This line tells you everything you need to know: "No one in this movie would be fun to talk to." Love the Mallrats and Clueless comparisons - Cher and Brodie would be maddening in real life, but they've each got something they love aside from themselves.

I bought it from the Wii store a while ago and really found them frustrating, which immediately reminded me of how frustrating I found them as a child (and made me wonder why I didn't remember that part when making a nostalgia purchase). I can't quite describe it, there's perhaps a superbrief delay, but enough that…

Thanks for the recommendation - I'd not heard of Wool but will check it out.

No argument here, but inclusions like WoW suggest they're seeking to balance chronological merit with industry breadth.

That'll be round 2. Looks like they might be trying not to over-Nintendo it.

With, it should be noted, some of the worst jumping mechanics ever. Otherwise a good time though.

"LOOK AT ME! MY COLOR IS MY NAME, YOU GLUTTONOUS FUCK!"

Hey, I got a comment callout in an AV Club article! I'm gonna be stoked for the rest of the day.

I feel you, Alex McCown. Every holiday season we had the Disney, Muppets, and Chipmunks records in heavy rotation, and none of my friends knew what the hell I was singing. The 12 Days of Christmas actually gets enhanced by these treatments because each album doses it with heavy ad-libs, which I'm convinced is the only…

No, see, because there was that white guy who plays video games, so it's TOTALLY cool!

Not only that, but Mary's crazy usually doesn't stop her from being critical. If something doesn't work, she'll say so, not just offer generic crap about being a lovely person. I realize dance is more in Abdul's wheelhouse than singing, but I've got no reason to expect great things from her.

Your post (and my having a five-year-old) made me realize that "Jason Derulo" fits perfectly into the chorus of "Baby Beluga." Doubt that'll make the show more tolerable, but it's something.

I enjoyed how they managed to repeatedly talk about dorky white guy's "different experience" while skirting any overt mention of class, race or culture. Also, he says he got an extra life or whatever at the end and they plaster him with a giant red "NERD." Because it's not like everybody plays video games now or…

I went to his Twitter page - which I was pleased to learn he has - and was surprised to find no tweets to him on the subject. I've rectified the oversight.

It's why his voice is always so quavery: Perpetual brain freeze.

A few other observations:
1. Lotta dust on those cars in the hangar, considering Ethan's family only just got here.
2. The preview for next week tells us that the WP puppetmasters like to start with the kids, so your theory on those gas station kids being plants holds a good bit of water.
3. Were we supposed to recognize…

Yeah, it just fits the Disney model of "Parents are Buffoons," which isn't an automatic dealbreaker, but it's rough when the kids are so insufferable. The episode I caught was about the social necessity of flashmobs, if that helps.

I respect your optimism, sir, even while I don't envy your inevitable ordeal.

I guess I'm culturally generalizing, but we see a lot of British cartoons on Sprout, and if a critter turns tail on you in one of those, there's a good bet you're gonna see a li'l anus.

Like that, yes.