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Maybe if it does well, it'll get reruns. If not, I just hope it'll do well enough with the new episodes. It would've been better if Cartoon Network premiered this show when all the other action shows came back with new episodes...
This'll be long because I saw the premiere at the SDCC, and God, I loved it so much (and I'm an 80s kid, so I also loved the original series).
First off, please forgive me, but since both Episode 1 and Episode 2 were shown together, and I have no idea where it ends and begins, I'm not sure if what I review here in entirely only in "Sword of Omens". But I'll try.
First off, the non-spoilery stuff. The art and animation is absolutely gorgeous. Anime-looking may put off some of the older audience, although I would like to point out the the original series that they need to revisit the 80s series to see that it had significant parts that were also anime-ish. Not to mention that the 80s series, though classic, has its faults, especially with the cheesy dialogue. which was why I immediately loved this new reboot; it takes a lot of the bad points from the old series and addresses them thoroughly. The dialogue is not cheesy (or if it is, it's very miniscule), the character developments are intriguing, the music is phenomenal, and the story draws you in after the first fifteen minutes.
The voice acting is superb. I especially love Larry Kenney being back as King Claudus (it adds to the nostalgia factor), and Matthew Mercer and Will Friedle are perfect as Tygra and Lion-O. With Cheetara, I'm not so crazy over. It'll take some getting used to, but nothing that puts me off. Knowing Kevin Michael Richardson's past acting, I look forward to his work as Panthro and I doubt I will be disappointed. Wilykit and Wilykat are cute and not really annoying, but rather endearing in the sense of the tag-along little brother/sister (which they will be, according to the newest commercial). And I have to admit, Corey Burton was superb as Jaga. For all Jaga fans, you will like this version.
Now to the spoilery stuff:
Spoiler:
The one thing that stands out the most are the racial and class prejudices here. I was surprised that not only did the Thunderians disregard the lizards and dogs, but they apparently disregard the beggars and slum-people (as evidenced by the cat calling Wilykit and wilkat "street urchins"). And the lizards' justification of why they steal from the cats was logical; if Thunderians have the best land (and if King Cludus' "conquered" bit is anything to go by...), it makes sense that the lizards have to struggle to survive for their families. I nodded when Lion-O realized that he didn't agree with his father's opinion of the lizards when he talked with the lizard prisoners at the stocks and that he couldn't fault them for wanting to steal the Thunderians' crops when the lizards have children to feed.
So in a sense, you could say the Thunderians sort of had the upcoming decimation coming. With so much resentment, how could they not? And let's face it: if a royal family member tries to order you to not torture helpless lizards and yet you try to beat the crap out of him anyway just for requesting mercy, you're really painting yourself as an jerk-victim. I'm glad that Lion-O was even willing to stand up to his father and say that he didn't believe you need to rule with a sword, and you could tell that King Claudus wanted to tell his son to be quiet, but he consented anyway. I actually got to like this version of Lion-O more and more.
Lion-O's fascination with technology was a bit out of the blue for me, but as the premiere went on, I realized how much sense it made, especially since his willingness to learn technology will help fight against the lizards' armies. Cheetara however made me laugh when she said "I think you're...different" when she sees Lion-O willing to go to the slums to purchase contraband tech. You could tell that she wanted to call Lion-O crazy, although Lion-O seems like he can laugh at himself.
It's funny when I read the writers' news on how Tygra would be jealous of Lion-O because Lion-O is the blood heir while Tygra (despite being older) is not. What intrigues me is that is Tygra adopted because Claudus' wife wanted it or because Tygra is illegitimate? Because if it's the latter, they just got crap past the FCC radar. But if anything, after watching this, I'd be willing to say Lion-O has reasons to be jealous of Tygra. Even King Claudus grumbles on how why can't Lion-O be more like Tygra, the perfect son, and I love the conflict that this will hint because I like the drama (so sue me). Does Tygra love Lion-O? No question. But Tygra isn't above rubbing Lion-O's face in that everyone prefers him. Although I had to smirk when Tygra had such a close relationship with Grune and holds Grune in high respect because he was definitely setting himself up for a shock. It was also a lot of little things I noticed that obviously hits Lion-O where it hurts. Tygra actually sits on the right-hand side of Claudus' thone (a high honor for an adopted son). Grune (despite you know what was coming) hugs Tygra when he comes back the the castle and actually treats him like a nephew, proud that Tygra's a warrior while he has no shame in saying that Lion-O "has his head in the clouds" right in front of Lion-O's face. And if you notice when Tygra and Lion-O race to hit the bell at the tree, it's Tygra that the crowd cheers the loudest.
So Tygra jealous? I really don't see it. Although Jaga telling Lion-O to have faith in himself was a bit of a cliched speech.
And the little bit with the giant crystal brought to the castle by the lizard slaves and Grune? My friend who was sitting next to me and who didn't really watch the 80s series whispered in my ear and asked "he's a traitor, isn't he and that's a Trojan horse, isn't it?" Yeah, it's obvious, so there's a glaring weakness. You didn't even need to see the end of the shadows inside the crystal to guess what was going to happen.
The bit with the Thunderkittens wanting to get to El Dara did sort of interrupt the main plot a bit because it was so unreleated. The city is going to be attacked and yet there's a bit where they want to get treasure. But I'm guessing that El Dara actually has a significant plot later in the series (perhaps one of the many locations of the stones the Thundercats need to collect). I doubt the writers put that in there just to add filler.
I also liked seeing the clerics and how Cheetara is actually a stronger fighter than Tygra and Lion-O. If she can handle a whole mob of people with a simple staff while Tygra and Lion-O can only focus on a couple, she earns the right to be titled the strongest fighter. But more on that in the second part.
TL;DR version - this is one of the better reboots I've ever seen.
Posted from EW's "Moviegoer's Bill of Rights":
IF you are an advertiser who's hell-bent on making us sit through an insufferably stupid commercial for your product, thus helping to delay the start of the movie by 15 minutes, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT to boycott your product, and to miss no opportunity to explain that we do not, and never will, Wanta Fanta.
I'm not sure what else to really say about the pilot other than how fantastic it was. As a long-time fan of Thundercats, this is something I waited years for. I'm so glad we got a new animated series with great production values instead of filming that horrendous movie script that was written. We got the better end of the deal. I left Comic-Con with a new Sword of Omens, the exclusive classics 8" Lion-O, and the Meszo super deluxe Lion-O. Next year, that ridiculous Mumm-Ra with Ma-Mutt is mine.
OK the series. Fantastic. I mean did I find a couple lines of dialogue here and there a little cliche? Yes, but compared to the original series which was often plagued by ridiculously stiff, awkward, and cheesy dialogue and voices this show was a welcome change. To me the dialogue is simply a little theatrical which is fine. Even Lord of the Rings, the live action movie that won 11 out of 11 Academy Awards had some clumsy bits of dialogue and writing, "A diversion!"
Mumm-Ra. So what if he's evil. Robin Atkin Downes voice is awesome. And he's actually pretty coherent and a little more menacing this time around. The show does a great job of both sort of referencing and being faithful to the original show but also playing with it in a lot of ways:
Spoiler:
Mumm-Ra is about to do his trademark transformation but is blocked by exposure to the rising sun which damages him. It was a nice tease and it makes me anticipate the transformation that much more. But I appreciate that they kept things like Mumm-Ra's dialogue for his transformation and also the THUNDERCATS HO! chant as well.
Awesome cameo from the premiere:
Spoiler:
LYNX-O! LYNX-O! LYNX-O!
"This is true. This is real. This . . . Is . . . STRAIGHT EDGE."
I'm both nervous and excited about this. I really like the fact that Lion-O is voiced by Will Friedle. What can I say? Will has the talent to play characters that are good for comedy and action. Look at his past work and you'll see what I mean.
Same here. Do you think it'll be On Demand after it premiers? That would be excellent.
I certainly hope so, they've added Almost Naked Animals and Sidekick to On Demand so I would guess so. And I would also agree this would make more sense with the two talkbacks merged.
Wouldn't it make more sense to merge the two talkback topics for this show into one thread to make it simpler?
It would, considering that Cartoon Network seems to be airing this as a "special", like they've done in the past with Ben 10 two-parters and the original Young Justice sneak preview.
They'll probably air the show for a full hour without any evidence of a "this is where part 1 ends and this is where part 2 begins" break.
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No reruns?! But I'm probably gonna miss this one! Figures this would happen to me... I hate my life.
Go to Cartoon Network's website. They're pretty good at allowing you to watch the most recent episode on-line and Thundercats has already been allotted there.
Posted from EW's "Moviegoer's Bill of Rights":
IF you are an advertiser who's hell-bent on making us sit through an insufferably stupid commercial for your product, thus helping to delay the start of the movie by 15 minutes, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT to boycott your product, and to miss no opportunity to explain that we do not, and never will, Wanta Fanta.
Go to Cartoon Network's website. They're pretty good at allowing you to watch the most recent episode on-line and Thundercats has already been allotted there.
Doesn't iTunes post episodes right after they premiere? I know that after a new episodes of Adventure Time airs I always go onto iTunes the next day and I'm able to download the latest episode after 12 noon ET.
some of the character designs don't sit well with me(Panthro looks like a cowboy bebop character)and the decision to make Snarf into a average house cat that just speaks his own name and nothing else like he's a pokemon doesn't make me feel any better
I'll be going in blind for this because I never saw the original Thundercats growing up nor when it was rerunning on Toonami so I have no clue what to expect from this series.
If anyone comes up and asks "Are you a spy?" just say "Yes! Can't you read? But I'm undercover!" - Don Patch
He who is tired of Weird Al, is tired of life. - Homer Simpson
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A wonderful series!
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