MovieChat Forums > G.I. Joe: Renegades (2010) Discussion > The Good, the Bad and the Really?!: Why ...

The Good, the Bad and the Really?!: Why I Like This Show and Why I Don't

posted 13 years ago by Virgil2127
12 replies | jump to latest

Unlike most of the posts so far, I like this show. I don't think it's as good as the original or GI Joe: Resolute, but I think it makes a decent - but distant - third.

What you have to remember is that GI Joe: Resolute was in many ways a continuation of the original GI Joe cartoon, playing to an audience who had grown up with the show. Despite the "R" theme, GI Joe: Renegade has no connection. It's a kid's show (it's on the HASBRO channel for Pete's sake)and for a kid's show - not an Adult Swim mini-series - it's pretty solid.

Here's what I like about:

1) They are actually Real American Heroes. One thing that bothered me about the movie was the insistence we have to have an international team. It just didn't fit GI Joe's characters, which should have spotlighted soldiers all over the country, with different dialects and backgrounds. Instead, they had to be part of the "Global Initiatives" instead "Ground Infantry", which leads me to be next point.

2) They are just Average Joes. This is something that I think has been ignored in the GI Joe mythos so far - that the characters are just regular soldiers instead an elite highly trained special missions force. With the exception of Snake-Eyes and possibly Scarlet, they are more Sergeant York than Jason Bourne, which brings up another good point.

3) They are useful, well-rounded characters. I know this last part hasn't been completely proven, but I think it's fair to mention this is the first GI Joe series where Duke wasn't an insufferable goody-two-shoes stealing the spotlight from Snake-Eyes. And even though Scarlet is intolerable stuffy at times, she still manages to show more emotion than her movie counterpart (which isn't saying much). Snake-Eyes is, as always, awesome, so I won't go into much detail. So far Roadblock and Tunnel Rat are still standard comic relief, but I like that the show still plays to their strengths, especially with Tunnel Rat's survivalist background. The comic relief also plays against this last SPOILER-ish point.

4) There are mortal stakes. At least from what we see in the first show, people die. There were at least two fatalities in the first episode, and even though I'm not totally convinced the first Joe to die is really dead (explosions are always a bad way to kill someone off, as evidenced by Rex's "death" in the live-action adaptation), I'm reasonably sure the corrupt general who go fried by the Baroness isn't coming back. This is something even the original 80's/90's GI Joe couldn't pull off. After all, remember Duke was "only in a coma" in the animated movie.

But I don't completely disagree this animated series has some serious problems working against it, not the least of which is . . .

1) THAT THE ANIMATION BLOWS. You didn't misread that. I completely agree. I just watched the first episode online, and at some points, I thought I was watching a Flash webisode. I don't know why the producers decided to use such a blandly unappealing style, save for the fact that the lead producer also worked on the similar Men in Black cartoon, which sort of matches the angular style. The animation has a sparsely-detail style that looks good standing still. The only problem is that by definition the GI JOE isn't STANDING STILL very often!

2) Mindbinder is a complete douche. I mean, I didn't really like him in the original, but there are limits to how big of tool you can be . . . even in a Saturday morning cartoon. I mean, c'mon, the guy is named "Brian Bender"! Hopefully we get to the cooler villains like Zartan, Storm Shadow and Destro - and soon!

And if you've made it this far in this long-winded rant, here are some things I'm kinda mixed about:

1) The A-Team/Kung Fu/SWAT premise. It's not bad. It keeps the storyline in motion, but only works if the plot eventually goes somewhere. If all we see is the Joes going from town-to-town fighting Cobra, it's going to get really old. Besides, if they keep picking up new members each episode, they are going to need a bigger van.

2) The Cobra Pharmaceuticals angle. It's kind of interesting, but I don't know why anyone would actually purchase medicine or donuts from a place named after a poisonous snake. There's certainly potential, with all sorts of implications about genetic research and PMC's the show writers can tackle. That said, proto-plasm monsters sprouting from jello molds of doom aren't really doing it for me.

So there you have it - four things I like, two things I don't like and two things I'm kind of mixed about. I just had to get it off my chest why I'm still watching this show.

"All we ever see of stars are their old photographs." Dr. Manhattan, Watchmen

www.blueyondercomic.net

[–] dendariiprime 13 years ago

The only problem i have with your comments is your #3 like: How can you call these characters "Well-Rounded" after one episodes??? And, I'm sorry, but you gave more reasons to NOT like this show than like it, to each his own!!!

[–] Virgil2127 13 years ago

Hey dedariiprime,

Well, actually I've all three episodes so far instead of just the one (I caught the last two on the Hub and then watched the first online) but anyway . . .

Yeah, well-rounded is probably a stretch, but I would at least say these characters aren't flat. Dynamic is probably a better choice of words. In the second episode, I like how Scarlet is all about the mission, but does offer her condolences for Ripcord in the end of the memorial scene. At the very least, it's a major step up from the "unable to quantify emotions" BS we saw from the character in the movies.

I have 4 reasons I like it, 2 reasons I don't and 2 things I'm still on the fence about, so my main point is, yeah, it's far from perfect, but I still recommend giving it a season to round out the team and play up the premise a bit. Hopefully, if those two things play out and the show is renewed, they can also upgrade the animation in season 2.

"All we ever see of stars are their old photographs." Dr. Manhattan, Watchmen

www.blueyondercomic.net

[–] insanee12 13 years ago

To add to the animation thing. Storm Shadow in this show looks god awful. Worse then the movie.

The story is geting me interested into the show now that Storm shadow (Even though he looks bad) is in the picture. I read the comic books and what i loved about them is the Scarlet and Snake eyes relationship instead of scarlet and duke and the Snake eyes Declassified origins story. I really found the episode that was released today just as interesting as Snake Eyes Declassified. Its obvious that there going towards the Scarlet and snake eyes relationship route and i like that.

Yea it seems like the only design that satisfies me is Snake Eye's

Also any one played Fallout new vegas? Mother Trucking Boones as Mother Trucking Duke. That is a huge win in my Book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_1sunhYo14

So far the show isn't bad but its not were as good as it could be.

[–] J. Ryan 13 years ago

Virgil, I completely agree w/ you.

Let me echo the mortal stakes point. I like how a seemingly likable Ripcord is off-ed early in the series (assuming he actually is dead). Reminds me how another interesting Autobot (voiced by Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson!!) in the new Transformer Primes series was killed off in the first episode.

As a kid show, Renegades is ok. It's no Justice League/Batman Animated Series/Superman etc, but few things can match that standard.

-------------------------
Veni, Vidi, Oh Just Facit!

[–] Virgil2127 13 years ago

Thanks J. Ryan . . . I totally didn't that was the Rock in Transformers Prime.

It's no Justice League now, but I think it could be. Like I said, the A-Team premise has to go somewhere, and if it builds towards something meaningful, I could see this becoming more epic in the long run. For now, however, I like GI Joe having a small, more personal scope (that said, I haven't seen the last episode.)

I think the designs are okay (but again, I haven't seen Storm Shadow's). It's more of the animation - the actual movement from place to place - that bothers me. Honestly, it feels like a Flash-based web cartoon at times its so jerky.

"All we ever see of stars are their old photographs." Dr. Manhattan, Watchmen

www.blueyondercomic.net

[–] insanee12 13 years ago

Well Virgil brace yourself your about to find out what he looks like. The show is the opposite of style over substance. The style stinks but the plot, timing and execution seems to be getting better and better in each episode.

http://generalsjoes.com/renegades/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/19_STORM_SHADOW.jpg

[–] artimak 13 years ago

Honestly, it feels like a Flash-based web cartoon at times its so jerky

Exactly. If it's looks like a kid could've made it on his home PC from 1992, then it's pretty pathetic. It's also lame if the original 25 year old cartoon looks more realistic than the current one.

[–] confidential_75 13 years ago

...what i loved about them is the Scarlet and Snake eyes relationship instead of scarlet and duke...Its obvious that there going towards the Scarlet and snake eyes relationship route and i like that.

I don't know about that Insanee12. I always preferred the Scarlett and Duke route myself.

As for the feedback that the OP provided. It was on point on a lot of things; I may not agree on all, but I do on most.

"RESPECTING ONE'S OPINION IS THE PINNACLE OF MATURITY"

[–] MarshallStax 13 years ago

Keep watching for the Scarlett/Duke angle AND the Scarlett/Snake Eyes angles to evolve...

"Tip the world on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles." - Frank Lloyd Wright

[–] IamAnimalChin 13 years ago

"2) The Cobra Pharmaceuticals angle. It's kind of interesting, but I don't know why anyone would actually purchase medicine or donuts from a place named after a poisonous snake. "

I was thinking this at first also, but than I thought about Cobra Insurance when you leave a job so it's really not that far of a stretch. I know Cobra insurance is an anagram but it's still called Cobra.

[–] asheroever 13 years ago

dude they brought back rip cord, he didn't die after all. i want him in the games til he dies playing, even yahtzee!

[–] wolfdangler 10 years ago

.l..Could someone Please tell me WHY Lady Jaye sounds Hispanic (When she is suppose to be from Martha's Vineyard [WTF??]) Does that make ANY sense? Atleast they DIDN'T give her an F-ing BAAAAAL-Ston accent!