"Mr Doctor" was quite a neat set-up. One would expect it to be a dumbed down, too cutesy and childish episode from the outset as most scenarios for 'Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain' were all those things. It actually turned out to be one of the show's more promising, if not one of the most mature, premises and it's also a scenario that isn't too beneath Brain and wouldn't be too out of place on 'Animaniacs', 'Pinky and the Brain' and 'Tiny Toon Adventures'.
While not a particularly great episode still, though more in a conflicted feelings way than not liking it, "Mr Doctor" was watchable and definitely struck me as one of the better episodes. Did appreciate that Elmyra was a secondary role this time, while still not liking her as a character, and that we saw the return of previously seen supporting characters in expanded roles, but it is a case of starting off promisingly but running out of gas too early.
There are good things here. Brain is spot on in character writing and in a scenario worthy of him. As is Maurice LaMarche's voice work, which is a masterclass of how to make deadpan funny and interesting. In fact, all the voice acting is good all things considered, Frank Welker being the other standout. Pussy Wussy is still an interesting character in the same way he was in "The Cat that Cried Wolf" (that is referenced here in fact in the premise and that it in that episode revolved around him).
Some of the animation is colourful and nicely detailed and the whole cat thinking and acting like a dog premise is handled in an amusing and neat way. A few amusing moments and the episode starts off rather well.
However, "Mr Doctor" could have been a lot better. The animation could also have been more polished and could have been wilder and more imaginative, it's not cheap but it's nothing special as well. There is not much that is catchy or memorable about the music and the theme song grates. While the episode is a little funnier than the usual episode of 'Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain', it does lack wit and sophistication more than once and can be childish and too cutesy.
Especially with Elmyra, who is wisely a secondary character but still obnoxious and with nothing interesting or funny about her. Pinky honestly would have been better off absent as he is given practically nothing to do and adds nothing, his character was mostly bland on this show, with a few sporadic exceptions, and it is here. Most of the chemistry is disconnected, with there being too little of Pinky and Brain's that doesn't gel enough in the setting. The cute little alienhead character is very bland too. While it started off promising, the writing and pacing both lose momentum and become lacking in wit and like the episode had run out of ideas. The payoff is too anti-climactic and Brain is treated too cruelly once again.
Overall, good potential with rather lacklustre execution. 4/10.
While not a particularly great episode still, though more in a conflicted feelings way than not liking it, "Mr Doctor" was watchable and definitely struck me as one of the better episodes. Did appreciate that Elmyra was a secondary role this time, while still not liking her as a character, and that we saw the return of previously seen supporting characters in expanded roles, but it is a case of starting off promisingly but running out of gas too early.
There are good things here. Brain is spot on in character writing and in a scenario worthy of him. As is Maurice LaMarche's voice work, which is a masterclass of how to make deadpan funny and interesting. In fact, all the voice acting is good all things considered, Frank Welker being the other standout. Pussy Wussy is still an interesting character in the same way he was in "The Cat that Cried Wolf" (that is referenced here in fact in the premise and that it in that episode revolved around him).
Some of the animation is colourful and nicely detailed and the whole cat thinking and acting like a dog premise is handled in an amusing and neat way. A few amusing moments and the episode starts off rather well.
However, "Mr Doctor" could have been a lot better. The animation could also have been more polished and could have been wilder and more imaginative, it's not cheap but it's nothing special as well. There is not much that is catchy or memorable about the music and the theme song grates. While the episode is a little funnier than the usual episode of 'Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain', it does lack wit and sophistication more than once and can be childish and too cutesy.
Especially with Elmyra, who is wisely a secondary character but still obnoxious and with nothing interesting or funny about her. Pinky honestly would have been better off absent as he is given practically nothing to do and adds nothing, his character was mostly bland on this show, with a few sporadic exceptions, and it is here. Most of the chemistry is disconnected, with there being too little of Pinky and Brain's that doesn't gel enough in the setting. The cute little alienhead character is very bland too. While it started off promising, the writing and pacing both lose momentum and become lacking in wit and like the episode had run out of ideas. The payoff is too anti-climactic and Brain is treated too cruelly once again.
Overall, good potential with rather lacklustre execution. 4/10.