One of the more popular series of DC Nation shorts during its run on Cartoon Network was Super Best Friends Forever. Unfortunately, only 5 of these miniature shorts were made, which suggests that they didn't test well with CN suits or with the network's mostly male-skewing audience.
Comics' original Wonder Girl, Donna Troy (Grey DeLisle), is given an accent, presumably more Latino than Greek, which, in this writer's opinion, is a mistake. Throw in Supergirl (Nicole Sullivan, ex-MadTV, The King of Queens) and Batgirl (Tara Strong), and you have what CN hoped would be a distaff Three Stooges in tights, but without the eye gouges.
I'm sorry, but dumbing down three long time DC heroines for cheap laughs doesn't work. And people complain about this being passed over for the even dumber Teen Titans Go!? Apples & oranges, kids. Apples & oranges.
In the opener, Batgirl & Supergirl cajole Donna into taking Wonder Woman's jet for an "Invisible Joy Ride":
As they used to say back in the day, gag me with a spoon.
Rating: C-.
3 comments:
"Super Best Friends Forever" wasn't perfect, but it was still head and shoulders above the abysmal "Teen Titans GO!". The involvement of Lauren Faust (Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and wife of PPG creator Craig McCracken) sweetens the pot for me ever so slightly, plus I can't completely look down on any toon that employs the vocal talents of Grey Deslisle, Nicole Sullivan and Tara Strong, plus SBFF is one of the rare appearances of Wonder Girl/Donna Troy in animation.
My ideal DC girls' toon would star these 3 as a trio, but with an art and animation style akin to the web series "DC Super Hero Girls" and with "Super Hero Squad Show/Brave and the Bold/DC Super Hero Girls/the better comedic Teen Titans: TAS" style gags and stories, but that's just me.
"Super Best Friends Forever" was more or less Lauren Faust's retread of The Powerpuff Girls as DC heroines; you had Wonder Girl as the smart, responsible one (Blossom), Supergirl as the tough girl (Buttercup) and Batgirl as the excitable, silly one (Bubbles). While I didn't exactly agree with these characterizations (particularly not Kara as Buttercup, although Buttercup is still my favorite Powerpuff Girl), the idea behind SBFF wasn't a bad one. Plus, it's rare when we see Wonder Girl depicted on the small screen. SBFF may not have been great, but Teen Titans GO! is much worse, in my honest opinion.
You might like to check out the web series "DC Super Hero Girls", if you haven't already. Silverstar and I have written a few non reviews for some of the episodes.
Guys: I have plans to do a review of DC Super Hero Girls real soon. I think the real problem with SBFF is that 1) there were only 5 of these micro-shorts, 2) it would've looked better had it been in more of a style akin to, say, Vixen, or the earlier DCAU shows, and 3) CN gave up on it too soon. Their decision to end it so abruptly, methinks, might've been the reason Lauren Faust left them.
Personally, I wouldn't mind rebooting the concept with more of a DCAU look, and a more serious approach to things. Like, for example, how the girls met in the first place, which we never got to see, I think. I think such a reboot could be linked with Vixen as part of the DCAU 2.0.
BTW, of the Powerpuff Girls, Blossom was my favorite.
Post a Comment