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Inspired by a cute Jack Russel terrier who loves to read, this blog was created to entertain all Wishbone-lovers and likers. We promise to: Expose ridiculous and/or hilarious parts of each Wishbone episode and how the Wishbone-ified literature compares to the real thing. It's Wish-bona fide genius.
Wishbone was an educational children's television show which ran from 1995-1998 and made reading cool for both the authors.
Speaking of the authors, we are two college Wishbone enthusiasts.
“What is going on with this day?” (Season Two: Episode One)
Halloween Special: Creepy Collars.
Wishbone is a Jack Russell who reenacts classic literature in his imagination. In the real world, Wishbone belongs to Joe Talbot, a “14”-year-old who lives with his mother Ellen. His father died of a rare blood disease when Joe was six. Joe and his mother live in Oakdale, and Joe has two best friends: Samantha “Sam” Kepler and David Barnes. Sam’s parents are divorced and her father owns Pepper Pete’s Pizza in Oakdale and David lives with his parents and younger sister Emily. The three friends have adventures at school, especially involving the school bully, Damont. Other memorable characters include the interesting Wanda, who has unique style, the del Rios, owners of the sports store, and various other random people.
In this Halloween episode, Joe and his friends are participating in a Halloween scavenger hunt (what?!) and Wishbone imagines himself as the arrogant Ichabod Crane in Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Memorable Quotes:
“What is going on with this day, Wishbone? First you weren’t at basketball practice, then you ran into the Hardware store, now there’s a scavenger hunt!” –Joe
“Damonster!” –Wishbone
“Oh no. Anything but this.” –Joe.
“I knew I should have stayed home tonight.” —Joe
Commentary:
Joe is very emo and superstitious in this episode and is the epitome of a wet blanket, a party pooper, a downer.
Yes, Melina and Marcus, the del Rio niece and nephew, are far too eager for Halloween, which leads us to a suspicious conclusion: perhaps they are sacrificing the participants. When Joe says he is not sure about the scavenger hunt, maybe it is a subconscious warning, a self-preservation instinct.
As the groups split up to scavenge and hunt, Damont sends “come-hither” signals to Joe and Friends. His face is just … you’ll have to see it.
This episode gives the impression that Joe is thinking emo thoughts constantly.
Thankfully, there are only five scavenger hunt teams, and that’s all Joe can count or handle.
As Same reads the first clue, Joe’s pained expressions seem to suggest that he can’t read.
Joe is VERY surprised at the sight of three corks.
Upon discovering tacky plastic flamingos in Wanda’s yard, the kids suppress an urge to steal them. They quickly run over to them, but realize there’s a scavenger hunt that Joe needs to be emo for.
The pressure is on for Sam in the challenge promoting animal abuse (shoot the animal, get a clue). If she fails, her life is over.
Wishbone finally reveals his smoker’s voice in the animal clinic. “Stop smoking now, kids, before it’s too late.”
Next, the children face a gambling dilemma at the horse races. There should have been a disclaimer: this show does not condone gambling.
Joe is even more surprised about the next clue, a marble, than he was about the three corks.
It’s not safe, especially since adults typically create unsafe scavenger hunts for children.
Flashback at the haunted house, traumatic childhood memory.
After a slight noise startles him, Joe makes a sudden weird and overly dramatic facial expression!
“Dead” tea party in the “haunted house”—it’s Joe’s kind of party.
Sam opens the closet and a large skeleton jumps out in dire need of a hug, maybe it died from lack of emotional closeness?
David walks into Damont’s trap. “I’m gullible! Damont is a nice guy who would never hurt me!” But Damonster is back.
“The green player will show you the light” Joe definitely needed a flashback from five minutes ago. Five minutes is like five years when you’re emo.
Joe wins the scavenger hunt and “I did it! Maybe having fun isn’t so bad after all!”
“Did we scare you?” Sam smiles … she was so scared she wet her pants.
Joe vs. cat, but he finally reconciles after 8 years of terror.
Comparison to Real Literature:
Wishbone’s Ichabod Crane is slightly more arrogant and less likable than in the real story, and it does not show Crane’s softer side, but otherwise it is extremely accurate. The actress who plays Katrina is not very good at it; she seems wooden. Or plastic.
An older couple at the party, where Wishbone (Ichabod) wastes his time telling ghost stories instead of dancing with his latest crush, has very creepy facial expressions and attitudes. As in the story, the Headless Horseman is clearly Brom Bones.
Wishbone’s version uses the same Cotton Mather witchcraft book as well as demonstrates Crane’s superstitious attitude and the fact that he is impressed by Katrina’s family’s wealth. Also, it was a nicely-added touch to create the mess in the schoolroom and have Crane believe it’s a poltergeist. Oh, silly little Ichabod. Ichabod, Ichabod, Ichabod Crane.
***
The terrible acting makes any Halloween more frightening :)
