All of you have recognize it. The moment when a show jumps the shark (I am of course referring to the Happy Days episode where Fonzie jumped a shark on his motorcycle marking the end of good episodes). Unfortunately cartoons often have toy tie ins and there is all too much pressure to keep them on the air. The brilliance of the writers comes out in full force and we have the creation of a new character. A character whom the viewers universally despise and see as proof the show has ended. Let's look at some examples.
1. Scrappy Doo
Yeah, no one liked this little twerp. He was proof that poor Scooby was nearing the end. Not only was Scrappy universally disliked, but the hatred of him grew in later years to such a degree that he was the villain in the live action movie. There are few left on this earth who cry in pain when they hear the words, "Puppy Power!"
2. The Great Gazoo
Ok, what knucklehead at The Flintstones thought that this would be a great idea? Hmm, lets see. Why don't we take a prehistoric family and throw in a alien who talks down to the star, and calls him "Dum Dum". Nothing about this guy made any sense, he was a freaky green alien who floated around that only Fred and Barney could talk to. Kind of an alien Snuffy.
3. OrOrbitty
Yes I recognize the Jetsons were never on the long enough to qualify for Jumping the Shark, but they did have a freaky thing known as Orbitty. This little furball with spring legs was plain freakish. I have to give credit where credit is due though. They used Orbitty to his utmost on Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law when they disclosed that he was genetically engineered corn.
4. Nat, Snappy, Slouchy, and Sassette Smurfling
Smurfs, bound by age old tradition, such as no females, and babies only coming on blue moons suddenly get Smurfette. OK, we accept that. She is some freak of the lab at Gargamel's, but now we have four kids who just show up? So lets see three (boys) were made younger by some accident. Ok, not so bad. Then they want a friend for Smurfette and decide to make one but since they were kids they used kid size ingredients and made a kid. Yeah, right. They just wanted four little smurf rugrats running around.
5. Bubba the Cave Duck
We all knew Ducktales was near the end. They introduced Gizmoduck (fortuntly a lightly used character) and Launchpad was leaving for St. Canard soon. But then they introduce this little POS to the cast. Not only as a fleeting meeting, but they try to make him a regular member. That is just so so wrong. I don't know what to make out of him.
Anyway, as you see cartoons introduce freaky sidekicks way too often right at the moment that they should be taken off the air.
-Uncle Walter
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