Dragons and Dinosaurs, Oh My!
Dragons of Wonderhatch 1.7 “Awakening”
Okay, so now it all makes sense. Hana is not the creator, she’s just being mind controlled by a star eating monster that’s been destroying Upananta and now, still hungry, has its stomach set on Earth.
Ow.
The highlight of this episode was the extended fight between Aktha and Supes (which is, of course, inconclusive). It’s filmed in live action but it feels like an anime fight. It’s utterly ridiculous. It’s completely over the top. It’s totally awesome.
I loved every second of it. Our cute friend Guprin turns out to have a healing breath power and saves Nagi after she gets stabbed.
But the star beast appears to be mind controlling the dragons now…this is not good.
With Earth in real danger, can Supes and Aktha overcome their differences with Thaim’s help and save the world?
Will Earth take in refugees from Upananta?
(Lido appears to be what the monster eats. Maybe).
Dragons of Wonderhatch 1.8 “Door to the World”
So, this is the season finale, and it’s…honestly not very satisfying.
This episode does contain another awesome live action anime fight and Mame creating first a shield and then a flying boat (with a dragon head) out of lido was awesome. He appears to be Green Lantern now.
I wonder from this if the team already know if they’re going to be renewed, because if not, this finale shows a lot of confidence in the fact.
It basically ends with Thaim in a mind meld with Pytonpyt (note that the mindscape scene might cause vertigo in some viewers). Pytonpyt is just hanging there above Japan. People just kind of get used to this. We know six months pass.
Upananta and Earth are both safe…for now…but of course, they’re planning the next season. We know this can’t last. The characters know it can’t last. There’s no passage between the two worlds and Salia is stuck in our world (but doesn’t seem too unhappy about it.
CW: Parental death.
I hope it gets renewed, because leaving it on that is like leaving a symphony on the chord before the last one…and just sitting on that chord.
(Also. Guprin. Poor Guprin).
Retro Review: Quantum Leap 2.10 “Catch a Falling Star”
Some shows have a musical episode. Some shows have a…musical episode. Poor Sam finds himself in the body of an actor (actually an understudy) an a very off Broadway production of Man of La Mancha.
…and the understudy for Dulcinea is his childhood piano teacher. Whom he still has a crush on. Oops. Awkward! Especially when he thinks she spent the night rehearsing with the star. By certain definitions of rehearsing.
The leap itself is actually simple…to prevent the drunk star from breaking a leg in the literal sense, but the complexity is his relationship with Nicole…and the awkwardness he leaves for Ray.
Will they get back together?
Lots of singing. Michelle Pawk has a lovely, lovely instrument and really steals several scenes, including over the “official” guest star, John Cullum.
I sometimes forget how much fun this show is, although I could have done without the rather poor treatment of the casting couch scenario. Really? I know it’s a long time ago, but…
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.1 Moon Girl Landing
Sometimes you just want to watch a kids’ cartoon. Maybe more than I want to admit. The interesting thing here is the style. It’s textured like old pulp comics paper, which is brilliant.
Other than that, it’s really all about the fun energy. The dinosaur is intimidating and cute at the same time. A good choice of character…really there’s nothing you can do with these two that isn’t going to be ridiculous, so how about we just be ridiculous?
Good for destressing ;).
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.2 The Borough Bully
…and immediate let down. We go from a pretty neat origin story to After School Special in one stroke. It’s a shame…the art is so much fun, but the entire plot of the episode is “Kids, this is why you ignore online trolls.”
I didn’t appreciate this kind of thing when I was a kid. Trust me, kids don’t like being preached at any more than adults do. It was funny and well written, but if it stays in this mode…
(I did like the gravity defying hair line).
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.3 “Run the Rink”
…and it kinda does. “Run the Rink” isn’t quite as bad as “The Borough Bully” and is amazingly drawn, but it’s still very preachy and moralistic. Like…come on. Kids like to be told a good story.
Shame she couldn’t use her hair against the gravity villain, the only remotely serious of the three (intentionally).
Most of the problems were Devil’s fault, mind. Sort of. And the scene where she tries to give him a bath is hilarious.
Let’s see if it improves, but honestly: Stop preaching at kids.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.4 “Check Yourself”
This episode’s message: Don’t get so obsessed with winning board games you forget to have fun.
I’ve met that kid, so I get it, but it’s pretty clear this is going to be After School Special throughout.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.5 “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow”
I suppose it was inevitable there would be a “love your natural hair” episode. Which is really needed, and I did like that they went into the dangers of relaxers (although perhaps not as much as they should…those things should be banned).
But those poor wigs.
Retro Review: Quantum Leap 2.11 “A Portrait For Troian”
Occasionally, Quantum Leap jumps genres…in this case, into the gothic. Sam jumps into a paranormal investigator hired by the widow of a dead Gothic romance novelist to find his ghost.
Turns out her brother is trying to drive her to suicide with shenanigans. The paranormal investigator has equipment that allows other people to hear Al…which he’s not happy about!
And there may actually be a ghost. No, this wasn’t a Halloween episode, it originally aired mid December. It should have been a Halloween episode…
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.6 “The Beyonder”
I actually liked this one. True, it still had the After School Special (in this case, value people who are different), but the musical numbers were worth the price of admission. (actually, the best part of this entire show is likely the music…all of it).
The guy voicing the Beyonder had it down, too, and was clearly having Way Too Much Fun
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.7 “Goodnight, Moon Girl”
It’s getting a bit better. Still heavy handed, but the humor makes up for it. Moon Girl gets invited to a slumber party by the school volleyball team. She gets social anxiety and tries to science it by making a mind reading device so she’ll know exactly what to say…
…which switches her mind with Devil. This is utterly hilarious. She leaves the remote for it lying around and her parents try to use it to fix the TV.
In the middle of the slumber party.
Maybe I just find mind/body swaps hilarious?
Retro Review: Quantum Leap 2.12 “Animal Frat”
Sam was never a frat boy. Until now, when he jumps into Newt, nicknamed “Wild Thing” (Apparently solely for Wild Thing puns).
In college. During Nam. A war protest is about to go tragically wrong and the leap is to keep them from blowing up the chemistry building…which is bad, but made worse by the fact that a student (Wild Thing’s pledge) sneaked in to do something. Kaboom. This also ruined the life of Elizabeth.
Who, of course, thinks Wild Thing just wants to date her. Kind of hard to make it look otherwise.
The unexpectedly progressive moment here is when Sam, during a debate, asks if they shouldn’t ask the South Vietnamese what they think.
Anti-colonialism…it’s a throwaway, but it’s in there!
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.8 “Teacher’s Pet”
It took eight episodes to get there, but they finally realized they needed to tone it down. This episode is adorable. Lunella gets the class pet for the weekend, which is a hamster, but because her dad is allergic…guess who has to babysit the hamster.
The hamster doesn’t appreciate being babysat by a t-rex to whom he would be one bite.
Oh, and there’s a sentient mutant rat in the sewers. Who just wants pizza. The kids aren’t going to get it, but this is obviously a reference to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Rat King. The pizza part gives it away. I love when kids’ shows toss something in for the parents.
What happened? I guess the writer’s room finally hit their stride. Also, the hamster, adorable.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 1.9 “Skip This Ad…olescence”
Dear Moon Girl, stop being a mad scientist. Doomed to clean the rink to oldies, Lunella makes a phone app that will turn her consciousness off during really boring activities.
And manages to accidentally make it sentient, so it starts making decisions for her. Oops. The message is to slow down and practice mindfulness, but it’s nicely looped into the story.
So, yeah. 7 episodes and FINALLY they work out what they’re doing and make it fun. I’m glad I stuck with it.