Équipe du temps

This show was one of the best! Just how the most unlikely characters were tossed together in the show: Otto Osworth: An orphan, and proud history whiz, The Lawrence 3000 (Larry): A sissy, sarcastic robot with a classical taste, and Buck Tuddrussel: An idiotic Time Squad cop that always seems to say the wrong thing, at the wrong time. Together, they work to put history back in order to keep the future from changing drastically, or for the worse.

There is always some hilarious obstacle, like the Boston Tea Party actually being a Tea Party, Sigmund Freud hypnotizing his patients to act like animals, Napolean always being dragged away by his wife, the Mafia acting as Clowns, or Abraham Lincoln joining a band of pranksters. Somehow, the job always seems to get done, and history is saved.

I think the title explains itself, doncha think?

If there's one thing I learned from watching this cartoon is this: Do NOT underestimate its content.

When I first watched "Time Squad", I was not impressed with it. I too thought it was dull and annoying. I figured that it was going to be another stupid made-for-Cartoon Network cartoon (a "Cartoon Cartoon") that would become overrated overtime.

Imagine my surprise when I was reunited with this insane show.

I found myself laughing at it from the parodies, the pop culture references, the puns, the stupidity, the way the historical characters are corrupted, the campiness, the broad humor that can get really racy at times...it was all there.

However, I think of this show as a show for the older crowd who still watches cartoons (I mean, what kids is going to watch a show like this when they have those annoying Nicktoons?).

This show is really dear to me and its proven to be a favorite if you have the attention span for it and if you don't watch Cartoon Network for the classic cartoons (which aren't bad, but they get overplayed).

Perhaps this will come off as a bit smug, but sometimes TV shows are too clever and too transcendent--and therefore they are doomed to fail. I think this is the case with "Time Squad". While the basic story idea is basically a reworking of "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" (with Otto looking an awful lot like Sherman), the show had a really smart style and writing that probably baffled audiences. In some ways, much of the humor was lost of kids (such as the jokes and the rather 'special' relationship between Tuddrussel and Larry) and adults, who might have enjoyed the show, avoided it because it was a cartoon. As for me, I showed a few of the episodes to my history classes and the kids loved them--even if the stories were highly suspect historically speaking. But, the show WAS quite funny.

By the way, I have no idea why but the IMDb page for this show is VERY incomplete. It doesn't even list the full cast and most of the episodes aren't even listed or their air dates. Odd. And, it also makes it appear as if the show is STILL on--though it ended in November, 2003.

In my most humble opinion, Time Squad is the best show on Cartoon Network. Its interesting characters and plain silliness make it stand out. My favourite aspect of Time Squad is the way the characters interact. Although I am, apparently, the only true fanatic of Time Squad, I would recommend this to anyone who simply likes the pure zany humour that I find in this show.

OK, so this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoy it a lot. There have been but a few episodes that I thought weren't that great. But, admittedly, I'm an historian and I enjoy shows that make fun of history.

I could go into all the reasons why I enjoy it, but I won't. I enjoy it. If you get a kick out of historical figures getting the stuffing knocked out of their legends, then watch. IF, however, you are a purist to the mythology of history, then you probably won't enjoy Time Squad at all.