As a lifelong resident of St. Louis, I really like how much research the writers and creators did on the city and how they incorporated the city itself. From the limestone caves that run under and around the city, to the little towns that dot around it, to the mighty Mississippi itself. Little stuff like that breathes extra life in the production as it makes the location feel like not just a setting, but also like an extra character to the story.
Tracy has lived in STL since the early to mid 2000's. She is one of us. and the Ode to the Mississippi in the comics happened on the Eads. this one looks likes it happened on the Rock Bridge.
And there’s clues in the pilot that suggests of something with the timeline, the note of the “body” where the drop-off is and the real-life obituary of Isadora. They did some serious research but left clues for us to figure out on our own 😅
As a longtime fan of Lackadaisy, Tracy NEVER slacked with this comic. It's such a beautifully done piece of work not just with the art, but the research and storytelling. I am so happy with how well the pilot is doing. The team did wonderfully and everyone involved deserves the praise and more-- especially Tracy!
"Play us a symphony" is brilliant in several ways. Freckle is what you'd consider a collected, chill, shy and polite individual who prevers to avoid confrontation. However, he does have a side to him, where he goes on what I like to call Rocky-mode whenever he gets a hold of fire arms, disregarding all sense of regret and arguably even sanity or fear and going all out, almost as if that "symphony" was Rocky's personality rubbing off on him but turned up to madness. Freckle himself is somewhat disgusted at this unhinged side of him, meanwhile Rocky encourages him to be that way, hence why Freckle is extremely hesitant when Rocky tells him to perform.
In the comics Freckle really feels like he’s being torn in multiple different directions by Nina (mom), Ivy, and Rocky. Him and Rocky do have some suppression issues.
You brought up a really good point that I never noticed, in the juxtaposition of the two teams. Rocky and mordecai specifically were very interesting. That actually emphasizes their individual themes of "perception". We see rocky's view in the opening soliloquy, and on through the quarry, where his perception of reality is skewed by this almost ethereal or fanciful quality that is overlaid over everything. Conversely, every time we're with mordecai, the colors are slightly muted, and we're made extremely aware of timing. Order and suppression vs Chaos and expression.
Yes and their both leaders of teams who seem to follow the opposite perception. Also that their both so much farther in these mindsets than most of the characters that they might be neurodivergent as well, at least that's my head canon.
@@ShyGuy1347Yeah definitely, I think Rocky also shows some signs of adhd but I don't really know enough to say for certain. Mordecai in particular has signs autism (I say this bc I am autistic), specifically in some of the short comic dubs.
@@ShyGuy1347 brain damage wouldn’t really be classified as neurodivergency, but he does exhibit traits of ADHD. And Mordecai feels more autistic coded. In the side comics they are able to have long discussions cuz it’s like they’re on the same wavelength a
@@islasullivan3463 i got ADHD, and he does feel like he’s got it. Especially in one scene in the comics where he talks to someone, but then trails off and changes the subject mid sentence cuz he got distracted.
I'm blown away from just how incredible this turned out. The concept is really interesting, and the animation, character designs, sound effects, and voice acting are all incredible. Freckles is definitely my favorite character. His voice actor did a great job making him sound cool and cute, or completely unhinged when he needed to be. Fable Siegel and the rest of the team did an amazing job bringing this world from webcomic to webvideo. I hope it's just the first of what's to come.
I personally don't understand why some people are turned off by the sketch line. They are barely visible and not so impactful that they distract you from the rest.
I knew about Lackadaisy for years (in my head I referred to it as "that beautifully drawn cat comic,") but it wasn't until I saw this pilot that I actually dove into the world--immediately after watching it I binged the entire comic because I was so terribly enamored with the characters and story that Tracy Butler had to tell. I think one of my favorite things about Lackadaisy is how every single character has their own kind of mystery about them; no one has all of their cards out on the table. It really leaves you wanting more of these amazingly complex characters, their pasts, and the situations that brought them here I really love in this pilot how you can see the parallels and juxtapositions between Rocky and Mitzi, how they're both introduced speaking out into the night sky, but for Rocky, he is speaking in prose, surrounded by a glorified and glittery vision of St. Louis from afar--he is putting on a performance, delivering a poem of the river over which he stands. And then, you get to Mitzi, who is reading aloud the obituaries in the newspaper, and speaking to her late husband's portrait about days long gone, framed by the visual of a place inside the city, rather than gazing from beyond. While Rocky delivers more fantasy, and Mitzi more realism, neither of them are directly addressing their present situation. Rocky's façade and Mitzi's pining nostalgia really set the tone without ever explicitly stating anything about either of their characters or the events taking place. I just think it's a really elegant way of setting things up!
I like the fact that you went over the opening poem, and tied it to the rest of the themes the pilot displays. Your review shows a great appreciation for the art of animation and of storytelling in general. I think many shows would benefit from your way of looking at things.
Without having to go to the comic or their tumblr, there’s clues/images in the credits, one of those images is a New Year’s party photo of *1926* with Mitzi, her husband Atlas, Victor / burly Slovakian, Ivy, AND MORDECAI. A RUclipsr suggested a follow-out had happened between then to the current time in the pilot that involves Atlas’s death, so it’s a murder mystery!
Awww, I love Cats Don’t Dance so much, haha! I highly recommend reading the comic - it’s gorgeously atmospheric, and Tracy is a master of shading and lighting. All that besides the story and fun characters, haha! It’s not like anything else I have seen. I wish the animation could keep that style, but I know that would be supremely difficult and expensive. I can’t believe after so many years that more people are noticing Lackadaisy! It makes me happy.
A lot of these questions you have are actually answered in the comic! The pilot here doesn't reflect the beginning of the comic, but more about where things are somewhere in the middle. Some, however (like why Mordecai didn't shoot when Ivy was in his sights, despite the comic establishing he has slaughtered people for less) are still left as mysteries.
Imo he probably didn't shot because 1) Ivy is Atlases goddaughter. Atlas helped him a lot, he might've hesitated to shot her due to his respect to Atlas. 2) He (probably? not sure lol) knew what kind of relationship Victor and Ivy have, and considering that him and Victor went through so much toghether I wouldn't be surprised if he would feel bad for killing her.
@@SobiTheRobot Ruby's father is still alive, if the general plot and character motivations remains the same then there is a potential reason why Mordecai doesnt shoot told in the last few chapters of the web comic
Mordecai highly respected Atlus, so I don’t think he would be down killing his goddaughter. And even tho he had no problem hurting Victor, I feel like he might feel just a bit bad knocking him down a 3rd time by killing the “little sister” of Victor. This could be wrong, but i think it’s the most likely reason.
I love that you give context to your expectations, react, then analyze and really explain all your thoughts on what you watch. I go to reaction channels hoping to see others get excited about media I enjoy, and in-depth videos like yours are exactly what I enjoy. Keep doing what you're doing, Bill!
YESSS BILL FINALLY WATCHES THIS MASTERPIECE! Aw thank you for the shout out! You not liking "Cats Dont Dance" because they're liars is very on brand lol I will reply to this comment with more thoughts as we go 1. because I dont trust myself to not accidentally delete all of this and 2. BOOST THAT ALGIORUTHM BABY!!!!
YESS LINE WORK APPRECIATION! The confusion over whether or not they're digging up actual graves is so valid and felt THE KAWAII BLUSH OVER MORDECAI IM SCREAMING 🤣 "Feelings aren't prohibited" WHY ARE YOUR ONE LINERS SO GOOD?!?!? I'm using that from now on
Thank you for breaking down Rocky's monologue. I was so lost with all the big words lol. Interesting comparing Mordecai and Rocky/ Nico and Ivy/ and Serafina and Freckle! I never would have put those similarities together The cat characteristics they kept in are great and a nice reminder they are still cats Awesome reaction and breakdown as always man!
I loved Cats Don't Dance, it's really good! And you weren't the only one thinking of that one - I titled my reaction of Lackadaisy "Cats Don't Drink" because this pilot features the same problem the movie did: they actually do drink. Loved seeing you watch this, I'm glad you checked it out!
Thank you Bill. Last night, my mind was racing about a million different things, and I thought I’d tried everything to get some sleep, but then I turned on this video and listening to you talk about this show was the one thing that could calm me down in that moment. Thank you for being you Bill
I'm so glad you decided to give Lackadaisy a shot! I think it's wonderful to see more independent animation being made and released on RUclips, and this is such a cool, unique and well-executed project. I would be interested in seeing more videos like this from you if you're happy to make them. Also, in case you didn't know, Lackadaisy is based on an awesome comic which is ongoing and free to read on its website, which I recommend! I got through it in a few days
I was so excited seeing this notif (it seems like something you’d think was neat because of the cool music and animation!), I’m excited to watch and see what u think! I love this pilot, I’m definitely looking into the comics now and I hope it gets more episodes. Thanks Morgan haha
Gosh the only indi-RUclips-animated thing I can think to suggest that likely WONT be suggested by anyone else is Betsy Lee’s No Evil. Don’t let the simplistic animation in the first few episodes fool you, as it basically started out as her animation portfolio and turned into a long term project that develops amazing visuals for a one woman animation team. Plus it boasts an amazingly fleshed out world fantasy world that mixes native/meso American mythology with some old west tall tales/fables. It has some pretty cool music moments as well!
this is such a good analysis of the pilot. i never thought about the comparisons between the two trios and how similar/opposite they are. it really makes you realize why they did the pilot the way they did with like, having these characters who are basically foils for each other
i hope the creators see *this* reaction in particular. yours brings a lot of important and unique insights to a story that's already had a long run and that has a lot of invested fans who don't get to see the forest for the trees quite like brand new eyes do. you drew some interesting (and def not untrue) character comparisons that the comic doesn't immediately make obvious due to how everyone gets introduced. Also.... there are a lot of on-the-side comic shorts narrated for your 100%-defo-not-judging lovely cat husband on both the lackadaisy channel and on the mordecai voice actor's YT channel (proZD).
If you haven't seen it again since childhood, you should definitely give Cats Don't Dance another shot. It's a great movie and deserved so much better.
huge kudos to you for not only checking out something new (and feline period piece) but also paying so much attention and putting in so much thought in this reaction. i'd definitely recommend reading the comic; the way this pilot is so successful with so many elements and so high quality is absolutely unsurprising based on the fact that the comic is exactly the same way, and this indie animation could be crowdfunded and supported for years because the comic really earned an extensive & devoted fanbase. i actually started reading it in '07; it was a huge artistic inspiration, its quality of which on the outset i'd describe as incredible, so it's difficult to describe just how good the art style & execution becomes over the years: stunning, superlative? etc. yet (not irrelevant to the incredible visual quality) updates would take enough time that you could catch up with it all in a few days (two or even one, if you really go hard) plus even the bonus art is amazing and so much fun when you have full comic context i reread the whole comic for the first time in a while after seeing this pilot, and i really latched on to mordecai more than i ever had before i think lol, so i'd also definitely recommend checking it out for him: he's pretty much as or more prominent than any other characters outside lackadaisy (unsurprisingly, with the "sentimental about old times" type clues here) and is a super enjoyable character in just the same way he is here. beyond that, a lot of what makes this pilot great beyond even amazing visuals, which you absolutely were noting, is true for the comic as well: the designs and style specific to the art are so strong (also re: the pilot, a fun fact is that those Drawing Lines you noticed and enjoyed coming through is something that, since this was digitally rather than traditionally drawn, actually took the artists extra work to add back in, b/c other steps in animating with the program used would necessarily take them out) and there's so much detail, including in the worldbuilding and historical accuracy. but a ton of the appeal in the story is not only found in there being a few compelling mysteries, which are interwoven in such a way that it never feels like those Unknowns get in the way of story momentum, rather than serving it, but also the way those mysteries, like the overall story itself, is really based on this very strong character material found in this fun, varied, interesting cast with engaging and compelling dynamics to be found in pretty much any combination you can imagine. i really can't hype it up enough, Especially when all the reasons you talked about enjoying and being impressed by and interested in with this pilot are absolutely so relevant to the comic as well. (and, also like the pilot, the delight of Bootlegging Kitties In Suits And Guns is such a great foundation for the overall tone of the work. it's serious, mature, "realistic" enough in other ways, but we're also here to have fun.)
Fell in love with this show and webcomic as soon as I watched the pilot, great stuff. I really love how you analyse media, as of now I've seen the pilot dozens of times and read half the webcomic yet I've never picked up on the parallels between Rocky's and Mordecai's respective trios.
Always up for unique animation with an interesting story to tell. Some of the details were oddly accurate representations of the era being represented. I'd be interested to see what comes next & how relatable the characters prove to be over the course of a series. Thanks Bill!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, this was origionally one of my favorite web comics and I love your speculation. Hopefully we get more episodes so you can learn more about the big bartender bouncer man, he's my favorite.
I will accept no slander of Cats dont Dance in this house! (XD that is hilarious, you should definitely give it a second try now though. The entire thing is an allegory for representation in the film industry) Glad you enjoyed this!! I'm hoping it gets picked up
Just so you know bill, there’s a whole webcomic before this pilot that tells the character’s backstories extremely well. So if there’s anything you were unsure of, the comic can probably answer.
I love your thoughtful analysis every single time. I`ve been a fan of the comic for years and I am so ready for more and grateful for the well-deserved attention it is receiving. Yes, the love for Mordecai is already so on point for fans! I appreciate how well you understand Rocky too, he`s my favorite character. Rocky and Freckle`s past is something I`ve been DYING to know for years!! I`m very tempted to answer some of your questions but I don`t want to spoil it. Btw the other girl cat is Serafine (sara-feen). Asa (Ay-sa)/Mr. Sweet is the cat with the flower /genuine.
Loved that pilot, and loved your reaction to it. You always have something interesting and insightful to add to these shows, and this was another great video to prove that ^^. If you're looking for more original RUclips animations to get into, I'd honestly like to see your take on Helluva Boss. It's quite vulgar and violent on the surface, but has really intriguing and well laid out character development and dymanics told through that. It runs a lot deeper than a first glance might have you thing. Maybe give it a try?
One of the beautiful things about Lackadaisy is the way you can tell by who's still around how bad things are for Miss M. Rocky and Freckle are band members, but now they're going out to pick up booze. Viktor was an enforcer, but now he's tending bar. Ivy used to work at the Little Daisy, but now she's involved with the speakeasy. The staff is gone. The clientele is gone. The booze is gone. All that remains are the people who refused to give up, and that's why we root for them.
I can't believe Lackadaisy is being reviewed here !! I followed the project since the kickstarter and of course I knew I was gonna love it, but for some many new poeple to love it too is soooo amazing !!! There is many official dubbed comic if you want more !!
More independent shows and/ or pilots: Hazbin Hotel (Pilot only) Helluva Boss (Full season) Murder Drones (Pilot + 3 episodes) Please please do Murder Drones! That show isn't getting the love it so very much deserves!
I enjoyed this so much that I wound up going back to read the web comic. I still have a bit to go but it gave me a lot of backstory that I was curious about. I also liked that they were always cats the whole time. They did not forget that they were cats and despite the fact that they had thumbs and spoke like we do, they still often carried themselves and reacted like cats. It made it more than just anthropomorphized animals, giving a bit more verisimilitude. It made the world more authentic for me.
Anyway I've been obsessed with lackadaidy ever since I discovered it about a week after the pilot came out. On my fourth read throufh of the comic right now, I've also read all of the supplemental materials and watched a lot of the videos on the channel, been there for a few of the signing streams. I'm just loving this story and the universe. Just so in love with it.
I would also like your reaction to a short teaser for a project called playground! It needs so much attention and is so delightfully creepy with AMAZING ANIMATION! That is all, thank you for your time!
"Cats Don't Dance" is one of my childhood favorites. That said this pilot for "Lackadaisy" did cause me to read the comic in one sitting. lol Also if you haven't tried watching Cartoon Network's "Craig of the Creek" yet, that'd be something nice and fun to react to. Please give it a watch. :)
Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss, Murder Drones, Long Gone Gulch, Epithet Erased, and ENA will probably be suggested by somebody else. But I'd love to see you Try to Stan Gwain Saga, which I find very overlooked.
This is my fifth viewing of Lackadaisy and a while ago it occurred to me that my great grandma was fifteen and trying to make a living in West Virginia 1927.
Ohh the Lackadaisy pilot was so cool looking If you're looking for more, like, online serieses to watch I'd suggest either Animator vs Animation and/or Animator vs Minecraft by Alan Becker! It's possible you've seen the first couple AvA videos but he's done a lot since those first few! (There are so far 5 AvAs and *30* AvMs!)
I thought the same about Cats Don't Dance but still enjoyed the movie 🤣🤣🤣 So many cool things you've analyzed that I haven't thought of ❤ I am extremely worried about Rocky because he seems constantly unhinged. Freckles is a sweetheart and Ivy is my favorite of the bunch ❤️ Yeah, you'll *love* Murder Drones
Murder drones is violent, and has aspects of horror, but it also has moments where it’s funny and ridiculous. Sooo maybe it has the zanniness and horror like “don’t hug me I’m scared”, but it takes advantage of desensitization that people have for horror and reflect it in the universe. It’s good, I would think you would like the characters. As for myself, N is adorkable murder drone who I will protect at all costs, lol.
As a long time fan of the comic I'm so glad Iron Circus brought Rock and the gang to life. Can't wait to see what they give us next Edit: the cat you keep referring to as ASA is Seraphina. She's Nico's sister
OK Bill. Now you have to do Big Top Burger, Murder Drones, and Helluva Boss at some point. You've entered the world of independent high(ish) budget RUclips animated shows and pilots and there's no turning back! Lol.
"Cuz they're liars! Those cats danced!" 😂
I am living for all the Cats Don’t Dance love rn
Literally cats can’t dance
It's such a kid reason to dislike something, my nephew says similar things a lot lol
As a lifelong resident of St. Louis, I really like how much research the writers and creators did on the city and how they incorporated the city itself. From the limestone caves that run under and around the city, to the little towns that dot around it, to the mighty Mississippi itself. Little stuff like that breathes extra life in the production as it makes the location feel like not just a setting, but also like an extra character to the story.
You'll like the webcomic. Tracy Butler really does her research.
Tracy has lived in STL since the early to mid 2000's. She is one of us. and the Ode to the Mississippi in the comics happened on the Eads. this one looks likes it happened on the Rock Bridge.
And there’s clues in the pilot that suggests of something with the timeline, the note of the “body” where the drop-off is and the real-life obituary of Isadora. They did some serious research but left clues for us to figure out on our own 😅
"my cat husband" BILL! DARLING! You already understand the fandom! WELCOME!
As a longtime fan of Lackadaisy, Tracy NEVER slacked with this comic. It's such a beautifully done piece of work not just with the art, but the research and storytelling. I am so happy with how well the pilot is doing. The team did wonderfully and everyone involved deserves the praise and more-- especially Tracy!
"Play us a symphony" is brilliant in several ways. Freckle is what you'd consider a collected, chill, shy and polite individual who prevers to avoid confrontation. However, he does have a side to him, where he goes on what I like to call Rocky-mode whenever he gets a hold of fire arms, disregarding all sense of regret and arguably even sanity or fear and going all out, almost as if that "symphony" was Rocky's personality rubbing off on him but turned up to madness. Freckle himself is somewhat disgusted at this unhinged side of him, meanwhile Rocky encourages him to be that way, hence why Freckle is extremely hesitant when Rocky tells him to perform.
In the comics Freckle really feels like he’s being torn in multiple different directions by Nina (mom), Ivy, and Rocky. Him and Rocky do have some suppression issues.
You brought up a really good point that I never noticed, in the juxtaposition of the two teams. Rocky and mordecai specifically were very interesting. That actually emphasizes their individual themes of "perception". We see rocky's view in the opening soliloquy, and on through the quarry, where his perception of reality is skewed by this almost ethereal or fanciful quality that is overlaid over everything. Conversely, every time we're with mordecai, the colors are slightly muted, and we're made extremely aware of timing. Order and suppression vs Chaos and expression.
Yes and their both leaders of teams who seem to follow the opposite perception. Also that their both so much farther in these mindsets than most of the characters that they might be neurodivergent as well, at least that's my head canon.
@islasullivan3463 well, canonically rocky has brain damage, so I think he'd agree that his neuro diverges. I don't know enough about Mordecai.
@@ShyGuy1347Yeah definitely, I think Rocky also shows some signs of adhd but I don't really know enough to say for certain. Mordecai in particular has signs autism (I say this bc I am autistic), specifically in some of the short comic dubs.
@@ShyGuy1347 brain damage wouldn’t really be classified as neurodivergency, but he does exhibit traits of ADHD. And Mordecai feels more autistic coded. In the side comics they are able to have long discussions cuz it’s like they’re on the same wavelength a
@@islasullivan3463 i got ADHD, and he does feel like he’s got it. Especially in one scene in the comics where he talks to someone, but then trails off and changes the subject mid sentence cuz he got distracted.
I'm blown away from just how incredible this turned out. The concept is really interesting, and the animation, character designs, sound effects, and voice acting are all incredible. Freckles is definitely my favorite character. His voice actor did a great job making him sound cool and cute, or completely unhinged when he needed to be. Fable Siegel and the rest of the team did an amazing job bringing this world from webcomic to webvideo. I hope it's just the first of what's to come.
The giggling about the Cats dont dance thing at the start had me hahaha
I personally don't understand why some people are turned off by the sketch line.
They are barely visible and not so impactful that they distract you from the rest.
"Was that his quarry?" Yes. If you look, you'll see the sign they crash through says "Sable Quarry."
"Spicy juice?" Canadian Apple Blood!
I knew about Lackadaisy for years (in my head I referred to it as "that beautifully drawn cat comic,") but it wasn't until I saw this pilot that I actually dove into the world--immediately after watching it I binged the entire comic because I was so terribly enamored with the characters and story that Tracy Butler had to tell. I think one of my favorite things about Lackadaisy is how every single character has their own kind of mystery about them; no one has all of their cards out on the table. It really leaves you wanting more of these amazingly complex characters, their pasts, and the situations that brought them here
I really love in this pilot how you can see the parallels and juxtapositions between Rocky and Mitzi, how they're both introduced speaking out into the night sky, but for Rocky, he is speaking in prose, surrounded by a glorified and glittery vision of St. Louis from afar--he is putting on a performance, delivering a poem of the river over which he stands. And then, you get to Mitzi, who is reading aloud the obituaries in the newspaper, and speaking to her late husband's portrait about days long gone, framed by the visual of a place inside the city, rather than gazing from beyond. While Rocky delivers more fantasy, and Mitzi more realism, neither of them are directly addressing their present situation. Rocky's façade and Mitzi's pining nostalgia really set the tone without ever explicitly stating anything about either of their characters or the events taking place. I just think it's a really elegant way of setting things up!
Gorgeously put!
''My cat husband'' we're the same person Bill, this is why i love your channel lmao
HELL YES! This pilot completely hooked me into the whole thing and now I'm reading the comic.
I like the fact that you went over the opening poem, and tied it to the rest of the themes the pilot displays. Your review shows a great appreciation for the art of animation and of storytelling in general. I think many shows would benefit from your way of looking at things.
Lackadaisy has such gorgeous animation and amazing voice acting, I LOVE it!!! Loves seeing your reaction to it even if I was extremely late to it lol
Asa is Mr. Sweet, the ominous figure (and it's pronounced Ay-sa). The unhinged Cajun lady is Serafine.
Without having to go to the comic or their tumblr, there’s clues/images in the credits, one of those images is a New Year’s party photo of *1926* with Mitzi, her husband Atlas, Victor / burly Slovakian, Ivy, AND MORDECAI.
A RUclipsr suggested a follow-out had happened between then to the current time in the pilot that involves Atlas’s death, so it’s a murder mystery!
Awww, I love Cats Don’t Dance so much, haha!
I highly recommend reading the comic - it’s gorgeously atmospheric, and Tracy is a master of shading and lighting. All that besides the story and fun characters, haha! It’s not like anything else I have seen. I wish the animation could keep that style, but I know that would be supremely difficult and expensive.
I can’t believe after so many years that more people are noticing Lackadaisy! It makes me happy.
A lot of these questions you have are actually answered in the comic! The pilot here doesn't reflect the beginning of the comic, but more about where things are somewhere in the middle. Some, however (like why Mordecai didn't shoot when Ivy was in his sights, despite the comic establishing he has slaughtered people for less) are still left as mysteries.
I agree but as a pilot I do think it does the piloting aspect well. Gets you super invested while leaving you questioning but not in a bad way
Imo he probably didn't shot because
1) Ivy is Atlases goddaughter. Atlas helped him a lot, he might've hesitated to shot her due to his respect to Atlas.
2) He (probably? not sure lol) knew what kind of relationship Victor and Ivy have, and considering that him and Victor went through so much toghether I wouldn't be surprised if he would feel bad for killing her.
@@M.i.s.e.r.y I have a hunch he might have murdered Ruby's father and, despite everything, it's the one thing he feels guilty about.
@@SobiTheRobot Ruby's father is still alive, if the general plot and character motivations remains the same then there is a potential reason why Mordecai doesnt shoot told in the last few chapters of the web comic
Mordecai highly respected Atlus, so I don’t think he would be down killing his goddaughter. And even tho he had no problem hurting Victor, I feel like he might feel just a bit bad knocking him down a 3rd time by killing the “little sister” of Victor. This could be wrong, but i think it’s the most likely reason.
I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS FRECKLE IS THE MOST ADORABLE CREATURE EVER.
I love that you give context to your expectations, react, then analyze and really explain all your thoughts on what you watch. I go to reaction channels hoping to see others get excited about media I enjoy, and in-depth videos like yours are exactly what I enjoy. Keep doing what you're doing, Bill!
YESSS BILL FINALLY WATCHES THIS MASTERPIECE!
Aw thank you for the shout out!
You not liking "Cats Dont Dance" because they're liars is very on brand lol
I will reply to this comment with more thoughts as we go 1. because I dont trust myself to not accidentally delete all of this and 2. BOOST THAT ALGIORUTHM BABY!!!!
YESS LINE WORK APPRECIATION!
The confusion over whether or not they're digging up actual graves is so valid and felt
THE KAWAII BLUSH OVER MORDECAI IM SCREAMING 🤣
"Feelings aren't prohibited" WHY ARE YOUR ONE LINERS SO GOOD?!?!? I'm using that from now on
Thank you for breaking down Rocky's monologue. I was so lost with all the big words lol.
Interesting comparing Mordecai and Rocky/ Nico and Ivy/ and Serafina and Freckle! I never would have put those similarities together
The cat characteristics they kept in are great and a nice reminder they are still cats
Awesome reaction and breakdown as always man!
I loved Cats Don't Dance, it's really good! And you weren't the only one thinking of that one - I titled my reaction of Lackadaisy "Cats Don't Drink" because this pilot features the same problem the movie did: they actually do drink.
Loved seeing you watch this, I'm glad you checked it out!
Thank you Bill. Last night, my mind was racing about a million different things, and I thought I’d tried everything to get some sleep, but then I turned on this video and listening to you talk about this show was the one thing that could calm me down in that moment. Thank you for being you Bill
I'm so glad you decided to give Lackadaisy a shot! I think it's wonderful to see more independent animation being made and released on RUclips, and this is such a cool, unique and well-executed project. I would be interested in seeing more videos like this from you if you're happy to make them. Also, in case you didn't know, Lackadaisy is based on an awesome comic which is ongoing and free to read on its website, which I recommend! I got through it in a few days
I was so excited seeing this notif (it seems like something you’d think was neat because of the cool music and animation!), I’m excited to watch and see what u think! I love this pilot, I’m definitely looking into the comics now and I hope it gets more episodes. Thanks Morgan haha
Gosh the only indi-RUclips-animated thing I can think to suggest that likely WONT be suggested by anyone else is Betsy Lee’s No Evil. Don’t let the simplistic animation in the first few episodes fool you, as it basically started out as her animation portfolio and turned into a long term project that develops amazing visuals for a one woman animation team. Plus it boasts an amazingly fleshed out world fantasy world that mixes native/meso American mythology with some old west tall tales/fables. It has some pretty cool music moments as well!
I loved the way you analyzed this pilot episode! And the poem! I've seen the opening scene dividing opinions but I personally loved it!
this is such a good analysis of the pilot. i never thought about the comparisons between the two trios and how similar/opposite they are. it really makes you realize why they did the pilot the way they did with like, having these characters who are basically foils for each other
i hope the creators see *this* reaction in particular. yours brings a lot of important and unique insights to a story that's already had a long run and that has a lot of invested fans who don't get to see the forest for the trees quite like brand new eyes do. you drew some interesting (and def not untrue) character comparisons that the comic doesn't immediately make obvious due to how everyone gets introduced. Also.... there are a lot of on-the-side comic shorts narrated for your 100%-defo-not-judging lovely cat husband on both the lackadaisy channel and on the mordecai voice actor's YT channel (proZD).
If you haven't seen it again since childhood, you should definitely give Cats Don't Dance another shot. It's a great movie and deserved so much better.
huge kudos to you for not only checking out something new (and feline period piece) but also paying so much attention and putting in so much thought in this reaction.
i'd definitely recommend reading the comic; the way this pilot is so successful with so many elements and so high quality is absolutely unsurprising based on the fact that the comic is exactly the same way, and this indie animation could be crowdfunded and supported for years because the comic really earned an extensive & devoted fanbase. i actually started reading it in '07; it was a huge artistic inspiration, its quality of which on the outset i'd describe as incredible, so it's difficult to describe just how good the art style & execution becomes over the years: stunning, superlative? etc. yet (not irrelevant to the incredible visual quality) updates would take enough time that you could catch up with it all in a few days (two or even one, if you really go hard) plus even the bonus art is amazing and so much fun when you have full comic context
i reread the whole comic for the first time in a while after seeing this pilot, and i really latched on to mordecai more than i ever had before i think lol, so i'd also definitely recommend checking it out for him: he's pretty much as or more prominent than any other characters outside lackadaisy (unsurprisingly, with the "sentimental about old times" type clues here) and is a super enjoyable character in just the same way he is here.
beyond that, a lot of what makes this pilot great beyond even amazing visuals, which you absolutely were noting, is true for the comic as well: the designs and style specific to the art are so strong (also re: the pilot, a fun fact is that those Drawing Lines you noticed and enjoyed coming through is something that, since this was digitally rather than traditionally drawn, actually took the artists extra work to add back in, b/c other steps in animating with the program used would necessarily take them out) and there's so much detail, including in the worldbuilding and historical accuracy. but a ton of the appeal in the story is not only found in there being a few compelling mysteries, which are interwoven in such a way that it never feels like those Unknowns get in the way of story momentum, rather than serving it, but also the way those mysteries, like the overall story itself, is really based on this very strong character material found in this fun, varied, interesting cast with engaging and compelling dynamics to be found in pretty much any combination you can imagine. i really can't hype it up enough, Especially when all the reasons you talked about enjoying and being impressed by and interested in with this pilot are absolutely so relevant to the comic as well. (and, also like the pilot, the delight of Bootlegging Kitties In Suits And Guns is such a great foundation for the overall tone of the work. it's serious, mature, "realistic" enough in other ways, but we're also here to have fun.)
Fell in love with this show and webcomic as soon as I watched the pilot, great stuff.
I really love how you analyse media, as of now I've seen the pilot dozens of times and read half the webcomic yet I've never picked up on the parallels between Rocky's and Mordecai's respective trios.
I appreciate you exposing more indie animation! Fans who follow you for industry shows get to see it and it gets the word out.
Always up for unique animation with an interesting story to tell. Some of the details were oddly accurate representations of the era being represented. I'd be interested to see what comes next & how relatable the characters prove to be over the course of a series.
Thanks Bill!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, this was origionally one of my favorite web comics and I love your speculation. Hopefully we get more episodes so you can learn more about the big bartender bouncer man, he's my favorite.
I will accept no slander of Cats dont Dance in this house! (XD that is hilarious, you should definitely give it a second try now though. The entire thing is an allegory for representation in the film industry)
Glad you enjoyed this!! I'm hoping it gets picked up
I’m so glad to see you reacted to this this pilot needs all the attention it can get
Just so you know bill, there’s a whole webcomic before this pilot that tells the character’s backstories extremely well.
So if there’s anything you were unsure of, the comic can probably answer.
I love your thoughtful analysis every single time. I`ve been a fan of the comic for years and I am so ready for more and grateful for the well-deserved attention it is receiving. Yes, the love for Mordecai is already so on point for fans! I appreciate how well you understand Rocky too, he`s my favorite character. Rocky and Freckle`s past is something I`ve been DYING to know for years!! I`m very tempted to answer some of your questions but I don`t want to spoil it. Btw the other girl cat is Serafine (sara-feen). Asa (Ay-sa)/Mr. Sweet is the cat with the flower /genuine.
7:01 I like this frame where Bill has no mouth and is just half beard
4:02 It's Canadian Whiskey And Prohibition Was An Era Of Gross Drinks.
fake whisky. real Old Log Cabin had a screwtop not a cork.
Loved that pilot, and loved your reaction to it. You always have something interesting and insightful to add to these shows, and this was another great video to prove that ^^.
If you're looking for more original RUclips animations to get into, I'd honestly like to see your take on Helluva Boss. It's quite vulgar and violent on the surface, but has really intriguing and well laid out character development and dymanics told through that. It runs a lot deeper than a first glance might have you thing. Maybe give it a try?
One of the beautiful things about Lackadaisy is the way you can tell by who's still around how bad things are for Miss M. Rocky and Freckle are band members, but now they're going out to pick up booze. Viktor was an enforcer, but now he's tending bar. Ivy used to work at the Little Daisy, but now she's involved with the speakeasy. The staff is gone. The clientele is gone. The booze is gone. All that remains are the people who refused to give up, and that's why we root for them.
freckle plays no instrument, rocky and freckle are cousins. Ivy is the goddaughter of Atlas and she dances at the speakeasy
@@toomanyaccounts It's been years since I read the comic TBH.
Please do more pilots/indie animation projects!!!
I went into this one blind too, and then I *HAD* to read the archive!
Edited to add - and I ALSO fell for Mordecai just a bit.
I'd definitely love seeing you react to Helluva Boss if you haven't already, and also Murder Drones (both of these are on youtube!)
I’m so glad you watched this and we got your customary super well thought out and thoughtful review!
I love indie animations! I'd love to see you do videos on more of them
I will not accept this Cats Don't Dance SLANDER!! Lol
For real though it's a great pilot. I am so excited to see where this goes.
I think you would love to check out more
that was like the best analysis of this ever love you man (definitely look into the comic this was based on heheh)
Oh, please do animated pilots/short films/videos! There are so many fantastic shows and projects that I'd love for more people to see!
I can't believe Lackadaisy is being reviewed here !! I followed the project since the kickstarter and of course I knew I was gonna love it, but for some many new poeple to love it too is soooo amazing !!! There is many official dubbed comic if you want more !!
More independent shows and/ or pilots:
Hazbin Hotel (Pilot only)
Helluva Boss (Full season)
Murder Drones (Pilot + 3 episodes)
Please please do Murder Drones! That show isn't getting the love it so very much deserves!
Just tell yourself it's Canada Dry Ginger Ale if that helps 🤣 Great reaction, btw!
I enjoyed this so much that I wound up going back to read the web comic. I still have a bit to go but it gave me a lot of backstory that I was curious about.
I also liked that they were always cats the whole time. They did not forget that they were cats and despite the fact that they had thumbs and spoke like we do, they still often carried themselves and reacted like cats. It made it more than just anthropomorphized animals, giving a bit more verisimilitude.
It made the world more authentic for me.
Oh yes, and I've already watched both Megan Terry's and Mosco's reactions.
If you haven't seen already, there's now a teaser out for a season 1 of Lackadaisy that's being crowdfunded right now!
I’d be down for you to do more independent stuff. Recommendations are “HazbinHotel” and “Helluva Boss”.
It’s an really beautiful pilot.
5:16 really good frame of bill's face here
The female Marigold cat is Sarafine.
I understand your concern about Murder Drone but, surprisingly, it have more light-heartedness then you expect.
was so excited to see you watch this one
"Talk this out guys" sir this is the mafia
DUDE I'M SO EXCITED FOR MORE OF THIS SHOW💞💞
I enjoyed this. I would also enjoy if you watched Murder Drones
Anyway I've been obsessed with lackadaidy ever since I discovered it about a week after the pilot came out. On my fourth read throufh of the comic right now, I've also read all of the supplemental materials and watched a lot of the videos on the channel, been there for a few of the signing streams. I'm just loving this story and the universe. Just so in love with it.
In the background when rocky makes the comment about wringing booze out of his coat, ivy is trying to get freckle to drink the booze
Sorry, spicy soda
I would also like your reaction to a short teaser for a project called playground! It needs so much attention and is so delightfully creepy with AMAZING ANIMATION!
That is all, thank you for your time!
"Cats Don't Dance" is one of my childhood favorites. That said this pilot for "Lackadaisy" did cause me to read the comic in one sitting. lol
Also if you haven't tried watching Cartoon Network's "Craig of the Creek" yet, that'd be something nice and fun to react to. Please give it a watch. :)
Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss, Murder Drones, Long Gone Gulch, Epithet Erased, and ENA will probably be suggested by somebody else. But I'd love to see you Try to Stan Gwain Saga, which I find very overlooked.
This is my fifth viewing of Lackadaisy and a while ago it occurred to me that my great grandma was fifteen and trying to make a living in West Virginia 1927.
Great reaction!
you're probably the first reviewer I've seen who actually paid attention to and understood Rocky's opening poem
it's what I do lol
Ohh the Lackadaisy pilot was so cool looking
If you're looking for more, like, online serieses to watch I'd suggest either Animator vs Animation and/or Animator vs Minecraft by Alan Becker! It's possible you've seen the first couple AvA videos but he's done a lot since those first few! (There are so far 5 AvAs and *30* AvMs!)
Ayy lets go bill!
I thought the same about Cats Don't Dance but still enjoyed the movie 🤣🤣🤣
So many cool things you've analyzed that I haven't thought of ❤
I am extremely worried about Rocky because he seems constantly unhinged. Freckles is a sweetheart and Ivy is my favorite of the bunch ❤️
Yeah, you'll *love* Murder Drones
yaaaAAAAAAaaay BILL 🤩🤩🤩
So happy when I see you watching my favorite things 🥰
I am once again asking you to watch sanders sides you'll love it so much
Yer getting good friend Billy boy, good, im happy for you
god i fuckin love lackadaisy i'm still shocked this pilot actually happened i am begging someone buy this show and let them do whatever they want
Murder drones is violent, and has aspects of horror, but it also has moments where it’s funny and ridiculous. Sooo maybe it has the zanniness and horror like “don’t hug me I’m scared”, but it takes advantage of desensitization that people have for horror and reflect it in the universe. It’s good, I would think you would like the characters. As for myself, N is adorkable murder drone who I will protect at all costs, lol.
Early Squad, where you at! Also I love your videos! Never been this early before ❤
6:26 It also works because...LackaDAISY
Mordecai is voiced by our one and only Sungwon Cho, aka ProZD.
And yes Mr. Sable was the owner of the place rocky blew up and then flooded.
You should revisit Cats Don't Dance, because the whole point of the movie is that they can dance but The Man won't let them.
As a long time fan of the comic I'm so glad Iron Circus brought Rock and the gang to life. Can't wait to see what they give us next
Edit: the cat you keep referring to as ASA is Seraphina. She's Nico's sister
I neeeeeeed a company to pick this up. Rocky and Mordecai, my beloved.
7:01 WHY DID BILL'S MOUTH DISAPPEAR??
19:01 this image is so funny
why is there glass breaking sounds? Claws on glass scraping.
I think you're the first reactor I've seen to pick up on first viewing that it was Wick's quarry.
Murder Drones next please! And No Evil by Betsy Lee!
pausing at 7:02 make it look like there is no mouth
There is this underrated unique RUclips show called “Epithet Erased” by jelloapocalypse
didn't know you and morgan are acquaintances!
any possibility you could make a video reacting to some splatoon music?
Can you do a K/DA trying to Stan?
OK Bill. Now you have to do Big Top Burger, Murder Drones, and Helluva Boss at some point. You've entered the world of independent high(ish) budget RUclips animated shows and pilots and there's no turning back! Lol.
So apparently you were right about Hooty Bill