Season 1, Episode 1: Goldfish
Nov 14, 2013 19:36:40 GMT -5
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Post by The Narrator Returns on Nov 14, 2013 19:36:40 GMT -5
Season 1, Episode 1: Goldfish
If there was a breakout star on Space Ghost Coast to Coast, it may have very well been Brak. On the original Space Ghost cartoon, he was a feared space pirate, but after getting thrown into a space dust cloud, he became a lovable idiot, childlike in his stupidity and innocence. His loud demeanor won many laughs on SGC2C (his bit on the âmusical episodeâ is absolutely hilarious), so itâs no shock that he got his own spin-off, with most of the creative forces behind SGC2C coming over. However, despite the similar pedigree behind it (not only what I mentioned before, but also Space Ghostâs voice actor George Lowe, and the character of Zorak), The Brak Show is simply a very different beast from SGC2C. While SG dealt in bizarre humor (especially in its later seasons), Brak Show was more straightforwardly goofy, twisting sitcom tropes into absurd situations. Itâs a gem, and Iâll be happy to go through it with dedicated fans and newbies.
Okay, so this isnât quite the first episode of the show. The pilot is actually the fifth-aired episode, âBawkbagawkâ. But nevermind that, letâs look at this episode. It starts with Brak overjoyed that the Carnival of Feet is coming to town. However, his parents, housewife Mom (Marsha Crenshaw) and very small Cuban immigrant Dad (George Lowe), remind him that he needs to watch their neighbor Thundercleeseâs goldfish. Thundercleese is a giant robot with the power to bring death upon the entire neighborhood. Thundercleese informs Brak that he should not feed his fish (Mr. Tickles) three hams. Three hams will surely kill him. Of course, when he comes back the next day, with âfriendâ Zorak in tow, he forgets this, and feeds him a three-ham omelette. Mr. Tickles swells up to enormous size, and dies. After struggling to flush him down the toilet, Brak is so overcome with guilt that he canât bring himself to go to the Carnival of Feet, and itâs never mentioned again, making it easily the strangest red herring in television history. Later, Mr. Tickles appears in Brakâs room, telling him to find his brother and switch him for Mr. Tickles (thankfully, he resides in One-Fish Lake). But when Brak confronts his brother, he is easily dissuaded away, and Thundercleese is furious about Mr. Ticklesâ death. However, Mr. Tickles then appears to Thundercleese too, informing him that Brak did him well, and that Heaven is filled with dance clubs, loose women, and Latin music anyway. Brak is forgiven (although Zorak is blasted to death, a feat not even Space Ghost could accomplish), and Mr. Tickles gets to woo hotties on Heavenâs dance floor.
This is a very difficult show to analyze, so Iâll leave most of that to the observations below, and just say here that this is a very, very funny episode of television.
Stray Observations:
- Alternate Title of the Week
Leave it to Brak
- Brakâs Song(s) of the Week
Tomorrow is the day of the carnival of feet
They'll be feet there and feet
And don't forget the feet
I'll be there, if I'm not, somewhere else
At the one and only carnival of feet
Yeah
Food can be your friend
Or food can be your foe
But if you eat too much of it
To Heaven, you will goooooo
- Dadâs Advice of the Week
Dad is a character known for giving some completely nonsensical advice. Every week, I will catalog said advice.
âBrak! No more of this! You need to get your feet off your head, and your pants to your ears, and go help someone who has no feet! Because the footless animals cannot walk over here on their little non-footed areas and tell us how hungry they are! Or can they? I donât think they can.â
âBrak, remember that even though a man may have more hairs on his head than there are stars in the sky, that does not mean that he can plan a successful party that movie stars will attend and enjoy - responsibly.â
- Various Funny Things
âLemme tell you about Mr. Tickles. When he wanted food he would swim up to the top 'a the water and make that "bak-bak-ba" noise. He was a good, good eater. He ate a li'l too much if ya ask me, but he would-â
âThree hams will kill him
Three hams will kill him
I shouldnât feed him
Three haaaammmmmsssss!â
âThree hams will fill him
Three hams will thrill him
Why donât you feed him
Three haaaammmmmsssss?â
âWhy are you still alive? Oh wait, itâs only Tuesday.â
âWhat do you think that thing is?â
âThatâs a light switch.â
âOh.â
âOf Total Devastation!!!!â
âBoy, Iâm as happy as a bag of wigs! You know why?â
âUh, you found your real parents?â