ROCKS 9A: Bucky O'Hare episodes 1-3

WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE FIRST DISCUSSION IN THE NINTH STRAND OF THE NEW CLUB "R.O.C.K.S." - REWATCHING OLD CLASSIC KIDS SHOWS!
A big thanks to everyone that are joining us through all of this.

Threads 9A through 9D will be focusing on the 1991 animated classic "Bucky O'Hare And The Toad Menace" - and as the series only had one short season of 13 episodes, we're going to cover it in its entirity.

This week we're covering the opening three-parter, which consists of the episodes:

1. War Of The Warts
2. A Fistful Of Simoleans
3. The Good, The Bad And The Warty

Just the usual friendly reminder to everyone that, whilst fans are obviously welcome to passionately discuss and give their views on these episodes, please remember to keep things on a friendly footing and respect your fellow posters.
Also, please do not post where or how to find the full episode online. And do not post asking others to PM it to you. You are however allowed to watch the show in whatever manner you want.

Oh man, such a great and under appreciated show. It definitely deserved more. Also a great NES game and toyline!

I haven't seen these episodes since they were first broadcast on BBC 1. I really enjoyed this three part opener.
As I watched these episodes I instantly remembered a few scenes. The bit about the play money called Willys and ''look out he's got a lightsaber''.
I noticed quite a few nods to Star Wars in these episodes.
I am really looking forward to seeing the full series.

"adssse, post: 121429, member: 25051" said:

Oh man, such a great and under appreciated show. It definitely deserved more. Also a great NES game and toyline!

It did indeed have a great toyline. I had Bucky, Willy, Dogstar, Toad Air Marshall and Toadborg. It's a shame Jenny and the second series figures never got released.

I saw this on the BBC in the early 90s, then watched it again a couple of years ago as an adult. And I think it's held up pretty well.

First off - that theme tune. It's very 90s. It's one that you have to be in the right mood to hear again, but it quickly grows on you. Favourite line? "When you check out your scanner and the evil that it bodes - there's only one course of action, let's croak us some toads!" - partly because it's the only time I've ever heard the word "bodes" used in a song at all, let alone the rhyme!

As for the show itself, it's good. Right away it's established who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. Even though we're thrust right away into a combat situation, it's clear who's who, and indeed all the characters are identified very quickly - even the ones who don't appear until episode 2!

Also every character has his or her moment to shine. Jenny's mystical powers are intriguing, and do get explored more fully in a later episode, and Dead-Eye probably the character with the most appeal both in terms of his pirate past and his comedy value. Bruiser is probably the most obviously comic character, he reminds me of Ben "The Thing" Grim from the Fantastic Four, his attitudes and even his voice is the same sort of thing. The way the toads are so terrified of those baboons is good for establishing a bit of comedy, and while it might be a little overdone in parts, it's only at close quarters.

Bucky himself is probably the least engaging character, he is very straight, but then it's his show, it's his homeworld that has been mutilated by the toads. The question is, how driven do you make him? He is quite driven but he doesn't seem to let it get in the way of his professionalism. Tough call, but perhaps they could have made him a little more charismatic. But then at the same time, he's in command, he's a good leader.

Willy is very engaging - partly through a very simple device. We first see him in our own universe getting beaten up by bigger kids - but then when he enters the Aniverse, he is enormous relative to the other characters. It comes as a surprise to all concerned, and it works beautifully. He's the right size to fit into a Berserker Baboon's battle suit. His line to the bullies in the second episode, "I've seen toads scarier than you" is a favourite of mine.

Villains, well, Komplex is the overall leader of the Toads, and he is an emotionless computer capable of intelligent thought. His past is explored later in the series. As for the cybernetic Toadborg, all the toads are scared of him, including the comic relief Air Marshal, and his even more comical sidekicks, Frix and Frax. I don't think he was ever really given any development beyond what we learn in this opener, that he contains the brain of a toad warrior, who had a moment of instinctive terror when faced with a baboon before remembering he had nothing to fear from them anymore. The most interesting villain of the bunch is the mercenary Al Negator. If you shake hands with him be sure to count your fingers afterwards!

The voice cast are good, some very familiar 90s voice names there - Scott McNeil (Dead-Eye) and Garry Chalk (Al Negator) were both also in King Arthur And The Knights Of Justice, Chalk was also in Captain Zed And The Zee Zone along with Jay Brazeau (Air Marshal).

INTERESTING TRIVIA: Long John Baldry (Komplex) is the "John" that Elton John named himself after. When young Reg Dwight was picking a stage name for himself, he came up with "Elton John" after two of his bandmates in his first professional band, called Bluesology. He named himself after bandmates Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.

"LiamABC, post: 121449, member: 25438" said:

INTERESTING TRIVIA: Long John Baldry (Komplex) is the "John" that Elton John named himself after. When young Reg Dwight was picking a stage name for himself, he came up with "Elton John" after two of his bandmates in his first professional band, called Bluesology. He named himself after bandmates Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.

I didn't know that about Long John Baldry.
Toadborg seemed to be inspired by Darth Vader and a bit of Robocop