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Presto Gummo/A Tree Grows in Dunwyn
Reviewed: 08/18/2007
WOW! Trolls really do grow on trees!
Another day, another rant as they say..So let's rant on shall we...
Presto Gummo is written by Tad Stones and Bruce Reid Schaefer. The story is edited by Jymn Magon and Tad Stones. A Tree Grows in Dunwyn is written by Mark Zaslove and the story is edited by Rich Fogel and Mark Seidenberg. Bruce has been a rank in file writer since 1986 with Teen Wolf, The Real Ghostbusters, The Incredible Hulk (1996) and Extreme Ghostbusters in 1997. His DTVA appearances include The New Adventures of Winnie The Pooh and Aladdin (with four episodes). This is Rich's first known writing episode for DTVA and has been around since 1984 with Superfriends V and VI, Muppet Babies, Batman Beyond, Justice League and The Zeta Project among others. Mark started writing with Muppet Babies in 1987 and has done DTVA shows like Aladdin and most recently The Emperor's New School. He also writes outside Disney doing Biker Mice From Mars 2, Jackie Chan Adventures, Tutenstein, Road Rovers and story edits for Histeria and story producer for Yo Yogi! Whew! There is only one more writing credit left to reveal in this volume so....
Presto Gummo: We begin this one inside the book room as we pan over to Zummi attending to his makeshift book house on the shelf (HUH?!) while Tummi (with the shortest pen and paper I have ever seen) is annoying him because he wants to learn a few spells from him. They have a meeting of the minds there as Zummi has no interest because he's trying to concentrate. He needs Brain Age 2 badly now if his memory is that shot to pieces...and we get our first spell in record time of 11 seconds...
Zummi: Flum-moz, Flum-my, ummack, mummy!
Translation: Plum Much Slummy dumb smack mommy!
Tummi of course tries to write it down and of course the spell is screwed since Zummi went into full motion and got in Tummi's way. He's got to learn a better spell pose if he wants to be a great wizard someday. The book shelf is affected as a shelf of books flies off the shelves as some sort of sick metaphor of Harry Potter if it came out 20 years ago. Zummi ducks the books while Tummi calls it a great trick. Doesn't take much to amuse him I guess. Zummi grabs onto the books and has the time of his life while Tummi just stands there wanting to do magic for his own amusement of course. Seeing Zummi acting 50 years below his age is pretty funny as Zummi gets the books under control and tells him magic is not easy and you need years of study and skill and you need natural ability and you need the medallion. That's about it as Zummi crashes into the book shelf since the magic books basically squashed him in a book wrestling match. Tummi writes it all down while not suspecting a thing and then leaves thanking Zummi. Zummi just looks dumbfounded as his brains are scrambled as a book bashes him on his head. That's going to leave a mark: On the book!
We head into the dining room as Cubbi is sitting at the table looking at a bug on his purple flower sitting in a flower pot because he has nothing to do. He wonders if there is something to do. What a difference from Quack Pack. When the Quack Pack kids are on; they say that they have nothing to do at all and never wonder. That means Cubbi is at least trying to use his brain and not giving up while the nephews in QP automatically give up. He then sees Tummi walking in with a tree stump (what is with all the tree stump spots lately) and wonders what he's up to and Tummi tells him that he's going to do magic and that's enough for Cubbi to tag along with him. They go to Tummi's makeshift workshop because Tummi is going to make a Gummi Medallion out of the tree stump. Cubbi points out the fallacy in it (He needs one from the Ancient Gummis); but then suddenly recoils and lies to him (He needs one that the Ancient Gummis would be proud of.). Tummi scrapes the wood not suspecting a thing as Cubbi leaves to play a few mind games to amuse himself. Since Tummi and Cubbi have good chemistry on their own; let's see if they have it together.
Cubbi goes into the book room and stands on a footstool to get a blue book from the top shelf because the best books to play tricks with are always forbidden and go on the top shelf. We cut to Grammi's kitchen as Cubbi sneaks it while Grammi's back is turned to steal some hot brownies from the pan. Cubbi leaves just before Grammi turns around and she is in horror to find half of the brownies are gone. I guess it's only thievery if you get caught. Tummi continues to cut without suspecting a thing as we cut to outside with Cubbi grabbing two doves from the tree branch. I don't understand the point of that and it gets cloudier as he steps up a trap involving a mousetrap and a boulder on top of a hill. Cubbi feels that is enough and now he will look for Tummi. In other words; he's trying to perform fake magic to make Tummi look like a mage. This should be good as we cut back to the dining room as Tummi has made his medallion as he complains to Cubbi because he hasn't painted it yet. Cubbi wants the test run now so to see if he has the ability to use it. Cubbi sneaks down and takes off his hat and then puts a frog in it and puts the hat down on the table. Tummi of course doesn't suspect a thing as Tummi decides to cast his spell....
Tummi: Hum Mat, Come-um to me...
Translation: Hat Man Come On To Me!
He makes a lot more sense than Zummi does...and the spell does nothing....AND THE ROCK SEZS NOTHING! So Cubbi pounds on the table and finally the hat jumps right in front of Tummi. Tummi cheers for victory as Cubbi comes over to praise his magic work. Cubbi grabs the hat (making sure he grabs the frog with it so Tummi doesn't see it) and puts it on his head which allows it to jump up. Now that's Gummi magic as Cubbi walks over to the book shelf as the blue book is standing on edge and he tells Tummi to make the book float over to the table. Tummi sees this as a better challenge so...
Tummi: Bum-ook, float-em up
Translation: Bum Oak Float Him Up!
Must be the title of the book as Cubbi bounces his butt against the bookshelf and the book comes sailing down a hidden wire with fishhook and falls right onto the table off-screen. Shouldn't the book be on-screen to prove that the spell worked?! Bad decision of animating there TMS! Tummi cheers for that spot and wants to do even more magic. So we cut to the forest as Cubbi and Tummi are walking to the next magic trick. Cubbi asks Tummi if he is hungry and Tummi admits that his stomach is a little hollow as he looks at his fat tummy. Tummi runs over to see what Grammi is cooking; but Cubbi stops him. Why?! Because that's not how wizards look for food. Tummi realizes this and decides to cast another spell....
Tummi: Fum-ood, come-umum to me-um.
Translation: Thumb Mood Come On Mom To Me Hum!
Now he's starting to sound like Zummi as Cubbi pulls the string (without Tummi suspecting a thing) which in the end creates a picnic full of orange juice in cups, a basket of brownies, the two birds, two wooden plates, and of course butter from a nest (Cubbi uses the slingshot as Tummi looks on when he sezs No butter?). Tummi loves this new concept of fast food. I love how resourceful Cubbi is with making complex setups for magic spells. Too bad he's making Tummi look like a fool for his own amusement. We cut over to Dukie sitting on a hill with ultra-cool sidekick Toadie holding several strands of rope. Dukie is blowing off Toadie because Toadie is using the ogres as dogs to sniff out Gummi Bears. HA HA! For once; Toadie looks like the king of the castle and good for him since Dukie is no longer cool anymore. Toadie responds to that blowoff because the noses are playing havoc. Poor insignificant Toadie just wants a chance and Dukie gives it to him; or else poor insignificant Toadie will be made into boot leather of course. Toadie tells the ogres that if they think like bloodhounds they can ride through Drekmore stables. The ogres sell it like drugs and they tie Toadie up while running in a circle. Dukie blows the spot off thinking that Toadie is a size nine.
Toadie claims he's eight and a half; but he can be racked for that extra half size. Too funny and Toadie is screwed as usual as we head back to the picnic as Tummi is eating the muffins from his plate. Tummi is so happy as Cubbi giggles under his breath as he is playing this sick joke on him. Tummi puts the plate down and now wants to move a mountain. He tries to walk over; but Cubbi stops him because he's thinking way too big and should try to move a tree first. Tummi would perfer to move a mountain and Cubbi answers that one as where to put it. Tummi takes it as a good question. Tummi decides that he'll move the tree after all as we see a rope on the bottom left side of the screen where Cubbi is. How Tummi didn't see that is beyond me; but I'm enjoying this so I'll let it slide as we return to Dukie stepping on Toadie's chest just to be a dick. Toadie of course sells it like he is Dukie's girlfriend. Well; that was quick as we return to the final joke trap...ERRRR...magic trick (check the rock trap Cubbi pulls off here) as Tummi brings out his medallion as Cubbi grabs the rope and snickers at him. This is like a practical joke to him as Tummi starts casting the spell....
Tummi: Um-tree, umm.... (Ah forget it...!)
Cubbi pulls the rope and the boulder is sprung and goes down the hill. Cubbi smiles for a bit and then his face turns to horror as the boulder is OUT OF CONTROL as it goes off the ski jump and jumps over Tummi and Cubbi completely and splits the oak tree in two and it causes the other trees to fall down in a domino effect and it's ready to squash Tummi and Cubbi flatter than Alexander the Grape. Since they are the babyfaces; we quickly cut to Dukie noticing the trees falling as Toadie is still getting air pumped by Dukie's foot. He thinks there be Gummi Bears and decides to check it out. We cut make to the fallen tree as Tummi and Cubbi pop out and they are all right of course. Cubbi walks a bit from the tree as Tummi cuts an awesome promo about bringing back Gummi greatness and then Cubbi rolls on the floor laughing his butt off which is animated so well that it's better than when Molly does it in Flight of The Snowduck. Tummi wonders why that is so funny. Cubbi is about to tell him the truth about his magic casting but here comes Dukie and his band of smelly ogres to put a stop to that. Cubbi runs away and Tummi runs a bit. However; he stops and turns around because he's going to zap him with magic. Cubbi stops on a dime and notices Tummi is not running.
He is horrified of course because his practical joke is no longer funny anymore. Dukie tells the ogres to surround him and Tummi continues to just stand there as the ogres surround him. This is going to end poorly for Tummi I just know it. The heels are confused of course and Tummi tells them at he has the magic to zap them to death I guess. Teach a guy to work and he'll give you the fruits of his labor; teach a guy magic and he'll annoy the living snot out of you. The ogres then start to run and hide; but Dukie grabs their leashes and they are forced to stop in their tracks. Dukie ties the ropes to the oak tree as he blows off Gummi magic because it never works right and he knows who does the magic. One small problem: I don't recall Dukie actually seeing Zummi use magic; and the magic he used did work for a while. Bad CONTINUITY ERROR there guys.
Tummi shows off his fake medallion and the ogres sell it as if the ogre death plague is about to strike them. Dukie grabs Toadie and blows off Tummi's vile threat because he wants Tummi to make him useful. Toadie of course likes being a leather pump for Dukie. Some things never change as Tummi decides to perform his magic as Cubbi is hiding behind the bushes. Tummi tries to turn Toadie into a newt and of course the spells fails. HA HA! Tummi tries a bird and there's no dice. Tummi better run right now and he tries to uncork his VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and Dukie grabs it before he can use it. Finally; someone has enough smarts to take the weapon away. The ogres grab Tummi (logic break #1 for the episode since Dukie didn't untie him) as Dukie blows off Tummi's lack of magic skills. The ogres take Tummi by the arms and walk away as Tummi tries more spell words but no go. Cubbi feels really bad about his practical joke gone out of control. You know Tummi should have taken the hint when Cubbi was laughing his butt off; but of course Tummi is dense so there you go. Cubbi runs as this logically leads to....
The STOCK FOOTAGE OF DREKMORE DEATH as we head to the prison cell below ground as Tummi is sitting on his duff on a bench realizing that he cannot do magic and throws his fake medallion away onto the ground like a girl. Tummi starts hearing snakes; but looks around to find Cubbi hiding behind a rock outside of the prison cell and Tummi feels relived for his friend even if he basically made him look like a joke. Cubbi confesses to everything and does a pretty good job of convincing me that he is geninue here. He apologizes and Tummi accepts it rather well. Hey; it's Tummi, he's too wimpy to not accept an apology. Besides; Cubbi wasn't trying to show malice during this episode. He knew that Tummi couldn't do magic and Tummi wanted someone to laugh at his magic and Cubbi gave it to him. It is a pretty effective pathos in a show that was stilling learn how to do them at this point. Cubbi wants to get Tummi out; but doesn't know how. Tummi has a MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN and it's to do magic.
Cubbi blows off the suggestion because he cannot do magic. However; Tummi pats Cubbi's head because they are going to do it practical joke style. So we cut to the ogres doing nothing but playing tic-tac-toe on the walls. Nobody wins because the ogres are REALLY STUPID of course. So they have another game and then Tummi starts chanting out loud forcing the ogres to come over to the prison cell as we see Tummi practicing his wizard chant. I knew Zummi was a bad influence to first time mages. Ogres wonder why he is doing that as Tummi declares himself the wizard of Gummi Bear magic. The ogres blow it off because Dukie sezs is fake and in Drekmore: Dukie's word is LAW! Tummi takes them as non believing so Tummi casts his spell and Cubbi comes out to bash the yellow ogre right on his bare foot and that allows the ogre to dance while grabbing onto his foot. Tummi then threatens to make them disappear if they don't release him and Cubbi goes over to the flame bowl on the floor and puts it out with water creating lots of steam as Tummi casts his vanish spell and the steam blinds the ogres into a stupor. Hey; they are REALLY STUPID; what did you expect?!
Tummi threatens them again as the ogres won't sell because Dukie will get mad. So Tummi decides to cast some mosnters which allows Cubbi to swing a demon statue down which Cubbi screws up because he doesn't let go and swings like Tarzan. It manages to clock one of the ogres hard in the face (doesn't matter who) and the ogres run through and open the door to let Tummi out. Boy those ogres know how to no sell stuff as Tummi runs out of his prison cell as Dukie and ultra-cool sidekick Toadie enter the prison as Dukie is praising his own victory and nearly gets MURDERED by the stray demon statue. Cubbi and Tummi's plan has backfired somewhat as the ogres call Tummi magical. Dukie blows that off and uncork the VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and drinks up. It's ROID RAGE TIME as Dukie grabs the rack (HUH?!) and throws it right above the heroes head and it smashes enough pillar to cause the whole place to collapse on everyone. TMS screwed up that one since the rack was about a foot above their heads so they didn't need to duck. Everything else was perfect though as Toadie praises Dukie's magic trick. Dukie then loses more heat by doing nothing...AND THE ROCK SEZS NOTHING!
We cut to Gummi Cinema At Night as Zummi introduces tonight's entertainment with the babyfaces sitting down. Zummi does the magic promo as we cut to behind the curtain as Tummi and Cubbi are standing in Mickey Fantasia outfits with their MAGICAL BOX OF SATAN ready to do their little magic show. Cubbi is worried that the tricks won't work; but Tummi assures him that he is the best helper he ever had. Now that's an honor best served hot. The curtain rises on our practical jokesters as the episode ends right there at 10:48. Great episode marred by a few errors. It would have been nice to see them do a trick together at the end; but they were running out of time anyway so it probably wouldn't have matter. Cubbi and Tummi are really good together. **** 1/2 ( 90%)
A Tree Grows In Dunwyn: We begin this one as Castle Dumbwin as a knight yells at everyone that the trolls have escaped as we have a Middle Ages version of a prison escape. Nice CONTINUITY from the writers as the trolls from Over The River And Through The Trolls have plotted their escape. We cut to a grass hatch as Clutch the Troll leader (same voice as before Corey Burton) popping out of the hatch with his two troll sidekicks Nip and Tuck which are voiced by Micheal Rye and Paul Winchell. Clutch is holding a weird pistol gun which makes it one of the few times Gummi Bears allowed a gun in this series. Wait until 1990 when they really go hog wild with the real guns. Nip (the black masked troll) pops out and he's the guy who praises his leader all the time it seems while Tuck is the fat troll. I don't remember that troll being so fat in my life. Gregor must have fed him well. Tuck nearly destroys Clutch's nose as he pops out from the hatch and Tuck gives him the bag of walnuts. Clutch blows him off and grabs the sack because apparently; Tuck was eating their bullets. Clutch throws some walnuts into his walnut gun and shoots them at the knights which causes them to scatter.
Those are some nasty walnuts (along with the gun) as they shoot out the lamps in the process. Nice to see that Cubbi's Nuts To You line has return and used in a better context here. The knights are voiced by Lorenzo Music, Michael Rye and Paul Winchell so now all characters are presented and accounted for in this episode. We cut to the forest as Clutch runs to find the apple tree because that's where the stolen gold is. I didn't know they hid the gold there; Over The River didn't even mention where they hid it so we cannot call it a logic break. And of course the apple tree has been uprooted and taken away (check the tire tracks). Clutch is SHOCKED AND APPALLED (in that order) as Nip calls the incident a bad case of gophers. Clutch rightfully blows it off because gophers don't leave cart tracks while ride off into the woods as Clutch looks at his gun and claims that someone is going to be MURDERED if he finds out who stolen his apple tree.
So this logically leads to Gruffi getting his foot squashed by the cart and doing the foot grabbing spot as he blows off this idea of taking this apple tree on the cart. The rest of the babyfaces plus Princess Calla are there with him I should note. Grammi blows of Gruffi because she is Grammi and that is what she does. Princess Calla stops her for going off tangent and does her sweet talk routine to Gruffi. See; this tree is a present for King Gregor and it's a new year because it's Monarch's Day once again. Okay; that makes sense as Gruffi is still hopping around selling the possible broken foot. Princess Calla tells Gruffi and it's better to give than get and Gruffi blushes in her presence and stutters. Well; that's the first time someone stutters without being bullied. However; Gruffi blows them off because they have a tree to deliver and everyone smiles. Because he is no longer out of character and the world is right again.
We cut back to Castle Dumbwin...ERRR..Castle Dunwyn as apparently; they got the lights working again. Which is bad as Princess Calla and the babyfaces have arrived with the apple tree on the cart. Princess Calla wonder she will get the apple tree into the courtyard and Gruffi does a sweet promo and gives her the VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE. Princess Calla uncorks the VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and drinks up. It's ROID RAGE TIME and the doing sound sounds so..odd...Princess Calla grabs the tree and throws it right into the courtyard and it is literally planted into the ground in the middle of the courtyard. Now that is strength beheld. Zummi praises Gruffi for his idea; a rare feat for Gruffi I might add. Everyone thanks everyone else as Princess Calla gives Gruffi the Dumbwin Award of Merit (a statue with a knight armor statue) to Gruffi for his idea. He hugs it like a human being of course which probably means that it will go to his head ala Baloo in A Bad Reflection On You Part One. We cut to further in the forest as Tuck is sniffing the cart tracks (EWWW!) as Clutch wants his verdict. Tuck states that they couldn't have gone far as he explains some more and then Clutch grabs Nip and scatters into the bushes as we cut to the babyfaces with the cart coming back to Gummi Glenn.
Tuck realizes this and hides in the bushes leaving a ring of dust in his wake. We cut back to the cart as Gruffi is riding in it and is charmed by his new award. He basically broke Baloo's record for a trophy going to his head. Grammi of course blows him off because he refuses to push and pull his weight around. The trolls pop from the bushes and Clutch sees Gummi Bears and thinks that they stole his gold. Considering that the apple tree has their gold; they stole it so it makes sense. The troll decide to follow them and get their gold back. We cut to the shot of Gummi Glenn AFTER HAPPY HOUR as we get various cuts of the Gummi Bears in their beds sleeping and snoring. Tummi is dreaming of food, Grammi and Gruffi don't sleep together which is a blessing for them I guess as someone's gloved hand covers Tummi's mouth as he wakes up from the sudden lack of air in his mouth. We cut to Gruffi walking down the stairs looking at his merit award and still lets it go to his head of course. Where is that tinfoil hat WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT?! He shines it with his night gown of course and enters the living room as Grammi screams out not to come in and of course he foolishly walks in.
Nip and Tuck blitz Gruffi and tackle him down to the ground as he realizes that there are trolls in Gummi Glenn. He demands answers while insulting them and Nip blows him off. Clutch gets off the fifth Shut up of the series and nearly backhands Nip; but Nip scatters and hides behind Tuck. Clutch grabs onto Gruffi and demands where his gold is. Gruffi plays dumb; so Clutch offers to rearrange his face for playing smart. Gruffi admits that the tree is in Dumbwin Castle and Nip and Tuck go paranoid as they don't want to go back because it's prison for them if they return. So Clutch shoots at them with the NUTCRACKER GUN OF DOOM to make them dance to their walnut doom. HA HA! Clutch basically threatens Gruffi to get the apple tree from Dumbwin Castle or he'll MURDER the babyfaces who are tied up in the background. He uses the walnut gun to basically lop off Gruffi's merit award trophy. Wow; that was quick for Gruffi to snap out of it. Gruffi agrees to the terms as along as he has some help. Clutch agrees to that at least and lets Zummi and Tummi go while insulting them. Tummi blows it off thinking he's the old bear. Too funny as Clutch blows him off in kind because he wants his gold as Tummi and Zummi are forced to walk away from the tied up Gummi's to end the segment four and a half minutes in....
After the commercial break; we head to Castle Dumbwin inside the hallway as a guard is walking down the hallway doing his usual guard duties. There is also a bad picture of Dukie in the background without the goatee which makes me question King Gregor's motives for putting it there; or perhaps he has the goatee edited out for some sick punishment. We go to the PICTURE EYES OF FEAR as the picture opens and out comes Tummi, Zummi and Gruffi as apparently the noise has the guard wondering who is there. Tummi of course responds to that and the guard acts like a dumb guy before getting the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY. Gruffi and Zummi cover Tummi's mouth before any more damage can be done and they scatter into the courtyard as we see the apple tree in the middle of it. Gruffi, Zummi and Tummi go to the apple tree as Gruffi proclaims that the gold is hidden inside the apple tree. Gruffi wonders where it is and Tummi goes for the obvious answer: pull the lever (WRONG LEVER!) and you'll find the compartment. Sadly; he pulls down on a real branch and it nails Gruffi right on his tinfoil hat paranoid head. Gruffi thanks him for being so lame of course after selling the move. Zummi of course finds the knot and the door leading inside of the apple trees opens up. Gruffi looks in and there is nothing..AND THE ROCK SEZS NOTHING!
Well; this is going along smoothly as the beacon flashes on our heroes and the SHADOW OF DOOM using it reveals itself as Princess Calla in her pink nightgown. So we cut back to Gummi Glenn as Nip and Tuck are having fun screwing the tied up Gummi Bears. Sunni (back in her regular clothes) is gathering food for Tuck; while Nip is using Grammi as a pinata while eating some fruit. Tuck grabs whatever food Sunni finds while blowing her off. Grammi blows off Nip which earns her some fruit right in her mouth to shut her up. I betcha Gruffi would be proud (ducks flying fruit from Grammi). Nip tries to eat; but gets nailed by Cubbi who's tied to a chair and Cubbi blows him off. I guess the previous tying up was too gay for the trolls to handle. Nip grabs Cubbi (right out of his seat and someone the ropes stay almost intact) almost by the throat, blows him off and then stuffs him back into the trash room in a nasty spot. Chris puts Cubbi at eight years old; but he looks like a six year old ala Molly Cunningham. Sunni looks ten years old I should note. Clutch is really getting upset here so he does some shooting against a bear carving on the door to waste some time. He's getting to 0.8 Trigun at this point if this was a real bullet shooting gun.
We head back to the courtyard as Princess Calla admits to the Gummi Bears that King Gregor and the knights found the gold and put it back into their royal vault since it was their money in the first place. Tummi asks Gruffi for a plan and Gruffi has none to offer. Princess Calla offers to give them access to the vault through a secret door; but Zummi refuses because it's Dumbwin's money in the first place. Calla blows it off because innocent people are going to get hurt. She has a MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN...but it's very risky so you know that this is serious......We head back to Gummi Glenn as Sunni is hiding beside a giant harp as Nip and Tuck play a little baseball in a messy Gummi Glenn. The door opens and Clutch (who is sitting down in his chair) notices Zummi and Tummi sliding in with the CHEST OF DEMONS. Clutch demands to know where Gruffi is and Zummi states that the guards got him which allows Sunni to gasp in horror. Nip and Tuck cheer for that spot as Clutch opens the CHEST OF DEMONS and sure enough there is all the stolen gold that they stole previously from Gregor. Nip and Tuck cheer for their share and Clutch turns on them! WOW! He threatens them as he goes over to the CHEST OF DEMON and defends it while the babyfaces join Nip and Tuck along with upside down Grammi. Nip and Tuck blow off Clutch as a double crosser and Clutch agrees with them. Clutch is such a slime ball. I think like divas; trolls secretly hate each other.
Clutch threatens to let the fur fly as he goes over to the CHEST OF DEMONS and then suddenly Gruffi pops out of the stolen gold and tackles down Clutch in a fit of rage. They struggle as Sunni shouts out for Gruffi in the background while Zummi goes through his SPELLS OF SATAN to find the proper spell. Nip and Tuck decide to exit stage right as Tummi goes after them; but Nip uses Grammi to MURDER Tummi and force him to the floor. Well; the trolls were no fools; I'll give them that much. Zummi runs through his notes and still cannot find a spell. You know you are screwed when THAT happens. Must be padding for time here as Tummi recovers and Grammi tells him to swing her back. Tummi sells and Grammi uses her chompers to drag Nip onto the floor which allows Tummi to squash him flatter than Alexander the Grape. Finally; Grammi does something without looking like a stereotype. Tuck runs stage left so Sunni chases him with the...I cannot believe I'm typing this... SALAMI OF DOOM! And somehow it makes her look like a real child doing it. She keeps whacking Tuck with is and Zummi gets twirled in the confusion (twice) and drops his spell notes. For goodness sakes; just pick one and cast it Zummi Gummi!
Sunni goes over to the garbage can while Cubbi is and uses that as a rolling device. Oh swell; I knew Sunni would use Cubbi for some sick purpose; she was just waiting to use it. She rolls it down and the garbage can is really a vase which shatters into a million pieces on impact of Tuck's big butt. Both Tuck and Cubbi are out; Tuck knocked out; Cubbi is out of the vase. Cubbi thanks her for the spot as Clutch goes for his walnut gun again; but Gruffi is preventing him from grabbing it. So Clutch kicks him right in the kisser and that's enough for Gruffi to fly away as Clutch grabs the walnut shooter again to threaten Gruffi again. Disney Caption really screws up here..Clutch said naughty nutter; not naught the nutter here. Zummi is in trouble here so he grabs the conveniently place Gummi Shield (Geez; I wonder if the writers for Dave The Barbarian were watching this?) and throws the shield right at the walnut shooter which kills Clutch's aim. Clutch leaves as Cubbi, Sunni and Tummi run to him while Gruffi thanks Zummi for the spell. Zummi claims to get that one from the Ancient Gummis. Gruffi tells everyone to stay behind and guard the trolls because the leader is his to beat up. He uncorks his VIAL OF ROIDED JUICE and drinks up.
It's BUTT BOUNCING TIME as Clutch is outside running in the forest like a scared puppy. He slides in front of a tree to catch his breath and out pops Gruffi from the tree in a cute spot to scare Clutch. Gruffi hides again as Clutch runs stage left as Gruffi bounces in front of Clutch just to annoy him as Clutch shoots to kill like a paranoid freak. We get the Gruffi pops out of three trees spot taunting Clutch as Clutch runs through the forest. He backs up and continues to shoot and scream to leave him alone. True sign of a bully: He is a coward when it's one on one. He back up to the tree as door number nine opens to reveal a smug Gruffi Gummi. Clutch turns around and tries to shoot his walnut gun; but it is out of ammo. You know you are screwed when THAT happens. Gruffi gleefully blows him off for his stupidity of course. Clutch tries to MURDER him with the walnut gun while saying that he would rather be dead and misses completely. This guy has poor aim without the walnuts it seems. Clutch runs away again and he falls right into the pit that the babyfaces dug when they uprooted the apple tree earlier in the episode. Now that is irony biting you in the butt. Clutch demands that Gruffi gets him out of that pit and goes into Monty Hall mode to make a deal. Gruffi decides to give him something because it's better to give than to get. So he throws his merit award and basically knocks out Clutch with a sick bump off-screen.
Gruffi walks away from that as we get the STOCK FOOTAGE OF DOOM and we head to Castle Dumbwin's king room as Princess Calla hugs her father and wants to shower him with gifts since it's Monarch's Day. Princess Calla and King Gregor go to the courtyard as she shows them the apple tree and then Princess Calla invokes the rope to open the secret doors to reveal the three trolls all knocked silly and tied up. What sheer irony?! King Gregor wants to know how she captured them and Princess Calla basically blows her cover saying that the Gummi Bears helped her. You HEARTLESS...King Gregor doesn't believe her. Well; that renders the whole “Don't tell the secret” angle completely pointless now doesn't it. Nice going writers! The trolls struggle as Calla and King Gregor leaves as we cut to Gruffi sitting on a tree branch on the apple tree nicely blowing off King Gregor to end the episode at 10:48. Pretty much average and inoffensive. Although the ending pretty much rendered an angle pretty much pointless if King Gregor isn't going to buy Calla's little secret. *** ¼ (65%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Two more shorts are in the books and this getting to be a broken record at this point; a mixed bag of results. Presto Gummo was a really good one because it combines my favorite two Gummi Bears Tummi and Cubbi getting into trouble because Cubbi wants to amuse himself and Tummi wants to do magic. There was some vibe that I felt that Cubbi would probably act like a jerk when he was doing these complex stunts (for a child anyway) in place of Tummi trying to do something that he had no ability to do and succeeding every time. Tummi is a dense character and of course when Cubbi was ready to tell him the truth he didn't get Cubbi when Cubbi was laughing his butt off which I admit that Tummi attempt at magic was funny. However; once Dukie got involved Tummi pretty much got what he deserved for thinking that he was a wizard when most of the magic he was trying to do (and failing) was simple parlor tricks anyway. We get the usual pathos in Drekmore and then Cubbi and Tummi basically screwing with the ogres. However; the episode suffered from a lack of time as their escape from Drekmore wasn't shown other than seeing Dukie get the place going down with him after he drank the Gummi Berry Juice and of course we never got to see their final magic act at the end which would have really helped the pathos as characters. However; they had to rush this episode due to time. TMS was on except for one small error of height near the finish.
A Tree Grows In Dunwyn as a middling episode with some cute spots; but mostly a good story about crushing irony. The trolls were back and at least Clutch was given some more character development; but I wish the yellow troll returned since he was part of the convoy in Over The River & Through The Trolls and not Tuck. It ruined the continuity a little bit. I also felt that the ending was all right; but they blew the “Don't tell anyone our secret” by having Calla say outright that the Gummi Bears helped her and King Gregor telling her that he doesn't buy it. This weakens the whole point of the angle and renders it as an exercise in pointlessness. Sadly; the whole trophy going to your head wasn't played out as well as I hoped and certainly worse than Bad Reflection On You was. Overall; a pair of good shorts...So...
Thumbs up for Presto Gummo and thumbs in the middle for A Tree Grows in Dunwyn and I'll see you all next time.