"There's no such thing as perfect. You're beautiful as you are Courage. With all your imperfections you can do anything." One of the most poignant statements ever said came from a talking Barracuda swimming in a bathtub. What a world this is.
"Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, then it's going to live it's whole life thinking it's stupid." - Albert Einstein. I strongly believe that this quote really does pertain to the topic upon this episode.
This episode easily had the scariest monster out of all the ones we see in this show. Not many people will encounter a demon-posessed mattress or giant, talking bananas, but anyone can have self-esteem issues and they can completely destroy a person
For me, it's this, or Bunny's boyfriend from the Mask. Falling for my own insecurities, or finding that the seemingly nice person I thought I knew and loved was really vicious and abusive...
I always thought that Eustace had hired the teacher, but what you pointed out makes more sense. But anyways, I agree with you. This episode is amazing due to its hugely related and helpful moral.
+Aflay We really are our own worst critic at times. I'll often look at my own work and be dissatisfied with it, yet others will love it. I guess that can be a good thing if it motivates you to push yourself.
"Did you ever have that one person who would tell you to do things you had NO experience in doing, gave you NO explanation on how to do it, and then berated you for doing it wrong?" Yes... I lived with a few of them until I was 22 and finally got the heck out.
Merete Nora Mine was my dad, and my stepmom when he remarried... I had to move halfway across the country just to get away from dealing with their drama, double-standards, and outrageous expectations.
+Salokin Sekwah Here's a copy and paste of his answer to this question on Tumblr since RUclips is touchy about links: I am making it. it just takes a lot of research, beyond commonly conventional methods. There’s many reasons for that, like much of the rest of the world’s beginning animation. A lot records were destroyed. One of the more notable people of the era was Quirino Cristiani… he made the first feature length animated film. But through various reasons, all of his works have been almost completely lost to history and there is very little information available about him.It’s a combination of a lot happening, and no one really keeping any records.
+Salokin Sekwah im a history nut too. but here's the difference. im a history nut only for world war 2. so i doubt Mr enter will make a animated atrocity of those world war 2 propaganda movies. education for death or bugs bunny nips the nips just to name a few.
This episode was a love letter to artists. The creator of the show has a notable admiration for art, so he if all people must understand what it's like having to compare your art and be overly analytical and self deprecating. Sometimes you just need to meet someone who knows the pain you're going through, and you'll know these people when you meet them. They will treat you like the barracuda in the bathtub. They may not have all the answers, and in fact, you shouldn't need them. What you need is closure and acceptance with yourself, and it takes a helping hand. Not a push or a shove, but a grasp and a tug out of the slump. I'm saying stay away from critics, and find professional appreciators.
ThatLittleKitten No, we aren't. While we may all be alike in that each and every one of us is unique, this simply means that we all share at least one quality. In order for everyone to be the same, everyone would have to be *completely* identical.
...I've spent the last few years of my life trying desperately in some way to find out why my insecurities and anxiety affected me in some way. I'm only 17, but having Autism magnetized them. Now, had I seen this episode myself, I may never have got the moral. I'm oblivious like that sometimes, hence why when I write morals they tend to be in your face. But you, MrEnter... you may have just saved me from what a professional therapist couldn't. You expressed this moral in such a way that I finally get it. Giving such a simple answer, but making it so it truly is as obvious as letting go and no longer struggling to be perfect, but to struggle to be good. I'll have to find a way to un-blur the line between good and perfect, quit my "all or none" mentality, and just... move on. Accept my mistakes and let go. MrEnter, you may have just saved my life. I'm not suicidal, but I probably would have been had I attempted to move out of my parent's place and go to college with this mentality. I wasn't ready. I may not be ready for a while. But you have... started me on the route to rekindle my desire to be good, not the best. Thank you, MrEnter, for... everything.
+Kai Uhll I believe shooting for perfection is always impossible, to be perfect you have to to good at making mistakes, but perfection means not making mistakes, eventually I found that perfection is nothing but a paradox. But that does not mean efforts for perfection are fruitless. Only a few people in our corrupt society achieve "perfection" and eventually they must change to grow. To summarize what I'm saying is don't be a perfect person, be a perfect you, because that is one thing only you can do perfectly.
D HAROLD "Me" isn't a really interesting person. I'll have to come terms to my own faults. I really want to learn to break my addiction to computer without going cold turkey, but doing so eliminates my entire friend group at home.
Kai Uhll the only one who can change you permanently (given your of a legal age because influential adults can too) is you. I know it is hard to find other friends in the real world, but the the first step is usually the largest. my advice is to get a shirt with one or more of your interests and find people who notice and recognize it, the next step is to talk to them.
D HAROLD I have real-world friends. I just live in a sucky neighborhood with sucky neighbors. I'm not involving myself with those reckless people. I got this entire group of friends IRL but I can't talk to them after school. We don't have a TV, either. I can draw but only for so long, and writing my book uses the computer because I hate to write on physical paper when it'll have to transfer to digital anyways. Options are limited for alternatives here.
4:53 - 5:04 Actually, I think the CGI was intended to be this way. If you look back at the episode Hard Drive Courage which came out long before this episode, it was when he stepped into a 3D room and the animation in that scene still kinda holds up. The animation on the Fetus and King Ramses were meant to be this bad.
One of the best ways to create horror (imo) is to show something as "off" from the norm. Something being not outright different, but just "off" is unsettling. The uncanny valley works off that effect. Examples from the uncanny valley are still human looking, but they've become similar enough that something just feels like it's not normal and it unsettles you. Courage uses this idea masterfully. It's normal state is a regular cartoon, but using different animation styles like claymation and CGI you create something unsettling by changing it just enough that it no longer fits quite right. Even when the animation style doesn't change, you still get unsettling things like with Katz having such angular shapes in his design and the very deep and calm voice clashes with the normal style of the show again making that unsettling "off" feeling. Characters like Ramses and the blue trumpet wouldn't be so creepy without the off feeling that comes with them being bad CG to contrast with the comparatively smoother 2D animation.
@@kennithball9787 I meant the bugle. Kept thinking it was a fetus thanks to WatcherOfThe2000s's Top 10 Most Disturbing (Scariest) Courage The Cowardly Dog Episodes.
No one is perfect. Those who actually succeed in life, just happen to be born with a magic ticket called talent. That sentence came from a very trustworthy source.
It implies that people without as much talent will never be successful, and it can really discourage them. Talent just gives you a head start; it doesn't ever draw the line between success and failure; only effort can do that.
I remember catching this episode on tv randomly at, like, 2 in the afternoon, a year or two ago and absolutely bawling my eyes out because the message resonated so deeply. When you're on the autism spectrum, like I am, you're almost made to feel insecure because of the huge stigma attached to the disability. It's incredibly difficult to deal with too, because anxiety is literally part of having the disorder. So you literally can not get away from it a lot of the time. But I do think accepting your imperfections can go a long way towards destroying that insecurity.
Courage the cowardly dog was the first show that ever made me cry tears of understanding emotion in my entire life and still to this day even as long as it been in my life, it still does. Sometimes i really hate how over emotional i can be but this show made me appreciate the joy and pain of feeling human. The way this show approached certain issues that are censored, ignored, or blown over the top in the present day, takes a one of a kind genius. but maybe thats just me...
That part about people asking you to do something you know nothing about and giving you know explanation is what happens to me all the time.my father more in particular does that a lot. However, I've also felt it at work. People just say "do this" or "do that" and I'm so paranoid about asking where "this" is, or what "that" is, because I don't want to be called an idiot for not knowing these things. It doesn't help that I'm mildly autistic and don't really hold information very well if you just tell me things. I usually need to perform an activity or do something related to the task in order to record the information. It's also why I'm so paranoid to enter "the real world", no one has really told me about what I have to do after high school, so I pretty much just try to forget about it, but that's not stopping me from moving ahead, closer to the inevitable.
+TitanicNeoTyphlosion Ah yes nobody knows what to do after school do they. They put you on a train for your whole life expecting you to learn what to do when you get off, then when it derails after high school or college none of the passengers know what to do, because the whole time they've been taught random and useless facts rather then what they promised to teach, and what such a linear view of life simply can't teach.
+digitivortex lol ive had plenty of buddies go to university. Guess what? 5 years into the profession they think they want, they dont anymore. And they end up back at square one. University can honestly be such a damning and psychologically damaging experience. Most people thought I was foolish to not go to university but in the end, Im now the one whos ended up on top because i'm financially stable thanks to actually working instead of being in a class room. And possibly a classroom where i didnt know how i felt about it at the end. People need life experience after high-school, not more school. People need time to find themselves and im so glad i took time to do that myself because i figured out what i want to do with my career instead of me frantically trying to find where i belong in university, along with all the other stresses a university brings.
+Alex Gluch (ShadowRanger) Plus university never lets someone explore. They give out too many curriculums and basically say "HOPE YOU FIND ONE SUITABLE" but they never have a plan for those deemed unsuitable just because they dont fit with the core elements of that university. Thats why colleges (in canada anyway) are the much more reasonable option. Even studies have shown that the development of an independent adult does not happen at the most prestigious universities. In canada we've found that more practical, on hands, and one on one interaction with your education is far better than being just another studnet out of 500 in a large classroom who the teacher doesnt give a shit about. And thats what i find most wrong about universities..........some professors are the definition of lazy and nonchalant .
digitivortex Well you can disagree with my opinion but you cant disagree with how many people share that experience from state to state or province to province. From what ive seen in life, is University hurts people both mentally and financially than it does help them.
"There's no such thing as perfect. You're beautiful as you are Courage. With all your imperfections, you can do anything." Such a beautiful statement to come from a fish in a bathtub. I love that fish.
"You can't do nothing right!" Check that grammar, Eustace! "You can't do ANYTHING right" Who's imperfect now? One of my FAVORITE episodes of Courage the Cowardly Dog. You Mr. Enter, have such depth of wisdom and knowledge for the reviews of the cartoons that I agree with. You have a gift! As an aspiring artist (wannabe singer-songwriter, cartoonist/starving artist, writer, and lyricist), I have a hard time being perfect by comparing my own work to someone else's. It stresses me out and I'd go on a panic mode every now and then, but it doesn't stop me from branching out and doing what I enjoy.
This video spoke to me on a spiritual level. When you said "It shoots the 'Why don't you just stop listening to them' in the face." line. I was bullied for 8 years by the same boy. I was told by EVERYONE to ignore him and he'll leave me alone. I came home crying every day and I went through a lot of emotional trauma. I never developed insecurities by him, but I was petrified of going to school. That line you said spoke to me because I couldn't ignore him because the bullying was happening on a daily basis. Everyone thinks that ignoring the bullies is so easy, but it's harder than it looks. Especially if the bully gets away with what he's doing to boy just you, but to others for 8 years! Even the counselors would tell me to ignore him, when I wasn't the only one complain about him. He never got the right punishment, even after I left that school. I honestly feel like Courage the Cowardly Dog is one of those shows that can go pretty dark, but also have pretty deep meanings. Like Perfect or The Hunchback of Nowhere.
No one's perfect, but we don't have to be. I don't have many friends, and I've never been able to socialize well with my peers. I'm not the smartest person there is, and I'm not the strongest person there is. Maybe sometimes I'm too forgiving, and others where I'm too kind to the point where it's take advantage of. I have many flaws myself, and I strive to be better each day. I don't want to be perfect, because I can't be perfect. In spite of my flaws I have someone important to me who needs me here, who *wants* me here. I may not be perfect, but that's plenty enough motivation to be me. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I like me- I don't have any reason not to.
One of my favorite quotes is "Just because you work hard doesn't mean you'll succeed. But everyone who succeeds has to work hard" it really helped me going through school due to the fact that it let me accept the fact that I could very well fail, however that didn't mean I should just give up. If you can't accept failure, you will slip up guaranteed.
"Hey, did you guys ever have that person in your life who asked you to do something you had absolutely no experience in, gave you absolutely no explanation how to do it and reprimand you when you screwed up like twenty times a day, every single day?" Yes, I did... I called them Mom and Dad, that's why I'm so charming.
Honestly, Courage is the one of the most inspiring characters in fiction. Even a simple mask terrifies him, yet when his family is in danger, he dives head first into it.
Yay, been a while since a Courage review :) . Also Last Of The Starmakers makes me cry every time I watch it. Both the episode itself and the Admirable Animation. Please let me know I'm not alone on that :/ .
After more than a decade, I'm still dying to know what that fetus-trumpet-demon-nightmare creature was actually meant to be, and how they actually came up with that design.
We outright need more shows like this. We need to be reminded that sometimes, we *aren't* perfect, and that it's okay to not be perfect. We... really need it more often.
I was told this, “What makes a man special is how different he is and what makes a man different is how special he is.” Really ties into this episode on imperfections.
Damn just checked it and this was the final episode. So not only was this a way to end with a bang or a high note whatever you want to call it but it was very deep in giving a problem that practically anyone can relate to even me. You were right that it is very deep but the one realization that hit me the hardest is this. This being the final episode that meant the final monster that Courage overcame. Was himself, his insecurities, his doubts, his shame and harshness towards himself. He overcame the biggest demon of many of us and of the show, of what he faced. So not only does it end with a great moral it ended with inspiration. The writers here and John Dilworth are geniuses. Praise be to them for creating this art.
I always thought that this episode symbolizes the education system. as we are always pushed to be perfect, and we always worry that if we're not good enough then we'll fail. somebody at my school actually attempted suicide because if this stress. it's so sad...
To answer your question in the beginning, yes... And this episode hits me directly in the heart. I only watched this episode once, and that was years ago. The "Demon" always made me laugh really, only now revisiting it via this review have I really seen how genius this entire thing was. It also makes it a lot more relatable to me personally, it's touching in ways I never would've seen back then.
wait people hate this episode? I mean full grown ADULTS on the INTERNET hate this episode? and don't connect? ON THE INTERNET? saying that nobody would lission to someone they hate? on the INTERNET?! uhh how...? I'm mean seriously on the INTERNET the place with the most envoys people getting their dreams crushed by the biggest jackasses in the world? I I mean what the actual fuck?
Luigiofthegods basically I was wondering how people in this world full of jackasses in front of a crowd not think that getting insecure by someone you hate is logical
Courage just teaches soooo many useful life lessons. Even his name is a metaphor. Courage can overcome all of life's difficulties so long as he puts his mind to it. Damn I love this show.
Jeez Louisiana Eustace! I can understand getting appalled by Courage for accidentally destroying the truck and failing to repair the windmill but I wouldn't give my dog crap for painting the chicken coop the way he did. The whole point of painting the coop to begin with is to prevent environmental erosion from damaging the wood holding the chicken coop in place.
For the record: Yes, I understand that this is a cartoon. I'm just role-playing to give you an idea if I had to stand up for a friend for being berated like that.
I cry every time I hear that fish's speech. I'm in high school and I want to become an animator but, I'm constantly worried about how my work in art class looks and compares to my other classmates. Just watching this episode and/or hearing words like that really helps and means a lot to me deep down. P.s. Thanks for doing this episode, Mr.Enter. Now, I can go and search it up.
Is anybody else looking forward to Scooby-Doo's crossover movie with Courage, Straight Outta Nowhere? I know I sure am. With Scooby and Courage both being talking dogs who face supernatural mysteries on a regular basis, this was a crossover waiting to happen for 21 years. It was unfortunate timing that What's New Scooby-Doo started in the same year as when Courage the Cowardly Dog ended, but it was nice to hear Marty Grabstein voice Courage again 19 years after this final episode in a new era when Matthew Lillard voices Shaggy and Kate Micucci voices Velma. I should watch every episode from Season 1 of Courage the Cowardly Dog and What's New Scooby-Doo to prepare myself for this crossover movie. I have not been this excited about a 5-finger cartoon crossover since Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable met Lilo Pelekai and Stitch in the Lilo & Stitch episode Rufus! (sigh) I really want Disney Channel or Disney+ to give Lilo & Stitch: The Series a 3rd season, because that series is rife with untapped potential to showcase more experiments between the events of Snafu and Leroy & Stitch, and it definitely deserves to pass 65 episodes when Kim Possible had the privilege of breaking Disney Channel's 65-episode barrier on December 29, 2005, 1/2 a year before Lilo & Stitch: The Series stopped airing new episodes. It would be a good way to bring them out of hiding/the shadows/their doldrums and be a nice apology to them after the Japanese and Chinese Stitch spinoffs that gave Stitch a replacement Lilo. If Disney+ can reboot/revive The Proud Family, I see no reason why it can not do the same for Lilo & Stitch: The Series as long as Daveigh Elizabeth Chase can still voice Lilo in her 30s and is not worried about not being Hawaiian herself after 2020. October 11, 2021, 12:02am
6:02 This is probably what horrified me the most when I dealt with an inferiority complex a couple years back. The idea that the world would view me as incompetent and having my friends and family lose faith in me haunted me everywhere I went. Eventually, though, I found a few things I was good at, and I thought, "You know what? This is good enough. If I continue trying to be perfect, I'll never succeed at anything."
6:27-6:41 "Would you like to try some baklava, Courage? It's more like gum, really, but you can blow the sweetest bubbles!" "I'm gonna start my own band of cracked horns!" This particular scene is what really hammers in the moral to me. Seeing Muriel and Eustace so happy over what seems normally like a failure is just so... inspiring to me. Simply because it's true: sometimes a mistake can result in something unintended, but truly unique and wonderful in its own right. Ever since I saw the episode, I've always carried the "there's no such thing as perfect" motto proudly.
You know, this is the video I needed since I got my heart broken by someone I thought cared. I've been told I'm too aggressive, to nice and recently, too 'passive' for one's tastes. Those words forced me to drastically change my personality in various ways, giving me facial ticks and random spasms whenever I remember such events, it really cuts deep when you are judged for trying to do one thing someone tells you just to make them happy, before telling you to do the opposite and the cycle repeats. Thanks Enter, your timing is impeccable as always for reminding me of this gem of an episode.
You know this final episode of Courage reminds of the movie "Matilda." Where the main character gets mistreated by the caretaker (Eustace/Wormwood parents) and where the character has to face off against an evil school instructor (The Perfectionist/Trunchabull.)
I feel like The Tower of Dr.Zalost is very underrated for its own intricacies and metaphors as well. Man to be honest this whole show is just one big nostalgic, beautiful inspiration.
For what its worth MrEnter, I enjoy watching you more than I enjoy watching people like the nostalgia critic, and I'm one of those people who wants what they say to have weight, so I tell it like it is.
I love the message in this episode. And also, I found that nightmare with everything breaking around him one of the most disturbing scenes in the show. It's similar to what you'd see in Silent Hill. That blue fetus thing I found more wierd than creepy.
I love this show because even as a grown woman...21 year old in pre-vet college, it can still speak to me. I'm pretty sure I've said this to myself, verbatim- "If you don't get a PERFECT score on this exam/homework/quiz/extra credit problem, there will be consequences!" My consequences tended to be 'you're going to fail the entire class, and your GPA will go so low you'll be kicked out of the school and you'll never amount to anything'. Thankfully it's never culminated in nightmares...just lying awake at night sometimes, thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong. Then I look at others and think 'they're so much better, I'll never be that way'...and tell myself 'they're going to laugh me out of the vet school, I know it...take one look at me and laugh, because these things aren't perfect.'
You know, Mr. Enter, you're not perfect... ... ... ... ... ... ...And we all love you for it. Thank you for doing what you do here. It may not seem like much, but I'm always happy to see you post a new video. Even if I don't always agree with you I alway look forward to hearing your opinions; You're honestly one of the best people on this entire site.
I never thought about the teacher being a mental personification Courage conjured . Since most of the monsters in the show have a habit of hiding themselves from Muriel and Eustache, I didn't really give a second thought back when I saw it as a kid. Having her be an inner demon actually makes it more interesting.
As someone who suffered from this so badly where I actually got to the point of gaining a hallcination, beating this is one of the hardest things you can ever do. however, that does not mean it's not possible. if I could do it, so can you.
As a therapist I have shown this a couple of times when it was relevant to the client, it has that powerful a message and conveys it in a way that people can understand. I just want to say thank you for the admirable animation series, for pointing out these gems that handle complex situations so brilliantly.
This episode correctly portrays perfectionism as a mental illness. Perfectionists are overly harsh critics of themselves (the old lady in the episode) and her abuse of Courage represents the self-harm that often comes with perfectionism.
As a person who is still going through heavy anxiety, this episode helped in a weird way. It helped me by telling me that I don't need to be perfect to succeed. I have other forms of anxiety like having trouble being social and thinking that everyone judges me, it's good to know that shows like Courage the Cowardly Dog can show you that being special is the best thing to be.
+Nessie The Lochness Monster Now that I look at it, that makes a lot of sense. You have the mouth part coming out of the side of the head, it seems like the bottom MIGHT be the front of it, and then there's the squiggly bit and a nob or something sticking out of the neck, and it relates back to the bugle that Eustace is trying to force to work throughout the episode even though it's clearly broken and won't work (probably from something he did to it, but I can't remember if that's directly implied or not). Which means Eustace's bugle is like a direct parallel to how he's been treating Courage at the start of the episode with the dream kind-of hammering the point home through freaky effed-up fetus-like CG.
I never realized that Courage was the only one who could see the teacher, the fact that his insecurities is what caused the teacher to appear is really interesting, I never enjoyed the character of Eustace, he was always a jerk to Courage, who by the way was a dog! A very smart dog, but still a dog all the same. this episode just makes me feel so sad for Courage, and thank Goodness for Muriel. Great review of the show and I seriously hope that you do more Admirable Animations on this show in general, loved this show as a kid despite the fact that I am a person who gets scared very easily, and even though I did get scared when I was a kid watching a lot of these episodes it was in a way that I was happy that I was getting scared (if that makes any sense). I love this show and the different ways that you can interpret the show in general but also the episodes and as you said it's "really deep man," but in all seriousness one of my favorite cartoons ever. :)
I remember watching this episode a lot when the show was actually still on CN. I always felt this one was very different from the majority of the others. It actually did *feel* like the creators had a deeper message they were wanting people to get, and that's how it came across to me, even as a kid.
These types of admirable animations make me feel like I just realized life. I have a big problem with comparing myself to others, and creating unwanted and unnecessary stress. I needed to see this, especially now. Thank you so much.
Holy shit guys, the new spongebob is actually on track now! Less squidward torture porn! There is an ACTUAL punishment balance! And they added a few new parts to the theme song! New spongebob is legit now!
+Nyasha Chidume There is a sense that the writers are actually trying to be ambitious now and think outside the box rather than keep churning out lazy formulaic episodes (the show hit rock bottom with "Spongebob, You're Fired" and can really only go up from there). I noticed that they're also trying to restore some of the characters' original traits and merge them with the newer ones, like Patrick being affably stupid and Squidward being an unsympathetic snob. "Pull Up A Barrel" and "Sanctuary" were the most fun Spongebob has been since "Frozen Face-Off" and "Squid's Defense".. The biggest thing holding Season 9 back is that sometimes it will lapse back into the worst tendencies of the show, like Squidward torment, disgusting visuals ("Company Picnic"), mindless stupidity (the last two minutes of "Patrick! The Game"), and Spongebob being characterized and voiced as horny sociopath (he wanted to rape Squidward so badly at the end of "Squid Plus One": vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/spongebob/images/b/ba/Squid_Plus_One_43.png/revision/latest?cb=20151011204310 ; spongebobia.com/spongebob-captures/content/episodes/galleries/191a%20-%20Squid%20Plus%20One/191a%20-%20Squid%20Plus%20One%20585.jpg). So yeah, I'd say the show is on a steady climb. Now that the last few episodes have demonstrated that Patrick's fair game for comeuppance again, I want to see that Karma Houdini bastard Spongebob go down.
DWAkhaten1995 I agree. Whenever I tune into spongebob I look out for 'atrocious' traits like undeserved torture porn, filler, terrible longed out gags, etc, but I found myself to be enjoying the episodes more with fewer mistakes. I'm glad no one is driving someone to suicide, and that there are no over the top gross visuals. I mean, in the episode to love a patty, we saw that in an attempt to eat a patty out of the trash, squidward ate everything BUT the patty, so trash gags aren't new to spongebob
This is such a good episode. I used to be pretty hard on myself when a drawing of mine didn't come out perfect or exactly as I imagined (which as all artist know is impossible), but then one day I got bored and started doodling, all relaxed and no pressure. After looking at my doodles I realized that I really liked what came out. This made me realized that when I don't focus on being perfect and just relax then I get better results, even if they aren't "perfect". It's such a huge relief. :)
+Seiya Seika well I wouldn't say he's 100 percent like Eustice either in general but he kinda acts a lot like he did in this episode. I could never seem to do anything right by him as a child and that now manifested itself into a lot of anxiety and self loathing. I can't say it's all his fault either. He tells me how proud I make him now that I'm in college but I'm so jaded now I still feel like a disappointment. It's hard to shake the feelings you've had for over a decade.
I've been "suffering" from anxiety for a LOOONG time, so this Admirable Animation hit home for me, but in a good way. I knew this episode's good message, but I like how you went more in depth into it. Thanks for the vid, Mr. Enter.
heh, my theory about this show is that it happens in Area 51. Thing like that: its a deserted dryland, called "Nowhere", where the army is more than once showing up for experiments or supernatural intervention, and of course, its packed with aliens, monsters and other things that come about. And in one or two episodes, the problem is caused by the army (such as when Muriel becomes gigantic or they try a greenhouse that turns out....not very well)
Prince Gumball True, but in universe it can be an old military bombing zone. Also it's weird that the region around them is more like a rocky desert than a plain like you'd see in Kansas.
I have never suffered from any mental disorder or illness but Courage the Cowardly Dog's writing is so good that you still just need to reflect on yourself after watching it. Courage is, by far, the best Cartoon Cartoon. I was between the ages of 10-13 when Courage first aired in the late 90s and early 2000s so the horror elements never frightened me as it did many younger viewers. What captivated me was the writing, the atmosphere, and the animation. Such a superb show.
The show has its moments but there are so many times it does cliche things un ironically that it sucks you out of the universe. I dont even watch many shows and movies and its just oozing with " oh ok totally saw that coming"
This episode has always stuck with me over the years as one of my favorites from any show. Not just because of the unsettling blue thing, there was always just some feeling I got when I watched it. Now I finally understand why. Thanks
Wait, why do people hate this episode? Its a beautiful episode with an uplifting and important moral that can really help people in the real world. I guess some people just cant except the fact that no one can be perfect. Good review dude.
I feel like what gives this episode an impact is that it was the LAST episode. It left us on a happy note and we could imagine Courage being a lot better off. While it wouldn't be WORSE if it were any other episode, I think there's something special about its placement here.
I feel like Courage has anxiety. I have it and whenever I make mistakes, I either have a panic attack or it eats away at me (if I keep making mistakes, I will have an attack)
As a kid, this was one of my favorite shows, and this episode in particular struck me as especially likable, despite the fact that I'd seen almost each one no fewer than three times each. Only now do I realize why I liked it so much. I struggled with the same insecurities then, and I still do now. Thanks for pointing this one out, Mr.Enter. It really spoke to me. :)
Episodes like this are exactly why I love this show. As a child, I loved it for the silly and weird humor, but to watch it again as an adult, all of the subtle things you miss as a child reveal themselves to you and give you a whole new reason to watch it all over again, allowing you to connect with the show on a deeper level. It's why shows like TTG and the like don't even bother me anymore; they all just fade away and blend together in memory, but shows like this last and stand out forever.
+TheRetroKid he said all works of art are open to interpretation. He never confirmed or denied it, because it depends on what lens you view the show (or any work of art) through
I think this has now become my favourite Admirable Animation, solely because I relate to this a lot. The problem of someone calling you out on not being perfect is probably the biggest struggle I'm going through right now in my life, because the person calling me out on it is my older sister. I would probably have no issue with insecurities if it was a stranger or even a friend, but if it's someone from your close family, it can really affect you, since you want to love them but you just can't because of the insecurities they give you. The only other Admirable Animation that has hit this close to me was Test of the Tested, where you said that there were some people that tied their entire self-worth to their studies.
Excellent review, Enter. This series ended on such a high note. 3 years may have been a relatively short run (1999 - 2002) but Courage the Cowardly Dog will forever remain my favorite Cartoon Network show and one of my favorite animated series of all time.
![Admirable Animation 003 || "The Mask" [Courage]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8fQ0RiwHLKg/mqdefault.jpg)
![Admirable Animation 003 || "The Mask" [Courage]](/img/tr.png)
![Admirable Animation #28: "Bob's Father" [God, The Devil, and Bob]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BSgY_pscJ8k/mqdefault.jpg)
"There's no such thing as perfect. You're beautiful as you are Courage. With all your imperfections you can do anything."
One of the most poignant statements ever said came from a talking Barracuda swimming in a bathtub. What a world this is.
+Awesome Inspector there's a perfect booty
+Awesome Inspector Honestly the most simplest stuff comes from the most weirdest xD
+Awesome Inspector I mostly go with Iroh's quote "Perfection and power are overrated."
"The Things I Do For Love"
And thing is, everyone has a different view on perfection, and that's why it seems impossible because it doesn't exist.
"Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, then it's going to live it's whole life thinking it's stupid." - Albert Einstein. I strongly believe that this quote really does pertain to the topic upon this episode.
I agreed 100%.
I like that quote.
This episode easily had the scariest monster out of all the ones we see in this show. Not many people will encounter a demon-posessed mattress or giant, talking bananas, but anyone can have self-esteem issues and they can completely destroy a person
For me, it's this, or Bunny's boyfriend from the Mask.
Falling for my own insecurities, or finding that the seemingly nice person I thought I knew and loved was really vicious and abusive...
Pretty sure Kitty was a girl too in The Mask
noneedforname
What does that have to do with it? Kitty hated Bunny's boyfriend as well. He was abusive.
*****
Oh I thought you said Kitty was bunny's girlfriend
A lot of the show had physical monsters, but this episode seemed to focus on deep psychological horror.
am I the only one who thought that the old cgi made the blue trumpet much more creepy?
Nah. Low quality cgi is fucking scary
No, you are not. (Shudders)
I always thought the dated cgi made the models look more unearthly and unnatural.
+Calm_Hawk noob nope. it's the same thing with Rames (however you spell that). Except that guy scares me for multiple reasons.
+Yee Macghyee It's the Uncanny Valley, man. It'll get ya.
Please do an entire episode in the "that's deep man" voice
That was probably one of the most entertaining parts of the episode
+ConnorMcHughProductions That would be totally bogus, dude
+Gustav Ferreira It was a joke.
I think we can all agree, the fact that he managed to have the gall to say that is a service in of itself.
+Gustav Ferreira
A. It was a joke
B. It was a fucking joke
C. He never said JOKE requests for a deeper voice was disallowed.
I always thought that Eustace had hired the teacher, but what you pointed out makes more sense.
But anyways, I agree with you. This episode is amazing due to its hugely related and helpful moral.
I meant relatABLE, not related. Sorry.
+Alec Foisy you can go back and correct your comment. Google/RUclips allows such things. :)
Lyoko2516 It won't let me do that on mobile. There doesn't appear to be an edit button.
+Aflay We really are our own worst critic at times. I'll often look at my own work and be dissatisfied with it, yet others will love it. I guess that can be a good thing if it motivates you to push yourself.
You always have to remember in cartoons everyone will at one point halucinate or show signs of skitzafrinia. The more you know
"Did you ever have that one person who would tell you to do things you had NO experience in doing, gave you NO explanation on how to do it, and then berated you for doing it wrong?"
Yes... I lived with a few of them until I was 22 and finally got the heck out.
+Agentofthe1Truth I once had a co-worker like that. luckily he left the workplace.
Merete Nora Mine was my dad, and my stepmom when he remarried... I had to move halfway across the country just to get away from dealing with their drama, double-standards, and outrageous expectations.
Agentofthe1Truth I'm sorry. luckily you have a free life now.
Merete Nora Thanks. I'm a lot happier now and healthier mentally and emotionally. :3
I don't want to bug you man, but as a history nut, I hope you continue those "history of animation" videos, I found them very intresting!
Links?
me too
+Salokin Sekwah Here's a copy and paste of his answer to this question on Tumblr since RUclips is touchy about links:
I am making it. it just takes a lot of research, beyond commonly conventional methods. There’s many reasons for that, like much of the rest of the world’s beginning animation. A lot records were destroyed. One of the more notable people of the era was Quirino Cristiani… he made the first feature length animated film. But through various reasons, all of his works have been almost completely lost to history and there is very little information available about him.It’s a combination of a lot happening, and no one really keeping any records.
If you like that topic, check out Animation Lookback
+Salokin Sekwah im a history nut too. but here's the difference. im a history nut only for world war 2. so i doubt Mr enter will make a animated atrocity of those world war 2 propaganda movies. education for death or bugs bunny nips the nips just to name a few.
This episode was a love letter to artists.
The creator of the show has a notable admiration for art, so he if all people must understand what it's like having to compare your art and be overly analytical and self deprecating.
Sometimes you just need to meet someone who knows the pain you're going through, and you'll know these people when you meet them. They will treat you like the barracuda in the bathtub. They may not have all the answers, and in fact, you shouldn't need them. What you need is closure and acceptance with yourself, and it takes a helping hand. Not a push or a shove, but a grasp and a tug out of the slump. I'm saying stay away from critics, and find professional appreciators.
And if you can't find any professional appreciators, than be one.
If everyone was perfect, no-one would be unique.
Parker Sprague Yeah, and the world wouldn't be very interesting at all!
ThatLittleKitten :-?
I'm not sure what the point you're trying to make is... Could you provide some more information?
ThatLittleKitten No, we aren't. While we may all be alike in that each and every one of us is unique, this simply means that we all share at least one quality. In order for everyone to be the same, everyone would have to be *completely* identical.
Parker Sprague That's a good point there.
If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs!
...I've spent the last few years of my life trying desperately in some way to find out why my insecurities and anxiety affected me in some way. I'm only 17, but having Autism magnetized them. Now, had I seen this episode myself, I may never have got the moral. I'm oblivious like that sometimes, hence why when I write morals they tend to be in your face.
But you, MrEnter... you may have just saved me from what a professional therapist couldn't. You expressed this moral in such a way that I finally get it. Giving such a simple answer, but making it so it truly is as obvious as letting go and no longer struggling to be perfect, but to struggle to be good. I'll have to find a way to un-blur the line between good and perfect, quit my "all or none" mentality, and just... move on. Accept my mistakes and let go.
MrEnter, you may have just saved my life. I'm not suicidal, but I probably would have been had I attempted to move out of my parent's place and go to college with this mentality. I wasn't ready. I may not be ready for a while. But you have... started me on the route to rekindle my desire to be good, not the best.
Thank you, MrEnter, for... everything.
+Kai Uhll I believe shooting for perfection is always impossible, to be perfect you have to to good at making mistakes, but perfection means not making mistakes, eventually I found that perfection is nothing but a paradox. But that does not mean efforts for perfection are fruitless. Only a few people in our corrupt society achieve "perfection" and eventually they must change to grow. To summarize what I'm saying is don't be a perfect person, be a perfect you, because that is one thing only you can do perfectly.
D HAROLD
"Me" isn't a really interesting person. I'll have to come terms to my own faults. I really want to learn to break my addiction to computer without going cold turkey, but doing so eliminates my entire friend group at home.
Kai Uhll the only one who can change you permanently (given your of a legal age because influential adults can too) is you. I know it is hard to find other friends in the real world, but the the first step is usually the largest. my advice is to get a shirt with one or more of your interests and find people who notice and recognize it, the next step is to talk to them.
D HAROLD I have real-world friends. I just live in a sucky neighborhood with sucky neighbors. I'm not involving myself with those reckless people. I got this entire group of friends IRL but I can't talk to them after school. We don't have a TV, either. I can draw but only for so long, and writing my book uses the computer because I hate to write on physical paper when it'll have to transfer to digital anyways.
Options are limited for alternatives here.
😢
4:53 - 5:04 Actually, I think the CGI was intended to be this way. If you look back at the episode Hard Drive Courage which came out long before this episode, it was when he stepped into a 3D room and the animation in that scene still kinda holds up. The animation on the Fetus and King Ramses were meant to be this bad.
BRRGames yeah that's true
Yeah it's sort of an uncanny valley where they just don't move around like a living creature
One of the best ways to create horror (imo) is to show something as "off" from the norm. Something being not outright different, but just "off" is unsettling. The uncanny valley works off that effect. Examples from the uncanny valley are still human looking, but they've become similar enough that something just feels like it's not normal and it unsettles you.
Courage uses this idea masterfully. It's normal state is a regular cartoon, but using different animation styles like claymation and CGI you create something unsettling by changing it just enough that it no longer fits quite right.
Even when the animation style doesn't change, you still get unsettling things like with Katz having such angular shapes in his design and the very deep and calm voice clashes with the normal style of the show again making that unsettling "off" feeling. Characters like Ramses and the blue trumpet wouldn't be so creepy without the off feeling that comes with them being bad CG to contrast with the comparatively smoother 2D animation.
Fetus?
@@kennithball9787 I meant the bugle. Kept thinking it was a fetus thanks to WatcherOfThe2000s's Top 10 Most Disturbing (Scariest) Courage The Cowardly Dog Episodes.
Awesome work MrEnter, I'm glad that someone was able to look past the blue thing, and see this episode for what it is.
I actually don't give a flying fuck about that blue thing; it's barely scary to me at all.
+Luigiofthegods I've been wondering which episode it came from.
***** "You're not perfect.....(sighs)"
+crazycherry1995 it gave me nightmares for weeks the first time I saw that thing. Scars of mental ability.
+crazycherry1995 search it up. it's beautiful.
As a perfectionist with anxiety and ADD, this really got to me.
Me too. I'm a perfectionist with an anxiety disorder, but this helped me a little.
No one is perfect. Those who actually succeed in life, just happen to be born with a magic ticket called talent. That sentence came from a very trustworthy source.
Then again, he did kill two people.
+Rylan Yeckley eh, cant win em all
+Rylan Yeckley
Its doesn't matter if he's killed people. Good life lessons can come from the oddest of places.
It implies that people without as much talent will never be successful, and it can really discourage them. Talent just gives you a head start; it doesn't ever draw the line between success and failure; only effort can do that.
Don't take anything I wrote seriously. I just wanted to quote Adachi.
I remember catching this episode on tv randomly at, like, 2 in the afternoon, a year or two ago and absolutely bawling my eyes out because the message resonated so deeply. When you're on the autism spectrum, like I am, you're almost made to feel insecure because of the huge stigma attached to the disability. It's incredibly difficult to deal with too, because anxiety is literally part of having the disorder. So you literally can not get away from it a lot of the time. But I do think accepting your imperfections can go a long way towards destroying that insecurity.
Courage the cowardly dog was the first show that ever made me cry tears of understanding emotion in my entire life and still to this day even as long as it been in my life, it still does. Sometimes i really hate how over emotional i can be but this show made me appreciate the joy and pain of feeling human. The way this show approached certain issues that are censored, ignored, or blown over the top in the present day, takes a one of a kind genius.
but maybe thats just me...
+Rachel Brown
Hot damn that second sentence...
I feel like I wanna frame it and put it up on a wall somewhere.
That part about people asking you to do something you know nothing about and giving you know explanation is what happens to me all the time.my father more in particular does that a lot. However, I've also felt it at work. People just say "do this" or "do that" and I'm so paranoid about asking where "this" is, or what "that" is, because I don't want to be called an idiot for not knowing these things. It doesn't help that I'm mildly autistic and don't really hold information very well if you just tell me things. I usually need to perform an activity or do something related to the task in order to record the information. It's also why I'm so paranoid to enter "the real world", no one has really told me about what I have to do after high school, so I pretty much just try to forget about it, but that's not stopping me from moving ahead, closer to the inevitable.
+TitanicNeoTyphlosion Ah yes nobody knows what to do after school do they. They put you on a train for your whole life expecting you to learn what to do when you get off, then when it derails after high school or college none of the passengers know what to do, because the whole time they've been taught random and useless facts rather then what they promised to teach, and what such a linear view of life simply can't teach.
+TitanicNeoTyphlosion how about you go to University?
+digitivortex lol ive had plenty of buddies go to university. Guess what? 5 years into the profession they think they want, they dont anymore. And they end up back at square one. University can honestly be such a damning and psychologically damaging experience. Most people thought I was foolish to not go to university but in the end, Im now the one whos ended up on top because i'm financially stable thanks to actually working instead of being in a class room. And possibly a classroom where i didnt know how i felt about it at the end. People need life experience after high-school, not more school. People need time to find themselves and im so glad i took time to do that myself because i figured out what i want to do with my career instead of me frantically trying to find where i belong in university, along with all the other stresses a university brings.
+Alex Gluch (ShadowRanger) Plus university never lets someone explore. They give out too many curriculums and basically say "HOPE YOU FIND ONE SUITABLE" but they never have a plan for those deemed unsuitable just because they dont fit with the core elements of that university. Thats why colleges (in canada anyway) are the much more reasonable option. Even studies have shown that the development of an independent adult does not happen at the most prestigious universities. In canada we've found that more practical, on hands, and one on one interaction with your education is far better than being just another studnet out of 500 in a large classroom who the teacher doesnt give a shit about. And thats what i find most wrong about universities..........some professors are the definition of lazy and nonchalant .
digitivortex Well you can disagree with my opinion but you cant disagree with how many people share that experience from state to state or province to province. From what ive seen in life, is University hurts people both mentally and financially than it does help them.
Can someone tell me when the freeky fetus comes in? I'm not ready to face one of the biggest fears of my childhood at night.
+Radshyguy Nevermind...I just faced it. Never sleeping again.
+Radshyguy mamamia!!
+Radshyguy giygas from earthbound?
Astrid the Otaku I actually find it scarier than Giygas. Unlike the slab dude, it still creeps me out tody.
+Radshyguy Is it wrong to say I wasn't scared of that thing when I first watched the episode?
When that green fish popped up and said TO courage tears fell down my face since I'm a perfectionist and I always compare myself to others
"There's no such thing as perfect. You're beautiful as you are Courage. With all your imperfections, you can do anything."
Such a beautiful statement to come from a fish in a bathtub. I love that fish.
That life lesson that barracuda told Courage was heart warming. :)
this episode and this review really spoke to me.
and I mean on a personal level. thanks man. I just remembered one of the biggest reasons why I admire Mr. Enter so much. :)
0:30 I’m guessing the 1st most destructive starfish is Seasons 6-8 Patrick
"You can't do nothing right!"
Check that grammar, Eustace! "You can't do ANYTHING right" Who's imperfect now?
One of my FAVORITE episodes of Courage the Cowardly Dog.
You Mr. Enter, have such depth of wisdom and knowledge for the reviews of the cartoons that I agree with. You have a gift!
As an aspiring artist (wannabe singer-songwriter, cartoonist/starving artist, writer, and lyricist), I have a hard time being perfect by comparing my own work to someone else's.
It stresses me out and I'd go on a panic mode every now and then, but it doesn't stop me from branching out and doing what I enjoy.
"What, did you think the teacher had magic disappearing powers?"
WEEEEEELL....
This video spoke to me on a spiritual level. When you said "It shoots the 'Why don't you just stop listening to them' in the face." line. I was bullied for 8 years by the same boy. I was told by EVERYONE to ignore him and he'll leave me alone. I came home crying every day and I went through a lot of emotional trauma. I never developed insecurities by him, but I was petrified of going to school. That line you said spoke to me because I couldn't ignore him because the bullying was happening on a daily basis. Everyone thinks that ignoring the bullies is so easy, but it's harder than it looks. Especially if the bully gets away with what he's doing to boy just you, but to others for 8 years! Even the counselors would tell me to ignore him, when I wasn't the only one complain about him. He never got the right punishment, even after I left that school. I honestly feel like Courage the Cowardly Dog is one of those shows that can go pretty dark, but also have pretty deep meanings. Like Perfect or The Hunchback of Nowhere.
No one's perfect, but we don't have to be. I don't have many friends, and I've never been able to socialize well with my peers. I'm not the smartest person there is, and I'm not the strongest person there is. Maybe sometimes I'm too forgiving, and others where I'm too kind to the point where it's take advantage of. I have many flaws myself, and I strive to be better each day. I don't want to be perfect, because I can't be perfect. In spite of my flaws I have someone important to me who needs me here, who *wants* me here. I may not be perfect, but that's plenty enough motivation to be me. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I like me- I don't have any reason not to.
Kenpachi Ramasama Same here.
Are you me?
"Ur bad"
-Trumpet CGI Spooky Baby
"When we stop worrying that we might fail, only then can we succeed."
One of my favorite quotes is "Just because you work hard doesn't mean you'll succeed. But everyone who succeeds has to work hard" it really helped me going through school due to the fact that it let me accept the fact that I could very well fail, however that didn't mean I should just give up. If you can't accept failure, you will slip up guaranteed.
"Hey, did you guys ever have that person in your life who asked you to do something you had absolutely no experience in, gave you absolutely no explanation how to do it and reprimand you when you screwed up like twenty times a day, every single day?"
Yes, I did... I called them Mom and Dad, that's why I'm so charming.
I guess you could say you need *"Courage"* to overcome your insecurities.
...I'll see myself out.
"Wow...that was really deep, man."
That is literally the funniest yet most true thing you've ever said
I never though a dead fish would tell me such a thing. Thank you freaky dead fish.
Honestly, Courage is the one of the most inspiring characters in fiction. Even a simple mask terrifies him, yet when his family is in danger, he dives head first into it.
Because that's how dogs are
Yay, been a while since a Courage review :) . Also Last Of The Starmakers makes me cry every time I watch it. Both the episode itself and the Admirable Animation. Please let me know I'm not alone on that :/ .
nope
+Tyler Greene Guess it just means we have hearts, right?
***** Yup
+Tyler Greene Glad to see someone feels that way.
The episode makes me cry every time, and sixteen for Christ sake.
Got the notification and came running!
Same.
You too
Same
So did I
+CLASSIC-CAR'S-R-BETTER same here.
After more than a decade, I'm still dying to know what that fetus-trumpet-demon-nightmare creature was actually meant to be, and how they actually came up with that design.
We outright need more shows like this.
We need to be reminded that sometimes, we *aren't* perfect, and that it's okay to not be perfect. We... really need it more often.
at first I was like "hell, how is this an admirable animation" but then I realized, this episode is perfect
I was told this, “What makes a man special is how different he is and what makes a man different is how special he is.” Really ties into this episode on imperfections.
This day will be perfect...
+Brandon Roberts Haha puns xD
+AnimatronicPony The kind of day of which I dreamed since I was small.
+Raymond Williams Every viewer will gather 'round, see this lovely episode I've found! Who says a RUclipsr can't have it all?
+Raymond Williams
PROBABLY THE BEST RHYME FROM THAT SONG IS "I will not partake in any cake"
Shows that the cake has, is, and always will be, a lie.
+AnimatronicPony *ISIS ruins it*
Damn just checked it and this was the final episode. So not only was this a way to end with a bang or a high note whatever you want to call it but it was very deep in giving a problem that practically anyone can relate to even me. You were right that it is very deep but the one realization that hit me the hardest is this. This being the final episode that meant the final monster that Courage overcame. Was himself, his insecurities, his doubts, his shame and harshness towards himself. He overcame the biggest demon of many of us and of the show, of what he faced. So not only does it end with a great moral it ended with inspiration. The writers here and John Dilworth are geniuses. Praise be to them for creating this art.
I always thought that this episode symbolizes the education system. as we are always pushed to be perfect, and we always worry that if we're not good enough then we'll fail. somebody at my school actually attempted suicide because if this stress. it's so sad...
To answer your question in the beginning, yes... And this episode hits me directly in the heart.
I only watched this episode once, and that was years ago. The "Demon" always made me laugh really, only now revisiting it via this review have I really seen how genius this entire thing was. It also makes it a lot more relatable to me personally, it's touching in ways I never would've seen back then.
wait people hate this episode? I mean full grown ADULTS on the INTERNET hate this episode? and don't connect? ON THE INTERNET? saying that nobody would lission to someone they hate? on the INTERNET?! uhh how...? I'm mean seriously on the INTERNET the place with the most envoys people getting their dreams crushed by the biggest jackasses in the world? I I mean what the actual fuck?
Urgh, could you rephrase your comment so that it's more coherent and doesn't have "INTERNET" plastered over it 5 times?
Luigiofthegods basically I was wondering how people in this world full of jackasses in front of a crowd not think that getting insecure by someone you hate is logical
I love this episode.
Courage just teaches soooo many useful life lessons. Even his name is a metaphor. Courage can overcome all of life's difficulties so long as he puts his mind to it. Damn I love this show.
With this being the series finale of courage it brought tears to my eyes how Courage was happy in the end
Carl Bloke indeed! but so much for his parents when he got abandoned years ago!
Richard Canipe ikr
One of my favorite parts of this episode was at the very end when Eustace is, for the only time in the show, happy that Courage is with them.
Jeez Louisiana Eustace! I can understand getting appalled by Courage for accidentally destroying the truck and failing to repair the windmill but I wouldn't give my dog crap for painting the chicken coop the way he did. The whole point of painting the coop to begin with is to prevent environmental erosion from damaging the wood holding the chicken coop in place.
For the record: Yes, I understand that this is a cartoon. I'm just role-playing to give you an idea if I had to stand up for a friend for being berated like that.
I cry every time I hear that fish's speech.
I'm in high school and I want to become an animator but, I'm constantly worried about how my work in art class looks and compares to my other classmates.
Just watching this episode and/or hearing words like that really helps and means a lot to me deep down.
P.s. Thanks for doing this episode, Mr.Enter. Now, I can go and search it up.
Is anybody else looking forward to Scooby-Doo's crossover movie with Courage, Straight Outta Nowhere? I know I sure am. With Scooby and Courage both being talking dogs who face supernatural mysteries on a regular basis, this was a crossover waiting to happen for 21 years. It was unfortunate timing that What's New Scooby-Doo started in the same year as when Courage the Cowardly Dog ended, but it was nice to hear Marty Grabstein voice Courage again 19 years after this final episode in a new era when Matthew Lillard voices Shaggy and Kate Micucci voices Velma. I should watch every episode from Season 1 of Courage the Cowardly Dog and What's New Scooby-Doo to prepare myself for this crossover movie. I have not been this excited about a 5-finger cartoon crossover since Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable met Lilo Pelekai and Stitch in the Lilo & Stitch episode Rufus!
(sigh) I really want Disney Channel or Disney+ to give Lilo & Stitch: The Series a 3rd season, because that series is rife with untapped potential to showcase more experiments between the events of Snafu and Leroy & Stitch, and it definitely deserves to pass 65 episodes when Kim Possible had the privilege of breaking Disney Channel's 65-episode barrier on December 29, 2005, 1/2 a year before Lilo & Stitch: The Series stopped airing new episodes. It would be a good way to bring them out of hiding/the shadows/their doldrums and be a nice apology to them after the Japanese and Chinese Stitch spinoffs that gave Stitch a replacement Lilo. If Disney+ can reboot/revive The Proud Family, I see no reason why it can not do the same for Lilo & Stitch: The Series as long as Daveigh Elizabeth Chase can still voice Lilo in her 30s and is not worried about not being Hawaiian herself after 2020. October 11, 2021, 12:02am
6:02 This is probably what horrified me the most when I dealt with an inferiority complex a couple years back. The idea that the world would view me as incompetent and having my friends and family lose faith in me haunted me everywhere I went. Eventually, though, I found a few things I was good at, and I thought, "You know what? This is good enough. If I continue trying to be perfect, I'll never succeed at anything."
6:27-6:41
"Would you like to try some baklava, Courage? It's more like gum, really, but you can blow the sweetest bubbles!"
"I'm gonna start my own band of cracked horns!"
This particular scene is what really hammers in the moral to me. Seeing Muriel and Eustace so happy over what seems normally like a failure is just so... inspiring to me. Simply because it's true: sometimes a mistake can result in something unintended, but truly unique and wonderful in its own right. Ever since I saw the episode, I've always carried the "there's no such thing as perfect" motto proudly.
You know, this is the video I needed since I got my heart broken by someone I thought cared. I've been told I'm too aggressive, to nice and recently, too 'passive' for one's tastes. Those words forced me to drastically change my personality in various ways, giving me facial ticks and random spasms whenever I remember such events, it really cuts deep when you are judged for trying to do one thing someone tells you just to make them happy, before telling you to do the opposite and the cycle repeats.
Thanks Enter, your timing is impeccable as always for reminding me of this gem of an episode.
"Second place is first place for losers!" I hate people like that.
You know this final episode of Courage reminds of the movie "Matilda." Where the main character gets mistreated by the caretaker (Eustace/Wormwood parents) and where the character has to face off against an evil school instructor (The Perfectionist/Trunchabull.)
I feel like The Tower of Dr.Zalost is very underrated for its own intricacies and metaphors as well. Man to be honest this whole show is just one big nostalgic, beautiful inspiration.
That episode is amazing
Anybody remember the weird CG animated legs on the tower?
For what its worth MrEnter, I enjoy watching you more than I enjoy watching people like the nostalgia critic, and I'm one of those people who wants what they say to have weight, so I tell it like it is.
ah yes perfect, the episode where some creepy alien thing comes out of nowwhere and doesn't get brought up again
+foxy the pirate As the Nostalgia Critic would call this, a big-lipped alligator moment.
A Big Lipped Alligator Moment!
Ohgod XD
+Tyler Rockwell BIG LIPPED ALAGATER MOMMENT!
+thetick532 XD
I love the message in this episode. And also, I found that nightmare with everything breaking around him one of the most disturbing scenes in the show. It's similar to what you'd see in Silent Hill. That blue fetus thing I found more wierd than creepy.
bring on the trumpets!
I love this show because even as a grown woman...21 year old in pre-vet college, it can still speak to me.
I'm pretty sure I've said this to myself, verbatim-
"If you don't get a PERFECT score on this exam/homework/quiz/extra credit problem, there will be consequences!"
My consequences tended to be 'you're going to fail the entire class, and your GPA will go so low you'll be kicked out of the school and you'll never amount to anything'.
Thankfully it's never culminated in nightmares...just lying awake at night sometimes, thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong.
Then I look at others and think 'they're so much better, I'll never be that way'...and tell myself 'they're going to laugh me out of the vet school, I know it...take one look at me and laugh, because these things aren't perfect.'
You know, Mr. Enter, you're not perfect...
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...And we all love you for it. Thank you for doing what you do here. It may not seem like much, but I'm always happy to see you post a new video. Even if I don't always agree with you I alway look forward to hearing your opinions; You're honestly one of the best people on this entire site.
I never thought about the teacher being a mental personification Courage conjured . Since most of the monsters in the show have a habit of hiding themselves from Muriel and Eustache, I didn't really give a second thought back when I saw it as a kid. Having her be an inner demon actually makes it more interesting.
As someone who suffered from this so badly where I actually got to the point of gaining a hallcination, beating this is one of the hardest things you can ever do. however, that does not mean it's not possible. if I could do it, so can you.
As a therapist I have shown this a couple of times when it was relevant to the client, it has that powerful a message and conveys it in a way that people can understand. I just want to say thank you for the admirable animation series, for pointing out these gems that handle complex situations so brilliantly.
This episode correctly portrays perfectionism as a mental illness.
Perfectionists are overly harsh critics of themselves (the old lady in the episode) and her abuse of Courage represents the self-harm that often comes with perfectionism.
As a person who is still going through heavy anxiety, this episode helped in a weird way. It helped me by telling me that I don't need to be perfect to succeed. I have other forms of anxiety like having trouble being social and thinking that everyone judges me, it's good to know that shows like Courage the Cowardly Dog can show you that being special is the best thing to be.
:39
That thing's a trumpet?
In the devils uterus.
+Secksy Spoder finnaly getting the answer actually makes it less scary.
No idea, immediately looked away as soon as I glimpsed at that monstrosity.
+Nessie The Lochness Monster
Now that I look at it, that makes a lot of sense. You have the mouth part coming out of the side of the head, it seems like the bottom MIGHT be the front of it, and then there's the squiggly bit and a nob or something sticking out of the neck, and it relates back to the bugle that Eustace is trying to force to work throughout the episode even though it's clearly broken and won't work (probably from something he did to it, but I can't remember if that's directly implied or not). Which means Eustace's bugle is like a direct parallel to how he's been treating Courage at the start of the episode with the dream kind-of hammering the point home through freaky effed-up fetus-like CG.
I don't see how it can be labeled as a "trumpet". It looks more like a fetus than a trumpet, in my opinion.
I never realized that Courage was the only one who could see the teacher, the fact that his insecurities is what caused the teacher to appear is really interesting, I never enjoyed the character of Eustace, he was always a jerk to Courage, who by the way was a dog! A very smart dog, but still a dog all the same. this episode just makes me feel so sad for Courage, and thank Goodness for Muriel. Great review of the show and I seriously hope that you do more Admirable Animations on this show in general, loved this show as a kid despite the fact that I am a person who gets scared very easily, and even though I did get scared when I was a kid watching a lot of these episodes it was in a way that I was happy that I was getting scared (if that makes any sense). I love this show and the different ways that you can interpret the show in general but also the episodes and as you said it's "really deep man," but in all seriousness one of my favorite cartoons ever. :)
I remember watching this episode a lot when the show was actually still on CN. I always felt this one was very different from the majority of the others. It actually did *feel* like the creators had a deeper message they were wanting people to get, and that's how it came across to me, even as a kid.
"Why fit in if you were born to stand out"-Dr. Seuss
Yeah, having had to deal with insecurity even today, this episode really is "deep"...
The fish swears it in the name of dieguito maradonna, that was the memorable thing about this episode
Fun fact: in The latin american dub, the fish Is argentinian AND swears on Maradona
These types of admirable animations make me feel like I just realized life. I have a big problem with comparing myself to others, and creating unwanted and unnecessary stress. I needed to see this, especially now. Thank you so much.
Holy shit guys, the new spongebob is actually on track now! Less squidward torture porn! There is an ACTUAL punishment balance! And they added a few new parts to the theme song! New spongebob is legit now!
+Nyasha Chidume There is a sense that the writers are actually trying to be ambitious now and think outside the box rather than keep churning out lazy formulaic episodes (the show hit rock bottom with "Spongebob, You're Fired" and can really only go up from there). I noticed that they're also trying to restore some of the characters' original traits and merge them with the newer ones, like Patrick being affably stupid and Squidward being an unsympathetic snob. "Pull Up A Barrel" and "Sanctuary" were the most fun Spongebob has been since "Frozen Face-Off" and "Squid's Defense".. The biggest thing holding Season 9 back is that sometimes it will lapse back into the worst tendencies of the show, like Squidward torment, disgusting visuals ("Company Picnic"), mindless stupidity (the last two minutes of "Patrick! The Game"), and Spongebob being characterized and voiced as horny sociopath (he wanted to rape Squidward so badly at the end of "Squid Plus One": vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/spongebob/images/b/ba/Squid_Plus_One_43.png/revision/latest?cb=20151011204310 ; spongebobia.com/spongebob-captures/content/episodes/galleries/191a%20-%20Squid%20Plus%20One/191a%20-%20Squid%20Plus%20One%20585.jpg). So yeah, I'd say the show is on a steady climb. Now that the last few episodes have demonstrated that Patrick's fair game for comeuppance again, I want to see that Karma Houdini bastard Spongebob go down.
DWAkhaten1995 I agree. Whenever I tune into spongebob I look out for 'atrocious' traits like undeserved torture porn, filler, terrible longed out gags, etc, but I found myself to be enjoying the episodes more with fewer mistakes. I'm glad no one is driving someone to suicide, and that there are no over the top gross visuals. I mean, in the episode to love a patty, we saw that in an attempt to eat a patty out of the trash, squidward ate everything BUT the patty, so trash gags aren't new to spongebob
***** exactly, and yh it was just one bite
This is such a good episode. I used to be pretty hard on myself when a drawing of mine didn't come out perfect or exactly as I imagined (which as all artist know is impossible), but then one day I got bored and started doodling, all relaxed and no pressure. After looking at my doodles I realized that I really liked what came out. This made me realized that when I don't focus on being perfect and just relax then I get better results, even if they aren't "perfect". It's such a huge relief. :)
Eustice and Courage = Me and my dad.
RadioOppy1 Same here but mine isn't as bad. Sure he gets mad me but not as much. I would say he would 35% Eustace in my situation
+Seiya Seika well I wouldn't say he's 100 percent like Eustice either in general but he kinda acts a lot like he did in this episode. I could never seem to do anything right by him as a child and that now manifested itself into a lot of anxiety and self loathing. I can't say it's all his fault either. He tells me how proud I make him now that I'm in college but I'm so jaded now I still feel like a disappointment. It's hard to shake the feelings you've had for over a decade.
True. There are ways to cope with it in your own unique way.
I've been "suffering" from anxiety for a LOOONG time, so this Admirable Animation hit home for me, but in a good way. I knew this episode's good message, but I like how you went more in depth into it. Thanks for the vid, Mr. Enter.
heh, my theory about this show is that it happens in Area 51. Thing like that: its a deserted dryland, called "Nowhere", where the army is more than once showing up for experiments or supernatural intervention, and of course, its packed with aliens, monsters and other things that come about. And in one or two episodes, the problem is caused by the army (such as when Muriel becomes gigantic or they try a greenhouse that turns out....not very well)
the main point makes sense but the nearby town is called nowhere too.
Joe Johnson
I believe the whole area is called "nowhere", not just the city, but the surrounding region.
MrKlausbaudelaire But Area 51 is in Nevada, not Kansas
Prince Gumball
True, but in universe it can be an old military bombing zone. Also it's weird that the region around them is more like a rocky desert than a plain like you'd see in Kansas.
Prince Gumball
but was the state Nowhere is ever mentioned as Kansas, Nevada or whatever else is like that in USA?
I have never suffered from any mental disorder or illness but Courage the Cowardly Dog's writing is so good that you still just need to reflect on yourself after watching it. Courage is, by far, the best Cartoon Cartoon. I was between the ages of 10-13 when Courage first aired in the late 90s and early 2000s so the horror elements never frightened me as it did many younger viewers. What captivated me was the writing, the atmosphere, and the animation. Such a superb show.
maybe an admirable animation for bojack horseman? maybe? please? pppllleeaaa-it's never gonna happen, is it?
+Kael Bissonnette do we know if he has netflix?
The show has its moments but there are so many times it does cliche things un ironically that it sucks you out of the universe. I dont even watch many shows and movies and its just oozing with " oh ok totally saw that coming"
Toats yea, but some parts are unexpected, and those are the good episodes.
+Kael Bissonnette Isn't that comedy? He said it's hard for him to do AAs on comedy stuff.
+Kael Bissonnette hate to break it to ya mates but doesn't take requests. not anymore atleast. he said that in a previous review.
This episode has always stuck with me over the years as one of my favorites from any show. Not just because of the unsettling blue thing, there was always just some feeling I got when I watched it. Now I finally understand why. Thanks
Wait, why do people hate this episode? Its a beautiful episode with an uplifting and important moral that can really help people in the real world. I guess some people just cant except the fact that no one can be perfect. Good review dude.
It's probably just because of the blue thing.
well, it IS creepy. I was just talking from a critical standpoint why someone might not like this episode.
+Hannah Ulicny Nope, I seriously think that's the only reason people don't like this episode.
interesting. That's a pretty petty reason to hate something.
I feel like what gives this episode an impact is that it was the LAST episode. It left us on a happy note and we could imagine Courage being a lot better off. While it wouldn't be WORSE if it were any other episode, I think there's something special about its placement here.
I feel like Courage has anxiety. I have it and whenever I make mistakes, I either have a panic attack or it eats away at me (if I keep making mistakes, I will have an attack)
As a kid, this was one of my favorite shows, and this episode in particular struck me as especially likable, despite the fact that I'd seen almost each one no fewer than three times each. Only now do I realize why I liked it so much. I struggled with the same insecurities then, and I still do now. Thanks for pointing this one out, Mr.Enter. It really spoke to me. :)
but in all seriousness TheMysteriousMrEnter is amazing
Episodes like this are exactly why I love this show. As a child, I loved it for the silly and weird humor, but to watch it again as an adult, all of the subtle things you miss as a child reveal themselves to you and give you a whole new reason to watch it all over again, allowing you to connect with the show on a deeper level. It's why shows like TTG and the like don't even bother me anymore; they all just fade away and blend together in memory, but shows like this last and stand out forever.
The Courage theory is confirmed true by the show's creator.
+TheRetroKid he said all works of art are open to interpretation. He never confirmed or denied it, because it depends on what lens you view the show (or any work of art) through
+TheRetroKid Death of the Author
+TheRetroKid I like to think Courage isn't a dog, but an abused kid. But, hey, whatever floats your boat.
+TheRetroKid Not sure about that, but the SpongeBob one is basically true.
+Eric Fulton My theory is that courage is secretly a potato.
I've always loved this episode for its theme. Thank you, Mr. Enter, for showcasing it to us.
I love that dog
same
This is probably your greatest admirable animation in a long time. "Courage the Cowardly Dog" had a surprising amount of depth to it.
"Your not perfect"
Me: AT LEAST I HAVE HANDS
A*****!!!
+Brandon Roberts first time I saw that thing Immediately hated it for insulting me and courage like that.
+Brandon Roberts The ending are also enjoyed. take that demanding lady!!!
Although Courage still face weirdos everywhere...
I think this has now become my favourite Admirable Animation, solely because I relate to this a lot. The problem of someone calling you out on not being perfect is probably the biggest struggle I'm going through right now in my life, because the person calling me out on it is my older sister. I would probably have no issue with insecurities if it was a stranger or even a friend, but if it's someone from your close family, it can really affect you, since you want to love them but you just can't because of the insecurities they give you.
The only other Admirable Animation that has hit this close to me was Test of the Tested, where you said that there were some people that tied their entire self-worth to their studies.
3:13 :'-(
Ikr? You just wanna hug the poor fucker. -_-
Excellent review, Enter. This series ended on such a high note. 3 years may have been a relatively short run (1999 - 2002) but Courage the Cowardly Dog will forever remain my favorite Cartoon Network show and one of my favorite animated series of all time.