CREDITS: Written by Rich Fogel and Paul Dini; directed by Kyung-Won Lim.
REVIEW: While the season was on, The Zeta Project spin-off started. This episode is a crossover episode that aired on the same night as the eighth episode of that show and which... I have not watched yet! But we know Zeta, the camouflaging robot, from the episode "Zeta", and aside from hanging with a cute blond called Ro and having different Federal officers after him, there's nothing here that wasn't already happening IN "Zeta". Hopefully, the series is more than an interminable Fugitive clone.
Thankfully, this episode is also Mad Stan's biggest role yet. I love this character. The stupidest social justice warrior in town, he blows up whatever makes him mad, but as we see from his headquarters (and his tiny dog), he's a simple, sweet soul at heart. So one minute he's a Luddite destroying a science symposium, the next he's saving Zeta from the Feds because they're obviously infringing on his rights. When he discovers Zeta is a robot, he fears he's soulless government plant and sends him to the Health Department with a bomb strapped to his back (not a great showing for Zeta either, I must say), leaves an ultimatum for Batman and sedates HIMSELF so he can't be compromised. What a loon!
So thank Dini we had him in the show because otherwise, it doesn't do much for me. Terry has a good moment faking out the Feds, but it's just a plain old chase, and not having seen The Zeta Project, I don't really understand all the stakes. And I think I may never get used to Zeta's "hands on boobs" torso design.
SOUNDS LIKE: Young Agent West is played by Michael "Flash/Lex" Rosenbaum, while Agent Bennet is Kurtwood Smith of That 70s Show fame, and Agent Lee is Lauren Tom, Dana's usual voice. Ro is played by voice artist Julie Nathanson whose credits include many video games and several cartoons, though she once had a recurring role on 90210 (Elle Fogarty). All of these are also regulars on The Zeta Project. The small role of Dr. Ho is voiced by Keona Young, who counts among his credits G.I. Joe's Storm Shadow, Naruto's Disonasu, and the Crank films. And producer Bruce Timm returns to the Jokerz with Top Hat's voice.
REWATCHABILITY: Medium - Just a retread of the "Zeta" stuff, but Mad Stan is always good for a laugh.
Comments
Farce as in "Zeta and Mad Stan tool around and everyone has to find them" not a knock at the episodes quality.