It snowed, I'm Bored, Let's Get Down With Cartoons

So, it snowed 3 feet in my town last night and I have literally nothing to do.  So of course, I've spent the day on the internet, mainly imgur, just trying to pass the time.  Somehow I started an argument as to whether Cartoon Network's Adventure Time is a kids show or not (http://imgur.com/gallery/6jWXpbX my username is burtongirl).  I understand the argument, there is definitely adult humor on Adventure Time but it is not an adult cartoon in the way that Family Guy or Metalocalypse which are both literally written for adults.  So, I of course made the argument that the cartoons that 90s kids grew up with were way more adult and disturbing than anything on kids TV now.  Then I thought... I'm going to blog about cartoons.

It's always been a dream of mine to write a book about the cartoons of the 90s because I see them as a second golden age in cartoon history.  Of course, Looney Tunes broke the mold, defining what cartoons should be, followed by Hana Barbera in the 50s... but then things got a bit boring.  And while the 80s hold a their own notable place, the animation began to get stale and cookie cutter-ish.  All of the shows started to look and sound them same, not to mention that almost all of them involved the same comic book super-hero style plots.  But then the 90s came, the face and look of animation changed and things go really, really weird.

Now, believe it or not, Nickelodeon launched their network in 1977 which promptly failed.  They relaunched in in 1979, but it wasn't until they opened their studios in 1990 and launched Nicktoons that we got the cartoon gold of the 90s.  The first Nicktoons animated were Doug, Rugrats and Ren and Stimpy.  Eventually they were followed with Nicktoons like Ahhh! Real Monsters, Rocko's Modern Life, Angry Beavers, Hey Arnold, CatDog and on and on.  Now most of these cartoons were super G rated, especially  Doug, The Wild Thornberry's and Hey Arnold.  Okay, Hey Arnold had a little weirdness with Helga's Arnold head shrine.  But most of these nicktoons were totally fucked.  They would never make it on the air today without parents having riots.

Cartoon Network was developed as an answer to Nickelodean's success, at first playing reruns of Hanna Barbera cartoons.  They had a few of their own series, but Nickelodeon was killing them in ratings.  That is, until What A Cartoon came around.  What A Cartoon.  This show gave independent animators a platform to showcase their work, and those lucky enough were given full contracts.  Believe it or not, the first breath Family Guy ever took was on What A Cartoon as a short called Larry and Steve.  What A Cartoon gave us gems like Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel, The Powerpuff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and my least favorite Johnny Bravo.  Cartoon Network really found its niche in 2001 when they created Adult Swim, but we'll stick to the 90s.

Possibly the most underrated network of the 90s, producing some of the best cartoon shows was The WB.  Animaniacs was arguably one of the greatest 90s cartoons, taking a page from Looney Tunes with a large cast of characters and a series of vignettes, birthing spin-offs like Pinky and the Brain and Freakazoid.  The WB also had The Tiny Toon Adventures.

Now I can ramble on about Saturday morning cartoons and after school cartoons, Bonkers, Gargoyoles , Beetlejuice and Talespin, but they were all very G rated shows that would easily make it on the air today.  By today's standards Adventure Time and Regular Show have parents knickers in a twist.  I can't imagine how they would react to Rocko's Modern Life, that show was hilarious but totally disgusting.  Rocko's next door neighbors The Fatheads were constantly insinuating an active sex life, Heffer went to Heck and their favorite superhero Really Really Big Man had nipples of the future.  His nipples attached to your eyes and showed you the future.  HIS NIPPLES!  And Ren and Stimpy?  Forget about it!  The episode where Ren becomes a hermit and makes friends with an earwax sculpture of stimpy and the corpse of a hanged man scarred me for life.  Or what about Cow and Chicken... their parents were just legs!  And that devil character's ass was always out... and shiney

Of course, even at the time parents got upset about these shows.  I remember being the only girl in my girl in my girl scout troop (not my choice) that was allowed to watch Animaniacs.  Their parents thought the show was too violent.  But hey, that show was at least educational!  Yakko sings a song with every country!  I didn't learn it, but he did it.  And the Warner Brothers (and sister) helped Einstien come up with E=MC2.  Ok it's not factual, but I learned Albert Einstien came up with it.  Okay it was a silly show, but it wasn't that bad.

Look, I'm not trying to knock today's cartoons, they are great and I watch them, but they are just a lot more watered down then the cartoons we had a kids.  I can't say whether we were helped or hurt by the semi-disturbing cartoons we grew up with, but I do know we love them passionately.  So here is to 90s cartoons, the networks that housed them and their weird, slightly disturbing nature.

March Comes In Like A Lion... And Out Like A Freaking Lion

March is generally not the time of year that we expect new programming due to Basketball's March Madness, but not this year!  March has some of the most exciting season premieres and two new shows that look very promising.  March comes in strong with the series premiere of Bates Motel and ends even stronger with part 2 of Doctor Who's season 7, the series premiere of Orphan Black and season 3 of Game of Thrones.  March may be my new favorite month of the year!

First up, the series premiere of Bates Motel.  Now, A&E isn't known for it's stellar original programming, they mostly carry depressing reality shows like The First 48 or Intervention, but if History Channel can start producing Emmy Winning original series, why can't A&E?  The original trailers of this show were very American Horror Story-esque, with nothing more than an ominous shot of something gory, ie a burning body as seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpgdiNUttlw.  Even the music is similar to American Horror Story, so you know what I'm in.  Not to mention that Psycho is one of my all time favorite movies.  

Now, I am a little leery because they are putting Norman Bates in 2013, so it obviously can't be directly associated with the 1960 film, but it really doesn't matter, the psychology of a serial killer won't change whether or not he has a cell phone.  After seeing the cast I really have no doubts.  The incredibly talented Freddie Highmore is playing Norman Bates and I think this dark role is a great career move for him.  Then we have Vera Farmiga who has given powerhouse performances for years (not to mention she is the sister of American Horror Story's Taissa Farmiga).  Vera will bring to life the mother who sent a man over the edge, giving life and history to a corpse in a rocking chair.  I really am looking forward to the series it has great potential.

WHO ARE YOU OSWIN OSWALD!?  Finally we'll be getting some answers starting March 30th.  Doctor Who will be back with his new companion Owsin Oswald... who has already died twice.  But you know what, Buffy died twice and she kicks ass, so I think Oswin will too!  We will also be seeing the Doctor's 50 year anniversary episode at some point during the season, so I know all you Whovians have high hopes to see some Doctors past on the show... I am praying we see David Tennant, even if he is in his human form from the other universe!  

But possibly what I'm most excited about is the confirmation that Neil Gaiman has penned a Cybermen episode and it's rumored that Warwick Davis will be starring in it.  Gaiman has already wrote one of the most popular Doctor Who episodes "The Doctor's Wife" where we meet the TARDIS who has been crammed into a living body.  If you haven't read a Neil Gaiman book, GO DO IT!  I especially recommend The Graveyard Book and American Gods (which HBO has recently bought the rights to!)

So, I'm still not totally sold on BBC's new show which premiere's the same night as Doctor Who. The more I research it, the more confusing I find it.  For one, the trailer for it doesn't really explain anything and in it's attempt to be cryptic it kind of loses me.  The IMDB description is a bit more interesting, A girl named Sarah steals the identity of a dead woman who looks just like her, only to find that she is one of many genetically identical individuals who are being assassinated one by one.  Sarah has to discover why somebody would duplicate her genes and who is after her clones.  Now that sounds a bit more interesting.  Since it airs the same night as Doctor Who, why not?

No.  Actually we do.  But the next fucking day after Doctor Who and Orphan Black, Game of Thrones FINALLY comes back.  According to the producers this is the year they have been waiting for.  I heard about something they called "blood wedding" and refused to listen to any more because I won't ruin any of this for myself.  I think this year might be a blood bath and nobody will be safe.  I don't even want to try to speculate on anything that will happen this season but I am so so excited!  I just hope none of my favorite characters kick the bucket (even though they probably will).

So, in conclusion, March 2013 is going to be epic... at least for nerds like me.

Elementary my dear...

I am addicted to TV.  The first step is admitting it.  I am a media addict.  Even when I'm working full time I never miss a beat thanks to the technological blessing of the DVR.  Thursday nights are my CBS nights,  The Big Bang Theory (shout out to my dog Sheldon) followed by Person of Interest ending with the new series Elementary.  Big Bang is great but not much to talk about and while I try to love Person of Interest it never captures me for the whole hour, I tend to fade in an out just enough to know what is going on.  But Elementary, my dear, is really peaking my interest this season, let me tell you why....

Judging by my last post it should be pretty obvious I am not only a fan of Sherlock but a monster fan of Benedict Cumberbatch, not so much that I would call myself a "cumberbitch" but a fan none the less.  Now, I've actually been a fan of Johnny Lee Miller's since he starred in the sadly doomed Eli Stone (stupid writers strike, you also owe me for Pushing Daisies), so when I found out he would be playing Sherlock Holmes I was excited.  America had just lost House, which was basically Sherlock Holmes played by the ever brilliant British actor Hugh Laurie, why not replace it with another brilliant British actor actually playing Sherlock Holmes?  Great, good, fine.

I actually had a chance to be an extra in Elementary's pilot and nearly burst with excitement when Jonny Lee Miller walked onto set.  Than I saw Lucy Liu and was a bit leery.  Now don't get me wrong, I love Lucy Liu, hello she is a badass (and fyi she was really nice to us exhausted extras who had literally been up all night).  If you haven't seen her in Kill Bill watch it right now.  I just didn't see the point in changing Watson's sex, was it their way of modernizing the show?  Whatever, I guess I'd have to watch, so I did.

About 5 episodes in I was impressed with the show, LOVED Miller but couldn't quite put my finger on what was irking me.  Then I discovered Sherlock.  Mind.  Blown.  Not only because of Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman is a freaking genius.  He is the perfect foil to Sherlock and brings his own life to the show, there is such passion in him, he needs Sherlock and Sherlock needs him.  Liu's Watson, not so much.  Yes, they keep pushing this story that she secretly hates her job and secretly loves Sherlock's but she hasn't sold it yet.  Her character seems apathetic about everything and it seems like Miller is working overtime for the both of them, I can see in his eyes when he looks at her how much he needs her, but I don't get the same from her.  Freeman and Cumberbatch love each other, the fight and make up, they laugh and they cry.  Liu just looks sort of frustrated as Miller laughs and cries and works and begs for forgiveness and pines for a lost love and admits to mistakes you know it kills him to admit.  In fact, I enjoy Miller's relationship with Jon Michael Hill's Detective Bell so, SO much better.

But they show is still in it's infancy and I'm hoping Lui has some sort of mental breakdown or something.  BUT!  Coming attractions have hinted to Moriarty joining the party... AND WAS THAT VINNIE JONES I SPOTTED?!  That's right folks!  Bullet Tooth Tony is playing M.  Words cannot express my excitement.  I may need to get out more.

Comments please :).