Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktakular (2003)

Scary Godmother is just about too cute by half (whatever that means). I really enjoyed this show when I first ran across it on TV and I've seen it a few times now on TV as well as DVD. The animation is quasi-rough and quirky but therein -- with its characters -- lies its appeal. Scary (as her friends know her) is a slender, bubbly, mirthful character who flits and flutters on tiny wings, long gangly legs splayed behind in her manic wake. She wears a huge witch's hat and tutu, makes magic, and flies a broom but she's really Miss Frizzle with twice the wackiness. Her skeletal "broommate" would fit right in on Queer Eye, dances and sings when he's not detaching his skull, and enthusiastically pronounces things "Fa-a-abulous!" These two are often waving off a mooching werewolf neighbor who eats all Scary's refreshments and speaks in pretentious stentorian tones. A bedroom-closet monster with many eyes and a huge mouth rounds out the mix -- he's loud, actually quite friendly -- and seems to hail from da Bronx! The voice talent and animators have a lot of room to play with on this show -- and it shows. The story is simple: Four older kids decide to scare sweet young Hannah Marie so they can rake in boatloads of Halloween candy on their own. Their plan backfires; as they cool their heels, Hannah Marie makes new friends. There's plenty of low-key drollery in the props and dialog. I like the Halloween costumes, esp. the SUV, and the popcorn ball gag at the end. The music is wild and the whole thing is slaphappy. I hope you like it enough to make it an annual viewing tradition. I did. 4 stars. (3-5-09)