mines1985

(minor spoilers) I try to give every show a fair view. I'll watch several episodes and see if the show is any good. I don't like to slam a show after only one or two episodes, because I like to think that maybe it can redeem itself in other ones. Unfortunately, this show wasn't one that was able to prove that it was really good. I watched several episodes and all of them were basically the same (with the exception of the Oddparents' "night off"). The boring characters and cookie-cutter storylines just didn't seem to cut it. The show was quite boring. It got very repetitive, annoying, and almost preachy. In nearly every single episode Timmy greedily wishes for something to happen, and then he learns his lesson and wishes everything back. So he's happy the way he is now, right? Wrong. He always finds something to complain about and consequently launches another "adventure" with his "fairy godparents" who are pretty much obligated to give the kid anything he wants.

This, of course, leads to incredibly impropable situations, such as the episode where Timmy switched bodies with the babysitter's dog. These shows obviously have a "theme" to them - be happy with who you are - but the show is ruined by the characters. Timmy is annoyingly bratty in some episodes; the Oddparents are almost stereotypes (smart woman, dumb guy); and almost any adult character is thin as cardboard. It made the show a rather unpleasant viewing experience.

All in all it's not as bad as some shows, but it certainly ranks very low in my list of "good shows" on TV today.

It's not a cartoon. It's not live-action. And to me, it's one of the greatest kids' shows ever!

I started watching this show when it started on Tech TV recently. It came on briefly when I was just a kid, but back then, I really didn't appreciate it. My siblings spent most of the time looking for strings and "real hands" and not really paying attention to the actual show.

When it started on Tech TV, I thought I would give it a whirl, and I found out that I love it.

It beats me why Tech TV decided to start showing it. Maybe it is because of the technology shown in the show back then, or the resurgence of popularity in the U.K. Or maybe it's just because of the new movie coming out in 2004. Either way, I am very happy they decided to show it.

Although at first glance this show is cheesy and obvious, if you watch it for a while, you find that you start to ignore the wires and mistakes, and begin to really enjoy the show and its plotlines. This show is amazing, and was really breakthrough back then in the 1960's. It is surprising how they used simple kitchen dials and other common objects to create wonderful sets. I like the trivia and comments that Tech TV runs at the bottom, and some of them have caused me to appreciate the show even more. For example, if they didn't explain that each show had to be lengthened from a half-hour to a whole hour, I would have been inclined to complain that they dragged some scenes on too long. I would never have known that they had to lengthen them in order to fit the time period. And I would have never known how much work and cash they put into each show: an astronomical amount for that time period, but it was mostly worth it.

I love the 5 Thunderbird vehicles used in the show, and think they did a wonderful job with them. Each one is unique, and is specially suited to its job. The characters are all different as well, not cookie-cutter personalities, and few stereotypes. It was fun to watch the show and see the characters really develop, and also see the vehicles in action.

I truly enjoy this show and was disappointed to find out it spanned less than 2 seasons. I think the plot and characters are amazing and I wish I could find the videos online, but no one seems to have them. As it is, I can't wait until the newest movie comes out, in 2004.

Thunderbirds are GO!

Spoilers! Don't read unless you've played the game!

This game is a bit old - it first appeared in 1990. But that doesn't stop it from being great!

This game was made by LucasArts (at the time they were known as LucasFilm.) This company is well-known for making great adventure games that are funny and easy to play. The Secret of Monkey Island is definitely no exception. It's made in three or four different parts, something I wasn't accustomed to until I played this series. It's virtually impossible to die and the games give a fresh new look on the whole adventure platform. The game is packed with great jokes and challenging puzzles. It's not the type of adventure game where you have to swordfight monsters every 2 seconds (although you do go through "swordfighting training" to learn some really funny insults) or listen while someone blabs on about how they're avenging the death of their great-grandfather's second cousin's sister's nephew's half-uncle once-removed, wasting your time with stories that don't have anything to do with the game.

In the Secret of Monkey Island, you are Guybrush Threepwood, an aspiring young man who wishes to become a pirate. You talk to some pirates in a bar and find out that there's three challenges you have to go through to actually become a pirate like them. Seems simple enough, but be warned...this isn't your average adventure game! You might find yourself with the strangest tools to do the job.

One feature I really liked was the challenges the game presents. You really have to think outside the box to solve these puzzles, and it makes the game really funny. I mean, in what other adventure game can you actually utilize a rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle? The stuff you pick up is totally weird and generally isn't used for what you'd expect.

The game was also full of great characters with all kinds of different personalities. These weren't over-stereotyped, blase cookie-cutter characters that all acted and looked alike. There's everyone from Carla, the island's cynical sword master, to Stan, the high-pressure ship salesman that will do anything for a sale. Even the Men of Low Moral Fiber (pirates) are unique. It makes for a great gaming experience.

In short, this is a great classic that should be played by everyone - especially someone looking for a fresh new perspective into the world of adventure games. I wish there was more games like the Monkey Island series. Hopefully they'll come out with a fifth one sometime in the near future. As it is, I'll be enjoying these Monkey Island games for a long time to come!

There are several factors I like in adventure games. I like it when you can't die too easily, and I like it when you can't ruin the game by forgetting something or doing something wrong the first time. LucasArts' "Monkey Island" series has these, and more. They're funny, they're challenging, and, for the most part, they're CLEAN. They are suitable for most ages, though I wouldn't advise letting kids who are too young play them, and you can get a good laugh without too many inappropriate or suggestive comments. I was really looking forward to playing the fourth installment of the "Monkey Island" series. I'd played all three before and thought they were all great. They were easily the most fun and interesting games I'd ever played, especially since I was used to the whole "Sierra" theme and didn't really know what to expect. There are a lot of great things about these games, namely, you can't die all too easily (although there may be some spots you might be able to) and you can't ruin the whole entire game by forgetting one thing or not following explicit directions. There's always a second chance in Monkey Island (and in most LucasArts games!) Unfortunately, I really didn't like EMI as much as I did the others. The main difference was the absence of the "point-and-click" interface. I didn't mind it too much for using inventory, but simple commands became a bit difficult since you couldn't directly click on something - you might have to turn several times to get it right - and the walking style took a lot of getting used to! Also absent was the choice of "light" and "mega" that was present in other games, because playing on lite first for a little while might have been helpful for "getting used" to the game before really going for it. Don't get me wrong - EMI is a great game and should be enjoyed by everyone. I was disappointed to hear that the creators of the game didn't include little Wally because they didn't like his character, because I (and many others, I'm sure) thought he added a nice touch to the whole game, along with helping move the plot along. (Play the second and third one to see who he is!) And it was too bad that Murray, the talking skull, was only present for a little while and didn't have as big a part as in the third one. Either way, the game was really great, and I would certainly advise it to anyone looking for a fresh new type of adventure game.

I just watched the premier of this show on Cartoon Network last night. I didn't really know what to expect when I turned it on. From what I'd seen in the previews, it looked like the type of cartoon that Nickelodeon is producing right now, many of which (I'll draw a lot of flame for this, I'm sure) are pretty lousy at the moment.

Either way, the show wasn't as bad as I anticipated, but it wasn't as good as I thought it could be. The worst part was probably Robot Jones' monotone synthesized voice, which was funny at first but got really irritating later on. It seemed a bit forced, as if it were a factor that would make or break the cartoon, and it tended to bog things down.

Another problem with the cartoon is the animation, which wasn't anything really great and actually seemed to distract from the rest of the cartoon. It didn't really seem to help the flow of the cartoon or satirize anything. This effect is achieved in the Powerpuff Girls, which makes fun of anime, and in Dexter's Lab, which often shows huge, overexaggerated lab equipment. These "bad backgrounds" in those shows made them funny, but in Robot Jones it looks bad and overdone, especially in "dark" panels (e.g. a lot of hash marks are used for darkness and texture.)

The humor of the cartoon was better than I expected, so I wasn't too disappointed; however, it wasn't nearly as good as it could have been. I had a few chuckles, but it was nothing compared to the hilarious stuff I've seen on other Cartoon Network shows. One other point: at times, the humor almost seemed aimed directly at adults, or at least kids over the age of 7. Since it's a show about kids in middle school, I'm assuming it's intended for that age group anyway. I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a show for very young children to watch. There is some humor in the show that some parents might not even consider appropriate for very young children. There is also the "attention span" factor which should come into play. There are times in the cartoon when there is little or no action to speak of. Additionally, the humor might be funny for adults, but for a kid it might seem like a lot of nonsense that isn't really all that funny.

In conclusion, Robot Jones is neither great nor totally terrible. It's an OK show for one weekend, but it's one I certainly wouldn't recommend watching regularly.

...after watching them too many times, they start to get reeaaaly old.

Now, don't let that deter you from watching them. By all means, I encourage anyone to watch these shows. They are funny and cute, and can be enjoyed by everyone, even people who might not normally appreciate a Christian message in a video. I myself enjoy watching them on occasion, especially ones that have a lot of jokes that adults will understand more than kids (e.g., the "Are You My Friend" one which spoofs the classic Star Trek.) But here's a bit of advice from someone who has worked in a church nursery for 5 years running: if you own a video, DO NOT watch it too many times! (The nursery owns several tapes.) It WILL drive you insane, no matter how much you love it. I suppose it's the same way with any children's video; in many ways these VeggieTales tapes are a lot better. But the jokes can get old and repetitive and the songs tend to be annoying. Additionally, if you have any kids, or know any kids who own VeggieTales, they'll be reciting the jokes and songs nonstop. If you have a tape, I suggest you save it for a rainy day, or as a special treat or reward. Other than being a bit annoying at times, these VeggieTales tapes are really quite wonderful if watched only every once in a while, and can be a nice way to share a good message with kids. I give all the tapes about an 8 out of 10.

I decided to watch this movie when it came on Cartoon Network. I had heard a little about it but hadn't actually seen it. From what I'd heard and seen (mainly trailers) it didn't seem to be all that bad of a movie, but I was skeptical at first. On the surface, it looked like a kid's movie, much like a lot that were coming out at that time, mainly from Disney. I was pleasantly surprised. I found the movie to be quite enjoyable. The animation was excellent, and very reminiscent of older Disney movies (I myself am not a fan of the new style Disney is using.) The characters were fairly well-developed and fit together well and the movie had a really good plot. The only thing that kind of made me mad was the stigma that "guns are bad, they kill people!" It's not the guns, it's the people who pull the trigger or who use them improperly. Unfortunately, there was nowhere in the movie that I could see improper usage of them. At any rate, the movie was certainly a good animation, and I wouldn't mind watching it again. I give it a 9 out of 10, its only fault being the anti-gun bit.

It seems to me that a lot of people don't exactly know how the Powerpuff Girls got started. Long-time viewers of Cartoon Network may remember an old show that was around about 8 years ago called the "What a Cartoon" show. This show was comprised mainly of little, often rather idiotic cartoon shorts. In essence, these were "basement" cartoons; they weren't worked on very hard (apparently), were full of cheesy humor, and were most likely made for fun in the animators' spare time. The Powerpuff Girls was one of these. (Some people might even remember watching the first couple Powerpuff Girls shorts on the "What A Cartoon" show.) Occasionally a cartoon would be considered good enough to be put on the regular scheduling. Some viewers may be surprised to find that Johnny Bravo, Dexter's Lab and a host of other cartoons had their beginnings in the "What a Cartoon" show (and some in the "Cartoon Cartoon" show, which came after "What a Cartoon" had long since been cut from regular programming.) Basically, what I'm trying to say is that the Powerpuff Girls is supposed to be almost nothing but a silly little joke. I remember when I first heard it was coming out as a regular show. I thought, "Oh, no, another horrible show to clog Cartoon Network." I never anticipated its wild popularity.

OK, OK, I'll admit that sometimes the plotline is crummy and the show occasionally copies off other shows, especially any anime shows. But, once again, let me just tell anyone who insists on complaining how dumb the show is: IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT. It's SUPPOSED to have bad backgrounds. It's no surprise that the girls have gigantic eyes; after all, it's just making fun of anime (and I've yet to see any anime where female characters DON'T have eyes the size of Alaska.) It's all supposed to be nothing more than a humorous spoof on many (much more serious) cartoons on the networks today.

I heard this show was WILDLY popular over in Britain, although I never even HEARD of it until I saw it on the TV guide. I heard it was awful but decided I would watch it and see if it was any good. It was on at a time when I wasn't able to watch, so I decided to videotape it, using an old tape. I'm glad I did. This show was bad for three main reasons. (**Please note: this may contain mild spoilers of what happens in the show.) Read on...

1. The theme song. In most action-adventure cartoons, the theme gives some information about the show. This incredibly short (30-second-long) theme gave absolutely NO information as to: a) How the Martians got to Earth in the first place; b) what they are supposed to be doing there; or c) why they are CALLED the Butt-Ugly Martians, and why they hang around with a trio of teens that don't seem to know what they're doing, either. Also, the song itself was confusing: the Martians sing, "We are the Martians, the Butt-Ugly Martians!" but later in the song they chant, "B! K-M! B! K-M!" WHY?! Shouldn't it be B-U-M?! It doesn't even seem like their initials! Do they have a different name in Britain or Canada? Maybe another viewer can help me out with this one.

2. The plot. What plot? Unfortunately, this show reminded me too much of many brain-dead shows that made their debuts in the early 90's. Usually, there is an underlying theme, or some kind of constant problem that sometimes surfaces. This show apparently had NONE that I could figure out, at least at the start. The plot was generally disjointed and confusing. We have absolutely NO information what they're doing until the middle of the show when they transform! That's when they FINALLY decide that they'll tell us they have special powers that they should use to take over Earth, and that they're PROTECTING Earth instead. In fact, I got most of the information ahead of time in the little preview (coming up next on "Butt-Ugly Martians..."). Are the Martians supposed to be taking over Earth? Who's the weird Emperor? What the HECK IS GOING ON?!?!

3. The characters. They are not well-developed and the viewer, as mentioned before, has no idea what is going on or who the characters are until they address each other by name. You can't check what their names are at the ending credits; there are no names matched up with the cast. As said before, they should have given some info in the theme song, instead of leaving us in the dark.

All in all, this show is not well-put together, not well-developed, and truly a waste of half an hour. I would not recommend this show to anyone. Spend your time watching something else, if you're going to watch TV at all.

I personally enjoy Dexter's Lab, and watch it whenever I can. When "Ego Trip" was first put on TV in 1999, my brother and I made sure we had a blank tape to record it on. It goes along with the typical "Dexter" style, including animation, which naturally isn't entirely the best. Even so, I found the movie very funny and enjoyable, with a good ending - following the typical style of Dexter's Lab where it kind of leaves you a bit hanging at the end. I recommend this to all people who enjoy the show "Dexter's Lab."

I never liked this show very much. There are some children's shows that I don't mind, and there's some I even enjoy myself (although these are mostly older kids' shows.) But "Maggie and the Ferocious Beast" is one show I would not recommend. It's OK for children under two or three years old, but older children often get ideas off TV, which could easily happen if they watch Maggie. The show can indeed teach good manners, but otherwise the ideas can be unwise and even upsetting to children who don't know better. For example, in one show, Hamilton the pig caught a fish from a pond to keep as a pet. If a young child watches that, they might think it's a good idea and request to do the same thing sometime, perhaps on a family outing to a park with a pond. They could easily become upset and frustrated if they're not able to do everything on the show that the characters seem to be able to accomplish so easily. Additionally, I think some of the shows can be a bit frightening to a small child. Even the thought of a giant beast can scare some children, as well as "the big duck" on the show, which could easily give children nightmares. I would not recommend this show unless the person watching is too young to try the ideas on the show or be frightened by any of the show's characters.

Although I like to poke fun at this show, I must admit it has several pleasant qualities that make it a wonderful show. It's mainly for children not yet "graduated" into shows for older kids. It has a "Mr. Rogers" type of quality in that Bear talks to the children watching and sort of invites them in to play with all of his friends in the big blue house. It can teach things such as being nice to others, even if they do something you might not like. I recommend this show for children aged up to about 7 or 8 years. This show can be a nice show for a young family looking for something enjoyable to watch with their children. It's neither too violent nor too babyish and can be a nice way to pass an afternoon before naptime.

I'll be honest here. I started watching this movie with a pretty negative attitude about the whole thing. I think that most Disney movies have gotten worse and worse over the past few years, so I assumed "Mulan" would be no exception. But then, after I watched the movie for a little while, I realized it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. The characters are quite well-developed, and the movie itself moves along fairly smoothly. I think the only thing that really "clogged" the movie was the frequent songs, although I truly enjoyed a couple of them. All in all, I found the movie quite enjoyable, and I give it about a 7 out of 10.

Original Claymation Rudolph: Pretty good. Original Frosty cartoon: Needs a little work, but could be worse. But Frosty and Rudolph together on the Fourth of July? C'mon! Give me a BREAK!!! This was one movie that shouldn't have been made. It was bad. It didn't really go for any holiday in particular, except July 4. That made it especially bad since Frosty and Rudolph are usually associated with the Christmas season. And any movie can be ruined by too much singing. The frequent songs made this movie seem a lot longer than it really was. The movie tried mixing two familiar Chirstmastime characters with an American traditional holiday (which almost seems to "limit" it to America), too many pointless songs, and a lousy plotline. The result? A bad movie that can't really be watched at any time of year. I would suggest you forgo this movie even if you like Frosty and Rudolph.

I totally enjoyed this movie. The storyline, although a bit predictable towards the end, was well thought out, and the characters were hilarious. A good thing about the movie was that it sometimes had funny bits in parts you would expect to be serious, e.g. the exploding bird.

The movie had me laughing pretty much all the way through. Adults as well as kids can get lots of enjoyment from it. All in all, I thought the movie was great and I give it a 10 out of 10.

I guess I expected way too much with this movie, since I read all the books beforehand. They mixed all the book events up, and then they added some of their own. If they stuck to the basic plot of the first book, they might have come out with a much better movie. You can tell, however, that they didn't have much of a budget, because they didn't use as many special effects as I thought (people disappearing, planes blowing up, etc.)The movie was a bit confusing, too, especially if you didn't read the books. One good thing about this is, the characters were, with the exception of Buck and Bruce, actually looked quite close to what I envisioned them.