The Replacements

I was a kid when I used to watch this show.

This was the only Disney Channel cartoon that I ever fell asleep to. I don't mean it was soothing; I literally mean this show put me to sleep. I was trying to stay awake at a sleepover and I totally passed out. I had been fairly alert before the show started.

There were three problems that I always had with this show.

First of all, the story was ALWAYS the same. Talk about beating us over the head with the same lesson over and over again! I was actually that weird kid who liked shows with a moral, but this - this was just painful. Kids are smarter than you think. We get it.

Secondly, none of the characters were likable. I watched plenty of cartoons around that time that had impossible scenarios. I've seen many shows that relied on stupidity to get laughs. And I laughed. But not with this show. There wasn't a single character I could like.

Finally, the animation artwork was not Disney quality.

This may sound harsh. But I'm being honest. This show was used as my standard for bad television. I remember saying, "At least it's not as bad as The Replacements!" on numerous occasions. This show was cute once or twice, but if one had to watch it on a regular basis, it was so thinly executed that there wasn't anything new or novel to redeem it. It was just the same old boring jokes and the same old boring mistakes - the kids never learning, but always beating the same messages over your head.

Maybe it made for some good midnight cartoon programming, but it sure wasn't worth being on Disney.

I got into this show when I just got the new Disney+. Wow, This show is really great!

The show is about 2 kids Todd and Riley who came from an orphanage and came across an ad for Fleemco where you can replace a person with someone else. They mailed the ad with some of their remaining money and they got the phone to call HQ and give them an alternative. Soon, they got super spy mom K and daredevil dad Dick.

From replacing a baseball coach, to a sensational stylist, to a professional car mechanic who knows what he's doing, I feel the possibilities are endless.

Honestly, this is a great show, and if you have Disney+, you should really watch it!

For a show with such a good theme song, it really misses the whole "Being a good show" thing, I mean it's okay, I just expected so much after that catchy tune.

I guess the best way to describe The Replacements is: It isn't not funny.

Animation was at a bit of a low point in the mid 2000s, but there were still good shows here and there, one of them being The Replacements. The idea of having a phone that can replace people to make your life easier is an interesting one, and they really ran with the concept due to how crazy things got. The second season focused less on replacements and more on the characters and stories, which I view as a plus. Our main characters are well rounded, with Riley being my favorite. I can see why she had a bigger focus in later episodes. Admittedly, it got a bit too crazy at times, but the good was still significantly strong. I didn't mind the formulaic aspect in the first season since it did help to teach good morals. I don't have much of a problem with the show. It's plain fun.

My score: 9/10

Sure it isn't the best cartoon in the world. I did get used to the animation of Disney feature length cartoons. But it isn't what I'm concerned about when it comes to cartoons. This just happens to be its style. Do you remember how bad your jokes were when you were in elementary school? Some of what is done is corny, but this was made for kids, not like the ones I grew up watching - the ones that were shown at the cinema then on TV. I watch this with my son. This is pretty good if we use what we learn from it. So the kids think they can improve on every situation by getting the best adult/replacement they think they need. Yet in most instances another replacement, the original person, or one or both of the parents is needed to help straighten out the mess. A lesson is learned by the kid(s); sometimes, everyone learns a lesson. Moral: sometimes the best person for the job may not be the best for the job or for you.