road Rovers, gave them generic names, and dressed them up in a two-toned outfit. The show just brimming with lame action sequences and even lamer versions of the classic Looney Tunes jokes. The show is just abysmal, a lame attempt to capitalize on the Asian action craze that has infected the American children's television industry as well as the animation industry. And I'm sorry I felt it was going to be a good show to watch.
I apologized, Warner Bros. Animation. Now it's your turn.
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Twitterpations
mission
We all have the ability to think, process, and criticize, but only a few dare to reveal them publicly. Those that do are scorned, praised, questioned, and admired.
This is why I do what I do.
This is why I made Thoughtnami.
I don't do it for praise, accolades, or respect. If I get those things, then that's just a residual effect. I do it because others don't, can't, won't, or are just plain scared. Plus, I can't be the only person thinking these things.
This is why I do what I do.
This is why I made Thoughtnami.
Thoughtnami. Good for the soul. Bad for your health.
About Me
- Jeff Harris
- Shortlist bio. Born. Learned to read. Learned to speak. Learned I was clinically a genius. Learned that I love watching cartoons. Learned that I loved writing and drawing. Learned I could combined both loves in comics. Created my own characters and stories. Bored with school. Graduated with honors. Went to college. Graduated with honors. Created The X Bridge. Created Thoughtnami. Single, straight, male. World shifts. Still me.
3 comments:
Yes, Loonatics is remarkably bad, but it’s still on air. And Warner Bros. Animation would rather prostitute themselves on a district corner in Tokyo than apologize for desecrating those Looney Toons characters that millions have grown up watching—whole generations. When it comes to making greenbacks, nothing’s sacred. Nothing.
Coconut Fred really isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. But it’s still a poorly animated ripoff of Spongebob, and that means it’s a babysitter to parents who don’t have the appreciation for original, substantive animated programs and therefore, don’t know any better. I usually despise these types of programs, but Coconut Fred is very likable.
Come to think of it, so is G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. And, the women on that show are drawn pretty sexy as well—which, depending on how old you are, is always a dependable attention-keeper. It still has the cheapo Pokemon localized feel, and you can tell that they rushed this U.S. version out in record time as some sounds are missing from each episode that shouldn’t be missing—but, that’s nitpicking.
No need to apologize Jeff. My gosh who knew it would be that bad. At first I thought Duck Dodgers was going to be horrible, but it isn't half bad.
I was actually kind of glad with the change of the character designs. They finally have pupils!!!
I agree the lame versions of the Looney Tunes jokes were unbearable. Just plain horrible.
Also on a finally note, I was conned in to think Roy Disney actually cared about Disney. All he really wanted was a stable position. I'm still angry about it.
You've got nothing to apologize for, man. You stuck up for WB animation when no one else would give them a chance... and THEY LET YOU DOWN!
I haven't seen Loonatics Unleashed myself since I just don't watch Saturday morning TV anymore, though I'm sure I will when it inevitably shows up on Cartoon Network or Teletoon.
The point is, I was on your side. Much as I love the classic Looney Tunes, and how disappointed I am at the shaft they've been getting on US TV lately, I was looking forward to the show. The designs looked cool, and past LT re-inventions have worked out very well (Baby Looney Tunes notwithstanding).
But then the reviews came out, and I just decided that I wasn't going to go out of my way to catch this one. It's just a shame that Kids' WB is such a sinking ship these days that dreck like this gets rushed onto the air. The talented people who once created Animaniacs and turned a lame network-note like Batman Beyond into must-see animation gold are nowhere near Kids' WB today.
Right now I'd kill to have a show like Road Rovers back on the air.
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