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Bubble Trouble/Gummi In A Strange Land
Reviewed: 07/28/2007
KABOOM BUBBLES! HAHA!
We are nearing the end of Season One as it's time for the final two shorts before the important grand finale. These two shorts provide tons of fun from a flaming bubble blowing dragon to a slumber sprite who puts Gruffi in his proper place...and of course Sunni is a focus character here as it's her turn to try and keep a friend...and fail as usual.... Let's rant on shall we...
Bubble Trouble is written by the later Bruce Talkington while Gummi In A Strange Land is written by Doug Hutchinson.
Bubble Trouble: We begin in the hallway of Gummi Glen as Zummi is running down the hallway with the NOTES OF SATAN in tow. Man; those papers are the devil if Zummi has problems controlling them if you know what I mean. See; he needs to finish the Gummi calender by nightfall and then the ceiling experiences a crack in it's armor as a yellow ogre just misses Zummi by inches (but it did knock off Zummi's magic hat from his head). Zummi doesn't suspect a thing because he thinks it's a draft before he finally gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY and yells..badly...before running. The yellow ogre thinks it's a rabbit hole as we see him topside. Zummi has to back up against a wall screaming. WHAT THE HECK?! It's a long hallway and that hand shouldn't be anywhere near Zummi right now. Logic break #1 for the episode as we head to Cubbi having target practice with his ultra cool wrist shooters! I'm surprised that Magon didn't give that to Kit in TaleSpin; that looks like a kick butt weapon. Cubbi hears Zummi's yelling and the entire GANG OF GUMMI WAY manages to get Zummi away from the hand. Cubbi wants to beat that hand it and invokes the wrist shooters and of course the yellow ogre doesn't sell at all. Grammi blows Cubbi off. The coolest weapon in DTVA history and they buried it?!
No wonder purists think Disney was a wuss. Gruffi wants them to pull the hand in; so they grab the yellow ogre by his fingers and the yellow ogre is an idiot of course as he tries to pull back; but cannot. The babyfaces pulls like no one else and then let's go which allows the yellow ogre to knock himself out with a MAN-SIZED bump and impact stars on his big fat head. Grammi pops up for a moment before officially plugging the hole before the ogre can see it. The ogre recovers and he's an idiot of course so he leaves to try a little mouse hole instead. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief until Zummi gets ticked off because that door was left open. Huh?! That's logic break #2 for the episode because I didn't see any door open from the beginning of the episode. Sunni of course points the finger herself which makes the logic break all the more contrived. Gruffi naturally blows her off and Sunni offers the lamest excuse known to mankind and Gummikind: I was in a hurry. Okay; I know that this is the plot where Sunni is irresponsible; but there's no excuse not to show that the door was actually open before hand so that Sunni's irresponsibility was apparent. Gruffi blows that off as Sunni finally brings the irresponsible level to being unjustified because when Gruffi does the self-righteous routine; Sunni says oops because she forgot her belt fastener and her VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE. Well; at least Bruce is making sure that her diva image isn't contrived. Even Zummi thinks Sunni is thoughtless in that spot.
Sunni decides to go into the woods and find the belt buckle. Before she can leave; Gruffi stops her by grabbing her arm and it appears that Gruffi is going to force her to her room (which I would have done); but he gives her the VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and tells her to go find it. Sunni thanks Gruffi and leaves while Gruffi just smiles. WHAT?! CALL THE OUT OF CHARACTER DEPARTMENT! Gruffi was being nice when he shouldn't be. He is pampering that child. If I were Gruffi I would have punished her by letting her go without the juice. She is already thoughtless so why does Bruce need to do anymore then what he has already shown. And is it a wonder that Sunni's irresponsible when Gruffi is enabling it?! Sunni may be a diva...she may be a teenybopper...she may suck...but at least I now know why and it makes me love the babyfaces a little less now.
Back to the rant as we head outside the forest near a mountain as Sunni is running towards a rock and manages to find her VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE. Normally; that would be the end of the episode right there, but of course we are barely over two minutes in so the story MUST CONTINUE as we see a baby red dragon shouting out for his mother flying down and crashes in the bushes as Sunni trips and falls flat on her face with a wussy bump. I'm amazed that the VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE didn't shatter on impact. Sunni turns around and gets up as we see the Cliff Dragon (voiced by either Lorenzo Music or Bill Scott; depending on who you ask) tangled in the bushes breathing fire. Wow; if that child started to become a soldier; Dunwyn would be fried to a crisp...Mmmmmm...fried Dumbwin...SLURP! Sunni of course sees the nest as she deducts that Cliff Dragon fell from it's nest. Sunni decides to try to scatter; but then she stops as the Cliff Dragon cries out for his Mama. Sunni realizes that it's mother might NEVER come and leaving it there would be thoughtless...and she doesn't want to be accused of that. Sure sign of a diva: Believing in false judgment by others. Sunni goes over to the Cliff Dragon calling it a baby and wanting to be friends which allows the Cliff Dragon to scream and breathe fire which misses Sunni's head by about three feet.
Like they would show a BBQ on Disney?! Sunni pulls out her VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and taunts him with it like he's a baby. Oh please; that is absolutely teenyboppish of you Sunni as the Cliff Dragon steals it from her and drinks it (bottle and all). That'll teach that diva! Sunni protests this outrage and she has no basis for her claim on that spot. And now Cliff Dragon starts to hiccup the....BOOM BUBBLES OF HELL! Now there's a quality attack for Taito to steal for Bubble Bobble. Yeah; I know they already did; but it's funny anyway. Sunni thinks she's safe until the BOOM BUBBLE OF HELL pops and causes a massive explosion on the mountain side. Amazing enough; the debris missed Sunni and Cliff Dragon by inches. So now we go into the old stop the hiccups routine which was fun years ago; but now it is staler than thirty day old bread. First attempt is for Cliff Dragon to hold it's breath and Cliff Dragon fails on that spot. Another BOOM BUBBLE FROM HELL pops from it's mouth. It's too bad the Cliff Dragon is a one note character because that fire encasement bubble is AWESOME. Dukie should steal that one for his invasion of Castle Dumbwin...ERRR.. Castle Dunwyn.
And speaking of the EVIL ONE himself; we head to on a cliff outside of Dunwyn where Dukie (with his ultra-cool sidekick Toadie and ogre army) has the black telescope overlooking the castle while doing is usual speech of ruining King Gregor like Microsoft ruining Sony's disruption plans. Man; he's REALLY insane now as the BOOM BUBBLE FROM HELL floats around like a jerk waiting to annoy someone to death until he faces the prospect of death and destruction. I read a really scary story where a internet jerk was posting really degrading photos of an haunted house operator who was a soldier and the operator got so fed up and he went to the trailer (about 2000 miles away mind you) and committed acute arson on the trailer. True story and the soldier is still holding a grudge and in jail now. Dukie notices it and demands that Toadie get rid of it because it's annoying Dukie. Toadie goes over and invokes the finger claw which pops the bubble and it explodes right on cue of course. Sadly; the tape degraded a bit on the spot and it looked choppy. Everyone has the black soot of racism and Dukie is now more insane than ever...Not because Toadie popped the bubble in his face; but because he realizes the ultimate weapon is at hand. Dukie and Toadie leave towards the source as Dukie is laughing...badly. Want an insane laugh; try Lezard from Valkyrie Profile 2 when he teleport. I swear the voice talent was legit insane when he did it. I'll try to post the link to Youtube when this rant is completed so you can judge for yourself.
We head back to Sunni and Cliff Dragon for attempt number two as she tries to scare him. Sunni is too cute and nice to be scary and of course the MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN fails miserably. This is like Sony trying to come up with a plan to counter Nintendo AFTER Nintendo fired it's disruption arrow. The bubbles are like Nintendo as they are setting the rules of the game so to speak. Three more bubbles; three more explosions, three more failures by Sunni. Sunni might be thoughtful; but her thoughts are diva-like so it doesn't help her in any way. Half the forest is on fire; as Cliff Dragon and Sunni decide to walk back to Gummi Glen for help from Zummi. I doubt gamers would care since they don't realize how the video game industry is in it's own firestorm of doom right now. We head to Gummi Glen as Sunni goes to the trapdoor and tells Bubbles to wait...as far away from the trapdoor as possible. Sadly; that's about ten feet away which really doesn't help her cause any. Sunni pops into the trapdoor and forgets to close the door AGAIN! Dukie pops from the bushes in front of the Cliff Dragon as he see no one to stop him from grabbing Cliff Dragon as he and his men walk towards it while Cliff Dragon is frightened to death. Sunni then realizes something and returns to the trapdoor; only to close it up. Oh; how thoughtful of you teenybopper...NOT!
Sunni runs in the hallway as Tummi is now doing target practice with the wrist shooter. It involves his hat and a glass vase as it shatters off screen while Sunni runs to the book room where Zummi is writing his Gummi calender. Zummi is cheering victory because he would have done it without screwing up and of course Sunni runs in yelling and Zummi screws it up as the ink flows on his Gummi calender. Zummi is ticked off and he blows off Sunni completely calling her thoughtless again. Did Sunni piss in the Great Book of Gummi and I didn't notice?! This is completely out of character even for him. Sunni tries to explain that Bubbles is having trouble; but Zummi blows her off. Sunni leaves and there's Tummi sweeping up the shattered glass into the rug because that's how all messy characters try to hide their evidence. Well; at least he's doing a better job of it than usual. Sunni asks for his help and Tummi agrees to it as they make it to the trapdoor. Tummi is a lot more thoughtless than Sunni so it's common sense that Tumm would help her. They pop out while Sunni exchanges notes with Tummi (with Tummi making food jokes again) and Sunni notices that Bubbles is gone. Okay; we have come to terms that it's Bubbles and not Cliff Dragon so I'll use Bubbles from now on. Tummi notices ogre footprints in a funny way and Sunni realizes it's Igthorn who has kidnapped him. Good going Sunni! Your thoughtlessness has turned Bubbles into a weapon of Dukie's bidding. Sunni and Tummi run to find Bubbles....
We head to outside Dunwyn at a different cliff as Bubbles is tied up against a stone slab propped up at a 45 degree angle hiccuping the BOOM BUBBLES OF HELL towards Dunwyn Castle. Dukie and the ogres are loving this as Dukie sucks his finger and declares that this spot is perfect. Now he only needs someone to get close to it. Why bother? The position looks perfect...I guess Dukie needs to punish someone for something he did during the series. Oh wait; he needs the bubbles to be popped if they start to wander and of course Toadie gets the slingshot since he probably didn't get the punishment for losing Dukie's notes at the end of Toadie's Wild Ride. Toadie sulks at that moment and storms off because he's willing to be the ultimate idiot. Toadie makes it to the edge of the moat and notices a bubble is about to MURDER him; but Toadie's blowing turns the tide up. It makes it close to the wall; so Toadie invokes the slingshot and the rock bursts the BOOM BUBBLE FROM HELL and it explodes on contact taking out a chunk of Gregor's kingdom in the process. That's why it's an awesome attack. Igthorn laughs like an evildoer and uses a Boston metaphor to blow Gregor off. Toadie snickers like a goof of course as the denizens scatter like scalded dogs.
We go to the top of the battlements as Sir Lazybones Tuxford asks for Gregor to send out the knights; but Gregor doesn't bite because they don't know where the attack is coming from. See; that dragon was a good idea. This is like Nintendo's disruption (Bubbles) tactics on Sony (Gregor). The difference: Nintendo is a lot more likely to win. Yellow ogre tickles Bubble's tummy and more hiccuping from the baby red dragon as the ogres trade tickles just as Tummi and Sunni arrive from behind to notice. Sunni asks Tummi to shoot the bubbles with the ultra cool wrist shooters and Tummi decides to sell even if the target is moving. Tummi shoots and manages to hit one that explodes right in front of the ogres which forces them to scatter like scalded dogs. I'm amazed that Bubbles isn't MURDERED on that spot. The more Sunni tries to be thoughtful; the more thoughtless she becomes. Sunni and Tummi run up to untie Bubble; but Dukie isn't fooled as he yells at the ogres to stop and they sell. Tummi might have a beer gut; but he's not fooling anyone as Dukie demands the ogres to grab those snipping Gummi Bears and both Sunni and Tummi scatter leaving Bubbles behind. The thrilling Scooby Doo chase is ON BABEE and it's better when Sunni is running. Scene changer (WHAT?!) and we see the ogres looking for them in the forest and not finding them. Well; we have only three minutes left so I can see why. The ogres leave despite Sunni and Tummi stuck up in a tree not K-I-S-S-I-N-G being in plain sight.
Logic break #3 for the episode as Tummi wonders what MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN Sunni is thinking now. Sunni has no plans left as she can hear Bubble screaming for it's Mama. Sunni feels so helpless and then Bubbles gives her a sign of hope as she now has another idea: Find her mother! Again; the more thoughtful she gets; the more thoughtless she becomes as she grabs Tummi and heads to the nest where this whole thing started. Tummi doesn't like to; but Sunni has no options left. They take out their VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE (nice CONTINUITY since Sunni had two bottles of the stuff when she had Bubbles and Bubbles drink one of them) and it's BUTT BOUNCING TIME! I swear that juice is a crutch to these bears. Sunni bounces up; but Tummi nearly misses the mark; forcing Sunni to do ALL THE WORK to drag Tummi up. She's finally got her working elf boots on as they continue to bounce while Dukie cheers on for death as Castle Dumbwin....ERRR....Castle Dunwyn is DOOMED..DOOMED I SAY! Bubbles is helpless to the tickles to his belly and the hiccuping as we return to the nest as Sunni and Tummi go to the top. Why didn't Sunni do this from the start and just put Bubbles in the nest?! Answer: Because that would end the episode three minutes in that's why. They sit in the nest and of course Mama is gone....For about five seconds as the SHADOW OF DOOM beckons and here comes Mother Dragon to fry Sunni for being SOOO thoughtless. Sunni and Tummi bounce off to avoid the flames as it completely MURDERS the nest. How thoughtless of the mother to do that?!
Tummi and Sunni bounce towards Dukie; but Tummi's juice wears off and he falls flat on his face. You know you are screwed when THAT happens. Tummi is forced to find the babyfaces to help. The awesome speed of Red Dragon nearly MURDERS Tummi on that spot as Sunni continues to bounce with the Red Dragon gaining. Dukie's hope chest is gone now as Sunni's juice wears off and it looks like Red Dragon is going to MURDER (yes please do it?!) but hears Bubbles and goes after Dukie instead (BOO! HISS!) breathing flames like a mad dragon. Dukie and company are forced to scatter for good as Dukie swears in DUBBED ANIME STYLE which is the funniest swear I have ever heard (Nutweed!). Dukie sobs of course because his plans are ruined..Be thankful your heat hasn't died on you as Red Dragon goes over to Bubbles; invokes the SWIPE OF PAIN to cut the ropes and they have a bonding moment. As for the bubbles; Red Dragon taps him on the back hard to make him burp and the flames are back in full force. Red Dragon grabs Bubbles by the mouth and flies away as Sunni waves goodbye. Despite all that is happened; Sunni still looks like a thoughtless little diva.
However; there is Toadie left as he tries his luck on kidnapping the thoughtless teenybopper. Sunni tells him that there is one BOOM BUBBLE FROM HELL left and he's now falling for it...and here comes the BOOM BUBBLE FROM HELL to land on his little pinhead. Yeah; Toadie is REALLY STUPID. You get guess what happens next as Sunni runs away. Wow; what a hero...NOT! Sunni runs into Tummi and the rest of the babyfaces as it is time to go home. Sunni tells her the story of Bubble until they get to Gummi Glen and of course someone forget to close the trapdoor again. But it's not Sunni's doing because Gruffi is SO BUSTED .. BWHAHAHAHA! See; Gruffi is an enabler or is it Sunni enabling him? You the viewer decide! Sunni gleefully blows him off as everyone laughs at Gruffi's expense. So what about the trapdoor Sunni left about seven minute into the episode?! Logic Break #4 for the episode and thankfully the episode ends right here at 10:39 before anymore logic breaks can pop up. It's a fun episode; but too many logic breaks and the lesson of responsibility was poorly done as Sunni still looked like a thoughtless diva the more I saw her trying to be thoughtful. This episode is proof of Sunni's teenybopper image and that why she sucks. Bubbles carried the whole episode . *** ( 60%).
Gummi In A Strange Land: I don't understand the title here since Drekmore is hardly strange...We begin this one on the lake of Gummi Glen as Gruffi is showing Cubbi the right way to fish which is to sneak up and catch it with your bare hands. Grammi arrives and she's not in a good mood because Gruffi is showing Cubbi when she's supposed to be better at it. Grammi tells Cubbi that he should use a fishing pole and of course Gruffi blows her off because it's too slow. Cubbi is going to be a confused bear when he grows up; if he can flourish around those two. Grammi gives Cubbi the muffin (NOT THAT ONE!) and Gruffi blows him off because he's trying to teach Cubbi the manly way to eat food. Grammi gleefully blows Gruffi off; so Gruffi decides to prove that his method of way works. He sees the fish in the pond and tries to grab it with one hand mind you. He hand slips and he falls into the pond with a resounding splat. Memo to stubborn mule: USE BOTH HANDS NEXT TIME! You get a better grip. He actually manages to make the jump right into Grammi's apron as Cubbi cheers for Gruffi's creative way for catching fish..and doing spots to amuse me. HEE HEE!
Grammi nicely blows Gruffi off as Gruffi gets up and blows off Grammi in kind. This is a much better episode already. And Cubbi's involved so it's a bonus. Grammi reminds Gruffi that a fishing pole is more accurate and slower..and drier..and duller. Okay; I made up the last part as Gruffi calls her a sore loser (HA!). Grammi states that Cubbi would agree with her and of course Cubbi is gone to climb a tree in which Grammi panics. Grammi goes over and grab him before any broken bones can be done as we see that Cubbi wants some honey for his muffin. Geez; what a stick in the mud Grammi is. I mean Winnie The Pooh is a child (basically) and he got to do that spot; why not Cubbi?! He's more over than Grammi too; so that proves Grammi is a leech I guess. Pointless TMS animation of the bees to show how uncool Sun Woo Animation is. Grammi states that he would get stung and offers a plan which is to smoke the bees out. Like that is going to work for overness as Gruffi blows him off because it's really wussy of her to try that. If it means that Gruffi gets what he deserved than it's A-OK by me! Gruffi uncorks the VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and tells Cubbi that the real solution is to charge right in. I guess the moral debate is speed VS. steady. One is safe; the other one is funny. Have fun telling which is which. It's BUTT BOUNCING TIME as Gruffi bounces straight to the entrance of the beehive and peeps in like a peeping tom. He sees a green wood sprite with a red mushroom hat and green clothes with the tiny jar of slumber sands inside the beehive and the Wood Sprite panics right away when he sees Gruffi. Oh; now you made him mad. The late Paul Winchell is doing his voice if you didn't notice.
The sprites uses the SLEEP COMMUNCATIONS COMMISSION on Gruffi and Gruffi falls fast asleep quickly. UH OH! That's going to be a nasty fall when he falls down from that tree. Gruffi falls down and the roids manage to save him from death because he lands right on top of his head and he bounces around a bit (with wussy bumps I might add) and lays down asleep with his feet in the air. I'm sure Grammi is pleased that Gruffi has been silenced by that wood sprite; but I'm NOT! They go over to help Gruffi and wonder why he is asleep. Grammi turns around and sees the Slumber Sprite dragging his jar of sleeping sands into the bushes as quickly as possible. Grammi goes to the bushes to find him as Cubbi follows. Cubbi and Grammi exchange notes as we find out that it's a sprite who puts Gummi Bears to sleep and Zummi's spells are useless because a Slumber Sprite has the power to undo the spell and no one else. Grammi notices the sprite; but Cubbi notices that Gruffi is sleepwalking towards a waterfall. Man; there is a nasty side effect to that spell indeed. I wish they stop doing that spot with the arms out streched like that. Try putting the hands behind the back; that would make it more creative. Grammi and Cubbi manage to get Gruffi to walk the other way to safety. Grammi tells Cubbi to help her find the sprite because sprites don't leave tracks and they may never find him again. So getting help is useless as well.
As long as Sunni isn't involved; I like that stipulation. The slumber sprite continues to slowly drag away with his mini jar as Grammi, Cubbi and Sleeping Gruffi follow him close behind. If it wasn't for that jar; that sprite would have won easily. More walking as Cubbi makes it to the cliff and notices the Sprite's pot. Oh no he didn't just make a drug reference there? Thankfully; the sprite's only drug is honey as Grammi, Gruffi and Cubbi march on towards Mount Thorn in the THORN FOREST OF DOOM. Grammi is regretting it now as Cubbi notices the sprite dragging it's pot and runs towards him. Grammi gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLARITY as they are in Drekmore country and tries to run to stop Cubbi and does. Grammi throws the rock at the melons and when the rock makes contact; it explodes. It's guilty indeed! Now they will have to go along with Grammi's slowness plans after all.
We head to the thorn forest as Cubbi is climbing up and complaining about the slowness of their mission. Well; not really as he looking for a way in. Thankfully; there's no time limit so Grammi can blow it off without making her sound completely heartless. Sadly; no one is keeping Gruffi in check because he sleepwalks right into the middle of the exploding melons! You know what; keep Gruffi in a sleeping stupor. It's funnier that way. Cubbi charges right in much to Grammi's disdain (since the melons have a one second delay which Cubbi helpfully points out) and it works as he manages to grab Gruffi. Grammi runs.... like the wind...an easterly one this time; but she trips on the melon and falls flat on her face. This is not going to end good; as Grammi manages to get away as the melon explodes and the power of force only blows her into the bushes. If she was faster; she would have made it without incident. Cubbi comes over and Grammi pops out blowing him off as he lost the sprite. Cubbi looks around for clues and Grammi blows him off for that because sprites don't leave tracks. Cubbi states that ANYTHING leaves tracks if you know what to look for and Grammi blows Gruffi off complete with teeth clenching. You heartless witch! Cubbi notices the trail left by the tiny jar and Grammi is forced to recoil for being more stupid than a five year old. We head into the gorge as the babyfaces continues to march on until Cubbi stops in his tracks to take a breather and Grammi tells him to move on.
Well that contradicts everything that this episode was shooting for as Gruffi is winning by a landslide and speaking of the devil; the side of the gorge grows eyes and is alive as it starts rolling rocks down it's lips. Okay; that was kind of scary as the boulder comes down and the bears manage to dodge it before it MURDERS them. Well; that was pointless as we go to the scene changer and the finding the path continues into a forest which looks completely out of place for the area that it's supposed to be in. Bad CONTINUITY ERROR there TMS! Although the mushroom does the saw spot on a leaf just to amuse me. We cut to the slumber sprite continuing to drag his pot around (Man; that is disturbing to write as it is to say). They notice him and try to run towards him (as the sprite screams at them to stay away; making him the babyface by default); but it is cornered by the RABBIT OF DOOM. Oh; I'm sure purists enjoyed seeing that one as Grammi points out that it's a SABERTOOTH RABBIT. Did Doug watch Night of the Lepus and was drunk before writing this script?! Grammi sezs that one is all right; and of course about thirty more appear...Not all right as they say so Grammi goes into her latest MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN: Run to the nearest tree when she sezs go. She sezs go and they scatter as the LEPUS OF HORROR run after them to end the segment about five minutes in. Sometimes you have to wonder what people were thinking at the time....
After the commercial break; the GANG OF GUMMI WAY goes up the tree as the LEPUS OF HORROR slide down unable to catch them. The MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN is preventing them from getting to the sprite as Cubbi continues to praise Gruffi. Grammi goes to her muffin (NOT THAT ONE!) and drops it down on the ground. However; since Grammi is a bad cook; the LEPUS OF HORROR LAUGHS scatter away. I'm glad Disney now has strong and smart females from 1989 on because Grammi is a weak wuss after this one. Gruffi of course does his sleepwalking spot on the branch and thus improving his workrate by 2000% in the process. It's so sad because the entertainment will soon have to be over once he wakes up. Cubbi's got a plan and therefore he's immune to the MIMI JOKE ZONE as he wants a carrot and drinks up from his VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE. It's BUTT-BOUNCING time as he Grammi gives him a carrot and goes up to act like a badly disguised bird. Thus Cubbi starts a tradition of DTVA children characters who dress up and make themselves look like complete tools in those outfits. See Kit in a hotdog suit, a seal suit and Gosalyn in a dress. No suit there.
The disguise works as he scares off the rabbits with the bird chrip. A star is so born as Grammi tries to go to get Gruffi down; but he's still sleepwalking of course and therefore in danger. More sleepwalking spot as he is captured by the HELL WINE OF DOOM which wraps him up after Gruffi bounces off a branch. Then he is grabbed by the talon of the red phoenix. Shouldn't it be a BLACK PHOENIX OF HELL; that bird clashes with Dukie's style. Grammi and Cubbi run as Grammi wants to follow him to the nest; but Cubbi is too reckless so he drinks up. I thought he already did and the juice still didn't wear off?! That was rather pointless; but it's no logic break there as he bounces up and plucks some red feathers from the phoenix. Since it's red feathers; Michael Eisner is still locked up in the Phantom Zone along with Scott Hall and General Zod. The phoenix drops Gruffi as Gruffi takes some branches to the body and Grammi manages to get squashed as they take a decent bump onto the ground despite Grammi's efforts to look like she's doing her job. She isn't by the way; she was supposed to let Gruffi smack the ground with a thud. Cubbi helps Gruffi up as he is giddy about Gruffi's way of life and Grammi completely blows him off like a meanie. I hate to say this; but Gruffi's way trumps Grammi's way as Cubbi hides in fear. Grammi realizes that she was mean and cruel to Cubbi and recoils.
See she thinks that Cubbi is ignoring her teaching. When someone is teaching me to act like a jerk when someone else's teachings are actually WORKING; I would like to ignore them too. We head to the cliff as the slumber sprite has dropped down the cliff. Since Gruffi is a gall stone; Cubbi ties Gruffi against the tree while Gruffi is doing the sleepwalking in mid air. How about that?! I hope you have your stopwatch going; let's see how long Gruffi STAYS there. They climb down from the cliff carefully until they reach the cave without any incident. They walk in and Grammi orders Cubbi to let her do the talking and of course the Slumber Sprite is way too irrational to talk too as he screams OUT OF NOWHERE and then runs off. Cubbi is fed up with this and goes after him as he has got him cornered. Grammi pulls her hat up (Cubbi unintentionally did the Kit drop hat over Molly's eyes spot) and runs to Cubbi. Cubbi has the sprite right where he wants him; but the Sprite counters with the SLEEPING COMMUNCTIONS COMMISSION and Grammi manages to knock Cubbi and herself away before they are hit. The sprite hides and now Grammi is fed up as they cover their eyes.
Now she wants to do it her way and she talks to the sprite. Slumber sprite doesn't sell of course because it's frightened. Grammi asks him if his has any problems to solve and the slumber sprite comes out to admit that he cannot move his white tooth stone from the cave since it's the source of his power. Which explains why he goes long distances to get honey. Grammi makes a deal: Cubbi and Grammi will move the stone along with Gruffi if the sprite zaps Gruffi out of his sleep spell. Sprite doesn't sell because he's a loudmouth and he's useless. Grammi admits that he's a loudmouth; but he's sensible and that she needs him. Cubbi cannot believe this because Grammi always blows him off as every turn. Of course; character development always involves the unexpected. It's how well convinced we are in believing it. Most shows today have a great degree of difficulty doing that. The slumber sprite agrees to unzap him despite calling her crazy. Thankfully; Don Karnage isn't around to MURDER the sprite. I'm going crazy over the lack of respect for the crack Disney Caption has on the hearing impaired. Grammi thanks him for doing the right thing.
We head back to the cliff's edge and the MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN has backfired because the ogres have captured Gruffi and are uprooting the tree. Well; that was a good idea to leave him to die wasn't it?! The ogres carry Gruffi away as the slumber sprite blows them off. The sprite also states that they have to see him in order to zap them into sleepyness. Cubbi thinks it's hopeless and so does Grammi; but then she decides that Gruffi's way is the right way; thus muddying the waters of morality even more. Which is fine because she uncorks the VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and drinks up. She carries the slumber sprite and it's BUTT BOUNCING TIME. She bounces to the ogres and the slumber sprite invokes the SLEEPING COMMUNCATIONS COMMISION on them which forces the ogres to go night-night! The ogres put the tree down as Grammi goes over to Gruffi and the slumber sprite invokes the SLEEPING COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION on Gruffi which officially wakes him up. Grammi unties Gruffi as Gruffi sounds like an idiot. Grammi with the third Shut up in the series and they run behind the tall grass as the ogres wake up.
The slumber sprite explains that the sleep spell doesn't work as well on ogres because they are REALLY STUPID. I never thought that being too stupid would make you almost immune to sleep; but there it is. Gruffi demands answers and Grammi blows him off because Gruffi must carry the white tooth stone back to Dunwyn. Gruffi is dumbfounded as we cut to Gruffi, Grammi and Cubbi walking in the forest of Dunwyn while the adults are carrying the slumber sprites stone. Cubbi retells the story to Gruffi and Gruffi of course blows him off. Cubbi keeps telling the story of course. It works on Baloo when Kit did it as the finish in Golden Sprocket of Friendship and it works here; but Grammi covers his mouth while getting off a religious reference. Shame on you for doing that contrived spot Grammi Gummi. See; Grammi doesn't want Gruffi to hear that Gruffi was right all along and Gruffi wants to hear it as the episode ends right here at 10:39. Another middling episode with an okay finish and a good middle. I still think Grammi's refusal to admit that Gruffi's way saved himself was a pretty mean-spirited way of protecting your image in the face of the facts. *** ½ (70%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Not as good as I thought it was going to be; but like pizza, it was still good enough to eat. Bubble Trouble was one of my favorites and it disappointed me with several logic breaks which were made contrived as Bruce Talkington tried way too hard to force Sunni into being thoughtful. Every time Sunni tries to do that; she becomes even more thoughtless. The only time she was thoughtful at all was luring Red Dragon into the fray and it looked a little forced. Plus; I found Zummi as harsh as sandpaper towards Sunni. Sure; Sunni is a diva; but she at least was trying to get help for a helpless dragon and Zummi only cared about a stupid calender. Look who's thoughtless now and it was made more so by Gruffi leaving a door at the end which is silly because Sunni left a trapdoor open when she left with Tummi to find Bubbles. Bruce's plots were too loose to my liking. The episode was made up as Bubbles one note gimmick and Dukie's insanity to use it carried the whole episode. Dukie has gotten all his heat back now. I owe Chris Barat an apology. I'm sorry that I jumped the gun with Secret of The Juice. I'll wait until I see Dukie lose his heat later on.
Gummi In a Strange Land was a middling episode that confused me as I thought it was going to be a debate on Grammi VS. Gruffi's way. I thought Doug would write it as a true draw; but Gruffi's way trumped Grammi's way every time except for the important part which was to convince the sprite to un-zap Gruffi. I thought it would be more balanced. Then again; gender balance wasn't available until Rescue Rangers when Gadget came along as a main babyface. I got to admit; Gruffi's performance as a sleepwalker was pretty funny; but I wish the writers would find a different pose when in that state as the arms out streched was too stale. The slumber sprite was pretty much nothing and was a bit annoying; although he did us a favor of putting Gruffi to sleep so it was worth it. Overall; it was middle of road stuff here. Next up is the season finale: Light Makes Right and this is the most important episode in the series bar none. A Bad Reflection On You two parter made TaleSpin the greatest series of all time (in my opinion) which made it the most important with Kit's amazing pathos on Baloo. This episode was the most important because it literally saved the series from being thrown into hell. The major angle that gave Gummi Bears purpose and saved it from joining the Wuzzles into the cancel heap. So.....
Thumbs in the middle for both episodes and I'll see you all next time.