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The Adventures Of Teddy Ruxpin: Uncle Grubby
Reviewed: 10/07/2018
An Octopede Taking Care Of Fobs?! That's Unseeable!
Well; it's time for the final arc before the Death of Innocence fully commences. Today's episode features Tweeg in trial for crimes against MAVO, which one of them is acting like a babyface loser. And Gimmick wants more research and is too lazy...ERR...I mean, too busy and Grubby has to be a surrogate mother to a bunch of Fob eggs. Yeah; this is about Fobs and this research is indirectly responsible for the next arc even occuring. How does this episode fare? So; let's rant on shall we...?
Episode opens with a pan shot towards Gimmick Valley as we head inside with Teddy Ruxpin recapping the the end of the Nogburt arc as the Airship was repaired and they went back home. He also flashbacks to the discovery of the Crystal Book and they used the wrong background during this shot as Teddy and company are in the cavern where Prince Arin found it, instead of back at the castle library. Continuity? In this show? That's unpossible! Teddy wonders what this all means and he's not asking why the continuity in this show is shot as we return to reality (no, not at all) as Grubby is sitting on the sofa eating a bowl of strawberries. Pan over to Gimmick at a table with Fuzz sitting on it looking on as Gimmick is reading a giant black covered book. Basically; Gimmick is using this book to write about Fuzz, more to the point, it's all about Fobs. Little did anyone know that this book would be indirectly responsible for destroying Tweeg's credibility as a MAVO member and kick off the Teddy/Quellor feud that would last until the end of this series and could have gone beyond if Worlds of Wonder didn't go out of business. Even Fuzz is mad for some reason; so you know he has some foresight. Or maybe not. Grubby of course, hates reading any books with no pictures in it. He would be a big graphic novel fan today, actually. Teddy comes down stairs and the footage looks blurry; and it's not my diabetes acting up again. Gimmick also states that it will have visuals...IN THE FUTURE~! My words, not his; but still explains the scene perfectly. Fuzz is mad about Gimmick telling him it's all about Fobs; as if Fuzz is the only Fob out there. What a selfish jerk Fuzz is?! So, Gimmick lets Teddy read chapter one of this new book, which is named "Characterstics". So we hit the dream sequence of a bunch of Fobs playing in the water at Rainbow Falls; with Teddy having to say that Fobs are cheerful creatures, despite the fact that Fuzz is not cheerful at all today. Also; this Rainbow Falls is either legit normal water, or all blue paint. CGI is so going to improve this, I swear to the Gimmick! Original Fuzz swings like Tarzan and knocks all the Fobs into the water after the Fobs were drinking like bird on the shore of the river. Basically; this is the refresher course from Faded Fobs; but this presents a problem because one of Gimmick's lines is wrong: Fobs seemly don't have to live near Rainbow Falls since Fuzz is still colorful. Problem is: I thought Fuzz was one of the Faded Fobs?
And he needed to go to Rainbow Falls to get his color back. Now they are treating it like Fuzz never went to Rainbow Falls at all. Or maybe it's my booking interfering with what happened. Either way; it would indicate that the accurate statement would be: Fobs can live anywhere; but if they grow dull in color, swimming in Rainbow Falls water will restore their colors. That would make sense with The Faded Fobs. Gimmick of course cannot play his gimmick properly....Oh; that was more disturbing than I had intended. Get your head out of the gutter, Mr. Weagle! So, he tells Teddy and Grubby to gather research for him. Why? I have no idea. Does Gimmick really believe that he's a horrible sciencist now? Grubby's definition for re-search: Searching for the same thing twice. That's funny; but no, it means gathering accurate information, which Teddy calls the correct information. Grubby tries the "toss fruit in air and land in mouth" spot; but Fuzz jumps up and steals it; causing Grubby to do the Gruffi pose. I almost called Grubby Gruffi there; and in Gummi Bears, there was a Gummi Bear named Grubby in that series! I just love how the research involves the very answer to the question I just gave. Didn't Grubby and Teddy already give us an indirect answer to this in The Faded Fobs? So, they are literally using Grubby's definition of research and not even realizing it. DUMB! So, we head in the forest with Teddy and Grubby as Grubby calls this research easy and Teddy retorts that one for me. Suddenly; three Bounders (including Buffy) are bouncing straight at the babyfaces. Only Teddy bails to hide behind the bushes; and the bounders simply jump over Grubby, looking panicky and having zero interest in doing anything to the babyfaces. Teddy and Grubby are confused; and then in comes Wooly to explain the whole thing without saying a word. Grubby gulps on the closeup as Wooly comes in and then does the Gruffi pose on the sky shot. So, the babyfaces all exchange notes on the situation as we discover that those darned Bounders were playing marbles with THREE Fob eggs. What a bunch of evil heels these heels...Oh, wait. That's redundant. Teddy is more concern about the health of the eggs and Wooly thinks they are all right; which doesn't enshew confidence into me as the babyface walk eastward. Grubby thinks the bounders are playing hokie and Tweeg gave them a day off. Teddy isn't sure and thinks Tweeg isn't home and what evil scheme is he hatching?
Now; if you recall from the end of the Nogburt arc, Tweeg and LB were arrested by MAVO for hookwinking them out of treasure that disappeared from the wagon. Well; now it's time to go into the war room as we are going to have a Mock(ery) Kangeroo court trial in progress. The criminal of the day is Tweeg and LB, with Tweeg in chain cuffs of course. Elinore, Miss Maggotheart, Ickly are present. Miss Maggotheart is the offensive conusel (hey; it fits this time around, knowing this heel group), Ickly is the bailiff, Elinore is Elinore and of course, Quellor is the perfect hanging judge. Quellor of course has smoke dust and lightning bolts to make his entrance as a judge. Geez; Tweeg got the electric chair judge; the worst kind of judge. Also; there is a gargoyle statue in the back; which it's wings glow a subdued neon green color. This is such overkill that I swear one day, I am going to see a television court judge enter in this exact same way and not get impeached. Quellor has a giant wooden stick on his person; so he's also a corporal punishment judge. We get the worst drawn crowd shot in history in the bleachers, and I betcha this animation crew will never be able to keep this straight. And darn it to heck if I'm not right in the next shot featuring them when Ickly tells everyone to rise because this "court" is now in session. If anyone in this court so much as follow one single rule; they need to be shot and then hung, ala a Thembrian execution. You have to draw the line somewhere. Quellor's staff has a ruby jewel on top; barely visible on camera as everyone sits down, except for the crowd. Tweeg talks and Ickly invokes Rule 83 Line 8: Defendant cannot talk at any point during the proceedings. If there's one sure way to ensure a 100% conviction, that would be one way. Then we get a hilarious logic break: Quellor acts like he doesn't even know it's Tweeg despite being the one who ordered him to be arrested in the previous episode. DUMB! Tweeg of course incriminates himself; calling this a terrible mistake. I'm hoping Elinore says that he's the terrible mistake but Ickly does a really stupid promo asking for someone to gag Tweeg and then does it himself. Rule 91, Article 6: There's no such thing as a fair trial in MAVO court! Sadly; this would never work on DARKWING...DUCK though. You know how many episodes I had Drake Mallard gagged and I could still hear him?! Lots. Lots! This took a long time to do, despite Tweeg not even putting up a fight.
LB orders Tweeg to shut up because this court amuses him. Hey; it's MAVO member on MAVO member crime; like wingnut on wingnut crime. If Bounders had hands; they would popping popcorn en masse right now. So, Miss Maggotheart does some flourishes and Iggly is writing stuff down on a scroll with a feather pen as Miss Maggotheart claims that we shouldn't be too hard on him because he did pay his due with sacks of worthless rocks. Yeah; because that is what a heel does to other heels. Because if he didn't, then Tweeg would have scruples and heels aren't supposed to have that, am I right? Miss Maggotheart claims that Tweeg must be made an example of for messing with the organization because you cannot fool them; only yourself. Wait; so it's okay to have scruples when it's most convenient if you are a heel? Wow; that's Donald Trumpish of you, Miss Maggotheart and LB loves this performance. Again; why isn't she the Surpeme Oppressor? Miss Maggotheart climbs the steps and she's on a roll; and then apologizes for getting carried away and LB hates that. I finally got my answer of why she isn't the Surpeme Oppressor: Never apologize for getting carried away. That turns you babyface. So, we head to the forest again as Wooly, Teddy and Grubby find the Fob eggs as Wooly is still angry about the Bounders playing marbles with them. Thankfully; the shells are not damaged, and they have shrunk from ground shot to sky shot; but that's sort of normal. So the babyface decide to wait and Teddy is sure that they have come back because it's a natural instinct for the parents to care for their young. Again; this is idealistic, and while there is evidence of this instinct; it can often be used for the wrong reasons. See anti-vaccine parents for a great example of this. Just because it's real doesn't automatically mean it's good. And speaking of horrible parents; we head back to the Mockery Kangeroo Trail In The History of MAVO as it's time for Elinore to bash his son's attitude and deeds once again. Elinore violates Section 72, Subsection ?: No comments from the vistor's gallery; which is completely overruled by Quellor; so, yes; he can overrule Iggly, which means Quellor wrote the MAVO rule book. What a shocker?! One of my favorite promos in this entire series -- From Elinore no less -- is that she threatens to punish Tweeg with unspeakable horror and Quellor asks what that would be because he's a sadist. And Elinore refuses; because it's unspeakable.
I can only imagine what Elinore's unspeakable horror would be; although Donald Trump and his posse have certainly come up with a bunch of ideas of what that might be. It's so unspeakable that if it was speakable, there would be no way to unsee that image of this horror. LB calls Tweeg, Twank and tells him to throw himself at the mercy of the court. I should note that Tweeg has violated Rule 83, Line 8 various times as Quellor asks if there are anymore charges and there is one that I'm certain Miss Maggotheart made up on the spot: Tweeg commited fraud on the MAVO Bad Deeds Checklist, because Grundo is still sadly happy and this causes Tweeg to cry tears of shame, almost the same way George Pig does in Peppa Pig; but without the baby crying sound to make it funnier. Tweeg swears he did all these and claims that Grundo is too stupid to be miserable; which is like claiming that evildoers are too stupid to be good. Miss Maggotheart then goes to her next trumped up charge: Sooting her perfectly fashionable green fur coat. Uh-oh! That's a capital offense right there, Tweet! You don't mess with Miss Maggotheart's coat! Tweeg whimpers like he's going to pound the table; but cannot as LB is amused by this. Somehow; Quellor hears LB and demands silence in the prisoner's dock, and LB backs off. However; Quellor demands that they call the first witness and Iggly calls...LB. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! LB hops to the witness stand and Iggly swear him in and wants him to tell the truth, which is saying every bad thing Tweeg has done and LB didn't even think twice about agreeing to the terms as Tweeg is crying is eyes out even more proclaiming that he's done for as the segment ends almost ten minutes in. Wow; this trial is so much funnier than I last remember it.
After the commercial break; we continue with the trial of doom. Well; for Tweeg anyway; because this trial has been hilarious. LB is guarded by two green skinnned trolls with spears as we are basically doing the trial version of Teddy's story of "The Day Teddy Met Grubby" as LB is so happy to tell everyone in MAVO how awesome Tweeg is at failing at life and the checklist as we see various footage of Tweeg pretty much confirming LB's testimony. Miss Maggotheart can only shake her head at this whole thing. I also love that they references the Elves & Woodsprites Arc and completely forgot to draw a door for Tweegle to knock on when he threw the pie into the elves face. Even funnier; Tweegle was the peak when it came to actual success from Tweeg and he still failed at it. And he failed at swiping candy from an elf as well because Wooly was right there to stop it. We return to reality (sadly) as Miss Maggotheart has heard enough and LB remember to bound down and force Miss Maggotheart to duck in the process. And she did it poorly as well. LB goes back to the prisoner's dock and Tweeg blows off LB for selling him down the river. LB disagrees, it was up the river, probably without a paddle too. I smell Death By Droolbeast in Tweeg's future now because Tweeg cheats and lies at MAVO; which is the only thing on that checklist that he has ever done right. Quellor runs down all of the various offenses against MAVO that Tweeg has inflicted on them and then accuses Tweeg of delivering fake crystals to them. Tweeg claims that it's not on his life that he gave them salt crystal and Quellor invokes the POINTY FINGER OF DEATH on Tweeg and asks "don't you mean, 'your life'?" Tweeg is silent again and quivering on cue. Why don't you just bring in GOUL and have her lick the crystal. If it's made of salt; Tweeg is dead basically. If they are real, Tweeg is a prisoner of MAVO still. Heads MAVO wins, Tails; Tweeg loses. Although most of that is Tweeg failing at life, so there you go. Scene change back to the forest as it has been hours since the last scene and it's getting cold and it's almost HAPPY HOUR (after dark); so Teddy and Grubby decide to take the eggs home for the night -- which sounds like a bad idea -- as Wooly is humming a tune and looking for apples. One of them has a worm and Wooly throws it away and runs off. Pfft; whatever. Scene change to a sky shot of Teddy and Grubby taking the eggs to Gimmick's house.
Now; we all know that the color stylist cannot keep Teddy's feet straight in this show, right? Well; when Teddy and Grubby enter the house, there is a few frames of animation where Teddy has a dark brown snout. You wonder why modern cartoons are loved by fans now? It's things like this and the fact that we can rewind and replay scenes now. Gimmick is upstairs with Fuzz on the railing as we exchange notes on the situation. There is one great moment in this: Teddy is looking for something soft, warm, and big enough to take care of the Fob eggs so they can hatch. The babyface ask how warm, how soft and how big. Teddy is stammering to get the words out that the only person who can take care of these eggs is Grubby, because he's soft enough, warm enough and big enough. And the only one with an undercarriage that doesn't shatter the eggs in the process because Teddy is big, soft and warm enough to be the mother of these eggs. Ironically; Grubby's the roughest babyface in the entire show. And Wooly's not around either; so Grubby will have to do. Fuzz congrads Grubby is Grubby is holding the eggs and looks all confused as we fade to black (for the Non-American commercial break) and we return as Grubby is sleeping on a rug near the fireplace, complete with really silly sleeping music. Teddy comes downstairs as he is greets Grubby and Grubby wakes up and the eggs are still all right. Next up is a knock on the door; but the camera is showing a out shot of the kitchen as Gimmick comes out. So, Gimmick answers the door and it's Wooly and he introduces the debut of Frank and Faye Fob as they hop into the house and inspect the eggs. Thankfully; everything is all right and Teddy was glad to help out. Grubby then asks Frank and Faye for one request: Help them in their research. Frank and Faye doesn't even have to think twice about this one as we head upstair to Gimmick at his table penning down more facts that he is told that Rainbow Falls is merely a feeder system to underwater streams that hit all areas of Grundo and that explains why Fobs are colored in all regions. This makes the Fabed Fobs incident a bigger deal now and I'm glad that they dug themselves out of that hole. So, we get more exchanging notes as Grubby asks Faye and Frank to please come down and help with the egg sitting and the two Fob parents hop down the steps and suddenly; the egg hatch practically in Grubby's lap.
One of the eggs turns black on one shot; but in another shot goes back to purple as the eggs hatch to reveal the baby Fobs. And yes; the baby Fobs and the parents will be seen in future arcs, but the Anythings and Karen were one and done. Bigots. They also cheep like birds as Teddy runs down stairs answering Grubby's claim that they are thanking him for taking care of them. And then they prove Teddy's point and yelling in unison, Uncle Grubby. That was funny actually and Grubby now has to live with that for the rest of his lift. The babyfaces all laugh as we head outside to say farewell for now as I am impressed with how in just a few minutes, the Fobs said their first words. Eat your heart out, George Pig. The color stylist cannot decide to make the middle baby Fob light blue, or dark purple in between shots. So, Wooly and the Fobs finally leave as the trio and Fuzz head into the house as Grubby literally out of nowhere admits that he was mad because it was taking forever for the Fobs to hatch. Of course, we never get to actually see Grubby looking frustrated during his sitting down and it's even worse when it was literally less than a half of a day that the eggs were in Gimmick's house. The only reason they did this spot was to setup the TEDDY RUXPIN SONG OF DOOM, which is called "Sometimes You Got To Take Your Time!". Why sometimes? Most people who do this all the time actually have greater success. Why sometimes? There are instances where taking your time makes things worse (like saving your friends from certain death for instance), but come on, MAN! Oh; and it's Grubby's song and he's got a portable xliophone and it is what it is. I lost my patience on this one because this was clearly done to fill time because the entire fob story ran short. Grubby messes up playing the instrument by the way as Teddy is making green colored soup and Gimmick is writing in his book with Fuzz looking on. The song itself is actually really good, coming from Grubby of all people. If capitalism had some patience; they wouldn't look like the worst kind of scoiopath, but I don't see that changing anytime soon. I would also apply this to social media as well. So we finally head back to the trial and after a ***** trial; Quellor decides to show mercy and spare him. A ***** trial with a -* finish. If he was slobbered by the dreaded drool beast, this would have been ******. So, Tweeg has until the next meeting to pay the debt in full and complete the checklist in full and Tweeg is so happy and apologetic in this as Miss Maggotheart thinks that there should be a supervisor to make sure this happens and Quellor asks who it might be. At first, I thought it was Elinore because that would be the most evil one of the group as LB slaps his ear with his foot. Nope; even better: LB is the supervisor and Quellor has spoken. Tweeg hates this so much that he faints dead away. LB is loving this as we cue the Vinny laugh because Tweeg works for LB now to end the episode at 19:09. I take it back; this is a ****** trial now. Cut out all of the Teddy stuff and this was a ***** episode without fail. As it is; it was **** (80%). The preview is pretty basic though and it involves Tweeg still failing at life and Fuzz using Grubby's musical instrument to make the crystals glow and say the words on the crystal again.
THE REVIEW LINE
Well; outside of some ugly artwork and bad coloring; this episode was really awesome, mostly for the trial actually. The babyface segments were just there as usual; but at least the Uncle Grubby stuff at the end of it was cute and the song would have been better if it was set up better. The Tweeg segment was beyond glorious and much funnier than I expected. The only thing missing from this was Tweeg getting slobbered by the drool beast on the way out; which would have been a great way to go out on this episode. Miss Maggotheart once again, slayed the scene to the point where even LB was enjoying himself. LB's flashback promo was classic and accurate. Tweeg's whining was on point. Like I have said before; the reason I like this show is because of Tweeg and LB and that's why I keep watching them. The trio segments aren't as much fun. So, next up is The Crystal Book as more mysterious happenings happen to the crystal and despite having LB as the supervisor, Tweeg still fails at life. HAHA! So...
Thumbs up for this episode and I'll see you all next time.