I’ve been watching the Henson sitcom Dinosaurs off of DVD lately. It’s got its higher points and its lower points (and I’m still coming up on the highest point, the two part “Nuts to War” a remarkably pointed attack on the whole war process). But on this Flintstones-as-Dinosaurs series, they watch TV, and the shows within the show are generally nice little moments. I’ve now passed the two that I remember best from watching them the first time all those years ago – a Mr. Wizard-like show where they always destroy the kid sidekick (“Looks like we’re gonna need another Timmy!”) and this gem of a new series ad:
Coming this fall on ABC: He’s a big city dinosaur detective who leaps through time to adopt seven interracial children. She’s a ghost with seven interracial ghost children of her own. Now they’re all moving to the country to become District Attorneys. And watch the sparks fly when mother moves in! It’s all… Way Too Complicated! Wednesdays at 8.
Thank goodness for the Antedeluvian Broadcasting Company!
Back when “Dinosaurs” was on, “The Simpsons” poked fun at it claiming it was nothing more than a painfully unfunny “Simpsons” ripoff (“This show is funny, see? They have a baby just like we do!”) I’m also watching the series on DVD, and although it isn’t always laugh-out-loud funny, the show is often more humorous than it isn’t. As for its style of humor, it is somewhat similar to that of “The Simpsons,” but different and somewhat wackier (which describes the humor of Henson and the Muppets in general.) I’m just surprised at how timely some of the jokes are even today- before the “Way Too Complicated” promo you quote is an ad for “Dinonetics” poking fun at a certain relgion and its apparent focus on money rather than salvation, years before Tom Cruise and friends would bring it into the public eye.