Updated on December 10, 2021
Another new episode of “The Looney Tunes Show.” This week’s entry was a typical episode—it had its moments, but still feels strait-jacketed by the show’s sitcom-format. Ironically, the funniest parts were the two shorts this week (SPOILERS below)…
Plot: Daffy, wanting to become a successful inventor like Bugs, swipes one of Bugs’ invention ideas, an automatic carrot-peeler. After making a fortune (and bankrupting Bugs), things quickly begin to go wrong, leading Bugs to save the day (of course).
As much of a deus ex machina as the resolution was (though it was subtly indicated early on), the main plot had some amusing bits:
- We finally see where the heck Bugs gets his money from in this series, by inventing a carrot peeler. (This on top of whatever cash he must’ve raked in being an astronaut, interim president of Mexico, etc.)
- Daffy’s various already-invented inventions.
- Daffy’s reactions to raking in the cash being typical, well, Daffy (even a few “hoo-hoo”s are thrown in).
- Bugs returning to his trademark rabbit hole in the forest (and a scene reminiscent of the original short “Water Water Every Hare“).
- The ending with Daffy and the time machine (which could’ve been an entire episode in itself).
Aspects I didn’t care much for:
- The initial toilet paper joke between Bugs and Daffy (eww…).
- Hard to believe Bugs would be that broke, that fast. Surely he’d have a huge pile of savings, being, well, Bugs…
Other observations:
- The ice cream salesman looks somewhat like “Little John” from the original series short “Rabbit Hood.”
- Similarly, the ceiling painter also looks like someone from an original series short, but not sure which one.
- Bugs’ flat-screen TV is, well, just a generic-boxed flat-screen TV… and not an Acme-branded one. Seriously, now—no Acme products appearing to date in the main part of the series?!
- The mall seems to share a similar wood-related name to the country club from “Members Only“; guess the town they live in is named “Royal Oaks” (or somesuch)? Again, I would’ve liked to have seen it named after Acme in some way (like “Acme Acres”), but I gather the “Acme” name must not be considered “sitcom” enough for this series…
As I noted above, the two shorts were funnier than the main story. The “Merrie Melodie” this week was “We Are In Love,” a love ballad sung by Lola to Bugs (who makes it clear he *isn’t* in love with Lola). Some funny gags (and a cameo by the giant horse Bugs rode in “What’s Opera, Doc?”).
Even funnier, however, is the Road Runner short—Wile E. dons an Iron Man “Iron Metal” suit of armor to wage battle against the speedy bird, with disastrous results. The suit makes Wile E. look like a cross between the “Solid Tin Coyote” and the original grey Iron Man armor. It might’ve been even funnier if the Coyote had tried using his armor’s “repulsor beams,” but still, this was the funniest part of the whole half-hour.
