Synopsis
Is it wrong that I kinda sorta liked The Powerpuff Girls? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll join the scores of those older male online reviewers who feel a bit of guilt in that statement, and wonder when Chris Hanson and the Dateline NBC crew will come barreling down my door, but God help me, I found it charming.
The show was created by Craig McCracken, and takes a trio of harmless little girls whose father is a scientist who, in his quest to create the perfect girl, accidentally spills “Ch…mical X” into the mix, giving the girls super powers. The girls are able to use those skills to fight crime and do it just before bedtime. And in that premise things are pretty simple, but the show appeals not only to its prime demographic of young girls, but it reaches broad-based appeal by not taking itself too seriously and using the action/super hero genre effectively, considering it’s an animated show for girls. That fact that it incorporates a few more modern references for grown-ups doesn’t hurt either.
Each episode of the show is split overr two stories, and this particular season’s run of thirteen episodes is split over two discs. You get to learn about Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles (one’s the rough one, one’s the girly girl and one’s the alpha girl of the bunch), you find out more about their father Professor Nutronium, not to mention the girls’ nemesis, the evil chimp Mojo Jojo. All of these characters (and more) make for an experience that is fun without being too childish, at least for this thirtysomething.
Video
Full frame viewing for this televised, animated show. However the colors in this show don’t stand out very well and are a little flat, and the print itself isn’t worth jumping up and down about either.
Audio
You’re just going to get Dolby two channel stereo viewing for this as well, come to think of it. But overall it sounds fine, the action sequences and the music both sound clear without showing off your audio equipment, and if you play this show to your friends and say that it’s cool, you might as well turn yourself in.
Special Features
You get a collection of pilot sketches by McCracken, some promotional material for the show and some promos for each episode. Oh, and there’s an interview with McCracken on The Cartoon Network’s Space Ghost Coast to Coast series.
Closing Thoughts
After being so far out of the loop and not knowing what the hubbub was all about, I’ve got to hand it to McCracken and The Powerpuff Girls; he created a show that appealed to both kids and adults without really skewing the show one way or another. It’s worth renting if you haven’t seen it, and if you have kids who haven’t killed you to buy it, you’ll be the world’s greatest parent for buying it.
Special Features List
- TV Spots
- Creator Inteviews
- Short Films
