Too much biker trash, too much overconsumption of drugs and alcohol. I still can't get over that "stretch rack" scene.
Oh, and too much Ross Hagen. Still, not as wretched and dark as "The Sidehackers".
This movie is basically a combination of Sidehackers and Red Zone Cuba, except more cryptic. Good to see Sargent Justine getting work though, I guess.
During the opening credits, Crow riffs "Gus Trichinosis as undercooked pork." This is a ripoff of a Sidehackers riff in which Joel comments "Undercooked pork by Gus Trichinosis."
For some reason, I couldn't stop laughing when Servo hit on the fire hydrant.
Favorite riffs:
You hit big Jake!
Poorly designed buildings burn my gut.
That's for putting me in the movie.
This episode definitely worked better once I’d seen Sidehackers. I initially watched Hellcats before seeing Sidehackers but there are so many riffs which follow on from the earlier movie that I got lots more laughs on the second viewing.
Lots of good lines in this one:
Mr Adrian: “For the past six months he’s been like my shadow.”
Crow: “But not as chunky.”
“Here’s your modelling clay – made a bunny.”
Tom: “Oh smart – they’re in the middle of nowhere but they make their drug deal out in the open by the side of the road while a car passes by.”
Joel: “Why d’you think they call it dope?”
“I’m the director – I make the music louder when it’s on me.”
“From hereon in, Steve’s death will be represented by the oboe.”
“Ross, you’re wearing her purse on your head.”
“Utah. I can’t believe I’m still in Utah.”
“Innuendo Freeway!”
Bad director guy: “Take three bikes.”
Tom: “And call me in the morning.”
Joel: “Wow, I guess face injuries are popular with these women.”
Crow: “They’re all piano tuners.”
(There may be some innuendo that I didn’t get here, but having had a boyfriend who was a piano tuner and having seen the way piano wires can snap and spring out, I took this comment at face value – you should pardon the pun.)
“I’m here for the staring contest.”
“Oh, no fair, he’s wearing glasses.”
“Looks like they’re being visited by a constellation.”
“It’s Orion!”
“They’ve dialled into What’s My Line?!”
“Thrill as Rommel tries – in vain – to find the entrance.”
“Focus!”
“Focus!”
Sheriff: “Dick!”
Cop: “You call me, sheriff?”
Joel: “No, I called you Dick.”
“I’ve been called a lot of things in my life but never a corn spy!”
“Looks like she’s into safe walking.”
“Hey, they’re in a different city now!”
Have I missed an in-joke and made a bit of a twit of myself? In Sidehackers I said there was a misprint in the episode’s closing credits where Forrester was listed as ‘Special Guest Villian’; but I noticed that Frank and Clay were given as Guest Villians in this episode too. Is it a deliberate mis-spelling by the Brains?
This episode started off fine, but it had a bit of listlessness in the middle. Lots of fun Sidehacker references ("Ross Hagen?" "NOOOOO!"). The sketches, all flashbacks, are extremely hit-and-miss, like what was the point of flashbacking to the William Shatner/Crawling Hand? The discussion about funny/not funny is a good choice to flashback to, though.
Oh and enjoy the mini Red Zone Cuba cast reunion of Sgt. Justine and Landis.
SKETCH REVIEWS
OPENING: Everyone is sick. Doesn't really count. N/A
INVENTION EXCHANGE: Well, the Mads don't exchange anything. The sign language translator is pretty funny. Lots of Sidehacker references. Not sure what the "NOOOOO!" thing was about. B-
CRAWLING HAND FLASHBACK: Nonsensical flashback. C-
ZERO GRAVITY HUMOR: Precious, precious stuff about what's funny floating. "Sebastian Cabot? Very funny...but impossible." "Christopher Reeve as Superman?" "Not funny." "Christopher Reeve kissing Michael Caine in Deathtrap?" "Extremely funny." A+
BINOCULAR MATTE LESSON: Depends on your sense of humor. I would personally guess that if you found the second sketch funny, you wouldn't find this funny. Me, I like them both. I know it's cruel, but I laughed a lot at "Jose Feliciano Scope." B+
END: Not very funny, but what did you expect from a flashback show? D+
"Have I missed an in-joke and made a bit of a twit of myself? In Sidehackers I said there was a misprint in the episode’s closing credits where Forrester was listed as ‘Special Guest Villian’; but I noticed that Frank and Clay were given as Guest Villians in this episode too. Is it a deliberate mis-spelling by the Brains?"
From what I've read, its a reference to the old Batman series with Adam West.