Matt Zimmer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
matt_zimmer) wrote2023-03-21 08:33 am
matt_zimmer) wrote2023-03-21 08:33 am
"Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure" Review (Spoilers)
"Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure" Review (Spoilers)
Also reviews for the latest episodes of Quantum Leap, The Simpsons, The Great North, and Bob's Burgers, four Animaniacs promotional shorts, and the latest episodes of Spidey And His Amazing Friends, and The Blacklist.
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure
Under most circumstances, after a series finale, a mostly self-contained interactive special would be a treat. A sweet dessert and capper to the entire saga. Instead this made me remember why I will not miss this series at all. It is truly inane, even using the fun choose your own adventure gimmick.
I think the thing that cheeses me off about the gimmick that didn't in the Carmen Sandiego special is that Carmen making the choices makes sense. She's in charge. Darius, the character with famously bad judgment and a huge blind spot for dinosaurs gets the final say. The series has always been more collaborative between the characters than that.
Mr. DNA is super annoying. I want to enjoy making bad choices and feeding this group of characters I hate to dinosaurs but his annoying face and voice make it no fun whatsoever. Sheesh. The nerve.
I will not miss this show, and I can only hope this is the last thing in that corner of the franchise. **.
Quantum Leap "Ben, Interrupted"
This is all great stuff.
Ziggy being the mole is ingenious. Not only has the viewer trusted that damn computer since the original series (sort of), we've still always been led to believe there was something off about them. Now clearly Donald P Bellisario never planned THIS back in the day, but in "The Leap Back", Ziggy, as voiced by Bellisario's then wife and co-producer / writer Deborah Pratt, (who also voiced the original series' opening narration), seems antagonistic, bordering on sinister. Is this the same Ziggy? If so, the computer with a giant ego obviously had sociopathic tendencies all along.
The episode also raised an interesting question to me. Janice claims if Ben doesn't sacrifice himself at the end of that Leap, Addison will die. Clearly, for the sake of the show, neither of those things can happen. Which means, no matter HOW sure we had been led to believe Janice was, no matter how carefully planned out this all was with her and Ben, she is in error about a very big thing. And I couldn't ever say that before now until they made it a choice between Ben's life or Addison's. Magic wanting to save everyone is not just the more moral mindset, it's the one the narrative demands too. Sometimes narrative demands speak more about the reality of the fictional project than the most educated characters ever do. Ben and Addison can't die, at least not this soon into the show's run, so that makes Janice's predictions faulty. What else is she wrong about? And does knowing Ziggy is the mole change her thoughts there, or how she will approach things going forward?
Another sign Ziggy is the mole is because Martinez probably never could have Leaped without them. What's the true wild card is how Ian eventually became a Leaper. That bit doesn't add up to everything else.
I think Beth Calavicci is WAY too young. She literally looks 40 years younger than her character should be. I understand the need to bring back Susan Diol. She is so far the only actor from the original series to return. But they should have put her in age prosthetics. It is not credible she looks in her uppers fifties when Beth is probably 90 years or older.
Want to feel old? See Patrick Fischler, famous genre young punk, with white hair.
The Leap was a pretty horrific scenario. The original series also mined great drama with "Shock Theater", another Leap that weirdly had a lot to do with the series mythology too.
The Evil Leaper program is mentioned, but I don't think Martinez is to do with it. That program's computer was named Lothos. Neither Sam, Al, or Project: Quantum Leap ever heard the name, but it WAS an entirely separate enterprise. I wonder if it still even exists. For the record, I never bought the premise. Who the hell would work there in the first place? I understand Sam believe God controlled the Leaps. But really the only person the Evil Leapers could potentially answer to is the Devil Himself. I don't object to the show getting a bit mythological or Biblical. But it doesn't explain why people would work at that project.
Let me also put it in your head that as beloved of a fan premise as that was at the time, all three episodes with Alia sucked ass, especially the first. It was bad for the show. I think the writers of THIS show are a little more talented, and I would kind of want to see what they'd cook up (and both Carolyn Seymour and Hinton Battle are still alive) but I think if they can't actually figure out a good reason for that nonsense to exist in the first place, they'd do better off leaving well enough alone. The mention is more than enough for me.
I love this show very much. At this point I actually love it more than the original series. It's like everything I loved about it with none of its many disturbing faults. It's great to have Quantum Leap back on network TV in all its TV-PG glory. ****1/2.
The Simpsons "Pin Gal"
Jacques?! Are you kidding me? Holy cow!
Normally, this is the kind of thing I'd chide the show for taking 35 years to get back to, but the truth is Jacques was one of the best and most memorable things about the first season, and one of the reasons A. Brooks became the show's best guest voice. So I'm glad they waited because I don't think either Mike Scully or Al Jean could have handled the character this well during their tenures as showrunners. I also love the fact that animation techniques have progressed so that they can take warped Klasky Csupo designs like Jacques from 1990, and do the kind of flailing animation it demands in 2023. The design is unusually expressive for that reason, even for a Season One design, and this episode took full advantage of that fact.
I was 14 when I saw Jacques on television for the first time. He was unlike any other TV character I had ever seen before, and The Simpsons was unlike every other show at the time. People don't remember that about the first season, but before The Simpsons was mainstream, it was underground as hell. And Jacques was one its weirdest and most amazing characters.
And can I just say how refreshing that the lesson isn't that Marge did wrong by being tempted by Jacques back in the day? It's that she did right by sticking with Homer after all of the crap he's pulled. Homer isn't angry at Marge at the end. He's grateful. That's another reason I'm glad they waited. I'm not sure another era of the show would have played that properly. I think Al Jean would have made it a genuine marriage crisis with hurt feelings between them both. Instead this episode shows how strong the marriage actually is and how much they love each other. And I freaking love that.
Brooks riffing on cheese and stuff in France is just amazing. You could argue Jacques is as offensive to French people as Apu is to Indians, but I think Jacques is genuinely funny. You heard Hank Azaria's recounting of how the writers were afraid Apu could be offensive, but the voice got a big laugh at the table read, and then the show's most offensive character was greenlit. The subtleties of the things Jacques says go beyond an accent, and I think my standards for something potentially offensive getting a laugh are much less cheap than the writers were back in the day for Apu. I might be wrong, and patting myself a little too hard on the back, but The Problem With Apu landed so badly with me because it boggled the mind that the writers actually thought Apu was funny. Apu was a character I barely tolerated for a couple of decades. I never liked him and he was rarely funny. I wonder how much of my opinion would be different if A Brooks had voiced him instead of Hank Azaria, and he wasn't made a series regular because of that fact. I'm pretty sure the reaction would be entirely different not just from me, but probably from Indian groups too. He wouldn't have had a bunch of catch-phrases that turned into schoolyard taunts against Indian kids from white bullies growing up for sure. Brooks does many things in his Simpsons roles. Repetition and catchphrases are not one of them.
I was disappointed in the week before last, and frankly furious at last week. I'm glad the show made a great episode this week. I was starting to worry a little. Silly me. Just hire A. Brooks and all the show's problems go away. That's how it works. *****.
The Great North "Great Bus Of Choir Adventure"
The Choir was super annoying. That being said, there IS something noticeable about them: Both the songs they sang were pretty good. Probably because they could actually SING, unlike the casts of both this show and Bob's Burgers. It's amazing what a difference that can make.
For the record, Jenny Slate could sing just fine on Muppet Babies. Her Judy being always off-key is a weird and annoying choice.
Is Wolf wearing a Sailor Moon wig? I think so.
It was all right. ***.
Bob's Burgers "What An (April) Fool Believes"
I think Mr. Fischoeder's pranks suck. Yes, they are big. But they aren't good natured or fun. They all seem to involve dominance and fear. I don't like April Fool's because a lot of people feed into that sort of thing and it's unhealthy. If April Fool's were all sugar on eggs it would be tolerable. But a lot of people use it as license to be mean to people they don't like without consequences for it. Worst of all, the internet is absolute useless for that entire day. The holiday should be retired if only for that.
Speaking of suck, doesn't Jimmy Jr.? Can't Tina do better? I seem to keep asking this and I won't stop until she realizes she can.
Bob's prank was all right, because it WAS personal and showed that Fischoeder DOES care about him. But it's still pretty asymmetrical warfare if you ask me. Ten seconds of Fischoeder being "Dear God, not Bob!" is in no way equivalent to the amount of suffering he puts him through every year.
It was a solid plot and mystery. But it was also frustrating. Bob doesn't deserve all this and I feel bad for him. ***1/2.
Bob's Burgers "Crows Encounters Of The Bird Kind"
When the hawk got the dove it's one of the few times the show really got real. The show doesn't deal with actual death too often (outside of the movie) even though one of the secondary characters is actually a mortician. But that bordered on appalling and I was nearly as upset as Tina was. And I was mad at her too.
All right episode. Family Guy had the night off and The Simpsons easily won the night of Fox Toons. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Meet Your Instructor"
Mind controlling the audience? Yeah, Brain, good luck with that. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Finding Your Assistant"
I like Pinky saying "I blinded meself." Funny. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Disguises And The Art Of Subterfuge"
If Brain's disguises were so successful, how come he hasn't taken over the world yet?
Somehow I feel like the wrong guy is teaching this class. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Analyzing Your Adversaries"
It's a bad plan.
For the record, I knew how to spell Mississippi since I was 8. My dad taught me: Em-eye-ess-ess-eye-ess-ess-eye-pee-pee-eye. SUPER easy to remember it that way.
I hope these are on the Animaniacs season three DVDs. Cute extras, and a little bit more of the show after it's been canceled. ***1/2.
Spidey And His Amazing Friends "Spin Saves The Day / Water Woes"
Spin Saves The Day:
Boring and underwhelming . **.
Water Woes:
Not pointed out is the fact that because Doc Ock keeps all of the stolen water in one vat, every bit of it is tainted. There is chlorine in pool water and if it's mixed with the rest of the water supply it's become undrinkable. I sincerely believe the writers were simply too stupid to see this and overlooked it in their dumbness. Usually I give the writers the benefit of the doubt regarding stupidity and say they are merely dumbing things down to pander to their audience. This feels like a genuine oversight to me that probably wouldn't have happened if they were smarter or better at their jobs. They wouldn't have involved a pool at all otherwise. *1/2.
Episode Overall: *1/2.
The Blacklist "The Hyena"
I'm less concerned about the ending than the writers are hoping I'll be. I forget the name of the Chinese guy assembling Blacklisters against Red. But recruiting Robert is a BIG mistake. I'm sure it's possible he can turn him. But seeing how Robert and Red were during the episode, I am confident Red could turn him BACK, and make him an asset on the inside of that group against him.
I don't think he's aware of how much personal fondness Robert and Red share. Both have screwed each other over in the past as well, so I doubt Robert will take this as personally as the other Blacklisters do.
I am very pleased they tried to recruit him, honestly. Last season means all bets are off. If Robert gets inside, Red actually has a chance to survive the final season. I was getting worried on that last bit.
It was a good episode too. I liked Robert's suggestion to send a third of the inheritance to the kind sister. And the fact that Red goes along with it is the reason I don't think trying to set Robert against Red to destroy him would ever work. It's simply not their dynamic. It wasn't even when they were tricking each other and screwing each other over.
I like how the lady who played the triplets played them entirely differently. That reminds me. I need to see Orphan Black at some point.
Very enjoyable episode. ****1/2.
Also reviews for the latest episodes of Quantum Leap, The Simpsons, The Great North, and Bob's Burgers, four Animaniacs promotional shorts, and the latest episodes of Spidey And His Amazing Friends, and The Blacklist.
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure
Under most circumstances, after a series finale, a mostly self-contained interactive special would be a treat. A sweet dessert and capper to the entire saga. Instead this made me remember why I will not miss this series at all. It is truly inane, even using the fun choose your own adventure gimmick.
I think the thing that cheeses me off about the gimmick that didn't in the Carmen Sandiego special is that Carmen making the choices makes sense. She's in charge. Darius, the character with famously bad judgment and a huge blind spot for dinosaurs gets the final say. The series has always been more collaborative between the characters than that.
Mr. DNA is super annoying. I want to enjoy making bad choices and feeding this group of characters I hate to dinosaurs but his annoying face and voice make it no fun whatsoever. Sheesh. The nerve.
I will not miss this show, and I can only hope this is the last thing in that corner of the franchise. **.
Quantum Leap "Ben, Interrupted"
This is all great stuff.
Ziggy being the mole is ingenious. Not only has the viewer trusted that damn computer since the original series (sort of), we've still always been led to believe there was something off about them. Now clearly Donald P Bellisario never planned THIS back in the day, but in "The Leap Back", Ziggy, as voiced by Bellisario's then wife and co-producer / writer Deborah Pratt, (who also voiced the original series' opening narration), seems antagonistic, bordering on sinister. Is this the same Ziggy? If so, the computer with a giant ego obviously had sociopathic tendencies all along.
The episode also raised an interesting question to me. Janice claims if Ben doesn't sacrifice himself at the end of that Leap, Addison will die. Clearly, for the sake of the show, neither of those things can happen. Which means, no matter HOW sure we had been led to believe Janice was, no matter how carefully planned out this all was with her and Ben, she is in error about a very big thing. And I couldn't ever say that before now until they made it a choice between Ben's life or Addison's. Magic wanting to save everyone is not just the more moral mindset, it's the one the narrative demands too. Sometimes narrative demands speak more about the reality of the fictional project than the most educated characters ever do. Ben and Addison can't die, at least not this soon into the show's run, so that makes Janice's predictions faulty. What else is she wrong about? And does knowing Ziggy is the mole change her thoughts there, or how she will approach things going forward?
Another sign Ziggy is the mole is because Martinez probably never could have Leaped without them. What's the true wild card is how Ian eventually became a Leaper. That bit doesn't add up to everything else.
I think Beth Calavicci is WAY too young. She literally looks 40 years younger than her character should be. I understand the need to bring back Susan Diol. She is so far the only actor from the original series to return. But they should have put her in age prosthetics. It is not credible she looks in her uppers fifties when Beth is probably 90 years or older.
Want to feel old? See Patrick Fischler, famous genre young punk, with white hair.
The Leap was a pretty horrific scenario. The original series also mined great drama with "Shock Theater", another Leap that weirdly had a lot to do with the series mythology too.
The Evil Leaper program is mentioned, but I don't think Martinez is to do with it. That program's computer was named Lothos. Neither Sam, Al, or Project: Quantum Leap ever heard the name, but it WAS an entirely separate enterprise. I wonder if it still even exists. For the record, I never bought the premise. Who the hell would work there in the first place? I understand Sam believe God controlled the Leaps. But really the only person the Evil Leapers could potentially answer to is the Devil Himself. I don't object to the show getting a bit mythological or Biblical. But it doesn't explain why people would work at that project.
Let me also put it in your head that as beloved of a fan premise as that was at the time, all three episodes with Alia sucked ass, especially the first. It was bad for the show. I think the writers of THIS show are a little more talented, and I would kind of want to see what they'd cook up (and both Carolyn Seymour and Hinton Battle are still alive) but I think if they can't actually figure out a good reason for that nonsense to exist in the first place, they'd do better off leaving well enough alone. The mention is more than enough for me.
I love this show very much. At this point I actually love it more than the original series. It's like everything I loved about it with none of its many disturbing faults. It's great to have Quantum Leap back on network TV in all its TV-PG glory. ****1/2.
The Simpsons "Pin Gal"
Jacques?! Are you kidding me? Holy cow!
Normally, this is the kind of thing I'd chide the show for taking 35 years to get back to, but the truth is Jacques was one of the best and most memorable things about the first season, and one of the reasons A. Brooks became the show's best guest voice. So I'm glad they waited because I don't think either Mike Scully or Al Jean could have handled the character this well during their tenures as showrunners. I also love the fact that animation techniques have progressed so that they can take warped Klasky Csupo designs like Jacques from 1990, and do the kind of flailing animation it demands in 2023. The design is unusually expressive for that reason, even for a Season One design, and this episode took full advantage of that fact.
I was 14 when I saw Jacques on television for the first time. He was unlike any other TV character I had ever seen before, and The Simpsons was unlike every other show at the time. People don't remember that about the first season, but before The Simpsons was mainstream, it was underground as hell. And Jacques was one its weirdest and most amazing characters.
And can I just say how refreshing that the lesson isn't that Marge did wrong by being tempted by Jacques back in the day? It's that she did right by sticking with Homer after all of the crap he's pulled. Homer isn't angry at Marge at the end. He's grateful. That's another reason I'm glad they waited. I'm not sure another era of the show would have played that properly. I think Al Jean would have made it a genuine marriage crisis with hurt feelings between them both. Instead this episode shows how strong the marriage actually is and how much they love each other. And I freaking love that.
Brooks riffing on cheese and stuff in France is just amazing. You could argue Jacques is as offensive to French people as Apu is to Indians, but I think Jacques is genuinely funny. You heard Hank Azaria's recounting of how the writers were afraid Apu could be offensive, but the voice got a big laugh at the table read, and then the show's most offensive character was greenlit. The subtleties of the things Jacques says go beyond an accent, and I think my standards for something potentially offensive getting a laugh are much less cheap than the writers were back in the day for Apu. I might be wrong, and patting myself a little too hard on the back, but The Problem With Apu landed so badly with me because it boggled the mind that the writers actually thought Apu was funny. Apu was a character I barely tolerated for a couple of decades. I never liked him and he was rarely funny. I wonder how much of my opinion would be different if A Brooks had voiced him instead of Hank Azaria, and he wasn't made a series regular because of that fact. I'm pretty sure the reaction would be entirely different not just from me, but probably from Indian groups too. He wouldn't have had a bunch of catch-phrases that turned into schoolyard taunts against Indian kids from white bullies growing up for sure. Brooks does many things in his Simpsons roles. Repetition and catchphrases are not one of them.
I was disappointed in the week before last, and frankly furious at last week. I'm glad the show made a great episode this week. I was starting to worry a little. Silly me. Just hire A. Brooks and all the show's problems go away. That's how it works. *****.
The Great North "Great Bus Of Choir Adventure"
The Choir was super annoying. That being said, there IS something noticeable about them: Both the songs they sang were pretty good. Probably because they could actually SING, unlike the casts of both this show and Bob's Burgers. It's amazing what a difference that can make.
For the record, Jenny Slate could sing just fine on Muppet Babies. Her Judy being always off-key is a weird and annoying choice.
Is Wolf wearing a Sailor Moon wig? I think so.
It was all right. ***.
Bob's Burgers "What An (April) Fool Believes"
I think Mr. Fischoeder's pranks suck. Yes, they are big. But they aren't good natured or fun. They all seem to involve dominance and fear. I don't like April Fool's because a lot of people feed into that sort of thing and it's unhealthy. If April Fool's were all sugar on eggs it would be tolerable. But a lot of people use it as license to be mean to people they don't like without consequences for it. Worst of all, the internet is absolute useless for that entire day. The holiday should be retired if only for that.
Speaking of suck, doesn't Jimmy Jr.? Can't Tina do better? I seem to keep asking this and I won't stop until she realizes she can.
Bob's prank was all right, because it WAS personal and showed that Fischoeder DOES care about him. But it's still pretty asymmetrical warfare if you ask me. Ten seconds of Fischoeder being "Dear God, not Bob!" is in no way equivalent to the amount of suffering he puts him through every year.
It was a solid plot and mystery. But it was also frustrating. Bob doesn't deserve all this and I feel bad for him. ***1/2.
Bob's Burgers "Crows Encounters Of The Bird Kind"
When the hawk got the dove it's one of the few times the show really got real. The show doesn't deal with actual death too often (outside of the movie) even though one of the secondary characters is actually a mortician. But that bordered on appalling and I was nearly as upset as Tina was. And I was mad at her too.
All right episode. Family Guy had the night off and The Simpsons easily won the night of Fox Toons. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Meet Your Instructor"
Mind controlling the audience? Yeah, Brain, good luck with that. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Finding Your Assistant"
I like Pinky saying "I blinded meself." Funny. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Disguises And The Art Of Subterfuge"
If Brain's disguises were so successful, how come he hasn't taken over the world yet?
Somehow I feel like the wrong guy is teaching this class. ***1/2.
Animaniacs x MasterClass: The Brain Teaches World Domination "Analyzing Your Adversaries"
It's a bad plan.
For the record, I knew how to spell Mississippi since I was 8. My dad taught me: Em-eye-ess-ess-eye-ess-ess-eye-pee-pee-eye. SUPER easy to remember it that way.
I hope these are on the Animaniacs season three DVDs. Cute extras, and a little bit more of the show after it's been canceled. ***1/2.
Spidey And His Amazing Friends "Spin Saves The Day / Water Woes"
Spin Saves The Day:
Boring and underwhelming . **.
Water Woes:
Not pointed out is the fact that because Doc Ock keeps all of the stolen water in one vat, every bit of it is tainted. There is chlorine in pool water and if it's mixed with the rest of the water supply it's become undrinkable. I sincerely believe the writers were simply too stupid to see this and overlooked it in their dumbness. Usually I give the writers the benefit of the doubt regarding stupidity and say they are merely dumbing things down to pander to their audience. This feels like a genuine oversight to me that probably wouldn't have happened if they were smarter or better at their jobs. They wouldn't have involved a pool at all otherwise. *1/2.
Episode Overall: *1/2.
The Blacklist "The Hyena"
I'm less concerned about the ending than the writers are hoping I'll be. I forget the name of the Chinese guy assembling Blacklisters against Red. But recruiting Robert is a BIG mistake. I'm sure it's possible he can turn him. But seeing how Robert and Red were during the episode, I am confident Red could turn him BACK, and make him an asset on the inside of that group against him.
I don't think he's aware of how much personal fondness Robert and Red share. Both have screwed each other over in the past as well, so I doubt Robert will take this as personally as the other Blacklisters do.
I am very pleased they tried to recruit him, honestly. Last season means all bets are off. If Robert gets inside, Red actually has a chance to survive the final season. I was getting worried on that last bit.
It was a good episode too. I liked Robert's suggestion to send a third of the inheritance to the kind sister. And the fact that Red goes along with it is the reason I don't think trying to set Robert against Red to destroy him would ever work. It's simply not their dynamic. It wasn't even when they were tricking each other and screwing each other over.
I like how the lady who played the triplets played them entirely differently. That reminds me. I need to see Orphan Black at some point.
Very enjoyable episode. ****1/2.