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Thea White, the voice of Muriel, passed away 8 days ago, July 30, 2021. Muriel will forever be one of the sweetest, nicest cartoon characters I've ever known. Rest in peace.
@@glowworm2 probably. We can only hope that she was able to record her voice lines before her passing. I'm sure they'll that the crossover credits will include an in memoriam in honor of her great contributions to the Courage the Cowardly Dog Show.
I was hoping someone would mention her. I think Doug recorded this prior to Thea’s death (July 30th), otherwise he probably would have acknowledged her passing. The saddest part was reading about *how* she died: Losing what her brother described as a very difficult fight with Cancer, as opposed to dying peacefully in her sleep. That sucks! 💚🥺🥺💚
Point you missed: That student was actually a recurring character in the series. He basically symbolises a person who mocks you for not achieving great things or not having the best items on the market.
What I really liked about the ending is that EVERYONE is having a good time during dinner, even Eustace, instead if just being angry or bullying Courage. It was pretty wholesome.
@@juuchanIRL This reminds me of a 3-panel comic someone did. Muriel and Eustace are standing at a grave close to their house. Muriel goes back towards the house, but Eustace stays. Then it zooms in on his face, and shows tears going down his cheek as he says "Stupid dog..."
@@Boss-_ holy..thats so sad, but realistic. as much as eustace abuses courage, hes still his dog and he will always see him as such. nice comic, really
I think the reason everyone found this episode so dark (other than the creepy CGI) is that everyone can relate to it. Most of us won't face alien chickens or mattress demons but everyone faces feelings of anxiety and inadequacy.
When I was a kid, I treated this like an acid trip. When I got older, I realized it's anxiety from external pressure of the need to be perfect that causes Courage to lose sleep, have unpleasant dreams and start hallucinating, when both hallucination figures are the embodiment of his stress and the lesson he has to learn. Perhaps both are his inner voices, the rational and irrational of perfection.
The character in the sunglasses and white shirt is actually a pretty recurring character. Somewhat as a background character. So seeing them here with the tower kinda makes us question what is or isnt real.
Di Lung also has a habit of showing up to flex on someone or to be a bit of a bully. Robo Courage is the biggest example, but throughout the series whenever he's on screen he's either insulting someone or being smug. All the more fitting he show up as the "perfect student"
@@SingeScorcher Am I the only one thinking he's also here to fit the mold of the "perfect Asian" stereotype? Because if it's intentional it's a very subtle joke that I actually giggled at during this review.
@@Overlord69 Might be a double meaning given if I recall and it might be a stretch, even he isnt perfect during the show - usually messing up while flexing on courage about something "better" and others. Though he never really wins out in the end even though hes the typical stereotype. So when you think of it that way its pretty on spot for him to appear in courage stress fiasco about perfection too. lol
While this is the FINAL final episode, there’s a whole second part that is also pretty dark called “Remembrance of Courage Past” that focuses on Courage’s tragic origin where he’s sent to a sinister doctor for depression
Courage's speaking roles were severaly reduced starting with season 2, with only his catchphrase "the things I do for love" remaining unchanged. His incoherent babbling became his norm.
@@LegitMan335 Is this who you're talking about?: "Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 - June 1, 1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller
You will notice that the last few episodes (or maybe the last season, I’m not sure it’s been a while since I’ve visited the series), the show shifts from being dark and scary to somber and… Tragically beautiful? Giving us episodes like Courage’s past and The Last of the Star Makers. They leave you feeling more sad and empty, than scared. They kind of felt like… Hearing the last words of a loved one. Maybe because they knew the show was ending.
I feel like the reason he doesn’t speak English in that scene is because as the show went on, Cartoon Network and the creative team thought the show would work better if he didn’t speak all the time so his dialogue is drastically reduced after season 1
That's the real life reason The cartoon reason might be that Courage went through so much stress and terror (not to mention getting bumped on the head) that maybe he's developed a sort of impediment, so he can't even talk when he's calm (he genuinely seemed excited when the Teacher told him to speak).
I always found it strange that this was the last episode, and not the one paired with it, featuring how Courage met Muriel. On that note, RIP Thea White.
@@johngibson4874 They're both "the final episode" - the show aired with each episode generally consisting of two short stories paired with each other, the final two being this and Remembrance of Courage Past. However, if memory serves correct, Perfect was the second of the two and thus was the final-final episode, in that regard.
it was, the show is split in 2 parters adding up to 20 min together. perfect was the second half, remembrance of courage past is the first part. and lets be real, this one really wraps up the series..perfectly.
Fun fact: in the Latin Spanish dub of courage, the fish that talks to him has a very stereotypical Argentinian accent for some reason. It even says "I swear it to Diegito Maradona"
This was the scariest episode I witnessed as a child. The fact that courage was the only one who saw the teacher caused a strange discord inside of me. The scary part wasn’t the episode, it was how it made me feel. I’m sure that this episode is why I have a fear of not being believed and feeling outcast when I need the most help.
That CGI monster still sends shivers down my spine, in both what it looks like and what it says. When I was a kid I just saw that monster as weird. It only gets worse as time goes on, especially as the older we get the more I understood its message, that one line. Everything about it is so unsettling, I imagine it'd fit right in perfectly in a Silent Hill game.
As a musician: it's harder and more worthwhile to find an inspired musician who will make a part his own than to find one who will faithfully recreate note for note what is on the record. Give me creativity any day of the week. Courage has inspired me
On another note, there's a part of me that wishes that Doug would watch the whole series, and do a traditional "Top 11" list, because I know he'd love the series in it's full, but I understand that Doug is a busy man.
Courage never really talks to Muriel or Eustace, unless he's saying "Hablablabla! Hablablabla!" I think it's supposed to represent that he's really just a dog that can't speak, despite the speaking he does to the camera. So when he speaks to this teacher character you hear him trying to babble out the words.
That's an excellent theory, but I remember there was this one episode where Muriel was turned into a 3 1/2 year-old girl and Courage spoke _perfect English_ to her. Maybe he can talk but his fear gives him a speech impediment.
@@rogue7723 Maybe she just understood him. There's a thing in shows where babies and dogs can understand and communicate with each other. Arthur comes to mind. :03
Ed Edd and Eddy had a few creepy episodes, in particular “The Ed’s are coming”, “boo haw haw”, and “the day the Ed stood still” are definitely worth showing on this series.
I'd definitely enjoy seeing him talk about it. I don't think any of them are as dark as he is suggesting though but I don't care. I loved watching that show as a kid. Hell I'm 24 and still quote it.
The one where Ed became a monster is actually really good and to a small child, the suspense is actually really nail biting. It's an homage to Alien, The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and alot of other sci-fi/horror/thrillers and honestly is worth talking about Edit: So originally Ed's character was to represent a child with Autism/Special needs, but Cartoon Network thought that was too on the nose, so he was just the "dumb" character. Knowing this, the episode actually takes on a whole new feeling. We all knew that kid growing up who didn't realize when they took a game too far, and because of their disability, didn't realize that the game wasn't fun anymore, even though it's not intentional, it's a bit scary how something so simple like playing pretend can easily turn into something scary and overwhelming. Ed literally kept thinking he was the monster and didn't stop until he was unmasked and even then, you can tell those kids were scarred for life, even the other Ed's were traumatized by the fun Ed was having. Ignorance is bliss, but apparently not for everyone.
The blue thing has always disturbed me, though strangely enough I've grown to sympathize with it. To me, it looks depressed and miserable, which could represent Courage's poor self-esteem. It also doesn't do anything evil--it just bluntly tells Courage that he's imperfect. Maybe the creature was trying to help Courage overcome his insecurity, but unintentionally scared him.
In latin america, the scene with the fish giving a lesson is changed a little bit, in the original the message is told in a more serious grounded voice tone, but in the latin spanish the fish says: "eres perfecto como eres coraje, con todo y tus imperfecciones lograras lo que quieras, te lo juro por dieguito maradona" wich in english traduce to: "you are prefect the way you are courage, with all your imperfection you will acomplished anything, i promised you on the name dieguito maradona" all in a argentinian accent and a more high pitch sound, making the secen more comical,
Dark toon suggestion: "Spiderman animated series: Duel of the hunters". Spiderman mutates into a monstrosity, I was too shit scared to watch the whole thing as a kid. I seem to remember it takes place over two episodes but I may be wrong i need to rewatch the series
I love that one. We spend one episode going " spiderman has to get away from the punisher " only for Peter to transform and our response turns to " oh sh## frank run "
My favorite thing about this final episode is those last minutes. These are the last times we'll see them and they're happy. Muriel is still giggling over her 'gum' and Courage also plays with the bubbles. Even Eustace (despite how grumpy he always is) is still fonding over his barely fixed horn. I find it a nice, touching finally to see these characters we've watched going through scary situations ending with laughter. To me that was perfect. RIP Thea White, thank you voicing one of the sweetest characters in cartoon history
I really enjoyed these "Courage Month" episodes of Dark Toons. As someone who grew up watching Courage, Courage Month dusted off a TON of nostalgic memories for me. :)
Two things to point out: 1) The fish that tells Courage that imperfection doesn't exist is the same fish from Muriel's baklava, which is a nice touch because it foreshadows Muriel's next revelation that the baklava she came up with is "more like gum", so even if she didn't follow the recipe "perfectly", the result was still quite a fascinating development on its own and was perfect for her. This is further emphasized by the fish's presence at the end, confirming that the fish's presence during Muriel's baklava recipe was (pardon the pun) a red herring, which was meant as a way to fool the audience into "imperfectly" thinking that the fish was for the recipe, when it seemingly wasn't. 2) This is a minor thing to point out, as well as it could just be a coincidence, but I think it's worth noting: when the perfection teacher slaps the ruler upon the blackboard, with the word "imperfect" on it, she covers up the letters "im" and partially the "p" as well. So the "perfect imperfect" became an imperfect "perfect". Which is clever, if it was not a mere coincidence, because it seems like a kind of message about how sometimes in trying to chase perfection and avoid imperfections, people can make themselves imperfect by trying too hard to be perfect. Plus it could also represent that, assuming the perfectionist teacher is Courage's subconsciousness, that a person's own frame of mind is what really makes them view themselves as either perfect or imperfect.
One of the major fan theories about this episode is that the fish isn't from Courage's mind, it's the spirit of the original farmhouse owner, Farmer Jiles Galette (which is from the episode I've been *CONSTANTLY* requesting, Windmill Vandals), who manifested to help Courage with the perfection issue he was having as thanks for all the effort he's put into protecting both house and family.
This whole episode was supposed to tackle some of the parts around the concept of Personal/Social Anxiety, and how some people visualize them. The message, of course, is that NO ONE is truly perfect, and that it's our flaws, our IMPERFECTIONS, that make us unique and valuable members of society in our own right!
The other student of the Perfectionist is actually a reoccurring character on the show called Di Lung, and this is totally something that he would do in real life in order to one up Courage. He's mostly known for shouting "Watch where you're going, ya fool!" but has had a few episodes where he has a bigger role in them.
Do you know what Power Puff Girls dark episode name is about Him giving each girls nightmares? (Blossom’s nightmare is about the kids and the teacher making fun of her, Buttercup’s nightmare is she tried to kill the spider, but the giant spider wrapped Buttercup up with the web, and Bubbles nightmare is the doll moving around the shadows and sitting the girls bed and give her a terrifying smile)
Fun fact: in the latinamerican dub, the fish had an argentinian accent instead of british. He said "Te lo juro por Dieguito Maradona" (I swear for Dieguito Maradona). One of my favorite moments in dub!
Rest In Peace Thea White and may you always be remembered for your incredibly special influence on our childhoods. You breathed such a kind and sweet, yet strong and moral spirit into Muriel, someone who I think all of us would have been delighted to have as a grandmother, and she will always be one of my favorite cartoon characters of all time.
This episode terrified me for multiple reasons. 1. Watch this at 3 A.M. on Boomerang when I was 5 2. This is the representation of my fear even at 16 my family wants me to be perfect in every way in school, life, games, writing, appearance, everything. 3. The teacher looks sounds and acts like a teacher that traumatised me in Kindergarten.
4:51- I think this is the first dark toon that we’ve seen this character. His inclusion to this just drives the point home for poor Courage when you remember the episodes that feature him. Don’t want to spoil what those are, but if you know him, you can probably guess one or two where he did kind of torment Courage in his own way.
@@mas8705 Legit the only detail about him I can still recall. He actually had a name, and I think his ethnicity has changed from one episode to another to suit the plot, but I wouldn't recall any of it fot certain. Pretty sure someone has a wiki article for the guy, tho.
I never got why this episode was scary. For me King Ramses curse will always be the scariest episode. As a kid the way he spoke and moved was just creepy
There was an episode of Angry Beavers called "The day the world got really screwed up", it was a Halloween episode with lots of b-movie scenes I loved, probably doesn't fit the dark side of things but I remember it being beautifully made compared to the other episodes and the comedy was on point.
I remember spending the night at my grandparents house as a kid and waking up to "your not perfect". It's safe to say I had trouble falling back asleep haha
I think the deeper part of the episode is more important as you grow up, when you're older and try things for yourself you're not going to get things right when you have to do things for yourself, hell I've been there, but all the characters although they didn't quite get it right still made it work
I like the Hunchback of Nowhere. It's a different kind of dark though. Kind of like a gothic/romantic kind of thematic darkness instead of fright and horror
The Song of the Birds: Two cartoons of this title, one a 1935 cartoon directed by Max Fleischer, and a 1948 remake featuring the character Little Audrey. Basic premise is a child shoots a baby bird with a toy gun, seemingly killing it. The parents of the bird grieve and hold a funeral. Might be interesting to compare the two versions. Peace on Earth: An elderly squirrel tells his grandchildren the story of how humans went extinct due to their love of war. Also has a remake called "Good Will to Men." The Pincushion Man (also called Balloon Land): a strangely phallic shaped pincushion creature wants to murder living people made of balloons (and he does).
Animaniacs 2020 episode "Good Warner Hunting": A hunter hunts down the characters from the old show. Depictions of the characters with their heads mounted on the wall is not only dark but especially disturbing to old fans of the original (even if they are totally fine in the end). Education for Death: Disney WWII propaganda cartoon about how Hitler's rule will lead the children of Germany to their deaths. The Old Army Game: Donald Duck cartoon where Donald ends up in a situation where he is far too enthusiastic to commit suicide.
I really like to think that this episode is about Anxiety especially high functioning anxiety (which I suffer from) manly because when someone has anxiety you usually feel like a failure even when you make a small mistake your mind will make you think that you are a disgrace. Even when the person isn't mad or disappointed in you, your anxiety will make you think and feel like a failure.
In the future when you do Courage again look up Windmill Vandals, Remembrance of Courage's Past, And Tower of Dr. Zalost you will really like those and to me they stand out.
Do an episode of Dark Toons on Tales of Worm Paranoia, an animated short about a worm that gets stomped by a man and plans on taking revenge on him. Used to air a lot on the Cartoon Network back in the day.
For some reason that made me very uncomfortable when I saw it as a kid. Everytime I saw it afterwards I changed the channel just to avoid that feeling again.
You know, I never watched Courage as a kid, or as an adult for that matter, but I've come to really appreciate the show through Courage month. Good job, and thanks!
@@voicetale about an entertainer from the past who got murdered by accident on stage and after several decades he awakens as a zombie and terrorises the city with magical gruesome tricks.
I recommend "Remembrance of Courage's Past", in my opinion, it's what should have been the final episode. It's not especially dark but ho boy is it emotional, it still remains the only episode to my knowledge to have Courage actually growl with aggression and anger.
This episode is iconic! I adore this episode because like you said, I connected with it so much. The sequence with the fish is one of my absolute favorite quotes!
This was a great episode to end on. I love the fish’s quote to Courage; it gets me every time 💕 I hope somewhere down the road you review “Windmill Vandals”. On another note: RIP Thea White: voice of Muriel
Out of all the works of art I didn't get at first, this is one that probably touched me the most once I did get it, especially as a guy with his own insecurities.
Looking back on the different animations for the several dreams, you could even say that it's a nice call back to the line about sleeping correctly, that with every dream a different animation style is used because he's trying to dream perfectly
So glad you did perfect since I kept requesting it along with many others. For me with this short, not only can I relate to it as I have general anxiety disorder, but it’s also an interesting character study to me. Like with the wizard of oz dream, it’s actually more interesting that he is also the witch. His state of being imperfect is reflected in the scarecrow, tinman, and lion. Since he is tormenting himself mentally in his own mind, with him being the witch, it reflects him being basically his own antagonist. The weird blue thing I saw as looking like Eustace’s bugle (tilt your head to the side and you might see it) and it just says, “You’re not perfect.” Which is interesting considering Eustace was the first one to say it to Courage in the episode. I mean you could probably write a paper for a psychology course on this episode. It’s very interesting to think about.
this episode bring so much fear ive had recently about myself. i left college unfinished and the thought of returning terrifies me. Ive been struggling to find work in my area that i can do because of a back injury. ive had these dreams where its family or even a reflection of myself telling me how im useless and a failure. like this is terrifying cause i see myself in courage.
Interesting you bring up all the stuff about being creative and how film and animation can be interpreted in many ways and mean many things. John R. Dillworth, the series creator, apparently keeps that as his core philosophy, and it shows pretty well in most of his work. you ought to check out his youtube channel sometime. Nifty stuff there.
I remember an episode of Hey Arnold called Haunted Train. Hey Arnold had a small handful of supernatural episodes, but this one was the one that gave me goosebumps as a kid 😅
Some dark episodes of G.I. Joe: "Skeletons in the Closet" "There's No Place Like Springfield" (2-part episode) "Nightmare Assault" Other Dark Toons suggestions: "Balloon Land" Mighty Mouse in "The Witch's Cat" My Life As A Teenage Robot "Raggedy Android" BraveStarr "The Price" Avatar: The Last Airbender "The Puppetmaster" Legend of Korra "Long Live the Queen"
11:20 the scene with the fish telling courage about the perfection lesson is legendary in latin american spanish speaking fandoms thanks to the way it was translated especially adding the "te lo juro por dieguito maradonna" line
I loved Courage The Cowardly Dog in my childhood and still love it today. I liked how Courage always managed to outsmart all of the villains, ghosts and monsters in every episode. It wasn't scary one bit, it was hilarious to watch.
Same thing with me as well. Especially the fact that courage couldn’t do anything to save her and that him dropping the vase was what got her killed. Not only that, but the atmosphere and the designs were unnerving to me as well.
I’ve been enjoying this series Doug! You should cover the dinosaur segment from Fantasia, The Rite of Spring. That Tyrannosaurus Rex sequence right after Mickey’s shenanigans was such a sharp juxtaposition.
What's your favorite Courage the Cowardly Dog episode?
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Victor and Valentino, Season 1, Episode 8, The Lonely Hunts Club please.
Ed, Edd n Eddy, Season 3, Episode 11, The Day the Ed Stood Still.
The Owl House Season 1, Episode 1, A Lying Witch and a Warden.
Remembrance of Caourage's past. We get a little back story how Caourage became "abandoned".
Codename: Kids Next Door, Season 2, Episode 20, Operation G.H.O.S.T.
Thea White, the voice of Muriel, passed away 8 days ago, July 30, 2021. Muriel will forever be one of the sweetest, nicest cartoon characters I've ever known. Rest in peace.
Wait, she just passed away? Oh no! Then that Courage and Scooby Doo crossover movie will be her last role as Muriel.
@@glowworm2 probably. We can only hope that she was able to record her voice lines before her passing. I'm sure they'll that the crossover credits will include an in memoriam in honor of her great contributions to the Courage the Cowardly Dog Show.
Rest in peace
@@tinybee7780 She did do the voice for Muriel in the movie.
😞 Rest In Peace
Rest in peace to Thea White the voice of Muriel Bagge. She was one of the few fine examples of "Perfect".
I know she was great as Muriel and the upcoming Courage and Scooby Doo crossover will be her last role.
Oh no😭
@@zainmudassir2964 I know I'm sorry but we can always remember her in our memories.
I was hoping someone would mention her. I think Doug recorded this prior to Thea’s death (July 30th), otherwise he probably would have acknowledged her passing.
The saddest part was reading about *how* she died: Losing what her brother described as a very difficult fight with Cancer, as opposed to dying peacefully in her sleep.
That sucks!
💚🥺🥺💚
@@Lesley_RedRhody Damn I hope she didn't suffer much, But either I'm glad she is at peace.
“With all of your Imperfections, you can do anything.”
One of the most impactful quotes I ever heard.
We all need a Bathtube Barracuda in our lives
Legit tho, I love that line
Perfection is boring.
@@generalzeta7000 I agree you should never be ashamed of who you are.
Point you missed: That student was actually a recurring character in the series. He basically symbolises a person who mocks you for not achieving great things or not having the best items on the market.
He’s Ricegum before Ricegum blew up
Watch where you're goin' ya foo!
He probably also plays the role of representing the "perfect Asian" stereotype...
He was probably one of the "streotypical" Gary sue characters.
@@ihvojd What an insult, he’s infinitely better than RiceGum
What I really liked about the ending is that EVERYONE is having a good time during dinner, even Eustace, instead if just being angry or bullying Courage. It was pretty wholesome.
That might be the only time. But it's fitting for the last episode
well, they are still family. and they do care about each other, despite their scandals
@@juuchanIRL This reminds me of a 3-panel comic someone did. Muriel and Eustace are standing at a grave close to their house. Muriel goes back towards the house, but Eustace stays. Then it zooms in on his face, and shows tears going down his cheek as he says "Stupid dog..."
@@Boss-_ holy..thats so sad, but realistic.
as much as eustace abuses courage, hes still his dog and he will always see him as such.
nice comic, really
true but I would have liked an 1 hour movie more better than a 10 min episode.
I think the reason everyone found this episode so dark (other than the creepy CGI) is that everyone can relate to it. Most of us won't face alien chickens or mattress demons but everyone faces feelings of anxiety and inadequacy.
Whatever this it is scared dark but CGI king Ramses Curse Eustuce still use it but king Ramses himself to paranoid the end show
Fun fact: John R. Dilworth voiced the being, often called "the Bugle Monster," that said, "You're not perfect."
Wow really nice
Who's John R Dilworth?
@@cometmoon4485 Are you joking or no?
He also voiced King Ramses
@@cometmoon4485 the creator of the show
When I was a kid, I treated this like an acid trip. When I got older, I realized it's anxiety from external pressure of the need to be perfect that causes Courage to lose sleep, have unpleasant dreams and start hallucinating, when both hallucination figures are the embodiment of his stress and the lesson he has to learn. Perhaps both are his inner voices, the rational and irrational of perfection.
The character in the sunglasses and white shirt is actually a pretty recurring character. Somewhat as a background character. So seeing them here with the tower kinda makes us question what is or isnt real.
Di Lung also has a habit of showing up to flex on someone or to be a bit of a bully. Robo Courage is the biggest example, but throughout the series whenever he's on screen he's either insulting someone or being smug. All the more fitting he show up as the "perfect student"
"Watch where you going ya foo"
@@SingeScorcher Am I the only one thinking he's also here to fit the mold of the "perfect Asian" stereotype? Because if it's intentional it's a very subtle joke that I actually giggled at during this review.
We saw him being real couple of times, like in the big city, "teaching" Eustace new things, and in the head exploding episode xD
@@Overlord69 Might be a double meaning given if I recall and it might be a stretch, even he isnt perfect during the show - usually messing up while flexing on courage about something "better" and others. Though he never really wins out in the end even though hes the typical stereotype. So when you think of it that way its pretty on spot for him to appear in courage stress fiasco about perfection too. lol
While this is the FINAL final episode, there’s a whole second part that is also pretty dark called “Remembrance of Courage Past” that focuses on Courage’s tragic origin where he’s sent to a sinister doctor for depression
That was the first part of the final episode.
While this was better for the sake of courage month, you want a fucking dark episode there you go.
that was such an emotional episode. i still remember it clearly to this day. just traumatizingly sad
Courage's speaking roles were severaly reduced starting with season 2, with only his catchphrase "the things I do for love" remaining unchanged. His incoherent babbling became his norm.
I thought he babbled when talking to humans, and when he speaks clearly it’s in his head.
Courage is just another Helen Keller .
I love his “There’s something (insert adjective) going on here or my name is (random name) and it’s not!”
@@LegitMan335 Is this who you're talking about?:
"Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 - June 1, 1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller
You will notice that the last few episodes (or maybe the last season, I’m not sure it’s been a while since I’ve visited the series), the show shifts from being dark and scary to somber and… Tragically beautiful? Giving us episodes like Courage’s past and The Last of the Star Makers. They leave you feeling more sad and empty, than scared. They kind of felt like… Hearing the last words of a loved one. Maybe because they knew the show was ending.
I think season one was scary for kids but the other three seasons were more light hearted
I feel like the reason he doesn’t speak English in that scene is because as the show went on, Cartoon Network and the creative team thought the show would work better if he didn’t speak all the time so his dialogue is drastically reduced after season 1
Hard to argue with that. Courage still displays so much personality without having to articulate.
I really liked when he spoke English and wish they kept it that way!
That's the real life reason
The cartoon reason might be that Courage went through so much stress and terror (not to mention getting bumped on the head) that maybe he's developed a sort of impediment, so he can't even talk when he's calm (he genuinely seemed excited when the Teacher told him to speak).
I always found it strange that this was the last episode, and not the one paired with it, featuring how Courage met Muriel.
On that note, RIP Thea White.
This was the last episode for Courage? I always thought it was the episode where his parents got sent to the moon and Muriel finds him
@@johngibson4874 They're both "the final episode" - the show aired with each episode generally consisting of two short stories paired with each other, the final two being this and Remembrance of Courage Past. However, if memory serves correct, Perfect was the second of the two and thus was the final-final episode, in that regard.
it was, the show is split in 2 parters adding up to 20 min together.
perfect was the second half, remembrance of courage past is the first part.
and lets be real, this one really wraps up the series..perfectly.
Fun fact: in the Latin Spanish dub of courage, the fish that talks to him has a very stereotypical Argentinian accent for some reason. It even says "I swear it to Diegito Maradona"
And that makes that line utterly legendary and iconic
as argetinian i can confirm that in the name of dieguito maradona.
argentinian fish dub > english fish dub
I just read the commentarys to know if anybody else remember that fact XD
I was looking for this comment. I'm glad i found it
This was the scariest episode I witnessed as a child. The fact that courage was the only one who saw the teacher caused a strange discord inside of me. The scary part wasn’t the episode, it was how it made me feel. I’m sure that this episode is why I have a fear of not being believed and feeling outcast when I need the most help.
Yes this was hell to me as a child.
Same.
That CGI monster still sends shivers down my spine, in both what it looks like and what it says. When I was a kid I just saw that monster as weird. It only gets worse as time goes on, especially as the older we get the more I understood its message, that one line.
Everything about it is so unsettling, I imagine it'd fit right in perfectly in a Silent Hill game.
I agree.
As a musician: it's harder and more worthwhile to find an inspired musician who will make a part his own than to find one who will faithfully recreate note for note what is on the record. Give me creativity any day of the week. Courage has inspired me
You know as music-based movies go, have you seen Inside Llewyn Davis?
On another note, there's a part of me that wishes that Doug would watch the whole series, and do a traditional "Top 11" list, because I know he'd love the series in it's full, but I understand that Doug is a busy man.
Courage never really talks to Muriel or Eustace, unless he's saying "Hablablabla! Hablablabla!" I think it's supposed to represent that he's really just a dog that can't speak, despite the speaking he does to the camera. So when he speaks to this teacher character you hear him trying to babble out the words.
That's an excellent theory, but I remember there was this one episode where Muriel was turned into a 3 1/2 year-old girl and Courage spoke _perfect English_ to her. Maybe he can talk but his fear gives him a speech impediment.
That's what his speaking is supposed to be, but there are inconsistencies. Courage has spoken to other characters in the show, including humans.
That's actually a dope, and rather interesting theory I always wondered that as a kid and as a adult myself.
Yeah. Humans can't understand him so even in his mind he can't speak to them properly.
@@rogue7723 Maybe she just understood him. There's a thing in shows where babies and dogs can understand and communicate with each other. Arthur comes to mind. :03
Ed Edd and Eddy had a few creepy episodes, in particular “The Ed’s are coming”, “boo haw haw”, and “the day the Ed stood still” are definitely worth showing on this series.
I'd definitely enjoy seeing him talk about it. I don't think any of them are as dark as he is suggesting though but I don't care. I loved watching that show as a kid. Hell I'm 24 and still quote it.
The one where Ed became a monster is actually really good and to a small child, the suspense is actually really nail biting. It's an homage to Alien, The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and alot of other sci-fi/horror/thrillers and honestly is worth talking about
Edit: So originally Ed's character was to represent a child with Autism/Special needs, but Cartoon Network thought that was too on the nose, so he was just the "dumb" character. Knowing this, the episode actually takes on a whole new feeling. We all knew that kid growing up who didn't realize when they took a game too far, and because of their disability, didn't realize that the game wasn't fun anymore, even though it's not intentional, it's a bit scary how something so simple like playing pretend can easily turn into something scary and overwhelming. Ed literally kept thinking he was the monster and didn't stop until he was unmasked and even then, you can tell those kids were scarred for life, even the other Ed's were traumatized by the fun Ed was having. Ignorance is bliss, but apparently not for everyone.
alsothe fourth wall breaking reality collapsing Twist-Ed
Good choices
Which one had the aliens with buzzsaws?
R.I.P. Thea White, the voice of Muriel.
Let us play the 21 Sitar salute in her honor.
Fun Fact: The 'You're Not Perfect' Being is supposed to be a distorted version of Eustace's bugle.
How
RIP Thea White , thank you for giving Muriel a gentle nature and helping courage believe in himself and thank you believing us fans too
The blue thing has always disturbed me, though strangely enough I've grown to sympathize with it. To me, it looks depressed and miserable, which could represent Courage's poor self-esteem. It also doesn't do anything evil--it just bluntly tells Courage that he's imperfect. Maybe the creature was trying to help Courage overcome his insecurity, but unintentionally scared him.
Fun fact: This episode is One of the few times Eustache allows Courage to sit on the table showing he still cares for the dog
Courage made me realize what real courage was.
In latin america, the scene with the fish giving a lesson is changed a little bit, in the original the message is told in a more serious grounded voice tone, but in the latin spanish the fish says: "eres perfecto como eres coraje, con todo y tus imperfecciones lograras lo que quieras, te lo juro por dieguito maradona" wich in english traduce to: "you are prefect the way you are courage, with all your imperfection you will acomplished anything, i promised you on the name dieguito maradona" all in a argentinian accent and a more high pitch sound, making the secen more comical,
Dark toon suggestion: "Spiderman animated series: Duel of the hunters". Spiderman mutates into a monstrosity, I was too shit scared to watch the whole thing as a kid.
I seem to remember it takes place over two episodes but I may be wrong i need to rewatch the series
YES!!!!!!
Same , I couldn't watch it as a kid because i was so freaked out. Watched it as an adult and loved it
The mutant man spider? Loved that one as it stuck in my brain ever since first viewing
I love that one. We spend one episode going " spiderman has to get away from the punisher " only for Peter to transform and our response turns to " oh sh## frank run "
Good suggestion, but this series has basically become a Courage TCD review series.
My favorite thing about this final episode is those last minutes. These are the last times we'll see them and they're happy. Muriel is still giggling over her 'gum' and Courage also plays with the bubbles. Even Eustace (despite how grumpy he always is) is still fonding over his barely fixed horn. I find it a nice, touching finally to see these characters we've watched going through scary situations ending with laughter. To me that was perfect.
RIP Thea White, thank you voicing one of the sweetest characters in cartoon history
I really enjoyed these "Courage Month" episodes of Dark Toons. As someone who grew up watching Courage, Courage Month dusted off a TON of nostalgic memories for me. :)
Me too, did you hear that theres a Scooby doo and courage cross over this year soon?
@@carolinebergin4633 Yes, I did. I saw the trailer for it a while ago.
Two things to point out:
1) The fish that tells Courage that imperfection doesn't exist is the same fish from Muriel's baklava, which is a nice touch because it foreshadows Muriel's next revelation that the baklava she came up with is "more like gum", so even if she didn't follow the recipe "perfectly", the result was still quite a fascinating development on its own and was perfect for her. This is further emphasized by the fish's presence at the end, confirming that the fish's presence during Muriel's baklava recipe was (pardon the pun) a red herring, which was meant as a way to fool the audience into "imperfectly" thinking that the fish was for the recipe, when it seemingly wasn't.
2) This is a minor thing to point out, as well as it could just be a coincidence, but I think it's worth noting: when the perfection teacher slaps the ruler upon the blackboard, with the word "imperfect" on it, she covers up the letters "im" and partially the "p" as well. So the "perfect imperfect" became an imperfect "perfect". Which is clever, if it was not a mere coincidence, because it seems like a kind of message about how sometimes in trying to chase perfection and avoid imperfections, people can make themselves imperfect by trying too hard to be perfect. Plus it could also represent that, assuming the perfectionist teacher is Courage's subconsciousness, that a person's own frame of mind is what really makes them view themselves as either perfect or imperfect.
One of the major fan theories about this episode is that the fish isn't from Courage's mind, it's the spirit of the original farmhouse owner, Farmer Jiles Galette (which is from the episode I've been *CONSTANTLY* requesting, Windmill Vandals), who manifested to help Courage with the perfection issue he was having as thanks for all the effort he's put into protecting both house and family.
That's a neat interpretation. I like that it works either way
Yes PLEASE review Windmill Vandals
Out of everything in the episode. The fish scared me the most as a kid
This whole episode was supposed to tackle some of the parts around the concept of Personal/Social Anxiety, and how some people visualize them. The message, of course, is that NO ONE is truly perfect, and that it's our flaws, our IMPERFECTIONS, that make us unique and valuable members of society in our own right!
The other student of the Perfectionist is actually a reoccurring character on the show called Di Lung, and this is totally something that he would do in real life in order to one up Courage. He's mostly known for shouting "Watch where you're going, ya fool!" but has had a few episodes where he has a bigger role in them.
Watch where you going, you foo!
I'd love to see a very long episode about Brave Little toaster, the PTSD nightmare flashback of my youth
that movie really went dark, several times.
12:30 this was my favorite part of the episode. To see him finally relax a little and smile when he was so stressed in the entire episode.
This is technically the final episode. But the real final one is the one where they show how Muriel found Courage.
Also, RIP Thea White.
That was the first part of this episode. Remembrance of Courage Past
I also like how Courage is actually sitting at the table especially with Eustace around.
Nice touch wearing the "Pink Elephants" shirt to emphasize the creepy dream sequence from this episode. Loving this Dark Toon series!
Do you know what Power Puff Girls dark episode name is about Him giving each girls nightmares? (Blossom’s nightmare is about the kids and the teacher making fun of her, Buttercup’s nightmare is she tried to kill the spider, but the giant spider wrapped Buttercup up with the web, and Bubbles nightmare is the doll moving around the shadows and sitting the girls bed and give her a terrifying smile)
The episode is called Power Noia
This gets me hype again for the new Scooby-Doo and Courage movie.
Fun fact: The word "perfect" (and any word containing it) is seen/used 28 times throughout the episode.
Is it including technicalities with the word "Imperfect"?
"Is this all real or is it just happening inside my head?"
"Of course it's happening inside your head, why should that mean that it's not real?"
It doesn’t. But I choose what is.
This episode is really relatable to us. For folks who has Autism, ADHD and OCD. :)
I have autism
@@t.j.dassau5817 same
Dude this is relatable to basically everyone
@@t.j.dassau5817 me too.
ADHD here
Fun fact: in the latinamerican dub, the fish had an argentinian accent instead of british. He said "Te lo juro por Dieguito Maradona" (I swear for Dieguito Maradona). One of my favorite moments in dub!
My life as a teenage robot" Return of Raggedy Android"
"la perfección no existe, eres hermoso como eres, con todas tus imperfecciones lograrás lo que quieras, te lo juro por Dieguito Maradona"
RIP DIEGO
Rest In Peace Thea White and may you always be remembered for your incredibly special influence on our childhoods. You breathed such a kind and sweet, yet strong and moral spirit into Muriel, someone who I think all of us would have been delighted to have as a grandmother, and she will always be one of my favorite cartoon characters of all time.
This episode terrified me for multiple reasons.
1. Watch this at 3 A.M. on Boomerang when I was 5
2. This is the representation of my fear even at 16 my family wants me to be perfect in every way in school, life, games, writing, appearance, everything.
3. The teacher looks sounds and acts like a teacher that traumatised me in Kindergarten.
A couple Rugrats episodes that freaked me out as a kid:
In the Dreamtime
Angelica's Worst Nightmare
Under Chuckie's Bed
"I'm not Stu."
Don’t forget The Mysterious Mr. Friend
4:51- I think this is the first dark toon that we’ve seen this character. His inclusion to this just drives the point home for poor Courage when you remember the episodes that feature him. Don’t want to spoil what those are, but if you know him, you can probably guess one or two where he did kind of torment Courage in his own way.
especially the one that took place in China
"Watch where you going, you fool!"
@@kylenguyen7371 thank you for that. That was his catch phrase after all.
@@mas8705 Legit the only detail about him I can still recall. He actually had a name, and I think his ethnicity has changed from one episode to another to suit the plot, but I wouldn't recall any of it fot certain. Pretty sure someone has a wiki article for the guy, tho.
THIS ONE. Not Freaky Fred or the other ones you talked about on here. THIS ONE was the one that messed me up the most for the longest time.
Same, I'm scared for life.
I never got why this episode was scary. For me King Ramses curse will always be the scariest episode. As a kid the way he spoke and moved was just creepy
Freaky Fred didn't mess with you? You must be very......naughty.
@@DocMcCray oh I am.
This was the series finale. I wish they had kept making this show.
we all do, ended too soon, much like any other deliciously dark cartoon we get...
There was an episode of Angry Beavers called "The day the world got really screwed up", it was a Halloween episode with lots of b-movie scenes I loved, probably doesn't fit the dark side of things but I remember it being beautifully made compared to the other episodes and the comedy was on point.
I remember spending the night at my grandparents house as a kid and waking up to "your not perfect". It's safe to say I had trouble falling back asleep haha
The blue dude scared the ever living hell out of me as a kid. This is easily the scariest episode for me ( as a kid )
Your Hank icon scares the hell outta me lmao
Scariest moment in cartoon history.
Always remember this:
"With all your imperfections, you can do anything!"
I think the deeper part of the episode is more important as you grow up, when you're older and try things for yourself
you're not going to get things right when you have to do things for yourself, hell I've been there, but all the characters although they didn't quite get it right still made it work
I like the Hunchback of Nowhere. It's a different kind of dark though. Kind of like a gothic/romantic kind of thematic darkness instead of fright and horror
Ah, I remember that one. Courage and the Hunchback really become friends.
I really hope the “watch where ya going ya fool” guy appears in the Scooby /Courage crossover
Considering he's an Asian stereotype, I doubt it.
@@AlbinoTanuki i dont know man was he that stereotypical though, i assume the Indian doctor would be worse
His name is Di Lung, He is one of Dilworth's top 3 favorite characters. I find him funny too.
@@47Cartoonguy Dr. Vindaloo is probably less stereotypical. Not being a good doctor like Dr. Nick. Nothing you can do about it. Just keep soaking it.
"if every porkchop were perfect, we wouldnt have hotdogs"
RIP Thea White, the voice of Muriel
Was looking for this comment
This show was a masterpiece it will always have a place in your imperfect heart.
R.I.P Thea White [Muriel] You made so many of our childhood.
The Song of the Birds: Two cartoons of this title, one a 1935 cartoon directed by Max Fleischer, and a 1948 remake featuring the character Little Audrey. Basic premise is a child shoots a baby bird with a toy gun, seemingly killing it. The parents of the bird grieve and hold a funeral. Might be interesting to compare the two versions.
Peace on Earth: An elderly squirrel tells his grandchildren the story of how humans went extinct due to their love of war. Also has a remake called "Good Will to Men."
The Pincushion Man (also called Balloon Land): a strangely phallic shaped pincushion creature wants to murder living people made of balloons (and he does).
Animaniacs 2020 episode "Good Warner Hunting": A hunter hunts down the characters from the old show. Depictions of the characters with their heads mounted on the wall is not only dark but especially disturbing to old fans of the original (even if they are totally fine in the end).
Education for Death: Disney WWII propaganda cartoon about how Hitler's rule will lead the children of Germany to their deaths.
The Old Army Game: Donald Duck cartoon where Donald ends up in a situation where he is far too enthusiastic to commit suicide.
I really like to think that this episode is about Anxiety especially high functioning anxiety (which I suffer from) manly because when someone has anxiety you usually feel like a failure even when you make a small mistake your mind will make you think that you are a disgrace.
Even when the person isn't mad or disappointed in you, your anxiety will make you think and feel like a failure.
Just gotta chill bro
I got anxiety just reading this 😂
@@ItsRyan265 I know I tried to word it correctly lol 😂
@@Matterz25 I know I thankfully I take anxiety medication now
In the future when you do Courage again look up Windmill Vandals, Remembrance of Courage's Past, And Tower of Dr. Zalost you will really like those and to me they stand out.
Do an episode of Dark Toons on Tales of Worm Paranoia, an animated short about a worm that gets stomped by a man and plans on taking revenge on him. Used to air a lot on the Cartoon Network back in the day.
For some reason that made me very uncomfortable when I saw it as a kid. Everytime I saw it afterwards I changed the channel just to avoid that feeling again.
I remember that cartoon... I watched when I was really little (like... 4 or 5, I guess) and it scared the HELL out of me.
God I fucking hated that short so much as a kid
My favorite part was the fish being motivating
Rip to the voice actress for Muriel.❤️
You know, I never watched Courage as a kid, or as an adult for that matter, but I've come to really appreciate the show through Courage month. Good job, and thanks!
Gonna keep suggesting this: the powerpuff girls episode Abra-cadaver
What one was that again?
@@voicetale the magician who dies and comes back cause the powerpuff girls mocked him
@@voicetale about an entertainer from the past who got murdered by accident on stage and after several decades he awakens as a zombie and terrorises the city with magical gruesome tricks.
@@ironicugandan5826 ohhh I remember now
Yeah that episode was dark
I don't remember but was the alien episode creepy?
I recommend "Remembrance of Courage's Past", in my opinion, it's what should have been the final episode. It's not especially dark but ho boy is it emotional, it still remains the only episode to my knowledge to have Courage actually growl with aggression and anger.
This episode is iconic! I adore this episode because like you said, I connected with it so much. The sequence with the fish is one of my absolute favorite quotes!
I still need to see this episode of Courage, but I wanna see this first.
If I remember correctly the first episodes title is Katz Motel
@@mr_witchetty_man6317 that and the pilot but oddly the pilot isn’t on prime video on the boomerang service weird sounded fun to see the pilot
@@mr_witchetty_man6317 Katz hotel was awesome love the art style of Katz
@@TheDoctor2007 same 🙂
Please tell me we're getting more Dark Toons! This is my absolute favorite series you do, please continue it! 🙏🙂
One of my favorite animated shows. It was weird, dark, and funny. Love this series too.
This was a great episode to end on. I love the fish’s quote to Courage; it gets me every time 💕 I hope somewhere down the road you review “Windmill Vandals”.
On another note: RIP Thea White: voice of Muriel
Out of all the works of art I didn't get at first, this is one that probably touched me the most once I did get it, especially as a guy with his own insecurities.
Looking back on the different animations for the several dreams, you could even say that it's a nice call back to the line about sleeping correctly, that with every dream a different animation style is used because he's trying to dream perfectly
So glad you did perfect since I kept requesting it along with many others. For me with this short, not only can I relate to it as I have general anxiety disorder, but it’s also an interesting character study to me. Like with the wizard of oz dream, it’s actually more interesting that he is also the witch. His state of being imperfect is reflected in the scarecrow, tinman, and lion. Since he is tormenting himself mentally in his own mind, with him being the witch, it reflects him being basically his own antagonist. The weird blue thing I saw as looking like Eustace’s bugle (tilt your head to the side and you might see it) and it just says, “You’re not perfect.” Which is interesting considering Eustace was the first one to say it to Courage in the episode. I mean you could probably write a paper for a psychology course on this episode. It’s very interesting to think about.
If i recall, that guy on top of the tower is a recurring character who usually brags about how much better he is then Courage
this episode bring so much fear ive had recently about myself. i left college unfinished and the thought of returning terrifies me. Ive been struggling to find work in my area that i can do because of a back injury. ive had these dreams where its family or even a reflection of myself telling me how im useless and a failure. like this is terrifying cause i see myself in courage.
Interesting you bring up all the stuff about being creative and how film and animation can be interpreted in many ways and mean many things. John R. Dillworth, the series creator, apparently keeps that as his core philosophy, and it shows pretty well in most of his work. you ought to check out his youtube channel sometime. Nifty stuff there.
How about the plum episode the one about the guy making everyone depressed
That part where all you saw was the legs going up to the table, and you weren't sure Which guy it would be, was really intense!
RIP Thea White 🪦 😔
I remember an episode of Hey Arnold called Haunted Train. Hey Arnold had a small handful of supernatural episodes, but this one was the one that gave me goosebumps as a kid 😅
Some dark episodes of G.I. Joe:
"Skeletons in the Closet"
"There's No Place Like Springfield" (2-part episode)
"Nightmare Assault"
Other Dark Toons suggestions:
"Balloon Land"
Mighty Mouse in "The Witch's Cat"
My Life As A Teenage Robot "Raggedy Android"
BraveStarr "The Price"
Avatar: The Last Airbender "The Puppetmaster"
Legend of Korra "Long Live the Queen"
he talked about The Puppetmaster when he did his special on talking about what he felt was the weakest episodes of Avatar.
11:20 the scene with the fish telling courage about the perfection lesson is legendary in latin american spanish speaking fandoms thanks to the way it was translated especially adding the "te lo juro por dieguito maradonna" line
RIP Thea White
I loved Courage The Cowardly Dog in my childhood and still love it today. I liked how Courage always managed to outsmart all of the villains, ghosts and monsters in every episode. It wasn't scary one bit, it was hilarious to watch.
Love that he's still doing this series
well he did miss a week due to sickness, so he said he was gonna make up for that.
These courage reviews are my new favorite thing from Doug
Ironically enough, the "Bugle Monster" isn't what messed me up the most from the dream sequences. It was Muriel shattering.
Same thing with me as well. Especially the fact that courage couldn’t do anything to save her and that him dropping the vase was what got her killed. Not only that, but the atmosphere and the designs were unnerving to me as well.
That CGI blue thing is pure nightmare fuel and it came out of nowhere in the episode and that creepy "your not perfect" gets me every time😆
I've started to realize that this show gave me an innate fear of uncanny valley CGI
Courage had that perfect combination of horror meets comedy.
It'll definitely be one of those cartoons I'll never forget.
Did he ever do the one where it shows Courage’s backstory with the doctor and rocket ship?
No
@@LucyLioness100 pain
Not yet but I think that's actually the final episode
No, but he really should, considering that was the true finale.
I’ve been enjoying this series Doug! You should cover the dinosaur segment from Fantasia, The Rite of Spring. That Tyrannosaurus Rex sequence right after Mickey’s shenanigans was such a sharp juxtaposition.