HR Pufinstuf Episode 2: The Wheeley Bird

So I'm trying to review every episode of HR Pufinstuf, mostly cause it's good to have goals.  We learned in last episode that everything on Living Island can talk except for the things that don't.  We learned that Witchiepoo really should have taken over the place by now just by dint of high technology (her wand work needs work), and we learned that despite being an Owl Dr. Blinkey is a quack.  So let's continue on with this thrilling episode.... THE WHEELEY BIRD!

Hold on to your hats dear readers....

Damn you Wisconsin!

So we start off with a labor problem on Living Island.  Seems the only factory on Living Island makes candy and there is a demonstration outside.  I wonder what today's generation would make of signs like "Make Candy not War!"

Say hello to today's nightmare

The owner/manager(?) candy thing comes out and implores Pufinstuf to do something.  I find this thing just horrify.  There's a half melted qualty to it like it's spent too much time around the double boiler (heh, if there was a bar on Living Island that should be it's name).  Anyhoo, Pufinstuf tries to explain capitialism to hippie ants.  The hippie ants just want candy for nothing (and the chicks for free one presumes), but Pufinstuf is all american and says you have to work for candy.  One wonders what they use for money on Living Island, and does the money talk?  If so it brings new meaning to the old phrase, "Money talks and nobody walks..."

Of course they are RED ants

By the way, HR was ok with "Make Candy Not War," but was scandalized by the sign saying, "Down with Dentists."   That was far to revolutionary for the middle american, salt of the earth dragon.  Of course, adults of the time mentally crossed out dentists and put in cops.  Deep thoughts to be sure.

"I'm the Mayor I could call the National Guard."

...so does a living watch mean there is a watch maker somewhere?

All this social satire is interrupted by an alarmed alarm clock with a proclaimation from Witchiepoo.  Said Proclaimation is basically, "I'm still after the boy and the flute, give him to me OR ELSE."  HR questions, "or else?!"  And we cut to Witchiepoo cackling on her vroom broom (glad they fixed it from last episode) screaming ORRRRRRRRRRRR ELSEEEE!!!!!!!!

Still creepy

Both Puff and Jimmy agree the Witch is only really interested in Freddy the talking flute.  Freddy chimes in, asking if the Witch would let Jimmy go if he gave himself up to the Witch.  Puff and Jimmy don't seem to be listening and our working on their own plan which involves going to Dr. Blinkey.  Why not, it worked so well last time.

WONDERBOY AWAAAAAAY!!!!!!!

someone needs to flip this castle...

Meanwhile back at the castle Cersei I mean Witchiepoo is watching everything.  So she knows they are going to Dr. Blinkey just like last time.  I'm sensing a pattern here.  Witchiepoo claims she's ready now with her trusty wand and does a series of fencing moves.  She gives an experimental zap like so...

ZAP!

...ah so that's what they mean by 'light headed'

And her zap accidently gets Orson.  He develops a huge bubble bump on his head and they'll have to reset the "____ Number of days without an accident in the castle" sign.

I don't know, would it be worse to ride in the front pocket or the back?

Did I say creepy?  I mean really after watching this crawl around would you put it in YOUR mouth?

Well since no one was really listening, Freddy decides to leave them to give himself to the witch.  Watching him crawl away was suppose to be a heroic moment, but it just makes the flute even creepier to me.  The witch can have it, no way I'm playing it a tune.

so I guess they are going back to their musical roots...

Not knowing what has just happened our fun loving crew bursts into song.  It's a catchy little tune and at the end they suddenly realize they are a duo not a trio.  So they rush even faster to Dr. Blinkey.

She has a face for radio..

Meanwhile, Witchiepoo is sending out the call to be on the look out for a flute with a diamond skin condition.  He gets picked up by living EVIL trees who make a lot of bad tree puns.  One also is confused as how there can be such a thing as a talking flute.  Um, dude tree... this is the Living Island.  Everything talks probably including the crapper.

Somewhere Athena is doing a face palm....

Never forget to tip

At the good doctor's they once again run through another version of Abbott & Costello with owls.  Getting down to brass tacks the doctor is at a loss.  Luckily one of his book suggests the old old Trojan Horse gambit using the... ta da ta da THE WHEELEY BIRD.   Well, sounds as good a plan as springing a frog from a dungeon to find the Magic Path (that had the helpful sign labeled "Magic Path), so our heroes are on the case.

Ladies and gentlemen... the Wheeley bird..

Really, the wheeley bird.   Ok, yes that is what we needed invented Dr. Blinkey...a bicycle with a bird disguise.  The thing looks like it can barely seat one, but inside are already Kling and Klang.  It turns out, this is what they do on their days off.  Living Island must be so much fun.  Anyway, they join the rescue mission as Jimmy and Puff squeeze in.  Somehow they all fit, but they are having a little trouble peddling at first til Dr. Blinkey's house has another super sneeze.

So what's house snot?  Abestos?

A mayor, a boy and two midgets.  Where's TMZ?

Ladies and gentle, poultry in motion

Of all the castles in the world...

Flying like the wind, or a slight breeze, the wonderous wheeley bird goes through the forest and up the Mountain to the castle's gate/mouth.  Orson immediately takes the bait and tries to make out with the Wheeley.  Our boys inside decide to play coy and merely giggle at whatever Orson says.  Things like, "Why not come up to the castle and see my ... dominos," can probably only be properly replied to with laughter.  At any rate Orson leads the bird into the castle.  Once inside he asks for a kiss and gets a surprise!

the ol' boxing glove kiss... curse you sudden but inevitable betrayal!

our heroes...

Once knocked unconscious our heroes get out of the bird.  A nice bit the bird is leaning against the wall where they can pass the extra large Pufinstuf out through the Wheeley door as if he'd been in there all the time.  They decide on the time honoured plan of everyone splitting up in the scary castle.  What can go wrong?

Let's let the love birds have a moment alone..

Orson wakes up a bit later to the destroyed Wheeley Bird and believes it was his passion that killed his love.  Oh the sadness.  Orson is certainly the doomed romantic of Witchiepoo's little troupe. 

Ground control to Major Witchiepoo

Even though Witchiepoo is busy looking at her new golden flute, she has good enough security to determine they have been breached.  So she sends all her guards and minions after them.

some one needs to bone up on internal security

actually this is about seymour's speed

I now know why the cage bird sings...

We've discovered last time what a crack group Witchiepoo's minions are.  Though we miss the penetrating insights of Stupid Bat.  A witch has got to do what a witch has got to do.  For once her wand is working and she puts Jimmy, Kling and Klang into a big cage.  Orson (still nursing a broken heart) complains that it's HIS cage, but Witchie is too happy to give a what not.  She has the boy, she has the flute, and no one is ever ever ever going home!

A rod will beat a wand everytime

Luckily Pufinstuf was up in the gallery and somehow got ahold of a block and tackle.  With the skill of a ninja fisherman he plucks the wand away from the Witch.  It turns out Pufinstuf isn't to bad at wand wangling.  He opens the lock to the cage.  Jimmy and the idiots escape and the grab the creepy talking flute and are good to go.  Puff though gives the wand one last wiggle.....

DOUBLE TROUBLE!