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Tub Be Or Not Tub Be
Reviewed: 02/28/2017
That's A Stupid Idiot's Question!
Well; this is the final episode rant I am doing before the pilot as Goofy and Pete have a race in bathtubs. That is the entire plot folks! And you thought DTVA was above such Johnny Test nonsense?! Well; that's what you get for dealing with the sitcom genre; you don't rate plots that are beyond a middle class level of entertainment. This is the second last VHS episode I will be ranting on; the other is Franken Goof; which is the second Halloween episode. So how does this episode fare? Let's rant on shall we...?!
This episode is written by Marion Wells and story edited by Karl Geurs. The animation was provided by Kennedy Cartoons Inc.
We begin this one at the fair on the lake with the title card in purple and featuring white explosions. The rides are moving, the rides are moving. POW! OUCH! Ummm...Okay; I'll stop mocking Kennedy Cartoon for it's awesome cartoon movement. Focus on the red balloon, Mr. Weagle; nothing of note to see here. We are in Spoonerville as it's eighty degrees outside and no one cares about that. Circus music ensues as we discover that this is the tenth annual Water Carnival. We see the denizens riding on rides, looking on and shooting the breeze in a G-rated way. The merry-go-round is notable for having small whales as the rides. There is a legit cat in a green shirt and sailor hat looking on as the announcer informs us that the bathtub race is tomorrow. There is a huge lineup in the background with denizens either grinning or not being amused at all. Announcer tells us that you can sign up for the race at Honest Pete's Used Car, and Bobby Heenan laughs it all up! Max and PJ cut off the line completely carrying boxes and an orange model airplane as Max wants to try the Whale Of Fortune next. PJ tells him to do it himself because PJ is a loser. PJ trips and falls; as boxes bonk off his head to further cement that point. The props on the airplane are so sharp that they somehow make PJ bald. PJ rubs his hair wondering if he can even win once. Answer: Apparently, not. So we head to Pete's Used Car Lot with balloons, ribbons and a giant sign of Pete winning a trophy with money and stars coming out of it. We zoom out to see Pete on his black car with the megaphone telling us the rules of engagement which is first tub to make it through the woods, across the lake and back across the finish line wins a thousand lousy bucks. PJ is trying to grab Pete's attention, so he hangs onto Pete and screams into the megaphone in his face; which is countered with Pete screaming. Why not? This is exactly what this episode needs: more windbags! PJ asks if he could be on his racing team...wait a minute! Isn't it a conflict of interest to allow the employer/sponser to have his own racing team? Pete nicely tells him no; because he's not ready to be a winner yet. Maybe next year.
So Pete asks if anyone wants to do this and then all the denizens walk off as the cowboy dogear (Brian Cummings) in blue with a black mustaches tells us that he has won the event for the last ten years in the row. In other words; everytime the Water Carnival has ever existed. There is no one dumb enough to race him. I think he means; "No one sleazy enough to race him" since Pete has to CHEAT TO WIN~! Zoom out to Goofy at the table signing his name with Max looking on. So PJ comes over and lays his head on the table, proclaiming that palm trees'll grow in Siberia before Dad lets me on this team. Which at the rate of human-made climate change; would probably make PJ about sixty years old. Goofy offers PJ a spot on the team and Max loves this. Wanna bet Pete changes his mind and forces PJ on his team?! Oh; and Goofy has lost the race every year for the last ten years. Wait; so Max was allowed to be a team mate during the first eight years of his life. Where was CPS when you needed them?! In the first race; Max would be one and a half years old! Goofy losing every race for ten years makes sense with his character; but he's acting like Max was his partner for those ten years. Goofy claims that things will be different because he has something up his sleeve: Saying number one in Spanish. HAHA! Pete is so cocky and wanting to cheat so bad that he still uses the megaphone to overhear them, even though Goofy is talking loud enough for him to hear normally. I'm fine with this because Goofy is supposed to be stupid. Pete laughs at his expense of course as Goofy proclaims that the proof is in the racing. Yeah; I'll bet! Goofy tickles Max's belly as he, Max and PJ start to walk out. Pete ponders it over and wants to be safe than out a thousand dollars. Jump cut to Goofy's driveway as Goofy is in the jeep with a rope attached to it, asking if the kids are ready. Why yes folks; Goofy is going to rip a perfectly usable bathtub from his own bathroom, why do you ask? You think Pete is going to provide them with the tubs? He's a car salesman, not a tub salesman you know! So yes; they rip the bathtub out and Kennedy does a really good job in this sequence, so no complaints.
Also; they rip the bathtub out; destroying the shower wall and some pipes in the process; flooding the house. Well; it is their property and Goofy approved of it, so this doesn't fall under the "destroying people's properties with impunity" rule. They flood the property good as Pete is on the motorboat laughing his ass off of course; because Goofy is a stupid idiot. The tub is smashed against the back of the jeep as PJ asks if this is the same tub they lost with every year. Goofy pretty much admits that it is; but he's going to make some secret modifications to it. Goofy walks over to a rope and snaps the rope; which causes a blue striped circus tent to fall over the house, because we don't want Pete to try to CHEAT TO WIN~! That would imply that Pete believes that Goofy is an actual threat to his title as bathtub racing champion. Pete accuses them of hiding something as we head inside with PJ and Max as Max calls this more secret than his report card. So; it's not top secret. Also of note is the really bad DVD mastering as there is a white sideways T clearly showing on PJ's purple sweater. Max tells him not to breathe a word to Pete about this deal. PJ stammers and then does this really stupid dance about eating bugs, and turning to dust before breaking the sacred trust. Proving that PJ cannot rap to save his life; I wish he break the sacred trust and disown his father, so he can be strong again. Whipwhap! So Goofy wants a plan huddle; and Pete screams for PJ as PJ has to bail out. Jump cut to Pete in the backyard as PJ comes to him. Pete wants to talk to him as Pete walks PJ over to his tub, which looks like one of those monster trucks; only it's a monster tub, to pardon the pun. Pete pushes a button to bring out a sandwich and drink. Pete gives PJ the sandwich as PJ proclaims that Goofy needs a miracle to win now as Pete wants to cut to the chase. PJ eats the sandwich and Pete thinks he's ready to be on his team. Geez; how convenient is this?! PJ is so shocked that he spits poop on Pete's shirt. HA! Pete rubs it off as he goes on about sharing the trophy, prize money and glory with his son.
Pete puts PJ in the front as PJ uses the wheel as an image of a trophy with money in it glows in front of him. Talk about thinking too hard here. PJ notices it and it disappears in a puff of magic smoke of course. PJ jumps off and wants to go back to Goofy to inform him that he has quit the team; but Pete cuts him off to give him a green baseball cap; which looks terrible even on me. However; it has a camera and antenna on it; so you know Pete is up to no good here. Pete walks him over to inform him that everything in this camp is top secret; so PJ has to take the Pete Family Pledge. They do the worst rapping of chopping down trees I have ever seen, I wish they wouldn't tell on thee. PJ is also confused. Join the club, sir. Pete hugs him and tells PJ that he'll find out. That is usually a bad sign right there. Pete tells PJ to break the news to Goofy and PJ runs out as Pete turns the satellite dish over proclaimimg that he's more thankful for the help than he will ever know. Jump cut to Goofy's backyard as Max and Goofy come out. Goofy is carrying giant thick metal washers for some reason. Max is setting up a slide projector on the table for no reason as PJ crawls underneath the curtain as Max and Goofy are telling PJ that Mother Nature trip them up all these years and caused them to lose. BWHAHAHAHAHAHA! I don't think Mother Nature is that good in tripping you up there Goofy. More like a certain catnose who needs to stay in the doghouse forever. PJ stammers as Goofy explains that the race day gets muddier than the bogs in Louisiana and it almost never rains during the race. Huh, you don't suppose...Jump cut to in the living room as Pete is watching the whole thing from his chair having a bowl of popcorn. Pete is amazed about his garden hose skills and basically admits that he CHEATS TO WIN~! Why doesn't that surprise me? Pete laughs so hard that the popcorn bowl falls off his belly in the process and that ends the segment nearly seven minutes in. Pete wishes he was Bobby Heenan.
After the commercial break; we continue on with Pete watching television in his living room. Basically; the All Spy To CHEAT TO WIN channel! AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Target du jour: Goofy creating a bath tub racer. Using a hidden camera in PJ's hat; who has no idea what is going on here. Pete continues to eat with his mouth full; which is dangerous considering how much of a choking hazard popcorn is. Goofy proclaims that he is going to use flippers to go through the mud this time and Pete nearly chokes as we see Goofy demonstrate his new bathtub with the water wheel in the back and a shower pipe with wheels, rope and a cardboard box. Here's another question: How did Goofy get footage of the previous race slides and who was taking the pictures? Goofy races through the mud with ease; mostly because there's little mud to cause splatter as Pete is not amused by this. Next slide shows two crocodiles in the lake surrounding Goofy's boat. Max is nowhere to be seen in any of those pictures as Pete laughs about the special delivery from Florida. Pete dares Goofy to find a way out of this as Goofy brings out a yellow bag of saltwater taffy made from his Grandmammy. And yes; he says "mammy" here; which is considered a offense term for a black nursemaid or nanny. I wonder if Toon Disney snipped this out? (Note from the future: It wasn't snipped out.) Goofy stuffs one in PJ's mouth for fun and that effectively shuts up PJ for a while. Jump cut to Pete dailing a telephone and calling for Harbour Shipping & Receiving; telling them to send the gators back to Florida. Wait; so even PETE thinks that this is cruelty to animals? He hangs up the phone at once and proclaims that there is more than one way to skin a Goof. No thanks, Pete; I don't want to know the first way either! Jump cut to Goofy showing his Ken Patera skills with the bathtub as he mentions Hobknob Hill; which looks like a bottomless pit. Goofy thinks Gopher is responsible for this as Pete is drinking a can of soda claiming that he dug more holes than Goofy has in his head. I'm guessing....two?
Apparently; Goofy has dug a large hole in his backyard as Goofy rides the bathtub into it. Max tells PJ to watch this as Goofy brings out the BROOMSTICK HELICOPTER OF DOOM and Goofy pedals so hard that the bathtub rises up into the air. Goofy manages to fly the thing over the hill and is so pooped that he lands on the edge of the cliff safely. Max proclaims that they are going to win as Goofy plops onto the ground. PJ is fearful that he'll get a triple hernia first. PJ asks why they don't use a gas engine or something as Goofy mugs for the camera as Pete blows PJ off for giving them ideas. Goofy goes to the official bathtub rule book made by Pete himself which states that all bathtubs must be muscle powered, or Pete is disqualified. Also; it's CHEAT TO WIN~! Okay; Goofy didn't say that, but it's still implied. Pete mocks him and calls Goofy a geek. You mean, dork Marion Wells. Geek is not an insult anymore and it wasn't in 1992. Get over yourselves and move on! Scene change to Pete in his driveway as he ties up his tools lying on the ground and throws them into the black car proclaiming that it'll take a little bit more effort this year to win; but that's no big deal because he has an extra pair of hands this year. Jump cut to PJ, Max and Goofy on the steps of Goofy's house drinking soda. PJ finally explains that Pete wants him on the team after all. Max is fine with this as long as he doesn't snitch on their secrets. Pete screams at PJ and PJ proclaims that he didn't tell his father a thing as he leaves. We then fade to black (I'm guessing this is the Non-American commercial break) and we return as PJ and Pete are in the woods tying a canopy to the trees. Pete ties a rope across the road as they are setting a trap. Because it's time to CHEAT TO WIN~ see! PJ climbs down and runs over calling this mighty fair of them. What a stupid idiot PJ is?! Even if he is gullible enough to fall for Pete's camera trick; this is way too contrived to be anything but a setup. Pete and PJ walk away from the hard camera as Pete calls that the truth. I so far don't see much difference between this episode and most racing episodes on Johnny Test, so why do modern critics leave Goof Troop alone?
Scene change to Pete's motorboat BEFORE HAPPY HOUR (sunset) as we jump cut to PJ staggering and stumbling to put a giant sized brick tied to a rope into the water. The other end is attached to a metal ball containing plungers as we see multiple globes of them underwater. Jump cut to Pete relaxing on his lawn chair with a drink and a plunger of course, because he's a lazy evil bastard. Pete is putting plungers into a giant metal ball as he claims that he was trying to get the gators out but didn't have a teammate to help him. Pete fires a plunger into PJ's ass for fun. Pete throws a plush gator into the water and a plunger sticks to it to demonstrate the trap as PJ isn't all that amused by this. PJ asks about Goofy's bathtub and Pete checks his map and mock speaks that the race is on the other side of the lake and wipes sweat from his forehead. Yip; he's lying. Scene change to AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark) as Pete is yelling to PJ, thanking him for filling the booby traps...ERRR...he means, gopher holes as we see PJ pushing a boulder on a cliff attached to a rope with Pete on the race path level. PJ struggles with the boulder as PJ asks how this is supposed to be a safety feature. PJ hits the wooden marker as Pete calls him a sharp kid and explains that it's a memorial as he is going to commission a sculptor to crave the winning teams' faces on it; which PJ is in awe over. Pete calls this the Mount Rushmore of tub racing. Yeah; I'll bet. Oh; and PJ will be on the stone if they win. PJ thanks Pete and Pete calls it his pleasure. I should note that when Pete pulls on the rope, the rock does the most awkward spasm I have ever seen. It's almost like Kennedy Cartoons is trying to laugh at people like me. Fade to black to turn me...Well; if it's off, it didn't work. I'm still finishing up this rant as we head to Pete's house. PJ heads into his rocket bed in his bedroom as Max wants PJ to see something. PJ blows him off because it's two am in the morning. PJ hears fast-forwarding in the background and walks back downstairs noticing Pete is in the living room watching the spy footage of Goofy. Uh-oh! PJ is shocked and horrified as he realizes that the hat was taking the pictures.
Pete then takes the map and changes it so Goofy runs right through the wrong end of the lake. PJ runs in with the camera and hat angry as hell for Pete's CHEAT TO WIN antics and using him as the spy to pull it off. Pete is acting like PJ is full of it claiming that he doesn't have a dishonest bone in his body. So he's admitting that he's honestly cheating?! Pete backs PJ up the stairs stating that PJ must uphold the family name and asks if he wants to lose. PJ no sells as he goes into his bedroom; proclaiming that he's going to inform Max of the place being booby-trapped. Pete asks if it's right to welch on a promise PJ made. Ummm; if it was under false pretenses, yes! Pete bonks into the planet models in the ceilings as PJ goes to bed as Pete mangles metaphors on two wrongs not making a right even when trying to right a wrong. PJ stammers like a stupid idiot as Pete proclaims that PJ is now old enough to understand the simplitit-whatevers of life and offers his official coming of age green Pete lettered tie. Wow; this is truly the defintion of child cruelty as PJ has to wear the tie as well. PJ stammers as Pete goes to the door; turns the lights out and tells PJ to get some sleep. Pete leaves as PJ ponders who to break his promise to: Max or Pete. Huh; that's an easy one, it's Pete obviously. I betcha he breaks his promise to both and it destroys both friendships for about five minutes before being accepted back by Max and Goofy. This ends the segment thirteen minutes in. Yes folks; this is the second straight episode where the third act is longer than the first two acts. Not much of note to say so far.
After the commercial break; we head to the starting lines of the race in the crowded streets of Spoonerville as the race official with a starter's pistol that looks like a real one. He also has the most absurd top hat in history standing on the podium with PA and purple ribbons decorating it. The crowd is awfully large for an event no one wants to enter except the race sponser and Goofy. Because he's a stupid idiot of course and will enter anything for no reason. Pete looks like a tool in his outfit on the street by the way. Goofy and Max get into their tub as Pete mocks him good luck. Pete looks like the most dishonest boy scoutsmaster you will ever see. Pete shakes Goofy's hand and gives him the false map of doom; just to show that he's got Jack W. Tweeg's evil scheming down to a T as well. Goofy gives the map to Max who will be the navigator of this outfit. Kit's now laughing like Bobby Heenan laughed at Hacksaw Jim Duggan in WCW. PJ is on a cheesy bike asking Max is it right to be wrong. That is a good question; but I doubt Max has an answer to it. Besides; the Grand Marshall of the race cuts PJ off as it's READY...STEADY....GO~! GM fires the starter pistol and flies off the podium as Goofy and Max drive away from PJ before PJ can finally get the proper words out. Pete mocks the two goofs and proclaims that he is going to give them a head start. Memo to Pete: Swiftheart Rabbit did the exact same thing, without cheating and still lost the damn race to ultra slow Lottasheart Elephant. Bad idea, very, very, bad idea! Pete wants to watch all the fireworks as PJ rides over and tells Pete that he needs to make a pitstop and a short cut and bails stage right. Pete is confused and we fade to black. A lot of fading is going on in this episode as we head into the forest hills with PJ riding the mountain bike through. PJ is trying to deboob the booby traps as he trips the wire and gets buried in the white cloth trap as we see Goofy and Max ride and they run right over him. Max thinks he heard PJ in all this; but they race on as Goofy is happy that they covered the mudhole. PJ also gets clobbered by Pete's bathtub as well.
Goofy is in the lead as Goofy calls this bump an unsolved mysteries. Surprisely; Disney Captions did not capitalized "Unsolved Mysteries"; since that used to be a television show back in 1992. Pete is shocked; but he'll get the babyfaces at the lake as PJ crawls out of the carnage proclaiming that he needs to get to the lake. Scene change to Pete bouncing on his bathtub hot rod as PJ is riding the bike past him apologizing. Pete demands answers to this outrage and PJ claims that he remembered that he forgot to turn off the shower and he'll be back in a flash. So Goofy and Max ride onto the lake as the water wheel comes down and we have anchors away. Jump cut to PJ tying rocks around his body and then bikes into the water and holds his breath. PJ starts cutting the ropes on the plunger bombs as the plungers grab onto the bathtub and Goofy cannot progress. Goofy wonders why the tub won't work it's magic as Pete is on the shoreline wanting a nice long lunch. Pete is watching with binocular during this while eating a sandwich and drink some milk. Sadly; Viagra doesn't exist at this point, so he will not be taking three of them. Max then notices PJ cutting the lines and he panics because PJ is a seamonster with PJ's face. Oh, come on, Max! No one would be fooled with that as PJ cuts the line; but the rope ties him up. The bathtub skips on the lake; and then the logic breaks internally (I'm shocked Kennedy Cartoons was able to keep it's logic straight for sixteen minutes to be honest with you) as PJ is no longer tied up and is hanging onto the rope while drowning. Memo to PJ: Let go! Pete is angry now because PJ has screwed up his slipknots; so he'll trap Goofy on Hobknob hill as he brings out the hotrod gas engine because it's time to CHEAT TO WIN~! It's also his last HA-YUCK; so Pete is implying that he is going to kill Goofy and Max. So the bathtub bounces some more as PJ somehow has gotten back on his bike and they slam into the cliff as PJ and the bike fly head over feet into the top half of the cliff near the boulder trap. Max is panting that he must be hearing and seeing PJ and is now swearing that he heard him again. Umm; look up, Max!
Or are you one of those people who time traveled to 2006 and saw Degeneration X promos on WWE Raw? Goofy backs up the bathtub and they race up as the waterwheel has broken off. Max deduces that it was sabotaged and out of nowhere finds a switchblade. Max claims that it was PJ's knife. Are you sure about that? Okay; it is, but Kit also has one. Pete revs the engines and bounces off the lake and passes the babyfaces speaking some Japanese after leaving them in his dust. Pete rides over and hides in the bushes; making sure to hide the gas engine because he doesn't want to be DQ'ed. Does anyone CHECK these bathtubs BEFORE the race starts?! This is a massive breach of racing protocol methinks. Pete goes over to the conveniently placed rope and pulls it as PJ is putting branches to brace the rock; but that is no good, so PJ has to grab onto the rock and keep it from coming down the mountain to crush the babyfaces. Sadly; that fails as PJ is forced to hang on in the convenient spot to being seen and the rock falls onto the road, cutting off Goofy's bathtub route. PJ is trying to climb up the cliff and this is not working as he freefalls and lands on his back. Max comes off and blows him off for being a skunk as PJ is trying to defend himself. Listen; I don't have nearly as much sympathy for PJ as I did with Kit when Rebecca yells at him over the babysitting job in It Came From Beneath The SeaDuck because in spite of the fact that Kit did in fact fall on his own sword, it was partially caused by Molly being Molly and he made an honest mistake. Hell; I can totally understand why Rebecca was upset, too. Here; PJ should have known Pete was lying because Pete does the same thing to him in every episode and he shouldn't be trusted on anything. And when PJ tried to fix it; he made it worse because he should have known better from the very start. He should have refused to be on Pete's team carte-blanche, end of story. And again; why were Max and PJ friends to begin with, when Pete is a toxic influence?! Max basically gives him one for and tells PJ that he can help by not showing his slimey face ever again and storms off and into the back of the bathtub.
Goofy is shocked by this and thinks never is a long time. Yes folks; even GOOFY thinks Max is taking it too far. Max proclaims that it's not long enough. You know what; if PJ wants to redeem himself: Have Pete win the race and then PJ runs in, exposes Pete's engine and do the DQ-finish. That would be a perfect finish and it redeems PJ even if Max never wants to be PJ's friend ever again. Somehow; I think they are going to not do this finish because Goofy winning would make Goofy's win mean something, even though this makes the concept of a DQ in this race completely pointless. We'll see what Marion books here as Max ponders what to do. Goofy isn't done yet as he starts invokes the HELICOPTER CYCLE OF DOOM...and there is not enough lift to bring them up. Goofy won't quit as he brings out bubble gum and chews it blowing a large bubble because Goofy is the Junior National Bubble Gum Blowing Champion? So why didn't he use THAT as an achievement in "Meanwhile, Back At The Ramp"?! I realize that Marion didn't write that episode; but COME ON! So Goofy's bathtub floats into the air as PJ bikes away and somehow managed to get past the blockage?! WHAT?! That makes no sense! Kennedy Cartoons suck! PJ notices Goofy and wants him to win. PJ then gets an idea as he bicycles into town as we head to the path to the finish line as the crowd is animated and cheering. Pete comes in loving this as PJ wheels in as Pete blows him off for being some team mate as PJ claims that he was watching to make sure the goofs were on the proper end of the rock pile; which is the loser end of the pile. Pete asks how it feels to be a winner and PJ lies that it's great; but he wants Pete to fix his tie so he looks exactly like him when they cross the finish line, and get their mugs in the newspaper. Pete of course is foolishly stopping near the finish line and jumps out of the bathtub. He starts fixing up PJ for a while with the tie and brings out a comb to comb PJ's hair. Suddenly; the crowd does the Supergoof promo as Goofy is flying up via the bubble gum balloon as Pete protests this cheating offense; as PJ grabs the rule book and proclaims that it's perfectly legal.
Well; good! That means, at least there cannot be a double DQ finish in this episode, because that would be worst than anything Dino Bravo's ever done. Pete climbs into the bathtub and races for his life as Max thinks that they have won. But wait; winning the race clean would not redeem PJ in anyway, so Goofy has to burst the bubble as the balloon rams into the lights on wire and we get some popping action. Max is grabbing onto the gum as Goofy crashes onto the street as the bathtub is destroyed in the process. I think. Nope; the bathtub somehow lands on Goofy for no reason. Goofy simply crawls to the finish line; which is perfectly legal since it is using muscle powers as Max cheers for this hauling of porcelain. Pete then starts to panic. Now; Pete's bathtub is faster than Goofy without any help; so he should still be able to come back to win, right? Oh wait; Pete is a heel, so he must...say it with me: CHEAT TO WIN~! So he turns on the gas engines like a cheating bastard, right in front of the crowd. Which is stupid because this doesn't redeem PJ in anyway and in order for Max to be friends again, PJ must run in to call out the cheating. This assures the DQ finish; but it doesn't help PJ in anyway. Bad, bad form there Marion Wells. Pete and Goofy make it to the finish line as somehow there is dust in the air. The GM has a camera because we are going to do the photo finish. Pete gets out and fires PJ because he cannot follow orders and was screwing him as he yells at PJ right in front of Goofy. Goofy is shocked to hear all this as Pete stammers like an idiot on cue. Pete is being a weasel claiming that this is all wrong as he is begging and claiming that he didn't mean any of it. PJ has the Gruffi pose on; so you know it's BS from the start. The GM comes in and declares Pete the winner by an inch which causes Pete to cheer victory. Then the GM notices flames coming from the back of the tub as Pete comes in and calls it a defective in the film as he rips up the photo. Umm; GM? CHECK THE DAMN BATHTUB NOW!
Pete addresses the crowd and then we get quite possibility the worst finish they could have done here: Pete proclaims to the camera that since he has won this even so many times, he's giving the trophy and money to Goofy. Max and PJ slap skin on cue...Wait, WHAT THE F*CK?! Why in the hell would Pete do that?! Pete won the race (cheating) and he simply gives the trophy to Goofy despite the fact that the evidence was eliminated? That makes no sense whatsoever. Pete and Goofy stand with the trophy of money. Goofy takes the trophy as Pete mumbles to never mention it again. Pete walks off as PJ comes over and gives him the tie and hat. When Pete tries to get the hat; the camera comes out of it right in front of the goofs. They are surprised as Pete is mumbling and threatening to take PJ out of his will to boot as he storms off. Max goes over and apologizes to PJ for thinking that he was behind the sabotage. Ummm; he actually was a willing player in it; so WHAT?! Listen; if you had PJ expose Pete's engine and did the DQ finish; this whole thing would be great; but they didn't go for that finish, so it makes Goofy look weak and makes me want to tell Max and PJ to stop being friends. Max asks if Pete was cheating and the kids walk out mangling metaphors about right and wrong as we circle fade out to end the episode at 21:12. This was an okay episode until that stupid finish. ** 1/2 (50%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Well; what more can I say?! This was basically a fine racing episode with few logic breaks and some good animation from Kennedy Cartoon, which is a win. However; the finish is what killed it for me: You had a simple DQ finish to book and they basically went for an out of character moment from Pete to save face and make Goofy look weak. It does nothing for PJ and it makes his reunion with Max feel fake and contrived. Outside of that stupid booking, this was an average racing episode with some Kennedy botchery before the finish; but otherwise, it was fine for what it is. If you don't like racing episodes; then you are not going to like this. If you do like them, then this is far from the worst of the lot. Overall; just an average episode. So next weekend; we finally start the pilot episodes as I originally planned. I hope these are decent, but I'm not holding my breath for it. So...
Thumbs in the middle for this episode and I'll see you all next time.