This was the episode I was waiting for…
All throughout Max’s superlative prequel series to Joe Dante’s Gremlins, there was certain expectations that couldn’t be helped: would Gizmo be cute enough? How spiteful would the tone be? And could an animated show possibly do justice to one of my most beloved movies of the 80’s? As the show went on, my fears were addressed one by one and summarily quashed, however, one expectation still remained – could the show do justice to Dorry’s Tavern?
For those whose knowledge of Gremlins lore is as fuzzy as Gizmo’s behind, Dorry’s Tavern is the moment where the original movie dropped all pretence of story and plot and just launched into an awesomely stupid string of cartoonish jokes and visual puns as the Gremlins decimated a local bar and got riotously drunk. It’s a five minute scene of Looney Tunes humor and ridiculous slap stick and Iove it as I would love my child (if i had one). Gremlins 2 upped the scale with a full blown rendition of New York, New York from the lobby of Clamp Towers and now it’s time for Secrets Of The Mogwai to throw its hat into the ring as the show hurtles toward its conclusion.
Chinese new year is in full swing on the streets of Shanghai, but all the fireworks in the world aren’t going to change the fact that a portal that has opened up in the sky is raining Gremlins at a worrying rate and bedlam is unleashed the very second the first impish little shit hits the ground. Leading the charge is Madam Claw, the Gremlin leader who not only has the Knife of Creation in one claw, but has a captive Gizmo in the other – simply put, Shanghai may be celebrating new years, but it’ll be a freaking miracle if it survives to see another.
Meanwhile, stranded back in the Mogwai’s home of the Valley of Jade, a soundly defeated and outwitted Sam, Elle, Sam’s folks and a handless Riley Green openly wonder what to do next, however, Elle bristles at the Wing’s defeatist, play-it-safe attitude and immediate puts that street orphan guile into use by tricking the Administrator into sending them to the worst hell-realm there is as punishment: which currently is Shanghai.
Back on home soil Elle storms off to save Gizmo, disgusted by Sam’s hesitant nature, braving the chaos-torn streets while the Wings makes sure Riley Green is no longer a nuisance. But despite the guilt that floods his anxious little head, Sam strengthens his resolve, cooks up a five point plan and convinces his family to join him in saving Shanghai.
However, located in a local club, Madam Claw relaxes with a captive Gizmo – but the impulse control issues that usually signify the typical Gremlin mindset mixes poorly with a tool that can rewrite reality and soon her temper has her zapping her fellow, evil Mogwai into bizarre new forms. Can Elle’s smarts, coupled with Sam’s 5 point plan defeat a Gremlin saddled with the power of a god?
As a slice of pre-climax mania that marks out a true product of the Gremlins universe, Never Give Up is nothing short of manna from heaven as the episode nails the balance of goofy, irreverent, insanity while still managing to tell its story coherently despite all the noise. Sam’s cowardice is finally addressed, Elle launches a rescue mission amidst a city-full of cackling creatures and Gizmo finally gets some solo screen time as he struggles to escape Claw’s ego maniacal clutches. The episode also cleanly traces the continuing arc of the Wing parents (essentially the same as Sam’s, just two steps behind) and even give Riley Green a couple of typically snide diatribes, before knocking his ass out and storing him neatly away in the trunk for later use. It’s indicative of the writing room’s dedication of balancing strong, clearly defined arcs in the face of some of the most deranged, disorderly creatures in cinema history while neither sacrificing one for the other. At no point do you lose track of any of the players, nor are you confused by their motivations – butvat the same time, you are bombarded with a near-unbroken twenty minutes of jokes, references and rampant lunacy that lives up to the legacy of the franchise.
I’m fairly sure that a mere, single viewing simply isn’t enough to take in even half of all the references and jokes thrown at you at a furious rate but as the episode continues, the rapid fire flat-rate will have barely able to take out a “wait, was that…?” before the next example of mischievous humour hits you.
On top of the main jokes such as both Madam Claw and Noggin dressing to match their respective personalities (Noggin has evolved into quite the dapper chap, even donning a monocle to finish his look) and an absolutely resplendent running gag about how much the Gremlins love saying “caca”, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-them gags are legion. I’m not entirely sure, but in the maelstrom, I’m sure I saw a reference to the hatchet waving gangsters from Kung Fu Hustle, a Gremlin dressed as Mrs Deagle, countless instances of bottle-related head trauma and Green almost managing to christen the malevolent versions of the Mogwai with the titular G-word.
Still on top of all this, Secrets Of The Mogwai still keeps one beady, red eye on the big picture, saving some literally sizable obstacles for the final episode with the obvious contender being Claw zapping herself with the knife which enables her to grow to Kaiju proportions and take her frustrations out on both Shanghai and her own Gremlin brethren. However, elsewhere, we find that Riley Green, despite being relieved of his hands, isn’t out of the game yet as he still has the powers of immortality and Nüwa, the Godess of Creation still bubbling around in his system. It’s a relief, because while the Gremlins should be the main antagonist, Matthew Rhys’ majestically withering performance is simply too good to keep him on the sidelines and he re-enters the story in the dying moments of the episode with the season’s most horror-worthy moment – murdering a Gremlin with his bare, frickin’ teeth.
In fact, the only thing that stands out in an odd kind of way is the apparent sacrifice of Sam mother as she is seemingly crushed by falling debris while saving Elle much in the same way Elle sort-of sacrificed herself for Gizmo and it will be interesting to see how the show deals with it. Predictably resurrect her (we do have the Knife of Creation kicking around) or try something a little more out of left field?
Whatever happens, Secrets Of The Mogwai’s light is now shining so bright, it ironically could become physically harmful to the photo sensitive creatures that inhabit it.
Definitely not caca.
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