Return to 50 Webs
Disclaimer#1: All images, characters and material is (C) 1990/1991 Walt Disney Company and is being used without permission. The web master has made sure that no money was made in the creation of this web page and that all material used here is used with the up most affection and respect to the Walt Disney Company and the Tale Spin Team.
Disclaimer#2: The views expressed here are solely the views of the web master and no one else. The web master has no intentions to change anyone's minds about a particular subject and respects the views of the viewers. Comments about this and other editorial can be E-Mail at gweagle@eastlink.ca or signing the Cloudkicker guest book.
From Here To Machinery Re-Rant
Reviewed: 09/12/2010
Additional
Commentary: 09/22/2021
“They're finally going to do it right!”
Original Air Date: 09/10/1990 (Syndication), Episode #5 (TaleSpin DVD Volume 1, Disc 1); Episode #13 (Production Order).
From
Here To Machinery Notes
From
Here To Machinery Transcript
Well; this is it, the very first episode in syndication and I'm ranting at probably the worse time possible. I mulled over doing this one on September 11th or not and considering the context of the episode and the content; there wasn't enough forbidden stuff to convince me that I should wait until September 12th. Plus; I need my sleep on September 10th anyway and I overslept. So there you go. (2015 Gregory Weagle Says: And won't you know it; I'm doing the additional commentary on the same day that the bombings in India took place nine years ago. I cannot buy a break here.) So; we continue on with another really important episode in the evolution of DTVA since this one tackled one of those issues that the new Disney would never consider today: Unemployment; or more to the point, unemployment due to the disruption of a new technology. Susan C. Mitchell proclaimed that this episode did it right (as per the quote in the caption) and I think that is an understatement in the context of what has happened twenty years later. While there is a happy ending to this episode (it is still a Disney show after all); the way it was presented makes the situation extremely ironic and more relevant today. It even includes some nightmare fuel and actual consequences to the effects of disruption. Like I said before; you want Disney's answer to Grand Theft Auto; look no further than this show. The question remains; does this episode still measure up to what I saw when I last re-ranted on it? Let's rant on shall we....?! (I think the new Disney would consider this a plot today in a comedy sense, but not in a pathos sense. It still amazes me how this episode pulled off the angle without punching down on technology itself. I'll explain as we go through this rant. The plot is that an inspiring inventor creates a robot capable of flying without "any" downside; he gives the idea to Rebecca and succeeds in challenging Baloo to a race in which the robot wins. This causes the piloting industry to be disrupted, causing unemployment and shutting down of shipping companies like Higher For Hire.)
This episode is written by Len Uhley. The story is edited by Karl Geurs. Len is yet another writer I admired during the DTVA years; however, there was Plunder and Lighting Act III where I sometimes wonder if he wonders how in the world he got past the script he did for that episode to BS&P and keep a straight face. The animation is done by Sun Woo Animation. (Fine animating, little mistakes and mistiming that bugged me. More on that later.)
We begin this one at Louie's Place BEFORE HAPPY HOUR (read: Sunset) as we zoom down towards Louie's with an airplane flying down (I think every scene opens with something moving in the background.) as we head inside to the bar as a dog pilot with Kit's green sweater and blue baseball cap is having a Kit Cloudkicker story attack complete with the "Under The Influence of Molly". HEE HEE! (See Plunder and Lightning Part 2 with Kit and Molly playing tailgunner for the reference. New Disney would not allow that unless it's laser sounds.) Anyhow; if you look closely at the background; you will notice something a lot different in the background characters than you see in Ducktales: In Ducktales; almost 100% of the time, the makeup of anthros used are usually ducks, birds, pigs and dog noses (Which was so bad according to Toby Shelton and execs that it spawned Quack Pack. Proving once again that sometimes, the classics are better than the new stuff. Sometimes.). In TaleSpin; you really never knew what anthros would show up and in this case it's dogs, cats, walrus, a freakin buffalo, a weasel, and a couple of monkeys and Louie the ape. (TaleSpin reveled in being the animal kingdom show. Or a 1930's version of Disney's Robin Hood.) The dog pilot I believe is voiced by Charlie Adler according to my notes. He even knocks the small little cat pilot down on his ass off the chair for a nice touch. (I have no idea what spieces this small cat is and if anyone has an idea, I would love to hear it.) See; freelance pilots are awesome, but the Khan pilots sitting on the table on the left pan (Three black panthers or the CLONES OF ABOMINATION since they are all clones of Bagheera.) proclaims that Khan's pilots are awesome because only Shere Khan hires the best pilots see. One of them is wearing dark glasses I see as we jump cut to Louie walking to his left (trust me; jump cuts are rare in this show) as a brown hand with a almond trenchcoat grabs
Louie from behind and Louie blows him off calling it the haberdashery. (This makes no sense since haberdashery is a word for a shop that sells small articles for sewing such as buttons, ribbons and zips. The origin of this word is from The Canterbury Tales during the end of the 1300's.) Seriously folks; that is what he said. No wonder the new Disney is so screwed up. We then see a doberman wearing a hat and a black tie asking for a pardon as he wants to know who is the best. That doberman looks like someone from Dog City; only with less fur. He's sitting down on the table taking notes with his pencil. Then we hear an airplane noise as we head outside and see the SeaDuck fly in nearly pulling Louie's away like a hurricane. And then we hear a crash as we head back inside with the doberman in shock and Louie laughing because Baloo is here as we head to the window to see the SeaDuck slice the top of trees with the props and lands on the docks (I think there is a coloring mistake on one of the planes since it was white when we first saw the Seaduck; and now there is a red plane with the same model.). Louie asks if he wants to meet the pilot who can handle anything. The doberman does the Gruffi pose in response as Baloo enters inside greeting Louie and helping him trim the hedges (Baloo needs to know the difference between a hedge and a stand of trees methinks.). Louie and Baloo slap skin as Khan Pilot #1 whisper yells that he should be a gardener and they giggle on that one. Baloo goes over to the bar with Louie as he wants a Mango Fandango (reference #3 for that movie in this series) as we see Pilot Ace (Originally thought as Mate which goes to show you why I wrote transcripts for this series.) standing in the background. See; Baloo is tops on the BBS ACE WALL OF FAME (helpfully shown as Baloo is the biggest B&W photograph on the wall). (Sunwoo had problems keeping the continuity straight on this episode as it would not show Baloo's picture on the far shot and then show it on closeups along with more photos that weren't originally there.)
Louie agrees to; but he wants him to meet the doberman and the left pan shows that he is gone with the wind. HA! We then see the doberman taking notes outside with his pencil and he laughs it off. Anyhow; if you notice something about that first scene, doesn't that remind me of something. Ummm; sub Louie's bar with the playground, sub the pilots with kids and sub Martin with an average Nintendo exec and you pretty much get the picture of how distruption usually starts. (It's okay 2010 Me; you got the idea right. Just erase Nintendo from there and it works just as much. Sean Malstrom was great at the time of Nintendo's rebirth; not so much now. At least when Sean donned the business hat; he was great.) By the way; this name is Martin Torque and is voiced by Patrick Gorman. So we head inside the bedroom with a shot at a window with lots of snoring and the window blinds screaming up into the top of the trim. HAHA! Take one guess who is snoring as we pan down southwest to the offender wearing a white night gown and cap and then pan east to see Kit has solved that little problem wearing his undershirt and pink earmuffs. That's why he is the MIRACLE WORKER after all. Ironically; the Seaduck engines roar and Kit wakes up first yelling the SeaDuck. You may have notice the slight difference in voice there as this is production #13 on the list; so Alan Roberts was gone by this point. This is the syndication debut of Kit Cloudkicker being voiced by R.J. Williams. I believe he is continuing his work on Young Hollywood at this point since he does have a blog now. R.J. Williams was also born exactly one year after I was on the very same date (July 19th, 1978 for Williams) and in my view the best child actor Disney Television Animation ever had, period. There is lots of episodes in this series where I can point out where R.J. Williams took his role way too seriously. Also; if you need someone to do an awesome laugh in heel or babyface; you called R.J. Williams. His laugh absolutely scares me (not to mention his voice range); most so in Polly Wants A Treasure which is a few rants away.
Needless to say; I enjoy listening to him act and he really brings something to the table that ices the already loaded cake character known as Kit Cloudkicker. (R.J. Williams filled Alan Roberts shoes so much that I wondered why they didn't just have him voice everything instead of Alan Roberts from the start. Of course, child welfare is a factor in any child voicing a character; but still. Plus; R.J. Williams was moonlighting on Gummi Bears as Cavin during this period, too; which might have factored into the decisions regarding Kit-less episodes. Well; at least those episodes that could have penciled Kit in anyway.) So, Baloo snores for a second and then gets the LIGHT BULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY and panics hard. Kit and Baloo go to the window and Kit notices that the SeaDuck is moving away from the docks. Baloo calls then plane nappers and yells at Rebecca to call the police. Baloo runs down the stairs complete with Hanna Barbara looping and running sound effects. (I can finally say it!) Now you know you are watching a classic! (I had a running joke that everytime Sunwoo animates an episode, it feels like a Scooby Doo episode with mistakes, so if HB sound and looping effects are done, that's when I invoke the line. Again; you watch Disney to get away from HB, not be reminded by it. Thankfully; the story of this episode rules.) Rebecca is sitting at her chair and she goes uh-oh. See what happens when you DON'T tell anyone in advance Miss Cunningham? (Baloo would probably make it worse if she did; so I can see why.) Baloo somehow runs through the barn door of the office (instead of the small door in front which is downright weird) and now runs normally without the HB effects and jumps with the LASSO OF BANE TO ALL ACTION CARTOONS EVERYWHERE~! He loops the rope onto the left platoon and that swings the SeaDuck nearly 360 degrees and slices the docks in the process as it loops to the other side of the docks right where Baloo can jump onto the docks next to the left side door and enter inside. (It also slices the dock in the process.)
He wants to MURDER the joyrider and notices that it's the "Auto Aviator Version One" sitting in the pilot's seat (The same one I mentioned in Golden Suns episode #2; only in the original metal color with some orange trim in the back of it's head. How funny that the Auto Aviator is the wireless one while the Ducktales version had to be plugged in. I just realized that now.) as it turns it's head in a creepy matter and bleeps. HA! Then we pan over and see Martin in the navigator's seat (Kit is not going to like this!) wanting to know what Baloo wants. So Baloo reveals his big ass fists and wants some pounding; but get pulled by the ear by Rebecca. (Yeah; Baloo gets defeated by one ear pull, which is always amusing.) See, Rebecca wants to talk and explains that it's Professor Martin Torque (Disney Captions has the same name in full as my notes, so no worries.) and he's renting the SeaDuck for a large sum of that MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH~! Martin wants to test the Auto Aviator; his new invention. Baloo is not amused by an overgrown blender flying his own airplane. Please Miss Cunningham; I know that you didn't do him any favors by explaining it before this test occured, but please remind him in your own way that this is your plane? (She did, of course.) Thank you Miss Cunningham; that's all I ask of you. Rebecca orders Baloo and Kit to apologize (Well, just Baloo since Kit did absolutely nothing here.) to Martin and be nice as she leaves. Baloo proclaims that nice is his middle name. (You wish Pop-A-Bear!) So he walks into the cockpit and apologizes for busting in on Martin and addresses his name. Martin is fixing the Auto Aviator through his neck (!!!) with a wrench. Martin gleefully ignores him as Baloo sizes up the Auto Aviator while sweet talking as Martin explains that the Auto Aviator represents the future of aviation; which allows Kit to get off quote gem number one of the episode:
Kit: Yeah; and I'm the propeller fairy.
Funny how that works because it sounds a lot like Mr. Hardcore after the Nintendo DS and Wii were introduced (Even funnier how they clammed up after the Nintendo 3DS was announced; sort of. Wii U on the other hand...yes, because it failed miserably. Nintendo Switch on the other hand...Uh-oh!). See; Baloo and Kit think this is a "Crazy Ivan" invention (A term a number of critics said was of the Nintendo DS. Now it's Nintendo Switch's turn...). Martin explains that unlike anthro pilots, the Auto Aviator never deviates from it's flight plan. Remember that one for later on because it plays a huge role in the finish and the suitable punchline to Martin Torque as a whole. That leads to this awesome gag which plays into the whole point Martin was making:
Martin:
It is the ultimate pilot.
Auto Aviator: Ultimate pilot.
{Disney captions missed the pilot part. Auto Aviator is voiced
by Pat Fraley.}
Martin: Efficient.
Auto
Aviator: Efficient.
Martin: Obedient.
Auto
Aviator: Obedient.
Baloo: Stupid.
Auto Aviator:
Stupid.
Baloo: Hey; I'm starting to like this boy.
Martin does the Gruffi pose in response to that one; but he's calm and he knows that he'll get Baloo's goat soon emough. It takes about three seconds as Baloo slaps the back of the Auto Aviator and the Auto Aviator seriously electroctues him with the X-RAY DALEK SHOCK OF DEATH. Wow; it is so effective; the background turns dark for a few seconds and swallows Martin Torque; but not Kit nor the Auto Aviator in the foreground. HAHA! And just to add another awesome touch; Baloo takes a MAN-SIZED bump into the door with his back and it somehow doesn't break (Well; it does make sense since he didn't break the wooden table at Louie's in Plunder and Lightning act II.). Kit comes over to console him as Martin explains that it's designed to repulse interference (Which also plays a part in the finish, too!) and Martin claims that Baloo was probably showing hostile intent. (Which is for all said purposes, true.) Baloo is now pissed off because he'll show him hostile intent as he teases the fist trick again. However; Baloo decides to laugh it off and show no hard feelings as he explains to Martin about all the changes he made on the plane as he shows the console and the blue button is okay to press; but the red button is bad see. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! After all; the red button is the staple of bad things happening in DTVA. Nice to see Len Uhley notice that as the Auto Aviator repeats what he said as Baloo and Kit run off just as the Auto Aviator pushes the blue button and we see the subversion of DTVA hard as Martin takes some sick MAN-SIZED bumps off the back of the pilot's seat and gets knocked on his belly hard. HAHA! We turn around to see Kit giggling (With no sound, which is strange considering that it's R.J. Williams voicing.) as Baloo admits that there may be some confusion over which button to press. HEE HEE! Too bad for Baloo, Martin is no easy out like almost all one shot characters in TaleSpin.
Martin climbs out of the carnage as he blows off Baloo and proclaims that he'll see who is clever. (It's funny because the blue/red thing is an analogy to the Blue Ocean/Red Ocean stuff explained by Malstrom many years ago. The indication that blue ocean is expansion and red ocean is sustained.) So, we go to a shot of Higher...For...Hire and we see a rare shot of the tower above the office (Which indicates that this was formally used as an old lighthouse which is another good touch to these headquarters...) complete with red windsock on top and it doesn't animate at all. I guess there is no wind. Baloo paces around proclaiming that Martin has been gone for hours with the SeaDuck. Kit is watching with the binoculars and unlike Fenton's they do not expand in some perverted way at all. (Because this show is rooted in reality, sort of.) Baloo is scared that the SeaDuck will be a long mile of parts at this point as he continues to squeeze the pilot's cap in frustration. HAHA! Don't you just like it when Martin can make Baloo squirm?! Saves a lot of effort on Miss Cunningham's part; that's for sure. The plane engine roars as Kit notices the SeaDuck and Baloo steals the binoculars and asks about the wings. Kit is amazed because the robot can fly after all and then recoils that it's fine for a machine as Baloo gets pissed off at Kit before storming off. Hey Pop-A-Bear; Kit thought the Auto Aviator was a good pilot; not the best pilot in the world. At least give the boy some contextual credit here, pal. Although anyone who knows disruption knows that the expanded audience only cares if it's good enough and the Auto Aviator IS good enough, therefore Baloo is screwed badly. (I just love how Len Uhley made Kit skeptical at first (which is his default characters with male adults); but then when the AA came back without any incident, he starts becoming a believer of this future; consequences to him be damned.)
We then see the SeaDuck docking to the docks without any incident whatsoever as we then cut to a blue car as it stops on a dime and out come a monkey reporter (I have no clue who voices it as well as Khan Pilot #1.); along with a black crow reporter; a turtle reporter and an orange cat with a beard reporters. Zounds! Kit wonders who called the reporters out here. Baloo thinks he knows as they run onto the docks asking about the new invention as Martin and the Auto Aviator come out and agrees to answer all their questions. He is so Iwata-ish it isn't funny anymore (unless it's at Baloo's expense) as he actually invites Baloo to stand with him and even praises him. Wow. He IS a disrupter. (2020 Gregory Weagle Says: Martin is trying to create consent for automation to take over people's lives without any consideration for anyone else's life. This is why Martin Torque is a assholish heel here and why Baloo is so pissed off at him. Martin has even gaslit Kit into believing that the Auto Aviator is a good thing without realizing the consequences. Again, an effective heel move on Martin's part.) Did Len Uhley read those Havard School of Business books before writing his script or something? (I betcha he did not and got lucky.) Baloo cannot believe this as the flash bulbs go off causing Baloo to go drunk. HAHA! I see cameras and Baloo don't mix in this world as Martin proclaims that this will be the last time they are together. (See A Bad Reflection On You, Part 1 when we see them used while he's trying to sleep. It's even more hilarious.) It's amazing that Martin is playing subtle heel here while still mostly acting like a tweener for the rest of the episode. See; Baloo's the pilot of the past; while the Auto Aviator is the pilot of the future. So who plays the pilot of the present? Inquring minds would love to know Martin Torque. (That would be Kit Cloudkicker of course.) Baloo is pissed off calling the Auto Aviator a no-pilot overgrown waffle iron. Now that is slander against overgrown waffle irons there Pop-A-Bear. (Maybe this is what Bubba was referring to in Bubba's Big Brainstorm. That would at least be a more amusing explaination than just because "It's for kids, who cares about quality"?) You should be ashamed of yourself.
Baloo explains that a real pilot handles storms and Air Pirates and stuff like that. Remember that one for later on too. Martin counters that they can fly day and night without food nor sleep. (Remember this all for the finish and the upcoming race because it's very important.) These are all valid points from both sides because we know the Auto Avaitor can do what Martin says and the Auto Aviator has yet to prove that he can do what Baloo claims. That leads to quote gem number two:
Martin:
You pilots are like dinosaurs. Decaying, defective and
defunct.
Baloo: Oh yeah? Well, defunct this!
I mention this because some people seriously believed Baloo said "defu**ed" instead of defunct. I checked the audio and nope; he doesn't use a variation of the f-bomb. Plunder and Lightning Act IV is more creditable than this. (Oh man, it f***king worked!) However; BS&P will still have that long talk with Len Uhley because Baloo does invoke the POWER OF THE PUNCH on Martin Torque as the fist goes right into the screen. OUCH! This is considered by many to be an unexpected thing in DTVA; except that Dale punched Chip from behind at least once in Rescue Rangers and in full knock out punches; Rebecca already beat Baloo to the punch (no pun intended) in A Touch of Glass on Disney Channel. Still; for syndication fans; this was a slight shock to see on a Disney cartoon. Apparently; the other writers didn't get the message because this isn't the last time Baloo punched someone on-screen. (Then there is the punch to Victor's face from King Gregor to consider too.) The knock out blow rings the bell (sound effect (So yes; even the best cartoon resort to Johnny Test level sound effects to get the kids to watch. Although; that's still nothing compared to the whip crack sound when their bodies move. Oh lord; that whip crack sound...)) and we get the spinning newspaper of Baloo knocking out Martin Torque in the Cape Suzette Tribute (I guess it's the first year for them judging by the volume...) as we head to Khan's office as Shere Khan is reading the newspaper despite there being no words on it. Typical; but expected given Sunwoo's inability to animate detail well. Khan turns around and calls Baloo a crude individual. I love real comments that aren't supposed to be real comments. We then see that Martin Torque is sitting in a chair in front of his office using an ice pack to sell his black left eye. He calls him a mindless menial which I'm sure no one even in 1990 would get either. (It means a person with a job that doesn't require much skill nor has any presitge. Which was Donald Trump's former position before becoming the president of the USA. Damn...)
Martin proclaims that the tests are done and the machine is perfect and asks if Khan wants to buy twelve of them. (I guess one for each year Kit existed...) Khan responds that he didn't say that he would buy anything just yet. See; Khan knows that Baloo might be correct and maybe the Auto Aviator cannot handle all situations. Martin gets upset because he thinks Khan believes the barnstormer. HA! Khan tells him to calm down and wants Martin to consider a real test between Baloo and the Auto Aviator. (Khan wants to do a double-blind science experiment. That is so much a laugh and a half considering execs nowadays. Only Khan's study is much more believable and falsifiable.) If the Auto Aviator wins; then he will consider buying a thousand Auto Aviators. Martin stammers as Khan wants him to think about it where checking the ticker taker OUT OF NOWHERE. Now there's a spot you don't see in the new Disney: it makes sense for Khan to have one since he is a businessman; and it still retains that out of nowhere thing. Nowadays; anything happens and it doesn't make sense to happen. (Exactly! Because kids just want comedy and execs think it's the law despite the fact that their methods wouldn't pass a first month science course. Khan's test would be more likely to pass and this show is fictional. Ponder that for a moment.) So Martin runs out and we jump cut to outside as it is pouring rain which is a nice touch as well. Michael Perza is correct when he said this show is a visual treat and stuff like this helps it a lot. He climbs into his grey car (which looks like a combination between a 1950 car and a bus if you can believe that) as the rain pours off the windshield and the Auto Aviator is the driver. HA! And he's still a better driver than the entire cast of the Wuzzles already! Oh wait; he's in the back seat, never mind as Martin gets in the front seat and proclaims that he'll have the perfect pilot and destroy Baloo. (Actually; I was hoping that the AA was driving the car because then you could work an angle where the AA isn't only destroying the air industry, but the sea and land transportation.)
Destroy is in the perfect context here instead of the usual BS&P use of it too. (Martin Torque doesn't really want to kill him; he wants to see Baloo penniless, friendless, and hopeless. He wants to ruin Baloo's life. This is why destroy makes sense here. Using it to replace kill doesn't quite work, although defeated works better in that context. Even anime does use defeat a lot more than most purists think.) The Auto Aviator repeats him and flashes red as we cut to a far shot of the car driving away and a symbolic splashing of a newspaper on the ground showing Baloo punching Martin out for another nice touch. So we head into the office in the morning (as it's clear again) as Rebecca is dusting the window and she is using the same feathers she got from The Bigger They Are; The Louder They Oink! How about THAT for CONTINUITY?! Too bad; most fans from syndication didn't notice that little detail. (Because...you guessed it.) She's angry of course because someone apparently threw a paper airplane towards her head and apparently wanted to land in her permed hair. HAHA! (What a manchild Baloo can be sometimes?!) Rebecca walks down and blows Baloo off for walking right into Martin's plan as Baloo continues to fly paper airplanes while apparently; Kit is making them. Rebecca continues to dust the office desk as she explains that Martin wanted to get on the front page and Baloo pretty much got him there. Well; Baloo was acting like Mr. Hardcore throughout it so why is Rebecca surprised?! And it's kind of pointless since Baloo didn't get arrested and Martin still would have probably got in the paper anyway and maybe even the first page even without Baloo punching his lights out. (So yeah; all it did is basically embolden Martin Torque into putting the pilot's lives in danger, instead of being laughed off the stage.) Rebecca catches the airplane and proclaims that Baloo cannot let every little insult upset him and be calm like her. (Oh; just wait for the irony to hit the ground...)
Even better spots ensue as Rebecca grabs the wastepaper basket and in goes the flying paper airplanes. Baloo then calls her out on having her feathers tied in a knot like a chicken. Some say it was BS&P stepping in (chicken with it's head cut off); but the context of the series leads me to believe that this wasn't. (It isn't BS&P stepping in since the figure of speech still works out well. Besides; in Polly Wants A Treasure, Baloo wanted to rip Ignatz's head off which is basically the same thing. Besides; if you want to see a chicken's head cut off, watch the Blood Freak movie.) See; Rebecca is excited because an very important client is showing up. Baloo asks if he is a short guy with glasses, bad toupee and Rebecca states that it is him as she shuffles papers on her desk (I always have whiplash when it comes to doing these rants after ranting on Kick Buttowski. (No kidding?! The stunts of doom didn't do that to you beforehand?)) as Baloo states that Martin beat her to him. Rebecca goes to the window and is shocked and appalled. We then see a turkey anthro with red hair, glasses and a blue suit signing the paper for a new Auto Aviator standing right beside him and he even has orange trim on his manhood. AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ZAP! OUCH! Ummmmm... (No; that was the turkey client's toupee. He was also moonlighting as a Starywood representive in A Star Is Torn. I know Ducktales had birds; but I don't ever recall an anthro turkey on the show.) Rebecca then runs in and puts him into a hugging stance while blowing off Martin Torque and the turkey client toupee. HAHA! The Turkey Client is voiced by Townsend Coleman as Martin takes exception to this because it's his client see. Rebecca calls this absurd; but the client proclaims that Martin convinced him that the Auto Aviator is cheaper than her old-fashion cargo service. BURN BABEE, BURN! Then Rebecca shows how much of a hypocrite she is (as if the hug choke on the client wasn't enough) with this quote gem: (And another example of Sally Struthers doing what she does best: Put the whole thing over like a giant's deal. Thank you Ginny McSwain for making this possible.)
Rebecca:
But we've phone calls, meetings, lunches! I've listened to your
frozen okra stories for a solid week! {And just to make her
even more hypocritical; she shakes on the client's tie and he does an
awesome job selling it. HAHA! How ironic considering what Baloo said
to Rebecca earlier.}
Baloo: Easy, Miss "Calm &
Composed."
Baloo has to physically grab Rebecca by her back collar and set her away from the client beside Kit. Then Baloo goes over to Martin and proclaims that he has had enough of the Auto Aviator. Martin asks if Baloo is challenging the Auto Aviator to a duel to the death (My words, not his). (2020 Gregory Weagle Says: This race plot would also be used in Ducktales 2017: Beware Of The B.U.D.D.Y. System! Yes, the Disney Afternoon was used a lot in the reboot, but the world will always be the TaleSpin world. Remember that!) Baloo stammers for a second and agrees to it. Martin loves this as he calls this the match for the future of aviation as it's "Baloo Von Bruinwald XIII Vs. The Auto Aviator" and Baloo proclaims that may the best pilot win as we fade to black to allow Michael Eisner to be turned on. (And now we begin the next phase of disruption: The expansion puts the organic pilots in a box, figure of speech speaking here.) We now head to a far shot of Higher...For...Hire as there are balloons, pink ribbons and a white cloth saying "Great Race Today" in red letters. The SeaDuck is on the right side of the dock; while the Auto Aviator's (A blood red airplane that looks like the SeaDuck; only with more windows on the front like a beehive; and on the side. I'm wondering who provided the plane for Martin. Huh.) is on the left side of the docks. We see that the pilots from Louie's are here, some businessmen in top hats and suits, the PRESS OF FRAUD, the pelcan fisherman from It Came From Beneath The SeaDuck, Martin Torque, The Auto Aviator, and the Air Traffic Controller (Jim Cummings) from I Only Have Ice For You on the KAPE radio microphone. He places two maps onto the barn door of the office and brings out his pointy stick of doom. The race plan is simple; the pilot picks up the cargo from Tundra City (TaleSpin's version of the South Pole which is absurd beyond belief; but this is TaleSpin so whatever...) and return to Cape Suzette first for the win.
The round trip is about forty hours as the Controller asks for any questions. Baloo takes the microphone and asks why they don't start sewing his name on the winner's sash just to further smear the egg on his face when this race is over. Quote gem number four:
Baloo: That's Baloo with two "oohs".
Yes; the audio and Disney Captions match here. I can praise Disney Captions; but only when they don't screw up and so far they only missed a few words. The Auto Aviator and Baloo take their starting positions (Notice Martin had no questions to ask? He's letting the water run off his back like a duck; just like Nintendo is right now with Nintendo Switch. He knows he has won.) as Khan Pilot #1 steps in and whisper yells to Baloo to not blow this race because Khan's pilots will be out of jobs. Freelance Pilot comes in and says pretty much the same thing as well as Rebecca (Disney Captions must have a font size issue because in the audio it's "Higher For Hire is out of business" and not "We're out of business" like in Disney Captions.). Baloo is dumbstruck as we see a man's arm with a pistol and he fires it as it's READY...STEADY...GO! (Full Metal Alcheimst reference for the win. I mention this because a lot of people called it the R-rated version of TaleSpin crossed with humans and a lot of magic.) Baloo runs in the SeaDuck and waves goodbye to Kit as the Auto Aviator is a little slow at the start as it starts the engines second. Baloo acts like this is a piece of cake; but Kit's isn't sure as he crosses his fingers from behind. That's a bad sign right off the bat as both the SeaDuck and the Auto Aviator plane fly into the sky and out of Cape Suzette as Baloo takes the early lead. I believe this will be the last time he gets such a lead too. (Not quite that short period of time; but still accurate.) That actually ends the segment for real almost ten and a half minutes in. Now; the nightmare fuel begins in earnest!
Note From The Future: The pistol raising scene is still there in the Toon Disney and Disney Channel versions. Like I said earlier; double-standarding the double standard. (Thank goodness TaleSpin got released on DVD in it's entirety because Toon Disney has no idea how to edit scenes to please BS&P. Anyhow; Len Uhley is sowing the seeds of greatness in this episode and it's not hard to understand why. Sunwoo is Sunwoo; but they cannot help themselves since it's early in their contract with Disney.)
After the commercial break; we see a zoom in shot of a map as Baloo continues to show his cockiness while being in the lead as shown on the map with the SeaDuck's yellow line and the Auto Aviator's red line. Then we cut to the SeaDuck still in the lead BEFORE HAPPY HOUR (sunset) and then anything turns to AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark). So we head into the cockpit of the SeaDuck as Baloo seems very tired now and thus playing into Martin's point about fatigue being a factor in the Auto Aviator's favor. Baloo yawns as he admits that he should have gotten some shut eye last night. What an idiot Baloo is to be so cocky and forget the rest he needed for this mission?! (Yeah; remember how cocky he was before the race started? When Kit Cloudkicker has to cross his fingers behind his back, he knows Baloo is finished.) So we go back to the map as we head to Tundra City as Baloo continues to be in the lead slightly despite turning like crazy like the Auto Aviator flies in a straight line; another factor in his favor. Baloo is done folks; there is no other outcome that can make any sense than Baloo losing this one badly. So we head to Tundra City as it is snowing like crazy as there is a huge dock covered in snow and a banner; spotlight and a medium sized cabin in the background. We zoom in to the dock and see the SeaDuck land first beside the docks without further incident. Baloo opens the door and it's clear that he's walking dead now. That is excellent selling of fatigue from Baloo there. (He's done.) We cut to the sign as we see a green coat dressed bird furry holding a red pennent with brown gloves whichs says "Yay!" in yellow letters. Oh man; this must be one huge rib on Ducktales or something. (I would say Gabby Jay; but Super Punch Out isn't out for another four years...) He's wearing a red scarf too as he points in deep freeze the wooden box of cargo covered in snow. Baloo calls this race a drag and I love real comments that aren't supposed to be real comments.
Baloo stops selling and runs in as he yells for the cargo and then notices it in front of him and then thanks to the running; he slumps into sleep mode. HAHA! Drake Mallard should be ashamed of himself for his bad selling of sleep in Getting Antsy. He gets about ten seconds of sleep before he hears a crash and the airplane engines as the Auto Aviator airplane arrives and he wakes up proclaiming that no gadget's going to beat this bear. Sadly; gadgets beat up Gyro Gearloose easily. He is a gadget man after all; AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! POW! OUCH! Ummmm...Baloo runs away with the cargo and I see logic break #1 for the episode right there as the second cargo box seems to have disappeared from view. By now an average short of Kick Buttowski would be over and have over ten logic breaks within the first half. (Kick Buttowski isn't a bad show when it's not trying to be like Nickeledeon at it's worst.) Baloo pushes the Auto Aviator aside and runs towards the docks. The Auto Aviator no sells and goes to the cargo. So we head back into the skies and then a window shot of the cockpit (with fog tint to boot for a nice touch) as Baloo is getting sleepier and sleepier despite still having the lead. He snores quite a bit and wakes up at once. He must think awake thoughts. (And he will fail. He's done. This is like watching an old wrestler putting over the new talent clean as a sheet.) So he goes to Plan A: So he pushes the flashing A button (Notice that it looks like an upside down NES controller; without the black buttons; nor D-pad? Another pop culture reference from the 1980's. Yeah; these modern cartoon critics suck, what a surprise?!) and I see the blue button is gone. I guess WildCat redid the console before this race started (or logic break #2 for the episode). That allows the loud music speakers to blare music and that wakes Baloo up and it's TaleSpin background music and sadly he snores again in three seconds afterwards. HAHA! (Even funnier: the music sounds like a few bars from a remixed version of the main theme from Kid Icarus! Also a Nintendo license.)
The snoring wakes him up and so he goes to Plan B (which in typical TaleSpin fashion is not Baloo throwing a temper tantrum; because this series is not childish enough to pull it off.): He pushes the B button and that brings out the FLY SWATTER WHEEL OF DEATH to bash Baloo's face. HAHA! Take one guess who asked for THAT feature to be put in? Hint: It's a woman who tree house syndrome people think she's a bitch. (STOP IT! The toxic word, not the hint. The THS folks are sexist, don't get me wrong. But don't stoop to their level to make a point. It just derails your argument.) That fails badly as Baloo is in a deep snoring and we go into dreamworld as we begin the NIGHTMARE FUEL OF DEATH. I'm not going to bother calling this because this is too weird and scary for me to call and I'm already nine pages into this rant as it is. (You're concerned about a wall of text then 2010 me? Come on!) Let's just say that it's symbolic of Baloo being forced to turn into a robot to beat a robot and get it over with. And people say DTVA cannot scare little ones to near death? Well; they can; just not today, although they do scare adults in the New Disney, just not in a good way. (Sure. Anyway; the best part of this is that the surreal image of Martin Torque says a line that really impresses me by claiming that Baloo is the one who is in a dreamworld and that Martin is real. This is basically a middle finger to the old farts out there. It's really effective even after twenty five plus years of hindsight.) Thankfully; we head back to reality (no, not really) as Baloo wakes up and thought he was in trouble as he screams because he nearly flies into a mountain which he dodges easily. Then more trouble for Baloo as his gas gauge is bleeping as it's running on empty. See; that sleep made Baloo miss the last refueling stop and he hopes he has a hope chest of fuel left. No such luck, Pop-A-Bear as the SeaDuck does a nosedives and somehow lands safely onto the water near the caves. (Yeah, he's done.)
Baloo opens the right side door with the gas can and jumps out to the shallow water and checks the damage from the mountain which is very small dents and bents at worst; but sadly, with no fuel left, Baloo is washed up and screwed as Baloo notices the Auto Aviator plane flying away from him as he just took the lead for good. (Baloo just put the Auto Aviator over clean as a sheet in a decisive squash. This makes what happens in the end so sweet and yet at the same time; doesn't punch down technology.) Baloo calls it one busted up career and we fade to black again as we head back to a foggy and about to be stormy shot of Higher..For...Hire as the SeaDuck has already arrived on the docks on the left pan shot. Wow; that was pretty fast as Baloo thrusts open the door and it breaks down (And after that amount of force; it doesn't surprise me...). Baloo sulks away as Kit and Rebecca actually are happy to see him. Kit wants to hug his Pop-A-Bear; (That came off very wrong 2010 me...) but Baloo just walks away from him feeling defeated and sulking. (Even after all of Rebecca's ordering, she still doesn't hate him despite Baloo getting squashed. Kit wanting to hug Baloo after all this is impressive (and Baloo did save Kit's life in Plunder and Lightning, so it's natural for him to worship Baloo as a hero), but Baloo wants none of it because in his mind, he doesn't deserve anything because he lost a decisive race after promising everyone that he would squash the Auto Aviator. It's really sad to see this because I think Baloo would have lost regardless because when it comes to shipping, AA is the perfect machine to do it. Now the consequences start to pour in...) We then see Baloo walking towards the office and then he's covered by the Cape Suzette Tribute paper showing the Auto Aviator. We then see a pig kid (The same one from Time Waits For No Bear; only in a different voice and I have zero idea who is voicing here. It might be Charlie Adler or Townsend Colemon. Laura Ann Trombley didn't get all the voices for this series.) in front of the cinema yelling an extra on the robot winning the race and altering the future of aviation.
We then go into the cinema (I believe it's has the MUM on the bottom; but otherwise I cannot tell.) and we go to the stage in black & white as the newsreel announcer (Townsend Coleman) proclaims that the aviation world is in a tailspin (BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!) as the audience is watching Martin and Shere Khan buys the exclusive rights to the Auto Aviator from Professor Martin Torque. I'm sure that Turkey Client is so happy to hear that too. Khan signs the papers on the desk and shakes Martin's hand as he has all the evidence he needs. Now the episode is going to start getting quite depressing to watch as we see some footage of the robot being made; How It's Made style. We then get some B&W footage of dozens of airplanes flying in the skies as a symbolic takeover of the robots over the aviation business. This is pure disruption at it's sorry; sickest best here. (Kind of like Chargeman Ken in 1974 in terms of insanity, apathy and stupidity.) We then see various furries boarding up their shops as the real depressing parts begin to show as the newsreel announcer even goes as far to say "without a wing or a prayer" which I'm sure 4Kids Entertainment would change to "without a wing or a hope". We see various pilots lining up at the unemployment office in a really depressing spot; freelance and Khan pilot alike. (Actually; without a wing or a hope would have worked just as well since they are both the same concept, only one is religious and one is secular.) Baloo sees the lineup and simply walks away stage left as the B&W slowly turns into color in a symbolic fantasy to reality (no, not really) shot. Now I know that this episode does whitewash the more harsher realities of the situation; but really did anyone expect Disney to even TOUCH this issue at all? (Not at all. New Disney is a testament to that. iCarly even more so. In the comics, Kit showed a side of hobo life (The Long Flight Home) that was somewhat respected, even if the police had no respect for them.)
Besides; the episode isn't just on unemployment due to automation, it's about how technology can disrupt a business and become the future which plays into the entire punchline of the Review Line when I get there. (Everyone knows that there is a depression going on, but reality isn't always as it seems.) Finally; we go to Louie's as the freelancers sit at the bar sulking literally in their beer mugs (Buffalo, dog, cannot tell the one in the middle exactly, a robin (!!!) and another one on the far right I cannot tell. Ducktales (and Ducktales 2017) wishes it had this many different funny animals in their series; let alone one episode!) as Louie unpins Baloo from the BBS OF FLYING DOOM and replaces it with the Auto Aviator in one last slap in Poppa Bear's kisser by Martin Torque. Sadly; logic break #3 occurs as Baloo's picture was missing on the far shot but reappears on the close up and there's a picture of a cow in B&W to boot! So; we fade to black once again for Michael Eisner's amusement and then we head to a shot of Pirate Island AFTER HAPPY HOUR as we head inside Don Karnage's throne room as Don Karnage (You thought they wouldn't have him somehow in this episode now didn't ya? He is the most over character in the series, you know. And Jim Cummings is awesome in the same way Kevin Owens is fat...) is reading the newspaper and is loving this robot. I see that Mad Dog, Dumptruck, Gibber and a grey clone of Ratchet (I'm guessing coloring mistake ala Dumptruck from the Walt Disney Animation France episodes of Plunder and Lightning. (It was a coloring mistake; and it's worse than the Dumptruck one since Ratchet cover his whole body.)) as Don Karnage proclaims that it flies in a straight line and while they call it a modern miracle; he calls it a sitting duck as he unleashes his sword and giggles to end the segment nearly fifteen minutes in. Remember what he said for later on too. (Sunwoo is the only thing that is taking this episode down a notch.)
After the commercial break; we go inside Baloo and Kit's bedroom as Kit and Baloo are filling up the bags and luggage to leave Higher....For...Hire for good as we head down to the office as Rebecca is on the phone and tells the insurance guy that they cannot pay right now. See what the disruption of the Auto Aviator has done? It's sad in a way because Martin Torque is not even a bad guy here; he's just a guy who wanted to make the world better. The problem is that world involves consequences to those in it's path that it considers the gallstones around the necks of said business and your seeing a prime example of the effects when something comes in to disrupt it. (Martin is the most subtle heel in the entire ordeal. He only hates Baloo because Baloo punched him the face. He didn't really care otherwise and he found his non-violent method of getting even: Beating Baloo at his biggest strength. And not just beat him; beat him easily. He only heels on Baloo because he thinks Baloo is a dinosaur and feels that the future's time has come.) Rebecca of all people should know better since she did the same thing in Plunder and Lightning part one. (Rebecca's butting into the business of boys like cargo shipping was more profound because Baloo's Air Service was a disaster and to get it where it is now is amazing. Rebecca had a million reasons to clean house and get it over with; but decided to keep everyone anyway.) Rebecca blows the guy off and hangs up the phone. Rebecca smiles like a fake smiler and calls it a wrong number. Can it get any more depressing? This is Len Uhley we are talking about here; the same guy who did the Kit betrays his family spot in Plunder and Lightning part three; and here comes Molly accusing WildCat of lying as they are closing up Higher...For...Hire and Baloo's going away. Baloo sulks and tells her it's not a lie. Molly then bangs on Baloo's chest and then sobs in Baloo's embrace. OH MY GOD! Even I'm sheding tears here and if Sunwoo wasn't animating this episode; this would have been even more depressing than it already is.
Rebecca comes over and tries to make her understand that she cannot compete with Shere Khan's robots as Molly can only shed tears. Man; Janna Michaels is just slaying me here and her best roles are still to come. Rebecca and Molly embrace as Rebecca assures her that they won't be poor because a broker is coming over to help them. Rebecca then makes a really big error in judgment as she admits that the man is going to buy the SeaDuck and that is pretty much the true last knife into Baloo's heart from Martin. (Remember what I said about Martin destroying Baloo? There you go. ) Kit drops his luggage in shock as Baloo tells him to let it all go as he sulks out of the office. (Remember; Baloo has been defending this plane since day one; even to the point of putting Rebecca on notice that he's buying the SeaDuck once he has enough money, and Martin has reduced him to a depressed little child who knows nothing, but making boasts.) Kit is PISSED and I do mean PISSED as he invokes the WRAITH OF KIT on Rebecca Cunningham! How do you like your own medicine Miss Cunningham. It's only fitting that the MIRACLE WORKER would do it. Rebecca walks over and sits down on the steps wishing she never rented the plane to Martin. In hindsight; it would have made no difference what she did. Martin would have just hired another sucker to do it; and the same events would have happened. This is just Rebecca being balanced out just to keep the "she's a jerk" idiots at bay and not much more. Even I will concede to that mistake since I made the same mistake with her on the old rant. (Yeah; she was a sucker for new technology too. Let's face it; only misguided, arrogant Luddites wouldn't be suckers for this.) She then hears the car engine and takes the SeaDuck keys out of the pocket and throws them to Kit. Kit is surprised at this as Rebecca tells Kit to have Baloo take the SeaDuck and take him fishing (Which Disney Captions completely misses and it's a bad one all things considered. Well; they are back to mid-season form now...) as she goes to the door.
Kit goes to the side door and runs out with the door with determination on his face. I believe Kit has a plan; and Kit's plans rarely backfire in his face. Thankfully for him; he won't need one in this case. So, we head into the mountains as a storm draws near and we see the purple Khan plane flying into the clouds. We then head to a half shot of the cockpit and the mini bar as Martin is preparing the orange wine in wine glasses as the Auto Aviator just sits in the pilot's seat flying. Martin comes over to Shere Khan's chair and gives a wine glass to Shere Khan who is crosslegged. Martin preposes a toast to the Auto Aviator and the greatest invention in history. Apparently; orange wine is no longer the greatest invention in history. AHHAHAHAHAHAHA! (Orange wine is in fact real. According to Wikipedia: Orange wine can be one of four very different types of wine. It could be wine (usually dry wine) made from white wine grape varieties that have spent some maceration time in contact with the grape skins. "Orange wine" could also refer to sweet white wine macerated with orange peel. The term could refer to a beverage made by fermenting orange juice, rather than grape juice. It also could refer to wine made from grapes grown in the Orange wine region of New South Wales, Australia.) Khan and Martin drink up and then the radio blares (which doubles as a phone, natch) as it's Don Karnage being Don Karnage with this gem of a message:
Don Karnage: Allo; robot person. {Wow; he didn't call him silly; that's a show of respect.} It is I, the spectaculous Don Karnage! My blood thirsty horde an I are on an intercept course with you. {We cut to the Air Pirates in their CT-37's with Don Karnage in the lead.} We will be shooting you and looting you in precisely... {Checks his probably stolen watch.} ten minutes. Felicitations! {He puts the transmitter down.} Boy; I am one scary guy!
Yeah; you have to be to say all that without raising your voice or sounding evil. Nice little detail of acting from Jim Cummings there. We then see the CT-37's get into proper formation as we head back to inside Khan's personal quarters as Khan tells Martin to instruct the Auto Aviator to change course and evade the pirates. Martin goes over with the orange wine glass and instructs the Auto Aviator to change course by turning right and come to course 140. (No one will understand what Martin just said; but that's irrelevent to the main moment, the moment that proves to be Martin's big downfall.) The Auto Aviator responds with this line:
Auto Aviator: Deviation from flight plan is unacceptable.
UH OH! Remember what Martin said earlier? Remember how confident Don Karnage was in trying to take Shere Khan down and how calm he was when he issued his threats on the radio? That's because he KNEW that the Auto Aviator would no sell Martin Torque commands. In other words; in the words of Jesse Ventura: "Look at that! Martin Torque outsmarted himself!!" Martin basically created a robot that did everything it was supposed to do; except that what it was supposed to do is basically more of a FATAL FLAW than a UNBEATABLE STRENGTH! In other words; the Auto Aviator is barely not good enough yet. Shere Khan got hosed and Don Karnage knows it. (You know that line in basic science: The first rule in science is not to fool yourself and you are the easiest to fool. Martin fooled himself into believing that he had won, even though the robot never got tested against variables like the air pirates. His robotic piece of technology is falling before our eyes. In a way; the Wii's fall in 2011 happened when Nintendo thought they could coast for the next five years or so on the expanded audience (without upstreaming to the top), only to discover that the public actually didn't mind new technological progress and graphics, it was that the spread of technology was happening way too fast for them to catch up. This is why I say that this episode is not anti-technology because if it was; Baloo beats the AA in the race clean and decisive, not the other way around. By booking the AA with one fatal flaw in a situation that needs to be practically flawless; Len is able to make the Auto Aviator look useless, while at the same time not make technology to be a scapegoat. Why? Because Martin fooled himself and you are the easiest to fool. Len really earned those awards back in the days; and deserved better too.) Martin drops the wine glass (He won't be driving a car for the next 72 hours at least. Which is the least of his problems right now.) and blows the Auto Aviator off. Auto Aviator no sells of course.
So Martin tries to take the wheel; but the Auto Aviator invokes the X-RAY DALEK SHOCKER OF DEATH to counter. Don't you just love it when the smartest guy in the room; outsmarts himself?! That basically turns Martin into a sad tweener which is an absolute rarity in children's cartoons; let alone Disney. (It is sad in a way because Martin Torque is one of those guys who just wanted to make the world a better place. His intentions were well meaning, but his disregard for flaws and consequences fell him as they should have.) Mr. Khan is still in deadpan mode all this time with his orange wine glass asking of the Professor is having problems and Martin admits that he is and he wasn't expecting the pirates. Like I said; Martin outsmarted himself once again as Khan proclaims that a perfect pilot must handle any situation. And that is why until someone builds a robot that can do that; anthros (humans; same thing basically) must do the job. (Again; this episode didn't punch down against technology, even though Baloo does have a way with being resistant to change. Like the "radio with pictures" idea. Or the jet engine idea later on.) Martin asks what he should do and Khan brings out the claws and wants him to call for help. So; we see a shot of lightning from the clouds and a rainstorm as we head to Lake Flaccid (which plays a role in a later episode by the way) as we see the SeaDuck in the middle of the lake while Baloo sulks about Kit and WildCat spending time with a loser like him. We then cut to the tailsection as Baloo, Kit and WildCat are fishing of course. Kit proclaims that he likes being with him and that he is the best. Wildcat, of course gets his one line in the entire episode by getting Kit flustered. HAHA! (He had a few lines at least. At least it was funny.) And then we hear the radio calling a mayday and it's clearly Martin Torque's voice. Martin screams for help inside the quarters on the transmitter; which is too much for even Khan so he tells him to sit down and then flings him right onto the red sofa with a good bump. Sunwoo is pretty much dead on; minor mistakes aside.
Khan gets on the transmitter with the deadpan voice on still and tells him that the pilot who saves him will be rewarded handsomely of course. (Air Pirates are coming and Shere Khan doesn't give a damn. His deadpan gimmick was great because he's a CEO and is supposed to act like this. At least he's not happy about this; unlike more recent Spiderman shows. Martin's more of the desperation type.) He tells them as we see the CT-37's outside in the background from the window that they are at Mount Rozika (which is a mistake since it should be Mount Ruzicka which is based on Ducktales associate producer Tom Ruzicka. (I used Ruzicka in my transcript so no worries.)). We cut back to Kit with the map and WildCat behind him as Kit is checking his map and notices that they are just north of Lake Flaccid. He then asks Baloo -- who is still fishing -- if they should do something. Baloo no sells because he wants Martin Torque to save their own hides. So Kit does the old "Can The Apathy" promo just to up the BS&P nightmare a notch and even ribs Wildcat good as WildCat gets annoying as Kit proclaims that a real pilot could save them and he wonders where he could find one. Which is enough for Baloo to finally agree to save Khan and Martin from their fatally flawed non-responsive robot. (That's a gentle, witty way of telling Pop-A-Bear to can his apathy towards Martin Torque.) Did I mention that the rain effects are well done here? (No you didn't and they are good.) Okay; let's move on. So we head into the sky as the Khan plane is meeting up with the flying CT-37's in the opposite direction. We continue to see Martin off-screen trying to tell the Auto Aviator to evade; but he get buzzed and no sold by the Auto Aviator and drops on his ass in front of Khan. Khan grabs him and he's losing patience. How could you tell? AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! SLASH! OUCH! Ummmm...All Martin can do is face him and gulp. So we head into the clouds again as the SeaDuck arrives and manages to fly just above the Khan plane.
We then head to the cockpit as Baloo tells WildCat to leave once he is aboard. WildCat is flying the SeaDuck again I should note (#2 for the series) as he salutes him. We then go to the left side door as Baloo opens it and throws a rope ladder down. Thankfully; Baloo's fat ass prevents the rope ladder from flying into the stormy winds. POW! OUCH! Ummm... We head inside the personal quarters of Mr. Khan as Martin gets buzzed and thrown away stage right. (The definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again; expecting a different result. That's Martin Torque right now.) We hear a pounding on the door as Martin goes to block the door and proclaims that there are pirates and he is doomed. Nice little subtle touch to show that Martin doesn't want anyone aboard the plane. Why? Because then his life's work gets a near fatal setback. (I personally believe Martin thought the Air Pirates were going to board the plane and thought nothing of Baloo because he believed that Baloo was crushed psychology and thus would not help Khan at all. How wrong he would be?!) Sadly; Baloo slams the door open and Martin gets squashed into the plane walls like a pancake. HAHA! Baloo asks how it's going as the door closes and Martin drops like a Fred Flintstone (Check the Hanna Barbara impact sound effect on that one dude!). We then cut to a side shot of the Khan plane as the SeaDuck flies into the air with the rope ladder still fluttering in the sky. So we head inside as Khan is at the mini bar desk with the orange wine pitcher as he greets Baloo without calling him a balloon. HA! Khan pours a glass of orange wine into the wine glass as Baloo arrives and Khan explains the situation. He asks for suggestions and the bullet shooting officially commences right now as it shatters the wine glass and the pitcher and the airplane walls. Martin panics near the airplane seat as more gunfire comes within three inches of his head. I guess that is the limit now in syndication. (And yet another episode where the guns are pulled out. I've already listed the final tally; so I won't bring it up here.)
Baloo asks for a bottle of soda pop as Khan dusts the ashes off his suit as Baloo causally props his arm on the table. So we go back as the CT-37's continue their gunfire assault. And since this is a Sunwoo episode; the flashes off the bullets are red. We get a closeup of Don Karnage's Tri-Wing Terror (I don't recall Don Karnage's CT-37 ever having an official name.) as he gets off this funny line:
Don Karnage: This is like taking candy from a sitting baby duck off a log. {Don flies down stage right.}
So we head into the cockpit as Baloo walks in with the bottle of soda pop (I guess Khan uses it to create his orange wine drink to reduce the level of alcohol. (Funny since orange wine is a real wine, you know.)) as he sweets talks the Auto Aviator because he's working too hard at screwing Martin Torque. Okay; Baloo didn't say that; but we know it's true. He shakes the bottle as it's time to cool off and then Martin runs in too late as Baloo releases the cap and the orange soda pop sprays into the Auto Aviator; basically short circuiting him. Which is another strike against Martin Torque: Dies when sprayed with water and critic acid. The Auto Aviator spins around and blows up. Wonder if Toon Disney cut that scene considering that Ducktales had something similar like this snipped. (Answer: None of it is cut and neither is the gunfire in that version. Wow. (Another reason why I'm glad TaleSpin is on DVD now.)) The Auto Aviator drops like a stone with Wii electrical effects and Martin is pissed as he wants to MURDER Baloo for acting like a barbarian. I see Martin is a bigger dork than Drake Mallard is. (Yeah; Martin Torque cares more about his robot invention than Shere Khan's life. I get that Shere Khan is a CEOhole and so, screw Shere; but what I said is still true and there's Baloo to consider, who is merely a jerk with a heart of gold. I think Khan is justified in turfing Martin now since Martin is a bigger scoiopath than Khan is.) Khan grabs him by the neck (Martin's got a hotdog sized neck to boot!) as he tells Martin to let a real pilot handle this. He also throws Martin away stage left and we get the Fred Flintstone sound effect again. So Baloo salutes him and takes the alternative seat as the Auto Aviator is beheaded now and proped against the pilot seat. Khan joins him to watch as Baloo pulls some levers (DOUBLE-JESUS~!) and we head to an outside side shot as Don Karnage flies right beside the window and proclaims that the ugly pilot machine looks like Baloo. HAHA! I love real comments that aren't supposed to be real comments.
Mad Dog's plane flies to Don's right and then everyone goes into the tailspin nosedive. So, we get some flying in between mountains and about half of the CT-37's crash into them and one uncorks the parachute. Mad Dog thinks it's funny because it also flies like Baloo. Don gets onto the transmitter and commences the attack further. More gunfire; and two CT-37's get their wires crossed and crash into each other (Another example of why it won't happen in the new Disney...) and uncork the parachute. Yeah; it's a children's cartoon, accept it and move on. Don Karnage flies around and blows them off for not shooting the bear and shooting their disgusting selves. HAHA! Make funnier when he literally gets beaned with a sick bump to the head with an engine part. HEE HEE! (2020 Gregory Weagle Says: UGH!) Well; there goes Don's hope chest right there. Don wants a retreat and Mad Dog gets confused and he's in deadpan mode; before finally yelling to run away. HAHA! Plane parts go flying along with parachutes coming down as the remaining planes that are still intact spiral up and retreat into the darkness; only to return in Polly Wants A Treasure. We head back to the cockpit as we have the victory theme and Baloo steadys the plane and gets it back to normal course. Khan praises him for saving him and Baloo thanks him for it as he wants him to see him when he's really adequate. I guess the cockiness lesson is in another episode. AHHAHAHAHAHA! (Speaking of 1980's pop culture references that woosh over poor critics heads...) Khan goes in to take care of one little problem as he stalks Martin -- who looks seriously done -- as Khan blows him off for decivicing him. However; he does have a mercy bone in his body as he offers to return the robots in exchange for all his MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH. And just to make sure Martin gets the point; Khan opens the left side door and holds Martin over the abyss below asking him to tell the truth if this sounds good to him. I would love to see Kick Buttowski suffer this; just so he can see what a real daredevil faces. (He's already fallen off a plane, so he has faced it. He's still unlikable anyway because almost all of Kit's likable traits aren't based on his gimmick.) Martin is not even a daredevil as Martin proclaims that it sounds perfectly fair and that officially ends the era of the Auto Aviator. (2020 Gregory Weagle Says: For now anyway. Gyro Gearloose might bring that caveat at anytime...like circa 2017.)
We head to Louie's place as the radio beckons as it's Dateline: Cape Suzette. The radio voice I'm not sure of either. The announcer proclaims that Khan Industries has junked the robots and all Khan pilots are to report for reinstatement. All the freelance pilot cheer for victory on that one as the Khan pilots drinking beer from their mugs are going to have to hide their liquor from now on. AHHAHAHAHAHAHA! (Boy; I'm glad that I now refrain from the rejected Rhinokey joke book; because I wasn't even trying anymore.) We cut back to Louie as he wants Baloo to do the honors as we see Baloo with the big ass picture of himself as Kit is sitting on the bar table in awe. Baloo rips the Auto Aviator picture off the BBS ACE FAME OF DOOM and pins the picture of himself on it as the crowd pops for that one. Kit gives Baloo a hug as well for a really nice touch as then he asks what happened to Martin. Baloo guesses that he's back to the drawing board. So we head to Thembria as a bell rings and we pan east to see Martin at the train station in a blizzard showing off his Auto Aviators as cleaning maids with pink dresses and brooms. Like a dork; he's probably sexist to boot. (Not really; he hasn't spewed toxic language like Coolhands Luke. Yet.) The train (Which has a haystack cargo box for the denizens to ride on. Did I mention that a giant warthog (not anthroed) is pulling the thing?) docks and four Thembrian ladies jump off and walk away before Martin has even a snowball's chance in hell of selling them something. Time to work on that pitch for the possible Virtual Season "Phantom Blot Villians who hate Baloo so much!" Martin; no one cares. It's a Mechno-Maid (And you hardcore losers thought Wii was a terrible name?) as one Thembrian woman does wait for him to stop talking before walking off stage left. We get a close up of Martin looking as poor as Scrooge McDuck was in Down And Out In Duckberg and the Auto Aviator whacks Martin with the RIC FLAIR BROOMSTICK OF DOOM for his fib. HAHA! We go to the zoom out shot as the train rides away and Martin freezes at the station asking please for once -- which is too late for him -- to finally end the episode at 21:13. Considering the context of the episode to real life; I think I know what this episode is going to get. ***** (100%). (Even Sunwoo cannot change this rating. The Review Line explains better than I ever could here.)
THE REVIEW LINE
It's amazing how many levels this episode (Which had to be awesome to impress the fans who don't have Disney Channel at the time...) ruled and the lesson of the day was supposed to be that anthros will never be obsolete. However; there was a lot going on here that was missed. First; there's Martin Torque who was in essence a good guy who had a vision for a better future; but no one in the aviation industry saw him as a good guy; but a heel who wanted to ruin their lives. So Martin takes the insults and continues to march on and let Baloo defeat himself and prove his point that the Auto Aviator is better and the anthro pilots are a gallstone around the neck of the industry in general. See Wii and Nintendo DS for a much more real life example. So the Auto Aviator has a race with Baloo and wins proving that he is good enough in 99.9% of the situations. Len did an amazing job of making sure that the Auto Aviator was built strong enough to basically keep Baloo and company “in the box” (like Nintendo keeping Sony and Microsoft “in the box” (of a dwindling hardcore base).); and keep them unable to counter causing the consequences of unemployment and the emotion flowing out of Molly and making Kit look pissed off when the SeaDuck was going to be sold. However; Don Karnage (the one person who sees right through this whole thing) decides to take advantage of the one problem with the Auto Aviator: the inability to change it's tune which is what Martin put in to counter the Auto Aviator from disobeying like a normal pilot. When the pirates attacked; Martin was finished right there, because he basically outsmarted himself allowing Baloo to win the day and exploit the second weak point (Water, which wouldn't bother a normal pilot...) and thus allowing Khan to end the deal with Martin and Martin is freezing to death in Thembria. Yes; the unemployment thing was white washed; but it wasn't the point of the episode: Disruption was. The amazing thing was that despite Baloo's victory; it doesn't change the fact that pilots might lose their job someday to something else (maybe not as many as this episode; but still).
It's due to what Alyson Terry wrote in her editorial about in Speaking Without Words: Setting: "From Here to Machinery" deals with the nasty topic that often confronted many people during this and earlier times, that of unemployment. Lightly touched on throughout the series, this is one of the few episodes that really shows the affects any new technology would have on this kind of an atmosphere. What surprised me was that Disney, or more specifically the show's creators would so accurately portray the mistrust, yet growing dependency this era placed on "gadgets and gizmos", even one so useless and ill-begotten as the Auto Aviator. But Baloo's talents win out over modern machinery once again at the conclusion of the episode. The question I have is, for how long? Not much longer as several other episodes demonstrated like Mach One For The Gipper, Bullethead Baloo and The Incredible Shrinking Molly as we saw Baloo blowing off certain inventions that would in the future come true even more so than the Auto Aviator ever could. (It's what I mentioned before: Len Uhley could have easily wrote this as a "old equals good, new equals bad" anti-technology episode; but that is not how this was booked. To book such a thing requires Baloo to beat the Auto Aviator. He didn't. The Auto Aviator basically defeated himself and by extension Martin Torque. That's the way it is supposed to be booked without punching down on technology in the present like the airplane Baloo is flying. By the way; someone has legit found a way to cloudsurf ala Kit Cloudkicker recently. So even Kit's airfoil was way ahead of the time period; but became something that can happen today and in the future (with massive caveats I might add). Heck; we are seeing the auto aviator example in Driverless Cars. And those tests are becoming more and more in favor of this. Like I said; distruption happens all the time and it's natural to be skeptical of the technology at first. But it becomes irrational when the tests come out great. Also, it can become dangerous to society if that irrational thinking to spite technology when the technology saves lives. See vaccines.)
Also, it's easy to blame Rebecca Cunningham for this; but really it wouldn't have mattered. Martin would have hired someone else to be the sucker and Baloo would be dragged into it in the end. As for the rest of the episode; Don Karnage was himself and I really loved the subtle things in this episode as they built it up strong and made it effective enough that anyone watching it would think twice. It's not as emotional as Stormy Weather, Plunder and Lightning nor Down & Out In Duckberg; but it was still effective enough. Yes; there were a few mistakes from Sunwoo; but really they were minor and none of them broke logic enough to kill the rating. I still wonder if Len Uhley really knows how powerful his writing was in 1990 because he certainly didn't have that after this series. (Oh come on 2010 Me! Len Uhley's writing is still really great after all those years. He even won a Writer's Guild of America award for his efforts. He's written hundreds of episodes, many of them good. Give the guy some credit!) So next up is Mommy For A Day and this one might just be on par with Stormy Weather in terms of emotion; but with the character you least expect as a focus: Molly Cunningham. (Mommy For A Day is awesome, it's just not historic. Somehow From Here To Machinery is not on the top ten best episodes of all time in TaleSpin. That sounds wrong to me. It should be penciled in at #5; but somehow I don't have it on my list. For shame Gregory Weagle; you should turn in your reviewer card right now for this stupidity. How can this not be among the standouts of TaleSpin in terms of quality and history?) So...
Thumbs way up for this episode and I'll see you next time.
Back
to TaleSpin Rants!
Return
to the Rant Shack!
Return
to the Unofficial Kit Cloudkicker Homepage!