Todd: Greg has used that "bite your kneecaps" line twice, but in the Python sketch it's "bite your legs off." I'm not sure if Greg is deliberately altering it or just forgot the line. (Or this question might better be addressed to the scriptwriters of the episodes in question.)
Jurgan - [jurgan6 at yahoo dot com]
posted @ Sat, Apr 11, 2020 9:39:52 pm EDT from 174.28.181.141

MATTHEW - Thanks for your latest review. I noted, in your list of quotes at the end, the second (I assume) allusion to King Arthur's duel with the Black Knight in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" in one of Weisman's animated series (the first being, of course, Goliath vs. the Xanatos Program in "Future Tense"). Or maybe it's a "Gargoyles" allusion this time.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Sat, Apr 11, 2020 8:41:15 am EDT from 68.231.65.221

Watched "Blueprints" today as we kick off season 2 with the arrival of winter, Mysterio and Peter and Gwen not really sure where to go after the big kiss from last season. Makes sense considering one, they're teenagers so not knowing what to do next is par the course. Then there's the fact that they're close-knit friends who've relied on each other when it comes to companionship, they're both used to confiding in each other when it comes to emotional issues and now that it involves the two of them, awkwardness ensues. Continuing the relationship drama, Liz once again show a lot more open affection towards Peter showing how she's actually a lot more proactive in this sort of thing. Plus I like how she unintentionally helps Peter figure out what the deal is with Mysterio.

Just as the first episode of season 1 showcased a number of characters that would be important further down the line season 2 does the same thing. We get our first look at Sha Shan Nguyen, Liz briefly mentions here brother, Dr. Miles Warren shows up for the first time and indirectly sets Peter back on returning to ESU, we get our first look at Emily Osborn (though not much else) and of course there's the matter of the Master Planner and his minions...

Kinda makes sense that Mysterio and Tinkerer would start working under a new villain, neither one are exactly big threats on their own and neither have the same ambitious drive Chameleon or Doctor Octopus do. It's as true in super villainy as it is in real life, some people are better at leading, and some are better at following. The act of Mysterio being a sorcerous Luddite was an excellent choice and ties into the theme of prestidigitation or sleight of hand. As Liz briefly mentioned it's all about misdirection, the key to prestidigitation is that one hand draws the attention while the other pulls the trick, which is what the schemes truly are. Mysterio pretends to steal a technology-hating sorcerer to hide that he's really just a thief, distract Spider-Man with robots and illusions so he can swap a robotic double in his place, let the police take back the tech stolen by Oscorp so they won't look for the other shipments he previously stole.

Xander Berkeley is one of those great character actors that excels in film, television and animation and his role here is terrific. The guy switches between the grandiose Mysterio and the more normal Quentin Beck so fluidly that it's actually hilarious. The "fights" if they could be called that are a delight full of clever little tidbits. Like how he often hides his hand when using the remote control on his palm, or how there's a slight hissing noise of gas being released whenever he casts his will-sapping "spell." This episode has a lot of great gags to it like the saloon fight filled with "piani" then the alien planet with classic 1950's sci-fi sound. Much like Norman Osborn and his inventions I do have to question the logic to why he's turned to villainy, his mist based holograms are more advanced than anything to come from the Disney Imagineers, I mean one of those flying serpents even casts a shadow for god's sake. And that's not even getting into the homonuculi bots. You know between them and the M.O.N.Q.I.s from Young Justice I think Greg just might like giggling, flying robots.

Some final thoughts: Brian George really gets to show off some versatility this episode playing the two Warren brothers, he's another underrated character. And I like that Dr. Connors is ultimately the one to decide to bring back Peter, citing that everyone deserves a second chance. There's a lot of follow up from the last episode with Peter still looking after Aunt May and trying to find out where Eddie went. Peter finds out the downside to his costume not being made for cold weather, and honestly it probably doesn't do so well in the summer either. We get an unintentional hint at the Master Planner as Mysterio's hovercraft has a mechanical tentacle built into it. Something I remembered while writing this is Osborn taking an interest in mentoring Peter, interestingly enough Peter ends up getting a fair share of mentors this season. I imagine that if this took place in a larger Marvel universe he would've had different heroes mentoring him. We get a double voice cameo this episode with Greg playing both Donald Menken and the truck driver and of course Stan Lee himself as...Stan. You know it makes me sad to know he won't cameo in any future Marvel stuff.

Favorite Lines:
Stan: You know when you put your tongue on the side of the ship and it sticks there? I hate when I do that!
(dock worker looks at him incredulously)
Stan: Just sayin'.

Mysterio: You dare call Mysterio a magician? Fool! Mysterio is no illusionist playing parlor tricks! Mysterio is the master of the arcane arts!
Spider-Man: Well, it seems to me that "Mysterrrio" is the master of talking about himself in third person.

Spider-Man: And Spidey strikes out the side! Now to eject the manager.

Spider-Man: Oh c'mon. What are you gonna do, bite my kneecaps off? Oh wait. You can't, no mouth.
Matthew
Insert Inspirational Quote Here:________
posted @ Sat, Apr 11, 2020 3:20:46 am EDT from 64.85.228.110

MATTHEW - I discovered that as well.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Thu, Apr 9, 2020 8:09:42 pm EDT from 68.231.65.221

Todd> A quick wiki search and it turns out that Canmore, Alberta is in fact named for Malcolm III of Scotland.
Matthew
Insert Inspirational Quote Here:________
posted @ Thu, Apr 9, 2020 6:49:24 pm EDT from 64.85.228.110

In the Gargoyles Universe, right now, the Manhattan Clan is most likely staying indoors.
Greg Bishansky
posted @ Thu, Apr 9, 2020 4:41:33 pm EDT from 73.167.128.71

Sorry for the double post, but I was watching a PBS documentary on rabbits last evening, and part of it was set in a small town in Alberta, Canada, called Canmore. (The town had a huge local rabbit population - with the drawback that lots of predators that like to eat rabbits, such as bears and coyotes, were flocking to the town.) No mention of why it was called "Canmore"; perhaps it was founded by Scottish settlers.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Thu, Apr 9, 2020 8:37:24 am EDT from 68.231.65.221

For that matter, Demona wouldn't have needed the Praying Gargoyle for her "Hunter's Moon" scheme if gargoyles were normally immune to illnesses.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Wed, Apr 8, 2020 7:55:51 pm EDT from 68.231.65.221

SOMEGEEK> Well, Zafiro was worried about Bronx's wound getting infected before dawn in The Green so it ain't impossible. Stone sleep probably makes it harder for regular most conventional pathogens to take hold.
Algae
We must be brave.
posted @ Wed, Apr 8, 2020 8:38:51 am EDT from 86.45.213.181

...9th I guess :)

Incidentally, I don’t recall the Gargoyles being sick by virus or bacteria at any point, only poison. So, good immune system? ;). Or body system just too different to get infected the same way ? :)
SomeGeek
posted @ Wed, Apr 8, 2020 12:51:30 am EDT from 69.255.235.204

Hi Mr. Weisman. I have a question for you:

I don't know if you are aware, but in the "Early Warning" episode of Whelmed: The Young Justice Files (back in Oct. 2019) the host quoted you on something you told him in conversation. This is something that used to happen now and then, but lately it happens in almost every episode: "Greg texted me this", "Brandon emailed me that", "Greg/Brandon told me whatever", etc.

So, looking at your 2-year-6-month-and-12-day backlog of 1173 questions, I'm wondering: why are you giving BTS information to this one person while the rest of your fanbase has to submit questions and wait months (at least) or YEARS (worst case and more likely scenario) for an answer???? It must be really cool to be so intimate and chummy with one's idol, and I bet the host feels super important and validated, but this is some double standard bullshit!

Are you aware of this? And if you are, how can you be okay with it? Don't you think this is unfair? You have thousands of fans who support your work whichever way they can, but 99.9% of them have never even met you in person, let alone exchanged emails or text messages with you.

If I make an entire podcast dedicated to kissing your asses, will I earn the same privileges? Will I be able to ask all my questions without a waiting queue? Will I get to hang out with you, have lunch together or exchange personal contacts?

(Originally I posted this on AskGreg, but then I decided I shouldn't have to wait 2 years for an answer, for all the reasons above.)
Jordan
posted @ Tue, Apr 7, 2020 6:09:40 am EDT from 178.62.103.65

Hi Greg,
I️ have a few questions about the best show that ever existed, W.I.T.C.H.

1. I️ know each arc/season was supposed to cover a character. Starting with Will because she’s the first in W.I.T.C.H, but it seemed to me like Season 1 was about all of them, Season 2 was mainly focused on Will, and I️ know season 3 was supposed to be about Tarane (please no spoilers- it might come back). But isn’t Season 2 supposed to be about Irma? To me it seemed like it skipped.

2. I️ know its been a long time, like 14 years, but do you remember the main reason why the ratings were low on W.I.T.C.H? And why the show was cancelled? I️ could never understand why it was so underrated?

3. If a miracle were to happen, would you be interested in working on the continuation of W.I.T.C.H?
Sydney Gemix - [Gemixdesigns at gmail dot com]
Sydney Gemix
posted @ Tue, Apr 7, 2020 2:47:32 am EDT from 172.58.7.42

(666) Sixth!!!!!!
Vinnie - [thomaspeano at yahoo dot com]
Deplorable and loving it!
posted @ Mon, Apr 6, 2020 9:50:46 pm EDT from 172.14.186.123

Well, you're right after 3, and iron is quite effective against the Third Race.
Jurgan - [jurgan6 at yahoo dot com]
posted @ Mon, Apr 6, 2020 6:14:43 pm EDT from 174.28.181.141

Iron?
Algae
We must be brave.
posted @ Mon, Apr 6, 2020 12:17:18 pm EDT from 86.45.213.181

Bronze.
Adam
posted @ Mon, Apr 6, 2020 8:41:59 am EDT from 170.112.1.251

I'll start on the SECOND season of Spectacular Spider-Man soon enough.
Matthew
Insert Inspirational Quote Here:________
posted @ Mon, Apr 6, 2020 2:25:04 am EDT from 73.158.223.17

First!
Jurgan
posted @ Mon, Apr 6, 2020 12:38:16 am EDT from 174.28.181.141