DR. BELCH
09-15-2001, 04:40 PM
It seems KWB has postponed their new shows for another two weeks. Whether this is because of the Emergency Number Bombing or whether it's another one of the Warner suits' infamous program delay to pump up ratings tactics that had been planned weeks ago we can only guess. I'll be honest: I slept a little late this morning and missed the first couple of shows because I figured the WB feeds, esp. the New York one, would be nothing but bombing coverage. Though we did get some new eps of old favs as part of a "Super Stuffed" Weekend, along with the reruns. And it seems "Unmasked" went AWOL, as I heard rumors it was being nixed to begin with, plus the New York feed was running news coverage yesterday at 3:30 PM; don't know about the L.A. one. Those terrorist scumbags have hurt and cheated people on levels they probably don't even fathom. :( :mad:
POKJLC: "Two Hits and a Miss"
While on their way to the next town (which has a name I can't spell or pronounce), Ash and company are nearly trampled by a crazed Tauros that was released by its trainer, and is barreling right for some old guy who looks like something out of Kung Fu. Ash uses Bulbasaur to tame the beast...which it seems wasn't running wild do to trainer irresponsibility but as part of a training exercise.
Turns out the old man is the master of a dojo (the term used for this confuses Ash, who thinks it's some sort of Chinese dish...chicken in a hot pepper sauce, to be exact, which is delicious, BTW). His granddaughter aspires to be dojo master, but Gramps thinks her style is too flighty and suited more for a Pokenmon dance school. Chigusa (I think it means "little bunny" in Japanese) insists she tries to teach her Hitmontop grace and speed, but it seems he's into more traditional training methods. Also, he may be reluctant to hand the reins over to a girl, which indicates he's a bit of a chauvenist.
The old master--apparently forgiving Ash for confusing his title for something on a buffet line--wants Ash to suceed him on the basis of observing his Bulbasaur in action. As Ash isn't even old enough to shave yet, he politely turns down the kind offer. Still, Chigusa bellligerently challenges his percieved claim to her rightful throne.
Enter Shiro--not the guy from 8th Mobile Suit Gundam, but some hotshot they call "The Dojo Destroyer". (I'm presuming that over there "Shiro" is a name as common as "Joe" or "Charlie" here.) He plans to be a master himself someday; he has crushed 11 dojos and wants this one to make it an even dozen. A very brutal way to make a name for oneself indeed; hasn't he ever heard of Janet Reno and anti-monopoly laws?
Still protesting he doesn't want the job, Ash bests Shiro in a match. Chigusa demands to know how, but Ash insists there's really no secret to it. The old man comes to his rescue--as at this point he's looking pretty flustered--and explains that a true trainer and Pokemon work as a team, and it takes more than prety moves with fancy names to be great.
Team Rocket makes its usual grand entrance in a cloud of Weezing smoke and black ninja outfits, with their motto muffled somewhat by their masks (with Wobbafett and Meowth looking rather adorable in little red suits)...first netting Shiro's Hitmonlee and Chigusa's Hitmontop before being dispatched by Bulbasaur's razor-leaf attack, and later a rock-em-sock-em Meowth robot that Hitmontop sends spinning into defeat.
In the end Chigusa earns the right to train under her grandpa and hopefully someday ascend to the dojo throne. Though he still seems uncertain...either because he's getting on in years and his moves are rusty or he finds himself wishing his children had produced grandsons....
JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES
Another one shown out of order, about a terra-cotta statue of an ancient Chinese warrior on loan from the museum. Jackie and Uncle plan to study its carvingsto learn more about the talismans...unfortunately Jade comes home from school and skateboards into it, shattering the relic.
Cagey Jade schemes to put it back together with the horse (healing) talisman, then the rat (life) talisman, in order to ask it what its secrets are. The warrior, however, becomes flesh and blood and takes all the talismans with him.
The Dark Hand goons try to fool the warrior by posing as its kinsmen, but he sees through their ruse. They still get the magic vbelt containing all the talismans--save the rat one, which is imbedded in the former statue's chest. Jackie manages to retrieve the belt, and the warrior learns he's just stone brought to life...so he surrenders the final talisman to Jackie. There it ended rather abruptly, with Valmont's goons left with just a statue, and a quick cut to it back in the museum. I wonder why they didn't steal the relic in order to read the inscriptions...or at the very least kick the thing to pieces? That seems more their style.
The funniest bit is the fight between Valmont's boys and Jackie and Uncle in the shop, where both think the other has the statue (not knowing Jade took the pieces to Section 13). "The teapot is an antique!" It's rather hard to fight one's enemy where every weapon available is old and valuable (though Uncle didn't put up much fuss over the sword one of the goons used).
Note also the old warrior's zennish sayings, like "as surely as the crecent moon follows the sunset" or "like the bamboo stalk stands in the raging hailstorm". I was reminded a little of the redheaded kook in the pig and dog talisman episode who repeatedly hollered all the attacks named for animals he was going to use. It was so absurd it was funny.
Also, note the thumbs-up gesture the statue is recast in (and Uncle's look of horror). Thankfully it was an ancient Chinese warrior and not an ancient Greek--over there our "A-OK" gesture basically means "stick it where the sun doesn't shine".
CRDCPTRS: "Double Trouble"
I saw parts of this during the commercial breaks on The Ripping Friends. It seems Eli somehow used his magic to keep Keroberos and Yue from reverting to their lesser forms...so Sakura is stuck trying to keep a full-sized griffin and an archangel concealed in her room.
She's inspired to reverse the spell by a package delivered to the house for Mr. Avalon--a crab. Crab shells are like shields, so she uses the shield's magic over them to ward off Eli's spell and buy them a chance to transform. I never realized seafood could be so inspirational. I wonder what lessons were inherent in my shrimp stir-fry last night? :rolleyes:
Funny bit when the postman hears Keroberos in the kitchen hollering and cursing a blue streak. "It's my brother, washing dishes. He's kind of clumsy." b.s.'es Sakura hastily.
Note how upset Keroberos gets when Yue seems to recieve preferential treatment from Sakura, like dibs on the bed or not having to do housework. Sounds more like a tantrummmmy child or a jealous dog that a mighty guardian beast!
It's also noted that Clow Reed used to bathe Keroberos with the bubble card. Without dwelling too much on that almost disturbing image...very useful thing to have, really, a bubble card. Rather wish I had one when it came time to bathe Pierre. :eek:
The Ripping Friends, which concerned a wad of bubble gum exposed to dental X-rays that leaps into people's mouths and sucks out all their bodily fluids, has to be one of the strangest things on Fox Kids. Strangest part was when one of the brothers was drained by the monster and had to be chewed ("And remember--don't blow any bubbles!") to reintroduce lost moisture. I'm hoping all that Freudian underlay and double entendre won't doom this one to an early grave...it looks promising. Plus I couldn't help but think that one of those guys looked and sounded oddly like Kirk Douglas....
Watched an ep of Digimon, season 3. Very cute, complete with a chibi-Kasumi (Misty) heroine...but she's no Yolei. In fact, are the now-adult cast of last season anywhere near this new incarnation?
Evolution also looks interesting, although very Ghostbusters (not surprising, as I've heard it's the same production staff)...complete with a ragtag bunch of misfits working outside the law, laser- and goo-shooting weapons, and a Slimer-type sidekick (a flatulent yellow alien creature that was arrested in development). "I got to hug the President!"
POKJLC: "Two Hits and a Miss"
While on their way to the next town (which has a name I can't spell or pronounce), Ash and company are nearly trampled by a crazed Tauros that was released by its trainer, and is barreling right for some old guy who looks like something out of Kung Fu. Ash uses Bulbasaur to tame the beast...which it seems wasn't running wild do to trainer irresponsibility but as part of a training exercise.
Turns out the old man is the master of a dojo (the term used for this confuses Ash, who thinks it's some sort of Chinese dish...chicken in a hot pepper sauce, to be exact, which is delicious, BTW). His granddaughter aspires to be dojo master, but Gramps thinks her style is too flighty and suited more for a Pokenmon dance school. Chigusa (I think it means "little bunny" in Japanese) insists she tries to teach her Hitmontop grace and speed, but it seems he's into more traditional training methods. Also, he may be reluctant to hand the reins over to a girl, which indicates he's a bit of a chauvenist.
The old master--apparently forgiving Ash for confusing his title for something on a buffet line--wants Ash to suceed him on the basis of observing his Bulbasaur in action. As Ash isn't even old enough to shave yet, he politely turns down the kind offer. Still, Chigusa bellligerently challenges his percieved claim to her rightful throne.
Enter Shiro--not the guy from 8th Mobile Suit Gundam, but some hotshot they call "The Dojo Destroyer". (I'm presuming that over there "Shiro" is a name as common as "Joe" or "Charlie" here.) He plans to be a master himself someday; he has crushed 11 dojos and wants this one to make it an even dozen. A very brutal way to make a name for oneself indeed; hasn't he ever heard of Janet Reno and anti-monopoly laws?
Still protesting he doesn't want the job, Ash bests Shiro in a match. Chigusa demands to know how, but Ash insists there's really no secret to it. The old man comes to his rescue--as at this point he's looking pretty flustered--and explains that a true trainer and Pokemon work as a team, and it takes more than prety moves with fancy names to be great.
Team Rocket makes its usual grand entrance in a cloud of Weezing smoke and black ninja outfits, with their motto muffled somewhat by their masks (with Wobbafett and Meowth looking rather adorable in little red suits)...first netting Shiro's Hitmonlee and Chigusa's Hitmontop before being dispatched by Bulbasaur's razor-leaf attack, and later a rock-em-sock-em Meowth robot that Hitmontop sends spinning into defeat.
In the end Chigusa earns the right to train under her grandpa and hopefully someday ascend to the dojo throne. Though he still seems uncertain...either because he's getting on in years and his moves are rusty or he finds himself wishing his children had produced grandsons....
JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES
Another one shown out of order, about a terra-cotta statue of an ancient Chinese warrior on loan from the museum. Jackie and Uncle plan to study its carvingsto learn more about the talismans...unfortunately Jade comes home from school and skateboards into it, shattering the relic.
Cagey Jade schemes to put it back together with the horse (healing) talisman, then the rat (life) talisman, in order to ask it what its secrets are. The warrior, however, becomes flesh and blood and takes all the talismans with him.
The Dark Hand goons try to fool the warrior by posing as its kinsmen, but he sees through their ruse. They still get the magic vbelt containing all the talismans--save the rat one, which is imbedded in the former statue's chest. Jackie manages to retrieve the belt, and the warrior learns he's just stone brought to life...so he surrenders the final talisman to Jackie. There it ended rather abruptly, with Valmont's goons left with just a statue, and a quick cut to it back in the museum. I wonder why they didn't steal the relic in order to read the inscriptions...or at the very least kick the thing to pieces? That seems more their style.
The funniest bit is the fight between Valmont's boys and Jackie and Uncle in the shop, where both think the other has the statue (not knowing Jade took the pieces to Section 13). "The teapot is an antique!" It's rather hard to fight one's enemy where every weapon available is old and valuable (though Uncle didn't put up much fuss over the sword one of the goons used).
Note also the old warrior's zennish sayings, like "as surely as the crecent moon follows the sunset" or "like the bamboo stalk stands in the raging hailstorm". I was reminded a little of the redheaded kook in the pig and dog talisman episode who repeatedly hollered all the attacks named for animals he was going to use. It was so absurd it was funny.
Also, note the thumbs-up gesture the statue is recast in (and Uncle's look of horror). Thankfully it was an ancient Chinese warrior and not an ancient Greek--over there our "A-OK" gesture basically means "stick it where the sun doesn't shine".
CRDCPTRS: "Double Trouble"
I saw parts of this during the commercial breaks on The Ripping Friends. It seems Eli somehow used his magic to keep Keroberos and Yue from reverting to their lesser forms...so Sakura is stuck trying to keep a full-sized griffin and an archangel concealed in her room.
She's inspired to reverse the spell by a package delivered to the house for Mr. Avalon--a crab. Crab shells are like shields, so she uses the shield's magic over them to ward off Eli's spell and buy them a chance to transform. I never realized seafood could be so inspirational. I wonder what lessons were inherent in my shrimp stir-fry last night? :rolleyes:
Funny bit when the postman hears Keroberos in the kitchen hollering and cursing a blue streak. "It's my brother, washing dishes. He's kind of clumsy." b.s.'es Sakura hastily.
Note how upset Keroberos gets when Yue seems to recieve preferential treatment from Sakura, like dibs on the bed or not having to do housework. Sounds more like a tantrummmmy child or a jealous dog that a mighty guardian beast!
It's also noted that Clow Reed used to bathe Keroberos with the bubble card. Without dwelling too much on that almost disturbing image...very useful thing to have, really, a bubble card. Rather wish I had one when it came time to bathe Pierre. :eek:
The Ripping Friends, which concerned a wad of bubble gum exposed to dental X-rays that leaps into people's mouths and sucks out all their bodily fluids, has to be one of the strangest things on Fox Kids. Strangest part was when one of the brothers was drained by the monster and had to be chewed ("And remember--don't blow any bubbles!") to reintroduce lost moisture. I'm hoping all that Freudian underlay and double entendre won't doom this one to an early grave...it looks promising. Plus I couldn't help but think that one of those guys looked and sounded oddly like Kirk Douglas....
Watched an ep of Digimon, season 3. Very cute, complete with a chibi-Kasumi (Misty) heroine...but she's no Yolei. In fact, are the now-adult cast of last season anywhere near this new incarnation?
Evolution also looks interesting, although very Ghostbusters (not surprising, as I've heard it's the same production staff)...complete with a ragtag bunch of misfits working outside the law, laser- and goo-shooting weapons, and a Slimer-type sidekick (a flatulent yellow alien creature that was arrested in development). "I got to hug the President!"