The Fairly OddParents: Channel Chasers (2003)
Season 4, Episode 8
8/10
More than meets the eye
13 July 2011
Out of all the shows on present day Nickelodeon, I can only stomach some older Spongebob Squarepants episodes and The Fairly Oddparents. With every episode of the unique and witty series, I feel that it is one of the better animated shows in recent years. It isn't cocky or full of itself, it's cute and harmless. People can complain it isn't realistic, but it doesn't need to be. It knows what it is. A cartoon.

I admire another animated show for the same reason, Cartoon Network's Ed, Edd n' Eddy. People can use logic and the laws of physics against it, when really, it's a cartoon taking advantage of its limitless possibilities. It's like The Three Stooges in choppy animation.

Channel Chasers is the second movie, or special, of the long running show. What it is is one big pop culture parody on eighties, nineties, and current television programs. Plucky Timmy Turner (voiced by Tara Strong) wishes for a remote that will let him go in the TV. His godparents Cosmo (Norris) and Wanda (Blakeslee), fairies who can grant Timmy any wish that he wants, give him the remote so he can run away from his parents into television. Timmy's frustration is because his idiot parents continue not to believe anything he says about his "evil" babysitter Vicky.

Timmy's goal is to find a single appealing program that he can live in where adults don't intervene in a child's activities. Right of the bat, the plot is extremely cartoony and falls into a predicted comedy genre. When actually, Channel Chasers sports a dark background to one of its subplots. It's a lot more polished and is actually smarter and deeper than a fifteen minute episode. I normally say Nickelodeon movies, like Hey Arnold! The Movie, could've been cut down to maybe half an hour and had no reason to go theatrical other than to milk the franchise. But in a way, I kind of wish Channel Chasers was longer, and maybe went to theaters. This special showcased that The Fairly Oddparents was more than just wishes. It was about growing up, taking responsibility, and facing your problems head on.

As for the parodies, they are well crafted and have a purpose. Not like Epic Movie or Meet the Spartans that just spit so many pointless jokes and bogus references at you at random. The references are done maturely and honestly. Never do they feel abrupt or forced. Nothing does. Going into this with TV special expectations, I was pleasantly surprised at what was brought to the table. Now if only dessert would find its way here.

Voiced by: Tara Strong, Daran Norris, Susanne Blakeslee. Directed by: Butch Hartman.
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