The New Looney Tunes Show

Whenever people point out new!Lola is a jerk I'm just kind of like "yes, congratulations, you've correctly ascertained the point of most Looney Tunes characters."

While it doesn't explain or justify her personality change, Witch Hazel had her name changed because Disney already had its own Witch Hazel character (one that appeared in a few Donald Duck cartoons and comics). Technically, Warner could have kept using the old name if they had wanted it so, but for whatever reasons they chose to 'avoid as much confusion as possible', perhaps because Disney and Warner can be INCREDIBLY PETTY when it comes to each other (it took a string of miracles for them to cooperate, and begrudgingly, in Roger Rabbit).

So, not very many, then.

Weird, actually, most of the ones I've seen have them start as decent but flawed people and then degenerate into jerks. Or idiots. Or both.

Is this show worth watching? I only watched a few episodes, but I didn't like what I saw mostly due to Daffy being too dumb, and Bugs puts up with him for no apparent reason. Does it get better?

Provided you're not judging it based on whether it's like the classic shorts, then more or less yes. It's style of humor is odd, kind of like a mix between a dry live action sitcom and something like Spongebob, and it's kind of hit or miss with its laughs.

I think it's okay on an episode-by-episode basis - it's worth a few watches to get a feel for it.

edited 17th Nov '15 10:03:23 PM by KnownUnknown

I think that The Looney Tunes Show is a very competent cartoon series that plies the sitcom tropes to carry a story arc. Perhaps its Achilles' Heel is the Looney Tunes brand, in that any out-of-character moments tend to vilify the whole series. If these were virgin characters, I'm certain this series would be much better received, on the level of Gumball or Chowder.

Sadly, Warner Brothers doesn't have a deep bench of animated characters, unlike Disney. Worse, Disney has Pixar as a wingman, doubling the disparity. Oh, and let's not forget Disney also scored Creator/George Lucas' Star Wars universe. It's like three against one. So Disney has oodles of characters to pick from, and deep pockets to keep production quality high. Poor Warner Brothers ... doesn't, so they keep trying to refresh the Looney Tunes, and rehash Scooby Doo and Tom and Jerry. Still, props to WB for making a game try with The Looney Tunes Show and Wabbit.

And lastly: Lola Bunny. Warner Brothers Studio has tried giving Bugs Bunny a Distaff Counterpart, but none really stuck: Mrs Bugs Bunny from "Hold The Lion Please", Island Bunny from the World War 2 era, Daisy Lou Bunny from "Hare Splitter," Witchy Bunny from "Bewitched Bunny," Honey Bunny from "Thanksgiving Diet" and now Lola Bunny from "Space Jam." Somehow, the girl-bunny just doesn't fit. Mickey Mouse has Minnie, Mister Incredible has Elasti Girl, Archie Andrews has either Betty Cooper or Veronica Lodge, take your pick. But a Loveable Rogue character like James Bond or Han Solo or Bugs Bunny just isn't husband material. This makes any insertion of a Love Interest superficial and forced, good only for a gag or two and nothing more.

Maybe if Lola Bunny had her own deal going on, like Kim Possible or Pepper Ann or Korra, she might have been a better fit in the Looney Tunes universe. And, in The Looney Tunes Show, they've tried giving Lola the Screwy Squirrel base that worked for the early Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny. But as long as Lola is anchored to Bugs, it's a doomed ship.

.... you didn't enjoy this version of Lola??

Oh, I did, don't get me wrong. On Lola's plus side:

• She's a complete loon, ideal for a Looney Tunes character;
• She can outfox Bugs Bunny (Double Date), in a dose on own medicine turnabout;
• Her lunacy can headbend other characters, like Yosemite Sam in "The DMV";
• She can exploit The Ditz and other dumb blonde tropes.

On the minus side, though:

• She's a yandere, so much of her Stalker with a Crush only works when Bugs Bunny is there as a living prop;
• Two cuckoos together aren't a boyfriend-girlfriend mechanism. This compels Bugs Bunny to become like Mickey Mouse with an Abhorrent Admirer.

Lastly, this Cervone version is such a diametric opposite of the Smith version in Space Jam that I must wonder why they didn't scrap Lola altogether, and christen this character as Bernice Bunny, colloquially known as "Binny." It's like rebooting Captain America as a portly otaku, swilling vodka and quoting Karl Marx: you can't tell me that's still good ol' Cap.

The whole franchise has been lacking a yandere, and I'm glad we finally have one!

What about Pepe Le Pew?

edited 21st Nov '15 9:31:35 AM by KnownUnknown

I liked how Bugs and Lola's relationship was a perfect asymmetrical mirror of Daffy and Tina's.

Lastly, this Cervone version is such a diametric opposite of the Smith version in Space Jam that I must wonder why they didn't scrap Lola altogether, and christen this character as Bernice Bunny, colloquially known as "Binny." It's like rebooting Captain America as a portly otaku, swilling vodka and quoting Karl Marx: you can't tell me that's still good ol' Cap.

You mean like how Chuck Jones' Daffy is not actually at all like Bob Clampett's? Looney Tunes have experience at this kinda things.

edited 21st Nov '15 5:29:32 PM by NapoleonDeCheese

The Looney Tunes show is pretty much based on the characters as Chuck Jones portrayed them (the ones he DID portray). In an amped up sitcom setting.

I know the show is over and sorry if this is the wrong place to discuss this but since this is about one episode, shouldn't Lola still be listed as a Karma Houdini for the episode, 'The Black Widow'? I once watched that episode to see if it would change my mind on that version of Lola and yeah, she was a Karma Houdini.

Edited by Kion2525 on Jan 3rd 2019 at 1:00:27 AM