Gargoyles Season Two, Volume Two Finally Coming? - Tentative Plans Announced

[Dread]

After a wait of nearly ten years, the chance to right a wrong in terms of my tenure as a fan of Western animation (and animation in general) gets to be corrected thanks to some overdue effort on the part of Disney. But to set things up properly, maybe some perspective is in order.

These days, Disney is a giant of a corporation that owns everything from Marvel Comics to ESPN and has no end of networks, shows, and a library of classic films for all ages. However, at the start of the 1980's, the company was hardly in calm waters. The deaths of the founders of the company during the mid-1960's caused the company to have more trouble releasing a train of steady hits in terms of animated productions. By the time I was born, former Disney animator Don Bluth had formed his own studio which was cranking out animated hits which usually out did many of Disney's efforts. For the record, Bluth's "AN AMERICAN TAIL" and "THE LAND BEFORE TIME" outdid Disney's "THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE" or "OLIVER & COMPANY" at the box office. To this end, Disney had to try some new ideas. This not only led to the innovative and risky genius that was "WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?" in 1988, but it led to an increased investment in TV animation for network syndication.

Cartoons were all over the place on TV in the 1980's, but most of them were animated as cheaply as possible to maximize profits from ratings and toys (or minimize losses if they flopped). The king of this era was no doubt FILMATION with their genre defining He-Man and She-Ra franchises, among others. Even "TMNT" in the late 80's was hardly the pinnacle of animation quality as episodes were cranked out at a steady clip, errors be damned. Faced with losing ground on the big screen, Disney decided to invest in the small one. This led to "DUCKTALES" and subsequent network TV animated shows such as "GUMMI BEARS", "CHIP & DALES' RESCUE RANGERS", "TALESPIN", and "DARKWING DUCK". These shows proved to be hits and earned Disney their own blocks on network TV through the late 80's into the early 90's. In addition, the success of 1989's "THE LITTLE MERMAID" kicked off what is usually considered a renaissance with Disney with a train of hits from that to "DINOSAUR" in 2000. Classics such as "BEAUTY & THE BEAST", "ALADDIN", "THE LION KING" and even "TOY STORY" debuted during this era.

However, now it's the early 90's, call it 1992-1994. The era of talking animals and cuddly characters being kings of the heap is coming to an end, or at least taking a well deserved nap (much to NBC's surprise). By now even the "TMNT" have released a dud of a third film and are fading fast from atop the pile. While many of the "duck shows" are still healthy hits in syndication, a rolling stone gains no moss. Disney began the practice of spinning off animated TV shows after successful films with "The Little Mermaid" and especially "Aladdin" branching out to the small screen. During the 80's there were always some shows which sought to push the envelope of what the format and networks would allow in terms of tone and presentation (off the top of my head, "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS" sticks out), 1992 was naturally the year "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" debuted on Fox by Warner Brothers. It offered a darker, more mature take on the dark knight than ever presented on TV before and while intended to reap the success of "BATMAN RETURNS", it became its own genre defining beast. Suddenly, animated TV shows could entertain kids of all ages and even sell merchandise while maintaining a high standard of quality and taking their material seriously. "ANIMANIACS" proved that this didn't mean the end of comedy shows with cuddly characters, but that they at least had to be smarter and produced better.

Into this era, former English teacher and DC Comics writer/editor Greg Weisman was tapped to create Disney's answer to this challenge. Alongside co-producers Frank Paur and Micheal Reaves with a slew of talented writers, directors, and actors, "GARGOYLES" hit the airwaves in 1994, about a week before Halloween. The ads and trailers often hyped up the mystery and suspense, offering a claw-swipe on a wall and some deep voiced words. Were these "GARGOYLES" crime fighters or something else?

For the life of me I can't remember why I didn't watch the show much at all when it was new, and it has been something I usually regretted. When it debuted I would have been 12 and I don't quite know why I probably stopped watching during the first season and saw little of the show since. Being more of a comic book fan, I was likely more interested in the Fox cartoons featuring those characters like Batman or the "X-MEN". That was also the age I started becoming interested in anime and having less patience with things I didn't go into with immediate investment like a comic adaptation. I vaguely recall "GARGOYLES" airing at the same time as something else I wanted to watch and I assumed I'd catch up on later, which never happened. At best I watched some of the first season and some episodes here or there over the years but I wasn't attached as I could have been. By the time I got older and wanted to watch it, I didn't have cable and Disney Channel was butchering the show in edits anyway. Once the DVD age came out and it became far cheaper and easier to collect TV shows, I thought it would be inevitable that Disney would tap into the show which became an institution. "GARGOYLES" earned a devoted and loyal following as well as constructed its own universe of complex characters and above all a serialized story line. It's held up in the same breath as "B:TAS" in terms of genre defining TV animation and to some it's superior. The first season hit DVD in 2004, in time for the tenth anniversary. The first set of Season 2 came the next year. But after that, nothing until just last month. Disney Club Exclusive, meet eBay, the grand equalizer (which Disney themselves capitalize on, selling dozens of copies at a time via Buena Vista). Now, just in time for the show's 20th anniversary next October, I can at least make good on one mistake of my youth. Now if could only find someone willing to buy some Pogs.

Two seasons, 65 episodes, genre defining animated television of mythic proportions. It's about damn time.

(And yes, I know technically "Gargoyles" had a third season called the "Goliath Chronicles", but by then Weisman was yanked from the show and it's not canon. So there.)

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

After a wait of nearly ten years, the chance to right a wrong in terms of my tenure as a fan of Western animation (and animation in general) gets to be corrected thanks to some overdue effort on the part of Disney. But to set things up properly, maybe some perspective is in order.

These days, Disney is a giant of a corporation that owns everything from Marvel Comics to ESPN and has no end of networks, shows, and a library of classic films for all ages. However, at the start of the 1980's, the company was hardly in calm waters. The deaths of the founders of the company during the mid-1960's caused the company to have more trouble releasing a train of steady hits in terms of animated productions. By the time I was born, former Disney animator Don Bluth had formed his own studio which was cranking out animated hits which usually out did many of Disney's efforts. For the record, Bluth's "AN AMERICAN TAIL" and "THE LAND BEFORE TIME" outdid Disney's "THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE" or "OLIVER & COMPANY" at the box office. To this end, Disney had to try some new ideas. This not only led to the innovative and risky genius that was "WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?" in 1988, but it led to an increased investment in TV animation for network syndication.

Cartoons were all over the place on TV in the 1980's, but most of them were animated as cheaply as possible to maximize profits from ratings and toys (or minimize losses if they flopped). The king of this era was no doubt FILMATION with their genre defining He-Man and She-Ra franchises, among others. Even "TMNT" in the late 80's was hardly the pinnacle of animation quality as episodes were cranked out at a steady clip, errors be damned. Faced with losing ground on the big screen, Disney decided to invest in the small one. This led to "DUCKTALES" and subsequent network TV animated shows such as "GUMMI BEARS", "CHIP & DALES' RESCUE RANGERS", "TALESPIN", and "DARKWING DUCK". These shows proved to be hits and earned Disney their own blocks on network TV through the late 80's into the early 90's. In addition, the success of 1989's "THE LITTLE MERMAID" kicked off what is usually considered a renaissance with Disney with a train of hits from that to "DINOSAUR" in 2000. Classics such as "BEAUTY & THE BEAST", "ALADDIN", "THE LION KING" and even "TOY STORY" debuted during this era.

However, now it's the early 90's, call it 1992-1994. The era of talking animals and cuddly characters being kings of the heap is coming to an end, or at least taking a well deserved nap (much to NBC's surprise). By now even the "TMNT" have released a dud of a third film and are fading fast from atop the pile. While many of the "duck shows" are still healthy hits in syndication, a rolling stone gains no moss. Disney began the practice of spinning off animated TV shows after successful films with "The Little Mermaid" and especially "Aladdin" branching out to the small screen. During the 80's there were always some shows which sought to push the envelope of what the format and networks would allow in terms of tone and presentation (off the top of my head, "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS" sticks out), 1992 was naturally the year "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" debuted on Fox by Warner Brothers. It offered a darker, more mature take on the dark knight than ever presented on TV before and while intended to reap the success of "BATMAN RETURNS", it became its own genre defining beast. Suddenly, animated TV shows could entertain kids of all ages and even sell merchandise while maintaining a high standard of quality and taking their material seriously. "ANIMANIACS" proved that this didn't mean the end of comedy shows with cuddly characters, but that they at least had to be smarter and produced better.

Into this era, former English teacher and DC Comics writer/editor Greg Weisman was tapped to create Disney's answer to this challenge. Alongside co-producers Frank Paur and Micheal Reaves with a slew of talented writers, directors, and actors, "GARGOYLES" hit the airwaves in 1994, about a week before Halloween. The ads and trailers often hyped up the mystery and suspense, offering a claw-swipe on a wall and some deep voiced words. Were these "GARGOYLES" crime fighters or something else?

For the life of me I can't remember why I didn't watch the show much at all when it was new, and it has been something I usually regretted. When it debuted I would have been 12 and I don't quite know why I probably stopped watching during the first season and saw little of the show since. Being more of a comic book fan, I was likely more interested in the Fox cartoons featuring those characters like Batman or the "X-MEN". That was also the age I started becoming interested in anime and having less patience with things I didn't go into with immediate investment like a comic adaptation. I vaguely recall "GARGOYLES" airing at the same time as something else I wanted to watch and I assumed I'd catch up on later, which never happened. At best I watched some of the first season and some episodes here or there over the years but I wasn't attached as I could have been. By the time I got older and wanted to watch it, I didn't have cable and Disney Channel was butchering the show in edits anyway. Once the DVD age came out and it became far cheaper and easier to collect TV shows, I thought it would be inevitable that Disney would tap into the show which became an institution. "GARGOYLES" earned a devoted and loyal following as well as constructed its own universe of complex characters and above all a serialized story line. It's held up in the same breath as "B:TAS" in terms of genre defining TV animation and to some it's superior. The first season hit DVD in 2004, in time for the tenth anniversary. The first set of Season 2 came the next year. But after that, nothing until just last month. Disney Club Exclusive, meet eBay, the grand equalizer (which Disney themselves capitalize on, selling dozens of copies at a time via Buena Vista). Now, just in time for the show's 20th anniversary next October, I can at least make good on one mistake of my youth. Now if could only find someone willing to buy some Pogs.

Two seasons, 65 episodes, genre defining animated television of mythic proportions. It's about damn time.

(And yes, I know technically "Gargoyles" had a third season called the "Goliath Chronicles", but by then Weisman was yanked from the show and it's not canon. So there.)

Oh, I am so happy to see this. Your coming posts should be really good.

 

[Dread]

Making up the first five episodes of the first season (which totaled 13 episodes) is "THE AWAKENING". The episodes originally aired every afternoon for a work week and much like the pilots of many cartoon series from the 80's and 90's (including "DUCKTALES" and previous Disney TV shows of the era), all essentially tell one long story. This was often done so these episodes could later be edited together as a motion picture for home video, which this was ("GARGOYLES: THE MOVIE", on VHS at a BLOCKBUSTER near you). Thus for the sake of simplicity and time I'll just review it all in one post. It'll be easier to cover all the core characters introduced here as well as the overall story, which may seem epic unto itself but is naturally just the tip of the iceberg.

Upon starting the episode, two things popped out at me immediately. The first was the high standard of animation - not quite at theatrical quality but very very good for TV animation in the mid-90's. It's far better than virtually all "X-MEN" episodes and even better than many episodes of "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES". Heck, "CLASS OF THE TITANS", produced by Nelvana for Canadian YTV, debuted a full DECADE LATER (2004) and isn't animated as well. The character models are simple but still have quite a lot of detail and emotion to them, the background look great, and movements are usually fluid. We start out in present day New York before taking a tour of the middle ages for a few episodes, but that's fine. The second thing which is instantly noticeable is the music. Carl Johnson is the composer for the series, and his credits span many TV and film projects, including "B:TAS" and many other Disney shows. The score to the show is as iconic as ever and every episode seems to brim with music which elevates the already epic series further. I've heard many a creator state how key music is to any piece, especially in animation, and "GARGOYLES" seems to prove that definitively.

The first character we meet is Elisa Maza, so I may as well start out with her, too. Voiced by Salli Richardson, she's an NYPD detective and at least for the first season (so far) is the female lead. We get to learn more about her in the 4th and 5th episodes, since unlike the titular Gargoyles she isn't able to span centuries. While having the female lead of an animated "action" series be a woman of color is still notable in 2013, it was especially notable in 1994 when off the top of one's head her only comparison was Storm of "X-MEN", who usually suffered from atrocious dialogue. She's sassy but intelligent, and quite cunning in a fight. She's far too smart to fall for the initial lies of our lead protagonist (more on him later), and she proves herself invaluable to the heroes very quickly. She speaks the first of many timeless lines from the series, about claws that can carve through stone, but hardly the last. While she is quickly rescued by the male lead of the series when they first meet, "THE AWAKENING - PART FOUR" proves crucial to selling her to the audience as far from a damsel in distress. In that episode, she saves Goliath from a squad of commandos who'd practically defeated him and held their own against the entire clan earlier - taking them all down one by one with little more than guile and a knowledge of capitalizing on Central Park. From uncovering riddles to offering advice on adjusting to the modern era, to later on even dabbling on counter spells, she also is the former in a "beauty and the beast" style romantic subplot with the series' male lead, Goliath. Elisa helps introduce her to their new world, Goliath literally exposes his vulnerability to her early on, and so forth.

Once the setting shifts to 994 A.D. in Scotland, we naturally meet the titular noble creatures of the series. Mythology and history have long been the inspiration for animation and hero epics, but choosing some lessor known European mythology rather than myths over familiar with audiences such as the Greek and Roman ones is but one of many smart choices the series makes, along with some real nods to history such as the threat of Viking attacks on kingdoms during the middle ages. Castle Wyvern is home to Princess Catherine, her wizard Magus, her captain of the guard and of course her people, and a large tribe of mythical living gargoyles who are stone by day but very much alive at night. While the legends of monsters make some Vikings wary, their commander Hakon (Clancy Brown, before he was voicing Lex Luthor for a living) is hearing none of it. Despite aiding in repelling invaders from her kingdom, most of the people there (aside for a small boy named Tom and the captain) have nothing but contempt or fear for the Gargoyles. What may surprise some viewers is that Goliath bleeds (a few drops of blood) very soon after we meet him from catching a sword's blade in his palm, and how during the big fight with Vikings not ALL of them land safely on haystacks. It takes a practice the 2003 era "TMNT" series put to good use, by not showing EVERY evil minion harmlessly escape (and later showing some wounded in their camp), the danger of the battle is implied without being made harmless for censors.

Goliath is our male lead voiced by Keith David in the role which probably defines his career for many fans as much as Kevin Conroy is defined by Batman. Appearing in many films (including "PLATOON") and some voice roles before this series, it's virtually impossible to imagine anyone else playing Goliath. The opening arc is very much about him and has Goliath go through a lot of turmoil and changes of perspective, and David manages to capture it all and make it authentic. As a character, Goliath is the commander of the Gargoyles but unlike many leaders in animation of the time he is neither flawless or boring. While he may be the biggest and strongest of the clan, he also can be impulsive and selfless to a fault, and naturally has a temper when riled. His desire to settle matters alone and avoid involving his fellow Gargoyles as much as he can actually proves to cause disaster considering the great betrayal he and his kind suffer in this opening. David can do a beastly bellow of rage or sorrow, or command fleets into battle, or say something tender, and it all works for the character. He easily stands out against, say, the 1987 era Leonardo or the 90's era Cyclops, and offers more nuance than Optimus Prime did for ages (if ever). The series even trusts its audience enough to show Goliath's eyes watering in the fifth episode, not fretting about him "not seeming manly".

The other main Gargoyles characters don't get names officially until the 4th and 5th episodes, but they're special nonetheless. Ed Asner voices Hudson, the "old man" of the group. What I like about his design is that it captures the fact that he's lived his share of battle very quickly and efficiently. He's the only one of the Gargoyles who carries a weapon - either due to needing it due to age, or being wise enough to know how handy a weapon is even when one is made of living stone. He also wears the most clothing and bares a scar over his face and what appears to be a false eye. While Hudson (named after the NY river) is always quick to offer words of advice, he still follows Goliath's command and later finds a flair for television. Next are the three "kids" of the group, the younger Gargoyles who probably mirror some of the target audience for the series well. They are the small but intelligently curious Lexington (Thomas H. Adcox), the jovial and eternally hungry Broadway (Bill Fagerbakke), and the somewhat more gruff and adventurous Brooklyn (Jeff Bennett). Seeing how Lex and Broadway interact I wondered if some of this would become ore for how Robin and Kid-Flash would be portrayed later on in "YOUNG JUSTICE" (the short gadget whiz and his happy go lucky pal who is always eating). While "kid" characters can often be annoying in cartoons, this show wisely portrays their youth in how they interact and react to things around them, instead of catch phrases or lame jokes. While they often are used for humor it is usually smarter and more effective. There's also Bronx, voiced by Frank Welker, who is somewhat of a Gargoyle dog. There's little other way to describe him; he acts like a dog and barks like one. Yet like Lockjaw of the Inhumans, I wonder if he's just a pet or some deformed Gargoyle or whatever. Fortunately, in another of Gargoyles innovations, the "pet" character isn't annoying or mugging for attention at all times, like Slimer or Snarf or Deputy Fuzz used to.

And of course there's Demona, that little character nobody's heard of. Seriously, she's voiced by Marina Sirtis who will always be remembered by fandom for her work here and for "STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION" (from which many actors for this show seemed to hail). She is first introduced as Goliath's lover and second in command, but her story quickly becomes more tragic and treacherous as the episodes go on. Next to Xanatos and Goliath herself, Demona is the character who seems to be the most fondly remembered of the show, and it is easy to see why. Sirtis voices the character beautifully and she manages to pull off a rarity for genre fiction - a tragic female villain who doesn't rely on her gender to manipulate people. By this I mean while she is treacherous and manipulative, she doesn't do it by shoving her body at the hero and trying to seduce them or play to their hormones, like Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Talia Al Ghul, Harley Quinn, Amora the Enchantress, and even sometimes Mystique are prone to do. While she does use her relationship with Goliath against him if she has to, she is playing against his genuine love for her, not mere lust for her body. More often than not, she manipulates with half truths and her perspective on humanity, as well as her own cunning and ruthlessness. The story, even at this stage, does paint her as tragic, but it also does not forget that she's a villain just because she's pretty or female. It is easy to compare her to Magneto, as both have been tormented by humanity and seek vengeance for it and crimes against their species, but their efforts often are self destructive and even fulfilling. Yet in 1994, Magneto's angle in "X-MEN" was being told in more blunt terms, and he was hardly even the central villain of the season.

Things go badly for the Gargoyles in 994. Demona and Goliath, while lovers, continue to disagree about how to treat humans in general and the kingdom which has emerged on their ancient lands and castle. They're ultimately betrayed by the one human they trusted and while Goliath manages to remain noble and save the Princess from Hakon, it isn't before Magus uses a spell to trap what few of his kind survived the betrayal into seemingly permanent stone. Goliath asks to share their fate as well and so they sleep for a thousand years until being revived in the modern day by David Xanatos - yes, the same Xanatos behind the TV Trope. Voiced by another "ST:TNG" alum, Jonathan Frakes, David Xanatos rewrote the book when it comes to a central antagonist. While he's incredibly wealthy, intelligent, and connected (bragging about having a higher net worth than many countries), he also isn't as stupidly petty or vengeful as many villains tend to be. In fact, beyond the fact that Xanatos is ultimately pitted against our heroes and usually believed the ends justify the means, he's actually rather charming and reasonable. He also treats his lackey, Owen, well, never belittling or insulting him as countless villains did to minions throughout the 80's and even into the 90's. Even years later in "SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES", Lex Luthor proves to be far more juvenile and incompetent early on, throwing fits in his office and insulting anyone who dares work for him - even those he relies on. Heck, at the end of the five part pilot Xanatos winds up being arrested, yet for him it's barely even a set back. What sells it is that while Xanatos is smug, he isn't so arrogant that he can't learn from a mistake or even capitalize from the consequences of one. His skyscraper which serves as the new home for Castle Wyvern is very well designed and proves to serve as a headquarters for our heroes, at least at the start. When the Gargoyles prove unable to be controlled, Xanatos just uses what he learned to make robot doubles. When those fail, that's just plan A. He's always got something up his sleeve.

Despite being a captain of technological industries, Xanatos isn't one to dismiss things as magic or legends. Having been curious about Magus' spell book, the Grimorum, after claiming it, Xanatos broke the spell entombing the Gargoyles and then sets out to do what he usually does when finding a resource - exploit it for his own ends. Goliath is understandably weary of humans after his betrayal and the seeming loss of Demona, but Xanatos is a patient host, willing to bide his time even after manipulating events to cause the Gargoyles to attack one of his business rivals. Soon meeting Elisa, Goliath ultimately has to choose between her or Xanatos, and even literally between her and Demona once things go south. In the end, Xanatos is seemingly defeated and the Gargoyles reclaim their castle in a new era, for the moment. What challenges await them in this new era? Well, we have another 60 episodes to find out.

These episodes prove so adept at creating and embellishing upon a world they create that it becomes hard to notice when it seems an entire episode passes without an action sequence. The dialogue is usually so well written that it becomes easy to forget one is watching a cartoon that a corporation probably envisioned to use to sell toys to children like they usually do. Weisman and his producers and writers didn't take their audience for fools or mindless toy-buying machines and instead went to work drafting and creating a new epic for them, with all the weight, tragedy, drama, and tension that it entailed. "GARGOYLES" also doesn't pretend that dangerous things happen without consequences and the battle against network censorship usually always results in something grand - the suits were wrong about "A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS" and they were wrong about this. The episodes do a fine job of telling the audience who these gargoyles are and what they can and can't do, and even some hints at their society, without having a bald man in a wheelchair spend three minutes on exposition. There are references to history (such as Hakon making a joke about being illiterate, as most Vikings and many people were back then) to legends such as King Arthur to even other elements such as Dracula. Goliath calls Demona his "angel of the night" which invokes a memory of Dracula's "children of the night" yet works in a different context (plus, Elisa name drops Dracula later on). While the storyboards of the action may seem simple compared to some of the uber-brawls which would come later in "YOUNG JUSTICE" or "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN", they're still on par with what was the pinnacle at the time ("B:TAS") and better than what Marvel animation usually had (Wolverine, the Mad Tackler). Even Goliath's "stone pose" often emulates "The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin (as Goliath often has to reflect on which direction to lead his clan or which side to stand). While many cartoon shows offered catch phrases or stodgy morality lessons ("CAPTAIN PLANET"), "GARGOYLES" manages to do some teaching and referencing without it seeming like edu-tainment or spoon feeding.

Not only did the Gargoyles have an "AWAKENING", but I'd argue so did the collective imaginations of the audience watching this. I honestly don't know what could have been more important to pay attention to when I was 12, or why I fell off the series mostly after this. Thanks to DVD, though, now I can enjoy it without commercials, editing out of scenes with blood or mentions of Hell, and in top quality.

Are there some hiccups? Probably. There's one moment where Elisa is supposed to be sneaking around yet talks to herself which is standard for cartoons but usually makes me roll my eyes. I suppose some people may find some of the technology with floppy discs and very bulky computers dated now, but that's just trivial. There are some brief moments of repeat animation or some struggle for characters to stay on model but it's the exception to the rule. Of course animation techniques have improved since 1994, especially for feature film or DVD. There are moments which may border on melodrama for some, but I rolled with it because I appreciated the story as an epic or an opera which naturally has drama as its ore. Heck, thinking your immortal lover has been shattered to pieces is a good reason to bellow at the heavens.

"THE AWAKENING" holds up as it sucks in the viewer for 5 episodes that seem to pass faster than it seems and introduce them to a bold new world of adventure. I may use spoilers from here on out for some who haven't watched but the pilot at least should be immortal by now. "GARGOYLES" works for many reasons - the music, acting, animation, pacing, etc. - but mostly because all involved had more faith in their audience and their ability to grasp a strong, densely entertaining saga than many whose jobs to "sell" to them believed. Animation is a medium which can be used for glorious and epic things, not just to sell action figures and lunchboxes. It holds up, and no doubt symbolizes why "GARGOYLES" has never left the airwaves and continued to enchant audiences for almost a full generation now.

Next up, "THRILL OF THE HUNT" and hopefully some shorter lectures.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

The first character we meet is Elisa Maza, so I may as well start out with her, too. Voiced by Salli Richardson, she's an NYPD detective and at least for the first season (so far) is the female lead. We get to learn more about her in the 4th and 5th episodes, since unlike the titular Gargoyles she isn't able to span centuries. While having the female lead of an animated "action" series be a woman of color is still notable in 2013, it was especially notable in 1994 when off the top of one's head her only comparison was Storm of "X-MEN", who usually suffered from atrocious dialogue. She's sassy but intelligent, and quite cunning in a fight. She's far too smart to fall for the initial lies of our lead protagonist (more on him later), and she proves herself invaluable to the heroes very quickly. She speaks the first of many timeless lines from the series, about claws that can carve through stone, but hardly the last. While she is quickly rescued by the male lead of the series when they first meet, "THE AWAKENING - PART FOUR" proves crucial to selling her to the audience as far from a damsel in distress. In that episode, she saves Goliath from a squad of commandos who'd practically defeated him and held their own against the entire clan earlier - taking them all down one by one with little more than guile and a knowledge of capitalizing on Central Park. From uncovering riddles to offering advice on adjusting to the modern era, to later on even dabbling on counter spells, she also is the former in a "beauty and the beast" style romantic subplot with the series' male lead, Goliath. Elisa helps introduce her to their new world, Goliath literally exposes his vulnerability to her early on, and so forth.

Elisa Maza was ahead of her time. How many "normal friends" on shows like this often kick more ass than the heroes themselves? And she does so in a way that doesn't feel over the top and ridiculous. I know April O'Neil is often the first character she gets compared to, but... no... April wishes.

Once the setting shifts to 994 A.D. in Scotland, we naturally meet the titular noble creatures of the series. Mythology and history have long been the inspiration for animation and hero epics, but choosing some lessor known European mythology rather than myths over familiar with audiences such as the Greek and Roman ones is but one of many smart choices the series makes, along with some real nods to history such as the threat of Viking attacks on kingdoms during the middle ages. Castle Wyvern is home to Princess Catherine, her wizard Magus, her captain of the guard and of course her people, and a large tribe of mythical living gargoyles who are stone by day but very much alive at night. While the legends of monsters make some Vikings wary, their commander Hakon (Clancy Brown, before he was voicing Lex Luthor for a living) is hearing none of it. Despite aiding in repelling invaders from her kingdom, most of the people there (aside for a small boy named Tom and the captain) have nothing but contempt or fear for the Gargoyles. What may surprise some viewers is that Goliath bleeds (a few drops of blood) very soon after we meet him from catching a sword's blade in his palm, and how during the big fight with Vikings not ALL of them land safely on haystacks. It takes a practice the 2003 era "TMNT" series put to good use, by not showing EVERY evil minion harmlessly escape (and later showing some wounded in their camp), the danger of the battle is implied without being made harmless for censors.

Nice point about the action scenes, and this first one was still lighter fare compared to some that came later.

And, this is me being anal retentive, it's Katharine, not Catherine.

Goliath is our male lead voiced by Keith David in the role which probably defines his career for many fans as much as Kevin Conroy is defined by Batman. Appearing in many films (including "PLATOON") and some voice roles before this series, it's virtually impossible to imagine anyone else playing Goliath. The opening arc is very much about him and has Goliath go through a lot of turmoil and changes of perspective, and David manages to capture it all and make it authentic. As a character, Goliath is the commander of the Gargoyles but unlike many leaders in animation of the time he is neither flawless or boring. While he may be the biggest and strongest of the clan, he also can be impulsive and selfless to a fault, and naturally has a temper when riled. His desire to settle matters alone and avoid involving his fellow Gargoyles as much as he can actually proves to cause disaster considering the great betrayal he and his kind suffer in this opening. David can do a beastly bellow of rage or sorrow, or command fleets into battle, or say something tender, and it all works for the character. He easily stands out against, say, the 1987 era Leonardo or the 90's era Cyclops, and offers more nuance than Optimus Prime did for ages (if ever). The series even trusts its audience enough to show Goliath's eyes watering in the fifth episode, not fretting about him "not seeming manly".

Heroes are hard, especially when they are great leaders. You need to show why they are great, but you also need to keep them "human" or else they are boring instead of compelling. Goliath does it well.

The other main Gargoyles characters don't get names officially until the 4th and 5th episodes, but they're special nonetheless. Ed Asner voices Hudson, the "old man" of the group. What I like about his design is that it captures the fact that he's lived his share of battle very quickly and efficiently. He's the only one of the Gargoyles who carries a weapon - either due to needing it due to age, or being wise enough to know how handy a weapon is even when one is made of living stone. He also wears the most clothing and bares a scar over his face and what appears to be a false eye. While Hudson (named after the NY river) is always quick to offer words of advice, he still follows Goliath's command and later finds a flair for television. Next are the three "kids" of the group, the younger Gargoyles who probably mirror some of the target audience for the series well. They are the small but intelligently curious Lexington (Thomas H. Adcox), the jovial and eternally hungry Broadway (Bill Fagerbakke), and the somewhat more gruff and adventurous Brooklyn (Jeff Bennett). Seeing how Lex and Broadway interact I wondered if some of this would become ore for how Robin and Kid-Flash would be portrayed later on in "YOUNG JUSTICE" (the short gadget whiz and his happy go lucky pal who is always eating). While "kid" characters can often be annoying in cartoons, this show wisely portrays their youth in how they interact and react to things around them, instead of catch phrases or lame jokes. While they often are used for humor it is usually smarter and more effective. There's also Bronx, voiced by Frank Welker, who is somewhat of a Gargoyle dog. There's little other way to describe him; he acts like a dog and barks like one. Yet like Lockjaw of the Inhumans, I wonder if he's just a pet or some deformed Gargoyle or whatever. Fortunately, in another of Gargoyles innovations, the "pet" character isn't annoying or mugging for attention at all times, like Slimer or Snarf or Deputy Fuzz used to.

When you get to the final episodes, look back at the trio here... they'll have evolved so much by then.

And, slipping into GargWiki mode. Bronx is a Gargoyle Beast. Sort of of to gargoyles as chimpanzees are to humans. Kept as watchdogs and companions. He gets his own starring episode way down the line.

And of course there's Demona, that little character nobody's heard of. Seriously, she's voiced by Marina Sirtis who will always be remembered by fandom for her work here and for "STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION" (from which many actors for this show seemed to hail). She is first introduced as Goliath's lover and second in command, but her story quickly becomes more tragic and treacherous as the episodes go on. Next to Xanatos and Goliath herself, Demona is the character who seems to be the most fondly remembered of the show, and it is easy to see why. Sirtis voices the character beautifully and she manages to pull off a rarity for genre fiction - a tragic female villain who doesn't rely on her gender to manipulate people. By this I mean while she is treacherous and manipulative, she doesn't do it by shoving her body at the hero and trying to seduce them or play to their hormones, like Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Talia Al Ghul, Harley Quinn, Amora the Enchantress, and even sometimes Mystique are prone to do. While she does use her relationship with Goliath against him if she has to, she is playing against his genuine love for her, not mere lust for her body. More often than not, she manipulates with half truths and her perspective on humanity, as well as her own cunning and ruthlessness. The story, even at this stage, does paint her as tragic, but it also does not forget that she's a villain just because she's pretty or female. It is easy to compare her to Magneto, as both have been tormented by humanity and seek vengeance for it and crimes against their species, but their efforts often are self destructive and even fulfilling. Yet in 1994, Magneto's angle in "X-MEN" was being told in more blunt terms, and he was hardly even the central villain of the season.

I agree with that summary. Although, she differs from Magneto in the sense that she brought most of her tragedies on herself. You'll see more as you get deeper into the series; but as Goliath pointed out, the massacre of the clan would never have happened without her being a willing participant.

And, I really wish someone other than Greg Weisman would hire Marina Sirtis to do voice work... she has such a terrific voice that lends itself well to powerful, female villains.

Things go badly for the Gargoyles in 994. Demona and Goliath, while lovers, continue to disagree about how to treat humans in general and the kingdom which has emerged on their ancient lands and castle. They're ultimately betrayed by the one human they trusted and while Goliath manages to remain noble and save the Princess from Hakon, it isn't before Magus uses a spell to trap what few of his kind survived the betrayal into seemingly permanent stone. Goliath asks to share their fate as well and so they sleep for a thousand years until being revived in the modern day by David Xanatos - yes, the same Xanatos behind the TV Trope. Voiced by another "ST:TNG" alum, Jonathan Frakes, David Xanatos rewrote the book when it comes to a central antagonist. While he's incredibly wealthy, intelligent, and connected (bragging about having a higher net worth than many countries), he also isn't as stupidly petty or vengeful as many villains tend to be. In fact, beyond the fact that Xanatos is ultimately pitted against our heroes and usually believed the ends justify the means, he's actually rather charming and reasonable. He also treats his lackey, Owen, well, never belittling or insulting him as countless villains did to minions throughout the 80's and even into the 90's. Even years later in "SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES", Lex Luthor proves to be far more juvenile and incompetent early on, throwing fits in his office and insulting anyone who dares work for him - even those he relies on. Heck, at the end of the five part pilot Xanatos winds up being arrested, yet for him it's barely even a set back. What sells it is that while Xanatos is smug, he isn't so arrogant that he can't learn from a mistake or even capitalize from the consequences of one. His skyscraper which serves as the new home for Castle Wyvern is very well designed and proves to serve as a headquarters for our heroes, at least at the start. When the Gargoyles prove unable to be controlled, Xanatos just uses what he learned to make robot doubles. When those fail, that's just plan A. He's always got something up his sleeve.

Ah, Xanatos. The human trickster. If Odysseus were a modern day industrialist, he'd be Xanatos.

Despite being a captain of technological industries, Xanatos isn't one to dismiss things as magic or legends. Having been curious about Magus' spell book, the Grimorum, after claiming it, Xanatos broke the spell entombing the Gargoyles and then sets out to do what he usually does when finding a resource - exploit it for his own ends. Goliath is understandably weary of humans after his betrayal and the seeming loss of Demona, but Xanatos is a patient host, willing to bide his time even after manipulating events to cause the Gargoyles to attack one of his business rivals. Soon meeting Elisa, Goliath ultimately has to choose between her or Xanatos, and even literally between her and Demona once things go south. In the end, Xanatos is seemingly defeated and the Gargoyles reclaim their castle in a new era, for the moment. What challenges await them in this new era? Well, we have another 60 episodes to find out.

And you're in for a very fun ride.

Not only did the Gargoyles have an "AWAKENING", but I'd argue so did the collective imaginations of the audience watching this. I honestly don't know what could have been more important to pay attention to when I was 12, or why I fell off the series mostly after this. Thanks to DVD, though, now I can enjoy it without commercials, editing out of scenes with blood or mentions of Hell, and in top quality.

And no editing out of the word "terrorist!" Well, that was in season two, but after 9/11 ... yeah, the word was censored.

"THE AWAKENING" holds up as it sucks in the viewer for 5 episodes that seem to pass faster than it seems and introduce them to a bold new world of adventure. I may use spoilers from here on out for some who haven't watched but the pilot at least should be immortal by now. "GARGOYLES" works for many reasons - the music, acting, animation, pacing, etc. - but mostly because all involved had more faith in their audience and their ability to grasp a strong, densely entertaining saga than many whose jobs to "sell" to them believed. Animation is a medium which can be used for glorious and epic things, not just to sell action figures and lunchboxes. It holds up, and no doubt symbolizes why "GARGOYLES" has never left the airwaves and continued to enchant audiences for almost a full generation now.

Yup. And, because it needs to be said: Disney, you don't know what you've got here. This is a property you can exploit more. I know you guys own Marvel now, so you might feel you already have the venue for "boys action", but that would be like Nickelodeon saying they don't need to explode the world of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" anymore because they now own "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". "Gargoyles" is your "Avatar"!

 

[Hush]

Has this hit wide release yet?

 

[cabel]

I'm not usually the type to order online exclusives and stuff, but after seeing that both S2V2 and Weekenders were available, I may have to cave in and sign up.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

You can also buy it here, it's where I got mine, Disney runs an ebay page:

http://stores.ebay.com/DISNEY-MOVIE-SHOP

 

[cabel]

I don't see it there, do they restock every other week?

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

I don't see it there, do they restock every other week?

Yeah, they've sold out several times already. The DVD is in demand... which is what happens when you make people wait eight years to own it. Keep checking, it should be back in stock soon.

 

[Dread]

I'll get to some replies eventually. I am watching the episodes at a rapid clip and figure to get some reviews out. SPOILERS, even though these episodes are 18-19 years old.

The pilot is out of the way, now to get on with average weekly episodes of the series, of at least the first season, of "GARGOYLES". To that end, "THRILL OF THE HUNT" is our first episode now that the world has been established and a status quo has been set up, at least for the moment. The titular heroes have seemingly triumphed over David Xanatos and Demona, with the latter seeming to fall to her death while the former being hailed away by the police.

Spoiler

While the Gargoyles have reclaimed their ancestral home atop Xanatos' tower, Elisa is not shy about trying to convince them that Xanatos' imprisonment will be very brief, and they can't stay there forever. Notions such as bail or reduced sentences are initially lost on Goliath, the man out of time (for lack of a better term), and to his credit, Xanatos makes no attempt to have the Gargoyles removed from his property until he's good and ready. His underling Owen makes sure they're well kept, while naturally keeping tabs on them for his boss. After all, Xanatos expended a lot of resources and effort to revive them, and he still considers them an investment. And why not keep them there so he knows where they are, at all times, and can thus manipulate them to his ends? That's one of many reasons why Xanatos is one of the breakout characters of the show and for animated antagonists in general; he proves that just because someone opposes the heroes doesn't mean he has to be a brute, or petty, or vindictive. Strategy is a long game, after all.

At any rate, most episodes of the first season after the pilot seek to flesh out the rest of the cast a bit. The pilot focused greatly on Goliath and Elisa (among others mentioned), and this episode focuses on Lex. He and the rest of the Gargoyles become fond of "THE PACK", a team of animal themed commandos who fight ninjas on TV. For some "reason", their TV becomes stuck on their channel and that encourages Lexington to try to reach out to them as kindred spirits - much as Goliath did with Elisa. Unfortunately, "the Pack" are more interested in the Gargoyles as sport than allies, and very soon they're fighting for their lives in a deathtrap and on the streets.

"The Pack" are Fox (Laura San Giocomo), Hyena (Cree Summer), Jackal (Matt Frewer) and Wolf (Clancy Brown). I see them as an odd combination/homage to "The A-Team", the X-Men and Kraven the Hunter, if that makes any sense. Wolf in particular seems to almost be a satire or homage to Wolverine, with his hairstyle (and shoulder-pads) and eagerness to fight among anything else. Much like the X-Men of the time, children adore them and they're TV stars, although like the A-Team, they're actually a squad of mercenaries assembled by Xanatos. Their racket is between gigs they're a popular TV show and rake in millions that way, while being on hand for raids when Xanatos orders one. It stands revealed that he pitted both teams against each other to test the limits and motives of each of them, the Gargoyles in particular. The action is quite good, and Wolf is the good sort of villain who earns the beating he gets. Hyena also earns points for being especially eager for battle, and laughing a lot. Fortunately, because that's the exception rather than the rule for this series, characters who do that get to stand out, rather than be just another of the Legion of Doom. I also liked how the Pack's status as media sensations actually backfires on them at a critical moment.

Goliath and Lexington get many key scenes here, including a debate about seeking out others in the outside world to avoid being forever alone. While Lexington is willing to go back on his statements after "the Pack" nearly kill them, Goliath admits being wrong and that it is worth taking some risks to try to meet someone decent, even if "the Pack" this time didn't pan out. Hudson also gets in a bit about not mindlessly trusting anything on TV, which works in this context because being new to this era, such facts are not a given. In this way "Gargoyles" was still trying to teach a moral or at least theme episodes around one without getting too preachy or treating the solution to any problem as a black-and-white affair. The lesson isn't "never talk to strangers", it's "trying to find new friends is worthy, just be careful about it". Naturally, the Pack in general and Fox in particular will return.

Next up is "TEMPTATION", or "the episode where corporate insisted another vehicle had to appear". By this stage the show's producers and writers are willing to have fun with the concept of the Gargoyles turning to stone by daybreak - even in mid-battle, mid-sentence, or mid-reaction. The focus of the episode is Brooklyn and it is also the first appearance of Demona after a break of a single episode. It was a long wait without her.

Picking up on an earlier episode during "THE AWAKENING" when Lex and the gang were exploring and became thrilled with a motorcycle (before crashing it),

Spoiler

Lex manages to rebuild and modify one from scraps and spare parts. While his intelligence and curiosity were evident from the start, now that they're in the modern era it's clear that Lex will serve the role that Donatello usually served in the Ninja Turtles - the gadget whiz able to build most of what they need for some plots. Much like Donatello, Lexington seems to excel at reassembling things as well as being a quick study - neither had engineering classes. At the very least, Lex isn't building a blimp with rocket launchers this early on. Regardless, Brooklyn calls dibs on the first ride and sets out to even try to look the part of a biker, with a leather jacket and all. Unfortunately, his attempts to fit in with a biker crew fail and Demona attempts to convince him to her side and against Goliath and the others.

The bike, by sheer coincidence, gets blown up within a few minutes. It's no secret that almost all major action cartoon shows seem to exist to try to sell toys, and that was obviously something Weisman and the producers resented. One imagines, in part, because many of the toys and accessories don't make sense and just seek to score cheap bucks from the fanbase. Characters within the show will seek to criticize why they need any of this junk on the rare instance once appears and they usually don't last long.

As mentioned before, Demona reappears from her seeming death scene and attempts to turn Brooklyn to her side, but not by the usual tactic female villains seek to employ in most pop fiction - which is seduction. Clearly Weisman and the producers felt that it was wrong that female villains seemed to be defined by their bodies and little else, so that's usually the last thing Demona's villainy is defined around. Much as in the pilot, Demona has a zeal against humanity for its horrific treatment of Gargoyles and seeks to show Brooklyn by example how violent and unreasonable they are. This includes, naturally, by showing him a mugging, an abusive household, and in a scene which likely gave a censor board fits, a police investigation of a random murder. Of course, as Goliath later says, Demona is motivated by a half-truth which she has exaggerated, even if that still means she sometimes has a point. A line about the humans being "used" to them a thousand years ago yet being no less cruel to them probably stuck to me the most. In short order Brooklyn is willing to trust Demona enough to steal the Gimorum for her, which naturally leads to a showdown between the two of them and Goliath - who she's enslaved with a spell. By this point we also get more concrete evidence that Demona's tale about being frozen for a thousand years same as them was a load of baloney, and that much of Demona's "affection" for Goliath usually ends with how far she can use him to her ends. In 994, Demona may have been somewhat more subtle about it, but by 1994 she has become far more direct. The angle of characters' (especially villains') dialogue not always being taken literally is another major concept the show always plays with. Villains often lie; who knew, right?

The Gimorum gets more pages torn out of it, which is of course never a good thing to do with a book of ancient spells. While Demona is eventually defeated and Goliath recovered, she does tear free some more pages of the book before hand which no doubt will be ore for future episodes. The episode continues to embellish magic as something which may be used to have anything happen, but which has set and often specific limits - i.e. Brooklyn triumphing by holding the spell which commands Goliath even if not the entire book itself. Between Lex and Broadway, Brooklyn is the one who is usually more eager to fight of the three, although unlike Raph of the TMNT wasn't always making jokes. Elisa also gets a key scene in the climax by being clever enough to figure out a way to free Goliath with no knowledge of magic at all - just by using her wits. Xanatos may get a lot of the brainy scenes in the series, but Elisa is no slouch in that regard either, often reacting quickly to things far outside her depth. I do wonder if her words chosen ("Live your life as if not commanded by a spell") would make Goliath immune to all "possession" spells or not. Given that mind control is one of my least favorite tropes, I don't mind more thought being put into it here.

The ending is classic. "WHAT!?"

Onward to "DEADLY FORCE", one of the most fondly remembered as well as controversial episodes of the series' run, or at least of the first season. It's an episode which would be heavily edited and even cut from syndication for years by Toon Disney and/or Fox Family, and often reaired out of order if ever. Yet series co-producer/writer Michael Reaves was nominated for an Annie Award for this episode, and it also earned praise from TV GUIDE among others. Thus its appearance in order and uncut on DVD is something of a rare treat even if it is one I may not appreciate since this is my first time watching it. The controversy and burial of this episode is a shame as it not only is a very good episode for what it wants to cover, it's also a great episode to embellish the often jovial Broadway with.

The biggest "problem" for this episode, at least from a network censor standpoint, is that it has what they may consider some "extreme violence" for a kids' show. Others may state it as "an anti-gun episode" but even that simplifies things greatly. I view that as seeing the trees instead of the forest. The episode is as good as it is strictly because it shows the consequences of violent actions. In countless films, TV cartoons and shows, many characters do awesomely violent over the top things without consequence - no one gets hurt, nobody bleeds, nothing painful happens. This can often be counter productive, which a censor board fretting about kids seeing blood or being told stories about vampires miss. Brad Bird thought the very same thing, which was why in "THE INCREDIBLES" he deliberately shows Mr. Incredible be cut and wounded by a giant robot in the arm in the first act of the film. Even the smallest child knows they bleed when cut and that wounds hurt. That isn't to say that "FIST OF THE NORTH STAR" should be airing on Toon Disney, but that zealousness about anything usually is counter productive. The more someone is sheltered from anything dangerous or disturbing, the less prepared they are when it arises.

Spoiler

Broadway, like no doubt many young people, is fond of films involving gunplay - in particular a Western film playing in the cinema which takes inspiration from Clint Eastwood's era. In these films, the good guys use guns to mow down the villains, there's no blood and everything is fine by the end credits. He happens to stop by Elisa's apartment after she gets back to work and sees her gun hanging on her holster on the coat-rack. Playing with it, things go horribly wrong and he winds up with her blood on his hands - literally. Yet this episode isn't just trying for shock value. It shows Broadway in a panic when Elisa doesn't respond. It shows the paramedics and surgeons trying to save her life and states in prime time detail which organs the bullet went through. It shows the entire Maza family (her Native American father Peter, African American mother Diane and her kid brother Derek, a fellow officer) gathering and emoting about her recovery. Unlike the Western film Broadway was fond of, it shows the consequences of mowing down someone with a gun or using one flippantly.

Yet this isn't an episode which seeks to preach and preach alone. The subplot revolves around a young mobster Anthony Dracon (Richard Grieco) and his squad of thugs who steal a shipment of experimental guns from Owen and Xanatos' company and seek to sell them on the streets for a high price. These are the first laser weapons we see in the show and later episodes that feature laser guns would use these designs. This episode establishes that many of the guns were sold on the black market and thus would be floating around - doing what few shows do in explaining why everyone has a laser gun besides "networks hate real guns before 7 p.m. when the cop shows take over". Broadway hides from his family over guilt, and soon becomes a one-man avenger seeking out criminals on the streets, trying to take guns away from them. Goliath as well as Elisa's superiors in the force blame Dracon for her shooting, and set out after him. Naturally the bad guys get taken down in the end and most of the guns are destroyed before Owen can buy them back for Xanatos. Seeing the normally goofy Broadway put through the paces of grief and anger makes for some good television, especially in the finale when he makes up with Elisa and Goliath for his grave mistake.

In the end this episode isn't about showing that guns themselves are evil - that's at best a crude summary of the episode. Instead the episode is about showing that guns are not toys and shouldn't be played with, stored improperly or used by criminals to commit crimes. There's nothing wrong with that moral that I can see. It showed that not even in "animation land" is being shot with a gun something to be taken lightly, but can cause the death or mortal wounding of even a beloved character everyone knows. "DEADLY FORCE", besides being a suspenseful urban drama despite involving mythical stone monsters, showcases the consequences to violence without sugar coating or false exaggerations; a shame network censors react more to checking off details than appreciating substance. Everyone gushes over "I AM THE NIGHT" from "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES", and this episode is at least cut from the same cloth if not more effective at its point.

Bonus points go to Elisa's cat Cagney, named after either James Cagney (famous for mobster roles) or "CAGNEY & LACEY", as well known TV show about "lady cops". In the end, mobsters with slight unibrows are rarely innocent.

Most, or at least many, animated TV shows have an episode in which the title involves "entering" something or someone. "ENTER MAGNETO" and so on. Thus, Gargoyles gets this over with via "ENTER MACBETH". It isn't a surprise that the play of the same name ("by that new writer, William Shakespeare") gets a reference, but it is also an episode which if anything plays to the skeletons in the closet of Demona while also convincing the often stubborn Goliath that he needs to be more flexible as leader of his clan.

As Elisa has warned more than once,

Spoiler

David Xanatos' prison sentence is dwindling away faster than the Gargoyles in general and Goliath in particular comprehend. Sentenced to only a month in jail for accepting stolen goods (the discs the Gargoyles themselves stole for him in "THE AWAKENING"), Xanatos is checking off the calender until only a week remains when he's a free man. He and Owen discuss what to do with the Gargoyles and Xanatos reaffirms his desire to not see them killed; he feels it'd be "a waste". After all, it wasn't cheap or easy to buy an ancient castle from Scotland, fly it all the way to NYC and rebuild it stone by stone atop a skyscraper to undo a prophecy. He's well aware of how potent, or useful, the Gargoyles can be and perhaps on some level he has respect for them (or at least Goliath); after all, they were clever enough to get him locked up briefly. As I've said before, it's no accident that Xanatos became one of the breakout characters of the series, as he often redefined what it meant to be an antagonist for a major animated action series. However, we may never know what Xanatos may have devised to get the Gargoyles off his property as the mysterious Macbeth emerges and offers his services in that regard.

Every episode naturally follows along the continuity of the entire series in a progressive, forward march. Even in 1994-1995 this was a very novel approach, which "B:TAS" avoiding that and "X-MEN" and "SPIDER-MAN: TAS" taking baby steps at this. Among other things, Elisa is still walking on crutches from her injuries last episode, defining that episode further as not offering a simple fix and having longer term ramifications.

Considering that "Gargoyles" itself began in Scotland, it makes perfect sense to pay homage to Shakespeare's dark and bloody tragedy which is also set there. It also is one of the few plays of his I did read, even if it was a very long time ago. It is, of course, about the titular lord who decides to take his ambitions to bloody heights with a coup and how the cycle of violent consequences that comes from it drives his wife mad and ultimately destroys him. The Macbeth of this show brings with him his own violent ambitions, although this episode offers mere glimpses of it. He's well aware of the legend of the Gargoyles and the stained glass window of his castle shows Demona quite clearly; he later brags that he is the one who gave her the name she uses. Macbeth attacks the Gargoyles at the castle and manages to capture Bronx, Lex, and Brooklyn in rapid succession. Goliath naturally stages a rescue, while Bronx ultimately fulfills the duty of most "good dogs" in pop fiction and escapes for help. Goliath and Macbeth have quite a struggle in a castle rigged full of death traps and weapons to utilize against each other. Ironically, Macbeth's real target is Demona, who he envisions will come to him once she finds out he's captured the Gargoyles. The fact that Demona is also their enemy and wants to kill them makes the entire gambit futile, at least for Macbeth (Xanatos, as always, gets what he wanted). Much like Kraven the Hunter (and others), Macbeth has no special powers and instead relies on his arsenal of weapons and deadly skills, as well as utilizing his environment to his advantage. A bit where Lex and Brooklyn figure out a way for Bronx to escape is also quite memorable. His castle burns to the ground, but no doubt he and his vendetta against Demona will return.

In the end, Goliath finally relents to Elisa and decides to let go of castle Wyvern. It makes perfect sense that Goliath would stubbornly cling to it as the last symbol of the world they left behind, but eventually everyone has to move on. It is another instance where Goliath being far from an infallible leader makes him far more memorable than one who is. They instead set up shop in the clock-tower above the police station Elisa works at, which is probably handier for her considering midtown traffic.

This is actually the last episode of the season to introduce a "new" nemesis until the season finale, which is a wise move to embellish the rest of the cast and avoiding the trap of "villain of the week" syndrome.

 

[Silvermoon]

You can also buy it here, it's where I got mine, Disney runs an ebay page:

http://stores.ebay.com/DISNEY-MOVIE-SHOP

Thanks for the link... look like they restocked and are already down to only 3 copies left (it was 4.... but I ordered mine).

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

While the Gargoyles have reclaimed their ancestral home atop Xanatos' tower, Elisa is not shy about trying to convince them that Xanatos' imprisonment will be very brief, and they can't stay there forever. Notions such as bail or reduced sentences are initially lost on Goliath, the man out of time (for lack of a better term)

The concept of ownership is lost on him. In his time, if you beat someone and took their castle, it was yours.

That's one of many reasons why Xanatos is one of the breakout characters of the show and for animated antagonists in general; he proves that just because someone opposes the heroes doesn't mean he has to be a brute, or petty, or vindictive. Strategy is a long game, after all.

Lex Luthor, take notes. Work around Superman, or plan for Superman. You'll profit far more.

"The Pack" are Fox (Laura San Giocomo), Hyena (Cree Summer), Jackal (Matt Frewer) and Wolf (Clancy Brown). I see them as an odd combination/homage to "The A-Team", the X-Men and Kraven the Hunter, if that makes any sense.

I was thinking Power Rangers meets American Gladiators. But I'd be lying if I said Fox doesn't occasionally make me re-think my opinion on face tattoos.

Next up is "TEMPTATION", or "the episode where corporate insisted another vehicle had to appear". By this stage the show's producers and writers are willing to have fun with the concept of the Gargoyles turning to stone by daybreak - even in mid-battle, mid-sentence, or mid-reaction. The focus of the episode is Brooklyn and it is also the first appearance of Demona after a break of a single episode. It was a long wait without her.

She's such a wonderful character.

The bike, by sheer coincidence, gets blown up within a few minutes. It's no secret that almost all major action cartoon shows seem to exist to try to sell toys, and that was obviously something Weisman and the producers resented. One imagines, in part, because many of the toys and accessories don't make sense and just seek to score cheap bucks from the fanbase. Characters within the show will seek to criticize why they need any of this junk on the rare instance once appears and they usually don't last long.

For the fun of it, here's the memo from their meeting with Kenner back in the day.

http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?rid=296

As mentioned before, Demona reappears from her seeming death scene and attempts to turn Brooklyn to her side, but not by the usual tactic female villains seek to employ in most pop fiction - which is seduction.

Guess what the majority of fanfiction in "Gargoyles" land think happened between Brooklyn and Demona behind the scenes during this episode.

Clearly Weisman and the producers felt that it was wrong that female villains seemed to be defined by their bodies and little else, so that's usually the last thing Demona's villainy is defined around.

Yeah, which is a good thing since, well, her design would lend herself to that sort of thing.

A line about the humans being "used" to them a thousand years ago yet being no less cruel to them probably stuck to me the most.

It's a great line, and one I've pointed to a few times. Some people have this misconception about Demona that if she got to know humans and got used to them, she would come around. I think she's already used to us and has known plenty of us. That's not her issue.

and that much of Demona's "affection" for Goliath usually ends with how far she can use him to her ends. In 994, Demona may have been somewhat more subtle about it, but by 1994 she has become far more direct

.

I do think she genuinely loved him back then. But trusted his judgement and respected his decision as leader is something else. Not to mention her fear that the humans in the castle would turn on them... you'll learn more about this later.

The angle of characters' (especially villains') dialogue not always being taken literally is another major concept the show always plays with. Villains often lie; who knew, right?

"The Joker lied! NO WAY!?"

It shows the entire Maza family (her Native American father Peter, African American mother Diane and her kid brother Derek, a fellow officer) gathering and emoting about her recovery.

I liked this a lot, it did a lot to humanize her and show she does have a life outside the gargoyles and her career.

These are the first laser weapons we see in the show and later episodes that feature laser guns would use these designs. This episode establishes that many of the guns were sold on the black market and thus would be floating around - doing what few shows do in explaining why everyone has a laser gun besides "networks hate real guns before 7 p.m. when the cop shows take over".

Heheheheeheheh. We still see real guns, too. Elisa never upgrades to a laser.

He and Owen discuss what to do with the Gargoyles and Xanatos reaffirms his desire to not see them killed; he feels it'd be "a waste". After all, it wasn't cheap or easy to buy an ancient castle from Scotland, fly it all the way to NYC and rebuild it stone by stone atop a skyscraper to undo a prophecy. He's well aware of how potent, or useful, the Gargoyles can be and perhaps on some level he has respect for them (or at least Goliath); after all, they were clever enough to get him locked up briefly. As I've said before, it's no accident that Xanatos became one of the breakout characters of the series, as he often redefined what it meant to be an antagonist for a major animated action series.

My favorite kind of villain. One I can respect.

His castle burns to the ground, but no doubt he and his vendetta against Demona will return.

Just want to say right now that the stage is set for my favorite story in all of animation.

This is actually the last episode of the season to introduce a "new" nemesis until the season finale, which is a wise move to embellish the rest of the cast and avoiding the trap of "villain of the week" syndrome.

There will be plenty of new characters in season two, but the core cast is never overwhelmed.

Great rambles, looking forward to the next batch.

 

[Dread]

FYI, the Buena Vista ebay shop which Sarcastic Fan linked to does sell Disney Movie Club exclusive DVD's for a fair price, including the legendary "Gargoyles: Season 2 Volume 2". They sell them in batches of a few dozen at once and then when those batches sell out, you may have to wait a week or two. All I can suggest is diligence and being ready when you see it pop up. On the day in question when I saw my chance, BV was literally selling at least 2 copies an hour. Peeking from work I watched that "total copies remaining" number dwindle to low double digits over a few hours. They usually run about $24 when officially sold, so don't get rooked by people reselling them for $40-$100 online unless you have money to burn and just don't know how to wait. Now, how about I wrap up Season One?

Episode ten is "THE EDGE", and while there is a lot going on in this episode, it's easily an episode which seeks to focus on the series' main antagonist, David Xanatos.

Spoiler

Having been released from prison and reclaiming his tower from the Gargoyles, he begins to worry if he's lost his "edge" after he loses a sparring match to his assistant Owen and, perhaps in a grander sense, with the city after being in jail for weeks. Rather than belittling or punishing Owen for defeating him like no end of villains in cartoons would have done, Xanatos instead uses it as inspiration for his latest gambit and quest to improve himself. There's quite a lot else also going on, including the introduction of yet another cast member, but Xanatos (and naturally Jonathan Frakes who plays him) steals just about every scene he's in. So many villains prove themselves to be petty or arrogant to the point of stupidity, or prone to fits of anger or revenge. Xanatos is far too smart for that and while smug, he's never close minded or seems to forget that the quest for enlightenment is a never ending one. His name may rhyme with that of the Greek god of death (Thantos), but things always get lively when he's on screen.

Goliath is embittered at having lost castle Wyvern to Xanatos and seems to fester on the idea of finding a way to make Xanatos feel a sense of loss about something. Elisa's secret life as friend to ancient creatures gets more complicated when her superior, Maria Chavez (Rachel Ticotin) pares her with a new partner, Matt Bluestone (Thomas F. Wilson). He actually first popped up in "DEADLY FORCE" but gets a longer introduction here. Despite insisting on not needing a partner, Elisa is stuck with Bluestone, who proves to be quite the conspiracy buff. He name drops "the Illuminati" who will show up in Season 2 and has read on the rumors of "gargoyles" throughout the city. This naturally comes into play when a gemstone that Xanatos has donated to a museum for both good publicity and tax purposes is stolen by what seems like Goliath. Thankfully, this show avoids the tired "mistaken identity" trope when Elisa isn't fooled for a minute by the robot - especially when Bluestone's gunfire bounces off it. This may not seem like much, but around the same time people in "SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" were seriously unable to tell the difference between Spider-Man and Morbius. It's quickly reasoned that Xanatos' "steel clan" - his squad of Goliath robot impostors from "THE AWAKENING" - are responsible for the theft. While the robots offer some new improvements, the toughest of the lot is a red one which seems to command them. Reasoning that Xanatos is drawing them out to figure out where there new home is, the Gargoyles have to lead the robots away and ultimately have a climatic battle atop of the Statue of Liberty. Yes, the same one where Duke once punched Cobra Commander off of.

While the "Steel Clan" don't seem to be able to avoid walls or crashes any easier than they did the last time, the "red" one is naturally Xanatos inside a suit of prototype Gargoyle armor - compete with wings, a tail, and arched feet. If anything is established in this episode, it's the famous TV Trope of "the Xanatos Gambit" in which a plan leads to a victory regardless of the outcome. While failing to figure out where the Gargoyles are or manipulate them into hiding out at one of his facilities again due to public outcry, Xanatos still managed to reclaim a gem he donated ("The eye of Odin", wonder if it's real) while still saving on his taxes and looking like a prince to the city for it, but he proved able to battle Goliath himself to a draw in his new armor. It's very hard to dislike Xanatos despite his antics when he's so darn efficient and charming at what he does ("It makes the most sense. Really, Goliath, you're taking this much too personally"). It's often said that everyone thinks they're the hero of their own story and while that should ideally be true of many antagonists, most of them still act like villains in someone else's story even if they don't admit it. They call themselves THE RED SKULL or something over the top, do a lot of yelling and destruction and often are undone by pettiness or incompetence. Xanatos is too smart for that nonsense, and this show is smart enough to have created a character who is easy to cheer for even when he outwits the series stars six ways to Sunday. While "The Light" in "YOUNG JUSTICE" years later would take this to new extremes, Xanatos excels at his personality and the fact that the show does sell the fact that the Gargoyles are a challenge for him, even if he usually is adept at exploiting or reading them.

Lots of great action in this episode, as well as memorable lines and hints at what is to come. Bluestone is fine for an "unwanted partner" character, even if he naturally seems to believe Elisa needs him more than she does. Some shows would have played such a character for laughs (Cash Tankinson, as hilarious as you were, looking right at you), but "GARGOYLES" is too smart for that and manages to make Bluestone more well rounded even if we do sympathize more with Elisa for obvious reasons.

It's hard to say, "one of the better episodes" of the season because every episode is very good, if not excellent. This is easily a show which found its feet right off and never stopped running (or flying for the right metaphor). Every episode this season seems to accurately showcase a character and why they work, and this one is all Xanatos. Never stop with your gambits, sir.

Much like "DEADLY FORCE", "LONG WAY TO MORNING" offers a simple yet tense story full of suspense and uneasy moments rather than plots for the fate of the city or even the clan at large. As with every episode this season, one main character gets focus and development, and this time it's Hudson (Ed Asner). While I certainly liked the younger characters (such as Brooklyn or Goliath) during the time when I was 12 and actually watching the show a little, as an adult I can sympathize with characters like Hudson now, who seem wiser but past their prime. While that isn't to say I dislike any of the characters, I certainly was thrilled for Hudson to showcase why he's distinct. Along the way was also get some flashbacks to the middle ages and the history of the clan.

Spoiler

As the start of yet another night, Hudson is having dreams about events from 984 A.D., a decade before the events of "THE AWAKENING". He was leader of their clan and had no facial scars or a deformed eye. Princess Katharine was only a small child and not head of the castle yet, while her father Prince Malcolm seemed to have a working relationship with Hudson despite how much his daughter disliked them. When Hudson fails to protect Malcolm from a poison dart fired at him from a vengeful Archmage (the always great David Warner), it gives birth to Katharine's hatred of the Gargoyles as well as leading to a quest alongside Goliath and Demona against the rogue wizard.

Back in the modern day, Demona is back and has traded her rocket launcher from "THE AWAKENING" for one of the 37 guns from "DEADLY FORCE" which were sold on the streets before being destroyed. Having tried to poison Elisa with a dart of her own (which happened to hit her police shield and avoid drawing blood), Demona forces yet another showdown with Goliath in her quest for revenge. Wanting to protect Elisa from another attack, Goliath and Hudson arrive for the battle. When Goliath is quickly shot down by the weapon, Hudson has to try to keep both of them alive until sunup, when both will be rejuvenated. The story follows Hudson in both modern day and in 984 as he seeks to keep Goliath alive and out of Demona's sight. It's a chase which leads through a stage, the sewers and even a graveyard. While one scene with a waterfall seems to mirror one from the then-recent "THE FUGITIVE" film, it still works as a somewhat slower paced episode where the aim is simply to survive until morning.

Marina Sirtis is as great as always as Demona, a woman nobody wants to cross. I did like how Keith David in the flashback scene seems to have some more "youthful" or at least less assured tones to his voice as he's not yet been leader. The episode shows how Hudson received the injury to his eye that won't heal (a magical blast to the face will do that) and ultimately the circumstances which led to him retiring and allowing Goliath to lead. The two are old soldiers together and Hudson naturally proves that what he lacks in strength or youth he makes up for in wisdom and patience - the latter of which Demona seems to struggle with.

The animation in this episode isn't the strongest of the season, but overall its still on par with most episodes or similar shows of the time such as "B:TAS" and certainly way above the cheap AKOM animation of "X-MEN". There's a lot of fighting but the episode is naturally about hiding, stealth, and cunning. Hudson knows his limitations and isn't prideful about them ("I can face her. I just can't beat her") but also knows his advantages and how to play to an enemy's weaknesses and his surroundings. Demona scoffs at Hudson fleeing in the sewers where they can't use their wings, ignoring the fact that she won't be able to use her wings there either. While patience is the moral of the episode, we still see Hudson do a fare share of fighting which is always grand. The episode also further fleshes out the pilot in showing why Katharine hated the Gargoyles and naturally who the Magus replaced as head wizard of the castle. It won't be the last of such flashbacks to the middle ages or Demona for the season, thankfully.

Despite being in most episodes and the target of "DEADLY FORCE", Elisa Maza hadn't had a major episode since "THE AWAKENING", which is likely why she gets the lion's share of focus in "HER BROTHER'S KEEPER", the penultimate episode of the season. It features the return of Fox, Hyena and Jackal from "the Pack" and "THRILL OF THE HUNT" as well as Derek Maza from "DEADLY FORCE".

Spoiler

While Wolf and Fox are still behind bars, the brother/sister duo Jackal and Hyena are bored and seeking to rip off a multi-million dollar diamond which David Xanatos has bought on a whim. When Derek, who is a helicopter pilot for the NYPD and was following Xanatos with his sister by air (all according to plan) saves Xanatos' life, he offers Derek a job as his personal pilot and bodyguard. This naturally infuriates Elisa and causes strife between the two as Derek considers quitting the NYPD, which is the Maza "family business" over it. Unable to keep up with Hyena and Jackal's own aircraft, Lexington modifies their own helicopter for the Gargoyles which like every toy-baiting vehicle gets destroyed before too long.

One of the most memorable bits in this episode is Elisa's prison meeting with Fox, who while seemingly the head of "the Pack" really takes orders from Xanatos himself. Naturally Fox will have a larger role in the series as well as in Xanatos' life later on, and this episode goes out of its way to sell it as she gushes about him. While David Xanatos may be "the most brilliant man on the face of the earth", Elisa may at least be close as she records the meeting and offers it to her brother as evidence. Derek and Xanatos are attacked by the half-Pack at Xanadu (the name of David's resort and also, historically, the head of the Kubla Khan empire) although the Gargoyles make quick work of the raving mad siblings (seriously, I've rarely heard Cree Summer sound so maniacal). This episode could have offered a simple cautionary tale but instead it wisely leaves it ambiguous whether Derek listened to the tape or not. While Xanatos offers Derek a far better salary than he'd get at the NYPD, it was no doubt a ploy to not just "annoy" Elisa, but to gain some leverage over the Gargoyles' key ally who has been investigating him so doggedly that he can time his watch to her attempts to follow his limo. Naturally, Xanatos isn't the sort of villain to seek to gain "influence" over someone from an enemy's family with thuggish tactics or crude threats, but by offering them a good job and making that family member WANT to be alongside him. There's always a subtle elegance to many of Xanatos' moves.

It's good to see more of Elisa's family as well as her dynamic with her brother, as it brings home the themes of family which are at the core of the franchise - and actually leads well in theme to the season finale.

 

[Dread]

I know I am doing something right - or wrong - when I exceed the SHH character limits for posts.

Which brings us to that aforementioned season finale, "REAWAKENING". It naturally is a play on the title of the first five episodes and offers a similar plot detail in terms of another Gargoyle from 994 being thrust into the modern era against his will. Season finales are always tricky things to pull off, especially for debut seasons with an order for more episodes unknown. The ideal is to offer enough content that the viewers are satisfied should it really be the end of the line, while offering not just the hint, but promise of more (and better) stories to come with a renewal. Such things were an unknown art for many shows during the 1980's but by the 90's this was starting to become more in vogue for syndicated animated productions. It does offer a slight "retcon" for convenient purposes but on the whole it delivers on the principles to end a season by.

Spoiler

May as well get the "retroactive continuity" out of the way; this episode introduces Goliath's "rookery brother", as in a fellow Gargoyle who probably hatched alongside him way back when and naturally had a bond to him. While many other Gargoyles are seen in "THE AWAKENING" who would later be smashed to bits, I don't recall any of them looking like the one introduced here, voiced by Michael Dorn. It could of course be argued that there scenes of the past from "THE AWAKENING" were not absolute and given how many of them there used to be, you could always reveal new characters in flashback between script pages from the pilot. Comic books do this sort of thing all the time, even before the term "retcon" was a five letter word for fans. Wolverine in particular has had many stories which sprang out like this. While it may have made more sense to have introduced Dorn's character sooner, ultimately the strength or weakness of any "retcon" is what it adds or takes from any story. As it results in a perfectly engaging and even tragic story for a season finale, as well as offers the first of many "ST:TNG" reunions in the recording studio, I find nothing wrong with it. Part of the strength and even fun of long lived characters like Goliath or the other Gargoyles is that a writer can reveal more about their past as ore for plots - Marvel's Thor has been getting away with that for 50 years now.

At any rate, both Xanatos and Demona team up once more to pool their efforts against our heroes, in a scene which pays homage to the classic "FRANKENSTEIN" film from 1931 in both scenery, dialogue, and ultimately tone and execution. Many cartoons have paid homage or referenced that '31 classic in general, as well as Colin Clive's immortal, "It's alive, IT'S ALIVE!" Frankly, the first time I even saw this scene was in a recreation in "SHREDDER & SPLINTERED" from the 1987 "TMNT" series. Fortunately, David Xanatos is genre savvy and quickly "lamp shades" the moment. The act between the two of them, however, creates a similar abomination. Having failed to defeat the Gargoyles with either magic or science as well as Demona's failure to recruit Brooklyn or enslave Goliath to her side, she literally takes pieces of Goliath's shattered brother and uses sorcery and Xanatos' cybernetics to piece him together. It's actually quite horrific the more one thinks about it. Naturally, Demona describes Xanatos as "her servant" and is quick to fill this abomination with lies against Goliath. Quickly dubbed Coldstone, he's not out to spread ice cream but rather chaos in the streets of NYC in revenge.

Meanwhile, a comment about the motto of the police force in general ("to protect and serve") from Elisa interests Goliath, and he sets out to tag along with Elisa as she goes about her beat. From the trials and tribulations of a shop keeper in a rough neighborhood, Goliath learns more about the modern era and how some of it at least parallels his own. This also means Matt Bluestone is still hanging around Elisa, and is the sort of character whose conspiracy buff demeanor makes him one to be wary of for those with secrets (like being friends with ancient creatures). It is smart how the show doesn't pretend that the rumors of the Gargoyles wouldn't have been ignored but would be becoming their own "urban myth" like alligators in sewers, and that while "THE EDGE" would have seemed to claim to the public that such rumors were caused by robots, there would be those like Bluestone who wouldn't buy it. Goliath and the rest of the clan quickly assemble to aid Elisa and the NYPD against the rampaging Coldstone and their enemies.

This leads to climatic battle on Brooklyn bridge between Coldstone, Demona, Xanatos, and yet another spare "Steel Clan" robot which hadn't flown into a wall yet. The alliance of all these villains (or at least the latter three) as well as the entire clan against them for the first time since "THE AWAKENING - PART FIVE" in a major action sequence helps add to that "season finale" feel on simple terms. Yet before they can come up with a name like the "Furious Four", Demona proves more zealous than Xanatos in her desire to kill the Gargoyles at all costs, while Coldstone is a manipulated brute who eventually sees the error of his ways after an icy dip into the river with his brother. Dorn as always puts in a good performance but by this stage it is easy to take for granted that the cast are going to put in a top notch episode every time. Voice director Jamie Thomason, who'd done directing work for "THE LITTLE MERMAID" TV series as well as talent coordination for other animated productions (even "THE SMURFS") first united with Greg Weisman here and has done the vocal directing for animated series he's worked on ever since; he always seems to run a solid booth production with the actors. We see the operational differences between Xanatos and Demona despite their sporadic alliances as well as a touching bit underwater with Goliath and Coldstone. Get your mind out of the gutter.

Yet after providing quite an action spectacle to end the season on, the resolution is key. Taking into account all of the events of not only the episode but the season, Goliath decrees that their duty to defend the "castle" extends to more than where they sleep, but the entire island of Manhattan. This acknowledges the city and realm which has captured the imaginations of Lex, Brooklyn, Broadway and even Hudson as well as themes brought up in "ENTER MACBETH" and "THE EDGE" when Goliath had to abandon castle Wyvern and was embittered over it. Nothing is wasted in this series with a strict and progressive continuity which Weisman would hone for this series and continue on for his productions since, and often puts imitators and rivals to shame with it. This finale not only offers the promise of more expansive stories to come with this new vow, but it showcases that Goliath has grown during his weeks in the modern world and changed, and through his experiences with Elisa and others become more accepting of things. Of course Goliath isn't perfect or beyond further growth - a character who is beyond development is a character beyond a narrative, frankly - but it bookends the season superbly. As we saw that the last generation of eggs from "THE AWAKENING" were supposed to be guarded by Princess Katharine and Magus, there could be little doubt that "the Manhattan Clan" will be the last of their kind for much longer.

It's been a great flight decades in the making, yet the show's barely even begun. Season 2 would see an order of a whopping 52 episodes, a slate which would drive many production and writing teams mad. Done poorly or haphazardly, you get a slew of cheaply produced episodes with little quality control, such as the third season of the original "Ninja Turtles" circa 1989 that was 47 episodes long and continued the goofiness. Done well, and you get the opening season of "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" which also ran 52 episodes. Naturally, Season 2 would expand the world and cast of "Gargoyles" and further forge the franchise into the institution it is now, not long before its 19th airing anniversary. The first season was incredible and it's essentially the tip of the iceberg for what's to come.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

FYI, the Buena Vista ebay shop which Sarcastic Fan linked to does sell Disney Movie Club exclusive DVD's for a fair price, including the legendary "Gargoyles: Season 2 Volume 2". They sell them in batches of a few dozen at once and then when those batches sell out, you may have to wait a week or two. All I can suggest is diligence and being ready when you see it pop up. On the day in question when I saw my chance, BV was literally selling at least 2 copies an hour. Peeking from work I watched that "total copies remaining" number dwindle to low double digits over a few hours. They usually run about $24 when officially sold, so don't get rooked by people reselling them for $40-$100 online unless you have money to burn and just don't know how to wait.

Yeah, I know ebay is a bit more of a pain in the ass than a retail release, but at least it's easier than the Disney Movie Club. Don't order from a scalper.

Now, how about I wrap up Season One?

Please.

Having been released from prison and reclaiming his tower from the Gargoyles, he begins to worry if he's lost his "edge" after he loses a sparring match to his assistant Owen and, perhaps in a grander sense, with the city after being in jail for weeks. Rather than belittling or punishing Owen for defeating him like no end of villains in cartoons would have done, Xanatos instead uses it as inspiration for his latest gambit and quest to improve himself. There's quite a lot else also going on, including the introduction of yet another cast member, but Xanatos (and naturally Jonathan Frakes who plays him) steals just about every scene he's in. So many villains prove themselves to be petty or arrogant to the point of stupidity, or prone to fits of anger or revenge. Xanatos is far too smart for that and while smug, he's never close minded or seems to forget that the quest for enlightenment is a never ending one. His name may rhyme with that of the Greek god of death (Thantos), but things always get lively when he's on screen.

I recall an issue of Superman where Lex Luthor has HIS judo instructor beaten up for laying a hand on him. Good ****ing Christ... but yeah, Xanatos is the only villain I can think of who doubles as a positive role model.

This may not seem like much, but around the same time people in "SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" were seriously unable to tell the difference between Spider-Man and Morbius.

That scene gets made fun of a lot on the Spider-Man Crawlspace. HA!

While the "Steel Clan" don't seem to be able to avoid walls or crashes any easier than they did the last time, the "red" one is naturally Xanatos inside a suit of prototype Gargoyle armor - compete with wings, a tail, and arched feet.

I always thought it was a great design. My favorite armor design in animation/comics.

If anything is established in this episode, it's the famous TV Trope of "the Xanatos Gambit" in which a plan leads to a victory regardless of the outcome. While failing to figure out where the Gargoyles are or manipulate them into hiding out at one of his facilities again due to public outcry, Xanatos still managed to reclaim a gem he donated ("The eye of Odin", wonder if it's real) while still saving on his taxes and looking like a prince to the city for it, but he proved able to battle Goliath himself to a draw in his new armor.

I've said it before, I'll say it again... he should run seminars for supervillains.

It's very hard to dislike Xanatos despite his antics when he's so darn efficient and charming at what he does ("It makes the most sense. Really, Goliath, you're taking this much too personally").

This is often so true of history's most ruthless individuals. You don't get far if you don't have the charm to make people like you.

It's often said that everyone thinks they're the hero of their own story and while that should ideally be true of many antagonists, most of them still act like villains in someone else's story even if they don't admit it. They call themselves THE RED SKULL or something over the top, do a lot of yelling and destruction and often are undone by pettiness or incompetence. Xanatos is too smart for that nonsense, and this show is smart enough to have created a character who is easy to cheer for even when he outwits the series stars six ways to Sunday.

I enjoy my Green Goblins and Dr. Octopi very much, but Xanatos is Xanatos. Often imitated, never duplicated. In a way, Spectacular Spider-Man's Tombstone often reminds me of Xanatos, of course he was eventually played by the Green Goblin.

Much like "DEADLY FORCE", "LONG WAY TO MORNING" offers a simple yet tense story full of suspense and uneasy moments rather than plots for the fate of the city or even the clan at large. As with every episode this season, one main character gets focus and development, and this time it's Hudson (Ed Asner). While I certainly liked the younger characters (such as Brooklyn or Goliath) during the time when I was 12 and actually watching the show a little, as an adult I can sympathize with characters like Hudson now, who seem wiser but past their prime. While that isn't to say I dislike any of the characters, I certainly was thrilled for Hudson to showcase why he's distinct. Along the way was also get some flashbacks to the middle ages and the history of the clan.

Hudson wasn't my favorite as a kid, but I often find myself appreciating him more and more as I grow older... now at the ripe old age of... 32.

As the start of yet another night, Hudson is having dreams about events from 984 A.D., a decade before the events of "THE AWAKENING". He was leader of their clan and had no facial scars or a deformed eye. Princess Katharine was only a small child and not head of the castle yet, while her father Prince Malcolm seemed to have a working relationship with Hudson despite how much his daughter disliked them. When Hudson fails to protect Malcolm from a poison dart fired at him from a vengeful Archmage (the always great David Warner), it gives birth to Katharine's hatred of the Gargoyles as well as leading to a quest alongside Goliath and Demona against the rogue wizard.

I disagree that it was the attack that made her hate gargoyles. I think it was her dad's constant, light-hearted threats "the gargoyles will get you if you don't behave." He may not have meant to, but he was traumatizing her. Even when Hudson calls him on it, he says "oh, you're too sensitive."

It's a chase which leads through a stage, the sewers and even a graveyard. While one scene with a waterfall seems to mirror one from the then-recent "THE FUGITIVE" film, it still works as a somewhat slower paced episode where the aim is simply to survive until morning.

It's not the best episode, but I love the boarding and the mood of the whole affair.

Marina Sirtis is as great as always as Demona, a woman nobody wants to cross.

Same applies to real life, she will cut you.

Demona scoffs at Hudson fleeing in the sewers where they can't use their wings, ignoring the fact that she won't be able to use her wings there either.

And that's why she has that big gun.

One of the most memorable bits in this episode is Elisa's prison meeting with Fox, who while seemingly the head of "the Pack" really takes orders from Xanatos himself. Naturally Fox will have a larger role in the series as well as in Xanatos' life later on

And how!

Naturally, Xanatos isn't the sort of villain to seek to gain "influence" over someone from an enemy's family with thuggish tactics or crude threats, but by offering them a good job and making that family member WANT to be alongside him. There's always a subtle elegance to many of Xanatos' moves.

How to tell if Xanatos is working an angle. Does he have a pulse at the moment?

May as well get the "retroactive continuity" out of the way; this episode introduces Goliath's "rookery brother", as in a fellow Gargoyle who probably hatched alongside him way back when and naturally had a bond to him. While many other Gargoyles are seen in "THE AWAKENING" who would later be smashed to bits, I don't recall any of them looking like the one introduced here, voiced by Michael Dorn.

You'll see at least two more in season two. But yeah, the entire clan wasn't seen in "Awakening Part One."

Meanwhile, a comment about the motto of the police force in general ("to protect and serve") from Elisa interests Goliath, and he sets out to tag along with Elisa as she goes about her beat. From the trials and tribulations of a shop keeper in a rough neighborhood, Goliath learns more about the modern era and how some of it at least parallels his own. This also means Matt Bluestone is still hanging around Elisa, and is the sort of character whose conspiracy buff demeanor makes him one to be wary of for those with secrets (like being friends with ancient creatures).

I liked Bluestone's scenes in this episode. They did a lot to humanize him because, let's face it, Bluestone is the type of character who is easy to turn into a self-parody. He's a conspiracy buff, but he's not the Question. Not that I'm knocking the Question, I loved the Question.

This leads to climatic battle on Brooklyn bridge

That was the George Washington Bridge! And you call yourself a New Yorker! Dammit, you and Gerry Conway, man!

between Coldstone, Demona, Xanatos, and yet another spare "Steel Clan" robot which hadn't flown into a wall yet.

Don't worry, it will.

We see the operational differences between Xanatos and Demona despite their sporadic alliances

They make such a great Big Bad Diumvirate because they are so different from one another, but to this day, I still think they are two of the most unique villains in the realm of animation.

It's been a great flight decades in the making, yet the show's barely even begun. Season 2 would see an order of a whopping 52 episodes, a slate which would drive many production and writing teams mad. Done poorly or haphazardly, you get a slew of cheaply produced episodes with little quality control, such as the third season of the original "Ninja Turtles" circa 1989 that was 47 episodes long and continued the goofiness. Done well, and you get the opening season of "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" which also ran 52 episodes. Naturally, Season 2 would expand the world and cast of "Gargoyles" and further forge the franchise into the institution it is now, not long before its 19th airing anniversary. The first season was incredible and it's essentially the tip of the iceberg for what's to come.

Excellent, I hope you enjoy it.

 

[cabel]

I had the action figure of Xanatos and his armor when I was little.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

I had the action figure of Xanatos and his armor when I was little.

So did I, it didn't look like he did in the show but few toy lines based on TV shows did at the time.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Dread, you should compile your posts in a PDF. I actually did that with your first 3, gives me something to read on the train this week.

 

[Dread]

My knowledge of converting these to PDF is limited, but glad people are enjoying these. I'd rather spend time typing reviews of this than "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE" or "BEWARE THE BATMAN". Not interested in either at the moment.

Onward, shall we?

Starting in fall 1995 came the second season of "GARGOYLES", which represents the real heart of the franchise. Comprising of 52 episodes, it makes up the bulk of the series' run which is considered canon by both its fans and creators. As noted by Greg Weisman himself on the series' DVD box, he and his producers at the time had been braced for an order of 18 episodes at most. Undaunted, more production and writing help was tapped as well as more than one animation studio, and while some of the episodes of season 2 don't have the polish in terms of animation as far as animation quality goes, the narrative and acting level was kept on par.

To this end is the season premiere, "LEADER OF THE PACK".

Spoiler

As the title suggests, this sees the return of the team of TV star mercenaries return to plague the Gargoyles once more. The episode starts with a daring jail break sequence which would become a theme among Greg Weisman productions. "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" ("Group Therapy") and "YOUNG JUSTICE" ("Terrors") would go on to feature at least one episode involving breaking out of a prison. The armored Coyote has taken it upon himself to team with Dingo (Jim Cummings) and liberate the rest of the pack from jail. While there's mystery behind the identity, sharp eared fans can recognize Jonathan Frakes' voice from behind the helmet even with a mechanical filter effect. While Wolf, Hyena, and Jackal are eager to flee - with the deranged Hyena eager to slay any prison guard in her path - Fox elects to remain behind and serve her sentence. The rest of the Pack are eager to avenge themselves on the Gargoyles and agree to work for Coyote when he reveals himself as Xanatos. On the other end, Lexington still bares a grudge for being tricked by the group in "THRILL OF THE HUNT" and becomes zealous in his attempts to capture them once work gets back to the clan - which endangers all around him.

If the episode has any theme, it's revenge. The Pack want revenge on the Gargoyles, Lex wants revenge on the Pack, and even Xanatos seems more single focused than usual. The other theme of the episode is action, with quite a few thrilling action sequences including a vastly entertaining brawl between then Manhattan clan and Pack for the finale. There is a twist in the episode and although if I am honest I didn't see it entirely coming, I did think, "boy, Xanatos is acting very 'Saturday Morning Cartoon' here" until the reveal. The big tip off is Fox remaining behind; the vixen who considers Xanatos "the smartest man on the face of the earth". In the end its all a ploy to get her paroled for good behavior as well as test out a new doppelganger robot - as well as, no doubt, to liberate the Pack for future use. It is this episode where Xanatos utters one of his many classic lines, "Revenge, as they say, is a suckers' game". It's hard to argue with him when he successfully liberates his lady-friend and his gang of henchmen, tests out a new robot as well as a sweet suit of armor all while maintaining an alibi and playing his enemies for fools. Even Lex learns the lesson that those close to him matter more than evening a score - which is a theme Xanatos himself will learn in future episodes (or, "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER"). You know a series is doing something unique when its primary villain seems to understand the priority of love.

The animation is still on par with most animated TV shows of 1995, and even better than some ("X-MEN", "SPIDER-MAN: TAS"), although the quality is a noticeable point or two worse this time around. The action more than makes up for it, though, as well as once again opening a season with a Xanatos gambit. His relationship with Fox would continue to be developed as he continues to be a scene stealing figure on the show, for all the right reasons. Cree Summer's Hyena continues to earn points for sheer ruthlessness as well as being feisty; she's willing to pounce on Coyote even after he's revealed as a robot. Wolf still seems to appear as a satire of Wolverine, which suits him fine as he usually is always eager for a fight regardless of logic or tactics. Only the Pack begin and end the episode consumed by revenge, and one can see how that limits their lot in life - reduced to being pawns of the villain or punching bags for the heroes. Fox is the brightest of them which is clearly why Xanatos considers her his favorite (besides other reasons). Unfortunately, many of the harshly violent robot scenes have been edited from syndicated re-airs, which is bizarre. After all, "all of him" does escape, technically.

Subsequent episodes would continue the uptick of a faster pace and a lot more action compared to some episodes of the first season. Given that the foundation of the world has thus been built, it makes perfect sense to hit the accelerator while still embellishing the details. Subplots such as the series' main antagonist falling in love and especially the dangers of succumbing to revenge would be followed up upon and embellished very quickly as the season gets underway. All in all, quite an action spectacle to kick off Season 2 by as well as planting more seeds for future episodes even when it seems this episode is merely reaping.

Following up "LEADER OF THE PACK" is "METAMORPHOSIS", which also follows in the tradition in reaping the seeds sown in the previous episodes of the last season. To a degree this is a sequel episode to "HER BROTHER'S KEEPER" in that it brings Xanatos' subplot involving Elisa's brother Derek in his affairs to a dramatic and downright cruel head. It also offers focus on Brooklyn, following in the tradition set by the previous season of fleshing out a different Gargoyle with each episode.

Spoiler

Derek Maza has continued to serve as David Xanatos' pilot and bodyguard, presumably ignoring the cassette tape of Fox's prison boast from his last episode appearance or dismissing what was said on it. Being the younger brother in the family, Derek has much pride invested in breaking with tradition and not believing Elisa is right about everything. While Elisa is eager for Derek to see the truth about Xanatos, she unfortunately is unable to control her now adult brother and doesn't desire to. Unfortunately, Xanatos' gambit in this episode is perhaps the most devious and cruel to date, involving human experimentation and especially on toying with the lives of homeless people. One such drifter, Maggie, is plucked from the streets by the mad Dr. Sevarius (the always awesome Tim Curry) and transformed into a creature that is part bat, part feline at his Gen-U-Tech laboratory. Brooklyn and his clan mates happen upon her seeking to escape from lab technicians seeking to reclaim her, and Brooklyn is immediately attracted to her and desires to aid her - even though she considers him and the others monsters. Xanatos and Derek eventually investigate the lab (since Xanatos owns it and commissioned the research) and they learn the full scope of Sevarius' work to genetically replicate the Gargoyles. Xanatos is seemingly appalled by the human experimentation, and a confrontation with Sevarius results in Derek being shot with the doctor's mutagenic serum. Goliath also agrees to a raid on the lab to liberate Maggie on Brooklyn's behalf, which goes horribly wrong when not only is Derek's cure shattered in the melee, but Dr. Sevarius is electrocuted by his own electric eels (in full TV sensor defying writhing display). Derek soon transforms into the winged monster Talon and leads the other experimental patients (including Maggie) away into the night. There's more action in this episode although a full blown conflict between Talon's "clan" and Goliath's is mostly (and wisely) kept to another episode.

The episode has many fascinating details to it. Dr. Sevarius offers a fascinating theory on the biological functions of the Gargoyles, and we see the beginning of the applications of the reality of metabolism to the structure of the universe in play. It would come up later on in "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER" and naturally with Kid-Flash in "YOUNG JUSTICE" (even if the latter had such details to him from the comics). The ability to have super strength and additional fortitude are such strains on the body that it takes a tremendous amount of food to keep such creatures at full vigor - with Sevarious' theory that the Gargoyles achieve nocturnal photosynthesis. Given how easily defeated the "Steel Clan" robots are, it makes perfect sense that Xanatos himself would tire of their uselessness in battle and seek another avenue to replicate the Gargoyles. The biggest twists to the episode are that Xanatos was fully aware of the human experimentation, Sevarius faked his death (and guise) and the Gargoyles had been manipulated into the raid with deliberate releases of the test subjects. Stretching back further, it is likely that Xanatos planned to transform Derek from the moment he was hired - to not only exploit the turmoil of making an enemy of the brother of the Gargoyles' only human friend, but gain more leverage over Elisa, who'd been Xanatos' enemy before the Gargoyles were. Xanatos is his usual charming and smug self, but this time his scheme involves human experimentation and forced mutation - perhaps the most merciless application of his schemes up until this point. The episode sells this in stark detail by ending with Elisa bawling her eyes out amid the Gargoyles with no solution to her or Derek's problem. The heroes failed at just about everything they wanted to do, while Xanatos achieved just about everything he wanted.

Following up an episode where Xanatos seems to utilize the Gargoyles as pawns to free his girlfriend with an episode where he exploits human experimentation and genetic manipulations on unwilling subjects is naturally quote bold, and offers some awareness at the audience. After 14 episodes, it became easy to "like" Xanatos as a character even though he is often the direct antagonist to the series' noble heroes. Often times when villains become popular with the audience and/or the production staff, measures seem to occur which seek to smooth out their edges, make anti-heroes or even outright heroes of them to appeal to the audiences' desires. Instead, "Gargoyles" isn't interested in such simplicity and instead seeks to remind its audience in stark detail that David Xanatos may be many things a "hero" should be - charming, smug, even aware of love or perspective - he still isn't one and is capable of cruel things and horrible crimes to his own ends. Future episodes would continue to develop Xanatos and even offer some more redeeming qualities to him, while at the same time making sure the lines between nobility and antagonism aren't blurred too much. It would be easy to just make Xanatos a hero and come up with some token villain for him to fight alongside the Gargoyles; instead episodes such as this don't make things that crude, and thus make subsequent alliances of necessity more dramatic. One of the wisest words I heard as a child was, "good people can do bad things and bad people can do good things, but that doesn't make them the same". Life rarely offers simple solutions or characters that aren't complex, and neither does "GARGOYLES"; one of the many reasons why it often remains ahead of its time.

"LEGION" has the task of following up two incredibly strong episodes, as well as one with perhaps the most tragic ending of an episode (so far).

Spoiler

I'd like to say that this episode follows up upon the previous two perfectly but to be honest it stumbles slightly. That isn't to say it's a poor episode; it still offers a lot of pathos and vivid imagination, as well as development of characters. However, the animation for this episode isn't the peak of the show and it does borrow on a technological theme which was all the rage in the 90's - "virtual reality". It also heaps more "revelations" around a character who arose from one whole cloth - Coldstone.

For perspective, many shows in animation and live action were playing with the element of "virtual reality" in the 1990's. Technology was advancing in leaps and bounds, although it still wasn't where it would be in terms of "cyberspace" and other matters later on in the 21st century. "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" played with this in "WHAT IS REALITY?" back in 1992 (which was one of only 3 episodes where Riddler was the main villain). Saban's latest attempt to imitate the "Power Rangers" in "VR TROOPERS" was also on the air. Heck, even the more recent "TMNT: FAST FORWARD" and "TMNT: BACK TO THE SEWERS" explored some VR themes. Perhaps my biggest issue with the episode is Coldstone himself. In "REAWAKENING", he served the role as the being the abomination created by the pooled efforts of Demona and David Xanatos to defeat the Gargoyles - mingling the worst of both (science and magic) with pieces of the past. To that end Coldstone served as a confused and tragic monster, and filled that role well enough. This episode, however, seeks to create a new angle to him as one who suffers from multiple personalities due to the pieces of two different Gargoyles mixed into his reassembled cybernetic form - his love Desdemona (CCH Pounder) and his rival and manipulator, Iago (Xander Berkeley). Subplots such as Goliath being seen as a suitor for Desdemona and Iago manipulating Coldstone against Goliath arise suddenly, and they seem too strong for them never to have mentioned or remembered beforehand. This isn't to say that "GARGOYLES" didn't amend or embellish some of their history from the pilot episodes and that isn't to say that when such things happened they weren't done excellently. That isn't even to say that the details introduced this episode aren't good - the next Coldstone episode would be much better. That all said, I'd be less than honest if I said everything clicked together perfectly as well as it usually does in most other episodes.

Still laying at the bottom of the river, Coldstone is "reactivated" by his cybernetic parts some time after "REAWAKENING" and his memories are now a larger jumble than they were before. Now he remembers a presumed love triangle between he (named Othello, naturally) and Goliath for Desdemona, although he's also being fed lies by Iago. What is worse, these personalities are now fighting for control of Coldstone and he goes on another rampage. By sheer "coincidence", a new police technology tool called RECAP is being tested by Elisa'a partner Matt Bluestone which is of course invented by the company that Xanatos owns. It involves controlling a police robot and seeing through its eyes with a "VR" headset. When Coldstone goes on another rampage, the robot is employed against him, and while it has no effect on stopping him, Coldstone's condition begins to deteriorate. He's invited back to the clan by Goliath, but when he proves to be crazier than a bag full of cats, Lex gets the idea to try to fix the "bug" in his cybernetic systems. To that end they swipe RECAP and Goliath beams into Coldstone's mainframe to try to fix things. While he doesn't find Dot, Bob, or Megabyte, he does waltz into a computerized soap opera where a virus seeks to erase everything and a "prime directive" manifested as Xanatos muddles matters further.

Michael Dorn gets more to play with as Coldstone this time, and it is fun watching Iago and Xanatos seek to play Othello like a fiddle. Perhaps the scenes within the "cyberspace" realm would have looked better or different with some better animation or another studio (which they do in "HIGH NOON"), but something seems to be off. In fairness, given how confused and jumbled Coldstone was, a mishmash of shattered gargoyle parts, magic, and cybernetics, it makes sense that it'd take time for him to remember things or that Xanatos would be able to "jolt" memories to reactivate him. And given that such a "love triangle" only existed because Iago was feeding Othello bull, it makes sense that Goliath wouldn't be aware of it as it was misunderstood. It allows the episode to pay homage to another of Shakespeare's plays and allows Xanatos' smugness to exist on another plane. Naturally, Xanatos was in control of activating Coldstone as well as in implanting the virus within him (via the robot) as a way to test it out. Xanatos if anything knows how to save millions on R&D just having the Gargoyles test out a lot of his weapons or gadgets for him. The angle of involving Goliath in some high technology is naturally a means of showing that the series isn't always about magic or myth, but that advanced technology like "VR" can exist in its universe and its heroes can dabble within it. Coldstone seemingly shuts down when Iago is consumed by the virus, but he naturally will arise again.

For the record, it isn't that I thought this episode was bad or even average. With previous episodes all earning grades ranging from A+, A, or A-, I suppose an episode which earns a B+ is noticed even if it's no big deal or cause for alarm. Perhaps the VR element does date the show more than floppy discs did in the pilot. Regardless, even the worst "Gargoyles" episodes in this era are far better than most shows of the time at their peak. "LEGION" is still a very good episode which develops its characters and leads to better stories with them in the future; the show has simply done better is all.

 

[Dread]

May as well get in a couple more tonight.

Fourth in the season is "A LIGHTHOUSE IN THE SEA OF TIME", which not only serves as an episode to bring about the return of Macbeth, but develop both Broadway and Hudson in one fell swoop. It does come the closest to preaching its moral to the point that LeVarr Burton should have had a guest roll in the episode, but such matters never smother the plot or get in the way of the characters. Also, unlike many "character learns a moral" episodes, this moral isn't forgotten later on in future episodes but is dealt with as its own subplot.

Spoiler

Two archaeologists unearth two ancient scrolls believed to have been written by Merlin himself which are being transported to the Metropolitan Museum of Art under the guest of Elisa and Matt Bluestone. The scrolls fascinate most of the Gargoyle clan, except for either Broadway or Hudson, who are illiterate and more fond of television. When the scrolls are stolen by a team of mercenaries, Xanatos is immediately suspected. However, while his assistant Owen has some fun toying with the Gargoyles, it turns out that Macbeth has rebuilt his castle and shows much interest in the ancient scrolls, believing them to hold some power from the greatest wizard of myth. Both Broadway and Hudson are separated trying to save the scrolls from the mercenaries and while Broadway is captured by Macbeth with one, Hudson lands with the other near the home of blind author Jeffery Robbins (Paul Winfield). The friendship which develops between Robbins and Hudson is enjoyable to see, considering both are "up there" in years to their respective generations of people. Naturally the angle is that because Robbins is blind, he doesn't know Hudson is a gargoyle and thus judges him by his character. Robbins, having read and written in Braille, explains the wonder of them to Hudson, whose illiteracy embarrasses him with his new friend. Meanwhile, Macbeth's description of Merlin's life and importance to the history of England and the world via reading about him convinces Broadway of the importance of reading to experience different things and people. A seemingly throwaway line by Macbeth when Broadway assumes he'd known Merlin ("Even I'm not THAT old!") gives a hint at "CITY OF STONE" later on which would embellish Macbeth in better detail. In the end, the scrolls contain Merlin's diary instead of his spells, which Broadway now appreciates as worth more than magic.

Yes, the episode does state its moral about reading in enough detail that an audience won't miss it. However, none of the characters face the camera and point their fingers to the audience about it as was the rule in many shows during the 1980's (and even the 90's dub of "SAILOR MOON" from DIC that had a "Sailor Sez" spoon-feed segment). By having both Hudson and Broadway go through the lesson, it explains that illiteracy isn't a problem which plagues the young alone, but also those who are of older generations. Since the pair did come from the middle ages when illiteracy was common, it makes perfect sense that not all of the Gargoyles would know how to read or even appreciate it. The Viking commander Hakon dismisses the skill in "THE AWAKENING", recall. Other highlights include Owen having some fun at the Gargoyles expense when they wrongfully accuse Xanatos of the theft, even though he does ultimately lead them in the right direction. I for one wasn't fooled because if Xanatos had wanted the scrolls so badly, he'd have just bought them. At any rate, given that so many shows have head villains behind the events of almost every plot, it is a good bit of "trope aversion" having the heroes themselves come to such conclusions and then not only be wrong, but be given assistance by said head villain's underling. Future episodes would also show both Broadway and Hudson continue learning how to read, so much like "DEADLY FORCE", the show isn't looking to have a "very special episode" and then forget it happened. Why bother teaching a lesson if the characters themselves don't take it to heart past the credits? In this way, "GARGOYLES" not only rewrites the book with how to write serial action shows or series villains, it even rewrites the book with "moral of the week" episodes to make them matter without being overwhelming. The episode also takes a moment to show Macbeth's sense of honor in that once it's known that the scrolls don't contain what he wanted, he ends his battle and allows them to leave rather than fight out of spite. While he is involved in a cycle of violence with another character, those in this episode aren't among them. Before John Rhys-Davies was thrilling Middle Earth, he was killing it as Macbeth here. Even after only his second appearance he'd become my third favorite villain here after Xanatos and Demona, which bodes well for one of the major arcs of this season.

And for the record, "CELEBRITY HOCKEY" was a reality show ahead of its time. It'd be on its 11th season on NBC now. I'd watch it every week with an ice cold Reach at my side.

Up next is "THE MIRROR", which sees the return of Walt Disney Animation Japan in terms of the production as well as Demona as the antagonist of the episode. The show had taken a rare four episode break with her, but sometimes such things are good. Overexposure can ruin the threat level that a villain has if they're defeated too often in a row or simply through sheer overuse. I have become tired of Joker and Lex Luthor due to similar indulgences in WB animated projects. The episode also not only merely references a play by William Shakespeare, it flat out reinvents it. The result is one of the best episodes of the season in terms of plot, animation, acting, and presentation. It would take a four episode plot to top this.

Spoiler

Titania's Mirror is another ancient and presumably mystical artifact being on display at the MET, only this time Elisa has been given a head's up as to it being a target of theft by one of their mutual enemies - Demona. While she may not be the master of gambits like Xanatos, Demona is wise in the art of misdirection as she leads Goliath and his allies on a merry chase while giving some hired goons time to steal the object for her. We get a glimpse at Demona's own villa when the mirror is dropped off, and see it put to use when it summons a sprite named Puck, voiced by Brent Spiner (Data of "ST:TNG, who naturally is reunited with Marina Sirtis here). Lexington explains to Elisa the nature of species on earth, in particular the "third race" of sentient beings known as "Oberon's Children" (with the previous two races being humans and gargoyles, naturally). Known as "dark elves" to the Norse or Sidhe or fairies by the Scottish, they're long eared beings who possess vast magical powers and perhaps even more dangerously, a sense of mischief and manipulation. When Demona seeks to enslave Puck to perform her whims of revenge against Elisa in particular and humanity at large, all sorts of chaos ensues. Lexington points out that Puck was the name of the sprite from "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" and this episode goes on to essentially play out a version of that here. Oh, what fools these Gargoyles be.

Much like many magical spells in this series, Demona's issues reside in Puck interpreting some of her demands literally, or at least not in the manner she intends them. He reveals that Goliath is still at the heart of her desires and when she wishes Elisa to cease to be, she is instead transformed into a Gargoyle herself with little memory of her previous state. To quote Kid-Flash, "Still hot". This puts her relationship with Goliath on interesting footing as she gets to truly fly with him and her friends for the first time. Things become more chaotic when all the humans on Manhattan become Gargoyles themselves and the titular Gargoyles are transformed into humans - Goliath in particular while in human form proves to be a dead ringer for Conan the Barbarian, complete with sword and shield later on. There is time for role reversal when Elisa (still in her gargoyle form) gets to save Goliath's life from a fall, mirroring their own initial meeting in "THE AWAKENING". It all climaxes with a battle atop the twin towers as well as against some animated creatures and Demona learning that beings such as Puck aren't to be dismissed easily.

While Brent Spiner didn't impress me as Joker in "YOUNG JUSTICE", he's an utter delight as Puck here. He delivers the right sort of relish and mischief in the incantations as well as his dialogue with Demona. Sirtis, for her part, gets to go through a range of emotions here, even annoyance at the end when her plan's been undone and Puck won't leave. The regular cast all have a chance to live in each other's shoes and naturally come out stronger and more unified for it. I am glad the animation is back to Season 1 standards because it is utterly brilliant here, even almost 19 years later. Bronx's canine form is also amusing. It seemed evident that Goliath and Elisa had a relationship which was more than friendship last season, but this episode brings this in stark detail - at least from Goliath's perspective when she becomes a Gargoyle briefly. Demona also proves to be her own worst enemy when she is granted what she wished for at the start of the episode - to no longer transform to stone by day, tiring of being vulnerable. Instead Puck curses her to human form in daylight, which naturally disgusts her. Themes such as Demona's efforts at revenge only bringing her more misery would be covered in stark detail in "CITY OF STONE", but this adds to that groundwork.

I may as well use this episode to address something which has occasionally come up not only in online discussion circles with us audience members but also occasionally on radio shows involving actual production or higher up people within Marvel Entertainment. Obviously, Greg Weisman and his production/writing staff on this and subsequent productions see great inspiration in classics such as Shakespeare. "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" in particular would be used to frame several episodes of "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" and some within Marvel brass would even go on to dismiss it as appealing to adults which such fare. The way I see it, references to culture and other works of fiction are common in TV shows, comics, and films, but ESPECIALLY so in animation. Naturally this means that such references often play a role in dialogue and framing of episodes, and even on inspiration and the impression that such new works leave. The easy thing to do is to pander, to offer pop culture references of the lowest denominator for an easy smirk or attempt at one - "FAMILY GUY" in particular does this. Unfortunately, this can often date the show poorly and offer little new or of substance to the audience. I remember a line of narration in the original KICK-ASS which read to the effect of, "I started out as 'HEROES' season one, and now? I'm season freaking two". That may have sounded awfully hip then, but read it now and all you think is, "Gosh, this was totally written in 2007". While "GARGOYLES" or other Weisman productions are willing to reference films or TV shows as they go (such as horror movies of the golden age or even "CAGNEY & LACEY"), they seek to offer a glimpse at some more classical material. Many children don't grasp them because of how they're presented in schools to them, often as reading chores. Instead episodes such as this inspire the imagination and get to the root of the work beyond just memorizing lines for a test or report. I'm hardly a Shakespeare buff but I do appreciate an attempt to use a classic not just to try to teach me something, but to use it to present the show I am watching in a new light. The bottom line is a show can choose to reference and even adapt something which has stood the test of time for over 400 years, or it can choose to reference video games or soap operas as "ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN" does. I also feel it helps give a sense of importance to the actors, as many of them trained on the classics and thus it may feel like coming home again for some of them. Kevin Conroy always gets props for comparing Batman to "HAMLET" at his initial audition, after all. Shows which pander to the lowest common denominator may score some cheap laughs or nods, but shows which aspire for something greater usually wind up standing the test of time. I barely even notice that in "GARGOYLES", I am watching a show which debuted during Bill Clinton's first term in office. Will "ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN" be able to claim the same? It is better to inspire greatness than expect mediocrity, especially when it can be done so elegantly and in such an entertaining manner as this.

"THE MIRROR" is a terrific production from start to finish, one of the gems of the season and show which already has a whole treasure chest full of them. And just when you think you've plucked the last brilliant diamond or ruby, more seem to be shining from below.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

My knowledge of converting these to PDF is limited, but glad people are enjoying these. I'd rather spend time typing reviews of this than "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE" or "BEWARE THE BATMAN". Not interested in either at the moment.

But, but, Dread... kids love that stuff... they don't care about pretentious Shakespeare nonsense. t:

The episode starts with a daring jail break sequence which would become a theme among Greg Weisman productions. "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" ("Group Therapy") and "YOUNG JUSTICE" ("Terrors") would go on to feature at least one episode involving breaking out of a prison.

You think "Star Wars: Rebels" will do an episode about rebels escaping from an Imperial prison?

While there's mystery behind the identity, sharp eared fans can recognize Jonathan Frakes' voice from behind the helmet even with a mechanical filter effect.

I was fourteen when I first saw this, and even then I "knew" it was Xanatos. Oh, how wrong I turned out to be.

There is a twist in the episode and although if I am honest I didn't see it entirely coming, I did think, "boy, Xanatos is acting very 'Saturday Morning Cartoon' here" until the reveal.

But, just for a moment, wasn't it fun seeing Bronx chew on his face?

Even Lex learns the lesson that those close to him matter more than evening a score - which is a theme Xanatos himself will learn in future episodes (or, "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER"). You know a series is doing something unique when its primary villain seems to understand the priority of love.

Even nineteen years, it's still unique. How many shows can you name that have done that with a primary villain?

Unfortunately, Xanatos' gambit in this episode is perhaps the most devious and cruel to date, involving human experimentation and especially on toying with the lives of homeless people.

I was shocked the first time I saw this. It was dark, one of the darkest episodes of the series. In some ways, the SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN episode, "Subtext", reminds me of this one. Mark Allan undergoing human experimentation... only to end up becoming a pawn of the Green Goblin.

but Dr. Sevarius is electrocuted by his own electric eels (in full TV sensor defying writhing display).

Which inspired the new origin story for Electro in "THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" which in turn inspired Electro's origin in "AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2". So when you go to the movies next summer and watch Jamie Foxx get electrocuted by electric eels, remember... it started with Dr. Sevarius in this episode of "GARGOYLES".

The episode has many fascinating details to it. Dr. Sevarius offers a fascinating theory on the biological functions of the Gargoyles, and we see the beginning of the applications of the reality of metabolism to the structure of the universe in play.

Which is, honestly, more thought put into a fictional species than even most "adult sci-fi" series put into it.

Given how easily defeated the "Steel Clan" robots are, it makes perfect sense that Xanatos himself would tire of their uselessness in battle and seek another avenue to replicate the Gargoyles.

I recently re-watched the 1987 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series, and I was always chuckling at how badly Shredder wanted to re-power the Technodrome, and one reason often stated why, was so his robotic Foot Soldiers would be functional again. Dude, your robots suck! Well, while the Steel Clan will continue to appear, I think Xanatos knows he won't beat the gargoyles with them and relegates them to more practical functions.... as we've seen in "City of Stone".

I love a villain who learns from his mistakes.

Following up an episode where Xanatos seems to utilize the Gargoyles as pawns to free his girlfriend with an episode where he exploits human experimentation and genetic manipulations on unwilling subjects is naturally quote bold, and offers some awareness at the audience. After 14 episodes, it became easy to "like" Xanatos as a character even though he is often the direct antagonist to the series' noble heroes. Often times when villains become popular with the audience and/or the production staff, measures seem to occur which seek to smooth out their edges, make anti-heroes or even outright heroes of them to appeal to the audiences' desires. Instead, "Gargoyles" isn't interested in such simplicity and instead seeks to remind its audience in stark detail that David Xanatos may be many things a "hero" should be - charming, smug, even aware of love or perspective - he still isn't one and is capable of cruel things and horrible crimes to his own ends. Future episodes would continue to develop Xanatos and even offer some more redeeming qualities to him, while at the same time making sure the lines between nobility and antagonism aren't blurred too much. It would be easy to just make Xanatos a hero and come up with some token villain for him to fight alongside the Gargoyles; instead episodes such as this don't make things that crude, and thus make subsequent alliances of necessity more dramatic. One of the wisest words I heard as a child was, "good people can do bad things and bad people can do good things, but that doesn't make them the same". Life rarely offers simple solutions or characters that aren't complex, and neither does "GARGOYLES"; one of the many reasons why it often remains ahead of its time.

He is so damn likable, isn't he? Just like many of society's real, successful villains. How many people did they step on to get to where they were? That's another reason I think Xanatos is a brilliant creation, because even though we know who and what he really is... he still fools us.

For perspective, many shows in animation and live action were playing with the element of "virtual reality" in the 1990's. Technology was advancing in leaps and bounds, although it still wasn't where it would be in terms of "cyberspace" and other matters later on in the 21st century. "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" played with this in "WHAT IS REALITY?" back in 1992 (which was one of only 3 episodes where Riddler was the main villain). Saban's latest attempt to imitate the "Power Rangers" in "VR TROOPERS" was also on the air. Heck, even the more recent "TMNT: FAST FORWARD" and "TMNT: BACK TO THE SEWERS" explored some VR themes.

Oh, 1990's... I remember you, well.

It does come the closest to preaching its moral to the point that LeVarr Burton should have had a guest roll in the episode

Wait til he does have a guest role... in an episode with a storyteller. Really.

The friendship which develops between Robbins and Hudson is enjoyable to see, considering both are "up there" in years to their respective generations of people.

MTV would have hated this episode.

Meanwhile, Macbeth's description of Merlin's life and importance to the history of England and the world via reading about him convinces Broadway of the importance of reading to experience different things and people.

And John Rhys-Davies totally sold that monologue.

Other highlights include Owen having some fun at the Gargoyles expense when they wrongfully accuse Xanatos of the theft, even though he does ultimately lead them in the right direction. I for one wasn't fooled because if Xanatos had wanted the scrolls so badly, he'd have just bought them.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NotMeThisTime

Even after only his second appearance he'd become my third favorite villain here after Xanatos and Demona, which bodes well for one of the major arcs of this season.

Agreed. I'll comment more when you get to "City of Stone".

And for the record, "CELEBRITY HOCKEY" was a reality show ahead of its time. It'd be on its 11th season on NBC now. I'd watch it every week with an ice cold Reach at my side.

It makes a very hilarious re-appearance in the "GARGOYLES: BAD GUYS" comic book.

Up next is "THE MIRROR", which sees the return of Walt Disney Animation Japan in terms of the production as well as Demona as the antagonist of the episode. The show had taken a rare four episode break with her, but sometimes such things are good. Overexposure can ruin the threat level that a villain has if they're defeated too often in a row or simply through sheer overuse. I have become tired of Joker and Lex Luthor due to similar indulgences in WB animated projects.

Me too, that's one reason I was happy that Vandal Savage was put in charge of the Light (for all intents and purposes) instead of Lex Luthor. And another reason why I wish "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" had gotten a third season, when less over-used villains like Hobgoblin and Belladonna (okay, this wasn't confirmed, but it was heavily hinted) would have been brought into play.

Demona's a Big Bad, but luckily, she isn't an overused one at all. Hell, when we got to the SLG comics, my only complaint is that she wasn't used enough... but that is more to do with the license ending and the comic coming to an end way too soon. I am glad Weisman didn't force her in early and more often just to pander to, well, to me.

Titania's Mirror is another ancient and presumably mystical artifact being on display at the MET, only this time Elisa has been given a head's up as to it being a target of theft by one of their mutual enemies - Demona. While she may not be the master of gambits like Xanatos, Demona is wise in the art of misdirection as she leads Goliath and his allies on a merry chase while giving some hired goons time to steal the object for her.

She's not Xanatos (but really, who is? Even the villains that try to imitate him aren't), but she's still very intelligent and extremely cunning. There's a reason her and Xanatos are the Top Two.

We get a glimpse at Demona's own villa

A townhouse in Gramercy Park, which is so appropriate. The bastion of Manhattan Snobbery, as the Gawker called it.

Lexington explains to Elisa the nature of species on earth, in particular the "third race" of sentient beings known as "Oberon's Children" (with the previous two races being humans and gargoyles, naturally).

Gargoyles, humans, and Oberon's Children. In that order. Gargoyles came first, and the Children evolved last.

Much like many magical spells in this series, Demona's issues reside in Puck interpreting some of her demands literally, or at least not in the manner she intends them.

Never make a deal with Satan... or a trickster. In a way, this also highlights why I could never take seriously the people who said it would have been preferable for Spider-Man to deal with Loki over Mephisto. Not that I am pro-Mephisto or OMD, but I doubt he would have been any happier with Loki.

He reveals that Goliath is still at the heart of her desires and when she wishes Elisa to cease to be, she is instead transformed into a Gargoyle herself with little memory of her previous state. To quote Kid-Flash, "Still hot".

Indeed. Wally's line also applies to the very end of this episode. t:

It all climaxes with a battle atop the twin towers as well as against some animated creatures and Demona learning that beings such as Puck aren't to be dismissed easily.

This episode was pulled out of rotation for a while shortly after September 11th. Back when there was talk in Hollywood about going back and censoring the Twin Towers out of older movies and TV shows. Thankfully that crazy talk stopped pretty fast.

Demona also proves to be her own worst enemy

Which is really the single, overriding, core truth of the character.

I may as well use this episode to address something which has occasionally come up not only in online discussion circles with us audience members but also occasionally on radio shows involving actual production or higher up people within Marvel Entertainment. Obviously, Greg Weisman and his production/writing staff on this and subsequent productions see great inspiration in classics such as Shakespeare. "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" in particular would be used to frame several episodes of "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" and some within Marvel brass would even go on to dismiss it as appealing to adults which such fare. The way I see it, references to culture and other works of fiction are common in TV shows, comics, and films, but ESPECIALLY so in animation. Naturally this means that such references often play a role in dialogue and framing of episodes, and even on inspiration and the impression that such new works leave. The easy thing to do is to pander, to offer pop culture references of the lowest denominator for an easy smirk or attempt at one - "FAMILY GUY" in particular does this. Unfortunately, this can often date the show poorly and offer little new or of substance to the audience. I remember a line of narration in the original KICK-ASS which read to the effect of, "I started out as 'HEROES' season one, and now? I'm season freaking two". That may have sounded awfully hip then, but read it now and all you think is, "Gosh, this was totally written in 2007". While "GARGOYLES" or other Weisman productions are willing to reference films or TV shows as they go (such as horror movies of the golden age or even "CAGNEY & LACEY"), they seek to offer a glimpse at some more classical material. Many children don't grasp them because of how they're presented in schools to them, often as reading chores. Instead episodes such as this inspire the imagination and get to the root of the work beyond just memorizing lines for a test or report. I'm hardly a Shakespeare buff but I do appreciate an attempt to use a classic not just to try to teach me something, but to use it to present the show I am watching in a new light. The bottom line is a show can choose to reference and even adapt something which has stood the test of time for over 400 years, or it can choose to reference video games or soap operas as "ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN" does. I also feel it helps give a sense of importance to the actors, as many of them trained on the classics and thus it may feel like coming home again for some of them. Kevin Conroy always gets props for comparing Batman to "HAMLET" at his initial audition, after all. Shows which pander to the lowest common denominator may score some cheap laughs or nods, but shows which aspire for something greater usually wind up standing the test of time. I barely even notice that in "GARGOYLES", I am watching a show which debuted during Bill Clinton's first term in office. Will "ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN" be able to claim the same? It is better to inspire greatness than expect mediocrity, especially when it can be done so elegantly and in such an entertaining manner as this.

"THE MIRROR" is a terrific production from start to finish, one of the gems of the season and show which already has a whole treasure chest full of them. And just when you think you've plucked the last brilliant diamond or ruby, more seem to be shining from below.

I have nothing to add, I agree with every word of this. I would take it a step further and say this, although it predates it by five years, "GARGOYLES" is the Anti-Family Guy. It doesn't pander in it's references, but encourages it's audience to take a look at the classics. And while "FAMILY GUY" may be the "adult" cartoon, "GARGOYLES" is easily the more mature one. Also, while "GARGOYLES" was a drama, when it was funny (as this episode was), it was hilarious.

 

[Dread]

May as well respond to some responses now.

Elisa Maza was ahead of her time. How many "normal friends" on shows like this often kick more ass than the heroes themselves? And she does so in a way that doesn't feel over the top and ridiculous. I know April O'Neil is often the first character she gets compared to, but... no... April wishes.

April needed the 2003 show to try to compete, to move past being a damsel in distress. Elisa's in a class all her own.

When you get to the final episodes, look back at the trio here... they'll have evolved so much by then.

And, slipping into GargWiki mode. Bronx is a Gargoyle Beast. Sort of of to gargoyles as chimpanzees are to humans. Kept as watchdogs and companions. He gets his own starring episode way down the line.

Noted.

And, I really wish someone other than Greg Weisman would hire Marina Sirtis to do voice work... she has such a terrific voice that lends itself well to powerful, female villains.

Indeed.

Yup. And, because it needs to be said: Disney, you don't know what you've got here. This is a property you can exploit more. I know you guys own Marvel now, so you might feel you already have the venue for "boys action", but that would be like Nickelodeon saying they don't need to explode the world of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" anymore because they now own "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". "Gargoyles" is your "Avatar"!

Exactly! Lord knows WB beats its chest over "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" and why shouldn't they? Compared to that, "GARGOYLES" sometimes comes off as underrated. To a degree Disney is aware as it's remained in syndication (butchered edits or not) and that second half of Season 2 is available via Disney Member Exclusive in time for the 20th anniversary. It's just you don't see them publicizing them or doing merchandise or any KINGDOM HEARTS appearances or so on.

The concept of ownership is lost on him. In his time, if you beat someone and took their castle, it was yours.

If only "THE SUPER MARIO BROTHER SUPER SHOW" played with that concept considering the games.

Lex Luthor, take notes. Work around Superman, or plan for Superman. You'll profit far more.

Greg Weisman would at least have his chance at Luthor in "YOUNG JUSTICE". And nary any suits of armor without even a helmet emerged.

It's a great line, and one I've pointed to a few times. Some people have this misconception about Demona that if she got to know humans and got used to them, she would come around. I think she's already used to us and has known plenty of us. That's not her issue.

Demona's a popular villain, it's understandable that some fans would want to see more redemption in her than she may reveal. The only humans she cares for are those she can use and even that's more than she can stand.

I do think she genuinely loved him back then. But trusted his judgement and respected his decision as leader is something else. Not to mention her fear that the humans in the castle would turn on them... you'll learn more about this later.

Yes, "CITY OF STONE".

I liked this a lot, it did a lot to humanize her and show she does have a life outside the gargoyles and her career.

It is nice to see what such characters do on their off time.

We still see real guns, too. Elisa never upgrades to a laser.

Which is good. I mean like it or not most kids are aware laser guns aren't real and that takes a certain level of realism and thus danger out of it.

I recall an issue of Superman where Lex Luthor has HIS judo instructor beaten up for laying a hand on him. Good ****ing Christ... but yeah, Xanatos is the only villain I can think of who doubles as a positive role model.

Lex is hardly the worst offender. It's fairly standard for villains, even in live action and somewhat serious productions, to mistreat underlings even to the point of absurdity. Again, a good way Xanatos stands above the pack. See the pun?

I enjoy my Green Goblins and Dr. Octopi very much, but Xanatos is Xanatos. Often imitated, never duplicated. In a way, Spectacular Spider-Man's Tombstone often reminds me of Xanatos, of course he was eventually played by the Green Goblin.

Definitely, and while Norman Osborn did many things well there, even he had a major weakness - insanity.

Hudson wasn't my favorite as a kid, but I often find myself appreciating him more and more as I grow older... now at the ripe old age of... 32.

You learned how to wait.

I disagree that it was the attack that made her hate gargoyles. I think it was her dad's constant, light-hearted threats "the gargoyles will get you if you don't behave." He may not have meant to, but he was traumatizing her. Even when Hudson calls him on it, he says "oh, you're too sensitive."

True, but the memory (from her perspective) of Hudson seemingly being there when her dad got sick and almost died certainly didn't help.

You'll see at least two more in season two. But yeah, the entire clan wasn't seen in "Awakening Part One."

Which I understand. As noted, characters such as Thor or Wolverine have benefited from such stories for ages.

I liked Bluestone's scenes in this episode. They did a lot to humanize him because, let's face it, Bluestone is the type of character who is easy to turn into a self-parody. He's a conspiracy buff, but he's not the Question. Not that I'm knocking the Question, I loved the Question.

I'll talk more about Bluestone later but he's certainly another example of why the show is smarter than most.

That was the George Washington Bridge! And you call yourself a New Yorker! Dammit, you and Gerry Conway, man!

Better offer a reprint in MARVEL TALES.

They make such a great Big Bad Diumvirate because they are so different from one another, but to this day, I still think they are two of the most unique villains in the realm of animation.

Without a doubt. They do have a habit of ruining other villains for you once you get used to these two. Or Macbeth of course.

You think "Star Wars: Rebels" will do an episode about rebels escaping from an Imperial prison?

Probably. I mean, why not? Part of the fun of writing a rebellion is you can do stories like that.

But, just for a moment, wasn't it fun seeing Bronx chew on his face?

Quite, even if that exposes the grand reveal.

Even nineteen years, it's still unique. How many shows can you name that have done that with a primary villain?

I think he (and Demona) may ruin a lot of other villains for me.

Which inspired the new origin story for Electro in "THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" which in turn inspired Electro's origin in "AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2". So when you go to the movies next summer and watch Jamie Foxx get electrocuted by electric eels, remember... it started with Dr. Sevarius in this episode of "GARGOYLES".

Very true. I hadn't made that connection with "TSSM" actually.

I recently re-watched the 1987 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series, and I was always chuckling at how badly Shredder wanted to re-power the Technodrome, and one reason often stated why, was so his robotic Foot Soldiers would be functional again. Dude, your robots suck! Well, while the Steel Clan will continue to appear, I think Xanatos knows he won't beat the gargoyles with them and relegates them to more practical functions.... as we've seen in "City of Stone".

I love a villain who learns from his mistakes.

Villains who don't learn from their mistakes get bland and boring very quickly. Many shows in the 80's would play their villains for comedy, which was a shame as the stakes of danger can't get too high then.

He is so damn likable, isn't he? Just like many of society's real, successful villains. How many people did they step on to get to where they were? That's another reason I think Xanatos is a brilliant creation, because even though we know who and what he really is... he still fools us.

Definitely. It has gotten to the point where I would be disappointed if he were defeated outright.

Wait til he does have a guest role... in an episode with a storyteller. Really.

I believe it. Hell, he was with "Reading Rainbow" before "ST:TNG" technically.

And John Rhys-Davies totally sold that monologue.

Absolutely.

Me too, that's one reason I was happy that Vandal Savage was put in charge of the Light (for all intents and purposes) instead of Lex Luthor. And another reason why I wish "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" had gotten a third season, when less over-used villains like Hobgoblin and Belladonna (okay, this wasn't confirmed, but it was heavily hinted) would have been brought into play.

Definitely.

She's not Xanatos (but really, who is? Even the villains that try to imitate him aren't), but she's still very intelligent and extremely cunning. There's a reason her and Xanatos are the Top Two.

Definitely.

Gargoyles, humans, and Oberon's Children. In that order. Gargoyles came first, and the Children evolved last.

Makes sense, given the designs.

I have nothing to add, I agree with every word of this. I would take it a step further and say this, although it predates it by five years, "GARGOYLES" is the Anti-Family Guy. It doesn't pander in it's references, but encourages it's audience to take a look at the classics. And while "FAMILY GUY" may be the "adult" cartoon, "GARGOYLES" is easily the more mature one. Also, while "GARGOYLES" was a drama, when it was funny (as this episode was), it was hilarious.

Agreed. I had that ramble in me for a bit, I just figured it fit now.

 

[nygma619]

Yeah, they've sold out several times already. The DVD is in demand... which is what happens when you make people wait eight years to own it. Keep checking, it should be back in stock soon.

SF speaks the truth cabel. I wasn't able to get this set the first time around; but I kept coming back and low and behold, I managed to snatch a copy. It's great to finally be able to own the Likes of "Hunter's Moon", "The Reckoning", "The Gathering", "Future Tense", and "Pendragon" on DVD.

Also Sarcastic Fan and Dread, Celebrity Hockey DID find it's way into the Young Justice tie-in comic in issue #18!

 

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Also Sarcastic Fan and Dread, Celebrity Hockey DID find it's way into the Young Justice tie-in comic in issue #18!

Welp! Now you gave Dread an actual reason to look that comic up!

 

[Dread]

How about a couple of reviews now?

Interesting that the end of my last review ended on a metaphor about jewels, as they wind up a MacGuffin for the next episode in season 2, "THE SILVER FALCON". Coming off an episode dealing with ancient magic is an episode which takes a lower key into another thriller involving a mystery, missing partners, and the mafia. This is a good change of pace to avoid having the series fall into a rut or for the audience to expect only certain types of stories out of "GARGOYLES", but that it is a universe which can do mythical Shakespeare adaptations one minute and urban mysteries the next, with it all flowing together.

Spoiler

Elisa's partner Matt Bluestone (Thomas F. Wilson) is busy on his downtime chasing down leads to his favorite conspiracy angle, the so-called "Illuminati". However, this time he's stumbled onto something seriously dangerous, and promptly goes missing. Much as with "DEADLY FORCE", Broadway is spending time at her apartment, and as a nod to that episode, this time Elisa makes sure to store her gun safely in a chest. When a night of watching detective movies is interrupted by a very real mystery, Broadway insists on tagging along; for her part, Elisa doesn't want a partner who seems to wish to live out a fantasy more than stay safe. However, when Broadway tags along on Elisa's search and winds up saving her life against a thug at Matt's apartment, she begrudgingly agrees to have him tag along. The two wind up relying on each other heavily as Elisa meets up with Matt's old partner Martin Hacker (the always great Michael Bell, of the 1981 "Incredible Hulk" cartoon's fame) from the FBI. We learn that before he was a cop, Matt Bluestone was an FBI agent who was finally booted for his knack for chasing conspiracy theories. This time, however, Bluestone seemed to unearth a 70 year old letter from mobster Mace Malone to Dominic Dracon - the grandfather of Tony Dracon, another enemy of the Gargoyles and Elisa. Matt was convinced that both are tied to the "Illuminati" but it winds up sparking a mystery to recover some gems stolen back in the golden days. Tony, his minion Glasses as well as the rest of his gang also want in on the racket as Elisa meets the elderly G.F. Benton (Darren McGavin) in Dominic's old address - who turns out to be the old time hood himself.

It is fun seeing Broadway don a trench coat and fedora like his TV heroes, and while he is still in danger of treating things too much as a fantasy, this episode still shows that beneath his often childlike manner, Broadway is still is a gargoyle who can fly and is stronger than many men, which makes a good thing to have on a detective mission. Elisa for her part unravels the mystery by herself and quickly improvises when daybreak seems to come at the worst time. I wasn't fooled by "Benton" in the slightest, and it does lead to an interesting rooftop confrontation as the real "silver falcon" is discovered - even if the loot is for naught. "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" wasn't the only cartoon at the time which could wrest a suspenseful episode around some mafia secrets, as well as around people. We learn more about Matt Bluestone here, especially about who he used to be before joining the NYPD. He's a character who could have easily been boring or even a bumbling comic relief but instead the show gives him enough texture that he avoids falling into a cliche and even manages to propel this and other episodes. Tony Dracon has a white streak through his hair; perhaps at the stress of being chased by monsters in "DEADLY FORCE", which this in some ways is a sequel to. While Dracon may not be a villain on par with Demona, Xanatos, or Macbeth, to me he stands out because he represents the organized crime element within the modern day city the best. He isn't an immortal being or a scheming billionaire industrialist or even a member of a squad of mercenaries. Naturally, one could argue that if you've seen one mobster, you've seen them all, but he helps ground the series in some reality as it allows Elisa and the Gargoyles to have to protect the city from street crime as well as against far out monsters or spells. So many of the series' villains are over familiar with the Gargoyles, so Dracon and his boys also manage to remind audiences that the Gargoyles are fantastic creatures in a modern world. Besides, it isn't as if Batman or Spider-Man should have a monopoly on occasional mafia plots. Such episodes in this show also manage to sell a certain mood as well as showcase Elisa's detective skills quite well. Broadway's knowledge of detective TV shows would also come in handy later on in "PROTECTION". The mystery of Mace Malone would also be settled to dramatic fashion in "REVELATIONS".

What I quickly loved about the 2003 era "TMNT" cartoon was that it managed to create a world where its characters could have just about any type of story the writers imagined and so long as it was written well and embellished the strength of the characters, it would work. You could have a battle against a mythical monster one week, science freaks the next, a showdown with a franchise villain and then a more subtle urban thriller and it would all flow together as one tapestry. Clearly, "GARGOYLES" pulled that off a lot sooner that that show as episodes such as this showcase. To their credit, many shows with regular mobster characters have said mobsters be fairly up there in age - such as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in "SPIDER-MAN: TAS" and of course Rupert Thorne from "BATMAN: TAS" and "MYSTERY OF THE BATWOMAN". While this episode does focus on older mobsters, Tony is a younger one, still in his prime and eager to make his mark on the underworld due to his family's roots - which makes him more dangerous. It is a small detail but one which doesn't seem to come up as often in network cartoons with mobster villains. With Bluestone's development and another solid team up between Elisa and Broadway, there's little to dislike here. A show shouldn't have one predictable tone or setting all the time and episodes such as this mix things up greatly.

After a break of three episodes without a plot centering around David Xanatos, "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER" ends that drought in dramatic and genre bending fashion. It serves as both a sequel to previous episodes such as "THE EDGE" from season 1 and "LEADER OF THE PACK" which kicked off this premiere. It is an episode which is set around Halloween and plays with the holiday in many ways; Greg Weisman would go on to make hay of the holiday in "REACTION" from "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" and in "SECRETS" from "YOUNG JUSTICE". Not only is it a romp which involves a lot of characters and plays up on some of the romantic subtext between Goliath and Elisa, it is also another episode which seeks to reveal another layer to Xanatos himself.

Spoiler

On a whim, Xanatos proposes to Fox and offers her the "Eye of Odin" (the MacGuffin of "THE EDGE") as an engagement present. Not long after, the city becomes plagued by attacks by a vicious werewolf which seems to be breaking into stores and consuming whatever it can find. This includes the plucky "General Store" from "REAWAKENED", who both Elisa and the Gargoyles have sworn to protect. The werewolf seems to have a very familiar eye tattoo and proves a physical match for even Goliath. Xanatos eventually finds out that it is the "eye of Odin" itself has transformed Fox under the light of the full moon, and she won't survived the advanced metabolism that the transformations incur for long. Xanatos seeks to employ the Gargoyles' assistance in stopping the werewolf, and at first as soon as they're convinced he'd playing them for pawns as he usually does. Elisa, especially coming off "METAMORPHOSIS", is in no mood to help Xanatos, even mocking how he seems to have a "plan C, D, or F" and so on. In the end, however, Goliath recalls what it is like to lose a loved one and in the hopes of seeing something redemptive in Xanatos, helps subdue and cure Fox as she goes on a rampage at the Village Halloween parade. Previous episodes paid homage to "FRANKENSTEIN" and "DRACULA", so this episode completes that classic horror theme with a werewolf theme.

The biggest twist of the episode is that it is a situation which Xanatos didn't intentionally provoke and which quickly spirals out of his control. While he comments on underestimating the power of the "eye", he had no intention of transforming Fox into a werewolf. When he wants Goliath's help, it isn't as a part of some far ranging scheme for business or to test a weapon or recover some item, but simply to save the woman he loves. Speaking of which, the very notion of love isn't something which Xanatos seems to easily admit. He cites things such as equal goals or genetic compatibility in his proposal and seems to dismiss Fox's question of love a bit as he considers it a weakness. In the end of course Xanatos does love Fox ("as much as someone such as him as capable of that emotion") and in the end just wants to break a curse and save her - hardly a plot point rare to Disney. We also get to see the Gargoyles enjoying themselves on Halloween and some of their "costumes", such as Broadway dressing as a detective. It is especially fun to see Elisa in Belle's dress from "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" since she and Goliath have a very modern, non-lilly white version of that classic romance. It doesn't hurt that the dress is detachable so Elisa can draw a gun from her garter belt, and they get to share a nice dance together and enjoy some time in between adventures. Thankfully, there's no singing furniture this time.

This is also an interesting episode for Goliath with "CITY OF STONE" on the horizon as it showcases what makes Goliath a strong character. When it's revealed that Xanatos wants their help in a mess of his own making, he attempts to be genre savvy and avoid wasting his time as a pawn this time. He's not a goody-good like 1980's He-Man and it makes perfect sense that his initial inclination would be for Xanatos to earn some just deserts this time. Eventually, however, when he almost mauls someone in a werewolf costume he appreciates the danger the situation in terms of protecting the city. More to the point, when it's apparent that Xanatos is seeking to save someone he loves, Goliath relates to the situation and realizes that causing Xanatos to lose someone he loves out of spite won't aid anyone and will in fact make it worse. To take it further, Goliath sees the fact that even Xanatos can love someone as hope for a world which is easy to become embittered about, and is something to encourage. There are no end of quotable quotes here, the least of which is, "Only you would regard love as a weakness". Even Owen has to admit that Xanatos never looked so "heroic". While Xanatos does lose the "Eye of Odin" to Goliath here, he does succeed in arranging Goliath's aid in saving Fox, and it's hard to argue with that success.

The bottom line here is "GARGOYLES" doesn't do flat characters. Even some of the side characters such as Officer Morgan or reporter Travis Marshall have some details to them, but the core characters especially have some layers to them. Many animated shows involve plots where the series' lead villain falls in genuine love (or as close as he can get to it) to the point that he's willing to bury the hatchet for a week to save her. As a matter of fact, the lion's share of romances involving villains tend to be highly dysfunctional: Joker & Harley from "B:TAS", Skeletor & Evilyn from the 2002 "HE-MAN" series, or the Lex Luthor, Grodd & Tala triangle from "JLU". There was Karai and Dr. Chaplin from the 2003 era "TMNT" cartoon, which was awkward at best and wound up diminishing Karai drastically. Subsequent episodes will show that Xanatos and Fox get along very well and their very foreplay turns out to be dangerous to their enemies. The creation of a "battle couple" for heroes in network animated epics is itself rare as many heroines fall into "damsel in distress" territory; Elisa clearly isn't one of them as she kicks butt alongside Goliath and the Gargoyles routinely. The creation of a "battle couple" for series villains, outside of "VENTURE BROTHERS", is even rarer. The next episode will cement Xanatos and Fox further, and then the saga afterward will play on themes of love and tragedy on an epic scale.

"EYE OF THE BEHOLDER" cements just about everything the show does well. It develops its villains as much as its heroes, pays homage to classical themes and stories, offers a lot of thrilling action and smart dialogue, and seems set to break just about every TV trope and cliche for afternoon animated series for network TV that it comes across. It's hard to imagine it getting better than this, but it does.