Reviews: "Sealab 2021" - Vacation [6/2] [Archive]

EightOh

06-02-2003, 12:13 AM

Anal probe redneck: "Uh oh!"
MonsterHesh is back, and he wants jalapeno poppers!
GrizzleCCCPs...
Vodka, peanuts, and cigarettes. That monkey has it good.
Club 7030. Heh.

Funny, if a bit repetetive. At least they acknowledged that with the "Shut up!" bit at the end.

SNS

06-02-2003, 12:13 AM

when the 2nd uh-oh sequence came the episode stopped being funny :(

I agree.

........

ProdigyCube

06-02-2003, 12:13 AM

That episode was GREAT. The funny thing about Sealab is the cause its so unconventinal. Its like the anti-Simspons.

Rabi~en~Rose

06-02-2003, 12:13 AM

when the 2nd uh-oh sequence came the episode stopped being funny :(

No way! it was even better then the first! plus I love that beat! *dances*

Notice the bathroom doors? one for Men and one for Debbie hehe http://members.aol.com/kimminakochan/chicken.gif

talk about a totally random episode! I think its my new fave!

Killtacular

06-02-2003, 12:13 AM

Does anyone need further proof that Sealab is a horrible zit on the otherwise clean-faced Adult Swim? It needs to be popped.

Artemis

06-02-2003, 12:14 AM

It stopped being funny within the first minute. :p

Sorry Sealab, but you dissappointed tonight. It just wasn't funny and could barely keep my attention throughout. I kept turning back here. Looks like Sunday night's highlights were Futurama and Birdman. Aqua Teens was mediocre while Sealab was just plain bad. *yawn*

JRandMoby

06-02-2003, 12:15 AM

I couldn't stop laughing. There is something about sealab I can't quite put my finger on, but that dumb "uh-oh" sequence just kept getting funnier.

Sometimes a worn out joke reaches a point of such complete exhaustion, it becomes funny again.

Or am I just easily amused?

The Landstander

06-02-2003, 12:17 AM

Well, I loved it. Random, repititive, mildly unimaginative, completely pointless lacking any sort of plotline...but it was FUNNY! I guess you either get the randomness of Sealab or you don't, and, at least in this case, it worked for me. UH OH! A-

Positives: .......................uh oh
Negatives: Well, the non Uh Oh parts weren't all that good

Dogasu

06-02-2003, 12:18 AM

when the 2nd uh-oh sequence came the episode stopped being funny :(

I completely agree. While I loved the very beginning (ah! Doppleganger!) and being able to point out all the characters who had appeared in the show beforehand, the uh-oh sequences killed it.

sl4

06-02-2003, 12:18 AM

I think this episode was great. The references to past episodes (Bebop Cola, Tinfins, etc.) helped too.

Mibbitmaker

06-02-2003, 12:20 AM

Uh-oh!

:D

JTurner954

06-02-2003, 12:21 AM

Very good episode and a big improvement from last weeks show. This reminds me of Home Movie's "History" where it was just random and consistently funny. All the references from past episodes just made it better (especially the Tinfins premiere). One of the best episodes of Sealab and thus proving why it's my favorite show out of the 15 minute shows.

Uh oh, here comes the grade.

Overall grade: A

Aurochs

06-02-2003, 12:22 AM

Hmmm...this episode gets five whole "what the ****?"s.

"Uh-oh!"

Does anyone need further proof that Sealab is a horrible zit on the otherwise clean-faced Adult Swim? It needs to be popped.

Yeah, like Adult Swim is clean-faced. The whole thing is a large acne-infected face, which is why I love it.

TWinPA

06-02-2003, 12:28 AM

Did hesh have a chipmunk voice?

Mibbitmaker

06-02-2003, 12:32 AM

I'm glad SOME people here agree with my take on the show... hell, that whole half-hour (ATHF & SL) was absolutely hysterical tonight.

Sometimes, repetitiveness works. "Bizarro!", "Grizzlebees!", and "Uh-oh!".

And I agree the references to past shows made that work.

And great randomness that'd make Conan O'Brien jealous :)

Ah, randomness.

potrzebie.

:rolleyes:

JeffTMBG

06-02-2003, 12:35 AM

Terrible. But since this was from last year, a season which had plenty of terrible one joke episodes, I won't take it as an indication of this year's shows.

The Drizzle

06-02-2003, 12:40 AM

Meh, it wasn't that great. It wasn't as bad as others are making it out to be though. Overall I'll give it a B-.

Cyber E.

06-02-2003, 12:45 AM

That was great. This episode was byfar the best of the entire show, and I think Bebop Cola was on of the best pieces of animation in the world. I thought the plot was going to be Murphy trying to keep Quinn from vacationing, but by the time the second "Uh Oh" sequence rolled around I just fall out of my chair with a severe pain near my kidneys. This is why I love the original programming...

-aJb

DianaGohan

06-02-2003, 12:46 AM

Uh Uh= Random Party Central For The Sealab 2021 Episode Review of "Vacation".

You know, even with the 2002 episodes of Harvey Birdman, I still found Sealab to be the most random of the Willams Street shows, and this episode only proves my point even more. This episode had a good beginning with Murphy trying to get Quinn to stop his vacation, even when Quinn built him his own Holo Murphy (Did Murphy say Spirit World when talking about the Holograph supposedley going away). There was another good Holo-Murph moment with the camp that Murphy set up, but that was there involvment in the plot for a nutshell. We then cut to Debbie and Marco, who have a fairly intresting dicussion of their past (Never knew Marco's Mom died and he had a little sister to take care of or Debbie's parent's got divorced) which then starts what could be one of Sealab's most infamous gag's. The Uh-Uh segment, which was repeated three times and had good cameos by Master Loo, Monster Hesh, Black Debbie, Russian Grizzlybee's Bear, Space Monkey, news caster, and even Chopper Dave. But there in lies the problem. This segment went on too long and wasan't that funny to start with. Random may equal funny, but too much can be a bad thing. B

Jethro_McB

06-02-2003, 12:47 AM

when the 2nd uh-oh sequence came the episode stopped being funny :(

But then, like...it got funny again...then just HILARIOUS...well I liked it anyways.

I'd say this is the Sealab version of SGC2C's "Fire Ant" - Starts off like it's going to be a normal episode, then everything falls apart and becomes this abstract, "test the limits of the medium and our audience" experiment. Sealab's episode had wasted potential, sure - Murphy and Holo-Murph, Debbie a ticking time-bomb, and Marco's never-before-seen "INNER STRENGTH!" side. But when the disco music kicked in, I started boucnin'...and stuff started bumpin'...and the old episode references kept a comin'...about when the Soviet bear started hitting all the bars, the normal bar, the gay bar, etc., I was ROLLING. The bear bar was aces, but to then make it a "Bebop Cola" commercial, I was expecting and HOPING for our two plucky ad guys to jump out and tell us what this particular ad meant. No such luck, but it was still just as funny.

And just TELL me you didn't at least giggle at that stinger with the "Six Million Dollar Man" gag. "Nobody's catchin' him."

A solid B. Next week's "Power outage" episode sounds like it could be another one of these little "experimental" episodes (imagine nothing but a black screen and voice-overs for like 10 minutes...), which could push the show into "stale" territory. Or "lazy writer" territory, either one.

Morac

06-02-2003, 12:50 AM

I saw the clip on adultswim.com so I knew what to expect and I still thought it was hilarious.

I actually thought the 2nd Uh-Oh sequence was funnier than the first since the first one was more or less "normal". The 2nd one was completely off the wall. Then they had the dance party bear tour going to all the dance clubs: Men club, Redneck club, Black Sealab cast Reunion (with one person), and the Goldilocks club.

It was Sealab's wackiness at its best.

Plus it's got a catchy beat :)

Aurochs

06-02-2003, 12:54 AM

Yeah, I think the monotony of the "uh-oh" sequence added to the charm of the episode. The point of these things are to be bizarre, but people seem to complain about them when they are. I think if the majority of the people were pissed off at the "uh-oh" repetition, then Williams Street acomplished what they set off to do with that episode.

Next week's "Power outage" episode sounds like it could be another one of these little "experimental" episodes (imagine nothing but a black screen and voice-overs for like 10 minutes...), which could push the show into "stale" territory. Or "lazy writer" territory, either one.

Actually, I think that's an awesome idea for an episode.

livingfruitvirus

06-02-2003, 01:03 AM

id like to add: nice touch on those This Island Earth aliens.

TnAdct1

06-02-2003, 01:29 AM

Two things I have to say about tonight's episode:

1. Uh oh! :p

2. What the CENSORED?!?

With the Holo-Murphy and the "Uh oh" sequences, this episode is one of those episodes that shows how funny Sealab 2021 can be.

Joe Klemm

Supreme

06-02-2003, 01:40 AM

WOW! That was probably one of the best Sealab's yet!

Loved the "Uh-oh" sequences. Cool how the aliens were from Canada, eh?
Helped me recover from the awfulness of Birdman.

NewLib

06-02-2003, 01:42 AM

Supreme you disliked tonight's Birdman and liked tonight's SeaLab. Are we watching the same channel?

The Drizzle

06-02-2003, 01:44 AM

Supreme you disliked tonight's Birdman and liked tonight's SeaLab. Are we watching the same channel?

He's in Bizarro world. :brak:

Supreme

06-02-2003, 01:48 AM

TheFutureIsHere and Neon Invader X,
You can like Birdman as much as you want. Doesn't mean you have to step on my opinion of Sealab. Or anything. Rate the shows, not the people who like or dislike them.

The Drizzle

06-02-2003, 01:51 AM

Kesh

06-02-2003, 04:03 AM

I'll say it. That was bad. :( I love Sealab, but... gah. The only things that brought a smile to my face were the hologram and the Goldilocks club. The rest... gah.

Oh, and the enchiladas. :p

JDuncan

06-02-2003, 07:15 AM

This is how Sealab should be. Weird, fast paced and random as possible. The Uh Oh scene was funnier than it was online, and the second one was still funny because it was different than the first, and Chopper Dave turned into a werewolf. Did you see that freakin' chopper explode. My favorite part was that scene at the end when the bear's banker tells him he's broke, and that he spent his six million dollars in the bank on the six million dollar man. It wasn't perfect or anything, there could've been more scenes relating to Murphy and the hologram, Quinn's vacation in general, or any scenes with Sparks. Also, who ever they got to dub Hesh's voice just didn't do it justice. AS isn't exactly high art, though. Sealab sent out to amuse and entertain me, and I would consider myself amused and entertained.
B+

ToonamiFanatic

06-02-2003, 08:05 AM

Great episode loved the two uh oh sequences. thats why I like Sealab funny and weird and random.liked the part at the end with quinn.
cant wait for next weeks episode

talibancity

06-02-2003, 09:46 AM

Not bad. Experimental yes, but it got old eventually. There's a quote from tvtome.com that explains this episode very well: "Plot and continuity are sacrificed early and often for insanity and clever wit." That is so what last episode was like. The first half was funny, but the Uh-oh was a bit long and not funny after the first 15 seconds. Did you see the 3 Grizzlebee's references: Well of course you saw the bear. Then in the pool in Sealab when Quinn was on the ... "beach chair" a Grizzlebee's pool ball rolled by, you probably saw that too. But during the Uh-oh sequence, when the Russian/Chinese/Japanese guy was talking, in the background out the window was a green sign w/ Grizzlebee's on it. Also, in the alien spaceship, when they were panning right during one of the Uh-oh sequences, the old TV-14 Tools calendar with Debbie from All That Jazz was on the wall. And finally, when Murphy and Holo-Murphy were camping in one of the rooms, on the back of some filing cabinet was a bit of scribble, and it read, "Stormy wuz here." I had to get off my lazy butt and stand right in front of the TV to see that one. Overall, episode was a C. Everything that wasn't Uh-oh was funny.

Beat

06-02-2003, 03:29 PM

Another D- ep. This was made last year? Hopefully the rest are better.

Oglethorpe

06-02-2003, 03:29 PM

it seems like Sealab has to rely almost completely on references to old episodes to be funny now. season one was so full of gold that they could mine it for a few more episodes of references, but season 2 was a major letdown (Tinfins aside, of course) and it looks like season 3 isn't exactly coming up with anything new. but the uh-oh sequence was hilarious -- they just can't do something like that for every episode.

sl4

06-02-2003, 03:30 PM

If anyone wants it, I captured the audio from the Uh-Oh song:

http://homepage.mac.com/sl4/.Music/Uh-oh.mp3

Cyber E.

06-02-2003, 03:34 PM

You are a god, Superloud.

-aJb

Eidan

06-02-2003, 05:08 PM

I love the random, insane humor of Sealab. You couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of what you were seeing. Like the pilot who just happens to turn into a werewolf, or the Grizzlebee Bear buying the Six Million Dollar Man. Hilarious.

Skynet2029

06-02-2003, 05:27 PM

i give it an A omg the uh-oh sequence is just pure genious :D
also holomurphy and that bit about the spirit world just had me laughing hard.

Mynd Hed

06-02-2003, 05:29 PM

Does anyone need further proof that Sealab is a horrible zit on the otherwise clean-faced Adult Swim? It needs to be popped.

Considering how many people enjoyed last night's episode, apparently not.

I know you don't like Sealab, Matt, but have you tried this really simple procedure called "not watching it"? Just go get a soda or something when it's on, jeez. There's been plenty of stuff on Adult Swim that I haven't liked-- Oblongs and Ripping Friends rate high on that list, and I've got no particular love for Inuyasha, Trigun, or Pilot Candidate either-- but my solution to that is not to watch them, as opposed to constantly complaining about how bad they are.

Parallax

06-02-2003, 06:34 PM

I never really agreed with Matt about Sealab untill I saw this. I mean, the first Uh-Oh! sequence wasn't even funny. F-

Metadream

06-02-2003, 06:56 PM

My grade: C-

It was an okay episode, but the whole "uh oh" scenario got old fast.

Ludicris

06-02-2003, 09:28 PM

The way it got old fast was most of the joke, you have to have the same sense of humor as the writers, as I do and this episode was pure genius in the most andy kauffman style I have seen to date. Every episode I see, it just makes me want season box sets of the show more. As long as the writing stays this crisp this show will be on for years to come.

Overall "Uh-Oh" rating: A+

-Ludicris

Aurochs

06-02-2003, 10:04 PM

But during the Uh-oh sequence, when the Russian/Chinese/Japanese guy was talking

I'm pretty sure that guy was supposed to be Lenin. He looked a lot like Lenin, you can see the Kremlin from the window, and the words "CCCP", and he's talking in Russian. Plus the promo says "Dancing Bear Kills Lenin".

I know you don't like Sealab, Matt, but have you tried this really simple procedure called "not watching it"? Just go get a soda or something when it's on, jeez.

Yeah, I agree. Reign was never my cup of tea, hence I never watched Reign. I never went into the Reign review topics and suggested the genocide of Reign from the Adult Swim block while making analogies to acne. There are a lot of people (including myself) who love Sealab 2021. So don't request that a show gets canned just because you don't like it.

The way it got old fast was most of the joke, you have to have the same sense of humor as the writers, as I do and this episode was pure genius

Yes, it was supposed to be monotonous. That made it funny, at least in my opinion. Williams Street does it all of the time, like the Grizzlebees commercials in "Tinfins", the ant sequence in the long version of the SG:C2C episode "Fire Ant", the Dr. Weird running gag, and the constant "Waiting" notices throughout SG:C2C.

Vekou

06-02-2003, 10:21 PM

Well, that was... hmm. It's hard for me to review this.

I think they just barely overdid the "Uh-oh!" sequence. By the time they got to Chopper Dave the second time, I didn't find it funny anymore (however the best part was when Debbie and Marco said "shut up!" before they could start it again). Still a great episode, though, and even though most of it was kind of a waste of time, I liked it. The hooker joke, the billions of past Sealab cameos/references and the ... the communist bear... haha, that was wonderful.

And did anyone else notice that the animation quality took a sharp turn for the better starting last night? Facial expressions and body movements looked a lot more realistic.