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Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil
Dead Man's Roller Coaster/Kick Or Treat Rant
Reviewed: 12/26/2011
Smell My Heat! Give Me Something Good To Like!
Time for the Halloween specials of Kick Buttowski; as Kick goes trick or treating and deals with a roller coaster. Umm; yeah. This is also the final episode rant on my old Northgate computer too. So let's continue on shall we...?
Dead Man's Roller Coaster is written and storyboards done by Scott O'Brien. The story is done by Derek Dressler and direction is done by Chris Savino. Kick Or Treat is written by Patrick Andrew O'Connor, storyboards by Troy Adomitis, Riccardo Durante and Mark Ackland and direction done by Chris Savino and Clay Morrow. All episodes are done in Flash of course.
First Note: I am doing the episodes in reverse order in case you didn't notice that the final sequence of the episode was in Deadman's Roller Coaster. Sorry about that.
Opening Moment #1: The title card features a rollercoaster with a skull. Heh.
Dead Man's Roller Coaster: We begin this one with a sky shot of Mellowbrook AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark) and then we hear Brad's attempt at a spooky voice inside a forest as Kick, Gunther, 3D and Chip Green are sitting down at the bonfire. Brad is using the flashlight to flash his face and laugh with an evil laugh. Gunther panics and shakes like a leaf as usual. Kick blows Brad off because there are no such things as ghost. Brad's reactions looks like he agrees with him; but he recoils and wants Kick to explain that...which is to pull the finger out of the socket. Which even shocks Chip Green and 3D. Oh; if Fanboy doesn't look like a bigger wuss than he already was...And Gunther throws off-screen of course. Kick blows off Brad because he's not here to talk about lame ghost stories. He's here to pay his last respect to Dead Man Dave (TAFKA Deadman Dink) and his wooden second hand skateboard. Brad calls it lame. I agree since Deadman Dave's board tells Kick to stay in school. I betcha it includes drink your drugs and don't do milk either. AHHAHAHAHAHA! POW! OUCH! Ummm..I pity the fool who told me that joke was safe to use. AGAIN! Kick claims that Dave did it for the purity of the sport which Brad calls lame. I agree with him. If he didn't do it for the money; how could he live? I betcha Kick never answers that question as Brad panics and shakes. He invokes the POINTY FINGER OF DEATH as Gunther is confused. Brad yells that it's the ghost of Deadman Dave and the goofs with attitude turn around...and the heels bail of course to the car and drive off as Brad calls Kick a sucker. HAHA! I betcha this was Brad's plan all along.
Kick is not amused as Gunther proclaims that they'll follow the road home. Kick disagrees because there is a shortcut that will beat them in half of the time. Which is inside the DARK SCARY FOREST OF DOOM. And before someone lambastes me for using another of doom pun; Gunther does calls it the dark scary forest. Gunther panics because of the ghost of Deadman Dave and Kick blows it off because there is no such things as ghosts. You would think Gunther would have learned that by now in Kick or Treat (which I did first before this one). Gunther wonder how Brad's pointy finger of death shook like that as we pan shot to the moon; rotate 360 degrees and go to the sky shot of the forest. Okay; that was a cute segueway. Gunther asks if they are lost now and Kick sezs no. And we repeat the spot three times as Kick stares at the camera and finally admits that they are lost. Gunther is relieved and brings out his cell phone to call Helga; but there is no service available. So Gunther walks around for a while trying to find a signal. And this ends up on some rocks as the no smoking censor is gone from the phone and Gunther calls out for Kick. Gunther looks down and he's on the head of a Paul Bynan statue. Gunther panics and hides behind Kick as Kick blows him off. He then notices that Paul is lot 1 and another statue is lot 2. Kick deduces that they are in the middle of a long lost parking lot which he is right on the sky shot zoom out.
Gunther asks about the parking lot for what and the dust clears and we see that it's the Mellowbrook Land that went out of business years ago. Needless to say; Kick and Gunther do a sequence of glee and cheer that would make Fanboy & Chum Chum hang their heads in shame. If FB and CC knew what the word shame really meant. We get a screaming phantom in the foreground that goes nowhere and the goofs with attitude run in through the turnstyle with glee. Sadly; since there is no one running the amusement park rides; there is no way to use them and we got nothing but owl noises. So Kick and Gunther decide to play the carnival games, although the cotton candy involves eating lint with spiders in the mouth as Gunther demonstrates. It's been a long while since they did gross humor; so it's forgivable. And Gunther is a weakling in the strongman hammer game; but Kick tries to grab the hammer and take three nasty shots to the helmet with it and manages to ring the bell anyway with his helmet. KICK'S A CHEATER! CHEATER! CHEATER! CHEATER! So we go to the hall of mirrors as Kick and Gunther admire their more sillier bodies. Kick wonders why they closed it and Gunther proclaims that it was a space age park and then they changed it Julie Verne style and it lost money and then shutdown. Good enough explaination for me as they bob up and down at the front of the funhouse. We see in the foreground the phantom of doom giggling.
Now at this point; you would think that this was clearly Brad in that suit. Well; you are wrong because we segue to the living room as Brad is watching television with his feet up watching something as we go to commercial. Apparently; it's an ad called "Do You Know Where You're Little Brother Is" and Brad notices the picture of a younger Brad and Kick in diapers sitting down on the ground. He grabs the picture and his heart is heavy. He looks really to cry and I am about to cringe, but the announcer proclaims that it's time for more Bikini Lumberjacks and Brad throws the picture away and it shatters. What? No cat screaming sound effect?! Whew! So we head to the Wild West show which starts in 15 minutes according to the board. Normally; it would be annoying for Gunther to say that; but since I can barely see the last bit of it; I'll let this one slide. We see Gunther with a stuff poodle and Kick with a stuffed lion as Kick wants to play some more games and Gunther decides to leave; but he'll save a seat for Kick as they leave in opposite directions. The phantom of the park is in the foreground laughing of course and we segue to Brad standing up in tears as he watches a tragic scene. Wait; an acting scene in a soft core porno?! I mean; isn't that what Bikini Lumberjacks is? I mean how else can you explain his parents banning him from watching it? Ironically; the love is between two robots in space as Brad cries. No really; I'm as SHOCKED as you are.
So we head to the Wild West Saloon and into the theatre as Gunther is sitting down with his stuffed poodle waiting for the show to start. He pats his hands down on the rails as we see Kick getting the bullseye in Skee-Ball. Kick cheers and then the thing fires back and misses Kick's head by two feet. Oh well; better luck next time sir. Kick demands answers to this outrage as the phantom floats behind him. Kick hears noises and turns to his left. Kick walks to the middle in front of the town hall and demands someone to come out right here, right now. And then all the rides start off by themselves. Hmmm; now where have I see this plot before? Oh yeah; Scooby Doo, Where Are You? So Scott O'Brien is a ghost writer's name for Richard Merwin. The phantom floats into the Merry-Go-Round and Kick runs in calling him Brad already; even though we clearly know it's not him. Now Chip Green and 3D on the other hand is quite probable. The Merry-Go-Round starts and Kick is forced to hang out as he blows off the heels. The horse breaks off and it flies out of the ride with Kick in tow. Care Bears Nelvana Edition , Care Bear Carney's. I'm just saying guys. He rams through the theatre on the stage and out the other side as Gunther cheers. Gunther calls it the pregame show and sits down of course.
So we head back to the living room as Brad has a green book called Precious Memories. He sees photographs of him and Kick watching television at various ages. Well; except for the last one which shows Denise is prageant with Kick. Brad cries and I'm so not buying this crap at all. Harold comes in asking about Kick and Brad screams in Harold's face; goes to the door, cuts a promo on Harold and then slams the door twice making sure to get one last blowoff before he slams the door a second time. I shake my head in disbelief as Denise walks in wondering what the hell that was about. I'm as confused as you are Denise. Harold calls it the first steps of Brad becoming a man. Which prompts Denise to snicker and she leaves to wash the dishes and she needs help; allowing Harold to give up and follow her. HAHA! Becoming a man indeed eh Harold? On the other hand; at least it stops Brad from trying to act like he's crying, so it's a thumbs up.
Kick follows the phantom as Kick looks like he wants to MURDER Brad; but then a skateboard plops from the phantom's underside. The phantom gets on the skateboard and Kick sezs it is on BABEE! He gets on Deadman Dave's skateboard and we race in the amusement park. We also see Brad driving the station wagon with 3D and Chip Green in back frightened which elminates them from the picture. So that only leaves three choices: Brianna, Jackie The Stalker and Deadman Dave left. Brianna is gone since she's too short and Jackie would have blown her cover minutes ago. So we return to Phantom Dave and Kick racing each other using the rapids for half pipes. Yawn. Then we head to the wave roller coaster as we get move skateboard moves. Still don't care since the process of elimination is gone now as we head to the Kiddie Racers and ride on the race track. Then it's Mr. Abe's Wild Race as a mech Abe does his usual stock promo. Don't care who is voicing here; although if it's a TaleSpin actor, I am interested on who it is. And then we head onto the Upper Clemens Park rollercoaster ride (I cannot tell what it is called officially here) as Kick has the phantom cornered and it looks like the phantom isn't about to leave anymore since he has his skateboard. The phantom notices the skateboard Kick has and Kick realizes that the phantom is Deadman Dave which is half true as he unclothes to reveal that he is Alive Man Dave. Kick shakes like crazy.
Dead Man Dave is voiced by David DeLuise who started with Hot Stuff as David Fortunato in 1979, then Rogie in the television movie Happy in 1983. From there he proceeded with movies like Driving Me Crazy, The Liar's Club, Hairshirt and The Godson. In television he was Darren Warner in Jesse, Sgt. Francis Brutto in Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles, Bug Pallone in Third Rock From The Sun, and Stargate SG-1 as Pete Shanahan. Kick Buttowski is his DTVA debut. Last Call, The Last Best Place and Wizards of Waverly Place as Jerry Russo (and as a director) are his most recent credits. He has 81 titles to his resume. Anyhow; we find out that Dave did in fact have the money and the chicks; but he did it for the purity for the sport; and he's tired of skateboarding anyway and hid in Mellowbrook Land. Kick wants to tell everyone; but Dave doesn't want that at all since he wanted to be dead so he could get away from the crazy world. He wants Kick to promise to never tell anymore that he's alive and Kick proclaims that he won't tell a soul. Dave does his finger wiggle and then bails as the station wagon appears and Brad runs out and embraces Kick like he lost his brother or something like that. And then he catches himself and notices the abandoned amusement park. Kick thinks he's safe; but Brad wants to make it his new hideout. Kick refuses this and Brad blows it off; but Kick shakes like a leaf and invokes the POINTY FINGER OF DEATH as Brad blows it off. However; the phantom appears behind them; the heels turn around, and you can pretty much guess what they do after this. They run like scalded dogs; put the car in reverse and drive backwards into the Ferris Wheel which spins like crazy; the heat breaks off the metal and then roll out of the amusement park out of sight. Whatever.
Dave sums it up nicely as Kick thinks that should do it; but realizes that he cannot come back either. Kick wonder how Dave will fare; and Dave claims that he has been bust the past 15 years doing the Western show every 15 minutes. Which of course segues to Gunther doing the Gruffi pose on his seat. Whatever Gunther. Dave states that the roller coaster is shabby and needs a test run; and Kick's eyes light up as they skateboard on the roller coaster for fun as we cut to a far shot of the amusement park ride as Dave yells Chimmy Chunga (which we last heard as the band name Kick used on Garage Banned) to end the episode at 10:20 approx. Just okay when Brad is not acting like a crybaby. So we end inside the Western Saloon stage as Kick is a horse and Dave is a cowboy as they dance and the floor collapses and they freefall down. Gunther boos this of course and that is that. HAHA! Good for you Gunther Magnumson. ** 3/4 (55%).
Opening Moment #2: The title card features a pretty funky pumpkin against the usual backgrounds this show uses.
Kick Or Treat: We begin this one with another overwrought sequence of Kick putting on his clothes...oh wait; it's Jackie dressed up as Kick. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh goody; you just knew Jackie would dress up as her idol. She looks in the mirror and she's all fired up. So she opens the window; talks about being with the couch doctor (Codeword: Shrink), and then shreks and then goes through the wall. HAHA! She's going insane on Kick without being with Kick. Perfect! So we head to Kick's house AFTER HAPPY HOUR as we pan down to Gunther wearing all purple as he heads to the door and it opens to reveal Denise as an angel. Awwww! I was hoping she would bring Honey Splash out of the mothballs for a cameo. Apparently; Gunther is a ballerina which Gunther corrects because he's Thor Thorson who was a ballerina viking who dressed like that to keep his men from fearing him. But do they prevent him from being laughed at. That's the million dollar question there as we head to the staircase with Kick dressed up as Billy Stumps of course. Considering that I have only seen three episodes of Billy Stump references; this is perfectly fine by me. And we jackhammer the point of course as Kick even remember to find flesh rubber to create a stump on his fist. Kick slides down and does some flips and lands in front of Gunther as Kick is ready to go. Gunther has brought in the out of nowhere elephant poucho sack (his words; not mine) as Kick proclaims that they raid the same houses as last year.
This brings out the flashback as we head into the street with Gunther dressed as the mascot for Cheetah Chug and Kick riding on top of the sack on the wagon dressed up as Dirtbike Mike. And yes; they are riding in the street; but since they have a vehicle; it's perfectly fine. Although; if they drank Cheetah Chug beforehand, could that count as "driving while intoxicated"?! I would need to ask my local police officer about this. Naturally Kick rides with a box of a bike (instead of a real one) and even at Halloween; he is rude when he shoves a werewolf down to get candy. And he manages to make candy appear despite looking like he didn't take any candy from the witch in one of the houses. We return to reality (no, not really) as Kick proclaims that nothing will stand in their way of being faster and ruder. Okay; I made the ruder part up as we zoom out and we see the OUT OF NOWHERE monster truck box they created as they zoom out. I'm not going to complain about this as a logic break because they probably have a bicycle inside anyway. It made more sense with the Dirtbike Mike costume anyway. First house is Kendell's house as the door open when they act like roadrunners. Kendell is a college grad as she explains that she has a Halloween party and calls Kick BrainOWski. HAHA! Kick blows her off; but Gunther crashes through the box and runs inside. HAHA! Well; you cannot fault him for that as Kick walks in telling Gunther has five minutes only. I see Kick is from the Chip School of "Fun". AHHAHAHAHAHAHA! BONK! OUCH! Ummmm....
So we head inside as everyone in costume is bored and Kick calls this the worst party ever. HA! It looks like my Christmas party at Reboot. Sounds fine to me. Jackie has also appeared and she's teasing going insane on Kick; but Rolando keeps ruining the buzz as he's the speed of light. Kick blows him off anyway and Rolando walks off stage right. Gunther thinks this party will be all right and Kendell will show a scary movie. Then he runs off stage left to bob for apples. That means it's time for Jackie to go insane on Kick. Nice writing to build the tension for the moment there guys. We then see Gunther dumping the trashcan on his head and then Kendell yells at everyone to take their seats and everyone does. Then Kendell yells at them to take their assigned seats and Gunther states that Kick sits beside him; which is in the trashcan. HAHA! Nice to see Kendell has some good taste. The lights go out and Kendell goes to the projector screen and she shines a projector on...wait for it...The Histroy of Halloween: A Report By Kendell Perkins. HAHA! Gunther screams on cue just to amuse me and everyone else is bored. Kick blows it all off and kicks the can away and walks off stage left. Kendell protests this outrage; but Kick doesn't care. Kendell gets the lights back on and proclaims that Kick hasn't been to one house to trick or treat. That invokes the zoom in of doom and we see a window with a haunted house known as the house of the Van der Deth's. Everyone doesn't like this one bit as Rolando claims science proves that no one comes out alive. And no I'm not going to bother with the fact that this is jackhammered to the ground with jackhammer backgrounds. Trust me; it's easier to tolerate this show that way.
Of course Kick blows it off as fairy tales and Kendell comes him out on why he hasn't gone there for candy. The crowd goes ooo and Kick scratches the back of his head and stammers. He backpedals and Kendell has the Gruffi pose and states that Kick is scared and the kids go ooo on us once again. That's enough for Kick to realize that he is had and then he gets mad and he is going to do it; remember to do a volcano thunderstorm jackhammer background in the process to force the point. And then the lights go out as Kendell calls for them and Gunther is on Kick's back shaking like a leaf. Kick walks out as Gunther climbs down proclaiming that in history people get hurt. Geez; that is putting it lightly Gunther as Kendell blows him off because his costume will scare the ghosts away. Gunther rubs his tummy and blows off Kendell because he's Thor Thorsom and then walks out. Mouth wants to leave; but Kendell refuses and locks the doors and window magically and then the lights go out and she acts like a banshee...for about five seconds and then returns to her lecture as everyone is bored. Except for Rolando of course who is giddy. Yeah whatever. So we head to the haunted house on the hill and we pan down to the gate as Gunther is not sure about this. You are not sure about a lot of things Gunther. Kick sees a light at the door; which is the universal signal for Trick or Treat. Kick opens the gate and walks in. Gunther follows and we walk the path for a bit as Gunther continues to not like this idea at all. I know this because Gunther grabs Kick and shakes before putting him down and cleaning him up.
Kick still wants to do this because he wants to silence Kendell and become a legend. I just don't find haunted houses to be inticting to be a legend, I just don't. Even when I was a kid. Then Gunther panics as we pan over to a graveyard which in the foreground there is a Christian Cross. Apparently; it's okay to show one in the New Disney as long as there are no edges on said cross. Got it. Kick calls them decorations like the fake spiderweb and spider Gunther has met. Gunther laughs it off and punches the spider and the spider walks off stage left. So we finally make it to the front porach of the haunted house as we pan up and see the bats flying around the moon. Kick and Gunther walk to the door and Kick shows that he's been going to Larson & Gary recently as he grabs Gunther and bashes his nose into the doorbell and it rings with a shriek. Ooookkkkkaaayyyyy. Gunther thinks no one is home and then the door opens for no reason that I can think of. We head into the haunted house and it's dark and creepy. Gunther grabs Kick from behind and teeth chatter because Gunther sees ghosts. Which so happen to be cloths over maniquins fluttering in the wind of an open window. Kick tells Gunther to relax; but Gunther backs up and hits a suit of armor which makes Gunther feel uneasy. Thankfully; Kick is right there to show him that there is nothing to be worried about. Gunther walks away and then the ax comes down. HA!
Gunther gets the first kill reference of the episode as Kick calls it just the wind; which is proven true by the window curtains whipping in the wind at the window. And then the suit of armor crumbles and Gunther screams and grabs onto Kick. Kick blows him off and tells him that the house is not haunted. You know you are screwed when KICK is the voice of reason. Kick tells Gunther to take a deep breath and Gunther does exactly that. Gunther claims he's all right and then steps on a board and gets trapdoored like a Quack Pack. Kick yells for Gunther on the sky shot and then notices something upstairs thinking it's Gunther. Kick's sense of direction is so bad since Gunther went into the basement that Kick thinks he's upstairs. So Sara Palin-ish of you Kick. Kick goes up the stairs; and then we get the stair slide spot of course. Nice bumps on the ground by Kick though. Kick is not amused so he climbs the rails upstairs and lands on the ground. Kick calls for Gunther; but bats arrive and Kick dodges them and rolls to the bookcase which swings around. Yeap; this house is officially a haunted house.
Kick turns around and notices someone sitting in a chair at the fireplace which has a fire in it. Kick walks forward and demands answers to this outrage. Kick steps on the foot stool and invokes the POINTY FINGER OF DEATH on the person in the chair; who looks like a phantom with red eyes and blue hands. I am not impressed. Kick panics and runs out the door (yeah; there are two entrances to the bookroom; what a shock?). Then the lights go out and Kick uses the neon light in his cell phone to look around and the two red eyes show up. Problem is; that they are too low to the ground and it's only a cat. Kick then hears noises near the conveniently placed door as Kick walks to it asking for Gunther. He opens it and it's a green blob monster. Ummm; yeah it's officially overbooked now and it's time to mercy kill this episode. Kick runs away; managing his body to connect it his head as the blob monster invokes the mouth vacuum cleaner. Ah; I see he's the writers vision of Atmos from Final Fantasy V. Yeah; this episode now officially sucks more than Sean Desmond. Kick manages to trip and sit in the chair as the cloth grows arms and grabs Kick and then the chair moves into the opened door and the door closes behind them. And then Kick freefalls for no reason whatsoever from a green trapdoor and lands in a red room. Kick is frightened as the pictures on the wall can talk; the living armor is alive and Kick is scared so much that his skeleton busts through his clothes in explosion jackhammer fashion.
Kick is scared to death as the voices want to know why Kick is here and Kick puts out his bag asking to trick or treat and the monster with the green mask blows her cover and it's just an old lady wearing a green/yellow dress, green hat, gray hair and a eye piece on a stick. Yeap; this is Mary Van Der Death. So yes folks; there are two Mary's in Kick Buttowski (the first one is from Garage Banned) as Mary admits that she has been waiting for someone to give treats too. Kick is surprised as Mary goes over to the wall and pulls on the yellow rope to reveal that all the scare spots are done by a central computer. They all go dead when he pulls the switch of course. Mary Van Der Deth is voiced by Debbie Reynolds and according to the USIMDB: Debbie Reynolds wasn't a dancer until she was selected to be Gene Kelly's partner in Singin' in the Rain (1952). Not yet twenty, she was a quick study. Twelve years later, it seemed like she had been around forever. She was only 31 when she gave an Academy Award nominated performance in The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). She survived losing first husband Eddie Fisher to Elizabeth Taylor following the tragic death of Michael Todd. Her second husband, shoe magnate Harry Karl, gambled away his fortune as well as hers. With her children as well as Karl's, she had to keep working and turned to the stage. She had her own casino in Las Vegas with a home for her collection of Hollywood memorabilia until it's closure in 1997.
She took the time to personally write a long letter that is on display in the Judy Garland museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and to provide that museum with replicas of Garland's costumes. The originals are in her newly-opened museum in Hollywood. Debbie Reynolds' film career began at MGM after she won a beauty contest at age 16 impersonating Betty Hutton. Most of her film work has been in MGM musicals, as perky, wholesome young women. She continues to use her dancing skills with stage work. Nearly all the money she makes is spent toward her goal of creating a Hollywood museum. Her collection numbers more than 3000 costumes and 46,000 square-feet worth of props and equipment. She started in 1948 with June Bribe and wasn't doing anything other than big time movies until 1969 with Bracken's World and the Debbie Reynolds show. Her first animation job was Charlotte's Web as the lead character in 1973. Kim Possible is her DTVA debut as Nana Possible. She has 76 credits to her resume; not including 36 soundtrack credits, 172 Self credits, and 1 producer/writer credit apiece. One For The Money as Grandma Mazur is her most recent credit.
So Mary shows Kick an orange black bag with a pumpkin which is the logo for the Van Der Deth Halloween Shop which she used to own as it was the place for the scariest decorations in all of Mellowbrook. Kick is more concerned with Gunther since the floor ate him. Mary calls him Thor Thornson and Gunther blows her off...and then catches himself. HAHA! Kick goes down the steps and notices Gunther is in the living room eating lemon squares. And there is the spider on the couch as Kick grabs the tray and Gunther blows Kick off because the spider has a name known as Terrance. Mary does admit that she needed to get the broken floor fixed as she still feels bad since no one had ever got her candy year after year. Since Kick and Gunther were brave (and dumb) enough to come to her house; she uncovers the cloth and Kick and Gunther get the motherlode of candy this year. Shining like a Sunwoo effect fest. Kick and Gunther are in awe and feel bad that no one is going to be able to see this. Kick goes over to Mary and he has a Krackpotkin plan to get visitors to see her.
Which we segue to Kendell continuing her boring lecture to everyone but Rolando. However; that is interupted by the open door with Kick and Gunther. Kendell blows them off thinking that they failed; so Kick shows her the Van Der Deth bag as evidence and Kendell is dumbfounded. Kick offers everyone to come to a real awesome party. Kendell blows it off because no one wants to go to a haunted house and everyone but Rolando and the sleeping mummy all run out of the room stage left. HA! I see she forgot to lock THAT door. And then sleeping mummy wakes up and runs out. So we head to the Mary Van Der Deth household as everyone is enjoying themselves on all the scare spots Mary created. And there is a lot more light as Kick calls this a party. Well; it's a slight improvement; so we won't hold it against him. Mary dances in looking giddy and hugs Kick as they will return same time next year. HA! Gunther is sitting down eating a chocolate bar as Terrance wants some; but Gunther blows him off because he didn't eat all his flies for dinner. And then he changes his mind and Terrance nearly eats his hand in the process. We zoom out to a far shot of the house as we get a thunderstorm and then we segue to Kendell finishing her lecture on Salem, Mass for Rolando who has lost his mind as his bulb has been burned out and that ends the episode at 10:20 approx. Just your usual clustermuck with better writing and more funny than usual. *** (60%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Well; once again we have two middling shorts with themes that were better done in other cartoons past; making it really difficult for anyone other than the target audience who has never seen the old cartoons to enjoy it to their fullest. Kick or Treat has been done to death before; but the finish and ending were really good and a few spots with Jackie did make me smile; but overall it wasn't scary and not very funny. The writing was solid sure; but we have seen this done before and better so I cannot give it anymore than an above average episode in good conscience. Same thing with Deadman's Roller Coaster which was basically similar in solid writing; but the whole Brad cries for his brother routine was crappy that I was cringing at it; and felt relieved when Brad finally got over it and decided to screw Kick over as usual. The rest of it was your standard Scooby Doo episode that once again, I have seen done before and better. Again; if you are the target audience who has never seen older versions of this plot line; this is pretty cool. Otherwise; it doesn't go past average for the rest of us. Still; I would watch this over any episode of Quack Pack; so it's not terrible by any stretch of imagination. So next weekend; I will continue on with six episodes of Kick Buttowski; and then after that it's five straight episodes of Ducktales Season 3 featuring lots of Gizmo Duck and very little Bubba. Oh boy. So.....
Thumbs in the middle for both shorts and I'll see you next time.