RJ Writing Ink

Jay’s Month Of Scares, Day 8- Captain Underpants

When I was a kid, I loved Captain Underpants! I thought it was one of the funniest thing I ever read. That led me to go see the DreamWorks film when it can out, and while I’m not a big fan of the Netflix series, I see the appeal it has to kids. Since the Netflix series came out with a Halloween special today, I thought it would be fun to watch it for my daily Halloween quota. In this case, though, it would be Hack-a-Ween.

It’s almost Halloween in Piqua, and everyone’s getting ready for the holiday. Everyone except Melvin and Mr. Krupp, who hate Halloween, but for entirely different reasons. Melvin hates it because he’s “candy intolerant”, and because George and Harold prank him every year. Krupp hates it because he’s Krupp. So they spearhead a campaign that does the impossible: getting Halloween banned in Piqua!

Next to getting really bad clothes as Christmas presents, no Halloween seems like a kid’s worst nightmare. Yet George and Harold refuse to let their favorite holiday die. Since they can’t celebrate Halloween, though, they come up with their own holiday: Hack-A-Ween.

Hack-A-Ween is essentially Halloween but with different names for everything. It’s so stupid yet so clever in the end! I can’t help but admire it. As a side effect, it helps everyone remember why Halloween’s so much fun. It also helps George and Harold realize the real reason why Melvin hates it: he never got enjoy Halloween with anyone. Once they fix that problem, and a few other problems, Melvin realizes the true joy of Halloween!

A Good, But Not Great, Special

Did I enjoy the Captain Underpants Halloween Special? I did, to an extent. To be honest, the show is not as funny as the books or movie were. It can still appeal to kids, but unless you’re a hardcore Captain Underpants fan, you can skip this special.

Yet, I have to give the special credit, as it reminds people of why Halloween can be so much fun, even when you’re an adult. Yeah, grownups have to worry about decorations and buying candy, but when you get down to it, it’s still a lot of fun. I’m an adult, and yet I love Halloween as much as any kid does! It’s nice to see a special that reminds people of that. Growing old isn’t the same as growing up, after all. So whatever your age may be, Happy Halloween!

Click here to see the FANDOM Article I did for Halloween last year.

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Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus Review

Once upon a time, Nickelodeon asked a comic book writer named Jhonen Vasquez to make a TV show for them. What Vasquez gave them was Invader Zim, a show about a little green alien trying to conquer Earth and the paranormal obsessed boy trying to stop him. Nickelodeon didn’t appreciate it, or it’s high budget, so they canceled the show before it could finish. Fast forward almost two decades later, and the show’s explosion in popularity made Nick realize it made a mistake. They begged Vasquez to come back and do more Zim, but when they didn’t want to air it, Netflix did it for them. And that’s the story of how we got Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus.

I have been waiting for years for Invader Zim to make its return and give fans the closure they wanted, of which I am one. Does it hold up to how I remember the show? After watching it all weekend, my answer’s yes and no, but overwhelmingly yes.

By the way, there are spoilers ahead. If you haven’t seen the movie on Netflix or wherever some fans put it up, be warned.

The Return of Zim!

After an animesque opening monologue in which Dib explains how Zim vanished some time ago, we see what’s become of him. He’s shut himself inside his room and let his body (and sanity) go while obsessively waiting for Zim’s return. In hindsight, it’s like a metaphor for the fans waiting years for Zim to return, which makes it even funnier to see him wig out when Zim does reappear.

Since Zim’s one of the precursors to the modern-day Internet Troll, he spent all that time sitting in a toilet laughing evilly. Zim says he did it because he knew Dib would neglect his body wondering where he went, leaving him free to begin Phase Two of his master plan. Thus the two enemies begin their war anew, with Zim ready for his biggest plan ever; that is if he can remember what it was!

Doesn’t Waste Time to Enter the Florpus

Unlike other reboots, Enter the Florpus knows it doesn’t need to waste time on excess nostalgia bait or explaining everything. It recognizes the fans will remember what the show’s about. Thanks to this, Enter The Florpus hits ground running, as though the show never ended in the first place.

If nothing else, the seventeen-year absence has only improved the show. The entire cast slips back into their roles like a reliable pair of shoes, giving their all from the start. Given the characters he’s played since Zim ended, though, it seems like Richard Horvitz never took off the Zim shoes. He owns the screen every time Zim goes to talk, bringing all the manic hamminess of Zim to life.

Zim’s Amazing Glory

As for Zim himself, this film shows him in all his evil glory. Do you know how I keep saying that Zim can be a deadly villain when he’s shooting himself in the proverbial foot? His plan in Enter the Florpus solidifies my argument. Without spoiling anything, Zim comes closer to victory than he ever has in the show. Even Gaz realizes how dangerous he is this time around. GAZ! If she’s willing to help Dib without any ulterior motive this time around, you know things are bad.

It’s a Family Story

Speaking of the Membrane family, they all play a significant role in this film, rather than just Dib. At its core, Enter the Florpus is a family story, and about getting respect. We saw how dysfunctional the Membrane family was in the show, and it still is, to an extent. The show implied that Dib’s obsession with Zim stems from a desire to gain his father’s approval, and that conflict comes to a head in this special. Even when faced with physical proof that his son’s right, Professor Membrane’s ego makes him deny it. Meanwhile, while Gaz has grown noticeably more patient, she still has a low tolerance for her brother’s antics.

In spite of the show’s mantra of “doom,” Enter the Florpus offers a glimmer of hope in the life of Dib. The events of the film lead him to strengthen his bonds with Gaz, who actively helps and encourages him at times, and his dad. As the film nears its climax, in one of the most heartwarming moments in the entire series, Dib hears the words he’s always wanted his father to say: he’s always been proud of him.

Then we get a beautifully choreographed chase and fight scene against Zim’s army of robots with the fate of Earth at stake, which is incredible!

For Better or Worse

In regards to the black comedy and creepiness, the film tones noticeably down the creepiness while turning up the comedy. Some fans may complain that the disturbing aspects are what made Zim Zim, but I think it’s for the best. I’ve made it clear that there are moments that even I thought were a little much, and I’ve seen some weird stuff! Plus, the tone lines up with the ongoing comic book, and that has the Zim feeling to it.

In the end, Zim’s greatest plan gets thwarted, not by Dib alone, but by the entire family. For once, Invader Zim doesn’t screw Dib over in the end, either. He’s gotten closer to his sister, and while Professor Membrane still doesn’t believe in aliens, Dib knows that his dad’s proud of him. They even get a new family member in Clembrane, a deformed, pudding obsessed clone of Membrane made by Zim. Ironically, Clembrane’s more openly affectionate and supporting of Dib and Gaz, giving them the emotional support they need.

If anyone’s the loser in this, it’s Zim. He finally figures out the Tallest don’t respect him. Instead of reflecting on his actions, he doubles down on his attempts to get their respect. Then when he ends up losing, he deluded himself into thinking he won.

Of course, the Tallest aren’t around to express their hatred of him. Thanks to Zim’s plan, they’ve entered a deadly Florpus Hole that’s causing them to collide with alternate realities. Yeah, Enter the Florpus gets its name from a MacGuffin.

Tune Your Eyeholes and Watch This!

So, aside from the film’s title comes from a MacGuffin, and noticeably more restrained dark comedy, Enter the Florpus still captures everything that made the show a cult classic. If you were hoping that it would provide a concrete ending for Invader Zim, though, forget it. The end gives us something better: potential plot threads for the series going forward.

Like the character himself, Invader Zim is the cartoon that refuses to go away and only gets stronger as time goes by. With the success of Enter the Florpus, maybe Jhonen Vasquez will want to finish the show on his terms. At least Netflix will give him more freedom. If this leads to more Zim in the future, I’ll be ecstatic. If not, then I can rest easy knowing that I got some sort of emotional closure to an unfinished chapter of my childhood.

I give Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus a 6/5. Every bit as flawed and crazy as the original show was. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Oh, if you guys didn’t know, Zim has his own comic book series now! Crazy right? You can read it right here on this website!

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HEY EVERYBODY, ITS ME, JAY! I JUST GOT DONE WATCHING INVADER ZIM: ENTER THE FLORPUS AND HOLY SNAP WAS IT GOOD! I’M TYPING IN ALL CAPS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I’M SO EXCITED! ZIIIIIM!!

Okay, post awesome special high is wearing off. Rational thought restored. Anyway, I wanted to let you all know that I will be posting two important Zim-things tomorrow. First we have my list for my all time favorite episodes of Invader Zim. Followed by my in-depth review of Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus. And also a spoiler review, maybe. I don’t know, I just want to talk about how dope that special was.

A quick update: I’m still not done with my review yet. I want it to be as perfect as possible, so it’s taking longer than I want it to. Don’t worry: it’s coming this week.

Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling Review

Two years ago, when I first heard about Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling, I thought the title made no sense. At all. Still, I rolled with it, got up bright and early to watch the special on Netflix. After watching it at least four times for this review, the meaning of the title hit me as I was driving home. It was referring to the notion of stubbornly clinging to the past in the face of change. Therein lies the message Joe Murray and the Rocko alumni were trying to give.

My first thought was “dang, that’s good! Murray’s still got it!” Here’s my review of Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling.

Future Shock in O-Town

After being stranded in space for twenty years, Rocko, Heffer, Filburt, and Spunky are finally able to return home. What they find is a futuristic O-Town they hardly recognize. While Heffer and Filburt whole-heartedly embrace this new O-Town, Rocko’s slow to accept a modern life. Everything hits the fan when the poor wallaby learns that his favorite show, The Fatheads, no longer runs on Tv.

While Rocko’s desperate to get the last link to his old life back, O-town goes through a crisis. An accounting error by Mr. Bighead pushes Conglom-O into bankruptcy, putting most of O-Town out of a job. The only way to save the day is for Rocko to find The Fatheads creator, Ralph Bighead, and get him to make another Fatheads cartoon.

The Need for Nostalgia

Right off the bat, Static Cling tries to establish its central theme about change through this comment from Rocko:

Isn’t it great how some things never change?

Despite spending twenty years in space with his dog and two friends (one of which won’t stop singing), Rocko’s content. He’s like one of those people who gets stranded for a long period of time and comes up enjoy the isolation. So when he gets back to Earth, he finds it hard to rejoin society.

What sends Rocko off the deep end, though, is the loss of The Fatheads. Considering how his only entertainment in space was a VHS tape of the show, I think it’s safe to assume that it was the only thing that kept him sane. It’s his lifeline.

Poking Fun at Fandom and Reboots

From the moment Rocko decides to get his show back, I saw him as channeling a satire of the modern-day super-Fan. From defending his show as a cultural icon to obsessively saying it’s all he has in his life, Rocko channels all the fervor of a fanboy. As a fan of many works of entertainment myself, I found this satirization to be accurate and hilarious.

What was even funnier, though, was how it addresses the unspoken truth behind reboots: making cash. As Mr Bighead points out, fans have actual power these days thanks to the Internet and Social Media. I still remember how Rick and Morty fans got McDonald’s to bring back their Szechuan sauce. When it comes to it, though, it’s about making money. Unless a company thinks there’s a big enough audience out there, they won’t risk bringing back an old property.

A reboot’s a tough balancing act that, when done wrong, will alienate the old fans. So after talking Conglom-O into rebooting The Fatheads, Rocko and friends go to find Ralph Bighead to help. They find him, but keeping with the specials theme on change, they find Ralph’s no longer Ralph. He’s now Rachel Bighead.

It’s Rachel Bighead

When I heard that a major character int even special was going to be transgender, it drove the point home. It would have been crazy to have a kids show with a transgender character in the 90s. Thanks to the growing acceptance of homosexuality and transgender, though, Murray’s free to get away with it.

Mr. Bighead takes some getting used to Rachel’s change, but he decides his daughter is what’s most important in the end. It’s a touching moment that happens just as The Fatheads special is being aired, with everyone reveling in the nostalgia. Rocko’s more stubborn though, as when The Fatheads cartoon isn’t the same as he knew it, he channels the negative fanboy in him.

The Whinds of Change

In the most important part of Static Cling, though, Ed Bighead sums up the moral of the story: if we keep living in the past all the time, we’ll miss out on the amazing stuff going on around us. It’s a touching reminder that I think a lot of fans can relate to.

In my years, I have seen many things I love come to an end, some before I was ready. Having a show end can be a bittersweet thing, but seeing a show you love get cancelled is the worst. So I get what Rocko’s going through! If you’ve read my blog lately, then you know I’m still not entirely over Game of Thrones or Star vs.! Maybe more so for the latter.

My point being, and I know this is gonna sound rich coming from me, is that Bighead’s, and Static Cling, are right. We can always be grateful for the things we experience and see in the past; they can be some of our best memories! That doesn’t mean that we should deride anything that’s new or changes on our lives. We need to stop clinging to the past like static, and embrace the here and now. Ultimately, that’s the lesson that Rocko finally learns.

A Reboot Done Right

So in the end, was Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling everything fans had hoped for? I can answer that with a resounding yes. It had all the humor and charm of the show wrapped into a story about modern life. It balances the fans need for nostalgia while understanding the need to move forward into the future. If you’re a fan of Joe Murray, or 90s Nicktoon’s, then you’ll want to watch this special again and again.

Then when you’re done, make sure to thank the one who made it all possible: Really Really Big Man and his power nipples!

I give Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling a 5/5. That was a hoot!

Besides, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of watching TV, it’s that nothing’s gone for good. There’s that petition to bring Star back. Come to think of it, I think another classic Nicktoon’s coming back next we-

-Attention, puny Earth creatures. This website is being repurposed for a very special announcement. Tune in tomorrow at 4 PM on your EST to learn more.

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A Look Back on Rocko’s Modern Life and it’s importance

My fellow 90s kids and lovers of classic Nickelodeon, tomorrow is a momentous day. Joe Murray’s classic Nicktoon, Rocko’s Modern Life, shall make it’s return on Netflix. If the trailers are anything to go by, it’s going to have all the slapstick, satire, and adult jokes fans will remember. As a 90s kid, I feel I should be more excited about this, but I have a confession to make. I didn’t like Rocko as much as I could have as a kid.

I was born in the middle of the 1990s, so I was too young to watch the show when it was actually airing. By the time I graduated from Nick Jr. to Nickelodeon proper, all that they had were reruns. When I watched them, though, most of the jokes flew over my head, and by the time I was old enough to understand them, Rocko’s Modern Life had gone off the air.

Despite this, the years have given me a greater appreciation for the show for its satirization of our culture. The show’s setting of O-Town is basically a jab at the commercialization of everything in the 90s. Again, I don’t remember much, so I have to take others word for it. Or do I?

Camp Lazlo

Despite my limited childhood connection to Rocko, much of my appreciation for it comes from another show Murray did, Camp Lazlo.

Premiering on Cartoon Network in summer of 2005, it was a show about three best friends, Lazlo, Raj, and Clam, who spend their summer as Bean Scouts in Camp Kidney. I fell in love with this show as a kid, and, for a time, it was one of my favorite cartoons. I also noticed that it used a lot of the jokes and music from another show I liked, Spongebob Squarepants.

In hindsight, this observation makes sense. After Rocko’s Modern Life got cancelled, a good chunk of its actors and staff moved to work on Spongebob. According to Murray, they kept in touch, and when Lazlo got green lit, they jumped on board.

As a result, Camp Lazlo had a lot of its predecessor in its DNA. The actors, the writing style, the comedy of Rocko’s were all there. In many ways, it was like the second coming of Rocko’s Modern Life. Albeit, it’s one that toned down the adult jokes. It was a fun show, but then Cartoon Network pulled the plug on it in 2008. According to Murray, he ticked the executives off by refusing to appear in a commercial for McDonald’s or something.

Murray’s Uphill Battle

That wasn’t the first time Joe Murray faced issues. According to Vanity Fair, his dad didn’t approve of his desire to be an artist. I’m convinced that this led to him creating Ralph Bighead, the cartoonist and estranged son of Mr. and Mrs. Bighead on the show. He even voiced Ralph himself.

It gets worse. Around the time production of Rocko’s Modern Life got his wife Diane committed suicide. For a time, Murray blamed Rocko for what happened. He eventually got therapy, though, and working on his show helped. Then, when he started Camp Lazlo, he got a divorce from his second wife. Ouch.

Yet despite all the hardship, Murray never let it truly break him. He did everything he could to make sure that his team could have the freedom to do what they wanted. They worked at their own separate studio , and Murray’s contract ensured that none of the executives from Nickelodeon could show up unannounced. As a result, the team behind the show worked in an environment that was essentially controlled, light-hearted anarchy.

After reading all of this, I can’t help but respect Joe Murray, both as a person and a creator. He created the kind of work environment that I would have loved being in. I think because of this, many of the people who worked on Rocko’s Modern Life went on to make a big splash in pop culture.

Impact of Rocko’s Modern Life

As crazy as it may sounds, cartoons as we know them today may not be the same without Rocko’s Modern Life. Many of the team members have gone on to work on several highly successful cartoons, from the adult animation on Fox, to Cartoon Network, and of course, for Nickelodeon. Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, who got their starts on Rocko, have gone on to create Phineas and Ferb and Milo Murphy’s Law. Phineas and Ferb was one of my favorite cartoons on Disney Channel for years, you know!

In terms of cultural impact, Rocko started the careers of two highly successful comedians, Carlos Alazraqui and Tom Kenny. Carlos’ got some pretty high-profile roles and a steady number of minor ones. As for Tom Kenny, there’s not enough time in the day. The guys practically voice acting royalty. He may be best known for playing Spongebob, but he’s got a lot of other big roles under his belt.

Speaking of Spongebob, we wouldn’t have Spongebob without Rocko. Stephen Hillenberg was the creative director of the show, and took most of the reins when Murray wanted to step back. After Rocko got the axe, Stephen went on to pitch Spongebob Squarepants. A lot of Rocko’s team joined him, and the rest is animation history.

That Was a Hoot!

So, while I may not get the level of nostalgia as some fans, that doesn’t mean I don’t see the value of this show. It left a big impact on the animation industry and helped make it what it is today. I’m looking forward to seeing Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling first thing in the morning. You can bet that I’ll be doing a review of it, too! It’s gonna be a hoot!

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I would like to thank cakedablerd from Pop Culture Uncovered for giving me the idea to watch this. Go check out her original post. I have never been one for work by Sanrio, but Aggretsuko might be an exception, especially since the main character is the opposite of Hello Kitty. Retsuko is a 25-year-old accountant in some random company… and she hates every minute of it. A lot of her co-workers are annoying, her boss is a jerk, and she just wants out. A lot of people can relate. Most of her co-workers don’t know, but she channels her anger by singing death metal karaoke.

So, I spent a whole day binge watching the first season, because the Christmas Special came out today: We Wish You A Metal Christmas.

We Wish You A Metal Christmas

If you remember my posts about the Fairy Tail and Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Christmas Specials, you may remember that I said Christmas is more about romance in Japan. That, and eating KFC, but that’s beside the point. It’s Christmas Eve, and everyone is making plans for the holiday. Everyone except for Retsuko. She’s been too busy trying to get Instagram likes to make plans, and then her jerk-boss, Ton the pig, gives her extra work. Because he’s a jerk.

Meanwhile, Retsuko’s friends, Haida and Fenneko are out drinking. Haida has had a crush on Retsuko, but she turned him down, and he still hasn’t gotten over it. So he’s getting wasted to get over the pain. Especially since he thinks Retsuko has plans.

Fortunately for him, Fenneko’s social media detective skills help her realize that something’s up with Retsuko’s Instagram posts and that she doesn’t have anything to do for Christmas Eve. So Haida tries to rush over and help her, only to find out she already left. Love is never easy.

Luck is on Haida’s side, though, as he happens to run into her as she’s out with some of her friends, and they end up getting some time together. It’s a cute way to end the episode, but the clincher is the heavy metal version of “Jingle Bells”. I never knew how badly I needed that.

Retsuko Is an Exception

As I said before, Sanrio is normally not my cup of eggnog, but I’m glad I tried this show out. It’s got enough of anime in it to keep me interested, while the premise is relatable enough for non-anime fans to get into it. What makes this enjoyable, though, is that it serves as a reminder of how no one should be alone for the holidays. Yet many people out there are. They don’t have any family or friends nearby, so the holidays can be a sad and lonely experience. But when you have people you care about with you, they become a lot brighter.

I also find this to be an interesting commentary on how some in our generation go out of their way to look amazing on social media to make up for the fact that they don’t like where they are right now. While stuck at work, Retsuko even fakes a fancy dinner photo just get people’s approval.

My advice: social media is fun, but it doesn’t beat having physical friends to hang out with. But I don’t want to preach, so instead, I’ll wish you a Merry Christmas!

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I thought that I had seen a lot of good Christmas movies, and maybe some bad Christmas movies. But when I saw that Netflix had a new Christmas movie, I had no idea what to think. So I got on my laptop, put on Netflix and put on The Christmas Chronicles to see the funniest Santa yet.

The Christmas Chronicles

It’s about this family, the Pierces in Massachusetts. They have loved Christmas as much as any family could, especially the dad. But when their Dad, a firefighter, dies while rescuing some people, the kids, Teddy and Kate, start to drift apart from each other.

Come Christmas Eve 2018, Mrs. Pierce has to cover for a coworker, forcing Teddy and Kate to be home alone for Christmas. When Kate thinks she sees Santa on a recording of last year’s Christmas, she does what any kid would do: stay up and try to see Santa. I tried doing it as a kid, and I know plenty of other people did.

Not only do Kate and Teddy see Santa, though, but they also manage to sneak aboard his sleigh. Then they cause it to crash, the sack to fly off, and the Reindeer to scatter in Chicago. What’s worse, without any of these things, Santa can’t do his job. And when he can’t do his job, bad things happen. As Santa, puts it, the Dark Ages and all the rotten stuff that came with it. So it’s up to Teddy and Kate to help Santa save Christmas while also conveniently restoring their bond as siblings.

One of My Top 5 Santas

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the movie’s version of Santa, played by Kurt Russell. I loved Kurt Russell as Santa. Unlike the way he’s normally portrayed in pop culture, this Santa is of reasonable weight and is a wise-cracking, savvy toy-maker. It’s hard to describe, but if I had to explain it, I’d say that Kurt Russell makes Santa seem more… human. As in he’s not always so jolly. He can be sarcastic, energetic, happy, charismatic. He’s very charismatic. At one point in the film, when he lands in jail (don’t ask), he leads the inmates in a jazz rendition of “Santa Claus Is Back in Town”. It’s amazing! He does refuse to go “ho ho ho”, though, because he says that’s a myth. Apparently along with him being fat. In short, I love Kurt Russell as Santa.

And the elves! They are like the Gremlins crossed with the Minions from Despicable Me. They are cute, they are mischievous, and you will either love them or hate them.

The Kids

Lastly, we have the kids, Teddy and Kate Pierce. At the start, it was shown that they both have some problems. More like Teddy has problems. Ever since his dad died, he’s been falling in with the wrong crowd. Kate follows him at one point early on in the film, and sees him steal a car with some other teenagers! The worst part is that that is never actually resolved. His night before Christmas experience sets him back on the right path, but he never actually tells his mom of what he did or makes any amends for it. That seems like lazy writing.

I’d talk more about what happens, but I don’t want to spoil the ending. I liked this movie, and if you have Netflix, I urge you to watch it. It’s a pretty good Christmas movie with a new spin on Santa. Kurt Russell became my second favorite Santa of all time after watching this. The first is Ed Asner. Happy holidays!

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