No more new Persuaders!, sniffle.

[ladybug_archive]

So this morning I finally got around to looking up what the heck The Lion Guard is about. The concept sounded ludicrous to me in the past (a Prince running security? WTH?), and learning more about it is not helping me think it sounds any less ludicrous. In addition to that weirdness, we've got him with the absolutely bizarre ability to ... channel his ancestors' roars? What? And since it takes place around halfway through the second movie, I have to wonder, why was there no mention of him in The Lion King 2 (other than because of course the character hadn't been animated yet)? It makes very little sense to have him absent throughout that entire film. (Now I can't remember if he was the character they used in some kids' books long before The Lion King 2 came out. If he was, that's cool that they finally animated him. But it doesn't help the series sound any less weird.)

I actually liked The Lion King 2, so I do like the idea of getting to see those characters some more. But I don't like that they never use the original hyenas from the first film, except in that silly, generic Timon & Pumbaa TV series from the nineties. Why create new hyena characters? What's wrong with the original ones? I do love the concept of having one hyena in The Lion Guard be nice, though. It's about time there was a protagonist hyena.

And then I have to admit that while even though the original Lion King featured a smidgen of scatological humor, it at least wasn't a plot point. Apparently in The Lion Guard, we've got the Prince's security team saving Kiara from a stampede because ... the honey badger passed gas? What? **headdesk.** That is so stupid. About on par with The Lion King 1 1/2 saying that the animals bowed not because Rafiki was holding Simba up, but because they were all fainting from the smell of Pumbaa passing gas. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I've never wanted to see The Lion King 1 1/2 because it sounds like it deconstructs the original movie and I loved that film. I rarely like parodies or satires because I don't like to see things I like being made fun of.

(Then a minor quibble with The Lion Guard is the character's name. Kion ... really? It rhymes with lion. Why, why, why would anyone want to name a lion character Kion? How can you take that seriously?)

I'll admit that perhaps the show looks better than it sounds on paper, but overall I am not that impressed by what I've learned. I suppose sooner or later I'll give it a try, but I'm not looking forward to that so much.

I also learned that this year's Equestria Girls movie will have a camp theme. I can't say I'm excited. I'm not an outdoorsy person and camp is not my thing. I can't imagine it would be Rarity's thing, either, for that matter, although the Pony Rarity went glamping once. LOL. Anyway, though, it seems like the movies just keep getting better and better, so I'm going to keep hoping for the best. Rainbow Rocks didn't sound like much at first, but then it ended up being wonderful. As long as there's lots of Sunset and naturally human Twilight character development in the camp movie, I'll probably love it.

And then Muffins is finally being re-released as Build-a-Bear promised. But she's still a web exclusive! **cries.** Why? Uggggh. I was hoping so much they would put her in the stores this round, like they finally did for Zecora and Shining Armor. I just don't know how to buy from Build-a-Bear online. You have to get $40 to get free shipping, or else shipping is about $6, and Muffins is $30 instead of $25 for some mysterious reason, and it's all a big mess. I just can't afford to buy from them online, but it doesn't look like they're going to put Muffins in-store, so if I want her, I'm probably going to have to get her online somehow.

Also, I finished watching The Persuaders! tonight. I am sad that there are no more new episodes to see. I stretched the last few out as long as I could. I will definitely start re-watching my favorites now. I've already seen some of them twice, as I've been introducing Mom to the series and showing her the best episodes. She likes the series, which I'm thrilled about. But I regret that we'll soon have watched all of the really friendshippy ones together, leaving the earlier ones where they're not as close. I'm not as anxious to show her those or to see them again myself.

I can't understand why they didn't air the episodes in the order of filming, since that makes so much more sense regarding character development. In the earlier ones, you have things like Danny questioning why Brett is even concerned about his safety. (And Brett just makes a quip about "Maybe I'd rather hate you alive than dead", heh. Not my type of humor, but at least I know he doesn't mean it. I've never been a fan of the insult humor that heavily populates male buddy stuff.) But by the later ones, you have Danny telling everybody that Brett is his very best friend and they never question each other's concern; they have complete trust in each other by that point and know that they can rely on each other. And you have things like Brett growling furiously that he will take an old house apart brick by brick to find the missing and hurt Danny. (And he also says things like that he's terribly, terribly hurt that Danny hired his housekeeper from under his nose. He wouldn't have expressed hurt in the earlier episodes. Not knowing Danny very well, he wouldn't have had reason to feel hurt then. I didn't like what Danny did, but I did love what Brett's reaction says about him and their friendship.) The progression of them as people and as friends is just so beautiful. But by airing them out of order, some of that gets lost in the translation.

I think my very favorite episodes are The Time and the Place and Someone Like Me. Those are two gems just overflowing with friendship squee. They're the first ones I showed Mom. And Someone Like Me also has the distinction of being very much like some of my fics. Heh. Other big favorites are Someone Waiting, The Ozerov Inheritance, That's Me Over There, Chain of Events, Anyone Can Play, and The Old, The New and the Deadly. And while I didn't like the black humor of A Death in the Family (which was based on Kind Hearts and Coronets, oh my), there are some great friendship moments in it. It was the first episode I saw. I had previously been led to believe that the characters were not that close throughout the entire series. Imagine my surprise when I watched that episode (one of the later ones, naturally) and saw many expressions of close friendshippy concern and even some hurt/comfort! I was immediately in love.

Comments

[amanechan.livejournal.com]

Huh, that's what it's about? All I'd really heard was that it was a kind of Lion King midquel...prequel...thing. And, yeah, I never liked Lion King 1 1/2. I remember thinking I liked the idea, because the format was a little like MST3K, and gently poking fun at even a good movie can be entertaining, but when I saw it I remember thinking it wasn't like that at all. It was kind of cheap, if that makes sense? Like Disney did put out some good direct to video sequels, but that one felt very commercial.

That's a shame about the online exclusive. Especially when the cost to get free shipping is so high, sheesh! Stuffed animals can't cost that much to ship, can they? They can't break!

That is weird that they aired the episodes in a different order. I mean, I've heard of pilot episodes being aired at different time or something... Anyway, I'm glad you happened to put a list of fave episodes here, I'll have to look some of them up on youtube. XD

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it basically seems to be about Simba's son running security for the Pride Lands with his friends. I just can't seem to wrap my mind around a Prince running security....

Cheap and commercial are good ways to describe The Lion King 1 1/2. That's definitely the impression I got without even seeing it.

Yeah, it's so frustrating! I hate the thought of paying $6 for shipping when the plush is already $30. Then I feel like I should just try to get something $10 to push it to free shipping. But I don't know what to get and I was hoping to get Muffins for a discount anyway. But maybe coupons won't work on her yet....

Indeed. I know it's pretty standard procedure to air out of order, but with most shows it doesn't matter if you do that. When it does matter, they shouldn't do it. And yesss, I'm hoping to drag some people into adoring the show with me! ;) It's so squeeable.

[northeastwind.livejournal.com]

I... have never heard of this Lion King midquel. I do enjoy Royals Doing Things, so I can get past a Prince running security if he's old and responsible enough for a job like that, but I am also not fond of scatological humor. Eeurgh.

The Lion King 2 was a whole lot better than some other Disney sequels, I gotta say. I haven't seen it in a while so I might change my mind next time I watch it, but as of right now I'm pretty fond of it!

And oh my gosh, $6 is too much for shipping. I've shipped fragile computer parts for less than that.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

He's a kid, about the same age as Young Simba during the early Lion King scenes. I guess he must be fairly responsible, though. And yeah, there is waaaay too much scatological humor around. Ugh. It's pretty embarrassing that because of it, this film-maker in Italy said he didn't think American audiences could understand an animated movie with depth and no physical comedy/Warner Brothers humor and bathroom humor.

Yes, The Lion King 2 is so sadly underrated! It was great.

Seriously. Ugh.