Really do have a big soft spot for 'Tiny Toon Adventures'. Don't love it as much 'Animaniacs' and 'Pinky and the Brain', but love the concept, characters and writing and have always considered it almost in their class. Like those shows, it gets better and better with each re-watch and it has something for both kids and adults. Mostly young and older adults though, with more familiarity with what is being referenced and the humour being even funnier, though the characters and jokes will be loved by kids.
Do not put "The Wheel o'Comedy" in the same league as the previous two episodes "The Looney Beginning", where the show begins, and "The Quack of Quarks", a wonderful loose parody of 'Star Wars'. But only because the previous two episodes were quite special by 'Tiny Toon Adventures' standards, on the most part this is still a very good episode. Made up of four segments, "The Wheel o'Comedy" very nearly was great, three quarters of the episode actually was, but it was a shame that one segment stopped it from being so.
That episode is "Optical Illusion". Do not think it is that awful, but the other segments are much funnier and are much more imaginative. It is also on the mean-spirited side, though not in a way really that traumatises.
Found "Win, Lose or Kerplowie" to be the best of the segments. It for me was the wittiest and anybody who watched game shows when young will get nostalgic as there are some never less than very funny and affectionate references to them. "Spectacular Day" is close behind, and Babs, Buster and their interplay are a large part as to why, love them together and the characters on their own.
It is easy to overlook "Devil Doggie", but to me while not as strong as the other two it is cute and amusing. Elmyra is not loved by everybody and can be considered a taken in small doses sort of characters, found her thankfully not too cutesy or obnoxious and never minded her on 'Tiny Toon Adventures'. That 'Pinky and the Brain' spin off though, that is another matter and not in a good way.
Moreover, "The Wheel o'Comedy" is throughout a very well animated episode. It is crisp, with bright colourful backgrounds, beautiful colours and well drawn characters. The music is as good as the old Looney Tunes cartoons (prime-Looney Tunes, not most of the 60s ones) in being characterful and adding to the action, if not quite enhancing it in the same way. It always helps to have a memorable theme tune, and the one for 'Tiny Toon Adventures' is suitably hip and very catchy.
Writing here is wonderfully wacky and razor sharp in wit, as well as being smart and spot on in comic timing. The references are both inspired and cleverly inserted, none feeling random or misplaced. They do here though tend to be adult oriented, don't think many children will have watched 'Psycho' for instance young, parodied in "Devil Doggie".
Love all the characters and they are all terrifically voiced. Charlie Adler and Tress MacNeille really do sound like they are having fun as Buster and Babs.
Altogether, very good and so close to being great if it weren't for "Optical Illusion" not being up to the standard of the other three segments. 8/10
