Welcome to the Sunday edition of the Daily Cartoon on Car JoeMez! Came across this one on Netflix the other day and thought it would be fun to watch so BAM here it is.
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Today we’ll be watching The Super Mario Bros. Super Show which debuted in 1989 and ran for 65 episodes. This was at peak Nintendo mania and if you put Mario on anything people would watch and buy it at that point. Seriously, there were some action figures of NES characters, of course, but they even had a fucking Nintendo cereal! Think I’m joking?
That shit was 100% real. And probably made a gazillion dollars.
Obviously, we were begging for more of our favorite Nintendo heroes, so eventually they gave us this show which – speaking strictly from memory – was a syndicated deal that would give you a different episode everyday after school. Fridays were special events as – in place of a Mario and Luigi adventure – you were treated to The Legend of Zelda and were walked through the trials and tribulations of Link. If I’m remembering that incorrectly, feel free to let me know, but these things take long enough to write as is.
My brother and I used to love the shit out of this show. We would even get our mom to buy us the commercial VHS videos because they were available in that Troll Books thing you would get at school. Remember that? Like every month, you’d get a circular, basically, of just books and then you’d beg your parents to buy everything for you?
You totally remember this. Don’t try to play coy with me, bro.
Anyway, they started putting Mario VHS tapes in this and we had a bunch. I think my brother may still have those actually. I should ask him. Not that I want them or anything, I just want to know if they still exist. They survived a lot of spring cleaning and donations over the years because they were in a little-used, low-traffic closet that we’d honestly forget we even had most of the time. Memories.
This series is on Netflix now and I just picked an episode with a short title so it didn’t clutter the header as much. That’s the kind of exact algorithm that goes into selecting the shows, folks. Let’s get to it.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show: E.48: “Flatbush Koopa”
Originally Aired: November 23, 1989
Plot:
We start off with the sick rap intro that’s partially live-action with WWE Hall of Famer, Captain Lou Albano, in the role of Mario. In all honesty, if you’re not excited to watch this show after that, you may not have a soul.
The live-action portion begins with Mario and Luigi being awoken from their sleep as a neighbor is practicing their opera singing. They don’t know how they’re going to handle dealing with all this singing so while they think about it, we transition to the cartoon.
The cartoon begins with a parade in the Mushroom Kingdom because the Bros have finally defeated Koopa and sent him packing. Everybody is hyped and probably getting laid tonight. With this huge task taken care of, Mario and Luigi decided to get back to Brooklyn. Of course. They hope in the open drain and – BING – back in Brooklyn!
Unfortunately for them, as they take in the sights of their hometown, they see the Statue of Liberty, but the head has been replaced with that of Koopa! Turns out, leaving the Mushroom Kingdom was all a big ruse by Koopa to take over the Bros’ home. Koopa and the Koopa Troopers start changing all the signs in town to reflect some take on Koopa. Coney Island? Koopa Island. Brooklyn? Kooplyn.
Honestly, in 1989 Brooklyn could have used a refresher like this. I suppose I’d feel different had I lived there, but let’s call a spade a spade: fuck Brooklyn.
Back in the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad and the Princess are bored AF now that Koopa’s been run off so they decide to jump in the pipe and visit the Brooklyn Kingdom. And it’s not a moment too soon as Mario and Luigi are desperate for some help in beating off some Koopa Troopers. Princess says since the Bros. helped save her homeland, she’s going to do the same for them. What a woman. Ride or die.
They lure Koopa back into the Mushroom Kingdom by stealing his scepter that turns shit into bricks. So Brooklyn has been saved, but the battle for the Mushroom Kingdom will continue.
Back to live-action, Mario and Luigi are unclogging a toilet, but can’t even concentrate because Opera Lady is still having at it. So, Luigi tells us to watch scenes from the next The Legend of Zelda while they think of another plan to deal with her.
This episode looks fierce. Link’s a ghost and Zelda is a sassy broad who doesn’t like his shit. Link has a bit of a Corey Feldman vibe to him. I wouldn’t deal with his shit either.
Back in live-action, the Mario Bros. fight fire with fire and begin singing themselves until the neighbor finally agree to stop just to not have to hear them anymore. Hit the music because it’s time to do the Mario!
Final Thoughts:
If you’re not familiar, “Do The Mario” was the end credits song and dance you would do with Capt. Lou leading you through it. It was rad.
As far as the show, I’m going to say positive things! The live-action stuff is cheesy, sure, but it’s in small doses and serves its purpose. The actual cartoon was pretty OK too. If you’re not familiar with the Mario characters, that’s on you, but seeing them here was fun and despite a brief absence from the Mushroom Kingdom, the battle we all know and love continues.
This episode went by pretty quick for me and I had fun with it. Not everything needs to be Shakespeare. This was fine for what it was and I certainly see why I loved this as a kid.
Thumbs up.
Thanks for reading.
❤ Joe
Car JoeMeZ 