As I was saying, my background was more Looney Tunes than anime, so when the idea to bring back the Ax was floated, we went full-out Chuck Jones.
I forget how the idea of bringing back the Ax came up, if Mandell mentioned it or if we brought it up. In one of the pitch guides they gave out, they did mention a plotline where the Ax returns and somehow takes command of Zachery Foxx's bionic half (I'm thinking a sci-fi "All of Me"). Of course, once the Ax cease to be a mechanical robot character, that plot was dead. But the idea of the Ax returning was certainly something the show was open to. Also, this was the phase where we were requested to recycle villains, so it did seem like a logical move. And the Ax was a cool bad guy. And frankly, once I got the title "Buzzwang gets the Ax," we had to write it.
Restoring the Ax would seem to be a problem to overcome, no? Not really, as it turns out. Lazarus has him, like he picked him up at an evil yard sale, or the way Frankenstein just keeps popping back up in the old Universal movies. And he even has the power jewel that animates him! That's the fun thing about 1/2 hour cartoons, you can just open with the premise. I guess it's good I changed the whole "launched into the sun" ending from the first couple of drafts I wrote.
Now, in what almost became a major disagreement, we argued about whether or not Buzz should be actually demoted after his programing glitch comes to light. I insisted on it, or the title would cease to have a double meaning. Plus, the idea that Buzz had to earn back the trust of BETA was a great plot device. Especially since we were about to let Buzz go rogue...
I forget how the idea of bringing back the Ax came up, if Mandell mentioned it or if we brought it up. In one of the pitch guides they gave out, they did mention a plotline where the Ax returns and somehow takes command of Zachery Foxx's bionic half (I'm thinking a sci-fi "All of Me"). Of course, once the Ax cease to be a mechanical robot character, that plot was dead. But the idea of the Ax returning was certainly something the show was open to. Also, this was the phase where we were requested to recycle villains, so it did seem like a logical move. And the Ax was a cool bad guy. And frankly, once I got the title "Buzzwang gets the Ax," we had to write it.
Restoring the Ax would seem to be a problem to overcome, no? Not really, as it turns out. Lazarus has him, like he picked him up at an evil yard sale, or the way Frankenstein just keeps popping back up in the old Universal movies. And he even has the power jewel that animates him! That's the fun thing about 1/2 hour cartoons, you can just open with the premise. I guess it's good I changed the whole "launched into the sun" ending from the first couple of drafts I wrote.
Now, in what almost became a major disagreement, we argued about whether or not Buzz should be actually demoted after his programing glitch comes to light. I insisted on it, or the title would cease to have a double meaning. Plus, the idea that Buzz had to earn back the trust of BETA was a great plot device. Especially since we were about to let Buzz go rogue...
We wrote up the treatment and they went for it!?! Crazy, right? We plotted out strong. Let Lazarus be the bad guy he always was. We had the kids involved because having kids in danger is always fun.
Now, you have to understand, the Ax may have been in production, but we had not seen the new version of the creature. When written, he was very much a Golem-style monster, big but manageable. Much later, when the cartoon finally aired, it was the first time I saw the Ax and he was more in the King Kong mode, very big. I would say too big for how we wanted to use him here, so even though we had the script done and had gotten notes, I'm not sure we could have pulled it off as originally planned.
I don't know why it's "The Axe" here. Like he got a promotion or something.
I forgot we wrote a new version of "Pop Goes the Weasel." That would have been great!
Sure, we were ripping off the Three Stooges, but I gotta say, that Looney Tunes movie, "The Day the Earth Blew Up," is kinda ripping us off, plot-resolution-wise.
All the references: Yes, to the Stooges, and Looney Tunes, but I Dream of Jeanine? Doctor Smith and Lost in Space? We were in full cartoon mode, updating every Roadrunner gag we grew up watching.
Man, we were cocky young men. I'm laughing re-reading this, but I wonder if the script could have been produced. We just took every GR trope and just buttoned it with a laugh line.
I guess it was never meant to be.
I don't know why it's "The Axe" here. Like he got a promotion or something.
I forgot we wrote a new version of "Pop Goes the Weasel." That would have been great!
Sure, we were ripping off the Three Stooges, but I gotta say, that Looney Tunes movie, "The Day the Earth Blew Up," is kinda ripping us off, plot-resolution-wise.
All the references: Yes, to the Stooges, and Looney Tunes, but I Dream of Jeanine? Doctor Smith and Lost in Space? We were in full cartoon mode, updating every Roadrunner gag we grew up watching.
Man, we were cocky young men. I'm laughing re-reading this, but I wonder if the script could have been produced. We just took every GR trope and just buttoned it with a laugh line.
I guess it was never meant to be.
