Ah, ‘Power Mad!’ I remember this one being one of my favorite episodes as a kid; I was a sucker for video game-focused episodes, so it basically spoke to me. Having rewatched it all these years later, it still holds up amazingly.
Animation-wise, this segment is easily the most ambitious so far. The use of CGI mixed with the more cinematic camerawork makes this segment stand out among others of the season. Since it focuses on video games, it makes sense to apply this kind of style to it, and the segment pulls it off without making the characters look jarring. Even this early into the show, it goes to show that the crew was willing to be experimental with their ideas, and I love it for that.
Plot-wise, the segment involves Timmy getting irritated by the overly cutesy game that Cosmo and Wanda have poofed up for him, and so he wishes for a super-challenging game that you can’t wish yourself out of. Before he can try it himself, however, his friends Chester and AJ arrive and get in the game themselves, leading to him having to go in and rescue them, all while Vicky’s overuse of power is threatening to shut the game off entirely.
For all that goes on in this segment, it manages to be tightly-written. Each plot is given just the right amount of screentime, and every character gets their own chance to stand out. This is the first time that Chester and AJ get a more prominent role, and the segment effectively establishes the kind of dynamic they have. AJ is the smart one with an attention to detail while Chester is more cocky and impulsive. The way they play off each other is entertaining, feeling like they belong together as friends despite their conflicting personalities.
Timmy himself is given a chance to shine as well, as he not only goes headfirst into this difficult game to rescue his friends, but he’s shown as willing to sacrifice his own life just to keep them safe. He still maintains his childlike behavior when it comes to losing a life on level one, for example, but moments like this show how mature and selfless he can be when push comes to shove.
The segment really makes excellent use of the video game concept, as it sports a host of creative visuals and moments that you wouldn’t really find in other video game episodes. Each level has a prominent color palate to make them stand out in their own ways, and the obstacles and scenarios present in them are often bizarre in the best way. Not too often an aunt wanting to pinch her nephew’s cheeks is depicted as a gigantic lobster in an underwater living room.
All of that is just the video game side of things. On the other side of the coin, Cosmo and Wanda are trying to keep Vicky from blowing the power, and in the process, we get gifted a series of hilarious TV parodies that make great use of Cosmo and Wanda’s characters. The kinds of concepts they come up with and how Vicky responds to it all is pure comedy gold, helped along by stellar comedic timing. The “Seinfeld” parody is worth it alone even with it only lasting a few seconds.
While I’m talking about the Cosmo and Wanda side, it’s worth noting a particular running bit with Wanda. Whenever Cosmo gets an idea, Wanda feels the need to take a note of it in a little notepad she has, indicating that Cosmo’s ideas are rare and worth documenting in this manner. Firstly, this is a telling sign to anyone who saw season 0 beforehand that the dynamic for these two has been shifted a bit. Which one is the smart one and which is the dumb one have been switched. But as far as the show itself goes, it handles their respective characters better than most. Cosmo isn‘t smart a lot of the time, sure, but his heart is in the right place, and whenever he does get an idea, it’s a sign of brilliance on his part.
Secondly, this leads me to Wanda herself. The fact that she’s jotting down Cosmo having an idea like this lets us know that she knows that it’s a rare occurrence, but the writing and performance makes it clear that she’s not doing this to make fun of him at all. She is aware that Cosmo isn’t the brightest bulb in the socket, but she’s willing to cherish those flashes of intelligence he does have. There’s a bit of love there, is what I’m tryin’ to say.
I‘m rambling now. Overall, ‘Power Mad!’ is easily the best bit of the series in this marathon so far. Even putting my nostalgia for it aside, it’s an excellent segment with a healthy blend of comedy, action, heart, and ambitious animation right alongside them. It’s things like this that make me glad I’ve started this whole project to begin with.
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