ReBoot

ReBoot set the bar for cg-animated tv for generations to come, and it's been widely regarded as a classic cultural milestone from the 90s, just like Pokemon or Spongebob went on to be comparable phenomena in the decade. Also, it's Canada's BEST cartoon ever! It's eons ahead of the other animated stuff the country's produced over the last decade, and ReBoot is still great entertainment for kids and adults today. Compare it to something like Total Drama Island: there's no comparison as to which one is better.

ReBoot is great 90s entertainment and came at a time when computers were truly on the rise in the entertainment industry. It's maintained a cult following since its debut in 1994, it's still good even after all the shows which came after it, and I still reckon it's a good childhood memory.

Recently I rediscovered ReBoot while I cleaned my house. It had been my favourite television program when I was younger, and I was eager to watch the tape full of recorded episodes that I had just found.

I discovered, while watching it, that ReBoot is not merely any old children's show.

It's set in a computer system called Mainframe, and the heroes of the show (called Sprites) battles computer viruses, games (sent by "the user") and other things that you would find in a computer.

This is a truly excellent show. It was the first series to be completely computer animated and the most cutting edge technology available at the time was used.

The thing I love about ReBoot is that the entire plot of the series is so original. Clearly the producers let their imaginations run wild, while still using true computer facts within the story. As the fun-loving computer geek that I am, I absolutely loved the computer jargon sprinkled into in each episode. And all the parodies they've done - from the X-Files to Pirates of Penzance - are fantastic and funny.

Although the first and second seasons were restricted by ABC ratings, the third season was definitely darker, and the plots more in-depth.

Reboot has come along way since 1994, and it's a shame that it's all over. I would've loved to see where they picked up after the two telemovies left off.

All in all, ReBoot is a pioneer for computer animation. Absolutely classic TV.

The original premise is simple and somewhat lighthearted. What would it be like to live INSIDE a video game, where you were the one of the entities that had to deal with the "user," who lives outside? That kind of plotline, and that this is a cartoon marketed to kids, is bound to win quick dismissal from many of those looking for "serious" fiction and perhaps that is justified. But Reboot is far more than that.

Recall how the old WB and other cartoons -- those that were originally "short" features in movie houses before most people had color TV -- were carefully scripted to appeal at multiple levels. The adults would get the sly humor and the kids would be beguiled by the cartoon action. That exists in Reboot to the extent that you can videotape each episode, watch it ten times, and still not catch everything there. A subtle expression on Dot's face or a background event shows stunning attention to detail. Don't cheat yourself out of not watching this!

Once in a while, a really great show will come along. This is one of the them.

The show is about people who live inside computers. The sprites, binomes, and guardians do battle with viruses, code masters, and many other computer associated enemies.

The first season and part of the second had simpler plots, goofy sound effects, corny jokes, and very mild violence. But as the show went on, the show got more complex, the goofy sound effects disappeared, the jokes were funnier, and the action increased. Also, there are many inside jokes on the show that you should look for.

The episodes of the later seasons will keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what will happen next. This is also a unique cartoon because as the show went on, the characters CHANGED.

ReBoot takes place in the city of Mainframe, representing the inside of a computer. The characters' speech reflects this with words and expressions like: random (crazy), basic (stupid), deleted or nullified (killed), and there was a time Enzo realized he should've "copied and pasted the truth"! Characters include binomes (citizens shaped like numbers, usually 1s and 0s), sprites (more human-like) and viruses (usually villains).

It features many inside jokes and references from Indiana Jones to Sailor Moon. In one episode, after the disappearance of several people, Fax Modem and Data Nully come to investigate (Fox Mulder and Dana Scully from The X-Files. Gillian Anderson actually voiced the latter). There is also a brief scene of Modem deciding between postcards for Los Angeles and Vancouver, mirroring David Duchovny's involvement in moving X-Files production from Vancouver to L.A. (ReBoot is produced by Vancouver's Mainframe Entertainment). Another local reference was a truck with "Two Small Sprites with Big CPUs" printed on the side. I'm told there is a local Vancouver moving company called "Two Small Men with Big Hearts".

An important part of the show is the games, which appear as cubes dropped from above by "the user". If characters enter these games to play against the user, losing means deletion for them and damage for the city. Genres in the games reflect the wide range of real-life video games and spoof everything from Mad Max to Evil Dead ("Malicious Corpses") to Austin Powers!

I particularly enjoyed the references to "BS'nP" that showed up a few times. This is a facetious acronym for ABC's "Broadcast Standards & Practices". Examples include Enzo firing a rocket launcher only to find it fires an inflatable raft with "BSnP approved" stamped on the side; and the Small Town Binomes (Village People) performing "Living with BSnP" ("It's fun to play in the non-violent way!"). Originally seen on ABC and YTV, it was cancelled by the former after the 2nd season. YTV continued to air the show (still does as of this writing!) and, being free from ABC's BS&P censorship, ReBoot could now deal with more mature themes. This was an improvement in the eyes of many. Following a hiatus, the 3rd season also showed a dramatic change in the graphical quality (more detail, shadows, etc.), due to advances in technology.

Another long hiatus followed the 3rd season but ReBoot came back with two feature-length movies: Daemon Rising and My Two Bobs (or 8 new episodes). The second ended with a cliff-hanger so I'm hopeful we haven't seen the last of ReBoot.