Animal Mechanicals

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Cast of Characters:

Rex-Mechi-Strong (Male)
Unicorn-Mecha-fly (Female)
Komodo-Mechana-Gizmo (Male)
Mouse Fast (Female Youngest)
Sasquatch-stretchy(Male)
Island Owl (Female)

 

Owl only gives mission and that is the only time we see her.

Not this owl
Photo by Andy Chilton on Unsplash

Mission

They have to plant a bean. Turbo beans don’t like to be touched. This tidbit will be important throughout the episode.

Action

They have a cool slide to get to where they are going. This is a very Minecraft/Mario-esque show.

Rex can change into digging equipment. Cool. Bean got touched-flew into a tree. Remember that the bena doesn’t like to be touched.

Oh, who can reach the bean? Sasquatch can.
Sasquatch can stretch-

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But he had to touch the bean. Now we learn the bean has triple turbo blasters and is flying around and Sasquatch is just holding on for the ride.

They all worked together and chased the bean into the hole and it grew into a plant. YAY!!

 

Analysis

Good golly this show is annoying. They are going to team up: When things get tough-they team up! The mission is something that will need each animals’ strength. But no one can remember what each one does (even though it is so inherent to their identities that they tell the viewers about their strength when introducing themselves in the title sequence), so they have to problem solve: oh someone will have to be fast enough to chase the bean into the hole. Who can do it? … Oh, Mouse can! Repetition and reinforcement is important in kids’ learning, but this can be done in a less contrived way.

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We are never told why these things have to do these missions, why they are mechanical, who the owl is. It is kind of insulting to the viewer.

 

Gender Dynamics

Male:

Rex is the leader of the team.

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Rex and Sasquatch are both strong. Sasquatch gets a lot of air time. Even though he is stretchy, he really likes pounding things.

Komodo has all the tools and also has a bit of a sciency-tone-he is a problem solver and explains things to the crew.

Female:

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Unicorn is pink and purple. She can fly. This seems to be the extent of her role. She doesn’t add much to the dialogue.

Mouse is young. It is surprising that the cute young critter is a girl because they are often boys. She is fast and cute and also doesn’t add much substance.

Overall, this show has a vague message about teamwork and using everybody’s strengths. Even though it is an ensemble cast, the lead is male. The team gender breakdown is 3/2 and it seems like the men have more speaking time.

TALLY SHEET

Count today- 1 show
Count total- 9 shows
Shows with male lead- 6
Shows with female lead- 3
Shows with a positive message for girls, starring a female lead-2

New categories:

Shows that have a male adult lead-5
Shows that have a female adult lead-0