Episode Review


Totally Tetrisized


Friday, December 1, 2006, 9:00 AM - 10:43 AM


Summary (9:01 AM - 9:02 AM)

Just read the novelization of the episode at https://ldloveszh.tripod.com/episodes/3tetris


Misc. Tidbits (9:02 AM - 9:04 AM)

The episode was written by Dorothy Middleton.

The episode originally aired on Saturday, October 5, 1991, as the fourth episode of Season 3 and the thirty-first episode of the series.

I first saw this episode on NBC and then possibly on "Captain N & The Video Game Masters".


Interesting Notes (9:04 AM - 10:20 AM)

The title is purple with no quotes.

The combined power of the jewel in Lana's tiara and the jewel in Lyle's ring can either cure some that's been Tetrisized or produce a destructive laser blast.

Kevin doesn't use his Zapper in this episode.

Kevin's weapons don't lose power in this episode.


Great Lines (9:39 AM - 10:17 AM)

Kevin: "If you ask me, this looks a little too easy."
Simon: "So who asked you?"

Lana: "I demand to know what you did with my brother, you...you...putrid puzzle!"
Puzzle Wizard: "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Puzzle Wizard: "Don,...tell them what they'll get, if Simon loses."
Don: "Well, Puzzle Wizard, if Simon loses, we'll take him and his friends, first-class, to spend the rest of their days as blockheads on the Tetris wall of their choice! Back to you, Puzzle Wizard."

Puzzle Wizard: "Simon Belmont, come on down!"

Kevin: "Looks like dear old dad is out to lunch."
The Count: "No, I thought I'd have a bite in my room today."

Kevin: "I think simon's gonna need our help, Alucard."
Alucard: "You're the one who's gonna need help, sucker."
Simon: "See? We never should've trusted that son of a count."

Simon: "Oh, that he were here to witness the glory that has been bestowed on the House of Belmont this day."
Kevin: "Oh, that he were here to shut down the mouth of Belmont this day."


Dumb Lines (9:55 AM - 10:17 AM)

Kevin: "Hey, I'm the Game Master; remember? I never lose."
Wow, Kevin, that's incredible arrogant. Arrogance worthy of Simon, actually.


Rant (9:07 AM - 10:43 AM)

This episode was written by Dorothy Middleton. The previous episodes written by Dorothy Middleton are "Gameboy" and "Misadventures In Robin Hood Woods". The former episode was good. The latter episode was average. How well does she do this time?

This is another episode based on "Tetris". Great. Like we really needed another one.

The music that plays over the Captain N logo in this episode is the same music that will be played later in the episode, during the "50-yard leap".

The music that plays during the episode's title is the title screen music from the Game Boy version of "Tetris".

We finally get to see the Palace of Power in this episode. It seems that the N Team repainted the walls of the living room purple.

I guess that riddle game that Kevin and Simon are playing must be voice-activated. Keep in mind that this was years before "Lifeline" came out. This must have seemed futuristic in 1991.

Simon calls Kevin "Mr. Lame Master". The android duplicate of Mike Vincent called Kevin "Lame Master" in Season 1's "The Most Dangerous Game Master", which also had a scene in the N Team's living room.

That's a very simple controller that Kevin's using: 1 big, red button.

Ugh. The water from the game comes out of the TV screen and gets Simon wet. Enough with the lame cartoon physics, already!

How could Mayor Squaresly contact the N Team via the TV set?

Lana's mid-air backflip is totally rad! You go, girl!

I love how Lana kicks the Tetrisized people away. Kevin and Lana's high-five afterwards is cool, too.

Wow. Lana sure has guts to march up to the Puzzle Wizard and make a demand.

That game show moment is hilarious.

The title screen music from the Game Boy version of "Tetris" is playing while Kevin is playing "Tetris". Couldn't they have used music that you hear while playing the actual game? Oh, well. At least it's from "Tetris". They could have used music from "Super Mario Bros.".

This is the second time that we see Lana without her tiara. Lana previously took off her tiara in "Mega Trouble For Megaland".

What was Lana hoping to accomplish by freeing Lyle? She said it's their only hope. Why? She then started to walk back to the action before Lyle stopped her and suggested using the jewels. What was she going to do?

The combined power of Lana and Lyle's jewels and either cure or destroy. Does it simply do whatever they want?

Lyle got a new outfit since the last time that we saw him. Personally, I like his older outfit better.

It's cool that Mayor Squaresly and Lyle went to the Palace of Power to hang out with Kevin and Lana.

The episode ends on a cute note - with Simon being used as a doorstop.

Lesson: Magic stones triumph over evil and are worth more than skills.

This episode is above average. I like it better than "The Trouble With Tetris". It's unclear regarding whether Lana had a plan or not, but it has a more interesting villain, even if he is made up.

In this episode, Kevin, Lana, and Simon appear. Mega Man, Kid Icarus, Duke, and Gameboy must be back at the Palace of Power - but not in the living room.

Of course, Mother Brain and her lackeys aren't in this episode.

As for what to cut out, I can't think of any filler in this episode. Dorothy Middleton made good use of the short running time that she was given to work with. This is a lean episode.

Overall, "Totally Tetrisized" is a good episode.

Usefulness ratings:

Kevin: 1 (warning Lana)
Lana: 2 (freeing Lyle, defeating the Puzzle Wizard)
Simon: 1 (opening his parachute)

This is a Lana episode, and Lana is the most useful N Team member, beating Kevin and Simon. I'm not counting anyone of the street acrobatics, because they were just depending themselves against Tetrisized people and not defeating anyone. Also, I'm not counting Kevin trying to help Simon out, since it didn't help Simon. I'm also not counting Kevin winning the game of "Tetris", since it didn't help him.

The running total usefulness ratings for this season so far are:

Kevin: 22 (4 episodes)
Lana: 4 (2 episodes)
Simon: 3 (2 episodes)
Mega Man: 0 (0 episodes)
Kid Icarus: 2 (1 episode)
Duke: 1 (2 episodes)
Gameboy: 0 (0 episodes)

Kevin goes further into the lead, leaving everyone else in the dust. Lana moves into second place. Simon falls to third place, followed by Kid Icarus in fourth and Duke in fifth.

The running total usefulness ratings for the series so far are:

Kevin: 159 (30 episodes)
Lana: 46 (28 episodes)
Simon: 53 (28 episodes)
Mega Man: 43 (26 episodes)
Kid Icarus: 50 (27 episodes)
Duke: 25 (28 episodes)
Gameboy: 18 (13 episodes)

Lana is still in 4th place. We'll see how long that she stays there.


That's the end of my review of "Totally Tetrisized". "A Tale of Two Dogs" originally aired fifth in Season 3 - on Saturday, October 12, 1991, so I'll review that next. See you all in my next review!


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