The news broke last year. There was no fanfare, just a by-line a little one-paragraph syndicated story on the Internet. But the news was huge: John Kricfalusi was going to make new episodes of Ren and Stimpy.
Joy!
The significance of this was huge. You have to understand, the original "Ren and Stimpy Show" that first aired on Nickelodeon in 1991 was no mere cartoon. It changed my life. It changed the lives of millions of kids my age. It set the path for what an entire generation of young people would find funny.
I could hardly contain myself.
The best part of this news was that John K. was attached to the project. In 1992 he was fired from the very show he created. We all know the early episodes of "The Ren and Stimpy Show," the John K. episodes, were far superior to the rest. John K. was the key.
The new episodes were set to air on a relaunched, more "extreme" TNN. The show's title was changed to "The Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon," a clear attempt to capitalize on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim's line-up. This was good. This meant John K. would have free reign to be as gross as he wanted to be.
A few weeks ago the new episodes debuted on the new TNN, which targets an ignorant male demographic. At last the holy grail of gross-out humor was in our hands.
No sir, I don't like it.
It is sad, but true. The new episodes aren't even as good as the later episodes of the original run.
Watching the new episodes, something sits ill. It's like the resurrected cat in "Pet Cemetery" that isn't quite the same as it was before. True, we've gained John K. -- but we lost writer/director Bob Camp and Billy West, the original voice of Stimpy.
The real problem is that the show is on "The First Network for Men." Ren and Stimpy was never marketed to men; it was marketed to kids. Boys and girls alike sang the Muddy Mudskipper theme together.
Lost on new show creators is the child-like curiosity and wonderment of the original. Rather than incorporating bizarre, gross humor seamlessly into the story, the new show stops in its tracks and puts up a sign that says "Look at this! Isn't it gross? Not just gross, but for-men gross! Fart!"
In fact, "The Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon" is the crescendo of a slew of icons from my childhood that have been repackaged and resold for today's "extreme" market. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "He-Man," "Transformers," "Thundercats" and G.I. Joe have all been revived in toys, television and comic books. Any dumb punk too young to remember can identify himself by my childhood with a quick visit to Mallcore outlets like Hot Topic and Suncoast Video.
All kids love log!
I'm sorry but they just aren't the genuine article. I wish with all my heart they were, but they just aren't.
Watching the original episodes of Ren and Stimpy is like sex with a long-term girlfriend that you plan to marry one day. Watching the new episodes is like sex with a prostitute. Oh, sure, the physical act is there, but absent is the love.
Write to Mouse at bbmcshane@bsu.edu
Visit www.classicalgeektheatre.com
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
