Writers Get Animated: Recent Episodes
Chris Leyva & Mackenzie Worrall
Get drawn into your favorite animated movies and shows! Whether it's following an alcoholic horse actor, a family of adventuring ducks, a wise-cracking rabbit, or some wacky kids down the street, we've got you covered. Animators move audiences to laughter and tears conjuring worlds from blank paper and ones and zeros inside a computer. Every two weeks, we English-major-the-crap-out-of the latest animated movies and shows to uncover how the magic works.
Episode 200! In our final episode we discuss what we've learned from watching all these cartoons and what makes art "inspiring." How does art make us feel the need to create? How have the animated shows and movies we've experienced over the past six years (and beyond) helped our art?
Thank you so much for being with us on this journey!
Every year, we binge all of the new shows of the year to bring you some recommendations in the hopes that you will find some new favorites! The list keeps getting longer and longer as more and more animated shows hit the airwaves. What a wonderful time to be a fan of animation!
Chris and Mackenzie’s Recommendations Young Ages: * City of Ghosts (Netflix) * Ada Twist, Scientist (Netflix) * Ridley Jones (Netflix) * Spidey and His Amazing Friends (Disney) * Alma’s Way (PBS Kids) * Oggy Oggy (Netflix)
All Ages: * Kid Cosmic (Netflix) * Wolfboy and the Everything Factory (Apple TV+) * The Snoopy Show (Apple TV+) * Kamp Coral (Paramount+) * Elliott from Earth (CN) * Rugrats (2021) (Paramount+, Nickelodeon) * The Bad Batch (Disney+) * Monsters at Work (Disney+) * Dug Days (Disney+) * Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life (Disney+) * Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs (HBO Max) * Jellystone (HBO Max) * Centaurworld (Netflix) * I
Those rambunctious chipmunks Chip and Dale are back in a new show, so we're seeing how they have evolved over the years! What makes duos so satisfying? Why are Chip and Dale always fighting? Are we Chip or Dale?
Links * Watch Food for Feudin' on Disney Plus * Watch Chip 'n Dale's Rescue Rangers on Disney Plus * Watch Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life on Disney Plus * Remembering ‘Rescue Rangers’ * Frank Angones on Twitter Explains the Rescue Rangers' Cameo on DuckTales (2017) * Here's How Disney's 'DuckTales' Just Gave 'Rescue Rangers' a New Origin Story
It's the Emmy's again, and we're watching (streaming) all the nominees to see what stories are being told! Spoilers, there's a lot of coronavirus in these shows. From South Park to Simpsons to Robot Chicken to Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal, this year has some striking entries!
Links * Watch South Park on HBO Max * Watch Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal on HBO Max * Watch Bob's Burgers on Fox * Watch Big Mouth on Netflix * Watch The Simpsons on Fox * Watch Love, Death & Robots on Netflix * Watch Once Upon a Snowman on Disney Plus * Watch Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens from its Nap" on Disney Plus * Watch Robot Chicken on HBO Max
First there was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, then The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, now Sony brings Vivo! What can we learn from this musical, buddy comedy, finding a new family adventure movie? How do the music and visuals interact to create something meaningful?
Links * Watch Vivo on Netflix * Lin-Manuel Miranda's Music from Vivo Deep Dive on Twitter
We have the power (to discuss the character development and world-building He-Man)! In this week's episode, we look at where He-Man and the Masters of the Universe started and then look at what has changed in Masters of the Universe: Revelation! How do you reboot a show without rebooting a show? How can you give depth to a world that was built to sell toys?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 004 - A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special
Links * Watch The Cosmic Comet on YouTube * Watch the Diamond Ray of Disappearance on YouTube * Watch Masters of the Universe: Revelation on Netflix * Watch The Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe on Netflix * Kevin Smith unpacks Masters of the Universe: Revelation's world-shattering premiere
Chris and Mackenzie jump into Space Jam: A New Legacy to see how the game is different this time! How do you get a famous NBA player and the Looney Tunes characters to the basketball game and make the game matter? How is the story constructed? What did we learn from this Looney sequel?
Links * Watch Space Jam: A New Legacy * Behind the Scenes of Space Jam: A New Legacy * Why Hollywood Can’t Stop Transforming Workaholic Dads Into Cats, Dogs, and Snowmen
All rise for a rocking, moving civics lesson from Chris Nee, Barack and Michelle Obama, and a whole host of artists and musicians: “We the People” on Netflix! How do narrative and image and music collide to teach lessons? What are the different ways to inspire an audience toward action?
Links * Watch “We the People” on Netflix * 'We The People' Creator On Making A Kids' Show About American Democracy * ‘We the People’ Updates the Sound of Schoolhouse Rock With Rap and R&B * She Never Saw Herself in Children’s TV Shows. So She Created Her Own
Travel with us to Italy for Pixar's latest story: Luca! How does the story of Luca fit with our expectations for Pixar movies? How is Luca different? How can a story's intentions change through the collaboration process?
Links * Watch Luca on Disney Plus * Luca: How Studio Ghibli Inspired the Pixar Movie * How Pixar created Luca’s adorable, transforming sea monsters
We're investigating the gorgeously crafted show "City of Ghosts" on Netflix! How do the stories of real neighborhoods and real people get enhanced with art and story? How can a show about ghosts be so inviting and earnest in its approach? How can you make a show that is for everyone?
Links * Watch City of Ghosts on Netflix! * Watch the short Welcome to My Life * Read on Wired: Netflix’s City of Ghosts Maps a Better Way to See LA—and Everywhere Else * Interview from NPR: City of Ghosts creator Elizabeth Ito * Read on Vulture: How City of Ghosts Crafted an Inclusive Ode to Los Angeles’s Overlooked Past
We're jumping on the Infinity Train to figure out what makes an anthology show so compelling? How do mysteries deepen and shift? How do you hold onto an audience when main characters shift? What connects these stories together? Also, how can we get more Infinity Train?!
Links * Watch Infinity Train on HBO Max * Infinity Train's Owen Dennis Talks About the End of the Cartoon
A new animated Star Wars show is on our televisions, and we're here to enjoy it alongside all of you! How does this story fit into the larger Star Wars universe? Where do we think and hope the story will go? What are the familiar Star Wars elements that are already present in this new show?
Links * Watch The Bad Batch on Disney Plus * Brad Rau's Road to Star Wars * Interview with Producers Brad Rau and Jennifer Corbett
How can the robot apocalypse bring family together? We find out in this episode as we upload ourselves into The Mitchells vs. The Machines on Netflix! How does this movie both defy and meet our expectations?
Links * Watch The Mitchells vs. The Machines on Netflix * The Mitchells vs. The Machines: How Michael Rianda Made a 'Dirtbag Miyazaki' Movie * The Mitchells vs. The Machines Director Mike Rianda Wants to Make You Laugh (and Call Your Mom) * The Mitchells vs the Machines Team Explain How They Made One of the Best Animated Movies of 2021 * Every Pop-Culture Easter Egg in The Mitchells vs. the Machines
The Oscars are here again, and we're taking a trip through the varied ways these filmmakers have told their stories in this year's nominees for Best Animated Short Films! From the story of a bunny creating her home to a young woman dealing with the chaos of the world, we look at how animation can make meaningful and thought-provoking art time and time again.
Links * Watch the Oscar-Nominated Short Films
We’re saying goodbye to one of our favorite shows: DuckTales! The series finale certainly solved some mysteries and rewrote some history! How does the series finale complete the story that was being told? What themes and tools told the story?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 176 - Healthy Rejections: DuckTales and Steven Universe * 164 - Quack Pack v. Quack Pack * 141 - The Breakdown: Nothing Can Stop Della Duck! * 121 - The Lost Loves of Scrooge McDuck and BoJack Horseman * 090 - DuckTales! Woo-oo!
Links * Watch DuckTales on Disney Plus * Watch DuckTales on DisneyNOW * DuckTales: Inside the Finale’s Big Webby Twist (Den of Geek)
Tom and Jerry are back in new animated shorts and a new animated/live action hybrid movie! What endures about these two characters? How do animated/live action hybrid movies work story-wise? What can we learn from a decades-long rivalry between a cat and a mouse?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 085 - Pure "Imagination" - Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Links * Watch Tom & Jerry Special Shorts on HBO Max * Watch Tom & Jerry on HBO Max
A new era of Disney animated films is here with "Raya and the Last Dragon!" How does "Raya" represent a change in storytelling for Disney? What makes this story so unique? How does watching at home change the experience of a new Disney film?
Links Watch Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney Plus
Interview: ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Producer and Screenwriter on Creating a New Kind of Disney Hero
We’re back with another breakdown! In the breakdown, we go beat by beat to see how a show works! This time, we’re looking at one of our favorites: Hilda! How does time travel work in the world of Hilda? How to do you establish theme and danger?
Links * Watch Hilda on Netflix
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 131 - Hilda and Adaptation
This week, we’re heading to the desert to have a date with destiny! And the rings of power! And Kid Cosmic, the latest hero from Craig McCracken! How do the expectations of a specific creator, a specific streaming service, and of the super hero genre collide and affect a show for families?
Links * Watch Kid Cosmic on Netflix * Craig McCracken Talks About Creating Netflix Series “Kid Cosmic”
In a year of catching up on streaming, we look back on one of Mackenzie’s favorite shows: Gargoyles! Looking at the fabled third season, we investigate how this animated show from the 90’s is prescient about our current era. What would make someone join The Quarrymen? What does justice look like?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 040 - Thine Doodles Moveable: Shakespeare in Gargoyles and The Simpsons
Links * SyFy Wire: An Oral History of Gargoyles * Polygon: Gargoyles was nearly the center of a vast Disney Cinematic Universe
It's a new year and a new season! We're unpacking the themes and ideas in Pixar's latest film, Soul! What makes life so special? What is the "spark?" How does Pixar (and Pete Docter) continue create rich, tangible worlds based on ideas?
Links * Watch Pixar's Soul on Disney+ * It’s Like a Magic Trick: Pete Docter and Dana Murray on Pixar's Soul * Pete Docter, Kemp Powers & Dana Murray Interview: Soul
There's a new Star Wars Holiday Special, and it's LEGO! Does the new LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special pass as authentic Star Wars and as a true holiday specials? What Star Wars expectations do we have? What holiday special tropes pay off in this adventure?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 152 - Klaus: A Very Early, Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special * 128 - A Very Special Hanukkah Special * 102 - A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special III: Revenge of Claus * 052 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas Turns 50! * 004 - A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special
Links * Watch the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special on Disney+
The Warner Brothers and the Warner Sister are back! Is this a reboot, a sequel, or a continuation? We investigate audience expectations, including our own, to see how much difference 22 years can make when a show returns!
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 045 - Bologna in Our Slacks: Animaniacs!
Links * Watch Animaniacs on Hulu
Who knew that one of the best movies to compliment 2020 would be a Laika film from 2012? This week we discuss the strangely timely message of ParaNorman! How can the passage time help a story's message?
Links * Watch ParaNorman on Netflix * Chris Butler and Sam Fell interview: on writing and directing ParaNorman
Have you ever experienced a crushing rejection? It's rough. But, as we learn from "DuckTales" and "Steven Universe," there are healthy ways to deal with rejection. We unpack representations of relationships, love interests, and rejections. Chris even expresses his hatred of the term "friend zone."
Once a year, we binge for you! It's the best new animated shows of 2020! 2020 has given us so many new shows, we can barely keep up! We cover new shows for young audiences, shows for the whole family, and shows for "adults." Will you find a new favorite?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 169 - Happy Birthday, Bugs Bunny! * 168 - Current Trends in Adult Animation * 163 - Never Fear, The Rocketeer’s Here! * 162 - Magical Adventures in The Owl House, Hoot! * 159 - Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts * 156 - Harley Quinn!
We’re breaking tradition and are discussing a Disney live action remake that is actually live action: Mulan! How does this version of Mulan compare to the original animated film? What is improved? Who is the audience for this new version?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 027 - Is The Jungle Book (2016) an Animated Movie? * 144 - Circle of Remakes: The Lion King (2019)
It's the Emmys! We look at what we can learn from each of this year's nominees. It's an eclectic bunch! Big Mouth, Bob’s Burgers, BoJack Horseman, Rick And Morty, The Simpsons, Forky Asks A Question, Robot Chicken, and Steven Universe Future!
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 148 - 2019 Best Short Form Animated Program Emmy Nominees! * 147 - 2019 Best Animated Program Emmy Nominees
Today we’re breaking down one of the best scenes in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: the reveal of Olivia... You know... How does this great film set, reset, and subvert our expectations? How do you switch tone as necessary? How do character details and specificity influence a scene?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 129 - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Links * ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’: Making Doc Ock Olivia the Subversive Secret Weapon
In this episode, we look at what makes a satisfying ending! By looking at three different series finales (Wizards, Doc McStuffins, and Steven Universe:Future), we try to see how endings function and how you can stick the landing of your story.
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 165 - Ended, The Clone Wars Have * 161- Nice While It Lasted: The End of BoJack Horseman * 157 - The Return of the Writers from Harvey Girls Forever! * 137 - Star Vs. The Forces of Evil: The Beginning of the End
Links * ‘Steven Universe’ creator Rebecca Sugar explains the series finale, ‘Future’—and her future
With summer movies being postponed or canceled because of the "plague" of COVID-19, we decided to look at plagues as portrayed in animation! We look at the biblical plagues depicted in Dreamworks' "The Prince of Egypt" and a more metaphorical plague in this year's "We Bare Bears: The Movie."
Links * Watch The Prince of Egypt on Hulu * Watch We Bare Bears: The Movie
What's up, Doc? We're celebrating the 80th birthday of everyone's favorite wise-cracking rabbit: Bugs Bunny! When taking a look at Bugs' first appearance in "A Wild Hare," we'll see what carries over to the brand new series "Looney Tunes Cartoons?" What are the core traits of Bugs Bunny? What has changed in Bugs since 1940?
Links * Watch Looney Tunes Cartoons on HBO Max
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 080 - The Breakdown: Duck Amuck * 015 - The Breakdown: What's Opera, Doc?
In this episode, we break down what's been going on with animation specifically made for adults. After a brief overview, we take a look at "The Midnight Gospel" and "Lastman," two shows that look and feel like nothing else out there. How has the field of adult animation changed? What are the trends? What are the projects that set themselves apart from the pack?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 161 - Nice While It Lasted: The End of BoJack Horseman * 156 - Harley Quinn * 151 - Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal: Stories Without Words * 140 - Tuca and Bertie * 031 - Boop, Bakshi, And Beyond: Adult Animation in the 70’s And 80’s
Scooby, Shaggy, and the gang are back in action and, this time, they're bringing some friends! The Scooby Doo-niverse is becoming the Hanna-Barbera-verse! What happens when you expand the world of Scooby Doo to include Blue Falcon and Dick Dastardly? Is anything lost? How big can this universe get?
Previously on Writers Get Animated 009 - A Tale of Two Scoobies
What makes a family a family? And what makes a family film a family film? We get into The Willoughbys - the newest animated film from Netflix!
Links * ‘The Willoughbys’ Director Kris Pearn is Blending 2D and Stop-Motion Animation Styles for a New Take on an Old Story * Terry Crews Explains Why Netflix’s ‘The Willoughbys’ Is Perfect Pandemic Viewing
Star Wars: The Clone Wars has returned with a force! We take a look at how the finale of Star Wars: Clone Wars fits into the larger questions explored in the Star Wars universe. What is different about this particular ending and story? What's next for the animated Star Wars canon?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 23 - All About Ahsoka * 136 - Star Wars: Resistance Recap * 123 - Star Wars: Resistance * 113 - Star Wars: Rebels Remembrances * 87 - Who Rule Cartoons? (Girls.) * 72 - Rebels Retrospective * 53 - Saw Gerrera: A Star Wars Episode * 03 - Episode III: The Animated Menace
Links * Watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney Plus * Clone Wars Declassified: 5 Highlights from “Victory and Death”
In celebration of the episode "Quack Pack" latest season of DuckTales, we revisit Disney's Quack Pack from 1996! In what ways are they similar? How has storytelling changed in Disney TV animation since then?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 141 - The Breakdown: Nothing Can Stop Della Duck * 090 - DuckTales! Woo-oo!
Links * Watch Quack Pack on Disney Plus * Watch the latest season of DuckTales on DisneyNOW * Watch past seasons of DuckTales on Disney Plus
Buckle up your jetpacks because we're taking to the skies with The Rocketeer! What changes when a comic book movie from the early 1990's becomes a Disney Junior series? How do you make an action-packed series for young audiences?
Links * 5 Ways Disney Junior’s New The Rocketeer Series Was Inspired by the 1991 Film * Collider: Disney Junior's New Animated Series Takes to the Skies
Hoot! We’re following the owls to join Luz’s adventures in The Owl House! What makes The Owl House so different from other recent fantasy shows? How do Luz and Eda defy expectations? What adventures are in store for us?
We say goodbye to one of our favorite shows: BoJack Horseman. How does the “Great American Novel” end? What story have we been following these past few years? What have we learned about how to end a story? How do you give closure to characters and relationships without answering all the questions?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 121 - The Lost Loves of Scrooge McDuck and BoJack Horseman * 103 - From Bazooga Eyes to BoJack: Sexual Harassment in Cartoons * 046 - What Are You Doing Here? The Struggles and Failures of BoJack Horseman
Grab your wizard’s staff and set off with us as we discuss Pixar’s Onward! Why is Pixar telling this story now? What can we learn about foreshadowing and audience expectations?
Climb aboard a massive dragonfly as we zoom through the coolest post-apocalyptic world around in “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts!” How is the storytelling different in Kipo? What are the trends that we’re seeing? How is the world introduced? What is most exciting about the world created in Kipo?
It's our annual look at the Oscar-nominated animated short films! Five different and engaging short films were nominated for the Oscar this year: Hair Love, Daughter, Sister, Memorable, and Kitbull. What trends and themes were present this year? What were the different ways stories were told?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 133 - Hey Academy, Here’s How You Should’ve Voted: The Oscar-Nominated Shorts * 107 - Dear Academy, Here’s How to Vote 2018 * 063 - Dear Academy, Here’s How to Vote… Again: Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts * 012 - Dear Academy: Here's How To Vote
Brendan Hay, Mike Yank, Sarah Nerboso, and Marie Cheng from Harvey Girls Forever join us to discuss the final season of the show. We discuss their favorite moments of the final season, how they said goodbye to the show, and what they were glad made it into the final season!
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 138 - The Writers of Harvey Girls Forever!
Harley Quinn has her own series now on DC Universe! What happens when a character who began in animation, went into comic book form, then into live action, returns to animation? How has the character of Harley Quinn evolved? How is this series different from other DC animated series that have come before? Also, who knew that Poison Ivy would be the ultimate roommate?
Links * Watch Harley Quinn on DC Universe (Subscription Needed)
It’s a new year, so we’re celebrating by dreaming big! We’re taking our tradition of proving that some things write themselves to new heights. It’s one part improv and one part writing exercise. Play along with us as we come up with sequels, reboots, and spin-offs of some of the properties available on Disney+.
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 095 - It Still Writes Itself, Apparently * 050 - It Still Writes Itself * 018 - It Writes Itself
Disney+ is here, and the Disney Vault is mostly open! Our trip through the Disney canon continues as we go back through the early shorts of Disney to see if we can identify Disney DNA. What makes Disney Disney? What has changed through the years? What can we learn from these early Disney shorts? Why would you ever trust Goofy to drive you anywhere?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * Canon in Disney Part I: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs * Canon in Disney Part II: The Not-So-Golden Age * Canon in Disney Part III: The New Classics * Canon in Disney Part IV: Without Walt * Canon in Disney Part V: Welcome to the Disney Renaissance * Canon in Disney Part VI: The Lost Era * Canon in Disney Part VII: Modern Disney in Bolt and Frozen
When is a sequel justified? Or… How do you make a sequel that’s just as merited as the first film when you’re writing for the sequel to the biggest animated film of all time (besides The Lion King)? This week, we plunge into the icy waters of Frozen II (2)! What else does Elsa have to do to complete her character arc? What can Idina Menzel sing about this time? What do you do when your characters get comfortable? Can a snowman make you cry?
Links
Buzzfeed Facts About Frozen 2: https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/frozen-2-behind-the-scenes-facts
Episode 154 about Frozen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/writers-get-animated/id1059055576?i=1000422610016
It’s (almost) Christmastime, so we unwrap your gift early to talk Klaus on Netflix! What kinds of stories can you tell with Santa? What are the tropes and trappings of Santa? How successful can a dark and gritty reboot of Santa be?
Links * Klaus director pushed past the limitations of traditional animation * SPA Studios on YouTube * Watch Klaus on Netflix
How do you tell a story without words? We look at the tools and techniques used in Genndy Tartakovsky’s new show: Primal! How can color and staging tell your story? How do you show a changing relationship without words?
Links * Watch Primal on Adult Swim * About the Herculoids * About Act Without Words I
Yes, they are creepy and kooky, but they're also one of the most beloved families ever, it's The Addams Family! We take a look at what needs to be included in any Addams Family film, what stories are told, what themes are explored. How does the newest film both pay off and play against our expectations?
Links * The Addams Family Clips and Trailers
It's the time of year when we look at the new animated shows that came out for the year, so you can find out what you should be watching! There are so many new shows that came out, and more new shows are still on the way! Looking for a show for your young kids to watch? Something for the whole family? Or want something that is strictly for adults? There's something for everyone this year!
Previously on Writers Get Animated * Sweet, Sweet Fantasy: Amphibia * Tuca & Bertie! * Young Justice: Cliffhanger No More!
On this episode, we're coming up short! It's the Short Form Animated Program Emmy nominees! Robot Chicken! Teen Titans GO! Steven Universe! Love, Death & Robots! Spongebob Squarepants! Who won? Why were these stories nominated? What makes them special? What makes them unique?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 2019 Best Animated Program Emmy Nominees * Two Gay Weddings and a Podcast
Links * Watch The Witness on Netflix
In this episode, we look at the nominees for this year's Emmy Awards: Big Mouth “The Planned Parenthood Show”, Bob’s Burgers “Just One Of The Boyz 4 Now For Now”, BoJack Horseman “Free Churro”, Adventure Time “Come Along With Me”, and The Simpsons “Mad About The Toy.” In what ways is storytelling shifting? Is animation for kids and adults now? What stories are being told and who is telling them?
Links * Cartoon Brew: 2019 Emmy Nominations: ‘BoJack Horseman’ Joins Race For Best Animated Program
Hop in the slingshot, we're flinging ourselves to Bird Island to talk Angry Birds 2! How do you craft a story when there's so little plot from source material? How do you take a video game movie franchise to the... next level? What are the different ways you take take comedy beyond audience expectations?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 089 - Ready Player Dracula: Castlevania * 011 - Well, Excuuuse Us
Links * Cartoon Brew Interview with the Director and Producer of Angry Birds 2 * Watch the Angry Birds 2 Bathroom Scene!
This week, we're looking at crafting a fantasy world! What are the different types of fantasy sub-genres out there? We explore the realm of Amphibia to see how it fits into and subverts various fantasy rules! What adventures does Anne have in store? How do you build a mythical world?
Links * Watch the first two episodes of Amphibia * Fantasy on TV Tropes
Hakuna Matata! We're traveling to Pride Rock for this episode! Guest Rebecca Myers helps us investigate how the new photorealistic Lion King fits into the great Disney Circle of Remakes. How is this version different from the original animated film? What story changes are made? Does the remake become something new?
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 066 - Disynergy: Doc McStuffins, Pooh, and Lion Guard, Too * 032 - Once Upon A Time Again
Links * LA Times: 'The Lion King': Is it animated or live-action? It's complicated * Tech Crunch: How the New Lion King Came to Life
For this episode, we take a look at the current state of LGBTQ representation in animation and see how thet plays in two recent, animated gay weddings! What was all the fuss about in the Arthur episode "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone?" What's really going on in the episode "Reunion" from Steven Universe? What does representation look like now? Whose stories are getting told and who is doing the telling? How far have we come?
Links * The Complete History of Queer Characters in Cartoon Shows
Woody and Buzz are back for another round of Toy Story adventures! We take a look at how this film fits into the Toy Story franchise. Is Toy Story 4 essential? Who is the main character of the Toy Story films? Is this the last Toy Story?
Links * Insider: How Pixar's Animation Has Evolved...
In this episode, we climb our way into the DuckTales episode Nothing Can Stop Della Duck! We go beat by beat, seeing how it gives us character relationships and subverts expectations. And now, we have more questions!
Previously on Writers Get Animated * 090 - DuckTales! Woo-oo! * 121 - The Lost Loves of Scrooge McDuck and BoJack Horseman
Links * Watch Nothing Can Stop Della Duck! on DisneyNOW
It’s Tuca & Bertie! If you haven’t watched Tuca & Bertie yet, we take this time to list all the reasons why Tuca & Bertie is one of the best, new, animated shows out there. What stories are being told? What makes Tuca and Bertie different from other animated characters? How can animation show a character’s internal life?
Links * Watch Tuca & Bertie on Netflix * Cartoon Brew: There Won’t Be a Crossover Between BoJack Horseman and Tuca & Bertie * Wired: Netflix’s Animated Tuca & Bertie is the Tits
LAIKA returns to theaters with the adventure film Missing Link! We investigate some big questions such as how powerful is marketing and what effect does it have on an audience's expectations for a film? Can a character's design affect us? The trek might get treacherous in this episode, but it's certainly worthwhile!
Previously on Writers Get Animated Kubo and the Two Strings
(Not Missing) Links * Everything We Learned on the Set of ‘Missing Link’, LAIKA’s Latest Stop-Motion Marvel * The Stop-motion Animation Studio That Created Coraline Is Still Toiling Away * Laika Reveals The Hairy Business Of Animating Fur For ‘Missing Link’
If you love Harvey Girls Forever! (Harvey Street Kids), you'll want to catch our interview with members of the writing team: Brendan Hay (Executive Producer), Mike Yank (Story Editor), and Sarah Nerboso (Staff Writer! We talk about what it's like to write for the show and how the magic comes together!
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- Harvey Street Kids and Reinvention
Links
- Watch Harvey Girls Forever! on Netflix
It's gonna be a little weird and a little wild as we return to the world of Star Butterfly! We last spent time talking about Star vs. the Forces of Evil back in episode 2... We've got a lot of catching up to do! What's new, Mewni? How have the characters changed over time? How has the world transformed and grown? What do we hope to see in the end?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- The One with Dramaturgical Issues
Links
- Watch Star vs. the Forces of Evil
Even though we're not at Star Wars Celebration 2019, we're still celebrating Star Wars! Hop on board as we dig into the first season of Star Wars: Resistance! What new plot threads are starting? What has changed since the beginning? Where is the story headed? How wrong will our predictions be?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- Star Wars Resistance
- Of McStuffins and Puffins (Learn the origin of our Chris O'Dowd reference)
Links
- Watch Star Wars: Resistance on Disney NOW
Way back in Episode 5 of Writers Get Animated, we discussed cliffhangers, including the doozy left by the cancellation of Young Justice. Well, Young Justice is back for a third season, and we couldn’t wait to dig in! What stories are starting? What threads are continuing? How is the storytelling different? Where’s Darkseid?!
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- Resolutions? What Resolutions?
Links
- Watch Young Justice on DC Universe
- About Young Justice: Outsiders
The Dragon Prince is making a name for itself in terms of story and inclusivity. To celebrate the second season, we take a closer look at how the creators are fashioning their world, story wise, to allow for such rich and interesting characters such as General Amaya. In looking specifically at General Amaya, we see how to introduce a character and how to tell the audience everything they need to know.
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- 125 - The Best New Animated Shows of 2018!
Links
- Watch The Dragon Prince on Netflix
- The Dragon Prince Behind the Scenes: Show Environments
- Netflix’s ‘Dragon Prince’ is like an Animated ‘Game of Thrones’ - Only Way More Inclusive
Did you catch the Oscars? Did you watch all the Oscar-nominated Animated short films? We breakdown the stories and artistry of Bao, Late Afternoon, Animal Behavior, One Small Step, and Weekends. What were the themes from this year’s nominees?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- Dear Academy:Here's How to Vote (2016)
- Dear Academy, Here's How to Vote... Again: Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts (2017)
- Dear Academy, Here's How to Vote 2018
Links
- UPDATE: Every Single One Of The 2019 Oscar-Shortlisted Animated Shorts Is Currently Online
Everything can still be awesome! We’re deconstructing The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part! How did the creators build on what came before? How did all the pieces come together? How much Unikitty is too much? How much have you studied your Pratt-ology? Are you into Gotham City Guys? This one’s for you!
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- Everything is Batman!
Links
- Watch Unikitty
- The LEGO Movie 2 has Chris Pratt Takes
- The Lego Movie 2’s director digs into the movie’s surprising cameos
What changes can happen to a work of art as it's adapted into another form? We explore adaptation by using one of our favorite, new shows from 2018: Hilda! How does the Netflix series differ from the graphic novel by Luke Pearson? How does time change between tv and the panels of a graphic novel? We're excited to earn our Sparrow Scouts "Literary Analysis" Badges with this one!
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- The Best New Animated Shows of 2018!
Links
- Watch Hilda on Netflix
- About Hilda and the Midnight Giant
- Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud
The paladins of Voltron are bidding farewell, and we’re saying our goodbyes. We see how the series finale delivers on the promises set up by the very first episode! How does it fulfill or subvert expectations? Who is the main character of the series? Who should be the final big bad? What are the stakes?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- We’ll Form the Head! Voltron: Legendary Defender https://buff.ly/2QVovgr
Links
- Watch Voltron: Legendary Defender on Netflix https://buff.ly/2FHgTw0
- The thrilling ending of Voltron was never going to deliver on fan demands https://buff.ly/2SVeKAa
Let’s go Into the Spider-Verse! Chris and Mackenzie reassemble the Spider-Panel and bring Adam Caudill and Megan Patrick back to discuss Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. What makes this Spider-Man movie different from all other Spider-Man movies? How did this film celebrate what came before, but still push the boundaries?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- Along Came a Spider-Man https://buff.ly/2F5Iwyz
Links
- ‘If It’s Not Broke, Break It’: Sony Imageworks’ Renegade Approach To ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ https://buff.ly/2Ccj1cX
- Interview: 'Into the Spider-Verse' Producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller Talk Spider-Man, Stan Lee and Reinventing the Comic Book Movie https://buff.ly/2F6vHnl
Welcome to the Writers Get Animated annual Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special! This year, we talk about Hannukah for Christmas! We could’ve talked about Futurama’s Hanukkah Zombie or An American Tale. But no. For your aural pleasure, we’re talking about Eight Crazy Nights, rounded out with the true meaning of Hanukkah brought to us by the Rugrats.
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special III: Revenge of Claus https://buff.ly/2LrV30c
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas Turns 50! (A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special 2) https://buff.ly/2TBiPe0
- A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special https://buff.ly/2rOQV1f
We’re gonna deconstruct it! Wreck-It Ralph is back, and Chris and Mackenzie log on to figure out what makes this new movie work! How do you present a world that’s made up of conceptual objects? How do you make character journeys resonate? Why are Disney Princesses in this film (They need to be!)?
Links
- INTERVIEW: “Ralph Breaks the Internet” directors Phil Johnston, Rich Moore, producer Clark Spencer on Disney sequel https://insidethemagic.net/2018/09/interview-ralph-breaks-the-internet-directors-phil-johnston-rich-moore-producer-clark-spencer-on-disney-sequel/
- INTERVIEW: “Ralph Breaks the Internet” story team talks moments that didn’t make it into Disney sequel https://insidethemagic.net/2018/10/ralph-breaks-the-internet-story-team-disney/
- Film Review: ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/ralph-breaks-the-internet-review-wreck-it-ralph-2-1203028205/
- Why that Disney princess moment matters in 'Ralph Breaks the Internet' https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2018/11/19/why-disney-princesses-moment-matters-ralph-breaks-internet/2047076002/
The original “Mean One” is back! The Grinch! Chris and Mackenzie look at what’s changed in the Grinch’s story this time. What makes the Grinch the Grinch? Why does the Grinch steal Christmas this time? And why do we want more Grinch?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas Turns 50! https://buff.ly/2TBiPe0
Links
- The Grinch, and the Many Ways to Steal Christmas https://buff.ly/2F5TAgv
Another year, another wave of new animated shows! It’s time for the Writers Get Animated review of what you should be watching! Chris and Mackenzie run through the shows for young audiences, for all audiences, and for adults. Did they mention your new favorites?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
- Muppet Babies https://buff.ly/2Pml3j3
- Star Wars: Resistance https://buff.ly/2OA5cI3
- Harvey Street Kids and Reinvention https://buff.ly/2OsWtaN
- Pickle and Peanut https://buff.ly/2OxTeyX
- The Boss Baby https://buff.ly/2PgwcBM
- Captain Underpants https://buff.ly/2Pgwc4K
- Disenchantment https://buff.ly/2Pgwd8O
- Aggretsuko https://buff.ly/2Oyd7py
- Our Cartoon President https://buff.ly/2PisgAh
- Rick and Morty https://buff.ly/2OzBS4q
- BoJack Horseman https://buff.ly/2x7MPVc
Chris and Mackenzie have made it to the (current) end of our exploration of the Disney animated canon! What do we call it? The Disney New Renaissance? The Disney Enlightenment? Whatever we call it, it’s good. Very good. Chris and Mackenzie use Bolt and Forzen to see what makes this time in Disney history so exceptional. How do you reinvent yourself? What does it mean to really focus on character transformations? How do you subvert expectations and yet payoff expectations? And the most important question: Can we work for Disney now? Other Parts of Canon in Disney Canon In D(isney) Part I: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs https://buff.ly/2Sm9Ywf Canon In D(isney) Part II: No-So-Golden Age https://buff.ly/2SjPpAb Canon In D(isney) Part III: The New Classics https://buff.ly/2SiKqzW Canon in D(isney) Part IV: Without Walt https://buff.ly/2Sj7heA Canon in D(isney) Part V: Welcome to the Disney Renaissance https://buff.ly/2D5Fb2k Canon in D(isney) Part VI: The Lost Era https://buff.ly/2PXGOli Previously on Writers Get Animated Tale As Old As Time: Beauty and the Beast https://buff.ly/2PSL05W Does It Hold Up? The Black Cauldron https://buff.ly/2PXGOBO Links Watch Bolt on Netflix https://buff.ly/2PWELxR Watch Frozen on iTunes https://buff.ly/2D5Fbzm How Disney is Fixing American Dog https://buff.ly/2D5EW7q Scriptnotes with Jennifer Lee https://buff.ly/2PXHSWu Love is an Open Door Performed Live by Kristen Bell and Santino Fontana https://buff.ly/2PUneX1 Frozen: How It Should Have Ended https://buff.ly/2D5FaLO Rapunzel’s Hairy Story Problems https://buff.ly/2SiKv6I
Star Wars gets a new jewel in its crown with the premiere of Star Wars Resistance. Set before The Force Awakens & The Last Jedi, what story is this new animated epic going to tell? Is it a slice of life about pilots in the outer rim? Is the show secretly a way to bridge us into Episode IX? Will Kaz grow up by season 3 like every other animated Star Wars hero? What mysteries of the Force (or not the Force) are set up in the pilot? What does Captain Phasma have to do with it? Why is cel-shading actually the greatest and a perfect fit for this show? Will Chris and Ken record more episodes about Star Wars Resistance? (yes) Link Star Wars Resistance on StarWars.com - https://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/star-wars-resistance
It’s the battle you’ve all been waiting for: live action v animation! Chris and Mackenzie see who told the Death of Superman story better! Was it the new, animated film Death of Superman? Or was it the live action Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Hint: it’s the animated one. What makes a good Superman story? What happens when you forget to put your main characters in your movie? How many times will Superman die? Previously on Writers Get Animated 029 - Saving Superman https://buff.ly/2xTDyzJ 010 - Batman https://buff.ly/2xSH6lH 064 - Everything is Batman https://buff.ly/2R66JID Links Buy Death of Superman https://buff.ly/2R5PVRN Buy Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice https://buff.ly/2R6ztky About the Death of Superman https://buff.ly/2xYkPTk
Chris and Mackenzie celebrate the epic first season of DuckTales and the return of BoJack Horseman for its fifth season with this week’s episode! To take a closer look into the trope of “lost love,” they enlist the help of Sam Bohrman and Cristina Pippa from Manufixed! What works in a story about lost loves? Do audiences crave escape? How low can BoJack go? Will we see Goldie again on DuckTales? Previously on Writers Get Animated 090 - DuckTales! Woo-oo! https://buff.ly/2x6q2sK 103 - From Bazooga Eyes to BoJack: Sexual Harassment in Cartoons https://buff.ly/2LGwETg 046 - What Are You Doing Here? The Struggles and Failures of BoJack Horseman https://buff.ly/2x7MPVc 033 - Who Wore It Better? https://buff.ly/2x6q2ce 025 - How to Suspend Your Disbelief Without Really Trying https://buff.ly/2x6q1Fc Links Visit Sam and Cristina at Manufixed! https://buff.ly/2x8uiqZ Watch BoJack Horseman on Netflix https://buff.ly/2w9m6XL Watch DuckTales on DisneyNOW https://buff.ly/2x5ZsPy Escape from L.A. review from The A.V. Club https://buff.ly/2x8L7C5
Hear ye, hear ye! Chris and Mackenzie frolic through Matt Groening’s newest realm: Disenchantment! With a fond of love worlds created by Matt Groening, there is great wonder in how Netflix changes “network animation.” What happens when there are no limits? Can an animated show be too long? Can humor for humor’s sake be enough? Previous Matt Groening Episodes on Writers Get Animated 005 - Resolutions? What Resolutions https://buff.ly/2PjzbFe 007 - When Two Worlds Really Love Each Other https://buff.ly/2Pn7DOX 014 - 10 Great Episodes of The Simpsons After Maude Flanders Died https://buff.ly/2PjzcsM 016 - Minority Report https://buff.ly/2Pn7ET1 019 = Our Writers, Our Selves https://buff.ly/2Pn7E5t 024 - Kobayashi Maru of Teenage Sexuality https://buff.ly/2PjzaRG 035 - In the Feels https://buff.ly/2PjzboI 040 - Thine Doodles Moveable https://buff.ly/2LGwDyG 049 - We Always Wanted to Write for The Simpsons https://buff.ly/2LGwDia 057 - It’s a Musical (Episode) https://buff.ly/2or8LpC 058 - Grammer Nerds https://buff.ly/2N6v6GE 075 - The Simpsons Begin https://buff.ly/2LGwE5I 077 - Make Animation Great Again https://buff.ly/2ovV6xD 103 - From Bazooga Eyes to BoJack: Sexual Harassment in Cartoons https://buff.ly/2LGwETg 106 - The 300 Club: Family Guy and The Simpsons https://buff.ly/2oqQhFE Links Watch Disenchantment on Netflix https://buff.ly/2MuFQ1l About Disenchantment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disenchantment_(TV_series) Matt Groening Animates Netflix https://itunes.apple.com/us/story/id1414016986 Arrested Development’ Remix Review: Season 4’s Radical Recut Hints at an Even Better Season 5 https://www.indiewire.com/2018/05/arrested-development-remix-review-season-4-netflix-1201960894/
P-p-p-please join Chris and Mackenzie as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of Who Framed Roger Rabbit by doing a deep dive of the Roger Rabbit short: Tummy Trouble! Chris pulls out the stops with a Storyclock to see how the short works on a molecular level. How do you time action? How do you help an audience understand what’s about to happen? When do you tease an audience and give them something totally unexpected? Previously on Writers Get Animated The Breakdown: What’s Opera, Doc? https://buff.ly/2Bfkgd2 The Breakdown: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice https://buff.ly/2MTtAEw Links Who Framed Roger Rabbit (and Tummy Trouble!) on blu-ray https://buff.ly/2nLe5E0 About the Storyclock Notebook https://buff.ly/2Mh7TCd Chris’ Storyclock of Tummy Trouble https://buff.ly/2Mnj2BB
This week Chris and Mackenzie talk about the new Netflix and Dreamworks show: Harvey Street Kids! When does adapting something become a completely new thing? How much do you get to add when reinventing something? How do you keep the characters consistent with their original selves? When will Elder Bobby act his age? How did the Harvey Street Kids know about the Iowa caucus? Links Watch Harvey Street Kids on Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/title/80178941 Interview with Brendan Hay and Aliki Theofilopoulos - http://collider.com/harvey-street-kids-interview-brendan-hay-aliki-theofilopoulos/
whispered “Disney is waiting.” Chris and Mackenize launch into the lost era of the Disney canon between The Disney Renaissance and The Disney Enlightenment! Discover mysteries and gems as they excavate two points of metamorphosis: Atlantis:The Lost Empire and Meet the Robinsons! Atlantis represents Disney’s jump into allowing more action and more characters than you can shake a stick at, while Meet the Robinsons welcomes John Lasseter as the guy in charge. What was did the Disney company have yet to discover? What new things were on the horizon? Did CGI kill Disney animation? Spoilers: No. Other Parts of Canon in Disney Canon In D(isney) Part I: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs https://overcast.fm/+FkrW2B0SU Canon In D(isney) Part II: No-So-Golden Age https://overcast.fm/+FkrW3PV0I Canon In D(isney) Part III: The New Classics https://overcast.fm/+FkrUXGIyc Canon in D(isney) Part IV: Without Walt https://overcast.fm/+FkrW9oeIg Canon in D(isney) Part V: Welcome to the Disney Renaissance https://overcast.fm/+FkrWw2ljc Previously on Writers Get Animated Tale As Old As Time: Beauty and the Beast https://overcast.fm/+FkrUp39KY Links Watch Atlantis: The Lost Empire on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/60021957 Watch Meet the Robinsons on Neyflix https://www.netflix.com/title/70050483 John Lasseter: Disney's new boss reimagines the Magic Kingdom https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/arts/05iht-lass.4802012.html
Ruh-roh, things look a little different! What happens when a live action show decides to make an animated episode? Why would they do that? What happens when you do that? Chris and Mackenzie go through the list of live action shows that have created animated episodes! We start with ScoobyNatural: the Supernatural and Scooby Doo crossover. (Spoilers: it’s the best of the bunch) Previously on Writers Get Animated A Tale of Two Scoobies https://buff.ly/2KWfaTq Links Watch ScoobyNatural on Netflix https://buff.ly/2KLXjS9 Watch Broad City “Mushrooms”: https://buff.ly/2IY8LoD Watch Hot in Cleveland “The Animated Episode” https://buff.ly/2KMLhrQ Watch Eureka “Do You See What I See?” https://buff.ly/2KLXjBD How Broad City Made an Animated Episode Using 14,000 Drawings https://buff.ly/2IUPqol Hot in Cleveland Gets Animated https://buff.ly/2KDmUgE
After 14 years, The Incredibles are back in theatres! Chris and Mackenzie suit up (no capes!) to fly into Pixar’s latest superpowered film! How does Incredibles 2 compare to the original? Is it a sequel or the second half of a single movie? What does Mr. Incredible have in common with Breaking Bad’s Walter White? How awesome is Elastigirl? Seriously, she is awesome! Links Behind the Scenes of Incredibles 2 https://buff.ly/2tjct7p Incredibles 2 Soundtrack Behind the Scenes https://buff.ly/2thGzZ7 Incredibles 2 and an Inside Look at the Secret to Pixar’s Success https://buff.ly/2IbgY8M Syndrome Looks Like Brad Bird https://buff.ly/2JZgcBt Who Are the Incredibles 2 Wannabe Supers? https://buff.ly/2JYUXzS About Women in Animation https://buff.ly/2mBlLJC The New Pixar Short Film 'Bao' Marks an Important Step for Diversity https://buff.ly/2lgBifO
What is structure? (Baby, don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me. No more.) Chris and Mackenzie take a closer look at structure through the lens of Netflix’s Aggretsuko and Disney’s Phineas and Ferb. Who is structure for? What is the difference between structure and formula? Can something that is formulaic still be inventive? What’s the difference between archetypes and stereotypes? Oh, and where’s Perry?
Links
Watch Phineas and Ferb https://disneynow.go.com/shows/phineas-and-ferb
Watch Aggretsuko https://www.netflix.com/title/80198505
“Phineas and Ferb” was Formula Storytelling at Its Finest https://criticallytouched.wordpress.com/2017/08/17/phineas-and-ferb-was-formula-storytelling-at-its-finest/
Chris and Mackenzie hop a transport to Lothal for one last voyage with the crew of the Ghost! It’s our “final” look at Star Wars: Rebels and find it difficult to say goodbye. What was the promise from this first episode? Did Rebels accomplish what it set out to do? What are the questions that are left unanswered? Will the Star Wars fandom ever be the same? Previously on Writers Get Animated 003 - Episode III: The Animated Menace https://buff.ly/2GNEic2 023 - All About Ahsoka https://buff.ly/2IJFUJK 053 - Saw Gerrera: A Star Wars Episode https://buff.ly/2sbaKzJ 072 - Rebels Retrospective https://buff.ly/2kmSHmB Links Watch Star Wars: Rebels https://buff.ly/2sgZG4j Mackenzie Worrall’s Star Wars Rebels Tweetstorm https://buff.ly/2koKLRM Star Wars Rebels Producer Dave Filoni Is Totally Fine With You Shipping Zeb and Kallus After the Finale https://buff.ly/2INeGC4
Welcome to the Disney Renaissance! Chris and Mackenzie have made it to part 5 of their multi-part look at the Disney canon. What made the Disney Renaissance to magical? Take a look at where it all began with The Little Mermaid through the end with Tarzan. How much did Alan Menken and Howard Ashman have to do with the success? What did they get right? Why did the Disney Renaissance end? Other Parts of Canon in Disney Canon In D(isney) Part I: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs https://overcast.fm/+FkrW2B0SU Canon In D(isney) Part II: No-So-Golden Age https://overcast.fm/+FkrW3PV0I Canon In D(isney) Part III: The New Classics https://overcast.fm/+FkrUXGIyc Canon in Disney Part IV: Without Walt https://overcast.fm/+FkrW9oeIg Previously on Writers Get Animated Tale As Old As Time: Beauty and the Beast https://overcast.fm/+FkrUp39KY Links About the Disney Renaissance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Renaissance Scriptnotes Little Mermaid Episode Transcript https://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-92-the-little-mermaid-transcript
Chris and Mackenzie head to Trash Island to investigate Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs! Be amazed as Chris discovers a Wes Anderson movie that he enjoys! How many story threads can a single film hold? How does democracy work in this film? Who is the main character? Who should be the main character? Is this a PG-13 kids’ movie? Links Honest Trailers: Every Wes Anderson Movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trWLY6NrS2Q Wes Anderson Explains Hayao Miyazaki’s Influence on ‘Isle of Dogs’ and Stop-Motion Challenges http://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/wes-anderson-isle-of-dogs-hayao-miyazaki-inspiration-favorite-dog-films-1201928932/ What Isle of Dogs Gets Right About Japan https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-isle-of-dogs-gets-right-about-japan The 'Isle Of Dogs' Voice Cast Is Filled With A-List Actors Playing Animated Pups https://www.bustle.com/p/the-isle-of-dogs-voice-cast-is-filled-with-a-list-actors-playing-animated-pups-8520473 This Featurette is All About Isle of Dogs's Remarkably Expressive Canines https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-featurette-is-all-about-isle-of-dogss-remarkably-e-1823860809
Some years the category of Best Animated Feature has some “Also Rans” – The Breadwinner is more than just an Also Ran this year! This feature from Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea) is now on Netflix and will have you up late crying your heart out in the dark. Why is The Breadwinner so great? How can middle-grade fiction be grown up? Why did it have to run against Coco this year?? How did an animated movie about the Taliban in Afghanistan not attract more viewers in theaters? How can different animation styles help you differentiate between a story-within-a-story and the main plot? What is Cartoon Saloon doing with design and cinematography in animated features that’s so groundbreaking and intriguing? How can props be used to convey suspense and stakes subtly? What is a movie moral for kids? Why didn’t Mackenzie watch Song of the Sea when he had the chance? Links The Breadwinner - Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p64O8KAHHaQ The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Breadwinner_(novel) The Breadwinner - Telling the Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNvTCPT5CI4 The Breadwinner - An Introduction to the Animation Process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtRM8f-mCTk The Secret of Kells - Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi8sInU1pHo Song of the Sea - Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgbXWt8kM5Q The Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conference_of_the_Birds
Chris and Mackenzie dip their toes into the world of Stephen Colbert’s Our Cartoon President… Which is actually our world? What does Our Cartoon President get right about the current US President and everyone surrounding him? What makes a good satire? How far must something be exaggerated to be funny? Previously on Writers Get Animated Episode 77: Make Animation Great Again https://overcast.fm/+FkrWs9Pk8 Links Watch the first episode of Our Cartoon President https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbrdfG6CX68
Chris and Mackenzie head back in time and across the pond to discover Early Man! Aardman’s Early Man is gorgeous and is seems to be their studio’s answer to the work of Laika. Is there a difference in American and British humor? Can an American audience get the jokes? What is universal in comedy? When can we get our own Message Birds or pig massages? Links Early Man Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRiPQ8YNrVs Watch the Message Bird Scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWdFRQ5YOZ8 Early Man Featurette https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-EeaATiqk
It’s Oscars time again, and Chris and Mackenzie are back with their take on the nominees for the Best Animated Short Film category: Garden Party, Lou, Revolting Rhymes, Negative Space, Dear Basketball! What styles were pervasive this year? What do frogs have to do with gluttony? Can John Williams score all letters ever written? Previously on Writers Get Animated Dear Academy, Here’s How to Vote https://buff.ly/2F6dgwx Dear Academy, Here’s How to Vote, Again https://buff.ly/2FKdaLZ Coco https://buff.ly/2t5zGfL Who’s The Boss Baby https://buff.ly/2oBRvOH Links Kobe’s retirement letter/poem: https://buff.ly/2CS7DQz Watch Dear Basketball https://buff.ly/2F6dgg1 Variety: Kobe Bryant assembles his animated dream team for ‘Dear Basketball’: https://buff.ly/2F4H94f Pixar: Lou: https://buff.ly/2F40BxV Garden Party trailer https://buff.ly/2F6dh3z Negative Space trailer http://oscar.go.com/video/best-animated-short-film-nominees/negative-space-trailer Revolting Rhymes trailer https://buff.ly/2CPp0Bn Watch Revolting Rhymes Part 1 on Netflix https://buff.ly/2CS7E75
Chris and Mackenzie are going to Quahog! Family Guy has just reached a milestone that few shows have reached… Mostly just The Simpsons. 300 episodes! What happens when a show reaches such an illustrious episode? What has been reinvented? What has stayed the same? What’s left to tell? What questions are left unanswered? Links Watch Barting Over http://bit.ly/2EuBPCW Watch Dog Bites Bear http://fox.tv/2EvkVEp About Barting Over http://bit.ly/2EuBVdM Stewie & Brian Take Center Stage in Family Guy’s 300th Episode http://bit.ly/2Esxxfq
Tra la laaa! Chris and Mackenzie make a brief stop in the world of Captain Underpants! Heh, heh, brief. Does humor have a voice? How do you write for a very specific audience? Can your material have a deeper message, or is it okay to go for easy jokes sometimes? How is Captain Underpants like No Country for Old Men? Does every movie need a “Weird Al” song? Links Watch Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/watch/80160689 Captain Underpants Theme Song https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/captain-underpants-theme-song/1233506361?i=1233506363 Dav Pilkey Talks About His Favorite Teacher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBgB9ZqJRlw About Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Underpants:_The_First_Epic_Movie
Episode 104: Canon in Disney Part IV: Without Walt We all know about the Disney Renaissance, but what was going on right before it? Chris and Mackenzie are back with part 4 of their multi-part journey through the Disney canon! What happened after Disney lost Walt? What happened to Disney storytelling? What happened to the artists? Also, Chris and Mackenzie discuss their favorite childhood Disney films (The Fox and the Hound, The Great Mouse Detective) that both conveniently fall in this era! Previously on Writers Get Animated 083 - Canon In Disney Part I: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs https://overcast.fm/+FkrW2B0SU 092 - Canon In Disney Part II: No-So-Golden Age https://overcast.fm/+FkrW3PV0I 096 - Canon in Disney Part III: The New Classics https://overcast.fm/+FkrUXGIyc 076 - Does It Hold Up? The Black Cauldron https://overcast.fm/+FkrVHUJQ0
Chris and Mackenzie are joined by guests Rebecca Myers and Laura Masters to discuss portrayals of sexual harassment in cartoons. From Red Hot Riding Hood to Pepe LePew to Animaniacs to The Simpsons to BoJack Horseman and Steven Universe, what does sexual harassment look like in animated form? Are all men wolves? What does a “kids’ show” have to say about sexual harassment? How have things changed since the 1940’s? What has changed since 1990? Or since 2015? Previously on Writers Get Animated 014 10 Great Episodes of The Simpsons After Maude Flanders Died http://bit.ly/2lUVpQE 020 WTF http://bit.ly/2CFgMzO 045 Bologna in our Slacks: Animaniacs http://bit.ly/2CGl6Pq 046 What are You Doing Here? The Struggles and Failures of BoJack Horseman http://bit.ly/2lVIpu0 Links About Red Hot Riding Hood http://bit.ly/2lX7Ye7 About For Scent-imental Reasons http://bit.ly/2CBMuOz Buy “Taming of the Screwy” on iTunes https://apple.co/2CEAewt Watch “Homer Badman” http://bit.ly/2lUQRKc About “Alone Together” http://bit.ly/2lYNG4i Watch “Hank After Dark” http://bit.ly/2CEx7EZ
Our holiday tradition returns! Chris and Mackenzie deconstruct the holiday season by analyzing Olaf’s Frozen Adventure and Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas! Why do people make Christmas specials? What’s so special about Christmas, dramaturgically speaking? Can an axe be offensive? How offensive? What does Tim Curry sound like when he deliberately sings off-key? Previously on Writers Get Animated 004 - A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special https://overcast.fm/+FkrUh8S9o 052 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas Turns 50! https://overcast.fm/+FkrWbqpFc Links Buy Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/beauty-and-the-beast-the-enchanted-christmas/id467599742 Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast:_The_Enchanted_Christmas Watch Olaf’s Frozen Adventure on ABC http://abc.go.com/movies-and-specials/olafs-frozen-adventure Olaf’s Frozen Adventure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf's_Frozen_Adventure
Remember us? Chris and Mackenzie are back with more! They talk Pixar’s latest gem Coco. What is dramaturgy? How well did Pixar represent Mexican culture? What is a family’s legacy? Can you tell the story of a culture that you’re not a part of? When will Pixar’s next movie about Latino culture be? Links What Disney Finally Gets Right With 'Coco' http://bit.ly/2BJtIR4 How Pixar made sure Coco was culturally conscious https://ind.pn/2BJupd8 Pixar’s Lee Unkrich on the ‘anxiety’ of directing Coco http://bit.ly/2BdADpH Coco Was A ‘Collaborative Process’ With Actors & Filmmakers http://bit.ly/2BdAEdf An Australian Theater is Whitewashing 'In the Heights' and They're Not Being Subtle About it http://bit.ly/2BiWUlQ
100! Chris and Mackenzie celebrate hitting 100 episodes by diving into the new shows of 2017! What shows were new? What crazy things did creators come up with? What do a laser ostrich, the ghost of Duke Ellington, and a robot mech butler voiced by Jude Law have in common? DuckTales, Vampirina, Puppy Pals, Castlevania, Ben 10, Buddy Thunderstruck, Bunsen is a Beast, OK KO!, Samurai Jack, Tangled: the Series, Imaginary Mary, Billy Dilley's Subterranean Summer, Spider-man, Mysticons, Danger & Eggs, The Jellies, The Magic Schoolbus Rides Again, Wacky Races, Big Mouth, Neo Yokio Previously on Writers Get Animated 099 - The Writers Get Animatrix http://bit.ly/2yNJGMU 093 - Choose Your Own “Adventure”http://bit.ly/2yNJH3q 090 - DuckTales: Woo-oo http://bit.ly/2yMyFvE 089 - Ready Player Dracula: Castlevania http://bit.ly/2yNJHjW 087 - Who Rule Cartoons? (Girls.) http://bit.ly/2hXtLRU 071 - There’s Something About Imaginary Mary http://bit.ly/2hXtNt0 070 - Samurai Jack is Back! http://bit.ly/2hXtNJw 069 - Once Upon a Time Again: Tangled: Before Ever After http://bit.ly/2hXtLBo Links Watch Vampirina http://bit.ly/2zsNDGm Watch Puppy Dog Pals http://bit.ly/2zsNEtU Watch OK KO! http://bit.ly/2hYRlNY Watch Aardboiled http://bit.ly/2zpQHmF Watch Ben 10 http://bit.ly/2hYRl0q Watch Marvel’s Spider-Man http://bit.ly/2hYRlxs Watch The Magic School Bus Rides Again http://nflx.it/2hXtP46 Watch Mysticons http://at.nick.com/2zpQKyR Watch Danger & Eggs http://amzn.to/2hYRnp4 Watch Big Mouth http://nflx.it/2zsNGC2 Watch The Jellies http://bit.ly/2zpQIHf Watch Neo Yokio http://nflx.it/2zsNHG6
Chris and Mackenzie plug into animated prequels! Blade Runner gets a prequel to its sequel! Why is it always sci-fi or fantasy properties that get animated prequels? Why create an animated prequel? What does it add? How much do we love Edward James Olmos? How bad will it be when the robots take over? Spoilers: very.
Links
- Watch Blade Runner 2022: Blackout http://bit.ly/2ypqrt7
- More animated prequels http://bit.ly/2ypqsgF
- About The Animatrix http://bit.ly/2yoMuQp
- Her http://bit.ly/2yoMv6V
Wow, how about that audio engineering at the start? This week, Chris and Mackenzie talk about the Garfield Halloween Special. What makes a good Halloween special? Is the lesson of Halloween really that it’s better to give candy than receive candy? Why did Bill Murray agree to voice Garfield? How gross is Mickey Mouse allowed to be? How many nephews is too many nephews? Links Episode 047: Good Grief! It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown turns 50! - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/047-good-grief-its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-turns-50/id1059055576?i=1000377483713&mt=2 Title of article - https://tv.avclub.com/jim-davis-wanted-garfield-s-halloween-adventure-to-at-1798273385 List of 90s animated Halloween specials that prove Mackenzie wrong - https://www.bustle.com/articles/190492-25-cartoon-halloween-specials-that-you-grew-up-with-can-still-watch-right-now Trick or Treatise (sadly already exists) - https://thenib.com/trick-or-treatise-24dea00f3a David S. Pumpkins preview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tML85kQfy0c Bill Murray Voiced ‘Garfield’ Because He Confusedly Thought The Screenwriter Was Someone Else - http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-murray-voiced-garfield-because-he-thought-director-was-joel-coen-2014-1 Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse - http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Morty_and_Ferdie_Fieldmouse Xanadu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDxcfTm1QTc
To celebrate the arrival of Fall, Chris and Mackenzie join forces with guest Phil Fine to leap Over the Garden Wall! When is the best time to watch Over the Garden Wall? What is the best part of a coming of age story? How do you make a fairytale both modern and classic? How do you make references to 1920’s animation and make it feel modern? How do you create time and place and build a world? Links Watch Over the Garden Wall http://bit.ly/2xa4cmn About Over the Garden Wall http://bit.ly/2xa4zgL Watch Tome of the Unknown http://bit.ly/2xa4fi3 About Over the Garden Wall Comic http://amzn.to/2x9konG The Hero with a Thousand Faces http://bit.ly/2yARkZq About the Talking Cricket http://bit.ly/2xSyw4o Move aside, pumpkin spice latte. The maple pecan latte is here to steal the Starbucks spotlight. http://wapo.st/2xRAZfu
Chris and Mackenzie continue their journey through the magic of the Disney canon with Cinderella and 101 Dalmatians! What did Cinderella give the world of film? Why does 101 Dalmatians look so different? How many times was the Walt Disney studios been in danger of going bankrupt? (A lot.) Previously on Writers Get Animated 083 - Canon In D(isney) Part 1: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs https://overcast.fm/+FkrW2B0SU 092 - Canon In D(isney) Part II: No-So-Golden Age https://overcast.fm/+FkrW3PV0I 032 - Once Upon A Time Again (Cinderella III: A Twist in Time) https://overcast.fm/+FkrX2seiw Links How 101 Dalmatians Saved Disney Animation http://collider.com/how-101-dalmatians-saved-disney-animation/ Why Does 101 Dalmatians Look Like That? https://ohmy.disney.com/insider/2016/01/11/why-does-101-dalmatians-look-like-that/ Xerox by Andreas Deja http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2014/05/xerox.html The Shock of the New by Andreas Deja http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-shock-of-new.html Laugh-O-Gram Cinderella: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn5YWSP1O5M How they created Cruella’s car https://youtu.be/h_7zBsJ96FE?t=3m18s
Chris and Mackenzie bring out the Wheel of Crossovers once again! The rules are simple: two shows enter, one show leaves! We spin the wheel of crossovers to get two shows. Then, we spin the Wheel of Tropes. Then, we have seven minutes to come up with a viable pilot episode for a show or movie concept pulling it all together! Previously on Writers Get Animated 050 - It Still Writes Itself https://overcast.fm/+FkrWyX6PI 018 - It Writes Itself https://overcast.fm/+FkrWlUknI
This week on Writers Get Animated: We talk Leap! More specifically, our many qualified guest stars talk Leap! We’re just along for the ride. Our resident dance cohort talks about authenticity, ballet, and also FlashBeagle. Why retitle a movie that’s already localized in English? What does elated child-like joy sound like? What is floorwork? What color was the Statue of Liberty originally? What was “this crazy thing that happened in ballet”? Was Parisian ballet actually good? Can ballerinas get stuck in splits? What ARE bigger problems than dance class? Previously on Writers Get Animated Episode 015: The Breakdown: What’s Opera, Doc? - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/015-the-breakdown-whats-opera-doc/id1059055576?i=1000364633245&mt=2 Episode 083: Canon in D(isney) Part 1: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/083-canon-in-d-isney-part-1-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs/id1059055576?i=1000389877212&mt=2 Links It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Flashbeagle,_Charlie_Brown Leap! / Ballerina - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballerina_(2016_film) Production Process - Rotoscoping! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyjuxSMK228 Flashdance (1983) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085549/ The Layout - http://www.dancespirit.com/the-layout-2326244166.html Floorwork - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floorwork Mocap / Motion capture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_capture Key frame - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_frame William Forsythe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Forsythe_(choreographer) ‘Leap!’ And ‘Ballerina’ Are The Same Film, But Their Reviews Tell A Different Story - http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/leap-ballerina-film-reviews-tell-different-story-153080.html A sight that welcomed millions of people to New York in the 1880s... the shiny COPPER Statue of Liberty as it first appeared - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2037582/The-copper-Statue-Liberty-appeared-New-York-1880s.html The Nutcracker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nutcracker Your First Pointe Shoe Fitting - http://www.dancespirit.com/your-first-pointe-shoe-fitting-2326643588.html Mr. Miyagi - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensuke_Miyagi
Interactive shows are the wave of the future! Well, that’s what Netflix says anyway. Chris and Mackenzie willingly to choose to interact with Puss in Books: Trapped in an Epic Tale and Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile! What happens when a viewer has free will? Does a viewer actually have free will? What makes a satisfying choice? Is there a better choice? What are we missing out on?! Previously on Writers Get Animated 055 - Shrek-trospective https://overcast.fm/+FkrWy34Js Links Watch Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale https://www.netflix.com/title/80151644 Watch Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile https://www.netflix.com/title/80149064 Interactive Content on Netflix https://help.netflix.com/en/node/62526 Kids control the story in Netflix’s new interactive shows https://www.engadget.com/2017/06/20/netflix-interactive-shows/ About the Choose Your Own Adventure Books https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choose_Your_Own_Adventure Catch The Hypotheticast! http://hypotheticast.club The Hypotheticast: Choose Your Own Adventure http://hypotheticast.club/microtheticast003-choose-your-own-adventure The Hypotheticast: Your Very Own Robot http://hypotheticast.club/microtheticast006-your-very-own-robot
Jump on board as Chris and Mackenzie venture through the Disney Animated Canon! Part 2 takes them into the 1940’s and the Not-So-Golden Age of Disney animation! We go into The Three Caballeros and the anthology series of films from through the 40’s. Donald gets some friends! What is problematic about an animated duck being attracted to women? What does experimentation and storytelling look like during this period? What happens when a whale sings opera? Previously on Writers Get Animated 083 - Canon In D(isney) Part 1: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs https://overcast.fm/+FkrW2B0SU 087 - Who Rule Cartoons? (Girls.) https://overcast.fm/+FkrXwR7CI 071 - There’s Something About Imaginary Mary https://overcast.fm/+FkrUY_xhQ Links About The Three Caballeros https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Caballeros About Melody Time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melody_Time About Make Mine Music https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_Mine_Music About Walt and El Grupo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_&_El_Grupo Walt and El Grupo http://movies.disney.com/walt-and-el-grupo An Aggressive Escape from Reality: The Three Caballeros https://www.tor.com/2016/08/11/an-aggressive-escape-from-reality-the-three-caballeros/ The Three Caballeros on Mickey and the Roadster Racers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoWvBRGB1E4 Disney 1949 from Andreas Deja’s blog http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2017/08/disney-1949.html Flag of Mexico https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Mexico
Oh jeez! What, what, what’s going on? Chris and Mackenzie zap themselves into one of the infinite universes in which Chris has watched episodes of Rick and Morty! When are bodily functions okay in animation? How much violence is too much? Do we need B-stories? How is Rick and Morty like Futurama? What is the best structure to tell a story? Links Watch Rick and Morty on Adult Swim http://bit.ly/2jaVJwL Pickle Rick POP Funko http://bit.ly/2jaVOR5 Dan Harmon Story Circle: http://bit.ly/2ePmi9d About Second City http://bit.ly/2gLjOWa
Chris and Mackenzie are live from Duckburg! Okay, not really… But they’re talking about the new revival of DuckTales! How well do you know the history of the Duck-iverse? How does the new DuckTales do so much right? How does the humor of DuckTales work? What does this first episode set up? Why is the 12th Doctor Chris’ favorite doctor? Previously on Writers Get Animated 033 - Who Wore It Better http://bit.ly/2vNYu87 025 - How to Suspend Your Disbelief Without Really Trying http://bit.ly/2eJbdU3 Links Watch DuckTales 01x01 “Woo-oo” on YouTube http://bit.ly/2eJ5UE2 Get DuckTales 01x01 “Woo-oo” on iTunes http://apple.co/2vO0IEj The new DuckTales theme on Apple Music! http://apple.co/2vO2MfP Watch Meet Launchpad http://bit.ly/2eJ5Wf8 The ‘DuckTales’ Reboot Is Solving A MAJOR Disney Mystery, Possibly Rewriting History https://decider.com/2017/08/16/ducktales-reboot-huey-dewey-louie-mother-della-duck/ About Donald Duck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Duck About Huey, Dewey, and Louie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huey,_Dewey,_and_Louie About Scrooge McDuck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrooge_McDuck About Treasure of the Golden Suns http://bit.ly/2vOl5RM About Quack Pack http://bit.ly/2eJber5 About Tony Anselmo http://bit.ly/2eJ5Vb4 Doctor Who with the DuckTales theme https://youtu.be/ffX5iAG0GWI About the original DuckTales https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckTales About Donald’s Snow Fight http://bit.ly/2vO3UzS
Grab your garlic and whip and join Chris and Mackenzie as they venture into the realm of Dracula in Netflix’s Castlevania. How does the gameplay and storytelling of a video game translate to a piece of narrative fiction? How is Castlevania like Metroid? How much does Netflix love cliffhangers? Do boss fights translate to a show? What is most interesting about Dracula? Previously on Writers Get Animated Well, Excuuuse Us (Legend of Zelda, Sonic) http://bit.ly/2w9vZU6 Resolutions? What Resolutions? http://bit.ly/2w9tkK4 Links Watch Castlevania on Netflix http://nflx.it/2w99dMk About Castlevania http://bit.ly/2w9voSx About Dracula http://bit.ly/2vtHofF About Metroidvania http://bit.ly/2vutMAy Netflix's Castlevania Series Forgets What Makes the Games Work https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/08/netflixs-castlevania-series-forgets-what-makes-the.html Castlevania Breaks a Rotten Tomatoes Record http://bit.ly/2vbsnDM Dido and Aeneas from Mark Morris http://bit.ly/2vbx14O Braindead the film http://bit.ly/2vutObE About the film Breathless http://bit.ly/2vbuFCM
Love… Without words! Chris and Mackenzie get into three short films (Paperman, In a Heartbeat, and An Ode to Love) about love that all have no dialogue! Can you tell a story about love without using words? What is it like to fall in love? What is it like to fall out of love? What is it like to love a stick? Links Ode to Love http://bit.ly/2vNgRfa In a Heartbeat http://bit.ly/2vNmVUD Paperman http://apple.co/2vNViei Elders React to In a Heartbeat http://bit.ly/2vNr6QD Meander and Paperman http://bit.ly/2v77bdm The triplets from Brave http://bit.ly/2v6my5W Tom Hanks is Reunited with Wilson http://bit.ly/2uNvnpC
Get your cape on and feel the Force! Chris and Mackenzie team up with special guest, Rebecca Myers to look at Star Wars: Forces of Destiny and DC Super Hero Girls! What happens when a show is created for vs a show about girls? Is marketing to blame? Do girls buy toys? Do girls need their separate shows? What does real representation mean? Links Watch Star Wars: Forces of Destiny http://bit.ly/2wNsMc8 DC Super Hero Girls http://play.dcsuperherogirls.com/en-us 'Forces of Destiny' YouTube series explores untold 'Star Wars' tales http://bit.ly/2uuWKAZ Ahsoka Tano Is Late For A Very Important Date In A New ‘Star Wars’ Short https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-ahsoka-tano-is-late-for-a-very-importan/f-3f819e4928%2Fuproxx.com Wonder Woman the movie http://bit.ly/2vohGwl WB and DC Entertainment in Partnership with Mattel Launch 'DC Super Hero Girls' http://bit.ly/2vU96Xy Paul Dini: Superhero cartoon execs don't want largely female audiences http://bit.ly/2vUk4eR Wonder Woman shield toy http://amzn.to/2wNvRbQ About Sabrina: The Animated Series http://bit.ly/2wzl322 About a Mary Sue http://bit.ly/2hPRMwx Watch Justice League Action http://bit.ly/2wzz4Ng Star vs the Forces of Evil http://bit.ly/2fxdAw6 Steven Universe http://bit.ly/2wzaego
In celebration of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Sequel, Chris and Mackenzie flitter to FernGully: The Last Rainforest! Does it hold up? Does the message hold up? What would FernGully look like if it were made now? What is the real magic of the environment? How does Tim Curry give pollution sex appeal? Links About FernGully: The Last Rainforest http://bit.ly/2vuNZKw Watch FernGully on Netflix http://nflx.it/2hsVkVh Tim Curry sings Toxic Love http://bit.ly/2u8Xb7z An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power http://bit.ly/2fdzKDD The Bataan Death March of Whimsy Case File #1: Elizabethtown (Origin of Manic Pixie Dream Girl) http://bit.ly/2u5C2r2 About the Manic Pixie Dream Girl http://bit.ly/2v23fxu Disney Buys Anastasia Rights, Announces Live-Action Remake http://bit.ly/2hsVOL5 Avatar vs FernGully http://bit.ly/2wbNhiV About Michael Clayton http://bit.ly/2vuFZsZ
Grab your golden tickets and join Chris and Mackenzie for a tour of Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! Avert your eyes, but not your ears! What’s wrong with adding Tom and Jerry into a classic, beloved film? Lots. How do you put together two properties that don’t fit? Is there a way to save this film? Whose side is the dog on? Previously on Writers Get Animated Nobody Said No (Leo the Lion) http://bit.ly/wga-037 Oompa Loompa Parody-dee http://bit.ly/wga-084 Links Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory http://bit.ly/2v4pkMv About Jeni’s ice cream http://bit.ly/2v4w78P The Tom and Jerry Story http://bit.ly/2v4hv9G Tom & Jerry’s Willy Wonka Crossover Movie Has a Chocolate Problem http://bit.ly/2uHmFpU My Mad Descent Into The Hellish Void That Is Tom And Jerry: Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory http://bit.ly/2uHrTSh ‘Tom And Jerry: Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory’ Is Perhaps The Laziest Movie Ever Created http://bit.ly/2v4vhsJ Tom and Jerry the Movie http://amzn.to/2uHbWM5 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead http://bit.ly/2uHrU8N Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood http://bit.ly/2v4piEk
Oompa loompa doompety doo. We’ve got a perfect podcast for you! Chris and Mackenzie sip some fizzy lifting drinks and enter the realm of shows that do parodies of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! Futurama and Dexter’s Lab have done it. What makes this particular film ripe for parody? What makes a good parody? Links Fry and the Slurm Factory http://bit.ly/2ufXPNL Golden Diskette http://bit.ly/2ufKMf6 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory http://bit.ly/2ug18nK Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Broadway Musical http://bit.ly/2tuUDAA The Treachery of Images (this is not a pipe) http://bit.ly/2tvei36 Spuds MacKenzie http://bit.ly/2ufopGG Rude Dog http://bit.ly/2tvlLPM About Mike Daisey http://bit.ly/2tvdbke This American Life: Retracted http://bit.ly/2ufedhj The Simpsons Cape Feare http://bit.ly/2tvmOQ0
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the looniest of them all? Chris and Mackenzie shout, “Heigh Ho” and begin to mine the depths of the Disney Canon. Starting from the very beginning: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! What was it like to see a full-length animated feature film for the first time? What would’ve blown people’s minds in 1937? What can we still learn? Also that Huntsman, tho. Previously on Writers Get Animated The Breakdown: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice http://bit.ly/wga-043 Make Animation Great Again http://bit.ly/wga-077 Links About Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs http://bit.ly/2uXMQIL Witch Hunt from Andreas Deja http://bit.ly/2uXZTtI Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs http://bit.ly/2uoOXYO The One That Started It All… The Making Of Snow White http://bit.ly/2up55cZ About Silly Symphonies http://bit.ly/2up4urJ She’s the Boss http://bit.ly/2upaArU
Spider-Man! Spider-Man! Does whatever a spider can! Chris and Mackenzie web up a Spider-Panel to discuss the webhead himself. Join guests Adam Caudill (writer/director) and Megan Patrick (writer/artist) as they look at what makes the webslinger so special. What’s different about Peter Parker? Is Venom a good villain? Do NYC subways normally go by military bases? Who is the ultimate Spider-Man villain? Links About Adam Caudill http://imdb.to/2tNUPKE Spectacular Spider-Man http://bit.ly/2svsyEE Watch Spectacular Spider-Man on Crackle http://bit.ly/2svAhCJ Spider-Man: The Animated Series http://bit.ly/2tNQuaa About Venom http://bit.ly/2tOnUFP About the Symbiote http://bit.ly/2sv5je1 About Bathos http://bit.ly/2svgMdx What Writers Should Learn from Wonder Woman (Bathos) http://bit.ly/2svaDhd 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' Performances to Go On Despite Thursday's Accident http://bit.ly/2suTR1P Listen to Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Apple Music http://bit.ly/2tO6ZDa Spider-Man Animated Movie Is the Miles Morales Story http://bit.ly/2tO71uM Superior Spider-Man http://bit.ly/2tOaTvP About Spider-Ham http://bit.ly/2svpPLt Bruce the Gargoyle http://bit.ly/2tS3TxG The Infinity War http://bit.ly/2tOdkyv About Spider-Woman http://bit.ly/2uwaUlo Off topic: We Finally Know Why Harry Potter’s Family is So Rich http://read.bi/2tvUppu
Marty! Dipper! Mabel! Doc! Great Scott! Chris and Mackenzie are putting the entire space-time continuum out of whack! Hop in the DeLorean, pull the tape measure, get in the TARDIS, or soak in the hot tub (time machines are weird) because they’re venturing into the past! And the future! And then the past again! What are the rules of time travel? What can you ruin with time travel? It’s Gravity Falls and Back to the Future: The Animated Series! Links About Gravity Falls http://bit.ly/2trUqNb About The Time Traveler’s Pig http://bit.ly/2trtcX6 About Back to the Future The Animated Series http://bit.ly/2trMmfr TV Tropes: Time Travel http://bit.ly/2trWhBC About Felicity http://bit.ly/2upHxQZ Star Trek Time Travel episodes http://bit.ly/2trHWW5 About dramaturgy http://bit.ly/2upck0q About Blendin Blandin http://bit.ly/2trsGrY
Chris and Mackenzie breakdown Duck Amuck! In our words, we once again English-major-the-crap-out-of something. What’s a story? What’s a plot? What even is animation, bro? How much can be taken away from Daffy Duck before he stops being Daffy Duck? What’s the origin of Angry Birds? How do you tell the difference between Daffy and Donald? Do animated characters have reveries? Have you always wanted to do a sea picture? Are you ready to breakdown, shakedown? Previously on Writers Get Animated 015 - The Breakdown: What’s Opera, Doc? - http://bit.ly/wga-015 043 - The Breakdown: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice - http://bit.ly/wga-043 Links Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3MTFJz50qc Charles M. Jones - http://www.chuckjones.com The Poseidon Adventure - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poseidon_Adventure_(1972_film) Bambi vs. Godzilla - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-wUdetAAlY Michael Maltese - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Maltese Tom and Jerry (Chuck Jones era) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_and_Jerry#Chuck_Jones_era_.281963.E2.80.9367.29 Dexter’s Laboratory - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexter%27s_Laboratory Face/Off - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face/Off Space Jam - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9FImc2LOr8 The classical unities - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_unities How to pronounce “accio” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spells_in_Harry_Potter Samuel Beckett - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Beckett The Village Blacksmith (Longfellow) - http://www.hwlongfellow.org/poems_poem.php?pid=38 Kendall Haney on Twitter - https://twitter.com/kendallmhaney
In recognition that Cars 3 is a thing, we look at the tradition of bringing life to things that aren’t alive! Why would you use inanimate objects to tell a story? Chris and Mackenzie look at The Brave Little Toaster and Luxo Jr. Who knew that The Brave Little Toaster had a Pixar pedigree? What does The Brave Little Toaster have in common with the Toy Story films? Is there anything that Jon Lovitz can’t do? Does anyone really love their vacuum? What other podcast can talk about Home Alone, Mr. Mom, Tony Kushner, and talking toasters in the same episode? I think you know the answer. Links About The Brave Little Toaster http://bit.ly/2rlL9CI About Luxo Jr. http://bit.ly/2rmgWmE. Listen to the soundtrack to The Brave Little Toaster on Apple Music http://bit.ly/2rmkipQ Sean Charmatz “Secret World of Stuff” http://bit.ly/2rmasV5 About Thurl Ravenscroft http://bit.ly/2t7zEjx About Johnnie Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet http://bit.ly/2sywEzC About Susie The Little Blue Coupe http://bit.ly/2t7WmI4 About Caroline, or Change http://bit.ly/2sypknG ‘Toast’ - Chloe Sevigny - http://bit.ly/2sypjA8
Oh crap. It’s Hellboy! The animated one. From ten years ago. A new Hellboy reboot has been announced, so why not talk about the red, angry guy? What makes Hellboy Hellboy? What is the true struggle of Hellboy and will we ever see it on-screen? Mackenzie’s love and knowledge of Hellboy makes up for Chris’ lack of knowledge. How does adaptation work? How hard does your suspension of disbelief have to work to buy into the Hellboy world? Links About Hellboy http://bit.ly/2r1k8nD About Hellboy: Sword of Storms http://bit.ly/2skfHbw About Hellboy Animated http://bit.ly/2skrg2F David Harbour Teases ‘Hellboy’ Reboot As ‘Darker,’ ‘More of a Character Piece’ http://bit.ly/2r10kRz Hellboy: Pancakes http://bit.ly/2r1kquF About Guillermo del Toro http://bit.ly/2skG29j Watch the Hellboy movie http://nflx.it/2r1bequ About Gargoyles http://bit.ly/2r1lyyB Our episode “How to Suspend Your Disbelief Without Really Trying” http://bit.ly/2skvNC7
Chris and Mackenzie get political: Groening-style! Ralph Wiggum for President! Richard Nixon’s Head is back! Let’s make Animation great again? What are the ways that animation satirizes the political process, voters, and the office of the presidency? What are the presidential tropes? How do The Simpsons tackle politics? Links About E Pluribus Wiggum http://bit.ly/2suxIjY About A Head in the Polls http://bit.ly/2suCSMP Watch E Pluribus Wiggum http://bit.ly/2sus6WF Watch A Head in the Polls http://nflx.it/2suiVpo About Tiny Toons episode “Washingtoon” http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/TinyToonAdventuresS3E11Washingtoon Our Episode about The Critic https://overcast.fm/+FkrWkWcAE
Venture forth into the world of Prydain with Chris and Mackenzie as they seek what makes The Black Cauldron so monumental! Chris delves back into his childhood to see if one of his favorite movies hold up. What makes a hero? How long does it take to introduce characters? How do you adapt a five book series into a single movie? Why is the only impression Chris is good at one that Mackenzie can't stand? Special thanks to Aaron Waltke (https://twitter.com/goodaaron), writer for Trollhunters for sharing his best, worst, and most constructive notes! Links About The Black Cauldron http://bit.ly/2rVUW2P About The Chronicles of Prydain http://bit.ly/2rW1miA Revisiting The Black Cauldron http://slate.me/2rVQ91n https://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-black-cauldron-2.png http://images.tfaw.com/tfaw2007/blog/Legend_of_Zelda_artwork.jpg https://i1.wp.com/nintendotimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Zelda-Cliff.jpg Wizards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizards_(film) Previous Does It Hold Up Episode https://overcast.fm/+FkrXjrEbE
In this week’s episode, Chris and Mackenzie talk about the very first Simpsons episodes! The ones before the first premiere season premiere. Yeah, we’re going that far back. A whole 30 years, Marty! We mean, Listeners! What parts of The Simpsons haven’t changed in 30 years? And when America’s favorite family has changed, why did they change? Is there anything interesting about turning 30? Are you younger than the Simpsons shorts on the Tracey Ullman Show? What’s the difference between a short and an episode? Can Chris say the word ‘shouts’? What is the best Simpsons short? Do the design eras of The Simpsons line up with any storytelling eras? Whatever happened to Spider-pig? How much is Zoidberg’s sandwich stock worth these days? History of The Simpsons – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_The_Simpsons The Simpsons Shorts – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simpsons_shorts The Tracey Ullman Show – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tracey_Ullman_Show Life in Hell 13 of the Best “Life in Hell” Comics by Matt Groening – https://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/13-of-the-best-life-in-hell-comics-by-matt-groen?utm_term=.glajDWxV7#.qtvOXqMPB Types of Sketches – http://edtoolisblog.tumblr.com/post/52894906491/types-of-sketches-or-scenes-2 ‘Leap’ in the Merriam-Webster dictionary – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leap
Welcome to Smurfs Get Smurfinated! On Smurf Day, we smurf about Smurfs: The Lost Village! It’s Smurfette and the Hero’s Journey! All About Smurfette! Chris and Mackenzie look at what makes a Smurf a Smurf. How does this film fix a problematic backstory? Is it feminist? Is it progressive? Links Smurfs Production Blog http://bit.ly/2q8JDp0 For Smurfs: The Lost Village‘s art department, it’s great to feel blue! http://bit.ly/2pDQaVa The Smurfs http://bit.ly/2pDQDXJ How “Smurfs” director Kelly Asbury & his team at Sony Pictures Animation finally found their way to “The Lost Village” http://huff.to/2pDU9kV Going Into and Beyond Peyo’s World for ‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’ http://bit.ly/2q8Ikqa Where is the Smurfs Nostalgia? http://bit.ly/2pDB8iu Smurfing Sing Song Album http://bit.ly/2pDAQbg
Podcasts are for closers! Chris and Mackenzie get down to business with The Boss Baby! What is the story? How do you choose a main character? How do you adapt a children’s book into a 90-minute movie? What do you add? What is a dream? Are Elvis impersonators ever a bad thing? Links About The Boss Baby http://bit.ly/2pLMt1u The Picture Book Behind the New Movie Boss Baby http://n.pr/2pFwhAC How DreamWorks Animation Went Retro with ‘The Boss Baby’ 2D Fantasies http://bit.ly/2pLOP0l The Boss Baby http://fox.co/2pLTXS0 About the Animation Oscar Rules Change http://bit.ly/2pLJiqP Hyptheticast http://apple.co/2pFEx3y
Chris and Mackenzie blast off again in another Star Wars episode! It’s their Star Wars: Rebels Retrospective! In an episode recorded before Star Wars Celebration, Mackenzie correctly prophesied that season 4 would be the final season of Rebels, but we still have questions! Will the Bendu have more? Who is marked for death? How many battles will they win or lose? How great would it be if Jedi were in every movie you haven’t seen? What are our hopes for the future of Star Wars in animation? Links ‘Star Wars Rebels’ to end after Season 4, trailer reveals returning characters and new looks http://nydn.us/2qkRblY STAR WARS REBELS: DAVE FILONI DISCUSSES KALLUS' ARC, MAUL'S FATE, AND MORE OF SEASON 3'S BIG STORYLINES http://bit.ly/2prP6r2 Rebels Recon: Twin Suns http://bit.ly/2qkTuFI About the Bendu http://bit.ly/2ql9V4C ‘Star Wars Rebels’ Confirms ‘General’ Hera in Season 4, ‘Rogue One’ Role Read More: 'Star Wars Rebels' Boss Confirms 'General' Hera in Season 4 http://bit.ly/2ql2ryJ “Thrawn’s Web” theme http://bit.ly/2prTJBE Ganondorf’s Theme from Ocarina of Time http://bit.ly/2qkIFn6
Cuddle up with with Chris, Mackenzie, and Rachel Dratch- in cute, fuzzy monster mode! It's Imaginary Mary! There's another live action/animation hybrid show in prime time, folks! This is not a drill! What happens when bad things happen to nice people? How much can a cute character get away with saying? How are relationships portrayed in sitcoms and how is Imaginary Mary different? Besides, you know, the animated, imaginary monster. She's sooooo cute! Links Watch Imaginary Mary http://abc.tv/2pICERz ‘Imaginary Mary’: Jenna Elfman on Acting Opposite 25 Co-Stars Who Can’t Stop Staring at Her http://bit.ly/2pJqw5u Imaginary Mary Trailer http://bit.ly/2pIQ2VF Here’s A New Look At ABC’s Upcoming Hybrid Series ‘Imaginary Mary’ http://bit.ly/2pIZrNa 'Imaginary Mary': How the Look of the CG Title Character Evolved http://bit.ly/2pJeoS2 Daddy Issues: Son of Zorn and The Venture Bros. http://bit.ly/wga-042
Chris and Mackenzie bask in the power of Jack and his… Is that a motorcycle with spikes? What do we love about Jack? How has the style changed since we were last in Jack’s world? How do you continue a story after 13 years? How has Jack matured and become damaged? Where will this go? Links Watch Samurai Jack http://bit.ly/2pcoHOn About Samurai Jack http://bit.ly/2odf7pS Samurai Jack Creator on Season 5's Opening: 'VROOOOOOOM BLAMABLAMABLAMABLAM' http://bit.ly/2odc413 Samurai Jack premiere: Jack lost more than just his faith http://bit.ly/2pcAwnU SAMURAI JACK SEASON 5 WILL PREMIERE IN MARCH http://bit.ly/2odeZ9V About Mako Iwamatsu http://bit.ly/2pcdWfa Samurai Jack’s Phil LaMarr on how to age a character through their voice http://bit.ly/2odomqc Visually rich 'Samurai Jack' is back in search of closure on Adult Swim http://lat.ms/2pciiCI What is the Kirby Krackle http://bit.ly/2pcdVI8 About Star Wars: Clone Wars http://bit.ly/2odoNAO Our Minority Report episode http://bit.ly/wga-016
Time to let down your hair and climb into another hair-raising episode of Writers Get Animated! Chris and Mackenzie talk Tangled: Before Ever After a midquel start to a new series! What makes this movie work? Why did Rapunzel's hair come back? How does this compare to other Disney movies that transitioned to TV (Aladdin)? What's missing? Certainly not laughs and great music. Links Watch the First Five Minutes of Tangled: Before Ever After http://www.slashfilm.com/first-5-minutes-of-tangled-before-ever-after/ About Tangled:The Series https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangled:_The_Series Oh My Disney: About Tangled: Before Ever After https://ohmy.disney.com/news/2016/03/08/tangled-before-ever-after/ About Rapunzel Unbraided http://www.aintitcool.com/node/18154 Art of Glen Keane: Rapunzel http://theartofglenkeane.blogspot.com/2006/07/rapunzel.html?m=1 Watch Tangled: Ever After on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/80062011?s=i
Chris and Mackenzie fly their kites out the car window on their way to My Life as a Zucchini! How's the story told? Can a story of childhood trauma be both haunting and beautiful? How does the stop motion animation help tell this small and intimate story? Links My Life as a Zucchini Official Site http://bit.ly/2on8hj9 About My Life as a Courgette http://bit.ly/2omZZrk Recording the Voices Video http://bit.ly/2omQ0lE Making the Puppets Video http://bit.ly/2omNPi6 Clip from My Life as a Zucchini https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx7tizZug3s My Life as a Zucchini English trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx7tizZug3s
The magic! The mystery! The MOUSE! Chris and Mackenzie explore the history and evolution of Mickey Mouse! What was Mickey like in the beginning? How has Mickey changed? What does Mickey have in common with Superman? What makes Mickey Mickey? Links Catch our episode all about The Sorcerer’s Apprentice http://bit.ly/wga-043 Get the Mickey Video app! Watch Mickey shorts! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mickey-video/id655254536?mt=8 Watch Steamboat Willie http://video.disney.com/watch/steamboat-willie-4ea9de5180b375f7476ada2c Watch The Band Concert http://video.disney.com/watch/the-band-concert-a-classic-mickey-short-545c25c431548a552e3524c8 Watch Hawaiian Holiday http://video.disney.com/watch/hawaiian-holiday-4bb39f1a02927a8833003b15 Watch The Sorcerer’s Apprentice http://video.disney.com/watch/sorcerer-s-apprentice-fantasia-4ea9ebc01a74ea59a5867853 Watch Mickey and the Seal http://video.disney.com/watch/mickey-and-the-seal-4be387e88cd10a0e1266b068 Watch a clip of Mickey’s Christmas Carol http://video.disney.com/watch/fred-visits-scrooge-mickey-s-christmas-carol-clip-4e972a90488b1816d5c73f55 Watch Split Decision http://video.disney.com/watch/disneychannel-split-decision-534bcd8977b1eebe0d0f7ae8 Watch Couples Sweaters http://video.disney.com/watch/disneychannel-couple-sweaters-52b0a210e7f43b0279ec4a9f Watch a clip from The Prince and the Pauper http://video.disney.com/watch/disney-animation-collection-vol-3-dvd-prince-and-the-pauper-4c040ef6a03a512ada7b63c3 Watch a clip from Get a Horse http://video.disney.com/watch/get-a-horse-clip-4eb3e463c4d31a858d1f49db About Runaway Brain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Brain Watch Eric Goldberg draw Mickey http://video.disney.com/watch/rediscovering-mickey-mouse-with-eric-goldberg-4f2dfd0c40ecc51d93fcdc84 About Noises Off https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noises_Off
Crossovers, call backs, and cameos! What do you get when two Disney Junior shows incorporate characters from Disney’s past? Chris and Mackenzie fly through the rainbow waterfall to visit Doc McStuffins and Winnie the Pooh and venture into the outlands of The Lion Guard with characters from The Lion King II! What is the opposite of “jumping the shark?” What do we plan for the series finale of Doc McStuffins? Who can make sense of the timeline of the Lion King movies and shows? Is Christopher Robin magic or insane? Links Disney Debuts Doc McStuffins-Winnie the Pooh Crossover Episode http://bit.ly/2ntOLnx A Look at the making of the McStuffins/Pooh episode from Chris Nee http://bit.ly/2myIQbZ About Little Black Rain Cloud http://bit.ly/2myvdd2 Winnie the Pooh (2011) http://bit.ly/2ntO1io Pooh sings “I Feel Better” http://bit.ly/2ntCn7g About Lions of the Outlands http://bit.ly/2myAZeo Watch the Trailer for Lions of the Outlands http://bit.ly/2ntS5PS Learn about Lion King II: Simba’s Pride from us! http://bit.ly/wga-032
Studio Ghibli explores the wonders of TV! Chris and Mackenzie explore the wondrous, fairy tale-esque world of Ronja:The Robber’s Daughter! What choices do you have when creating an adaptation? What did Goro Miyazaki find in a novel from Sweden? How do you build a world in tv? How does a father and daughter relationship grow and change? Links About Goro Miyazaki http://bit.ly/2lJmMzS About the book Ronia the Robber’s Daughter http://bit.ly/2lJc90c ‘Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter’: A Guide to Studio Ghibli’s Adventure Series on Amazon http://bit.ly/2lJ9YcN How Children’s TV Like Studio Ghibli’s Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter Can Give Grown-Ups the Strength to Endure http://slate.me/2lJkmkT Ronja The Robber’s Daughter Review http://collider.com/ronja-the-robbers-daughter-review/ http://www.indiewire.com/2017/02/ronja-the-robbers-daughter-goro-miyazaki-studio-ghibli-animation-1201777087/ The Studio Ghibli Retrospective: “Tales From Earthsea” http://moviemezzanine.com/studio-ghibli-retrospective-tales-from-earthsea/
Chris and Mackenzie talk about The Lego Batman Movie! And they don’t just talk in Batman voices for the -entire- podcast! What kind of actor (real or fictional horse) does it take to play Batman on screen? How many Batmen are there? Why does the Batman voice hurt? How many condiment-related puns can our hosts come up with? What makes a man a Batman? How many emotions does this movie make young children feel? Will we ever run out of animated Batman to talk about? The answer, for once, is ‘no’. Links The Lego Movie - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1490017/ Lego Dimensions - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Dimensions A Guide to all the Villains in The Lego Batman Movie - http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/813125-a-guide-to-all-the-batman-villains-in-the-lego-batman-movie#/slide/1 A History of Batman on TV - http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/17/a-history-of-batman-on-tv BoJack Horseman does Birdman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ3hnIpBOVg What a Character: Why Gob Bluth from Arrested Development is a TV Great - https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/what-a-character-why-gob-bluth-from-arrested-development-is-a-tv-great-514465 Yes, the Condiment King is Real - http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2017/02/14/the-lego-batman-movie-yes-the-condiment-king-is-real Epic Rap Battles of History: Batman vs. Sherlock Holmes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17CLlZuiBkQ Siri’s Latest Easter egg lets you become ‘Lego Batman’ - https://www.engadget.com/2017/02/15/siri-lego-batman-easter-egg/ The Lego Ninjago Movie trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZSYYiATFTI Kumail Nanjani - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumail_Nanjiani Chekhov’s Gun - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov's_gun
Roll out the Writers Get Animated red carpet, Chris and Mackenzie are heading to the Oscars! In their minds! Join them as they give in-depth coverage about this year’s Oscar-nominated animated shorts: Piper, Pear Cider and Cigarettes, Borrowed Time, Blind Vaysha, and Pearl! Listen as Chris goes VR in a cardboard box LIVE! How do styles affect storytelling? Is Piper a female? Did the sheriff actually intend to jump? What does linocut animation have to do with Bertolt Brecht? Links Watch VR’s first Oscar-nominated short film (Pearl) http://bit.ly/2lQfwSf Director Theodore Ushev on Bringing 'Blind Vaysha' to Life in Four Dimensions http://bit.ly/2lQl2US ‘Blind Vaysha’: How Theodore Ushev’s Zeitgeist-Grabbing Short Taps Political Anxiety http://bit.ly/2lBngVF About Pear Cider and Cigarettes http://bit.ly/2lQeOV4 ‘Pear Cider and Cigarettes’: How an Imperfect Life Became an Oscar Contender http://bit.ly/2lBnfRk Oscar-nominated ‘Borrowed Time’ directors Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj dish animated short film contender http://bit.ly/2lQ9voE Oscars 2017 Animated Shorts: Will ‘Piper’ End Pixar’s 15-Year Drought? http://bit.ly/2lBl00q Facebook Live conversation with the directors of Piper http://bit.ly/2lBAWzX Last year’s episode about Oscar-nominated animated shorts! http://apple.co/2lBw65E
Chris and Mackenzie do something a little different with this episode. They discuss the documentary “Life, Animated.” How did Disney movies open up a line of communication between a boy and his world? How did the filmmakers use animation to tell their story? How many Disney clips can a single, non-Disney movie have? Learn more about this moving and powerful film. Links Life, Animated the documentary http://bit.ly/2kYmuDd Life, Animated - A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism http://bit.ly/2kYiQJG Life, Animated Trailer http://bit.ly/2kYngA5 About the film Persepolis http://bit.ly/2kYkBGQ About the film Waltz with Bashir http://bit.ly/2lZU2yz About the book Fun Home http://bit.ly/2lZNv7b About Fun Home the Musical http://bit.ly/2lRsXl5 State of Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities http://bit.ly/2lZCjak
What has five lions and no thumbs and fights awesome space battles? That guy! Chris and Mackenzie assemble an episode about Voltron: Legendary Defender! How do you tell a story about a team? How did Netflix change the structure of the storytelling? Who are these characters? How do you make space bigger? Links About Voltron: Legendary Defender http://bit.ly/2kNVqor Voltron: Legendary Defender couldn’t have existed without Netflix http://bit.ly/2kO0MjL About Voltron: Defender of the Universe http://bit.ly/2kO5JJj Voltron: The Third Dimension http://bit.ly/2kNNunu Where is Old Zealand? http://mentalfloss.com/article/56233/where-old-zealand Battlestar Galactica “33” http://bit.ly/2ky70Wi Whose Line Is It Anyway Film Dub http://bit.ly/2ky5gwv
Honestly, how could Chris and Mackenzie forget to talk about Finding Dory? What do you do when a story is left unfinished? Who is the hero of Finding Dory? How did Ellen DeGeneres change the story of Finding Nemo and pave the way for Finding Dory? Is Finding Dory a sequel or a spin-off? When are we getting Finding Mr. Ray? Links Watch Finding Dory on Netflix http://nflx.it/2knhk1E Finding Dory Review http://nyti.ms/2knhy9a Ellen’s Comments on the Travel Ban http://bit.ly/2knsC69 Finding Dory is a Movie About Disability http://bit.ly/2kngYZ5 Director Andrew Stanton Brings Dory Back Again http://bit.ly/2l2w9WO Ellen Announces Finding Dory http://bit.ly/2kyurPY Ocean Odyssey: Andrew Stanton explores the backstory of Pixar’s Dory http://bit.ly/2kykGkI Ellen DeGeneres on Lesbian Fish and Why It Was Finally Time for Finding Dory http://ti.me/2l2xaOw Finding Nemo and Taken http://uproxx.it/2l2vGnx Listen to the Soundtrack to Finding Dory on Apple Music http://bit.ly/2l2JHkZ Once Upon a Time Again (Our episode about Disney direct-to-video sequels) http://bit.ly/wga-032 Sequels and Prequels are Rare in Theatre http://bit.ly/2kyuGdI Lend Me Another Tenor (or Two) http://bit.ly/2l2qJea
It’s the good, the bad, and the animated! 2016 brought so many animated movies that came out, they couldn’t keep up! Chris and Mackenzie cram like it’s finals time and try to watch all the animated films they missed… And they squeak by with a passing grade! It’s Kung Fu Panda 3, Storks, Secret Life of Pets, The Angry Birds Movie, Sing!, Quackerz, and more! Chris gets on a soapbox! What did 2016 bring us? Links Kung Fu Panda 3 http://bit.ly/2k99NFX Secret Life of Pets http://bit.ly/2k9oqcB Storks http://bit.ly/2k98040 Sing http://bit.ly/2kqojXu The Angry Birds Movie http://bit.ly/2kqsDWz Quackerz http://bit.ly/2k9cszN The Red Turtle http://bit.ly/2k9iaRY My Life as a Zucchini http://bit.ly/2k9cKqm Your name http://bit.ly/2kqqBWk The Animation Show of Shows 2016 http://bit.ly/2k9533a Ethel and Ernest http://bit.ly/2kqmDgu Ice Age: Collision Course http://fox.co/2k99OcZ Nerdland http://bit.ly/2kquWJe Sausage Party http://bit.ly/2kqiaKA Norm of the North http://bit.ly/2kqnCx1 Ratchet and Clank http://bit.ly/2kqf0qi Sly Cooper http://bit.ly/2k9hBYg Secret Life of Pets http://bit.ly/2k9oqcB Trolls http://bit.ly/2kquV88 Monkey King: Hero Is Back http://bit.ly/2k9dGuF Rock Dog (in China) http://bit.ly/2k9opW5 Miss Hokusai http://bit.ly/2k9fhAG Long Way North http://bit.ly/2kqnLRb
We truly are Grammer nerds! Join us as we celebrate the work of Kelsey Grammer! The genius of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons, the heartwarming kindness of Blinky from Trollhunters, and the one artist that binds them. Why do we love Kelsey Grammer? What can you expect from a Kelsey Grammer character? How many times can we say Kelsey Grammer? Links The story of Sideshow Bob’s voice http://bit.ly/2iZ3hjN About Trollhunters http://bit.ly/2iZ0c3i Watch Trollhunters on Netflix http://nflx.it/2jS94WG Watch Cape Feare on Simpson’s World http://bit.ly/2iZ3kMM Kelsey Grammer Is Fine Being A Conservative In Hollywood http://bit.ly/2iYYgrC Kelsey Grammer in costume as Sideshow Bob http://bit.ly/2jSb1ml Bojack Horseman Stickers App http://apple.co/2iYTw5o Winnie the Pooh on Doc McStuffins http://bit.ly/2jScfhg
Musical episodes! Light the lights! Dust off your tap shoes! Stretch your jazz hands! Chris and Mackenzie get musical! Well, they talk about musicals. Why do musical episodes work? What makes a great musical episode? Can you have a musical episode without Neil Patrick Harris? Who is Shari Bobbins? Will Batman sing? Links About Batman: The Brave and the Bold http://bit.ly/2jdb3Yg About Mayhem of the Music Meister http://bit.ly/2jdgM04! Listen to Mayhem of the Music Meister on Apple Music http://bit.ly/2jdeazu About Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious http://bit.ly/2jd6ywK About The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings http://bit.ly/2jKkgbq Wander Over Yonder “My Fair Hatey” http://bit.ly/2iNcucn WANDER OVER YONDER COMPOSER ANDY BEAN PREVIEWS TONIGHT’S AMAZING MUSICAL EPISODE http://bit.ly/2jK6xRI About Once More, with Feeling http://bit.ly/2iNcvwX
Join Chris and Mackenzie in the TARDIS as they find out what's going on in The Power of the Daleks! Once lost to time and bad archival processes, the BBC has restored lost episodes of Doctor Who by using the power of animation! How do you restore lost performances? Would they have done better with a remake than a restoration? And while we're on the topic of animating characters, what's up with Rogue One’s animation of a certain dead actor? Links About The Power of the Daleks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_the_Daleks Watch Power of the Daleks https://store.bbc.com/doctor-who/the-power-of-the-daleks Listen to Call Me by Blondie https://itun.es/us/kjnSQ?i=716231650 About Patrick Troughton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Troughton About Daleks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalek The Power of the Daleks on BBC America http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2016/09/bbc-america-brings-destroyed-doctor-who-episodes-back-to-life DOCTOR WHO’S “POWER OF THE DALEKS” IS A LOST CLASSIC MADE VISIBLE AGAIN http://nerdist.com/doctor-whos-power-of-the-daleks-is-a-lost-classic-made-visible-again/ Doctor Who Missing Episodes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Who_missing_episodes THE MAKING OF THE POWER OF THE DALEKS ANIMATION http://thedoctorwhocompanion.com/2016/11/08/the-making-of-the-power-of-the-daleks-animation/ Lost 'Doctor Who' episodes recovered in Nigeria http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/11/showbiz/lost-doctor-who-episodes-recovered/index.html See How ‘Rogue One’ Brought Peter Cushing Back As Grand Moff Tarkin http://www.slashfilm.com/rogue-one-grand-moff-tarkin-visual-effects/ An Adventure in Space and Time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Adventure_in_Space_and_Time About Clone Wars Legacy http://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/the-clone-wars-legacy How Tron: Legacy Starred a Young Jeff Bridges http://gizmodo.com/5788628/exclusive-how-tron-starred-a-young-jeff-bridges HOW THEY MADE TONY STARK YOUNGER IN CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/09/25/how-they-made-tony-stark-younger-in-captain-america-civil-war Our Jonny Quest episode Genre to Genre, Dust to Dust http://bit.ly/wga-028 Nero from Star Trek http://www.startrek.com/database_article/nero
Get ready to trudge through the swamp as Chris and Mackenzie get into the world of Shrek! What makes Shrek special? How did Shrek set the Dreamworks formula? Is Shrek a buddy film or is it a romance? Can a fart joke ever be truly earned? Links About Shrek http://bit.ly/2hussqn Buy Shrek on iTunes http://apple.co/2huoJtf List of songs in Shrek http://bit.ly/2hukwWj About Shrek the Musical http://bit.ly/2husyhU Watch Shrek the Musical on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/70253398 Listen to All-Star by Smash Mouth on Apple Music https://itun.es/us/j5z?i=106035 About the book Shrek! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrek! About Mulan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulan_(1998_film) About The Nutty Professor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nutty_Professor_(1996_film) About Moulin Rouge! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulin_Rouge About Enchanted http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchanted_(film)
Hayao Miyazaki’s film Spirited Away turns 15! Chris and Mackenzie barge into the bathhouse and brave spirits and magic! What was the inspiration for the film? What is the purpose of No Face? How does translation affect meaning? What does Spirited Away have in common with Inside Out? Links About Spirited Away http://bit.ly/2ii0yD5 The Making of Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" - Part 1 http://bit.ly/2ihPqpA MIYAZAKI MASTERCLASS: SPIRITED AWAY http://bit.ly/2ii0BPp 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away http://bit.ly/2ihXbvT Listen to Spirited Away on Apple Music https://itun.es/us/zQsQ0 About Susan Egan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Egan Spirited Away on Disc http://movies.disney.com/spirited-away About Rock Dog http://www.rockdogmovie.com/ About The World According to Garp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_According_to_Garp About Earthsea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthsea About the Earthsea movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Earthsea_(film)
Chris and Mackenzie join the Rebellion and celebrate the first Star Wars animated character to transition to live action: Saw Gerrera! It’s all about Saw! Listen as they try to stay on target while discussing that time the Jedi helped some rebels on Onderon. How many of the galaxy’s troubles are caused by the Jedi? What happened to Saw between Clone Wars and Rogue One? Which animated character is next? All of them? None of them? Links About Saw Gerrera http://bit.ly/2gR3qVl Who Is Saw Gerrera, Forest Whitaker’s ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ Character? http://bit.ly/2gQPavK Dave Filoni Comments on Saw Gerrera Jumping from Star Wars: The Clone Wars to Rogue One http://bit.ly/2gQNy5s Star Wars Rogue One's Forest Whitaker on Saw Gerrera's Rebel history and relationship with Jyn http://bit.ly/2gQRTWo Star Wars: Lucasfilm Boss Kathleen Kennedy on Whether Other Animated Characters Will Make the Leap to Live-Action http://bit.ly/2hTWcxu About the Battle of Onderon http://bit.ly/2hU4CVH Our first Star Wars episde http://bit.ly/wga-03 All About Ahsoka http://bit.ly/wga-023 About Lux Bonteri http://bit.ly/2gQSK9h Clone Wars' Onderon arc isn't about terrorism after all—it's about Anakin's slide toward darkness http://bit.ly/2hUagap
Fahoo Fores! Dahoo Dores! It's our second annual Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special! We celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! What defines the Grinch? How does he survive with a heart that's two sizes too small? How much torture is being The Grinch? How do you take a tiny book and turn it into a classic Christmas Special and a live action movie? Links About How The Grinch Stole Christmas http://bit.ly/2ghV3DV! The Grinch is still a mean one, 50 years later http://bit.ly/2gi1Ugm About Chuck Jones http://bit.ly/2ghPi8Y Chuck Jones on How the Grinch Stole Christmas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HOieQpVh0Y Jim Carrey had torture training for his Grinch make-up routine http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/celeb-life/jim-carrey-had-torture-training-for-his-grinch-make-up-routine-302080.html Trailer of How The Grinch Stole Christmas http://www.traileraddict.com/how-grinch-stole-christmas/trailer Listen to our first Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special http://bit.ly/wga-004 Our episode on It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown http://bit.ly/wga-047
It's time to set out on the seas as Chris and Mackenzie explore the depths of Disney’s latest film, Moana! How is Moana different from other Disney characters? What was different about the process of making Moana? Is there a “Disney formula?” What is the best song in Moana? How bad is Chris’ Lin-Manuel Miranda impression? Links Watch “You're Welcome” http://bit.ly/2gFlyzp Listen to Moana Deluxe Edition Soundtrack http://apple.co/2gFj6ZE Interview with directors Ron Clements and John Musker http://bit.ly/2gFggUC Interview with Opetaia Foa’i, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda http://bit.ly/2gFhlf3 How Lin-Manuel Miranda Pays Tribute to David Bowie with Moana Song ‘Shiny’ https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/lin-manuel-miranda-pays-tribute-124351410.html How Pacific Islanders Helped Disney’s Moana Find Its Way http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/moana-oceanic-trust-disney-controversy-pacific-islanders-polynesia 34 Magical “Moana” Facts You Probably Don’t Know https://www.buzzfeed.com/keelyflaherty/magical-moana-facts-you-probably-dont-know?utm_term=.le2N2LXY9#.urXJevaDY The breakout star of Disney's 'Moana' was almost a totally different character http://www.businessinsider.com/disney-moana-breakout-character-2016-8 Why the Ocean Became a Character and More We Learned About the Making of Moana https://ohmy.disney.com/movies/2016/11/21/why-the-ocean-became-a-character-and-more-we-learned-about-the-making-of-moana/?cmp=emc%7Comd%7Cnatural%7Cdisney-omd%7C2016-11-22%7Comd%7Cbox1 Moana review: after 80 years of experiments, Disney has made the perfect Disney movie http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/26/13749060/moana-film-review-walt-disney-animation-dwayne-johnson-diversity Disney’s Moana is a powerful movie starring a brown girl—but I still have issues with it http://fusion.net/story/372646/moana/ 15 Fascinating Facts About the Making of Disney's Moana http://io9.gizmodo.com/15-fascinating-facts-about-the-making-of-disneys-moana-1786280909 The Controversy Behind Disney’s Groundbreaking New Princess http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20161128-the-controversy-behind-disneys-groundbreaking-new-princess?ocid=global_culture_rss ‘Moana’ Is Just the Latest Feminist, Progressive Disney Hit http://variety.com/2016/film/news/moana-box-office-feminist-disney-1201927383/ ‘Zootopia’ Tops Annie Awards Nominations, ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ in Close Second http://variety.com/2016/film/news/annie-awards-nominations-2017-zootopia-kubo-and-the-two-strings-1201927492/ Listen to our Zootopia episode http://bit.ly/wga-022
It's our 50th episode! In celebration of reaching Episode 50, Chris and Mackenzie once again bring out the Wheels of Crossover! The rules are simple: two shows enter, one show leaves! We spin the Wheel of Shows to pick two shows to combine. Then, we spin our Wheel of Tropes to come up with a crazy concept for the crossover. Three rounds, three crazy crossovers! Happy 50th episode! Noisemaker Sound Effects Links Listen to the first Wheels of Crossover episode http://apple.co/2fdTpTf About Transformers http://bit.ly/2fdNm0R About DuckTales http://bit.ly/2fdOxgT About Aladdin http://bit.ly/2fdLe9j About The Mighty Ducks Movie http://bit.ly/2fucP1b About The Mighty Ducks TV Show http://bit.ly/2gn1Afz About Star Wars: Ewoks http://bit.ly/2fu9TS8 About Akira http://bit.ly/2gn12X9 About The Lion Guard http://bit.ly/2fucQlL
Chris and Mackenzie are heading back to Springfield! They deconstruct two episodes of The Simpsons in which America’s favorite family gets into some nasty trouble on their travels. What makes a good “The Simpsons are going to…” episode? How many plots are in a successful episode? How much trouble does Lisa cause? What is the punishment for killing an alligator in Florida? What do zombies and alligators have in common? How can John August help us make an episode of The Simpsons better? Links Watch Bart vs Australia http://bit.ly/2fKDkRw Watch Kill the Alligator and Run http://bit.ly/2fKDyrR About Bart vs Australia http://bit.ly/2fKCHaA About Kill the Alligator and Run http://bit.ly/2fKDd8q The Simpsons Renewed for Two More Seasons http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/04/simpsons-renewed-two-more-seasons-gunsmoke About John August http://johnaugust.com/ About the Writer Emergency Pack http://writeremergency.com/ Listen to our List show 10 Great Episodes of The Simpsons After Maude Flanders Died http://bit.ly/wga-014 Listen to our other Writer Emergency episode Saving Superman http://bit.ly/1WQGdlR About Michael P. Fay http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/26/us/us-student-tells-of-pain-of-his-caning-in-singapore.html About Yahoo Serious http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo_Serious About Rand McNally Globes http://store.randmcnally.com/globes-decor/globes/desk-globes.html About car phones https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_phone Listen to Captain Jack by Billy Joel https://itun.es/us/Nt1Dj?i=158815598
- This one is HUGE! Chris and Mackenzie relive the best parts of 2016: the animated shows! We talk Ask the StoryBots, Bunnicula, Elena of Avalor, The Lion Guard, The Loud House, Milo Murphy's Law, Peanuts, The Powerpuff Girls, and Voltron:Legendary Defender. What do we recommend? What will we keep on watching? Find a new favorite show! Links Our best of 2015 episode http://bit.ly/wga-002 Ask the StoryBots https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask_the_StoryBots Watch Ask the StoryBots https://www.netflix.com/title/80108159 Bunnicula the series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunnicula_(TV_series) Bunnicula the book series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunnicula Elena of avalor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_of_Avalor Watch Elena of Avalor http://watchdisneychannel.go.com/elena-of-avalor 'Elena of Avalor' Celebrates Día de los Muertos With Special Episode http://www.teenvogue.com/story/elena-of-avalor-dia-de-los-muertos-episode-clip The Loud House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Loud_House Milo Murphy’s Law (starring Weird Al) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milo_Murphy%27s_Law Watch Milo Murphy’s Law http://disneyxd.disney.com/milo-murphy-s-law Listen to “It's My World” from Milo Murphy’s Law on Apple Music https://itun.es/us/x7rzfb?i=1164255206 The Lion Guard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_Guard Watch The Lion Guard http://watchdisneyjunior.go.com/the-lion-guard Listen to our episode about The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride http://bit.ly/wga-032 Watch Bunga and the King http://watchdisneyjunior.go.com/the-lion-guard/video/vdka0_u850h9z4/01/13-bunga-and-the-king Peanuts https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanuts_(TV_series) About The Peanuts Movie http://www.peanutsmovie.com/ The Powerpuff Girls https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Powerpuff_Girls_(2016_TV_series) The New Powerpuff Girls Is So Self-Conscious About Its Feminism That It Forgets What Made the Original Great http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/04/04/the_new_powerpuff_girls_leans_so_hard_into_self_conscious_feminism_that.html Son of Zorn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_Zorn Listen to our episode about Son of Zorn http://bit.ly/wga-042 Voltron: Legendary Defender Netflix (Dreamworks) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltron:_Legendary_Defender Listen to our show about Cliffhangers http://bit.ly/wga-05 Greatest Party Story Ever https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Party_Story_Ever Animals HBO https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals High-concept https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-concept Princess Sofia Is Not Latina, Says Disney http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/disney-princess-sofia-not-latina_n_2005288.html About Hedda Gabler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedda_Gabler About sofrito https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofrito About A Pup Named Scooby Doo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Pup_Named_Scooby-Doo About Parks and Recreation http://www.nbc.com/parks-and-recreation About Phineas and Ferb http://disneyxd.disney.com/phineas-and-ferb About The Weird Al Show https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weird_Al_Show Gravity Falls Is Ending (And That’s Okay) https://ohmy.disney.com/insider/2015/11/23/gravity-falls-is-ending-and-thats-okay/ 'Wander Over Yonder' to End with Season Two Finale http://www.rotoscopers.com/2016/03/05/wander-over-yonder-to-end-with-season-2-finale/ About Bordertown https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordertown_(2016_TV_series) ‘Regular Show’ Creators, Cast Talk About The Movie And Season 7’s Finale http://www.avclub.com/article/regular-show-blast-itself-orbit-final-season-242500
Good grief! Keep the Halloween Spirit alive as Chris and Mackenzie wait in the Pumpkin patch to discuss It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Is there really a Great Pumpkin? How is Linus like Lisa Simpson? What does World War I have to do with Trick or Treating? How cruel is the world really? Links Watch It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown http://abc.go.com/movies-and-specials/its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown Buy It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on Blu-ray https://www.amazon.com/Great-Pumpkin-Charlie-Brown-Blu-ray/dp/B003NLE5K4/ref=tmm_mfc_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1478219450&sr=1-2 It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_the_Great_Pumpkin,_Charlie_Brown About The Great Pumpkin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pumpkin About A Charlie Brown Christmas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Charlie_Brown_Christmas About Charlie Brown’s All-Stars http://peanuts.wikia.com/wiki/Charlie_Brown%27s_All-Stars Quest for 'Great Pumpkin' puts Peanuts in corn mazes http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/10/06/1-quest-for-great-pumpkin-puts-peanuts-in-corn-mazes.html It’s The 50th Anniversary Of The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chuck-mirarchi/its-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown_b_12456016.html Why ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ is the greatest ‘Peanuts’ visual achievement https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/10/19/why-its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-is-peanuts-greatest-visual-masterpiece/ About The Peanuts Movie https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Peanuts_Movie The meaning of Boffo http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boffo Garfield’s Halloween Adventure https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garfield%27s_Halloween_Adventure About The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treehouse_of_Horror_(series) The Simpsons Halloween of Horror https://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/Halloween_of_Horror Listen to Linus and Lucy https://itun.es/us/Vrawi?i=139986099 Listen to Great Pumpkin Waltz https://itun.es/us/-FVzi?i=140965957 About Werner Herzog https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Herzog About Phineas and Ferb https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_and_Ferb Rule of three https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_three_(writing)
What are you doing here? Listening to Chris and Mackenzie discuss the trials and successes and failures of BoJack Horseman! Will BoJack ever succeed? How bad can things get for BoJack? Can the story of BoJack be called “The Great American Novel?” What does “The Emperor’s New Groove” have in common with “BoJack Horseman?” Links About BoJack Horseman http://bit.ly/2egGpHQ BoJack Horseman Recap: Under the Sea http://bit.ly/2e2v2FL BoJack Horseman: “Brand New Couch” - The A.V. Club http://bit.ly/2eXeix7 ‘BoJack Horseman’ redefines the cartoon with dark humor http://bit.ly/2fl3mOm How BoJack Horseman Created the Boldest Cartoon Episode in Decades http://bit.ly/2eVNvCT THE BLEAKNESS AND JOY OF “BOJACK HORSEMAN” http://bit.ly/2eX9k3H How 'BoJack Horseman' Got So Good at Depicting Mental Illness http://bit.ly/2e2szLu How BoJack Horseman's Music Made It One of the Boldest Cartoons of the Year http://bit.ly/2dNg1ZL The Great American Novel: http://bit.ly/2egFmrx Why Are We Obsessed With The Great American Novel? http://nyti.ms/2fl2M33 Excerpt from The Great American Novel by John William DeForest http://bit.ly/2dQXzL0 About Wendie Malick http://bit.ly/2e2uEY0 About Space Pens (Chris’s favorite pens!) http://bit.ly/2dNg0VK
It's time for Animaniacs! Chris and Mackenzie finalize their pay for play contracts and sufficiently stuff bologna in their slacks to discuss the Warner Brothers and the Warner Sister! Who is the audience for this show?! How has Animaniacs impacted pop culture (and our personal lives)? Will there ever be a reboot? Could Animaniacs be made now? How old are Yakko, Wakko, and Dot? What's up with Wakko? How “meta” is too “meta?” Links Animaniacs http://bit.ly/2dtOo2U Cartoons that might no longer be appropriate in 2016: Animaniacs http://bit.ly/2dtMIXn A.V. Club “Hooked on a Ceiling” Review http://bit.ly/2dtQ3FX “Finger Prince” joke http://bit.ly/2dtOebT The Best of the Animaniacs on Netflix http://www.dailydot.com/upstream/animaniacs-netflix-guide/ Who is Bosko? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosko Pinky and the Brain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinky_and_the_Brain The Behind-The-Scenes Story Of The Rise And Fall Of ‘Pinky And The Brain’ http://uproxx.com/tv/pinky-and-the-brain-anniversary-interview/ Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinky,_Elmyra_%26_the_Brain How The ‘Animaniacs’ Dream Team Crafted Songs That Still Get Stuck In Your Head 20 years Later http://uproxx.com/tv/animaniacs-music-history/ Wakko’s Wish http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakko's_Wish About Goodfellas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodfellas About The Agony and the Ecstasy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Agony_and_the_Ecstasy_%28film%29 About the Big Eyes paintings http://www.cbsnews.com/news/big-eyes-and-the-eye-opening-story-of-margaret-keane/ What is “Meta?” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta Who is Lee Strasberg? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Strasberg Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwlCzYzjYls
Mackenzie! The baguettes! Be our guest (had to say that) as Chris and Mackenzie celebrate the 25th anniversary of Beauty and the Beast! How are The Beast and Gaston the same character? Could Belle have transformed Gaston if she had married him? How old was the prince when he was cursed? Who is the real villain of Beauty and the Beast? What does the lime green color mean in a Disney movie? Links Beauty and the Beast http://bit.ly/2daQ9XF About Howard Ashman http://bit.ly/2daSQbP About Alan Menken http://bit.ly/2daR764 Listen to Beauty and the Beast (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) by Alan Menken on @AppleMusic. http://bit.ly/2daTo1g About Beauty and the Beast on Broadway http://bit.ly/2daQ6LC More Beauty and the Beast on Broadway http://bit.ly/2e5QU0K Listen to Beauty and the Beast (The Broadway Musical) by Various Artists on @AppleMusic. http://bit.ly/2dXsF6D List of Disney Princesses (Chris was wrong) http://bit.ly/2dNZZ0J Learn about designing Gaston from lead animator, Andreas Deja http://bit.ly/2dXtVGX More Gaston from Andreas Deja http://bit.ly/2daPKo7 Disney Movies Taught Us That Lime Green Is A Harbinger of Evil http://bit.ly/2dO238Y About Human Again the song http://bit.ly/2e9x1dU Anatomy of a Showtune: The Life and Times of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST http://bit.ly/2dXtPz3 THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST CAST REFLECT ON WHAT MADE THE REVOLUTIONARY DISNEY FILM SO BITTERSWEET http://on.mtv.com/2emh4Rj About the “I Want” Song http://bit.ly/2dRat1L About the Multiplane Camera http://bit.ly/2dO2hgd About Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas http://bit.ly/2dg1RLM About Hans from Frozen http://bit.ly/2ee9qou 64th Academy Awards http://bit.ly/2dXsdW2 Bonjour, Girl! (NSFW) http://bit.ly/2daRKwF About The Picture of Dorian Gray http://bit.ly/2daPwgE
It's a kind of magic! Chris and Mackenzie conjure the help of a special guest, composer and musician Jacob Reed, to dive into the depths of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, starring Mickey Mouse! What exactly is the chore of carrying water from one place to another accomplishing? How is Mickey Mouse like Walter White? If Mickey Mouse is Superman and Donald Duck is Batman, does that make Goofy Wonder Woman? How does REM sleep work in mice, especially Animated mice? How is the animation of The Sorcerer's Apprentice indirectly related to the Communist Manifesto? Links Learn about and listen to music by Jacob Reed http://bit.ly/2dPuXSU Watch The Sorcerer's Apprentice from Fantasia http://bit.ly/2dPub8o About Fantasia http://bit.ly/2dWCODb About the making of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice http://bit.ly/2dPv2pD About the original poem by Goethe http://bit.ly/2dWmgY0 Text of the poem by Goethe http://bit.ly/2dPu3FR About The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Dukas http://bit.ly/2d7gDrh Look at the score of The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Dukas http://bit.ly/2d7fboM What is a clef http://bit.ly/2d7gd4a About Scherzo http://bit.ly/2d7fWOC About Symphonic Poems http://bit.ly/2dWE4WM About Program music (Programmatic) http://bit.ly/2dz52Rx About Leitmotif http://bit.ly/2dPurUQ About Motif and Motivic Development http://bit.ly/2d7gDHN About Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz http://bit.ly/2dz5orI Posts about Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Andreas Deja’s Deja View http://bit.ly/2dwCpp1 About the Nicolas Cage film The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) http://bit.ly/2dz5GhW About “Uncle Jack” from Breaking Bad http://bit.ly/2dPtXOF Watch a performance of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Moscow City Symphony “Russian Philharmonic” http://bit.ly/2dwCfOk About The Skeleton Dance http://bit.ly/2dwBUvc About The Old Mill http://bit.ly/2d7eYC4 About Kingdom Hearts http://bit.ly/2dwDxZP About Russian Futurism http://bit.ly/2dPu9xo About the bassoon http://bit.ly/2dWDjgg About the contrabassoon http://bit.ly/2d7gfci About fugue http://bit.ly/2dPu7pg About Non-Player characters or NPC http://bit.ly/2dz5orx
In this episode, Chris and Mackenzie explore the complex and complicated world of fathers and sons in the new show Son of Zorn and the not-so-new show The Venture Bros! Where can someone hold a phone in furry underwear? How is Son of Zorn like Mad Men? Who is the most two-dimensional character in Son of Zorn? How do you pronounce Sudeikis? How dangerous is Progressive Rock to one’s mind? How many clones of your sons is too many? Links Christopher Miller http://imdb.to/2d08pi5 Phil Lord http://imdb.to/2d08fYp First look at Jason Sudeikis' live-action/animated comedy Son of Zorn http://bit.ly/2dbF0aj Why you should watch crazy, celebrity-laden new animated show 'Son of Zorn' http://bit.ly/2dp4ejz Son of Zorn review from ScreenRant http://bit.ly/2dp4dMB The Venture Bros. Clone Death Montage http://bit.ly/2de9Psy The Venture Bros. Season 4 on iTunes http://bit.ly/2d08nGZ The Charmings http://bit.ly/2dp4QWb Sassy Mirror from The Charmings http://bit.ly/2dp4fUM About Family Ties http://bit.ly/2dea8DM About Jonny Quest http://bit.ly/2dvNOTL Listen to our episode on Jonny Quest! http://bit.ly/wga-028 New Moana Trailer! http://cnn.it/2dffVXV
In our most hashtag-laden episode yet, Chris and Mackenzie celebrate Star Trek’s 50th Anniversary by boldly going into Star Trek: The Animated Series! Along for the ride is Josh Culbertson, the Writers Get Animated resident “Star Trekspert.” Is Star Trek: The Animated Series for kids? How much trouble is there and how many episodes are there in the “Tribble-gy?” How could we forget the term “Kahs-wan ordeal?” How can Star Trek continue to challenge and push for diversity? How many Star Wars references can we make during our Star Trek conversation? Links About Star Trek: The Animated Series http://bit.ly/2ddTwcx Follow Josh Culbertson on Twitter http://bit.ly/2ddTt0p Listen to the podcast We Are Compatible by Josh Culbertson and Alex Shanks http://apple.co/2ddTe5C Watch Star Trek: The Animated Series on Netflix http://nflx.it/2ddSoWu Star Trek film series http://bit.ly/2d4lzyc 'Star Trek' 50th Anniversary: Why 'Star Trek: The Animated Series' Is A True Space Oddity http://bit.ly/2d4lsm1 About the episode The Trouble with Tribbles http://bit.ly/2d4l7zV About the episode More Tribbles. More Troubles http://bit.ly/2cHeMa9 About the episode Yesteryear http://bit.ly/2cHeqAr About the episode How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth http://bit.ly/2d4kMwY Tribbles Week: Re-watching Star Trek: The Animated Series “More Tribbles, More Troubles” http://bit.ly/2d4llH8 About Limited Animation http://bit.ly/2cHed00 Bryan Fuller’s Star Trek Show an Anthology Series Taking Place at Various Points in the Main Continuity http://bit.ly/2d4lHO9 Creating Star Trek’s First Alien: Spock from Forgotten Trek http://bit.ly/2cHedxa Nichelle Nichols interview about Martin Luther King Jr. http://bit.ly/2d4ljPz Programming for Cats from the film Scrooged http://bit.ly/2d4m630 Nostalgic Impulse: In defense of… Wesley Crusher http://bit.ly/2d4l5YP Scott Bakula Is the Best Part of Looking http://bit.ly/2cHehwR About Quantum Leap http://bit.ly/2cHeDTT About Stargate http://bit.ly/2d4lOsK About Godzilla Roars http://n.pr/2d4lgn3
Chris and Mackenzie brush up on their Shakespeare! Art thou ready for this? Writers Get Animated looks at how Gargoyles and The Simpsons play with the works of the Bard! How do the works of Shakespeare find their way into cartoons? Is Bottom from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” a precursor to BoJack Horseman? How much trouble can one wish-granting fairy cause? How powerful is the theme to Ghostbusters? Links About Shakespeare http://bit.ly/2cHWbhz About the episode “The Mirror” http://bit.ly/2cHXihc About Gargoyles http://bit.ly/2cHVAMP About “A Midsummer Night’s Dream http://bit.ly/2cHWVmu More about Gargoyles http://movies.disney.com/gargoyles Buy Gargoyles on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Gargoyles-Season-Two-Vol-1/dp/B000ATQYVA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1473940972&sr=8-4&keywords=Gargoyles Histeria’s Shakespeare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9pyNbtwImQ Gnomeo and Juliet https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gnomeo-and-juliet/ Listen to Gnomeo and Juliet (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) by Various Artists on @AppleMusic https://itun.es/us/Ss-2y A list of Shakespeare’s Plays http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/plays.php The Complete Works of Shakespeare http://shakespeare.mit.edu About Public Domain https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_and_Superman Gargoyles: “Deadly Force”/“Enter Macbeth from A.V. Club http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/gargoyles-deadly-forceenter-macbeth-207993 Tales from the Public Domain from The Simpsons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_the_Public_Domain About Hamlet https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet About Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116477/ Family Guy Star Wars Trilogy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laugh_It_Up,_Fuzzball:_The_Family_Guy_Trilogy Alas, poor Yorick http://nfs.sparknotes.com/hamlet/page_288.html About Once Upon a Time http://abc.tv/2cHWTv4
Chris and Mackenzie travel back to the early 90’s to unearth one of their favorite forgotten gems of Animation Past: The Critic! Jay Sherman is a movie critic who only seems to review bad movies. Are we living in his dystopian Hollywood future? What does a cartoon from the 90’s have to do with the 2016 Presidential election? Why do we love characters voiced by Jon Lovitz so much? Links About The Critic http://bit.ly/2cFY0c5 The Critic on IMDB http://imdb.to/2cH0MRw About the episode “Miserable” http://avc.lu/2cH14aI About Jon Lovitz http://bit.ly/2cFYC1r Jon Lovitz as the Master Thespian on SNL http://bit.ly/2chd8OX Jon Lovitz as Tommy Flanagan (Pathological Liar) on SNL http://bit.ly/2chdeGg About Al Jean http://bit.ly/2cFXTgM About Mike Reiss http://bit.ly/2cFYRd0 “Penguins Can’t Fly!!” http://bit.ly/2chdTri Jay Sherman on The Simpsons http://bit.ly/2cFYQpk The Critic Theme http://bit.ly/2chcC3s Buy The Critic on DVD http://amzn.to/2cH1DBn Ten Frighteningly Prophetic Parodies from ‘The Critic’ http://uproxx.it/2csWF9u About “30 Rock” http://bit.ly/2cFY7EJ About “BoJack Horseman” http://bit.ly/2cheadW
Grab your shamisen and paper as Chris and Mackenzie enter the world of Kubo and the Two Strings and see what unfolds! (It’s an origami joke!) How did they make Kubo? What’s going on with eyes in this film? What can Kubo control with music? How bad is Mackenzie’s Regina Spektor impression? How emotionally scarred is Chris’ almost 4-year-old son by the witches? Links Explore Laika! http://bit.ly/2bO1x8o Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast Interview with Travis Knight http://apple.co/2bGri8C ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ Director Travis Knight: “That love of fantasy was something that was bestowed upon me at an early age” http://bit.ly/2bXwkmr Crafting the Epic World of Kubo: A Conversation with Laika’s Animation Supervisor Brad Schiff http://bit.ly/2bNodE7 Laika Chief Travis Knight Reveals Future Plans at Studio http://bit.ly/2cuC6N0 http://on.mtv.com/2bI7JQA LAIKA Founder and CEO Travis Knight makes his directorial debut with Kubo and the Two Strings http://bit.ly/2bO1z07 Kubo and the Two Strings Inside Laika’s Stop Motion Epic http://rol.st/2bGpelR Take A Tour Inside The Laika Exhibition Currently In Los Angeles (Photo Gallery) http://bit.ly/2bXwwC1 About the Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Hokusai http://bit.ly/2cdtgyA Explore the Realm of ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ With Interactive Map and Listen to the Full Score http://bit.ly/2bO10n0 Listen to While My Guitar Gently Weeps by Regina Spektor on Apple Music http://bit.ly/2cuBKpM About The Bicycle Thief http://bit.ly/2bGqrVm ''Pirates'': Why Davy Jones looks so amazing http://bit.ly/2cdrKwB ‘Anomalisa’ Featurette: Explore the Handmade World of Charlie Kaufman’s Latest http://bit.ly/2c5k6ab
Chris and Mackenzie jump after a zebra and plummet down the waterfall into the world of Leo the Lion on Netflix! Having lost his mother in a zebra-hunting-waterfall accident, Leo the Lion has to face his fears and find the Heart of the Jungle. And that’s just the first two minutes! What is in the Heart of the Jungle? Are there better vegetarian movies on Netflix? How do the English subtitles help save a film? How can we fix this movie? How does a chameleon work? What makes something universally bad?
Links
- The Nightmare World of Leo the Lion, Netflix’s Worst Movie http://slct.al/2bjeSDT
- Common Sense Media Review http://bit.ly/2bjfhG4
- Listen to It Came from the Depths of Netflix http://apple.co/2bjfdWY
- The Room http://bit.ly/2bjflpt
- Popeye the Movie http://bit.ly/2blyqvN
- Futurama Vegetarian Lion http://bit.ly/2bS6D2L
- White Elephant Gift Exchange http://bit.ly/2bm7aZi
- Leo the Lion “I’m a Vegetarian” http://bit.ly/2brAejX
- Leo the Lion Villain Song http://bit.ly/2bjjFur
Grab a flock of birds (seagulls?) and travel with Writers Get Animated to Asteroid B-612 as Chris and Mackenzie explore the world of Netflix’s “The Little Prince!” How do you adapt a story into a film? Where is our wall-sized life plan? Can a kid’s movie be meant for adults? How many eight year olds get to stay home alone? How is the plot of “The Little Prince” film like a boa constrictor?
Links
- The Little Prince Review http://bit.ly/2bpyVoU
- Little Prince Adaptations Aren’t Easy, Just Ask Orson Welles http://n.pr/2b7cOAo
- Director Mark Osborne Explains Why His Version of The Little Prince Shouldn’t Exist http://bit.ly/2b7cn8X
- Sketches from The Little Prince Movie http://bzfd.it/2b7ccL3
- Listen to The Little Prince (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer & Richard Harvey on Apple Music http://bit.ly/2b7edXk
- Paramount drops The Little Prince http://bit.ly/2b7bSff
- Review of “The Little Prince” http://bit.ly/2b7d5Da
- About the original novella “The Little Prince” http://bit.ly/2b7d4PC
- About the 1974 film “The Little Prince” http://bit.ly/2bpyMSy
- About the movie “Hook” http://bit.ly/2bpys6m
- About the play “Copenhagen” http://bit.ly/2bpyR8E
Chris and Mackenzie get real about their emotions. How do storytellers manipulate our emotions? How does a story operate on our feels? Get ready to let loose as they unpack the emotional baggage of Adventure Time’s “I Remember You” and Futurama’s “The Luck of the Fryrish.” What is the “Perception Shift?” When is a good time for an Apocalypse? How much information do you have to have about the world to make someone feel sad?
Links
- About Futurama: Luck of the Fryrish http://bit.ly/2b1LSm6
- About Futurama: Lethal Inspection http://bit.ly/2b99OFw
- About Futurama: The Late Philip J. Fry http://bit.ly/2b1LKmz
- About Adventure Time: I Remember You http://avc.lu/2b9aafv
- Buy Adventure Time: I Remember You on iTunes http://apple.co/2b9a6wd
- How Adventure Time Revitalized Post-Apocalyptic Storytelling http://bit.ly/2b1M1pF
- Looking for Structure (Has a word about the Perception Shift) http://bit.ly/2b9afzI
- Old Blog Post with a little Perception Shift Action http://bit.ly/2b1M199
- More Blog Posts about structure and Perception Shift using The Prestige http://bit.ly/2b9a3Ah
- About We Bare Bears: Burrito http://bit.ly/2b1LJPI
- BoJack Horseman and the Infinite Sadness http://bit.ly/2b9adYr
- Emotional Cartoon Episodes That Made You Cry http://bit.ly/2b1MxEc
- How Pixar Uses Music to Make You Cry http://bit.ly/2b9ar22
- Listen to Don’t You Forget About Me http://bit.ly/2b99A1e
- About Crazy Ex-Girlfriend http://bit.ly/2b1M8l2
We’re back with Season 2 of Writers Get Animated! Chris and Mackenzie do their best to not go full “Fanboy” as they discuss Mark Hamill as the Joker. What makes the Joker the best villain? What makes Mark Hamill’s performance so great? Does Batman truly smell? And if so, how badly? What makes the Joker sad? How can we make our own cardboard cutout audience of citizens of Gotham?
Links
- Batman the Animated Series on Amazon Prime http://amzn.to/2axCtD3
- Mark Hamill on the Joker at Star Wars Celebration 2016 http://uproxx.it/2aRRKQo
- The full Mark Hamill interview. Worth it! http://bit.ly/2axCgQp
- LEGO Batman Trailer http://bit.ly/2aEPRDz
- Under the Red Hood http://bit.ly/2aEQzkf
- The Killing Joke Trailer http://bit.ly/2azYMZh
You’ve heard the old adage: “Steal from the best?” What about stealing from YOURSELF?! Chris and Mackenzie power through some serious Disney déjà vu and glitches in The Matrix as they review episodes of DuckTales and TaleSpin that share the same plot! Is it a formula for a better DuckTales episode or does TaleSpin do it better? How many punchlines does “Joke-Bot 38” have? Do Duckburg and Cape Suzette share the same newspaper? How many astronomical events happen on single, specific days? Can you really use a snow plow to get rid of clouds? If Scrooge wanted to save money, why would he have meetings on Saturday mornings? How creepy can a character’s actions be and still be sympathetic? What do the citizens of Thembria listen to on the radio? What do robotic gargoyles have to do with it?
Links
- Get DuckTales “Allowance Day” on iTunes http://apple.co/29EJUof
- Get Tale Spin “The Time Bandit” on iTunes http://apple.co/29EJSwV
- About DuckTales http://bit.ly/29ELwhG About TaleSpin http://bit.ly/29EJj64
- About the Steel Clan (The Robot Gargoyles) http://bit.ly/29EK1Af
- Look at screenshots and comparisons of the episodes and the original comic http://bit.ly/29LEueY
With the release of Finding Dory and the announcement of Wreck-It Ralph 2, we decide to look at the direct to video sequels from Disney’s past: Cinderella III: A Twist in Time and Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. How do you portray animal “romance” in a way that's not awkward? Does Everyone, in fact, Need an Elton John Song? How did Simba “mark” the path for his daughter? Why doesn’t Cinderella’s Prince have a name? What other things can the magic words “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” do? How many women in the kingdom have a size 4 shoe? Can there ever be enough Aladdin?
Links
- About Cinderella III: http://bit.ly/29urnyu
- About The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride: http://bit.ly/29Aj6ew
- Cinderella III on iTunes: http://apple.co/29xD32j
- Lion King II on Amazon: http://amzn.to/29oSqIC
- Cinderella III on Rotten Tomatoes: http://bit.ly/29AjmKy
- Lion King II on Rotten Tomatoes: http://bit.ly/29Cs1Jx
- About the Disney Renaissance: http://bit.ly/29Csbk8
- The list of Disney direct to video sequels: http://bit.ly/29AiOUU
- About Aladdin and the King of Thieves: http://bit.ly/29CslIh
- About The Lion Guard: http://bit.ly/29CrU0G
- What Does Licking Mean?: http://bit.ly/29AjzNR
- Listen to Can You Feel the Love Tonight on @AppleMusic. http://bit.ly/29AjycL
- Listen to Upendi on @AppleMusic. (Or don't) http://bit.ly/29Aj86f
- About the original Cinderella: http://bit.ly/29Aj4Dq
- American Experience: Walt Disney: http://to.pbs.org/29lieK0
- Walt Disney Timeline: http://to.pbs.org/29smua0
- About Back to the Future Part II: http://bit.ly/29CrW8T
- Listen to “A Kind of Magic” by Queen on @AppleMusic: http://bit.ly/29Cseg3
- About the Big Hero 6 TV series: http://bit.ly/29AiTbp
- Merida from Brave crowned as a Disney princess: http://bit.ly/29Csb3M
- “Merida From ‘Brave’ Gets An Unnecessary Makeover, Sparks Change .org Petition:” http://huff.to/29AobDJ
- Listen to songs by Jacob Reed, creator of our theme drums: http://bit.ly/29CsjjV
Chris and Mackenzie navigate the complicated world of "Adult Animation," focusing on the turning point of the 70's and 80's when animation drew a line in the sand between stuff for kids and stuff for adults. What is it that classifies something as "Adult Animation?" Is it themes? The content? Who is "Adult Animation" for anyway? Adults? Kids that sneak into the movies? What kind of awkward, food-based metaphors can we make to explain this?
Links
- About Fritz the Cat the film: http://bit.ly/299kDs4_(film)
- About Fritz the Cat the comic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_the_Cat
- About the censored Disney film “Alice Solves the Puzzle:” http://bit.ly/299kB3u
- "A Not So Brief History of Adult Animation:" http://bit.ly/29k0htl
- "Seth Rogen's Sausage Party and a Short History of Adult Animation:" http://bit.ly/299kmFA
- "Best Adult Animated Films:" http://bit.ly/29k0FYq "Adult Animation of Ralph Bakshi:" http://bit.ly/29k0eh5
- "The Simpsons and the Birth of the Modern Animated TV Comedy:" http://bit.ly/29k01ub
- About the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code): http://bit.ly/299kRj2
- About Heavy Metal: http://bit.ly/299kwgb
- About Watership Down the movie: http://bit.ly/299kFjH
- Watch the Heavy Metal Trailer: http://bit.ly/29jZFUx About Don Bluth: http://bit.ly/29k08Ws About Cool World: http://bit.ly/29k05dg
- “Talking Adult Animation & 'Anomalisa' with Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson” http://bit.ly/299kBR9
- About Fantastic Mr. Fox: http://bit.ly/29jZSGX
- Listen to the episode Of McStuffins And Puffins: http://bit.ly/wga-017
Episode 30: Megabytes and TP Forts How does art influence story? Chris and Mackenzie venture into the worlds of ReBoot and Pickle and Peanut to see how artistic/visual choices can influence a show's characters and story! How many puns can a show about life inside of a computer upload before it crashes? How dangerous is Microsoft Paint exactly? Does anyone know what the deal is with "the cloud?" What does a cucumber and olive oil have to do with a pickle? Where is the toilet paper fort? What does a bear in a Disney show have in common with BoJack Horseman?
Links
- About the episode “Painted Windows:” http://bit.ly/28QOLTz
- Watch a preview of “90’s Adventure Bear:” http://bit.ly/28QORdy
- About Microsoft Paint: http://bit.ly/28QOTCb
- About the reboot of ReBoot: http://bit.ly/28QOSy8
- Sneak Peek of Disney's Pickle and Peanut: http://bit.ly/28RoXHC
- About Homestar Runner: http://bit.ly/28QNWyj
- About TaleSpin: http://bit.ly/28QNFvx
- About the Brecht Alienation (or Distancing) Effect: http://bit.ly/28RoV2v
- An Academic Article about the Brecht Alienation Effect! http://bit.ly/28RoUM0
Who saves Superman when Superman is in trouble? Have no fear, Writers Get Animated is here! Producer Bruce Timm called "Superman's Pal" one of the worst of episodes of Superman: The Animated Series and of the entire DC Animated Universe, so Chris and Mackenzie dig into their storytelling utility belts (we know that's a Batman reference) and rush to the rescue! Through the use of the Writer Emergency Pack (created by screenwriter John August), can they save Superman? What makes Jimmy Olsen America's Favorite Intern? What is Metallo's plan exactly? Are there kisses between humans and cyborgs that aren't awkward? What does Indiana Jones have to do with any of this?
Links
- About Writer Emergency Pack: http://bit.ly/28HwW3D
- About John August and the Scriptnotes Podcast: http://bit.ly/28HxaYB
- About Superman the Animated Series: http://bit.ly/1rs6Rnj
- Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (the comic): http://bit.ly/1rs7NYO About Bruce Timm: http://bit.ly/28Hx7vU
- Watch “Superman’s Pal” on Amazon Prime: http://amzn.to/1rs7L37
- Buy “Superman’s Pal” on iTunes: http://apple.co/1rs7LAe
- Learn more about the episode “Superman’s Pal:” http://bit.ly/1rs87a0
- Some of the craziness of the Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen comic: http://bit.ly/1rs87XD
- Commentary on the episode from Nerdist: http://bit.ly/28Hwv9D
Plot, plot? Who's got the plot? Genre does! Chris and Mackenzie go where no podcast has gone before: Into genre animation! And if they have gone there before, then we're certainly using the style of this in safe-but-surprising ways to stay in the same vein but be unique! Exclamation points!!! Why do people look down on genre fiction? What's Neil Gaiman got to do with it? What exactly is Jonny Quest studying for? Why did the adventure genre go away (hint: racism)?
- Interview with Neil Gaiman and Kazuo Ishiguro about Genre: http://bit.ly/1U9kZMv
- "Brad Bird: Animation is Not a Genre:" http://bit.ly/1U9kLVO
- Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee: http://amzn.to/1U9llTf
- About Limited Animation: http://bit.ly/1U9m8Uc
- "Indiana Jones and the Migration to Science Fiction:" http://bit.ly/1UEst7f
- About Jonny Quest: http://bit.ly/1YgDUYM
- About the episode "The Robot Spy:" http://imdb.to/1UEsCb0
- Buy "The Robot Spy" on iTunes: http://apple.co/1UEtnRa
- About Duck Dodgers- the TV Show: http://bit.ly/1YgEjue
- About the episode "The Queen is Wild:" http://imdb.to/1YgE5TS
- Buy "The Queen is Wild" on iTunes: http://apple.co/1YgDTnB
- About the original, Chuck Jones Duck Dodgers shorts: http://bit.ly/1YgDv8J
- The Duck Dodgers Theme Song: http://bit.ly/1UEsLeA
- About "Hair-Raising Hare:" http://bit.ly/1UEtzA9 Buy "Hair-Raising Hare" on iTunes: http://apple.co/1YgEhCC
- Learn more about John August (the man, the myth): http://bit.ly/1YgEgyD
"Chris and Mackenzie take Writers Get Animated LIVE! In terms of our subject matter, not our production style. Is The Jungle Book (open-parentheses-2016-closed-parentheses) an animated movie? Some of the people behind it seem to think so. It is technically animated. What is the line between live action and animation? Is it animated if you can see a live preview during shooting? Why is Disney reviving old animated features as live action movies? Is Shere Khan scary? Does anyone really want to hear Christopher Walken sing? Does realism matter for what type of talking ape we're trying to portray as a New York mobster?
- Go behind the scenes of The Jungle Book: https://youtu.be/zTebgHNSe_4
- Academy Conversations: The Jungle Book: https://youtu.be/PVvRlrKUq7o"
What is the golden age of animation? Besides the 30s–50s. We mean of the ages of animation since the golden age, which one is the shiniest? Is is the 1960s, when animation came to television? The 1970s, which we have very little to say about? The 1980s, which for some reason still won't go away? The 1990s, so full of grit and darkness? Maybe the 2000s, when things got weird? Or what about Now That's What I Call Animation: The 2010s?
Have you ever had to pause a show because it gets so preposterous? Believing in monsters that live in New York and fight crime with a cute sidekick is one thing, but do they not understand how floppy disks work? You can't take over the world with that! In this episode, Chris and Mackenzie talk about what makes animation "believable". Is Gizmo Duck really Robert Downey Jr. in disguise? What do the incandescent lightbulbs on a robot do? Why does a robot want money? Is the Uncanny Valley just a 30 Rock thing or like what? (It's not.)
- Learn more about suspension of disbelief and Samuel Taylor Coleridge: http://bit.ly/1TK3I9H
- See Armstrong the Robot's Incandescent light bulb prison during the DuckTales theme song at 00:12 - http://bit.ly/1TK41kS
- Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within: http://bit.ly/1TK4403
- Speedy Gonzales the movie is coming: http://bit.ly/1qxydrC
Chris and Mackenzie tiptoe around and/or stomp through animated television where the main characters experience some kind of gender bending adventure. After the necessary Futurama references, they get around to talking about Kim Possible and Steven Universe. Can they make it through this episode without one awakward silence? Is Futurama the best example of gender anything? How can a manbot become a fembot? Why would children want to go to a teenage rave? How many skirt jokes are needed? How do they keep all of these characters away from mirrors?
- Watch Kim Possible - Mind Games: http://video.disney.com/watch/mind-games-4c7c001649ab1432e7909ea5
- Learn More about Steven Universe - Alone Together: http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/steven-universe/fusion-training-clip.html
- Futurama - The Prisoner of Benda: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner_of_Benda
- Futurama - Bend Her: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bend_Her
- Futurama - The Farnsworth Parabox: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farnsworth_Parabox
- Futurama - Neutopia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutopia_(Futurama)
- Futurama - Raging Bender: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raging_Bender
SPOILERS DETECTED! In honor of May the Fourth, Chris and Mackenzie discuss one of the most-loved Star Wars characters of all-time: Ahsoka Tano! They infiltrate Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Jedi jump into the season two finale of Star Wars: Rebels - Twilight of the Apprentice. Is Ahsoka to blame for Darth Vader? Who caused the end of the Jedi? Have we seen the end of Ahsoka's story?
In this episode, Chris and Mackenzie board the train to Zootopia and talk about the story creation process (and dramaturgy!) at Walt Disney Animation Studios! How are Disney stories made? What is the Disney Story Trust? How badly do you want to live in Zootopia? What happens when you change your main character of your film halfway through production? Are fish friends or are they food? How infectious is a Shakira song? Should Nick and Judy be romantically involved and, if so, what would their kids be called? And what the heck is "dramaturgy" anyway? You can watch the documentary "Imagining Zootopia" here: http://bit.ly/26lAzev
Remember that animated show you loved as a kid? Are you brave enough to watch it again as an adult? Chris and Mackenzie boldly venture with the Ghost of Cartoons Past and revisit shows from their childhoods! Join them as they enter the fray with Captain Bucky O'Hare and unlock the mysteries of Jim Henson's Muppet Babies to answer the question: Does it hold up? How can Firefly fix Bucky O'Hare? How many schools are there in San Francisco? Is Nanny's house a daycare or are all the Muppets adopted and, therefore, related? Is Officer Caruthers real or is Nanny just a bad nanny? Special thanks to Chris Nee, creator of Doc McStuffins, for giving us our first, official answer to a question no one is asking!
How does a crazy idea break bad? Chris and Mackenzie explore some high concept shows that come from way, way out of left field to see how a crazy idea can be crazy good or go crazy bad! Joing them as they journey through the plot holes of Yogi's Space Race and as they traverse the wonders of Steven Universe. How is Steven Universe like Breaking Bad? Can you fall in space? Is "rock" a derogatory term for gems? Would someone actually spin a wheel to create a crazy show?
Chris and Mackenzie go through the shows that influenced them as writers. We run through the gamut of Gargoyles, the DCAU (DC Animated Universe), Looney Tunes, Wolf's Rain, Venture Bros., Darkwing Duck, Futurama, The Simpsons, Duck Tales, and Freakazoid. What makes a show "influencial" instead of simply "enjoyable?" What lessons can we learn from ducks? How many Shakespeare characters can exist in animated form?
Our fans ask: "Chris and Mackenzie, why don't you write cartoon shows?" Because no one is paying us to. However, with the help of our Wheel of Crossovers, we're bringing you three brilliant show concepts that don't exist yet. You can pay us now, Big Animation. The rules are simple: We spin the wheel to get two shows and one concept, then we have up to seven minutes to come up with a viable show. When we're done, one of those three prompts must be stricken from the wheel FOREVER. It's part improv, part animation nerdery. We prove that "It writes itself!" Or do we?
Today's episode is brought to you by the letter "J" for "Jack." Chris and Mackenzie get into children's shows chosen by Chris' 3-year-old son, Jack: Puffin Rock and Doc McStuffins. Why do pygmy shrews fart? Who tells Chris to stay on track with his playwriting? What kids' show is most like Eyes Wide Shut? What if the scientific method was a musical? What's the difference between stuffed lambs and plastic goats?
It's a very special episode of Writers Get Animated. Chris and Mackenzie open up about a very important (and complicated) topic: diversity/inclusivity in animation. The candid, personal conversation covers some large territory including Doc McStuffins, Speedy Gonzales, The Legend of Korra, Gargoyles, Star Vs. The Forces of Evil, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Futurama.
What's up, Doc? Chris and Mackezie take a sharp right turn at Albuquerque and go deep, deep down the wabbit hole to study the Chuck Jones masterpiece "What's Opera, Doc?" What does Elmer Fudd really want in life? Does Bugs Bunny actually love Elmer Fudd? Where did Bugs get that horse?
If you think The Simpsons stopped being great after awhile, you’re right! BUT! It did not stop being good! Chris and Mackenzie are joined by resident Simpsons expert Dr. Rachael Riggs Leyva to compile a list 10 great Simpsons episodes after Maude Flanders died. What makes a great episode of The Simpsons? Is child abuse still funny? Just how wibbly wobbly timey wimey is time in Springfield? When did Homer and Marge meet again?
What's one way to bring back your favorite character in a "fun" or "new" way? Give them kids! Chris and Mackenzie go on a voyage with Popeye (and Son) and join Team Avatar with their first look at The Legend of Korra. What color hair does Popeye have? What does a sailor have to do with Cajun chicken? Was Avatar Aang a good father? Who wants to buy a ship full of stinking fish?
Chris and Mackenzie talk about the 88th Oscars! Not the Animated feature category, though. Their focus? The category everyone should care about more: Animated Shorts. The nominees: World of Tomorrow, Sanjay's Super Team, We Can't Live Without Cosmos, Bear Story, and Prologue. This year's group of nominees only includes two films animated with computer graphics. Is this a return to traditional animation? How much dialogue do you need for a short film? Can anyone ever beat Pixar?
Video games and cartoons. The two often go hand-in-hand. If someone likes cartoons, they often like video games. But should we really like video games AND cartoons? Is their union an unholy matrimony, or is there potential for cartoons based on games to be the biggest thing since Marvel comics went cinematic? Their victims for the day: Sonic the Hedgehog and The Legend of Zelda. Bonus mentions of The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Boom, and Futurama: The Lost Episode.
It's the episode Gotham deserves! Chris and Mackenzie spelunk into the Bat-Cave to investigate tone in Batman: The Animated Series! There have been many incarnations of Batman, and Batman: The Animated Series has shown the Dark Knight from many angles and in some very different lights. In this episode of Writers Get Animated, they look at three Bat-episodes: Almost Got 'Im, Over the Edge, and Tales of the Dark Knight.
It's everyone's favorite animated Great Dane! Chris and Mackenzie scarf down a whole box of Scooby Snacks to talk about Scooby-Doo and his gang of meddling kids! They look at the very first episode of Scooby-Doo (What a Night for a Knight) and the first episode of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo (Mystery 101), the latest incarnation. They ask the questions no one asks, such as: Why does Daphne hang out with these people? Are Velma's glasses sonic? And does all this happen inside of Scooby's head?
"Hey, you remember that really successful movie? Now, it's an animated TV show!" What could possibly go wrong? Chris and Mackenzie investigate the different ways companies have spun-off movies into animated shows and dive into some successes, looking at episodes of Aladdin and Men in Black.
When two worlds really love each other... They crossover! Chris and Mackenzie go in-depth the granddaddy crossover event: "The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones" in which we learn that Fred Flintstone is a terrible person. Seriously. Then, they follow up with Simpsorama, the Simpsons/Futurama crossover episode in which we're reminded that Bender is awesome.
It's the long lost unaired pilot of Writers Get Animated! And by 'long', we mean 'not at all'. Listen! As Chris and Mackenzie get awkwardly close to their mics. Gasp! As our heroes struggle for something to talk about. Marvel! At their ability to fill their holiday broadcast schedule. As part of our (previously) unaired pilot, we look at the unaired pilots of The Real Ghostbusters and Regular Show and then discuss ditched concepts such as Gotham High (It's Batman in high school!) and Roger Rabbit vs. Nazis!
To celebrate the New Year, Writers Get Animated brings you shows that have no resolutions! Cliffhangers! They're everywhere: mid-season finales, season finales, quarter-season finales. Some shows do it well, some shows were cancelled before the cliffhangers could be resolved. Chris and Mackenzie define three types of cliffhangers by taking a look at the multiple endings of Futurama, the "Who Shot Mr. Burns" episodes of The Simpsons, and the final episodes of Young Justice.
It's the Writers Get Animated Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special! Chris and Mackenize look at two holiday classics... Well, one holiday classic (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) and a show with "Christmas" in the title (He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special) to answer the big questions no one asks: Is the North Pole a Marxist ideal? How did the toys get to the Island of Misfit toys? How does Skeletor get the Christmas Spirit? And what exactly is a "Beast Monster?"
A long time ago, in a Nigel's living room far, far away... Celebrate (or lament) the release of The Force Awakens with Chris and Mackenzie! We go way back to the first episode of Star Wars: Droids and then Force-jump into two story arcs from Star Wars: The Clone Wars to see how animation has helped expand the Star Wars universe.
What's new (everyone-else-but-Scooby-Doo)? In this episode, Chris and Mackenzie discuss some of the new shows they caught and decide which shows they'll continue to watch. Special focus on Guardians of the Galaxy, Wabbit, We Bare Bears, and Star vs. The Forces of Evil. 2014 set the bar high for new animated shows. Does 2015 hold up?
In this episode, we explore the concept of origin stories, beginning with the grandaddy of them all: Superman. Join Chris and Mackenzie as they journey through the origin story episodes of Darkwing Duck and The Powerpuff Girls. How does each follow, distort, and have fun with the concept of origin stories?