The Pemmy, Krissi & James Kinda-Sorta-Hopefully Funny Cartoon Podcast

Mega Man (Ruby Spears, 1994-1995)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 15 May 2026 04:00:00 -0700

Get equipped with Podcast Download! Mega Man ditched the green makeover from Captain N and grew up about half a decade in 1994 when Ruby Spears brought the super fighting robot to syndication. The result was a more faithful take on the Blue Bomber but not without quirks. Many, many, MANY quirks, and not all of them good ones. So dust off those old cartridges and come join us!

Kim Possible (Disney Television Animation, 2002-2007)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 01 May 2026 04:00:00 -0700

Call her, beep her, or if you're Disney rely on her to help get over the slump their animation division were in during the early 2000s! Kim Possible made massive waves for the company and helped establish the Disney Channel as a third viable source for first run animation opposite Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. This globetrotting cheerleader garnered four seasons and two made for TV movies, all without ever getting her learners permit! Linwood Knight returns to help us with the sitch on Team Possible in this episode.

Ranma 1/2 (Studio Deen, 1989-1992)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0700

It's the classic boy meets girl story, except complicated by arranged engagements, martial arts mayhem, and a gender bending curse that makes the boy get into romantic trouble from every possible angle. Ranma 1/2 is Rumiko Takahashi's smash hit manga, adapted into anime in 1989 and after a false start in a crummy timeslot it became a massive hit at home in Japan and would help herald bigger things to come for Japanese animation here in the US. Come and listen, we owe Nabiki money if we don't get a certain number of downloads!

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Warner Brothers Animation, 2008-2011)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0700

Like a bolt from the blue after years of oh so serious Batmen, the Brave and the Bold revived the wilder, sillier elements of the caped crusader and the surrounding DC Comics history. Drawing from material ranging from the golden age up to the most recent iterations of characters like Blue Beetle and the Atom, this is what your hosts would consider "Exhibit A" when making the case that campy does not equal bad. So come join us as we revisit the hammers of justice!

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros 3 (DiC, 1990)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0700

With the next Mario movie a little under a week from release, our hosts return to DiC's divisive take on the franchise with the first of two Saturday morning installments they made. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros 3 took the brothers to a more accurate to the games Mushroom Kingdom, but did it without half the cast of the Super Show and with a massive time crunch for production. It's a wild ride, and we hope you all enjoy our look back at it!

Tweety & Sylvester (Warner Brothers, 1947-1964)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0700

Sorry, Mario, but your podcast is in another castle. Or, rather, will have to come out next week due to life interfering with all three hosts at once last week! But we were prepared for just such an emergency by having recorded in advance a sure-fire hit replacement, featuring one of the most durable and enduring comedic duos in animation history, Tweety & Sylvester. Join us as we enjoy all the putty tat twoubles we can stand, including two Academy Award winning shorts in Tweety Pie and Birds Anonymous.

Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated (Warner Bros Animation, 2010-2013)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0800

After the vintage feel of What's New and the downright wild Get A Clue, the Scooby Gang dive into arguably the darkest material they've tackled to date. Mystery Incorporated is the high watermark for the franchise in terms of serialized storytelling and genuine stakes, all with a loving eye to what made the whole thing click in the first place and for Hanna-Barbera in general. Fan artist Office Anomaly hops into the Mystery Machine with us for a dive into a pair of episodes and a discussion of the show's legacy.

Samurai Pizza Cats (Originally by Tatsunoko Productions, 1990-1991, dubbed in English by Saban Entertainment)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0800

Deep within the halls of power of Little Tokyo, a malicious fox- wait, rat, he's a rat in the English version. That's the biggest liberty taken with the original Kyattō Ninden Teyandē when Saban got the rights from Tatsunoko to localize it and wound up without much in the way of scripts, translated or otherwise. The end result is the gag dub to end all gag dubs, somehow even wackier than the already very silly original show. So pack a heck of a lunch to enjoy this episode with!

The Wild Thornberrys (Klasky-Csupo, 1998-2004)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0800

Alongside flying, what kid doesn't dream of being able to talk to their pets and other animals and they'd talk back? The wish fulfilment premise of The Wild Thornberrys became a launching point for a fun adventure/comedy series and a better than average educational vehicle, too. Having Tim Curry ham it up as an eccentric nature show host certainly helps, too! We finally return to the world of Nicktoons with this episode, and pay a small tribute to a much-loved YouTube personality in the process.

Bluey (Ludo Studio, 2018 to present)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0800

What started as an attempt to do a Peppa Pig style show for Australia turned into a global sensation that attracted audiences far beyond the preschool age group it was intended for. Bluey and her family and friends learn as they go and grow, with warm humor and storytelling based on real experiences. Cary Woodham returns to the podcast to take us on a trip to get to know the Healers if not for real life then for some approximation of it.

Betty Boop (Fleischer Studios, 1930-1939)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0800

Hey folks, here's the story 'bout Betty the Booper, she was a real sweet boop-a-doop-a-dooper. From being an unnamed poodle singer in a supper club to starring in the Fleischer's first color cartoon, animation's fabulous flapper dazzled audiences with her charm and the adorable voices of Mae Questel, Margie Hines and others. As her earliest version entered the public domain a short while ago, we take a look at a quartet of her short subjects.

Frosty the Snowman (Rankin/Bass, 1969) and Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (Gracie Films, 1989)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0800

Even if the yule log has stopped burning and the eggnog is all drank up, the holiday cheer doesn't have to end on the 25th, right?? ... work with us here, this is what happens when a regular podcast schedule meets the realities of awkward holiday timing. Bakertoons returns to the podcast to help us check out the final member of the Festive Four, Frosty the Snowman, and the special that took a dysfunctional family to the big time in Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire. You'd think there's not a lot of daylight between the two, but since both star rotund, not so bright protagonists, it actually kind of works out.

Encanto (Disney Feature Animation, 2021)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0800

The current era of Disney animated musicals arguably peaked right here, folks. Encanto was a brilliant, heart tugging movie about family bonds and overcoming trauma, filled to the brim with memorable characters and songs. It's been analyzed up and down, left and right, front to back, what could our podcast crew possibly add?? Well, to do it, they went and recruited Northern Belle Rogue, themselves an Encanto superfan, and hopefully you all enjoy the results.

Strawberry Shortcake (MWS Productions, Nelvana and more, 1980-1985)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0800

She walked so He-Man, My Little Pony, the Transformers and more could run. Strawberry Shortcake, from the pens of Barbi Sargent and Muriel Fahrion for American Greetings, was picked up by Kenner and aimed to be a multimedia smash via televised specials to help promote the character's world and toys on secondary, independent TV channels. Through this six-year journey, surprising connections to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Ed McMahon and Frank Zappa all wind up caught in the precocious six-year old's garden. Artist Mary Bellamy joins us for a berry good time!

The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour (Hanna-Barbera, 1976)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0800

He's fearless! Scarless! ... a little too careless. He's Dynomutt, and in 1976 he joined up with Scooby-Doo on the latter's new home on ABC. While Scooby's formula was still mostly working, things were getting a little sillier with the great dane at the same time. Half the show were the Scooby mysteries you knew, and the other half was a very goofy take-off on the formula established by Adam West's Batman series. And it was a decent hit, too, apparently, so let's see how this package show held up!

Monster Force (Universal Cartoon Studios, 1994)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Dracula! Frankenstein's Monster! The Wolf Man! And this time not in the form of young crime fighters but from Universal, their most famous shepherds, and developed by comics legend Marv Wolfman!! What should have been a surefire thing turned out to be one of the most horrifying horror-themed failures in animation history, especially since Marv wasn't actually writing any of these episodes. We think you'll agree they could have really, REALLY used him!

Hazbin Hotel (A24, 2024 to Present)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0700

THIS EPISODE IS NOT FOR KIDS!!! I CANNOT SAY IT ANY MORE PLAINLY THAN THAT!!!

I mean, yeah, most of you reading this know that, and that Hazbin Hotel is a uniquely conceived adult-oriented cartoon. The fandom for this series is massive and includes our own Krissi Harding, who picked this show for her birthday selection and introduced it to James and Pemmy. So come join us for a happy day in Hell, and hear your hosts say things they never once imagined would come out of their mouths!

Trigger warning: discussions of depictions of sexual assault are included on this episode. Please take care of yourself first and foremost.

Piggsburg Pigs (Ruby-Spears, 1990)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0700

We turn once more to Fox Kids, the legendary Saturday morning programming block that gave us Bobby's World, X-Men, Eek the Cat, the Tick, and... this show. Piggsburg Pigs, created by Fred Silverman's daughter Melissa and produced by Ruby-Spears, feels like the last gasps of the 70s and 80s style of Saturday morning fare before the revolutionary creator-driven works that would define the decade took over the zeitgeist. These pigs only made it one year before hitting the butcher's block, and we're going to look at why it might have been a mercy killing!

Snagglepuss (part of the Yogi Bear Show, Hanna-Barbera 1961-1962)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Heavens to thunderous theatricality! Hanna Barbera's scenery chewing mountain lion finally takes center stage after popping up here and there, and everywhere even! Whether matching wits with Major Minor or just trying to achieve his dreams of stage notoriety, few characters in the company's repertoire were quite as verbose. So don't exit stage left, or any direction, before checking out this episode!

Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates (Fox Kids, 1990)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Alternate Title: The Ballad of a Brooklyn Broom Bandit

What started as a spat over DuckTales turned into Fox making their own kids entertainment, with an ambitious take on J M Barrie's tale of the boy who never grew up. It's a story of the intricacies of the public domain, schedule slip-ups, ensemble darkhorses and the brilliance of the one and only Tim Curry. We hope we did right by this almost forgotten gem.

Super Chicken (Jay Ward Productions, 1967)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 16:39:15 -0700

Looks up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a bird in something akin to a plane!! Super Chicken was a project Jay Ward had tried to get to air for over seven years by the time it reached ABC in 1967, when it finally did as part of George of the Jungle. One sip of the super sauce and Henry Cabot Henhouse III fights like a comet! I mean, comets can only fight by crashing into things, so I'm not wrong, am I?

The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat (Film Roman, 1995-1996)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0700

After 100 episodes of pratfalls, birdcalls, stock gags, flea bags, wild takes and corn flakes, we finally get REALLY TWISTED! It's the wild story of Felix the Cat's 1990s revival series that was as turbulent behind the scenes as it was surreal on the screen. Marc and Jordan from the That's Not Quite All Folks podcast join us as we break down and build up a true cult classic first season that took a drastic turn in the second.

FUN!!

Felix in the 1950s (Trans-Lux and Paramount Animation, 1958-1960)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:33:37 -0700

Righty-O! It's Felix, the Professor, Poindexter, Rock Bottom, and the rest of one of the most enduring 1950s television animated series of all time. It's also DEEPLY strange with oddball gags and the episodes being split in two roughly three and a half minute parts. So does it hold up at all? Would you believe "maybe"? Come see what we pull out of the bag of tricks this time!

Record of Lodoss War (Madhouse Inc, 1990)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Unbeknownst to a much younger James, Western sword and sorcery tropes, motifs were a big deal in gaming in 1980s Japan, and from that wellspring would arise one of the most enduring fantasy franchises in that nation. Record of Lodoss War has it all: goblins, dragons, wizards, thieves, and leggy Elvish women that a young Pemmy fell in love with. So come join our return to the world of tabletop gaming tropes in animation.

And remember... it's Falis with an F, not a PH.

X-Men Evolution (Film Roman & Marvel Studios, 2000-2003)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0700

It's the X-Men as most kids hadn't seen them before at the dawn of the 21st Century, as teenagers! With the Fox cartoon so fresh in people's minds, this was a way to get a new angle on these now pretty well-known characters, and a match made in heaven for the youth market-oriented WB Network. But as one of the "middle child" adaptations of this franchise, it's not very prominent today. Does it still hold up? Justin Toner joins us to find out!

The Perils of Penelope Pitstop (Hanna Barbera, 1969)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 23 May 2025 04:00:00 -0700

The Hooded Claw is ransoming this podcast description to lure Penelope Pitstop into yet another one of his traps, so I'll keep this one brief: it's the writing of Michael Maltese, the voices of Janet Waldo and Paul Lynde, and one of the most memorable women of animation in the 1960s, all coming together for a true cult classic. Please join us, and maybe help us untie this rope while you're at it?

The Mighty Heroes (Terrytoons, 1966-1967)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 09 May 2025 04:00:00 -0700

And as a raven shouts defiance, the call goes out for the mightiest heroes of all! ... so how did these five guys wind up being the ones to answer it?? A break-out success for Ralph Bakshi in the 1960s, the Mighty Heroes were a bunch of cartoon cut-ups who wouldn't make the cut for the Great Lakes Avengers! It's up and away with this formative superhero parody that has some issues but still somehow holds up.

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (Walt Disney TV Animation, 1989)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0700

To follow up DuckTales, did Disney think bigger? Nope, they thought smaller. Rodent size, in fact, by returning Chip and Dale to prominence with a 65 episode run of high adventure in tiny spaces. It's pompous feline crime bosses, nefarious cults centered around soda, and one lady mouse that some people are still strangely fond of, all in this episode with special guest star Cary Woodham!

Dog City (The Jim Henson Company & Nelvana, 1992-1994)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Detective work in the cartoon world is a dog-eat-dog racket. Ace Hart, Private Eye, he'd know. This animated German Shepherd deals with every case thrown at him by his animator Eliot Shag, and even has the nerve to talk back if it's not going so great. Yup, it's a fusion of animation and puppetry courtesy of Nelvana and the Jim Henson Company with some of the cleverest film noir parody ever on Saturday mornings. With special guest, artist Will Carroll!

Transformers Animated (Cartoon Network Studios & Hasbro, 2007-2009)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0700

After post-apocalyptic beasts, a cosmic trilogy and a successful feature film, the Transformers return to animation like never before! Quite literally as Transformers Animated has as much in common with shows like Ben 10 and Teen Titans as it does past iterations of the franchise. And yet it worked so very well, becoming one of the more loved iterations of the robots in disguise to this day!

Gay Purr-ee (UPA, 1962)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0700

It's the only animated appearance by Judy Garland! It's the movie that got Chuck Jones fired from Warner Bros! It's... a box office flop. Gay Purr-ee is a fascinating movie both by its circumstances and the fantastic artwork that went into it, and Krissi helps James on a journey to 1890s Paris through the eyes of a starstruck Mewsette. Best enjoyed with a champagne or at least a soda with lots of Bubbles! Bubbles!

Q*Bert (Part of the Saturday Supercade, Ruby-Spears, 1983-1984)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0700

The filthiest language ever on Saturday mornings! Q*Bert hopped out of the arcades and into a pastiche of Happy Days courtesy of Ruby Spears, for a cartoon that was... just kind of mostly there. Atari Archives creator and frequent Retronauts host Kevin Bunch joins Pemmy, Krissi and James to talk about the game, the show, and the circumstances surrounding the video game industry around this time. Hop on in and join us!

World War 2 Propaganda (Multiple Studios, 1942-1945)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 04:00:00 -0800

Is this trip really necessary? Or rather, is this podcast a little too of the moment?? Well, half of it, anyway. The animation industry became pitchmen for rationing, selling war bonds and other ways to help our men and women overseas during World War 2, while also taking every pot shot the Hayes Code would allow them to at the fascist powers we were opposed to. Can we bring that energy back? Please? Anyhow, we've got Donald Duck, Popeye, Woody Woodpecker and a batch of oddly familiar gremlins.

Bailey's Comets (DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, 1973)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 04:00:00 -0800

Would you believe that in 1973, Evel Knievel wasn't done in by a motorcycle accident but a bunch of bumbling roller skaters? Bailey's Comets, another DePatie-Freleng production conceived by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, attempted to out-do Wacky Races in every regard. More characters! More teams for these characters! More outlandish situations! More memorable protag... no, we can't say that with a straight face. Dastardly and Muttly these bozos AIN'T!!

Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles (Hanna Barbera, 1966)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 04:00:00 -0800

Rally Ho and away we go! As Hanna Barbera entered their first, brief action/adventure phase, their old comedic roots would still be showing with this particular series at the same time. Thus you had the boisterous Ted Cassidy-voiced Frankenstein Jr bellowing his way through madcap monster battles while the Impossibles took on various eccentric criminals between jamming out. Hard to believe today this show was considered too violent for TV, when it was kind of mild even back then!

Garfield and Friends Part 2: US Acres (Film Roman, 1988-1994)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 04:00:00 -0800

In-between Garfield's own segments was US Acres, a short subject series based on Jim Davis' other, less widespread comic series. The tales of Orson, Roy, Wade, Bo, Lanolin, Booker and Sheldon got pretty popular as part of the show, outlasting the comic they were based on by a good few years, and giving the show's team vehicles for more gags that wouldn't work with Garfield himself. So come down to the farm, y'all!

Garfield and Friends, Part 1: The Title Tabby (Film Roman, 1988-1994)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 04:00:00 -0800

Arguably the magnum opus of both Jim Davis and Mark Evanier, Garfield and Friends entertained audiences and pushed cartoon writing into some genuinely funny places it hadn't really gone since the heyday of Jay Ward. It's held up remarkably well, and our hosts look at four of their favorite short segments that star the fat cat himself. Tune in for US Acres coverage in two weeks, too!

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Lee Mendelson Film Productions, 1965) and Christmas Comes to Pacland (Hanna-Barbera, 1982)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 04:00:00 -0800

Tis the season for hot chocolate, presents under the tree, goodwill to all men and women, and... colorful ghost monsters?? It's the timelessness of A Charlie Brown Christmas, contrasted with the VERY "of its time" Christmas Comes to Pac-Land. One of these aired for years upon years on network TV until just very recently. One of these was reran at 3 in the morning on Cartoon Network. I don't think I need to tell you which is which. Merry Christmas, and enjoy the podcast!

Darkwing Duck (Disney Television Animation, 1991-1992)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 04:00:00 -0800

This is the podcast that quacks in the night! This is the iOS update that makes your phone too hot to handle! This is the Darkwing Duck episode! A breakaway hit for the Disney Afternoon that is still much loved to this day, we're joined by Cary Woodham to talk about two of our favorite episodes, Comic Book Capers and Life, the Negaverse and Everything. Step right up and come on in, here's where the danger begins!

The Biskitts (Hanna-Barbera, 1983)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 04:00:00 -0800

Sometimes a good idea on paper turns sour in the execution. The Biskitts, a show with a strong resemblance to the Smurfs at first glance, could have easily been its own thing if it played more into the Robin Hood-esque outlaw aspects of the characters hiding treasure from a greedy despot and helping others. Instead we get repetitive slapstick, stilted dialogue and one really, really bizarre court jester. Enjoy?

Be Cool, Scooby-Doo (Warner Bros. Animation, 2015-2018)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 04:00:00 -0800

Like, Scooby and the gang get a whole lot more talkative and a lot sillier in this one, man! Swinging the pendulum in the direction of comedy after the darker Mysteries Incorporated, Be Cool was advertised as a more back to basics approach, but only in terms of storytelling. Between one daffy take on Daphne Blake and the major increase in gags per minute, this one had fans kind of divided, but not our hosts! So pack a box of Scooby Snacks or twenty and come listen!

Beetlejuice (Warner Bros & Nelvana, 1989-1991)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0700

It's showtime! Just in time for Halloween and in the wake of his massively successful comeback movie, Beetlejuice fever is running wild once more, so what better time to revisit the characters' kid friendly incarnation in animation? Nelvana, with Tim Burton himself helping develop the show, brought the Ghost with the Most to ABC Saurday mornings and to Fox Kids on weekday afternoons with wild antics and the most blatant puns of the era. Don't come apart at the seams, come join us!

The Smurfs (Hanna-Barbera, 1981-1989)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0700

9 seasons, 101 little blue fellows, and one nearly inescapable cultural force. The Smurfs, straight out of Belgium and the pen of creator Peyo, sang and played while evading Gargamel to the delight of 80s kids and no doubt the annoyance of their parents. Behind the Hanna-Barbera created cartoon is a long history of comics and other animations extending both before and after it, but for American kids like your hosts, it's the natural starting point. So Smurf along with us and enjoy!

Danger Mouse (Cosgrove Hall, 1981-1992)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:00:00 -0700

He's courageous! He's amazing! He's... a mouse in a London pillar box. Danger Mouse protects the world from the criminal activities of Baron Silas Greenback and various other would-be world beaters alongside the hapless helper Penfold, all with the stiff upper lip we associate with our friends from across the pond. Running for over a decade in its native country and doing good business in the States for Nickelodeon, the secret agent gave many 80s kids in America their first real taste of British comedy.

Sport Billy (Filmation, 1980, US Broadcast in 1982)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 04:00:00 -0700

A semi-major FIFA mascot who came from a comic book isn't the craziest choice for a cartoon subject, but Sport Billy did not deserve to be saddled with the bizarrely bad acting of Lane Scheimer. A mid-season replacement on NBC in 1982, the show would be the last Filmation product that network would pick up for their Saturday morning schedule. No amount of penalty kicks can make up for this! Pemmy, Krissi and James have been wanting to get this out of the- I mean, examine this now rarely seen cartoon for a while, so come join them!

Gumby (Premavision/Clokey Productions, 1956 through 1989)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 08:20:28 -0700

No dammit necessary, he's Gumby! The little clay fellow who could go anywhere, do anything, and wound up in all sorts of messes because of those very attributes. With friends Pokey, Prickle and Goo, Gumby's adventures enchanted generations, inspired numerous stop motion artists to come, and could quickly go from adorable to WILD in a heartbeat! Join us as we watch how a molded figurine broke the mold!

Laff-a-Lympics (Hanna-Barbera, 1977-1978)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Heavens to athlete's foot! With 20 years under their belt, Hanna Barbera plunged into their character archive to assemble three teams to compete in a pastiche of Battle of the Network Stars in Laff-a-Lympics. Just getting there, though, was a long, winding race to rival any carrying of the Olympic torch! Pemmy, Krissi and James line up on the track to talk about the mother of all cartoon crossovers!

Robin Hood (Walt Disney Feature Animation, 1973)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Oo De Lally, this movie had a wild and winding history to its making! Robin Hood is arguably the cult sensation of the various Disney feature films, not nearly as big as the Silver Age and Rennaissance Age hits that sandwich its release, but still much adored by those who grew up with it. Linwood Knight joins James and Krissi to break down why the movie turned out as it did, especially with all that notorious recycled and traced over animation, and discuss what worked and what could have worked better.

Tiny Toon Adventures (Warner Bros Animation/Amblin Entertainment, 1990-1992)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 04:00:00 -0700

They're tiny, they're tooney, they took the fight right to Disney for syndicated dominance! Tiny Toon Adventures brought Warner Bros' animation division back to top form, with the help of Steven Spielberg and a host of talented writers, artists and voice actors. Krissi and James are joined by friend of the podcast Meiou to discuss the wild comedic lunacy of a trio of short subjects from the first season, and a pair of music videos. If you know the show, you probably don't need us to tell you which music videos they are.

Bugs Bunny Part 1: The Hunting Trilogy (Warner Bros, 1951-1953)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Duck season! Rabbit season! Elmer season! Podcast season!! Arguably three of the most memorable Looney Tunes shorts ever created, Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning and Duck! Rabbit, Duck! have made generation after generation laugh hysterically. Pemmy and Krissi are happy to be along for the ride as James tries to find something, ANYTHING new to say about these brilliant cartoons. All this, and Rabbit Rampage, too!

Help! It's The Hair Bear Bunch! (Hanna-Barbera, 1971)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 24 May 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Hogans Heroes comes to Saturday morning?! Well, in an indirect way, as these three bears are trying to work around a very authoritarian zoo administrator and his bumbling zookeeper assistant. The Hair Bear Bunch became a cult hit in reruns on USA and Cartoon Network long after it didn't do so hot in its first network TV run. So get out all your best hair care products and join us at the Wonderland Zoo for this diamond in the rough of a cartoon!

Flashback 1983!

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Pemmy, James, Kyle and Justin return to see what a difference 10 years really could make in the world of Saturday morning. Scooby Doo had jumped from CBS to ABC, the Smurfs were dominant, Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Littles and Dungeons and Dragons were ascendant, and Richie Rich kept having to prop up other properties. So come along and join us!

Flashback 1973!

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Sun, 12 May 2024 18:38:11 -0700

With plans having gone up in smoke more than once, we're breaking the glass on an emergency episode, which turned out so long we had to split it into two parts! So here's part 1 where Pemmy and James were joined by Justin Toner and Kylepedia to talk about the entire Saturday morning schedule of 1973!

Shake Rattle & Roll (Hanna Barbera, 1977 as part of the CB Bears)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Three goofy ghosts running a moribund motel for the dearly departed? That's a GREAT idea for a cartoon! Then how the heck did Hanna Barbera make this so... so... below average!?! It's a sad thing when even the likes of Paul Winchell, Joe E Ross AND Alan Oppenheimer cannot salvage this mediocre effort. If they couldn't, what hope do us ameteurs have?

Alf the Animated Series (DiC and Alien Productions, 1987-1988)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Hide your cats, the old Alfer is back, and NOT in pog form! With the smash success of his sitcom, Gordon Shumway quickly joined NBC's Saturday morning roster in 1987 courtesy of DiC. And you can tell they were given a budget for this show since it's downright lavish compared to a lot of that company's output. In fact, this is a better than average cartoon and we were pleasantly surprised to have enjoyed it, so get your earbuds ready for the next best podcast episode this side of Melmac.

Dr. Slump (Toei Animation, 1981-1986)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 04:00:00 -0700

N'cha! Too few American fans of Akira Toriyama have seen the anime that first made him a household name in Japan, and that includes James and Krissi. So Pemmy and special guest Kylepedia help them fix that with this examination of the first two episodes of this absolutely goofy series. So come join us in Penguin Village where pigs announce the morning, the sun brushes its teeth and adorable Arale-Chan tries to figure out the world around her, which in turn can't quite figure her out.

Challenge of the Super Friends (Hanna Barbera, 1978)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Faster than a speeding plot device! More powerful than hammy voice acting! It's the most famous season of the show that defined the DC Comics heroes and villains for an entire generation of kids! The Justice League versus the Legion of Doom across 16 episodes of some of the most over the top camp ever seen on Saturday morning, cramming a massive cast into the 22-minute run time. So join Pemmy, Krissi and James as they answer the Trouble Alert!

The Legend of Zelda (DiC, 1989 as part of the Super Mario Bros Super Show)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 04:00:00 -0800

In part 2 of our coverage of the Super Mario Super Show, we hustle to Hyrule and check out the Friday feature of the series, The Legend of Zelda. In this Moonlighting-inspired take on the then-fledgling franchise, Link and Zelda butt heads and fend off the warlock Ganon together in a cartoon that's turned campier with age. And yet it's... surprisingly adult??? Tune in for our explanation why.

The Super Mario Bros Super Show (DiC, 1989-1990)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W. Korgi — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 04:00:00 -0800

Is there any more consistently enduring 80s icon than Mario, the mascot of Nintendo's platforming games? Well, whether you agree with that or not, Mario Bros Mania was indeed everywhere by the end of that decade and this cartoon was the ultimate proof of that. A wild mix of live action segments and goofball cartoons putting the plumbers and company into every story the writers could think of, this was arguably the high-water mark for adaptations of video game properties for a long while. Faint praise, but seriously, this is far from the worst thing on TV in 1989!

Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century (DiC, 1999)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 04:00:00 -0800

With Pemmy away visiting his kid for their birthday, Krissi leads James on a cyberpunk-style take on the Holmes Cannon courtesy of DiC and Scottish Televison. With writers absolutely game to make the most of their 20-minute time allotments, this series comes so close to perfection you can almost taste it!

DuckTales (Walt Disney Television, 1987-1990)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 04:00:00 -0800

This podcast isn't much like a hurricane, but it come at you fast! DuckTales was Disney's biggest step into television animation to that point, and it was the single biggest harbinger of the 90s Animation Renaissance, paving the way for much of what would follow. Justin Toner joins the podcast crew as we dive into the Money Bin to check out two classic episodes of the seminal afternoon series.

Donald Duck (Walt Disney Company, 1934-1959)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 04:00:00 -0800

We've dipped our toes in Disney content in the latter half of last year, but now it's time for one of their most famous stars to get the spotlight. Donald Duck is by far the most prolific Disney character between animation and comics across the globe, making him a natural first choice for our dives into the material that built the foundation of the Disney company. Pemmy, Krissi and James are joined by Marc and Jordan of That's Not Quite All Folks to check out his very first animated appearance and three all time classics from the 40s.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (MGM Television, 1966) & Mickey's Christmas Carol (Walt Disney Studios, 1983)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 19:25:26 -0800

Two tales of holiday redemption, together in one podcast to close out the year. Pemmy and James look at the very first TV special inspired by the works of Dr. Seuss as Chuck Jones builds upon a 9 minute read and makes a masterpiece, while Disney tackles Charles Dickens' literary classic while squashing it down to about 25 minutes. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season, and we'll see you all in 2024!

Huckleberry Hound (Hanna-Barbera, 1958-1961)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 04:00:00 -0800

You've seen the meme "Every so often a blue dog comes to guide the generations," right? Most folks today can speak to Bluey and Blue's Clues, but what of animation's OG cyan canine, Huckleberry Hound? This gentle, optimistic fellow broke Hanna Barbera's TV animation company to the big time, setting the stage for Yogi Bear, the Flintstones, Top Cat, Scooby Doo and everything else that followed. He's near and dear to James' heart, so join him, Pemmy and Krissi as they give the dog his due.

Bonus Episode: The Amazing Digital Circus (GLITCH, 2023)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 04:00:00 -0800

Surprise! We have an episode as unexpected as the success of the show in question! On October 13th GLITCH unleashed onto YouTube this demented little treat of a cartoon aimed at a slightly older crowd than much of the fare we've covered on this podcast. Pemmy loved it, and he talked James into making this quick bonus episode of the podcast to cover it while it was still new and relevant. But be warned, there are SPOILERS ahead, so if you want to watch the Amazing Digital Circus first, you should really go do so.

The New Shmoo (Hanna Barbera, 1979)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 04:00:00 -0800

Al Capp, the cartoonist behind Lil' Abner and (thereby) the original portrayals of the Shmoo, passed away just two months after this show made it onto the air. We can't even begin to imagine what the outspoken Capp must have thought of his parable for the Earth's bounty being turned into a mystery solving shapeshifter. It was one of the last of the teen mystery/adventure cartoons not to involve Scooby Doo himself that HB would bring to Saturday morning, and watching this, you can kind of tell why the subgenre was in its last days.

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (Hanna Barbera (and Ruby-Spears) 1979-1982)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 04:00:00 -0800

Puppy Power Goes Wrong! Or rather, it first goes right then goes wrong? Or goes right in all the wrong ways? The legacy of Scrappy-Doo, one of the most maligned characters Hanna-Barbera ever created, isn't as simple as some make it out to be, and Pemmy, James and Krissi sit down to hash out what happened, when and why, while looking at three cartoons featuring the pup. It's a tale of network executives meddling, writers reaching and Fred Flintstone's catchphrase being turned into yet another dog. Enjoy!

The Ghost and Molly McGee (Disney Television Animation, 2021 to Present)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0700

In comedy, the law is that diametric opposites are inevitably pulled together just because the universe wants to see personalities clash. Hence, in this modern Disney Channel favorite, the ever optimistic Molly drags curmudgeonly Scratch into misadventure after misadventure. Pemmy and James dip their toes into the house that the mouse built for the first time, just in time for Halloween.

Because nothing is scarier than Disney lawyers.

Batman The Animated Series Part 1 - Harley Quinn (Warner Animation, 1992-1999 when including the WB episodes)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0700

In the wake of Arleen Sorkin passing away last August, Pemmy, James and Krissi Harding set out to pay tribute to the character she was instrumental in unleashing on the world. That a snarky little gun moll named Harleen Quinzel could somehow upstage the Joker himself and become one of the most recognizable characters in DC Comics to this day is a testament to the series and her creators Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and especially Arleen herself. Enjoy, puddins!

Lupin the Third, Part 2 (aka the Red Jacket Series, TMS Entertainment, 1977-1980)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Few criminals in animation history are as notorious or beloved as Lupin the Third, the simultaneously suave and goofy gentleman thief. In his second anime run, which Pemmy and James look at in this episode, the character became TMS' flagship property, running over 150 episodes. Many of his US fans first encountered him via Adult Swim's broadcasts of an English language dub, but there was a prior project that saw a small amount of this series dubbed for the home video market, and we check out a little of both!

Pac-Man (Hanna-Barbera, 1982-1983)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Video game mania erupted in the early 1980s with the arrival of Namco's revolutionary maze-chase game, so leave it to Hanna-Barbera to turn the property into a dollar store diet cola version of both the Smurfs and the Flintstones. That's just the kind of rut HB was in during the 1980s, sadly, but it's not a complete loss thanks to the efforts of a stellar voice cast. Friend of the podcast and all-around Pac-Man expert Cary Woodham joins Pemmy and James to find the cure for Pac-Man Fever.

Captain N: The Game Master (DiC, 1989-1991)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Before Smash Brothers, before any of the Capcom crossover fighting games, before just about any significant gaming crossover, there was a humble little cartoon on NBC called Captain N. DiC let kids live vicariously through Kevin Keene as he's sucked into the worlds of Mega Man, Metroid, Castlevania and more... except a LOT was changed in the translation from cartridge to cartoon. Krissi Harding returns once more as we try and make as comprehensive a look at this show as a trio of silly animation enthusiasts can. Press Start to Play, Select for Options.

Commercial bumper audio credit to YouTube user DLisCreative652

The Flintstones (Hanna Barbera, 1960-1966)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 04:00:00 -0700

50 Episodes?? YABBA-DABBA-DOO!!! As massive Hanna Barbera nuts, Pemmy and James couldn't think of a better show to watch for this little milestone than their most successful foray into prime time television. The Flintstones ran a solid six seasons with the brilliant voice acting of Alan Reed, Jean Vander Pyl, Bea Benaderet and Mel Blanc at the helm, cementing Hanna Barbera as a force in entertainment for decades to come. What else but a caveman with mood swings could sell children candy-flavored vitamins, after all?

Thank you, one and all, for sticking with us, and here's to the next 50 episodes!

Highlander: The Animated Series (Guamont Multimedia, 1994-1995)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Pemmy and James wonder if the makers of the original Highlander movie expected anything like this to be spun off from it: a cartoon set 700 years after the apocalypse, where the Immortals give up killing each other except for one malcontent named Kortan. Still, there's prophecy, Macleods, swordplay and some remarkably done backgrounds in this animated series that in many ways feels like a product of the previous decade. And sadly no soundtrack from Queen, either.

Back to the Future (Universal Cartoon Studios, 1991-1992)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Great Scott! The very first original cartoon series from Universal's then newly minted animation firm was a direct follow up to the Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale-helmed movie trilogy. Except... not precisely. The series isn't considered canonical to the films, and looking at these episodes there's any number of potentially valid reasons why. So head back in time with us to the radical 90s as we see if this cartoon has the juice to get us to 1.21 gigawats!

Jabberjaw (Hanna-Barbera, 1976)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Underwater adventures! A teenage rock band! Exotic monsters! And best of all, a talking shark! How could Jabberjaw possibly be bad?! Well, there was the fact that the writers at Hanna Barbera have been going to the same "teenage mystery/adventure" well for seven years now and it was starting to dry up. Despite this, Jabberjaw remains one of the company's more memorable characters, and this week we explore the ocean depths of his unintentionally humble start. Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk-nyuk...

The Ant & the Aardvark (DePatie-Freling, 1969-1971)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 19 May 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Arguably one of the most popular series of shorts DePatie-Freling put together that's not directly tied to the Pink Panther film franchise, a debonair ant is perpetually pursued by a back-talking aardvark. What separated this from other chase cartoons? SASS. So much SASS. That and a really catchy soundtrack from Doug Goodwin!

Daffy Duck Part 2: The Clampett Corneal Catastrophe! (Warner Bros, various years)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 05 May 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Daffy was most frequently at his Daffiest under the directorial vision of Bob Clampett. The rubbery animation and wild, exaggerated takes he employed made the screwy duck probably his most effective character to express his individual sense of what was funny. Pemmy and James explore one of Bob's earlier Daffy cartoons co-starring with Porky Pig in Porky's Last Stand, before diving into a trio of Bob's masterpieces from the tail end of his tenure at Warner Brothers: Draftee Daffy, Book revue and The Great Piggy Bank Robbery. Should you miss this podcast? Well now I wouldn't say that!

Yogi's Treasure Hunt (Hanna-Barbera, 1985-1987)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 04:00:00 -0700

Hey kids! It's a fresh syndicated start that'll warm anyone's heart! Well, at least it'll make it laugh. Yogi's Treasure Hunt was a key part of the Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera block of shows, bringing the first generation of funny animal characters back to form and returning Dastardly and Muttley to the company after a rights dispute. It started modestly, but ended with some of the most unusual parody work the company would ever do. X marks the funtastic spot in this episode, so come on and join us!

Yogi Bear (Hanna-Barbera, 1958-1961)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 04:00:00 -0700

We've had a lot to say about Hanna-Barbera's meddling kids style shows of the 1970s, but what of the properties that made them a household name in the first place? The best place to start is by packing this pic-a-nic podcast for a trip down to scenic Jellystone Park for a look at one of their most popular characters, Yogi Bear! With 2 shorts from his time as part of the Huckleberry Hound Show and 2 shorts from his own headlining program, we hope you'll find this to be smarter than the average cartoon podcast!

Hulk Hogan's Rock n' Wrestling (DiC, 1985-1986)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 04:00:00 -0700

With Wrestlemania just coming around the corner, Pemmy and James are joined by the Uncharted Territory's podcast's own Chad Olson to turn back the clock to the era of the very first Wrestlemania and the WWF's quest to broaden their audience. Partnering with DiC, we got cartoonish exaggerations of personalities who were themselves already larger than life and sometimes very un-PC, and some of the worst animation errors we've seen to date on the podcast. Whatcha gonna do?! Listen, we hope!

Check out Chad's work on the Legends of Wrestling card and dice game at www.filsingergames.com !

Dungeons and Dragons (Marvel Productions, 1983-1985)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 15:26:33 -0700

Break out the varied polyhedral dice, it's time to revisit the first major piece of D&D related media ahead of the big movie coming out at the end of the month! Six kids get stranded in a non-specific realm loaded with D&D beasties via an amusement park ride, and regularly match wits with the ruthless (and not very wise, just look at his stat sheet) Venger. It racked up a solid three seasons, but how does it hold up now? Krissi Harding returns to the couch to help us put the show in its context and judge its merits!

The Transformers (Marvel Productions & Sunbow Productions, 1984-1987)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 16:38:00 -0800

Podcast listeners, Transform and ROLL OUT!

No other boys toy line to get a cartoon in the 1980s seems to have had nearly the longevity that the Transformers have had. The mix of science fantasy, boisterous characters and imaginative designs just clicked into place like a well built Leader Class toy, in spite of all the wild animation errors and goofy scripts. So what was the secret? Pemmy and James look at the episodes "SOS Dinobots" and "Webworld" to try and pin down the foundation of what makes this franchise keep on truckin'.

Ed, Edd & Eddy (aka Cartoon, 1999-2009)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 04:00:00 -0800

JAWBREAKERS!!

They were the odd ducks of Cartoon Network's first real burst of original programming. The brainchildren of Danny Antonucci, Ed, Edd & Eddy's misadventures in their cul-de-sac usually ended in pain and humiliation in equal measure. The unique animation and bizarre slant on the kids' slice of life format made it a sleeper hit that ran for 10 years with new episodes on and off for that duration. So come on and grab your favorite plank as we check out two classic schemes from their run. (Insert Ed-like non-sequetor here)

Speed Buggy (Hanna Barbera, 1973)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 04:00:00 -0800

Room-a-zoom-zoom! The Josie variation of the Scooby Doo mold is put into action on the race track as Speed Buggy adds elements of Speed Racer and the Love Bug into the mix. Is Tinker the most unlikely mechanical genius out there? Is Debbie the most underrated female character in Hanna Barbera's library? Can James withstand the sheer number of times relationships of space and volume are plain old ignored?! Join us and find out!

Josie & the Pussycats (Hanna Barbera, 1970)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 04:00:00 -0800

From her roots as Dan DeCarlo's creation named after his wife, Josie McCoy's eight year journey from comic books to cartoons took some interesting turns before she and the Pussycats even hit the airwaves. Once they did, their show was somehow more than the sum of its parts, and sits alongside the likes of Top Cat and Wacky Races as one of Hanna Barbera's best single season efforts. So come on and watch the good guys win!

CBS Christmas Specials, 1987

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 04:00:00 -0800

The holiday season is wrapping up, and as Krissi Harding helps Pemmy and James warm up from their misadventure, they enjoy a look back at two more vintage Christmas specials. A Garfield Christmas and A Claymation Christmas Celebration both debuted on CBS on December 21st of 1987, making them natural fits to review together, and possibly set the stage for some of the subjects we're planning on tackling in 2023.

Happy Holidays, one and all! (I'd say Merry Christmas, but, you know, it'd be 5 days late)

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Rankin Bass, 1964)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 04:00:00 -0800

The weather outside is frightful, but the podcast is so delightful, and... ummm... yeah, I can't finish the lyric. Seriously, folks, a lot of what we've been looking at this fall has pointed us to this very Christmas special, one of the four most well known of its ilk. It's a tale of the consequences of bullying, of misfit toys and oddball prospectors, and a truly memorable performance by Burl Ives. And hey! If you liked this, tune in two weeks from now for more Christmas fun!

What's On This List, Anyway?

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 04:00:00 -0800

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Ed Edd & Eddy episode is delayed and to maintain our schedule we're breaking the glass on this emergency fill-in episode. If you've listened to this for any length of time, you probably noticed we tend to refer to this big old list of shows, shorts and eventually movies we want to look at. So here's a behind the scenes look at Pemmy and James going over what cartoons they want to talk about in the coming years. Enjoy! Trust me, this won't be an annual thing, that would get redundant quickly.

Spider-Man (GrantRay-Lawrence/Krantz Films, 1967-1969)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 04:00:00 -0800

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, in a cartoon made as cheap as they can. Pemmy and James are joined by Kylepedia to look at the very first cartoon starring Marvel Comics' most iconic hero of them all. It's a debut that gave us Dr. Octopus' ever-changing haircut, a propeller boat made entirely of webs, and that theme song that hasn't left the public consciousness since the show debuted. 'Nuff Said.

The Tomfoolery Show (Rankin-Bass, 1970)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 04:00:00 -0700

We're putting on the nonsense, and realizing that perhaps it's too much for even us! Pemmy and James look at this Rankin Bass production animated by British group Halas and Batchelor Studios which adapted the works of Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, Ogden Nash and many more. It's limericks, riddles, puns and poems with a Laugh-In format, a goofy cast of jokesters and not a lot of structure, making it a fascinating experiment in the era of Scooby-Doo and the Archies.

The New Scooby Doo Movies (Hanna-Barbera, 1972-1974)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 04:00:00 -0700

When Fred Silverman wanted more Scooby, he sure got it! These hour length episodes cemented the great dane and the Mystery Inc crew in the pop culture firmament by pairing them with the likes of Batman, the Three Stooges, Sonny and Cher and many more. Since Halloween is coming up, though, Pemmy and James thought it most appropriate to revisit their episode with the Addams Family, which coincidentally is the only episode not available on current home media. All this, and James' most shameful secret! ... not really.

Quacula (Filmation, 1979)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 20:08:21 -0700

What scares a notorious chicken-heart like James Irish more than the classic horror tropes? Absolutely wretched cartoons like Quacula, which was introduced to him by Pembroke W. Korgi. James swore revenge soon after. Seriously, the B-Feature in the ABA format for the Heckle and Jeckle revival on CBS is proof that even Frank Welker can only elevate bottom of the barrel material by so much.

Also this show features a writing credit from Paul Dini. I don't think he puts this on his CV.

The New Adventures of Heckle & Jeckle (Filmation, 1979)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 19:51:03 -0700

Scheimer and Prescott get their hands on the Terrytoons characters and turn out one of the most random, fast paced productions of the 1970s. Is it any good? Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh... not really, but it is still strangely enjoyable, at least to Pemmy. We break down this bonkers show in our easily imitated fashion!

Heckle and Jeckle (Terrytoons, 1946-1966)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 20:13:50 -0700

Identical characters distinguished only by their voices, Heckle and Jeckle joined the ranks of cartoon trickster royalty courtesy of Paul Terry's production unit, distributed by 20th Century Fox. They were some of the most critically lauded shorts that studio ever made, but have they aged as well as, say, the Looney Tunes or MGM's Tex Avery shorts? Pemmy and James look at two of the best of the bunch to find out!

The Reluctant Dragon and Mr Toad Show (Rankin Bass, 1970)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 21:15:52 -0700

Rankin Bass, purveyors of stop motion holiday specials and mid 80s action shows, dipped their toes in the Saturday morning scene for a spell in the late 60s and early 70s, with this particular show hitting right in the middle of that period. Featuring character designs by Paul Coker inspired by the books by Kenneth Grahame, the adventures of Tobias the Dragon and Mr. Toad would have fit in perfectly with Rocky & Bullwinkle. If only this show didn't debut 10 years past the point that style was in vogue...

The Angry Beavers (Gunther-Wahl Productions, 1997)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 19:28:13 -0700

A tale of two brothers... brothers who love horrible movies, engage in bizarre misadventures, and sound like Salem the Cat and Zim. The Angry Beavers debuted in 1997, with the Nicktoons era in full swing, and proceeded to absolutely annoy the president of Nickelodeon, and then be overshadowed by that pineapple-dwelling fellow two years later. Now, over 20 years later, James introduces Pemmy to this cult classic series. He may never forgive him. (We're kidding, he has fun!)

Captain Caveman & the Teen Angels (Hanna-Barbera, 1977)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 15:07:35 -0700

Arguably the last of the successful Scooby-Doo clone shows, Captain Caveman debuted as part of the Scooby's All Stars block and went on for three years worth of adventures with Dee Dee, Brenda and Taffy. Pemmy and James reminisce about this series, it's legacy and how squeezing a cartoon mystery into 11 minutes isn't always the best idea!

Lassie's Rescue Rangers (Filmation, 1973)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 21:35:03 -0700

After 19 years on television, Lassie's classic series came to a close, and the beloved collie would appear immediately following that in what is objectively the WORST cartoon we've seen for the purposes of this podcast! Filmation turned out a show with boring action, horrendous voice acting, a complete lack of visual continuity in some points, and other decisions that left one of our hosts ready to start sobbing. Strap in, folks, this one ain't pretty!

Sorry this one's running a little late, too. Things have been a smidge disorganized.

Popeye Goes Television! (King Features, 1960-1963)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 21:30:53 -0700

Over about three years, King Features Syndicate TV brought brand new Popeye cartoons to the television market to compete with the syndication of the Paramount theatrical shorts. Two hundred and twenty of these were made in that span of time, featuring work from creators like Jack Kinney, Gene Deitch and Lou Scheimer. There's truly no other Popeye media quite like these, folks; these wild, freewheeling and often bizarre creations are an experience worth talking about! So we did!

Popeye's Arabian Nights (Paramount Pictures, 1936 and 1937)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 21:03:43 -0700

This month it's all about EC Segar's famous sailor man, who's strong to the finish 'cause he eats his spinach! Popeye, Olive, Wimpy and Bluto feature in some of the finest work Fleischer Studios put out, using physical models for backgrounds, wonderful facial animation, brilliant ad lib dialogue from Jack Mercer and company, and only a very few bits that haven't aged that well. Listen Sesame! ... that doesn't work, does it?

Interview with That's Not Quite All Folks

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 27 May 2022 04:00:00 -0700

With almost 100 years of theatrical shorts, feature length films, TV series and more to draw upon, the Looney Tunes themed podcast That's Not Quite All Folks has a lot to draw from, which makes it a good thing Marc and Jordan are almost never at a loss for words. Pemmy and James invite them to talk underutilized characters, Seven Arts, their favorite episodes of their podcast, and more!

Daffy Duck Part 1 - Chuck A-Duck

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Thu, 12 May 2022 19:23:37 -0700

Chuck Jones all but reinvented Daffy Duck when turning him into a deuteragonist opposite Bugs Bunny, and continued this evolution when Daffy took on a wide variety of genres, typically alongside Porky Pig. Westerns? Check. Science Fiction? Check. Swashbuckling Epics? Check. Fourth wall breaking madness?? Check and double check! It's our 20th episode, and there's no better little black duck to spend it with.

A Message From James

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 20:56:39 -0800

Long story short, we're taking some time off while one of us sorts out medical issues. We will return!

Sylvester the Cat (Warner Bros, various years)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 04:00:00 -0800

Sufferin' Succotash! We finally return to the world of theatrical short subjects with a look at Warner's clownish cat of many, many, MANY lives! Sylvester may be best known for being paired with Tweety Bird or Speedy Gonzalez, but past those roles he's been all over the place being pummeled by dogs and kangaroos, singing on fences and fearing for his life opposite some of Termite Terrace's spookiest backdrops. We hope you think this episode is the cat's pajamas!

Clue Club (Hanna-Barbera, 1976)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 19:18:55 -0800

Scooby Mania meant networks wanted more teens solving mysteries, and Hanna-Barbera were happy to oblige with many, many shows over the course of the 1970s that tried to recapture the success of the Meddling Kids formula. Clue Club was one right in the middle of the road of this trend in terms of storytelling quality, and our hosts wind up mildly split on it while simultaneously dreading the worse mystery shows yet to come.

Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (Hanna-Barbera, 1969)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 04:00:00 -0800

Zoinks! It's the single most popular TV cartoon franchise to ever come from Saturday Morning! It's a Great Dane and four teenagers in pursuit of people in ridiculous costumes! Scooby Doo and the Mystery Inc gang have teamed up with celebrities, matched wits with every monster you can think of, and endured the indignity of working with a kid named Flim-Flam, and it all began with this 1969 production meant to capitalize on the success of the Archies. Join us as we explore two iconic episodes from its first season.

Drak Pack (Hanna-Barbera, 1980)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 04:00:00 -0700

What could be more appropriate for Halloween than a cartoon starring a vampire, a werewolf, and a Frankenstein's monster? Except the Drak Pack isn't especially spooky, more in line with the comedy-adventure shows Hanna-Barbera had been making for over a decade by this point. It's goofy, more than a little hokey, and made mostly watchable by some genuinely fun voice acting. So whack "play" on this podcast, why don't ya??

Darkstalkers (Graz Entertainment, 1995)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Capcom's imaginative, visually striking fighting game series comes to syndication courtesy of Graz Entertainment. It's not good. At all. In fact this is by far the worst cartoon we've reviewed on this podcast so far, and that's AFTER James removes his bias against what they did to one of his all time favorite video game characters here. Hopefully the end result of this podcast is worth the pain we endured creating this.

The Mumbly Cartoon Show (Hanna-Barbera, 1976)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Take a snickering shaggy dog blended with a mild mannered TV detective, add some cartoon villains who are over the top even by Saturday morning standards, and let them do battle for about seven minutes a week, and you get this Hanna-Barbera semi-classic! Before Mumbly joined the ambitious crossover Laff-a-Lympics, he made a name for himself amidst reruns of Tom & Jerry and Grape Ape cartoons. Pemmy and James are on the case of how well it holds up today!

Dragon Ball (Toei Animation, 1986; Funimation, 2001)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 04:00:00 -0700

It had to happen eventually, and with two of the American voice actors coming to the convention we're affiliated, now was the best time to look at the original animated adaptation of Akira Toriyama's inescapable action franchise. Specifically we dive into the first two episodes, establishing the unusual start of the friendship between Goku and Bulma, and the plotting of Emperor Pilaf. Our wish is for you to tune into this episode!

Jellystone! (Warner Animation, 2021)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0700

CH Greenblatt presents Jellystone! A perfectly calm, coherent and pedestrian cartoon where nothing ever gets destroyed and nobody does anything remotely insane. Nope... not at all... you're not buying it, are you? Seriously, the Hanna-Barbera characters make their triumphant return in this HBO Max series and our hosts couldn't be happier.

Top Cat (Hanna-Barbera, 1961)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0700

He's the chief, he's the king but above everything he... bombed in prime time?! Given the lasting legacy of Top Cat and his crew, which includes multiple appearances in other HB shows, a pair of feature films in Mexico and South America, and much more, it's a surprise his original run was only one season. Pemmy and James explore why this series has endured for as long as it has thanks to brilliant voice acting and genuinely good writing.

The Houndcats (DePatie-Freleng, 1972)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Putty Puss, Mussel Mutt, Ding Dog, Rhubarb, Sparkplug and Stutts. This Saturday morning toon's basically forgotten, and that's kinda rough! When WB vets Friz Freleng and Bob McKimson team up with Scooby Doo creators Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, they came up with this series best explained as Top Cat meets Mission Impossible in the late Wild West period. While the gadgets are sometimes contrived, the show is still pretty fun!

Space Ace (via Saturday Supercade, Ruby Spears, 1984)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Don Bluth's laserdisc games helped keep arcades interesting for just long enough while the console side of video games was going bust, and Ruby Spears capitalized on it with the Saturday Supercade series on CBS. Space Ace was one of seven total games adapted into this anthology series, and it's... not great. It's a mild sight better than some of the other shows on it, sadly.

Special thanks to Krissi Harding from James' other podcast, Gaming Street Irregulars, for helping with the intro!

Warner One Offs (Warner Animation, Various Years)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0700

The boys and girls of Termite Terrace created hundreds of memorable cartoons, giving life to characters who are a part of our history and heritage. Even characters like these in today's podcast, who only had one appearance to their name during the run from 1933 to 1964. Guest Billy D'Ettorre joins us as we look at the one hit wonders "Horton Hatches the Egg," "The Dover Boys at Pimento University," "One Froggy Evening" and "Three Little Bops."

Speed Racer (Tatsunoko Productions/Trans-Lux, 1967)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0700

"Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer, on the P&J show!" Imagine some of the crazy things we'd see in the cartoon we covered last time (Wacky Races) played completely seriously, except hampered by one of the wildest Japanese-to-English dubs ever outside of the likes of Prince of Space, and that comparison is NOT a coincidence! It's our first foray into anime, folks, and we hope you enjoy it. Okle dokle!

Wacky Races (Hanna-Barbera, 1968)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 28 May 2021 04:00:00 -0700

And away they go! Two of the least daredevil daffy... umm... there's nothing alliterative that describes podcast hosts. So much for that gag. As you're about to hear, Pemmy and James LOVE the Wacky Races cartoon and much of its legacy which rings through Hanna-Barbera's work following its run on CBS. And much of it is due to a mustachioed do-badder and his snickering shag rug of a dog sidekick.

Star Trek The Animated Series (Filmation, 1973)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 14 May 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Boldly going where no TV series had gone for roughly three or four years, Filmation and Paramount reunited Gene Roddenberry, DC Fontana, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and much of the rest of the Star Trek team for this two season Saturday morning production. We've got "sterile" Tribbles and angry serpentine would-be-Gods aplenty, with special guest Christopher Frank to boot!

The Pink Panther (DePatie-Freleng, 1964-1978)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Practically falling into the laps of Friz Freleng and David DePatie, the Pink Panther was the brainchild of Blake Edwards and gave theatrical short subject cartoons one last grand hurrah before disappearing into the realm of being financially unviable. Cooler than the entire cucumber section of a grocery store on the North Pole, the Panther would wage wits with the Little Man and more often than not made it look easy. Just as easy as revisiting these cartoon classics.

Thundarr the Barbarian (Ruby-Spears, 1980)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Take equal parts Star Wars and Conan, dash in some Mad Max for flavor, and you get one of the most stylish cartoons to ever come out of Ruby Spears! Thundarrr, Ariel and Ookla quest across the world to free oppressed people from power mad wizards across twenty one episodes. With outrageous antagonists designed by Jack Kirby, and glorious illustrated backgrounds, this series was truly ahead of its time. We're joined by Justin Toner to enjoy "Mindok the Mind Menace" and "Master of the Stolen Sun Sword."

She-Ra: Princess of Power (Filmation 1985)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 04:00:00 -0700

Girl Power! Yes? No? Maybe? It's a little complicated when boy toy tropes arrive on the girl toy aisle, especially smack dab in the middle of the 1980s. Filmation and Mattel tried to straddle the line with She-Ra, Hordak and their assorted supporting castmates, in this spin-off of the wildly popular He-Man toyline and cartoon. Pemmy and James break down the episodes Horde Prime Takes a Holiday and Flowers for Hordak, for the honor of Grayskull!

The Real Ghostbusters (Columbia/DIC, 1986)

James Irish, Krissi Harding & Pembroke W Korgi — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 09:37:34 -0700

With an all-star cast of voice acting legends, wild ghost designs and out-there ideas for stories (including some by J Michael Strazynski!) this cartoon that followed on the heels of the 1984 movie was a resounding hit on ABC and in syndication. Pemmy and James look at some of the stranger episodes from the second season, “Chicken, He Clucked” and “The Hole in the Wall Gang.” Over 30 years later, does bustin’ still make us feel good?