"Busy Signal" clip

[joesingle]

The voice of Penny sucks.

[jesseeinblau]

I have seen every single episode of season one about a hundred times since it came out in 1983 but not once have I seen or heard of a season two. Where does one have to live to see this series? Teletoon retro doesn't show this episode or others from this season. Seriously, is this for real?

[raspberrymuffin]

I'd take the offer...I'd love to see Dr Claw face to face. And see his cat, too.

[stoopidmonkeyful]

Love the Dr Spectrum trilogy of Season 2,,,,,bring back "Bad Dreams Are Made of These" PLEASE!!

[inunabe82]

that guy with the glasses said things that made me suspect that he's a nonce lol

[stopthemachine]

"The Incredible Shrinking Gadget" is the season2 episode that had the worst music/sound editing. Other than that, the volume of the music in most of these 21 eps isn't too bad. Best part of all? Saban/Levy still do the music and Don Adams/Frank Welker are still on board. When I was about 7 years old, I wanted nothing more than new eps of Gadget after the first season, and in 1985, my dream came true. :) I like the eps from this season overall. "Mad Dreams Are Made of this"-Best one. :)

[Mesterius1]

You are right about Saban/Levy and Don Adams, but not about Frank Welker. If you compare the season 1 and 2 credits, you'll see Don Adams was the only voice artist who was on for both seasons. I heard that this changed partly because the Canadian studio Nelvana (well known for many quality TV series) was no longer part of the IG production. Thus the voice recording moved from Canada to Los Angeles, and many of the actors (including Welker and Cree Summers, who played Penny) had to be replaced.

[Mesterius1]

Ad you know what, "Mad Dreams Are Made Of This" is a so much better title than the official one, "Bad Dreams Are Made For This":) Maybe "Mad dreams..." is what the ep was originally intended to be called, because it fits perfectly with all the wordplays the show was constantly making on the word "Mad". But since every episode guide online writes "Bad" I guess that has to be the real name...

[stopthemachine]

I have an old tape from Family Channel where all the titles of the episodes are listed as the episode begins (something that did not happen when the series was originally in syndication and on Nickelodeon).I'll have to dig it up from the personal collection,but I am 100% sure that the episode is listed as "MAD Dreams Are Made of This," which is why I was always so confused when I saw it listed otherwise online. I think it's one of those things where one person wrote it and everyone else copied.

[stopthemachine]

Hi Mesterius,

You are right on every regard about the switches in voice acting except that Frank Welker does continue his roles into the second season. I had read somewhere that there was some contractual reason why Frank Welker couldn't be credited in the 2nd season. However, it is definitely Welker as Dr. Claw, MAD cat, Brain, and more obvious incidental parts in the 2nd season (Dr. Noodleman, the train conducter in the Grappler episode, various MAD agents, etc.).

[Mesterius1]

Really? I know Frank Welker played a lot of incidental roles in the second season, that's why I always found it ironic that he wasn't Dr. Claw anymore. ''Contractual reasons'', as you mention, could explain why he couldn't be cast in any main roles though. Still, I can't believe that he was secretly cast as Dr. Claw. If you listen to Dr. Claw in the season 1 finale "Quizz Master" and compare it to, say, season 2's "Focus on Gadget", there are obvious differences in intonation, overall sound etc.

[Mesterius1]

Listening to the two voice versions, I can only think that the new voice actor for Dr. Claw is trying to live up to Welker, but doesn't succeed 100%. Frank Welker gave Dr. Claw a booming, powerful voice which still had just the right mix of intelligent, calculating, frustrated and at times even playful evilness. The season 2 voice actor sounds a bit more "stressed" evil and, in my ears, not at all as frighteningly powerful as Frank.

[Mesterius1]

Of course, if you've got evidence that Frank Welker was involved in the role of Claw in season 2, I'd very much be interested. Maybe the equipment they used for the final touches to his voice changed between the seasons, resulting in a different sound. Even so, it's hard to change the tone and intonation of a voice, and that's where I think the difference shines through most clearly...

[Mesterius1]

And regarding "MAD/Bad Dreams Are Made Of This"... You know, "MAD" just sounds more and more logical in my head:) It's funny, because this wouldn't be the first time an episode is misspelled either... a lot of season 1 wordplays are even lost in official DVD editions. If you google "Mad dreams..." you'll actually find a few results and one or two ep guides which do seem to be official. But it might be hard to really prove whether or not your VHS or the web messed up the word... who can tell?

[stopthemachine]

It's funny you mention the equipment for the final touches to Dr. Claw's voice because that's what I'd assumed that it was. Since the studios were moved from Canada to the U.S., that would make a lot of sense. Listen to the character of Darkseid on the Superfriends episodes to hear Welker in his Claw voice for a closer comparison. Also, Wally Burr directed the voices for Season 1 and Marsha Goodman for Season 2. Goodman herself has said that her style is not to "overdirect" the actors.

[GrandDizzy]

The music editing was just sloppy in this season. They use all the worst, quietest pieces of music. I seem to recall the sound effects were poor too. Still, I really hope they make it to DVD one day; I'd love to watch them again.

[stopthemachine]

I don't think ALL the music editing was "sloppy" in the second season, but "The Incredible Shrinking Gadget" ep is definitely the episode that comes to mind. The sounds effects weren't poor, in my opinion, just different from the first season; in fact, they are primarily anime sound effects. (If I remember right, there is a japanese name credited for doing the sound effects for the second season.)

[GrandDizzy]

Well I seem to remember (and it's been some time now since I saw it) that in season 2, three was no sound effect for when Gadget's gadgets came out of his hat. In season 1 you get this nice deep kind of tom tom noise and squeaky noises, but I think these were missing from season 2, and other familiar effects too. (I could be completely wrong about that though. It's been 20 years+)

[HanakoFairhall]

Ahahaha! The lips on Brain's disguise move as well! How hilarious ^__^

I love finding animation slips, even on shows I respect a lot ^__^

[MauiQuestR]

Brain's disguise lips moves also!  LOL

Gotta luv those animation mess ups. It was fun finding them as a kid.

[michaelmoval]

Can xGalacticGemini upload a full "Busy Signal" episode for me, please?

[JIF882]

"Look out behind you!" Those MAD agents fell for the oldest trick in the book. LOL

[wiley207]

Oh man, it's a second season episode. Definitely not as good as the first

[Djclyve]

The thug is the same voice as Glove from the bionic Six

[Volkswagen1969]

That's what I was thinking. Why use the damn door? XD

[BlueTroll]

NOW I CAN ESCAPE.

[Tom8201]

Nice to see a clip from an episode part of the second season.

[sonic8005]

Of course, actual walls are being removed, and she still gets out the door...

[MeloaEpiphany]

HA HA HA!!!

Excellent observation, sonic8005!

:-)