If You're an Artist, This Kids Show Episode is For YOU! (McGee and Me!)

[@NorbertSD]

Thanks for reviewing “Back to the Drawing Board”, DJ! Really glad you liked the episode! I had a feeling you’d like it, and also find it relatable as an artist yourself. You know, the episode’s central lesson of “Don’t be jealous of others” doesn’t just apply to artists. Anyone who has a certain talent can sometimes feel outshined by someone else who has the same talent but has had far more practice. I’m sure there’s some kid who was good at, say, playing piano or playing hockey, but then they met someone who’s even better than they are, and they feel like that other person is like Mozart or Wayne Gretsky, and they’re untalented compared to them, and they related to this episode because of that. Like you said, it’s important to love your own level of talent and not be jealous of others. Focus on yourself and keep on practicing. By the way, I didn’t know that the names of the Duke of Ellington and Sir Loin of Beef from Nick’s Renaissance daydream sequence were references to Bugs Bunny lines from the Looney Tunes cartoons. I thought the former was a reference to jazz musician Duke Ellington. Maybe it was both. By the way, while I’m on the topic of Nick’s Renaissance daydream sequence-co-creator Ken C. Johnson wasn’t the only McGee and Me! crew member to have a live-action appearance in that sequence. Composer Jim Covell played the royal musician (very appropriate). Speaking of Jim Covell, what did you think of “A New Attitude”, the original song from the episode that played during Nick’s montage of working on the poster? IMO, it’s a decent song, although “You’ll Never Be Alone” from “Twister and Shout” remains the best song from the show. Also, does anyone else find it odd that both Nick and Todd included their OCs on their poster entries? Do artists generally do that-include their OCs on art meant to advertise something else? Also, I can’t believe you didn’t bring up my personal favorite joke of the episode-Derrick stealing Renee’s “Pretty & Popular” book, not realizing what the book actually is until he tells Mrs. Harmon that this is the book he’s writing his report on, and now feeling embarrassed that he-the tough school bully-has to do his book report on a girly book about fashion. I’m also glad I’m not the only one who made the Ralph the Guard comparison when talking about one of the character designs in my McGee and Me! review. Although I made that comparison for the SWAT team leader in the second animated segment from “The Big Lie”. The guy who switched his and McGee’s cows in the first animated segment from “Back to the Drawing Board” I said looked just like the main baseball player from the Looney Tunes short “Baseball Bugs”. Fun fact: That guy also appeared in the Canine Cola commercial in the second animated segment from the episode “Take Me Out of the Ball Game”, and both he and Jawbreaker appeared in the opening of “’Twas the Fight Before Christmas”, along with a few other characters from previous episodes’ animated segments. If you’re looking for some other McGee and Me! episodes to watch, let me recommend a few that I think you might like: “The Big Lie”, the first episode of the show, is a pretty good introduction to the show and is the one I’d use to recommend the show with. It’s got a pretty good lesson about telling the truth, and how even one tiny lie can get you and/or someone else in a lot of trouble, which actually culminates in the second-most emotional scene in the show after the climax of “’Twas the Fight Before Christmas”. Just a heads up that throughout the episode, the characters say “Indian” instead of “Native American”. That episode came out in 1989. “A Star in the Breaking” is a fun episode where Nick ends up becoming a contestant for a Double Dare-esque game show and is excited to become a star, but he soon lets the fame go to his head and ends up learning a lesson about pride and humility. “Do the Bright Thing” (which you showed the VHS cover of a couple times in this video) is the show’s formula-breaker episode where McGee shows the inner workings of Nick’s mind and how Nick makes everyday decisions, as Nick is considering buying a new art table that he saved up his money for. It’s probably the most cartoony and comedic episode of the whole show, but still remembers to teach the kids watching a good lesson about making good decisions. Also, Dick van Patten guest stars in that episode! By the way, great drawing of Jawbreaker! Glad you didn’t give up drawing him like Nick did. ⭐

[@NoParkingBerry]

I'm pleased that you loved the review, Norbert. You know, I didn't realize it until I screengrabbed my comment under your own "McGee and Me!" review, but my opinion on "Back to the Drawing Board" did change slightly from the first time I watched it, in that I now think the live-action main plot is even more entertaining than the cartoon segments. The Duke of Ellington and Sir Loin of Beef names also being Bugs Bunny jokes could have been either a coincidence since they seem like easy puns to make, or Ken C. Johnson and crew were intentionally referencing the "Looney Tunes" shorts. I didn't find it weird for Nick and Todd's respective characters to be in their entries for the poster contest. It's about as normal as Jim Jinkins using Doug Funnie to advertise grapefruit juice and USA Network some years before the Nicktoon premiered (not to mention Joe Murray debuting an early Heffer Wolfe in an MTV bumper). And yes, I did find "A New Attitude" to be a good song that does its job to be motivational. Rest assured that I did like the joke involving Derrick and the "Pretty & Popular" book. There were a few good jokes I didn't point out in my review (including the one with Nick sarcastically telling his family, who was distracted by the puzzle, that he'll eat dog food for dinner), mainly because I was doing my best to keep under the 15 minute limit. Lastly, thanks for the further episode recommendations! All three of them sound like they'll be worth checking out.

[@javianwilliams7463]

5:58 (Oh, WOW! That is relatable!) ⭐️

[@blakewordlow7632]

I'm an Artist too and I Watched the intro of that show! ⭐

[@bluetaki12386]

I think this inspired Kirby Buckets

[@DanielLave25280]

⭐ Yeah I mean being an Artist can be tough at times But I still get the hang of it (Oh yeah quick side of you mentioning the #26 tip from that Alain Sequin fella: I have been watching some shows on TV and on KZbin and study their art styles and putting that into my art style)

[@NoParkingBerry]

That's true. I notice you take a lot of influence from "The Loud House" in particular.

[@DanielLave25280]

@@NoParkingBerry Thats so True 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ajkiel17]

I'm a cartoonist since i was 2

[@Drixenol86]

Being an artist isn’t that easy.

[@SmileyComforts]

💫✨