Professor Popinjay's Compendium of Perspicacity

A Non-review by Professor Popinjay

(1997… or 1995 if you were paying attention)

Johnny Bravo was one of those cartoons from the What a Cartoon show, the Hannah-Barbara experiment which created conditions for artists to just create, unhindered by network executive interference or focus groups. These were cartoons not designed to sell toys or other merchandise tie-ins. This was pure creator driven animation.

Not only did the What a Cartoon segment lead to the creation of several now iconic cartoons, it also fueled the success of Cartoon Network and ultimately saved Hannah-Barbara. This is where we would see the start of shows like Dexter’s Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel, The Powerpuff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Mike Lu & Og, Sheep in the Big City, Grim & Evil, Whatever Happened to… Robot Jones?, Codename: Kids Next Door, and Megas XLR to name a few.

Some people took issue with Johnny Bravo. It was a classic cat and mouse routine except the Cat was a dim-witted stud muffin with more muscle and hair than he knew what to do with and the mice were attractive women, none of whom wanted anything to do with Johnny. Some argued that a guy trying to “pick up chicks” was not the best subject matter for kids but I would call him an anti-role model. He was the sounding board for what happens when we are disrespectful and objectifying of people. Disrespect women and they will spray you with soda, wad you up like a piece of unwanted paper and throw you into a garbage can. Sure, not all women may be able to actually do that but they likely want to and that’s what counts.

Incidentally, the one woman Johnny has unwavering respect for is his momma. In this he is a model son. It’s antithesis to his regard for women who are not his mother. Ironically, if he were to treat them the way he treats his momma things might go different and we’d have no show.

Then there’s little Suzy, a little girl who admires Johnny but he naturally wants nothing to do with her. At one point he even teaches a nerdy twerp to be like him so the twerp can woo little Suzy and get her out of Johnny’s hair. Johnny’s philosophies and techniques when applied by someone other than Johnny ends up working too well and the twerp walks away with two adoring grown women on his arms. Funny stuff provided they’re just taking the kid to the theme park and buying him an ice cream.

The formula does get old fast though and they (Giovanni Partible) eventually do some interesting things to mix it up which led to the best part of the show in my opinion. The cat and mouse routine eventually becomes an ever present element of the story but it’s in the midst of more interesting plots. Plots like Johnny having to have Donny Osmond as a babysitter. That’s friggin hilarious.

Osmond: I’m gonna teach you a song, Johnny!

Bravo: I’m gonna teach you to shut up!

Osmond: That’s great! It’ll be like a trade!

The all-time best episode by far and the one every Scooby-Doo fan should see, even if they hate Johnny Bravo, is the episode where he is going to visit his Aunt Jebadissa. On his way, Johnny encounters a certain team of meddling kids and their canine companion. Naturally Johnny gravitates toward Daphne which puts him at odds with Fred. Velma is VERY interested in Johnny for some reason. They hit all the marks with this episode and even draw a lot of attention to the absurdity of so many long-standing Scooby-Doo tropes.

The show didn’t last a super long time but it was enjoyable while it lasted. As with anything, it had to make money eventually and I think other shows were developing more of a following. Would you beleive Dwayne “The Stone” Johnson was slated (haha geology humor) to play a live-action Johnny Bravo? Unfortunately it never happened.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. At least I got a great toy from Wendy’s out of it! And after all, isn’t the sale of toys what true art is all about?