I Don’t Get It

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I've never really thought that the yout' had left me behind until 10 minutes ago. Co-viewing the Cartoon Network, I've finally seen a product that simply made no sense to me. Now look, I waited out “Sponge Bob” and liked it. I at least gave “Cat Dog” enough time for the concept to pretty much live down to its concept. “Samurai Jack,” yeah, just like all of Genndy's work it's got a great idea, some good writing, good art, and nothing he does knows when to end. (That covers “Power Puff Girls” &  ”Dexter's Laboratory”) I dig “Courage,the Cowardly Dog” but not too much at one sitting. I loved “The Tick” premier, despised the rest. “South Park”? ugh.

My problem now is “Evil Con Carne.” I just went to the web site to get this explanation, which might've helped...Nah: “Hector Con Carne wants to take over the world. Problem is, his brain and stomach are all that's left of him. Through the wonder of mad science, the two remaining organs have been transplanted into Boskov, a less-than-bright circus bear who unwillingly serves as Hector's only mechanism for seeking his diabolical revenge.” Ok, what do you think? The episode in question, the stomach gets sick. The brain wants to take over the world, and the female character says they (bear + brain) can go out and take over the world, but the stomach has to stay in bed. Ok, so plot goes along to denouement, when brain says he cannot do the critical evil act because he doesn't have the stomach for it. Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way to go for a joke. Good joke, but whoa.

Now I relish a good non sequitur like the next person. But a circus bear? And I mean the device doesn't have the bear talking, oh no, bears can't talk. The brain talks for itself. Then if we're gonna let that happen, the stomach can talk for itself too.

And it appears to be a period-piece, or else the creators are stretching some point to express their steam-punk-ness. (Paddle-wheeler, and hot-air balloon are the modes of transit featured. Though, of course, the plan is formulated as the result of a TV news report...) Somebody needs to remind the fill-and-color guys that hot air balloon envelopes don't rotate, and that continuity errors are just that.

Ok, so now I've committed the SNL sin and gone on too long on the setup. Sorry, I'll re-edit it. What are these dingbats thinking? Will their audience swallow anything? Wait, they probably think Samruai Jack is profiting off the manga craze? Like “Wicked” is from “The Wizard of Oz”? I guess when you can't make an elegant premise, you make an extreme one. Wonder when we'll get back to valuing the simply fantastic.