Integration

[Pravus Prime]

With no replies from anyone else, I wondered if I was just posting all these back to back threads for the benefit of myself, but I see the view count jumps up between visits, so some people are reading this.

I'll mention one positive thing about ThunderCats Ho that I didn't before; I like Ma-Mutt. His role in Mumm-Ra Lives! cements my fondness for him. He is a useful and neat addition to Mumm-Ra's assets. I also like the Lunatak/New Dangerous enemy leitmotif.

Also as an aside, what's with the new voice modulation for the Berbils? Before there were several inflections on a SBAITSO style voice that gave them unique personalities with a mechanical soul, so to say. Now they all sound like soulless automatons.

Mumm-Ra Lives: It's an interesting story, one that from a structural perspective I actually liked more than ThunderCats Ho. My biggest fear for this season was that it would be Lion-O and the new Cats, with the original cast mostly becoming second stringers included only when the writers remember they're around. I'm pleased that this isn't the case, or at least not yet. I love Ma-Mutt's doings in service to his recovering master. The idea that Mumm-Ra wouldn't just destroy, but humiliate and imprision a group who challenged him is a neat one, but I don't care for the Lunataks at this point (Geez, it's like I'm resistant to anything new!), perhaps had they been more integrated into mutant society I would've felt less like they were just being inserted into the already established mythos. However, the biggest turn off and it felt completely insulting to me as a viewer was the effortless breaking of the Sword of Omens and it's 3 second repair job. Why bother? It contradicts several prior episodes and it served zero purpose in the grand scheme of things. Additionally several sections felt like redux of prior ideas.

That said, I actually physically reacted (Oh Snap!) when Mumm-Ra didn't shrivel at the sight of his reflection and instead laid a smackdown on the cats instead. The entire last act of the last episode felt like a solid payoff for what came prior and set up the action for the season. I had half expected the tablet thingy to be a recuring object, with everyone really trying to get their hands on the anti-Mumm-Ra device and that serving as a Macguffin for the season. I'm not sure if I should be pleased or disapointed that it's not the case. Overall I'd give Mumm-Ra Lives a 5/10, it probably would've been higher had I felt the plot was fresher and I didn't dislike the Lunataks.

Catfight: Hee hee, I really enjoyed this episode.

Psych Out: Your standard, "It was you the whole time!" episode, with your standard element of Courage. An OK episode.

The Mask of Gorgon: An interesting episode, though it seems that Mumm-Ra forgot he could fly (Perhaps it's understandable, when you have 11 billion powers, you may forget that you've got one every now and then). The only part I didn't like was that the child didn't really do anything. At all, it was like a wasted plot element. Also, Lynx-O moved in on Cheetaras territory by being the one who has an ominous foresight.

The Mad Bubbler: Which bubbles at midnight! Or Third Earth Hypnotoads are bad news! I'm shocked that the new Cats were only in the denouement and even then only Pumyra had any dialogue. Anyway, solid episode.

Together We Stand: Mumm-Ra plans a sequential attack. It works. Mumm-Ra has incompetant help. Solid episode.

Ravage Island: Mumm-Ra has something any politician would die for, but doesn't use it to run for office. Nice to see the Mutants again. Solid episode.

Time Switch: Lion-O gets a second youth, but it goes faster then his first. The little Lion-O summoning the Eye of Thundera was very well done. Good episode.

The Sound Stones: Fun with soundwaves (No, not the Transformer!), and some full ThunderCat team action. Solid episode.

Day of the Eclipse: A Day of Decay. If it wasn't for Ma-Mutt and the Lunataks, this could've been a first season episode. The resolution is silly, but it's an enjoyable episode.