This show is a great example of a character-driven show. Though the cast is fairly small, there is something for every taste. The characters and their relationships are cleverly contrasted amongst themselves, so that in some sense every character is a foil for every other character. The characters are also fairly nuanced. With the possible exception of Goofy, who was something of a caricature to begin with, every character has a unique personality and moments they organically go against that set personality. The four main characters also all have very different flaws: Goofy's dumb, Pete's mean, PJ's spineless, and Max is obliviously self-centered.
Being that this is a Dom Com Buddy Show with cartoony slapstick elements, the relationships between father and son and best friends are at the forefront. The show usually shows the difference between good and bad fathers, as well as the difference between functional and dysfunctional friend relations. It also does a very good job, at least in my opinion, of torquing emotions in such a way that the bad guy getting punished is always satisfying.
I can't claim that every episode is perfect, and sometimes the writing of individual episodes is inconsistent. The series does have several continuity errors, and a few moments where it's difficult to believe the character we've come to love watching would act the way he's shown in that episode. But taken as a whole, the show is very good at understanding its characters, and why they act the way they do.
The acting on this show, in general, is amazing. I want to put a particular focus on the power dynamic between Pete and PJ and how Jim Cummings and Rob Paulsen get it across so perfectly. Cummings definitely comes off sounding like a domineering father, with a cruelty in his voice that's not hard to believe. Paulsen, for his part, definitely gives out vibes of feeling terrified and powerless in his situation. This is one of the biggest reasons, I believe, that the torquing of emotions is so successful.
The animation is fast-paced and in general gives excellent facial expressions, but it's also somewhat inconsistent, and characters' appearances sometimes change from episode to episode. It's also probably not a good idea to compare the animation on this show to that of its spinoff movies.
Great Show, Minor Flaws
This show is a great example of a character-driven show. Though the cast is fairly small, there is something for every taste. The characters and their relationships are cleverly contrasted amongst themselves, so that in some sense every character is a foil for every other character. The characters are also fairly nuanced. With the possible exception of Goofy, who was something of a caricature to begin with, every character has a unique personality and moments they organically go against that set personality. The four main characters also all have very different flaws: Goofy's dumb, Pete's mean, PJ's spineless, and Max is obliviously self-centered.
Being that this is a Dom Com Buddy Show with cartoony slapstick elements, the relationships between father and son and best friends are at the forefront. The show usually shows the difference between good and bad fathers, as well as the difference between functional and dysfunctional friend relations. It also does a very good job, at least in my opinion, of torquing emotions in such a way that the bad guy getting punished is always satisfying.
I can't claim that every episode is perfect, and sometimes the writing of individual episodes is inconsistent. The series does have several continuity errors, and a few moments where it's difficult to believe the character we've come to love watching would act the way he's shown in that episode. But taken as a whole, the show is very good at understanding its characters, and why they act the way they do.
The acting on this show, in general, is amazing. I want to put a particular focus on the power dynamic between Pete and PJ and how Jim Cummings and Rob Paulsen get it across so perfectly. Cummings definitely comes off sounding like a domineering father, with a cruelty in his voice that's not hard to believe. Paulsen, for his part, definitely gives out vibes of feeling terrified and powerless in his situation. This is one of the biggest reasons, I believe, that the torquing of emotions is so successful.
The animation is fast-paced and in general gives excellent facial expressions, but it's also somewhat inconsistent, and characters' appearances sometimes change from episode to episode. It's also probably not a good idea to compare the animation on this show to that of its spinoff movies.
All in all, the good outweighs the bad.