Now We Know

Hot on the heels of Now We Know's look back at its spinoff series Count Duckula, the boys turn their gaze to Danger Mouse, the 1981 British cartoon hit that made David Jason (or at least his voice) a beloved companion of millions of children the world over. Featuring villainous toads, militarized washing machines, controversially Italian crows, and yes, a certain vampire duck, you're in for a treat.

In the heart of Transylvania, in the vampire Hall of Fang-ya, there's supposedly not a single vampire zanier than Count Duckula. Kevin and Chris look back at the Thames Television children's cartoon—a spin-off of another Cosgrove Hall animated hit, Danger Mouse—which was a ubiquitous fixture on Nickelodeon in the late 80's and early 90's.

Chris and Kevin are joined by four-time conquering guest Miranda for a look back at gothic horror classic Candyman—infamous on 90's elementary school playgrounds everywhere—on the occasion of the release of a brand new remake. All the stars are here—Tony Todd! Virginia Madsen! Kasi Lemmons! Xander Berkeley! So why not pop some popcorn, say Candyman up to four times, and settle in with Now We Know?

With Chris disabused of some foundational misunderstandings in our earlier G.I. Joe cartoon series episode, Kevin returns to the well for the 1987 animated movie—sadly, not a theatrical release, but a familiar pick on the home video market. What follows is a rollicking, at times macabre tale of soldiers, secrets, spores, and the utter denigration of Cobra Commander, a magnificent man who truly deserved better.

This time, Kevin and Chris are joine by first-time guest Rachel Beach to discuss Gallavants, a 1984 children's movie (technically, somehow, a Marvel movie?) combining cartoon ants, the voice of Optimus Prime, and a vernacular so pointlessly complicated you'll feel like a Scientologist by the end. Content advisory: this episode is intended only for listeners who already have their kabumps.

Crash, boom, bang! It's the third installment of Now We Know's ballyhooed Commercials of the 80's and 90's series! This time Kevin brings forth a bevy of exciting, confusing, controversial, and memorable TV ads from his youth, some of which Chris remembers, and some of which are brand new. Time to fire up your cathode ray tubes gang, we're goin' back!

Kevin and Chris enter the video zone in this inaugural installment of Video Games of the 80's and 90's. Fate calls upon Kevin to run a gauntlet of 11 video games across the NES and SNES — all of them "Chris classics," though some, perhaps, not actual classics. Also, a devout Indiana Jones fan calls the Now We Know hotline, and he's got a bone to pick.

With a Tony Scott-less sequel right around the corner, Kevin and Chris revisit 1986 high-octane thrill ride (and military recruitment propaganda vehicle) Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise and Tom Skerritt — the Toms. Also featuring Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, and three gallons of artificial sweat. Prepare to enter the danger zone!

Kevin and Chris return to a mystical jungle of their youths, complete with familial wolves, scolding panthers, smooth layabout bears, swingin' monkeys, and aristocratic, homicidal tigers. That's right, it's 1967 Disney animated film The Jungle Book, based on the 1894 Rudyard Kipling tome of the same name. Oh, there are also some vultures who kinda sorta seem they were going for a Beatles thing.

What time is it? Muppet time once more! This episode Kevin revisits the 1981 follow-up to the classic subject of a prior episode, The Muppet Movie ― it's The Great Muppet Caper, featuring the whole gang plus Charles Grodin, Diana Rigg, and a host of familiar faces in cameo roles. But does it live up to the first film's lofty standards?