It’s Pony When Pony Teaches Public Speaking

Have Watched, Review /

Posted 29 August 2020

Dad’s Speech / It’s Pony / Premiered: 27 August 2020 / Nickelodeon

This week, Nickelodeon aired a week of premieres for “It’s Pony.” The episode “Dad’s Speech” stood out to me. 

Annie volunteers her father to speak to her class about farming. George Bramley knows a lot about farming but has trouble speaking about it in large groups. Pony teaches George how to face his public speaking fears leading to bizarre results.

–Summary by Vic’s Review

Public speaking is a common fear among certain individuals. This especially applies to Annie’s dad who is a farmer. Farming doesn’t frequently involve public speaking. When George begins to take lessons from Pony, he gets a bit too confident becoming the same troublemaker as Pony. This episode gives tips on how to overcome public speaking anxiety. These tips include not getting embarrassed or flustered and having good voice projection. Pony has all of these qualities.

I personally don’t mind public speaking but I would suggest this episode for those who do (but they shouldn’t act like Pony when overcoming their fears). I liked it when George cracked that joke about the tomato and the salad dressing. Whenever I hear Annie’s classmate Henrietta speak, I hear Mandy’s voice (from “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy” (Cartoon Network, 2003-2008 (separate series))). Grey DeLisle-Griffin used Mandy’s voice for Henrietta’s voice. I haven’t rated individual episodes in a while. Should I carry on with the star system or just say whether I suggest this episode or not? I’ll just say if you have issues with public speaking, just watch this episode and remember its events. This episode doesn’t formally teach public speaking but can quell the fears for those that have them.

Note: Yes, I have retired the star system for my ratings. The star system was widely used in my old blog and has become outdated. Yeah, I might just do suggestions rather than rate a show from 1-5. 

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What Happened to the Old Rugrats?

Have Watched, Thoughts /

Posted: 17 August 2020

Rugrats / Nickelodeon / 1991-2004

Watched newer episodes (Passover episode and onward) in sequence from 9 December 2019 – 24 February 2020

Rugrats, one of three of the original Nicktoons to air in 1991, played a major role in my childhood. These notable babies inspired some of the games I played and the color palette of the artwork was very appealing to me. When the newer episodes started airing in 1997, I was just happy to see new episodes. Later on, I began to realize that these new episodes and the changes that came with them were not all welcomed by everyone. Having watched these episodes recently made me realize that Rugrats became a different show with a different direction than the “classic 65” episodes. The show had its high points during the remainder of its run though it lasted way too long and should have ended before it became too stale.

Old Crew, Where Are You?

Comparing the difference between the feel of the old and new episodes, they have a different feel to them. The old series had simple story lines and inconsistent art styles. The newer episodes were more colorful, had faster-paced stories, and more uniform artwork (thanks to the use of computers). The older episodes remind me of my earlier childhood with the “tinker toy music,” the “washed out” artwork, and the dialogue style used. I feel like I’m in my comfy place when I think of all of that. The newer episodes just don’t have that.

All the magic went away when Paul Germain and his team left the show. The “magical” talent of those team members was dispersed through many later projects including “Hey Arnold” (Craig Bartlett, Steve Viksten, Joe Ansolabehere), “Aaah! Real Monsters” (co-creator Peter Gaffney), and the notorious “Disney’s Recess” (“Created by Paul and Joe,” they also stole

themselves a composer, Denis M. Hannigan). If I want to see more of that “classic 65” charm of the old Rugrats, I’ll just watch more Recess.

New Characters, More Changes

During this second half of the series, two notable, new characters were introduced, Dil and Kimi. I was happy to see Rugrats spawning movies and I enjoyed them as a child. Later on I began to realize the movies were not the best. However, Dil and Kimi did not cause Rugrats to “jump the shark.” It was the change in writers that made the characters seem not who we remember. It was not the Rugrats I remember from the past.

Also, remember that time when Chuckie got a new voice? Sometime in 2001, Chuckie’s original voice, Christine Cavanaugh, retired from voice acting so she was replaced by Bart Simp—I mean Nancy Cartwright. Comparing their voices is like comparing cinnamon apples (Christine) and caramel apples (Nancy). I love me a nice dish of warm cinnamon apples but cold and sticky caramel apples are just too sweet for me. Can you guess which Chuckie I prefer? If you guessed Christine’s, you’re right! It’s the version of Chuckie I’ve grown to love and she made Chuckie pronounce Tommy as “Tobby.” You won’t get that with Nancy. Her Chuckie is too high-pitched, nasally, and whiny. Sometimes I hardly notice a difference but when I think about it, I just can’t stand hearing it.

Lived Past Its Prime

These newer episodes are OK. They’re not as great as the old episodes. The show did not have to return. The reason it did return was that people were writing to Nickelodeon telling them how much they miss Rugrats. By popular demand (and the prospect of more $$money$$), Rugrats returned. They’re not as memorable as the “Classic 65” but they were just OK. One of the main things that gave Rugrats its shape through the years was the music from Mark Mothersbaugh and his team from the “tink-tink-tink”s to the “bah-bah-bah”s. It’s what made Rugrats, Rugrats. If everything has been said and shown in the Rugrats universe, why must the franchise return in 2021? It’s not necessary. Don’t get me started on “Rugrats Go Wild.” That was unnecessary. Ugh. I may or may not talk about that in a separate post.

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“Yoopy doop!” Ollie’s Pack Thoughts

Currently Watching, Have Watched, Thoughts /

Posted: 26 July 2020 

“Ollie’s Pack” is one of Nickelodeon’s newest shows. Like “It’s Pony,” it’s not based on an existing property or a consumer product so that’s part of what drives me to this show. This show was produced by Nelvana. I grew up with Nelvana shows in the past but in recent years, it’s like these Nelvanas have been mediocre. Because they’re showing this on Nickelodeon, I’m bypassing these factors and giving this a go. I don’t know why I keep watching “Ollie’s Pack,” I just watch it to feel younger. 

Character/Overall Design 

I’m glad the design didn’t turn out like its pilot short “Monster Pack.” The design of that short was just horrendous. If you’ve ever seen “Cupcake and Dino” (Netflix, 2018) (also created by OP’s co-creator, Pedro Eboli), you’ll see the design is similar to “Ollie’s Pack.” Thank Mark Satterthwaite for the same feel on both shows. The design is not my favorite, but it helps with the show’s individuality on Nickelodeon. Also, I’m not a huge fan of the techno, video game-like music. Sounds more suited toward “Glitch Techs” (Netflix, 2020-present) (yes, I’m currently watching that, too). However, I will have a certain title card cue music in my head that I think is neat. 

Canadian Through and Through 

Without looking at the credits, there are clues throughout this series that prove this show is Canada-based. Some of those clues include a hockey stick in Ollie’s room and some French phrases Ollie slides into his speech (je ne sais quoi, joie de vivre). I have a thing for Canadian animation. Even as a young girl, I could sense a Canadian show just by watching a few minutes of the show. That’s another thing that keeps me coming back to watch this show. The theme song’s singer seems to have a Canadian accent to top it all off. 

Try It! 

Don’t be too quick to give up on this show. The later episodes seem better. This show has grown on me somehow. It could be the fact I have access to Nickelodeon and watching these newer, original Nick shows make me feel younger. It’s good to know Nickelodeon is green-lighting more original shows rather than shows based on popular movies which is what drove me away from Nick in the first place (around 2007). Like I said about, “It’s Pony,” please support Nickelodeon’s original shows. It will encourage them to make more shows that we can potentially try and like.  

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Is It Really Pony?

Currently Watching, Thoughts /

Posted: 12 April 2020

It’s Pony / Nickelodeon / 2020 – Present

Simply put, this show does not try hard to be cool. The writing doesn’t use “cool” language and it doesn’t waste time with useless filler talk. The closest the show got to being “cool” was that video game episode (Game Horse) but it was still decent. The episodes are just the adventures of Annie and Pony venturing the city and getting into mischief. How much more can you simplify that?

A British-American Delight

 The British roots really manifest on this show. Firstly, Ant Blades, the creator, is British. Blue Zoo, the production company, is England-based. It’s also clear that the intro was sung by a British singer (listen carefully when you hear the intro). Even a few of the characters are British (Annie’s mom, other assorted characters). Despite that, it’s a show with British roots made for Nickelodeon’s American audience. It’s a lovely blend of British and American with neither side overpowering.

Appealing Theme Song

The theme song is really catchy. People may complain about the repetitiveness but it’s still a theme song nonetheless, better than many openings these days or the lack of one. The country music sound is nice. When the song first got in my head, the rapid-moving guitar accompaniment gave me the feel of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up (When It’s All Over).” I’m making new memories with this theme. On recent Saturday mornings at 10:30, I’ve eaten my cereal, and it’s time to watch “It’s Pony.” “Pony on the sixth floor, Pony in the bathroom, Pony in the kitchen, Pony on the school bus, Pony, Pony, Pony…”

Never Judge a Show by Its First Episode

After you watch your first episode, the show’s delivery may feel a bit bland. Even though you may not feel interested at first view, don’t give up hope. It may take several more episodes before the show grows on you. Do you want Nickelodeon to show nice, down-to-earth shows with kids and their fantasy animals going on adventures or do you want shows that have been making episodes for 15+ years that are going stale with time or shows that are the 10th horrible spin-off on an existing property? Think about that as you decide whether or not to shun “It’s Pony” off your watchlist.

Support “It’s Pony”!

I will support “It’s Pony” until the end. I can’t guarantee I’ll be watching all the showings live on Nick or Nicktoons but I’ll do what I can. Pretty much, the last original property Nickelodeon released was “The Loud House” in 2016. “It’s Pony” premiered barely 4 years later. I hope with our continued support will give Nickelodeon the idea that original, creator-driven shows are what we want, not cash cows. “It’s Pony” does not deserve to die on Nicktoons.

As long as we keep watch, it will always be Pony.

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This Coronavirus Is Very Dangerous!

Some Stuff, Thoughts /

Posted 5 April 2020

Hi everyone. Vic here!

Allow me to shift gears from what I usually post for commentary on an issue that has been affecting all of us.

You may have noticed there were no posts for March. I have a legitimate excuse this time: the Coronavirus pandemic. There is just so much going on with my job and how my life is going that writing posts became an afterthought.

As of writing this, I am feeling fine. Life has been going through numerous changes for me. I am an essential employee at my job so I have to work my regular hours at the office. I’m a church-goer so I’ve been worshipping via a live stream. I stay at home as much as possible. Online courses and a project have been keeping me busy during the weekends.

I even noticed that Nickelodeon is helping its young viewers to get through this madness. This includes hand-washing interstitials, dance-alongs every hour, and even an hour-long kids town hall special where kids could ask their questions and share what they’re doing when staying home. I feel this coverage is a bit much for a kid’s network but even the youngest of TV watchers need to be informed on how to stay healthy during these uncertainties about public health.

I am lucky to even have a job now. If I wasn’t so essential or if I wasn’t working from home, there would be many more posts being written and published. Despite that, I have been posting/retweeting more on Twitter when I find something interesting worth mentioning.

Yes, I am just as tired about hearing about this Coronavirus pandemic as you might be. I’m ready for this to be over. We should still check the news about twice a day to keep up on developing news. So, for right now, stay home as much as possible (but fresh air from your backyard is good, too), spend time with your family, catch up on your passions, and, importantly enough, catch up on some good TV! Please stay healthy and safe, keep your social distance, and stay informed (but not too informed).

Many thanks to the doctors, nurses, and other essential employees who cannot stay home but keep business going to serve us. They deserve a lot of appreciation!

Don’t worry, we’ll get through this!

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Get to Know Wander Over Yonder

Have Watched, Review /

Posted: 28 February 2020

Wander Over Yonder / Disney Channel and Disney XD / 2013-2016

Recently Watched From July 8, 2019-August 6, 2019

Wander Over Yonder is one of the few Disney animations made in the early 2010’s I can tolerate. I’m glad I found it a couple months into its run. What drew me to it was the fact it was created by Craig McCracken (also created “PowerPuff Girls,” “Foster’s Home…”). The biggest problem was that I didn’t have the Disney XD channel so I had to watch 1 or 2 episodes at a time on the website (the same way I started with Gravity Falls). I was a bored, broke college kid who couldn’t afford fancy cable so I needed my fix of episodes when they rotated the episodes every 2 weeks. Luckily, when I got a job, I was able to buy all the seasons available on YouTube.

How Did I Like It?

I found out about this show early July 2014 (10 months after the initial premiere) after someone mentioned the name in a YouTube comment. After watching the intro for the first time, I wanted more. The show was still pretty young at the time so there was still so much more the writers had yet to reveal to us. The Wander character himself made me feel happy and optimistic. Wander teaches us and the other characters one main lesson: with positivity, tough times will pass.

I used to think Lord Hater was the best villain ever conceived. He wasn’t really that mean but he was evil enough. He had cool things (a cool bedroom, a torture chamber, a cool spaceship). Commander Peepers and the army of Watchdogs were cool, too. He was the best until Lord Dominator showed up (whose female). Despite taking his #1 spot on the galactic villain leaderboard, Hater developed a drooling crush on Dominator because of how evil she is. This domination (no pun intended) turned Hater into a weaker villain but he and Commander Peepers became quite an awesomely close (and loud) duo. It made me forget they had an army of Watchdogs who were after Wander and Sylvia.

Do I Want It Back?

I’ve heard numerous reasons for Wander’s cancellation ranging from availability to the cost of production. All in all, this show is all-around expensive. I’m not shelling out money for a channel that hardly shows my favorite shows at reasonable times. If this show had more exposure, namely for those who can’t afford Disney XD, it would be very popular. This show had so much potential for more viewers and a line of merchandise. I’d buy a Wander backpack for myself. Too bad that potential was never explored. As for a revival any time soon, all I have to say is it had its run. The cancellation gave me more time to watch all the episodes. All I say we can do now is find a similar show just as good but unique in its own way. It might not be right away, but you’ll know when you’ve found it.

Give this show some love!

I feel Wander Over Yonder wasn’t exposed enough during its three-year run. It would be quite a phenomenon had it become more popular; more or less a competitor for Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants. I really hope this show never becomes forgotten. As a die-hard “Foster’s Home…” fan, I think this show exceeded the expectations that “Foster’s” had set. This show gets 4 stars (the show ended with slightly lower quality than how it started but it was still great). Even if it costs several bucks, buy some episodes of this show, watch them, and you will start smiling.

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Nickelodeon Returns to Me!

Revival, Some Stuff, Thoughts /

Posted: 28 February 2020

Note: If I gave the name of the streaming service I use, this post would be an advertisement. I wrote this post for informative reasons, not for profit.

After over 5 years of not having Nickelodeon on any of my channel lineups, I regained access to the main channel in late September. For the time being, a good number of these upcoming posts and reviews will be Nickelodeon (or simply “Nick”)-centered which can help me stay relevant in the ongoings of the animation world of today.

Life Without Cable

I stayed in an apartment with a cable package that eliminated Nick and other Viacom channels from its lineup. I also lived in a household where TV was from an antenna, Netflix, and Hulu (the days before Hulu TV and Youtube TV). It was neat but it got tiring after a while. I was raised as a Nick kid. Seeing how Nick was treating their older properties to movies and reboots made me not want to miss a thing. I even wished and prayed for a Nick OTA (Over The Air) channel. Later on, I found something even better.

Better Than OTA

In the spring of 2019, I knew I was in for something good. I discovered Pluto TV (an awesome cable alternative app). Soon after my discovery, Pluto TV launched its version of a Nick Channel. It’s not the same lineup as the main Nick channel but it’s way better because they show old Nick shows from the ‘90s—my childhood shows! It was sufficient but I wanted to watch new episodes of The Loud House and the then-upcoming The Casagrandes. I was confident that love would find a way.

What A Surprise!

That fall, I Googled streaming services that legally streamed Loud House eps without paying for each episode individually. Not only did I find THE SERVICE that did just that but it also streams live channels included in many cable packages including LIVE NICKELODEON! I signed up the next day so I can have the chance to decide whether this was a wise decision. I got my Loud House and discovered what else this Nick of today had to offer. The package has the main Nick channel AND its premium channels I never had with basic cable (Nicktoons, TeenNick, Nick Jr.). I have no regrets about this decision!

Nickelodeon Isn’t Perfect

Yes, Nick and I had a good break. After seeing all the appealing cartoons they were putting out, I felt it was time to give Nick another try. Sure, they don’t have the best scheduling but it’s a miracle to have the real Nick back. Also, I not only have the main Nick channel but I also have the other Nick channels as well. If I don’t like what’s on the main channel, I can always see what’s on the other Nick channels or find something else to watch that is not Nick-related on other non-Nick-branded channels. This was a luxury I never had using basic cable.

One note about today’s Nick promos

In the Nick promos, they state their advertised times differently than how I remember. In the past, they stated the program’s start time as, for example, “8/7c.” These days, they will simply say the show starts at “8.” I guess they assume each Nick viewer is in the same time zone. If I were younger and tried to watch my show at 8, it would be too late (8:00 to them is 7:00 where I live). That’s something to get used to figuring out when a show starts for my own time zone.

Other Than That…

I like the feel of having Nickelodeon back. Like everything else produced these days, the HD format is a real treat for the eyes though it becomes commonplace after a while. Now I have opportunities to watch all kinds of Spongebob, Fairly OddParents, Loud House, The Casagrandes, It’s Pony, and catch up on my Power Rangers without waiting for the slow Netflix releases. The other Nick channels are a real treat, too. It lets me know there are other viewing options available if I don’t like what main Nick is playing. Nickelodeon isn’t the same as it was in the ‘90s/early ’00s but I’ll take this current one and be open to what else they release.

And don’t worry, I’ll watch other non-Nick animations as well. However, don’t be surprised if I post 3 consecutive Nick-based posts.


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Nickelodeon’s Televised Spongebob Musical

Have Watched, Review /

Posted 12 January 2020; Initially written 8 December 2019

Yes, I am now able to watch Nickelodeon at home again.

Saturday night, December 7, 2019, Nickelodeon aired a professionally taped edition of the Spongebob Musical. This musical starred Ethan Slater as Spongebob, Gavin Lee as Squidward, Danny Skinner as Patrick, and Christina Sajous as Sandy. Since I couldn’t see it live on Broadway, I found it convenient that Nick televised it so more people can see it.

Watched out of Pure Curiosity

I’ve followed this mantra for a good fraction of my life, “If it’s on Nickelodeon, give it a try!” (This later began to apply when I started watching Cartoon Network). Apparently, it still follows today. I didn’t watch the musical from the very beginning on first airing but luckily my streaming service had it on DVR. With the initial December 7th airing running time of 2 hours, 30 minutes, I’ll say this is a musical all right (the 2-hour version is fine too although they cut out Patchy the Pirate’s first appearance and his singing number with the other pirates)! With Spongebob running as long as it has, I’m not surprised it received the Broadway treatment. I’ve been a Spongebob admirer on and off these past 20 years so my thoughts of a musical dedicated to everyone’s favorite yellow sponge were, “Why not?”

Improving Your Viewing Experience

The costuming was very interesting as to make the human actors add representation to their respective characters. The sets were designed very creatively (inventive stage space usage, especially for the mountain climbing scenes with ladders). Just imagine the characters in their animated form. Whatever they do, mentally visualize the actions like you’re watching a regular episode of Spongebob. If you imagine smart enough, this could seem like an animated musical, mentally animated by YOU! Yes, the costuming can seem cheesy at times but with your (forms rainbow with hands) IMAGINATION, this could be the best musical you’ll ever see. It would be even better if you’re lucky enough to see it live.

Give It a Chance!

This musical has been on tour since 2016 but I just recently became aware of this. I saw that some songwriters I admire wrote some songs (David Bowie, Brian Eno, They Might Be Giant…) so that’s a plus. I especially liked Plankton and Karen’s costumes which were very creatively made (actor dressed in a green suit with an eyepatch representing Plankton’s one eye; using both a wheeled screen and a mad scientist-like lady to portray Karen). Again, this musical would be much better had I seen it live. It’s nice that Nick aired this. I personally prefer the 2-hour version and not the 2.5-hour version if I watch on Nick. I’d have to pay good money to watch a 2.5-hour musical. I’m giving this musical 3 stars. I’m regaining my interest in Spongebob now that I can watch more Nickelodeon. I can’t wait to continue to catch up on what I missed and be more in the loop about the ever ongoing news about the Spongebob Squarepants franchise.

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My apologies…AGAIN!

Some Stuff, update /

Posted: 5 January 2020

I messed up again, didn’t I?

First post for the new year and new decade. Hope your holidays were happy and bright!

Hello again! Sorry for the lack of reviews lately. Yes, I still don’t have that new layout I promised last year. This could take a little bit longer because I want to build my own themes by learning PHP so I’m don’t completely have the hang of that skill yet. I have also been taking on other real-life projects so that takes time from sitting down to write the reviews.

On a more positive note, this week I will post a review about the Spongebob Musical. It was quite interesting. I have also been posting more on Twitter so go check out those tweets.

More post and reviews coming soon. In the meantime, please check the Twitter page, @vicsreview, for more posts and updates. You’ll hear from me soon!

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Spooky Loud House Ep Review

Have Watched, Review /

Posted: 31 October 2019

The Last Loud on Earth / The Loud House / Premiered: 19 October 2019 / Nickelodeon

Yes, I also like to watch the Loud House/Casagrande shows on Nickelodeon. What’s a better way to post a short review than a recent spooky-themed episode of The Loud House in honor of Halloween? This is going to be a short review for once. I can do another post about my interest in the mentioned 2 shows in a later post.

What It’s About

Lincoln and Clyde stayed up all night to binge-watch their favorite movie saga. The next morning they assumed a zombie apocalypse happened so they defend themselves from what they assumed were zombies. Not knowing that a storm evacuation was in effect prepared the boys for dangerous zombie encounters yet the adventure was all driven by their plentiful imaginations.

“Clincoln McCloud” + Halloween = Quite a Combination

This episode is an exceptional example of the Adventures of Clincoln McCloud. Now those are the fun eps. An episode of this category earns 4 stars. I really like The Loud House.  I admire the art style. Whether or not the original creator is involved, it’s still admirable. I’ve recently started watching this show again and it’s still good. I can’t wait to see what else season 4 has to offer.

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