Magic School Bus Characters Compared to Magic School Bus Rides Again Characters
Welp, I've discussed all the things most The Magic School Jitney that make information technology such a great franchise, only whether or not y'all want to, let's face up the facts: I have to talk about you lot-know-what sometime:
For those of you who are freaking out, this is the second part of a three-role post that already explained everything in the first part: I will exist discussing the contempo soft reboot of the fantastic 1994 PBS Kids Magic School Bus television series, The Magic Schoolhouse Motorcoach Rides Once more. And yes, I am very well aware that the critical reception to the show is pretty divisive, and yeah, I am on the anti-Rides Over again side of what has sadly get a divided fan base.
Some of you lot may perceive Rides Again as being perfectly fine, and thus, nothing is wrong with The Magic School Double-decker as a franchise. Others may feel the fashion I do, and that there are problems with Rides Again and by extension, the franchise equally a whole that need to be stock-still. That is what this second office is about: what exactly is and isn't wrong with Rides Again, why Rides Again ultimately doesn't work and why we all can't seem to concord on that. I made the first part to hopefully provide a deeper analysis and understanding of this part, by comparing the differences between the quality of the characters, stories, and other aspects in both shows.
Afterwards this, the terminal part will discuss how we even got into this mess in the outset place: exactly how Rides Over again came to existence, what went incorrect during the development of the reboot and the possible options that are next for the franchise to gear up its current state. And in doing so, I promise to have succeeded in using Part One to make u.s. realize what gave us this passion to fight, Part 2 to make the states realize our differences and the things we can agree on to finish fighting each other, and Part Iii to brand us realize who we should really exist fighting. And of course, I'd similar to give a heads up to obvious spoilers to the media.
It'southward already been quite a field trip that'due south about to get crazier (apologies, Arnold). Seriously, even with this post split into three parts, this became my longest postal service yet, so you've been warned. 😉 Anyway, without farther ado…to the motorbus!
Rides Once again Review
I'm not going to lie, office of the reason why I waited and then long to put out Part Two was because of my reluctance to picket the serial, and rightfully so. At that place are far worse shows for kids out there, simply there are and then many things incorrect with this series that it'southward going to take a while to cover them all. In fact, I didn't even have to watch the prove to already bring upwardly quite a few of these points, in which the problems with the show showtime from its very premise and management.
Let'due south start with the fact that Rides Again is a soft reboot. Rebooting properties under the correct weather isn't a bad thing, but at that place are two types of reboots: soft reboots, which are simply updates to a previously established work and add together to the continuity, and hard reboots, which ignore the previous work to try to be their own affair. Soft reboots are tough to make in the sense that you are trying to replicate nearly everything near the original work to permit for a shine continuation, and if the work was bad, to also make those stories ameliorate. Withal, difficult reboots aren't bound by these rules. They notwithstanding have to service the original piece of work, simply they have a lot more than freedom. If a soft reboot is done wrong on a quality piece of work, y'all run the risk of ruining something that is sacred, which is exactly what Rides Again did. And this is probably worse than if Rides Again was a hard reboot, considering making a new version of a not bad Boob tube show that turns out bad is i thing. Yet, degrading the quality of that great Television receiver prove is another thing entirely.
A hard reboot wouldn't have to entertain the idea that information technology's a new year, and thus a new scientific discipline teacher. Heck, a soft reboot shouldn't have to practise this either; with what the show ultimately became, Rides Again should've basically been Season 5 of the original series onwards, taking place right after the events of the last season. Case in bespeak: the character of Fiona Frizzle shouldn't fifty-fifty be. There is no precedent for the grapheme in Scholastic canon, and information technology's truthful that much of the content of the original series had no precedent in the catechism either because in that location weren't that many books in the serial to adapt at the time information technology was running. Only this is no longer the case, and that's the problem. Writing new stories for Rides Over again is still more often than not fine, because there are still not enough books in the series (the main 1 anyway) to deport a whole show. But if they wanted to add new characters, they should've looked to the books for inspiration. I'thousand nonetheless waiting for someone similar Ms. Frizzle's niece, Dottie, to show up. Just imagine how much cooler information technology would be to see an adaptation of her arc with Arnold from The Electric Field Trip (the closest thing we got so far being original series episode "Gets Charged").
But back to Fiona. Even if yous desire to argue that she has every right to be, she however shouldn't take been put in the role she was put in. If the books had previously established the idea that Valerie could be replaced, and then doing then would be far more justified. Just the books already made it clear that at that place is but one Ms. Frizzle. Even if Fiona's graphic symbol worked in the aforementioned fashion as Valerie's while still being her own character (which I'll go into later), she would still accept this sense of not being able to fill in the void left behind by the woman who has been the center and soul of this franchise for and so many years. Only Fiona's character doesn't even deliver properly, doing aught more making u.s.a. beg for Valerie to come back.
And boy, that character pattern. I'm sorry, but it'southward just atrocious. It's some of the worst character design I've ever seen in any reboot, menses. When I first saw the trailer to Rides Again, I was literally unable to recognize everyone from the original at all, I'chiliad non kidding. Y'all know you messed up this aspect of your reboot when your character designs could literally be used for a completely new character and nobody would say "Hey, that kid does await similar Arnold" if you lot were to put the original and new designs right next to each other. Not every reboot fifty-fifty changes their character'southward designs to the extent that Rides Over again did, and what's even more than perplexing is that equally this is a soft reboot, do they actually expect me to think that these characters inverse that much in a year? Not that you can't shake things up with grapheme design a trivial fleck, merely emphasis on the words a trivial bit. It's like the pattern team had little to no knowledge on the visual aspects of these characters in order to determine how they would change in a twelvemonth.
Some of the redesigns are not as bad as others, simply all of them are overall downgrades to their characters. A huge problem with this is that the redesigns reject the primary colors of many of their color palletes. Nosotros'll outset with Arnold. Despite his red hair in the original serial, he really had blond hair in the books. Rides Again had the adventure to acknowledge this, only to brand his hair fifty-fifty more ruddy. Not but that, only it'south straight rather than wavy, and his iconic white and yellow stripes are replaced with a single green color. His cousin Janet similarly suffers from these redesign choices, though at present she admittedly doesn't await too much like a visual carbon copy of him. Keesha now wears orange and is no longer in her sweater, and at present wears her puffy hair in pigtails. Ralphie no longer appears every bit chubby every bit he used to exist, and despite the fact that a year passed, he appears younger than the other classmates for some odd reason. His green shirt and trademark "R" are also both gone. They pretty much wrecked Tim with that afro, also adding more to his outfit that he could probably use, simply this particular approach doesn't piece of work for me. Wanda no longer appears to exist the shortest classmate, her pilus also grew, and she is no longer wearing pinkish. I guess this can happen to a tomboy in a year'south time, but over again, she doesn't look like Wanda to me.
The only redesigns that come off as okay are Dorothy Ann'southward and Carlos'south. Carlos wearing red pants ever came off every bit odd, and inverting the colors of his pants and hoodie was actually a pretty expert idea. They besides similarly kept Dorothy Ann's colour palette, though her hair is at present in a ponytail instead of pigtails. While that'south okay, whatsoever happened to the fact that her pigtails stay up without hair bands in original serial episode "Goes on Air"? What about that? 😛 ("The Tales Glaciers Tell" even briefly shows D.A. with her pigtails worn downwardly instead of up, and I just…I just…😢 Oh, what could've been! )
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- Information technology'due south okay, it'south tough to acknowledge it sometimes. Yous guys look incredibly disappointing.
These character design issues continue with Valerie and Fiona. Neither sister'south hair is, well, frizzy anymore, making Valerie disservice the Frizzle family unit name while Fiona outright insults it. Not only that, but the lighter highlights in Valerie's pilus are at present absent while they are similarly missing in Fiona. Okay, so Katrina Eloise Spud didn't take them either, only she was her first cousin, not her sister, and then I'd argue that the lighter highlights should exist nowadays in Fiona. Even Valerie'due south confront appears different. Jennifer Kline of AOL.com says it way improve than I can, so I'll merely quote her here:
The face of TV's most beloved science teacher has taken on a much rounder shape, completely smoothing out the angles of her jawline. She's too seemingly made utilise of keratin treatments. But — well-nigh importantly — while she still has a bridge bump, no amount of blend and contour tin create that perky upturned tip.
You lot can argue that it's wrong to criticize a woman's appearance, and it is. But no such criticism is worse than when someone actually changes that appearance, and tells the graphic symbol that this is the way they are supposed to look now. And if you're going to bring up my drawing of Ms. Frizzle, I actually thought about this when I drew it, only those designs are specifically meant to resemble my fine art style. Of course I could draw those characters the manner they actually look, including Ms. Frizzle, but a lot of artists practise that, and I am trying to be unlike.
But the biggest problems with Valerie and Fiona's designs again stalk from Fiona's very beingness and the role she was put in. By relegating Valerie from her role every bit science instructor, her iconic wardrobe is no longer able to fulfill its principal function: to change their elaborate designs based on the topic being taught. The concept is now transferred to Fiona's character, just again, as she has to exist her own character and not completely copy Valerie, she has to come up up with a dissimilar way to conduct out the concept. And that's the problem, because there is no other mode to carry out the concept! Rides Once more tries the best possible way to do this by only irresolute Fiona'south brim and necklace, and information technology'southward simply non as great as Frizzle changing every square inch of her article of clothing. It'southward only half the way statement, merely half of Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen's original idea. It'due south true that the other kinds of outfits Fiona wears, such as diving suits and spacesuits, sometimes piece of work, only that'southward pretty much it. And the cherry on the top of a pretty awful cake is the outfit Valerie does wear in the series, which is well…well…
Anyhow, I'm pretty sure I've discussed absolutely everything wrong with this series at face value, before we start talking virtually the actual content. Checking off my list, I talked most Valerie and Fiona, all the classmates…I think all the classmates…
My Pheobe. My precious, precious Pheobe, who gave Scholastic zippo but love. And this is what they give her in return. In case you lot don't know, if y'all read Function I, you may already be enlightened that Pheobe is my favorite of the eight classmates of the original series. So when Scholastic really decided to not only supercede i of the classmates with new pupil Jyoti Kaur, just pick Pheobe…PHEOBE to replace out of all of them, you lot could only imagine how I felt. 😠It was like getting run over in the street by Fiona'due south new wheels. And come on, y'all can't tell me that Pheobe wasn't crying in the producer segment room. And here I was, struggling to get upwards in the street, unable to requite her a hug.
I besides stated how I ofttimes disregarded the "old schoolhouse" aspect of her character, yet picayune did I know all these years was that this would lead to her literal kicking to the curb. Okay, so I admit that of all the students that could possibly leave the classroom, Pheobe fit the nib the most because of that aspect. Sure, she e'er mentions her onetime school, and then some of y'all may argue that she cared too much near it to stay at Walkerville. And I don't buy that one bit. Heck, she literally started embracing Walkerville in "Goes to Seed", connected to testify her loyalty to the school in "Butterfly and the Bog Creature", and was even picked to represent the school towards the end of the serial in "Gains Weight"! So fifty-fifty if Pheobe has a reason to stay, why should any of them exit? Well, at least there's besides that part of me that realizes that Rides Again fails in so many means anyhow, that it might have been worse if Pheobe actually fell victim to what they did to the rest of the class, and completely degrade such a great design and personality. And at the cease of the day, I think that's what made Pheobe stop crying, not my hug.
Don't go me incorrect, I'1000 all for adding new students like Jyoti to the classroom, even if Jyoti is still an original character; after all, the books exercise have more classmates than the shows. But replacing erstwhile classmates with new ones not only undoes this purpose, but information technology shows just how much you lot care about the grapheme that'south being replaced, and it also gives the new grapheme the unnecessary task of having to fill up the void left behind past the replaced character. A huge purpose of Jyoti was to push for more variety, and that's bang-up. Simply race is usually just a modest aspect of whatever character. I didn't fall for Pheobe because she was Caucasian; I roughshod for her because she was kind, because she was Pheobe. And while Jyoti tries, she doesn't completely succeed in doing the same.
Wow, Nosotros're Finally Talking Near That Airplane pilot?
Yes, I know. Titled "Frizzle of the Future", it'southward…well…interesting, to say the least. The prove actually appears to be aware of all the mistakes information technology'due south making, even so it conditions the viewer into thinking that all the changes that are existence made are a good thing. Absolutely, I similar how the episode starts. We see the bus showing off its shapeshifting abilities but miles nigh the lord's day, revealing that information technology's at present solar-powered. It's a pretty cool update for an environmentally witting scientific discipline teacher similar Ms. Frizzle, only Valerie isn't riding information technology. The prove tricks you into thinking that information technology is Valerie, just one look at that skirt, and it'due south clearly Fiona. At present permit's fast forwards a fiddling fleck. Aren't the next scenes all near how Fiona is getting the keys to the motorbus? Why is this scene and so out of place chronologically?
Just it only gets crazier from in that location. Nosotros so see Walkerville Elementary, and Arnold and the class talk nearly how bated from Jyoti, everything was exactly the same as last year. Again, how everything was exactly the aforementioned as last year. Uh, Hi? Guys, your pilus! Your apparel! Wanda is suddenly taller, Ralphie got shorter, what? After all these kids learned in the original series, do they really expect me to call up they got this stupid??? Non even ii minutes in, and the show is already butchered!
Arnold then shows Jyoti effectually the classroom, and he tells her that he "handles the worrying for all of them." Huh? Imagine yourself as Arnold for a minute. I'g talking original series Arnold, the real Arnold. Yous just want a normal schoolhouse year, hoping your eccentric scientific discipline instructor's field trips don't kill you. You stop upwards on a field trip anyway, and now, you're freaking out. Do you lot really think that y'all're going to care nearly the other students around you? Of course non! To you lot, this is the survival of the fittest, an-every-child-for-himself situation! This line would work amend for someone who actually handled the worrying for all of them. Someone who would keep them calm in the midst of a state of affairs, and Arnold is annihilation merely that person. If anything, Arnold actually makes things more stressful!
The class so recalls everything they know their teacher does before they wait for her arrival. The coach arrives, with Arnold noting that Valerie was late by a second. This is so revealed to be because information technology wasn't Valerie. It was Fiona, and Arnold's reaction is basically the same as that of a lot of other people.
Fiona greets the course (even maxim she likes Keesha's outfit), before Valerie walks in and tells the form that she now has a PhD. At first, I actually liked this nice cracking addition to Valerie'south character, and dissimilar the other changes that supposedly happened in a year, it's non completely out of the question for Valerie to get a PhD within that short fourth dimension. But that was earlier I realized why they did information technology. It turns out that this is to assist differ between the two Frizzles and so that the viewer doesn't end up referring to the both of them past "Ms. Frizzle". With the PhD title, Valerie is at present able to be chosen "Professor Frizzle", while Fiona completely steals the Ms. Frizzle proper name. And while function of me would love for Valerie to accept a PhD, she can no longer be chosen Ms. Frizzle, even though that'southward what nosotros'll telephone call her anyhow. Ironically enough, in gaining something afterwards all she's lost, Valerie loses yet another thing also.
The form's reaction to Valerie getting replaced is once again, the same as everybody else watching what is already a total disaster. Fiona and then decides to place her plant (with a ridiculously long name I tin't spell here subsequently hearing that's too over the elevation even by Magic School Bus standards) on what was (and still is) Valerie's desk, which Arnold quickly confiscates, and rightfully so. After the class struggles to process Valerie's plans for the time to come, the infamous passing-the-torch scene occurs, and you lot become the thought.
The form then piles on the bus, non even giving Valerie a goodbye, because you know, you got to have that inconsistent grapheme development, right? By the style, I've noticed that inconsistency is a HUGE problem with Rides Again , which I'll get into subsequently. They do give her a quick moving ridge before the bus drives off, but information technology's just non enough.
Fiona then takes some time in deciding which push button to press instead of knowing the button right away, and the reason why before long becomes obvious. And this is what kills the character and much of the prove for me, and is why Fiona's character does not work in the same mode as Valerie's. The jitney is revealed to land on the Galapagos Islands. And an impatient Arnold walks off the bus, only to see that it was parked on the edge of a cliff. He falls off, and Fiona catches her. It all seems like something Valerie would do, until she says this:
It's amazing how one line uttered past ane grapheme can make or break your entire story. Meet, if you read Part I, I explained what it is virtually Valerie that'southward so awesome. She may go questioned for the things she puts her classmates through and even be dismissed as insane, just the reason why she'due south ultimately able to get away with information technology is because again, she knows what she'south doing.In that location is a reason why we don't need to question the idea that she can get a PhD in a year'southward time, because of the woman's vast amount of noesis and experience in science, busanautics and magic. She tin can send her course on a trip to under the ocean, in each other'due south bodies and outer space, and continue them safe throughout the entire trip. She can even practice this if she ends up missing in the cosmos or elsewhere. She can even practise this if the but style for her to get constitute is to guide the class to her with a half damaged navigation organization because she is Valerie Felicity Frizzle,and she will keep you safe without any uncertainty of herself, no matter what.
Fiona is at best a rookie who trained nether Valerie's tutelage that graduated way too early. She thinks she's got this, simply to put it lightly, she doesn't. Valerie actually made her railroad train with live students earlier instead of dummies for some reason, and Fiona failed those tests. And so they had to Obliviate the parents. Fiona makes you unsure of whether or non she did this, and that seals the bargain on her insanity, likewise as her chances of e'er existence likeable. And then if any character in this franchise deserves the "she'south insane" argument, it's Fiona, not Valerie. Though then over again, the fact that this Valerie thought that Fiona was set up to take on her love classroom probably still makes her worthy of the argument, which is the final blow to all this. Every bit a effect, I was genuinely scared for these kids throughout the unabridged first season. Though it's a kids show, so of course the things you'll come up with will never happen. Fiona does get it correct about of the time, but she screws up at least three times throughout the season. The showtime time being in "In The Swim"…
The 2nd fourth dimension being in "The Magnetic Mambo", in which Fiona gave Ralphie also much responsibility andactually loses the motorcoach, not even helping the class during the very last endeavour to get it dorsum…
And the final time being in "Three in One", in which Fiona non simply loses the passenger vehicle once again (and taking full responsibility), only she actually admits that she lost the bus. I was but sitting in that location LAUGHING during that awkward confession, and the deplorable part is that I'm sure that moment was intended to be more than dramatic than humorous.
She also appears to be uncertain of herself when the bus falls victim to deep sea pressure in the season finale, "DA and the Deep Blue Sea", and while she does become them out of their dilemma, it's still worth pointing out. As well, she'll even accept the class places without a lesson to teach such as the beach or a campout (imagine that in elementary school), until the class gives her an idea such as in "Monster Power" and again, "DA and the Deep Blue Sea".
But anyway, Carlos really thinks she'south Overnice later she says this line. (Carlos, apologies in accelerate that this is actually happening, merely forgive me if I briefly hate you.) Later Fiona really convinces you that she's going to crash the jitney from bad parking, the class gets out and meets Galapagos Gil, whom Fiona apparently met before because he never leaves the islands. Either islands can float now, or the more than sensible explanation is that Valerie likely gave Fiona all her contacts. As Gil shows the course around, Tim actually has to inquire Fiona to use magic. Considering the writers obviously remembered that "evidence, don't tell" rule I talked well-nigh in Part I. The episode so starts teaching nearly ecosystems, merely by this signal it has failed to reel me in entertainment wise, thus, failing with the whole edutainment attribute as I also previously explained. I'll find value in the education, and parents plainly would, too. Only the kids are a whole other thing.
Fiona, who had transformed Carlos and Wanda into a tortoise and finch, conspicuously hadn't had enough fun with the device she used to transform them while she was yet grooming under Valerie, because she transforms them into unlike animals earlier turning them back to normal. The class and then learns of invasive species and how officials inspect visitors' belongings to go along them in bank check. This gives Fiona the idea to compress the form to check these small-scale species upward close. Jyoti is excited nearly all of it, and all I can think of is how much more excited she would have been if she was in Valerie'due south class. After they explore a boot, Arnold, inspired by Fiona'southward talk virtually the balance of ecosystems, is convinced that Fiona is disrupting the "grade'due south ecosystem". He tries to convince Ralphie, but he's become too i-dimensional similar everyone else to really care. He then takes matters into his own hands to ruin Fiona in gild to become her out of the classroom. And never accept I rooted more for a character that you know is going to lose.
Arnold places the Establish-That-Must-Non-Be-Named onto the back of a tortoise equally the class heads back to the schoolhouse. And he praises the tortoise for his new fashion statement, continuing to prove his stupidity as he fails to see that the trounce is obviously non proficient foundation for a vase. It cracks to the flooring equally he leaves, placing the establish on the soil of the islands. And thanks to what's clearly the Frizzle magical know-how, it proves to be the biggest threat on the islands notwithstanding. Back at the school, Arnold talks to Valerie, who shows him her replacement for Liz, because you know, she has to ditch Liz, too. Enter Goldie, a Golden Tamarin monkey who is nothing to write home nearly, cheers to Rides Once again's poor animation and apply of body language, which I'll also get into later. Also, she's willing to ditch Liz, but not her lip-shaped speakerphone for some reason.
Arnold (and I) beg Valerie to come up dorsum, using his explanation of Fiona disrupting the form ecosystem in his defense. But then Valerie states that some invasive species benefit their ecosystems, convincing Arnold that past using magic (because he has that now), he can accept Fiona. Every bit Arnold leaves, Valerie is shown exchanging winks with Fiona through the schoolhouse window. And that'south when you get that sinking feeling that Valerie really does think it's time to release Fiona, and there is nothing you can practice to change her listen. Fiona talks to Arnold near his concerns in the classroom, and Arnold tells Fiona that he is unsure of how magic volition make things improve in the future. That is when Fiona decides to actually go to the future to see if her inclusion in this franchise was actually a good idea. And what nosotros run into got me extremely exasperated.
Every bit information technology turns out, Fiona not simply fit into the class excellently, but she ended up educational activity the children of the classmates. Again, the CHILDREN of the classmates. Valerie never came back, and the course came to terms with the fact that their dearest teacher wasn't so beloved afterward all, instead ditching them with a less capable teacher that somehow never harmed them or their ain children. Besides, by that point the adult versions of the classmates trusted Fiona to the point that they would actually put their ain children in Fiona's hands. What?If yous inquire me, this scene is worse than the catastrophe, because it non just hurts Rides Again, but the entire original serial, because it's as if all those actually meaningful times with Valerie meant absolutely nothing, and that the time spent with Fiona is all that matters. Also, as far as I'm concerned, the episode ends hither (and information technology'southward not only because I can't take it anymore). Because if you're going to travel to the futurity to meet how everything ends, what's the point of developing everything in between?
That is unless you're trying to change the course of events, which would accept completely turned this episode around. Though that's not what happens, because c'mon, look at this show. Instead, Arnold is actually relieved to see this fateful timeline. (Okay, now I can't accept it anymore, only I got to end this, correct?) Wanda'south daughter then shows the Galapagos covered with the vines of Fiona's constitute 30 years in the making, leading Arnold to make the course caput back there, still in the future, to try to finish the constitute. And that's when it gets worse: before she heads for the autobus, present-day Fiona exchanges winks with future Fiona, revealing that this was a three-way plan between Valerie and the 2 versions of Fiona to ensure that this futurity happens. WHY?????
After the form encounters the vines and an army of admittedly cute rabbits, they encounter Galapagos Gil's son, who explains that no 1 knows how the vines ended up on the isle. He adds that they sent in rabbits to eat the vines, with nothing to incorporate the rabbits. Fiona deduces that the vines came from her found, and and so manipulates Arnold into admitting that he was the ane who caused the crisis, not her, by pretending to acknowledge that she doesn't live upwards to her sister later all, even though she really doesn't. Arnold doesn't cavern in at first, even as the class stands with Fiona. Ideally, this would stop with Fiona walking off, falling off the screen, and dorsum into the head of whoever dared to create her. Then the other students would realize simply how right Arnold was after all. But y'all know how this is going to stop: Fiona winning out, and Arnold confessing all.
He elects to talk to Valerie privately, getting teleported to her in the middle of a sky swoop. He first confesses to her, proverb that his programme to get Fiona out of the classroom completely backfired equally he acquired the biggest modify of all. Valerie then reminds him of her words almost magic, and Arnold comes upwards with the idea to head back to the present before the constitute always hit the Galapagos soil. (As far as irresolute the form of events, it's better than nil, I estimate.) Valerie sends Arnold back to the class, who goes after the plant, but is unable to catch information technology in time. He is forced to fight it before it gets too large, and the class helps him. I'm not going to lie, just Jyoti'southward efforts in this fight are amidst her all-time scenes in the entire outset season. This is before we actually become to know her penchant for technology, so information technology was cool to know that she also has some cognition of martial arts, fifty-fifty if the animation makes her movements too rigid to be equally enjoyable as they should've been. This is also the only time in the flavour we run into these fighting skills, so that aspect of her character definitely needed to be adult more.
With the plant pinned downwards, Fiona is able to use her magic to put the constitute back in its vase. We become back to the whole Arnold-realizing-that-Fiona-isn't-and so-bad-after-all thing and accepting her in the classroom, you know, that stuff. Then Valerie arrives to brand the same statements before flying off, saying how she'due south going to miss the class. Really. And then Arnold calls her, allowing for what is admittedly a really smooth transition into this version of the show's producer segments. Of form with all the other changes however, the producer segments too accept a pretty heavy striking. Valerie has taken the position of the male and female producer, who are now both gone. Goldie has similarly taken Liz's role in these segments, but again, equally I'll go into soon, Goldie's torso language isn't convincing enough for me to be invested in the character. Nevertheless, at that place is one particular change to the segments that the original serial really could've needed. The last question that Valerie gets normally provides a hint as to what will take place in the side by side episode. This is a nod to a minor trait Valerie's dresses had in the books, in which the dress would change on the last page to reflect the topic that'due south going to be explored in the next book. I like how Rides Once again at least referred to the books for this. But the problem with information technology is that the delineation is not authentic because again, Valerie doesn't have her dresses!!! See what I mean?😤
And There'southward Still More Issues With This Show?
Admittedly; I didn't even get into about of the general aspects all the same. Equally you can tell by now, the characters are not simply no longer what they used to be visually, but emotionally as well. The classmates are only half the personalities of what they once were, and even worse, they occasionally say and do things that you wouldn't meet them exercise in the original series, making their characters very inconsistent throughout the series.
There is far too much emphasis on Arnold's fright and paranoia, which has almost become the only aspect of his character. He is literally the reason the form learns anything in "Monster Power" when he tries to make a eco-friendly light source to repel a monster he'due south convinced exists. Dorothy Ann not only pronounces "inquiry" like any other person does, but she also says "according to my research" too ofttimes, and says the scientific names of plants and animals, which I don't remember the bear witness's target audience will get on the get-go hearing. Likewise, I'll go into how I similar the emphasis on technology in the testify presently, just D.A. seems to hate books now, because she is ever on that tablet. In fact, I was most shocked to run into books autumn out of her handbag in "The Tales Glaciers Tell". I become that we may prefer applied science to paper these days, but for D.A. to suddenly shift from books to tech like that in a year is unconvincing, and I think it would be great if she had a residuum between the two. Ralphie at present comes off as a slacker or even unintelligent, occasionally bringing up concerns of his grades and existence unable to grasp complicated concepts. Sure, he came off every bit that in the original, but the difference was that he never admitted this and focused more on wanting to acquire, which he simply does half the fourth dimension here.
Wanda paid the price for Phoebe's absenteeism; I know her enough to come across that they transferred some of her kindness into Wanda'south character, making her too empathetic. Not only that, but she now shows fear pretty often, butchering her spunky demeanor. Keesha similarly suffers from these problems, with her cynical and down-to-earth personality at present nearly gone. She is a lot nicer now, which may be a welcome alter for some, only over again, information technology's too unbelievable for her to change then quickly in a year. I think information technology would be interesting if she went on a path to condign nicer, simply even if this happened, she should still retain many aspects of her original personality, and so that we know it'southward yet Keesha. As well, she plainly forgot that she's been to infinite before in "Space Mission: Selfie". Carlos still jokes around, and the class even so reacts. Just his penchant for applied science and hands-on learning is nearly gone, beingness so obvious that they transferred this attribute into Jyoti'south character. Even if they would share the same character trait, it would take been dandy to meet Carlos and Jyoti interact as they built sure devices together.
The only student from the original that got simply slightly ameliorate in this serial is Tim, and this is merely because he wasn't given enough attention in the original. As I said in Part One, none of the episodes in the first flavor focused on him, and while subsequent episodes somewhen did, virtually of these episodes had him sharing the spotlight with another student. In Rides Once more, he gets a get-go season episode, "The Battle for Rock Mountain", and what makes this more than impressive is that the episode is probably the all-time one in the first season, which I'll get into subsequently. He'south also a lot more involved with the class when the episode isn't almost him, simply this does brand him come off as too social for his graphic symbol. I gauge anybody who is as distant every bit Tim was would gradually get more social over the course of a year though, so this change is not as questionable as the others. Janet is all the same antagonistic, simply she has truly go a side character, only teasing and annoying the classmates (as they attempt to look bellyaching), merely not truly integrating herself into the grade'south antics to testify but how much of an antagonist she is.
As for Jyoti, she's an interesting case. Similar Fiona, she has no precedent in the catechism, so at that place is no prior incarnation of her to compare to and criticize. Considering of this however, her biggest flaw isn't of what she has, but interestingly enough, what she doesn't accept. The character works fine plenty for a bear witness that has downgraded itself to the point of little expectation, and because of this, the character leaves much to be desired, with you only being able to imagine what she could've been. I do similar what is presented, though. A huge purpose of Rides Again was to update the franchise to fit in into today's world, mostly through the technological advancements that take been made since the original series ended, and that's great because information technology was too inevitable. This is reflected in Jyoti'south graphic symbol, and I beloved her knack for technology and how intelligent she is. I love her robot, Naniben, who simply appears in one episode in the showtime season and could've been an interesting character in itself. I love her invisibility cloak. Equally I said earlier, I love her fighting skills. I dearest how she can flip her unabridged body several feet into the air equally shown in "Ralphie Strikes a Nervus".
And while Jyoti has her strengths, she has fiddling to no flaws, and I think that this is the biggest problem with her. To run into what I mean, wait at the episodes in the original series that focus on Carlos; remember, they transferred Carlos's penchant for technology into Jyoti'southward character. In the episode "In The Haunted House", Carlos invents an instrument, just like how Jyoti invents her own gadgets and gizmos. Simply where Carlos actually struggled to get his musical instrument to work, Jyoti is able to build her far more avant-garde devices with niggling try. I want to see how she struggled to make Naniben (after reworking her story). I want to see how she struggled to make that invisibility cloak (seriously, she's 10). I want to see how she struggled to make the motion sensor for Fiona's plant. I desire to see the sensor blow up in her face, and watch her process her disappointment and see how she grows from information technology. I desire to come across her miss a dial or a kick. I want to run into her crash afterward a flip. I want to see her be similar us.
Now let's talk about the art manner and animation. Before I practice, I think it'south important for the states to distinguish between the two, as they often go mixed up when criticizing one or the other. Art style is the visual advent of a drawing, a feature of nearly all forms of art, such every bit the children'southward volume characters that I draw in my art style. Animation is the mode those visuals move, of which cartoons are one of the few fine art forms with this characteristic. The fine art style of the original series is faithful to the spirit of Bruce Degen's illustrations, whereas Rides Once more'southward art manner deviates too far away from it. The biggest problems with this is that the colors are also vivid, and objects are ordinarily filled in with a single color instead of adding detail, with the exception of shadows. These art style elements are commonly associated with the show'southward Wink animation (now called Breathing past Adobe), which is oft criticized every bit a poor form of animation.
Subsequently looking into information technology, I've come to the conclusion that it's non that Wink animation is bad in itself. It'southward just that it's an easier form of animation compared to the manus-drawn animation of the original series and other techniques, which are not every bit popular anymore because of that. With advancements in technology, things are no longer as difficult as they in one case were, merely we are no longer inclined to work as hard on the things that we make equally a outcome. Hence, a lot of Flash animated serial, though non all, suffer from rigid motility, no longer making facial expressions and trunk language lifelike. And if you still don't believe me that not every Flash series has poor animation, all you lot accept to do is to look up a list of Flash blithe shows. And you'll exist surprised to come across that many of your favorite cartoons are on the list, such as Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls, DuckTales (an actually good reboot, by the mode), and WordGirl (ironically enough, another Scholastic-produced serial and one of my babyhood favorites).
Rides Again is unfortunately ane of these lazier Wink cartoons. The characters are no longer expressive and truthful to life, giving but half the endeavour when they react to any given situation. If you even so don't desire to admit information technology, all you have to practise is to expect at a side-past-side comparison of the intros of the original series and Rides Over again playing at the same time, and stop equally early as the scene when Arnold complains about the field trip.
Arnold may come off every bit frightened in Rides Once again's intro, but he's not really evoking that fright like he does in the original. Liz is no longer bouncing around him as he complains. He doesn't put his hands on his confront when he moans, nor is there a dramatic shut-up to help translate that fear to the audience. If you exercise desire to look beyond that scene, the motorbus doesn't bounce to the same caste as information technology drives off. After the bus catches the kids falling from the volcano, Fiona's face doesn't stretch like Valerie's when the ceiling closes (I loved that part!). And when they burst out of the pie, the teacher eating it looks more like a fainting zombie than the truly freaked out Baker in the original. They may sound like pocket-size things, but you lot'd be surprised with the difference those things could brand.
Speaking of Liz, the issues with the animation absolutely kill the character on the evidence. At that place is practically no reason for Liz to be there, compared to the original series in which her actions on the screen were then great that I would sometimes direct my attention to her instead of the residual of the scene similar I stated in Part One. There will actually exist moments in which Liz will just sit there, as if the animators didn't even know what to practice with her. When she does movement, she volition often re-create other characters, rather than showing how she stands out compared to everyone else. Her facial expressions are fifty-fifty poorer than the classmates, who are at least trying. Equally for Goldie, information technology's a like situation with Jyoti: a graphic symbol who leaves much to exist desired that should basically be the aforementioned way Liz was in the original serial.
And if y'all're going to bring up my Poptropica pic trailer, commencement of all, I actually don't use Flash. That trailer was a combined effort of Photoshop, Premiere Pro and After Furnishings. And 2nd of all, you tin can't compare the standards that I had to attain to those ofRides Again. The show had to uphold to the legacy of a astounding serial, while I was making an animation for a franchise that hasn't had ane yet.
The vocalisation interim is just about on the same level as everything else. Lily Tomlin's reprisal equally Valerie is all the same the Lily Tomlin we fell in love with all those years agone, just this time having very picayune to piece of work with. And it's clear that Kate McKinnon cares about her role every bit Fiona; it'southward just a shame that this is the grapheme she was given. And while the classmates give their fair share of effort, their voices are frequently of a similar quality to the animation. Again, compare Arnold's voice in the intros: he is not evoking plenty fear in his vocalism when he makes his iconic "please don't let this be some other field trip" quote. When he moans, it'southward very weak, as if he'due south bored or doesn't care.
While a couple of episodes in the first season stand out, near of them are flawed in their storytelling to varying degrees, compared to the original series in which the stories in nigh every single episode were nothing short of perfection. For example, you can't tell me that a kid should exist operating a mech like Ralphie did in "Ralphie Strikes a Nerve". Also, auspicious someone on in a sport isn't everything when it comes to winning a game; it's also about figuring out how to be the best thespian.
And there was literally no reason for the field trip to proceed afterward Jyoti's locket was found in "DA and the Deep Bluish Sea"; if they wanted to explore the abyssal zone, the locket should've fallen there. The episode is literally named afterwards Dorothy Ann because of a mistake she fabricated, equally if she was the possessor of the locket or something. 😒
But Isn't There Anything Good Nigh The Show?
It is simply off-white that I bring up what it is nigh the show that works, and I'm not going to pretend these things don't exist. Later on all, there is a reason some people like the series. To start, after the office when Arnold speaks, Lin-Manuel Miranda's version of the intro by and large works, except for the way he composes a couple of the lines that I call up work better in the original. For case, I liked how the line "octopus in the neighborhood" came off every bit more than of a question. But the techno-based beats in the song fit the emphasis on engineering science, which is pretty corking. However, information technology doesn't try anything new with the lyrics or the scenes, copying the basics of almost everything in the original. And then once more, given everything else that happened with the testify, preserving the identity of the intro was probably the best move, and because of information technology, it's the best role of the show to compare the animation and voice acting between it and the original.
In Part One, I as well stated how I kind of wished the original serial had a stronger sense of continuity, which this series does try to do, fifty-fifty if information technology frequently fails miserably. Information technology will put care into the continuity within the show itself, and fifty-fifty give some nods to the original series. But those nods are not enough for a soft reboot, with the continuity between the two series being largely weak and inconsistent. One of the biggest examples of this is how the course volition act like they oasis't been to certain places before, such as again, Keesha reacting to outer space.
I also like the intro sequence to the producer segments, which really lets you know that this testify is focusing on engineering. The mode it starts with the astronaut looking over the Earth in space, and the fashion information technology zooms into the planet, into the camera of a girl's phone and through cyberspace is pretty crawly. The cyberspace scene is where we run across the children effectually the globe calling Valerie near the episode, and yous tin can even come across a couple of the aforementioned children in the sequence of the original series (notably the girl hanging from the tree, admitting slightly redesigned). It's no longer as simple every bit the original sequence, and fifty-fifty though that sequence was fine, I'd say that these additions make it much better.
I also haven't gotten to the couple of standout episodes in the first season, such as "The Tales Glaciers Tell". Fiona hardly screws up, her coat's pattern is more spread out on her body, D.A. wears her pigtails, and almost importantly, it provides a subtle even so insightful lesson on climate change. Rather than treading into controversial territory, it focuses on past history of the Earth and how we should however treat our planet by going eco-friendly, regardless of which side nosotros are on of the climatic change debate. Likewise, what a light evidence!
But the best episode in the showtime flavor is without a doubt "The Battle for Rock Mountain". Tim's endeavor to make a comic for the schoolhouse fourth dimension capsule creatively uses superhero culture to explain the rock bike. Each student makes their own comic book character that represents a part of the rock wheel and work together to write the comic in their endeavor to make their graphic symbol the one that wins the battle. But the dazzler of it is that because the rock cycle is a cycle, no ane wins or loses, and the class is more than happy to hold on that. Also, the episode takes dandy care in reflecting aspects of the classmates in the comic book characters that they create, which was pretty great. Of course these episodes still suffer from everything else in the serial, but I don't blame some people for liking Rides Again if they can overlook these flaws during the show'southward best moments.
Merely The Show Wasn't Created With Yous In Mind, So Why Did You Even Write This?
I'g sad, but this has got to be the most ridiculous argument regarding criticizing this show that I have ever heard in whatsoever such argument for proper children'south entertainment. First of all, I was a 2000's kid. I didn't even grow up with the original series in the 90's, so you can't use the whole "the fans of the original don't matter" argument on me every bit well. Second of all, are yous seriously telling me that Scholastic is merely willing to throw the fans of the original serial that cemented the reputation of this property under Fiona'due south coach?
Even if they are, they couldn't be making a bigger mistake. Entertainment companies shouldn't reject the fanbases that they previously established and act like they don't exist. They care nearly these properties merely as much equally the company does, and in many cases, more than the company does. Sure, these fans may non exist children anymore, only that doesn't mean that they don't have things to say about what should be washed with these properties like I do, and ensure that the next generation of children get the same love, care and respect that they got when they were children. They gave united states so much, so should it really be that hard for us to give them something like that in return, for our sake and our children's sake?
I get information technology. Yous may view certain things from a different perspective, and depending on that perspective,Rides Again can come off every bit perfectly okay. And that'southward what makes critiquing the testify so tricky, considering it'south not like it'southward accented trash. It gets away with being half the bear witness its predecessor was, and that's completely fine to some people. Just it's not, and I think that this is the main reason for our fighting. Yes, Rides Againhas its moments, and succeeds in what information technology mainly set out to practise: to update the franchise. But the negatives far outweigh the positives, making the positives mostly non worth it. The long story brusk is that it pales in comparison to the original, even bringing it down to its level. Information technology'due south unacceptable for a franchise similar this, and our children deserve better.
Whew! That was something, wasn't it? The bulk of this awe-inspiring task is done, and I tin can only hope I made you realize our differences and the things we can agree on to stop fighting each other. Fortunately, there is ever light at the end of even the darkest tunnels, and that means we can always look to the future for hope. Who'southward to blame for the travesty of our fighting? Can Rides Again amend, considering a second season that's somewhat improved over the first? Or is it for the best that it ends earlier information technology gets more episodes than it deserves? And what could possibly be adjacent for the franchise to repair the damage that's been made once that happens? The concluding part of this mail will be an interesting one indeed, and I think many of us volition be more than than happy to tread back into more hopeful territory for the franchise that needs information technology.
Maybe Valerie didn't accept that lip-shaped speakerphone after all. Until I apply it to telephone call you dorsum again, folks. 😉
Source: https://naimolichildrensbooksblog.com/2018/06/30/everything-wrong-and-okay-with-the-magic-school-bus-rides-again/
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