Well, one thing I can say about “Demonic Toys 2” is that it at least tries to feature the monsters from Demonic Toys. It avoids bringing back the laser shooting robot, and the evil teddy bear for obviously budgetary purposes, but it seems to try. There are moments even when we see the demonic toys in full form. But that’s rare. Basically “Demonic Toys 2” can’t hold a candle to the original. Which is sad considering the original was barely mediocre to begin with.
My relationship with the Simpsons is a long and rather pleasant one. At the time the first episode appeared on FOX, I was old enough to enjoy it, and I was old enough to know that I’d be a hardcore “Simpsons” fans for a very long time. And that prophecy was not premature. After “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” I fell in love with the animated sitcom, and learned to enjoy it in syndication, watching each episode at least ninety times. I also tuned in to the rip offs. Does anyone else remember “Capital Critters,” “Fish Police,” and “Family Dog”? Just me, then? Okay.
Since I’m an eternal fan of the series, I thought I’d count down my ten favorite episodes of the series. There are plenty of episodes I kept out, but tough decisions aside, these are some notable episodes that stuck with me for a long time.
10. The Springfield Files
1997
Season Eight
Much as I enjoy a movie about the apocalypse, the one disadvantage that D. Erik Parks’ short film has it that it needs much more exposition behind it. I loved the notion of doing whatever one can to survive, but I was never sure what to make of the premise for “Thieves,” in the end.
A few people I’ve come across have viewed the sudden online VHS resurgence kind of silly. They mock the fact that fans long for the days when you had to pop in a brick sized tape, and rewind and forward through scenes. No menus, no extras, and often no widescreen. Just a movie, and some trailers in the beginning of the movie you bought. Often times you’d have to buy blank tapes from a store, and then record whatever you wanted from the television and that was a part of your library.
It’s surprising how much “The Big Bang Theory” owes a debt to Felicia Day’s web series “The Guild.” Both series are about a small group of flawed but likable individuals who hide in their fandom, and confront life through the lens of video games, science fiction, and pop culture. And one of their main rivals is a character played by Wil Wheaton. That said, “The Guild” really managed to expose actress and all around adorable geek goddess Felicia Day to the online masses, paving her as a self made comedic performer who felt unpolished, but never amateurish. Day’s character Codex is surely a flawed girl with neuroses that stifle her from achieving true happiness, but we root for her because Felicia Day knows how to write the character with empathy.
It’s almost as if someone saw “Power Rangers” and how much money it was making and wrote a check for a hundred thousand dollars. They then told producers to raid every single prop and costume store in Los Angeles, as well as every left over prop in the nearest studio warehouse. From there, they had to cobble together their own “Power Rangers” show. What we inevitably got was “Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills.” Even the title screams “We made this shit up in a terrible time crunch.”
“Wings” was always something of a show that had genuine laughs, talented cast members, and a recognizable sitcom formula, and sadly was never that notable. Even with the appearance of Norm and Cliff from “Cheers” to help usher in the series and its setting, “Wings” was always kind of an under the radar series for folks that appreciated more downbeat comedy. Which is not to say “Wings” is a bad show, it just never quite reaches its stride until the first few seasons pass.