'Tiny Toon Adventures' was more often than not very good with their episodes made up of two or more segments (usually three). Some inevitably better and more consistent than others, but the best segments throughout the show were gems and even lesser ones were watchable. It was equally good and more so in the individual story episodes, not as many in number. "Strange Tales of Weird Science" is another one of the segment-structured ones, albeit not one of the best.
"Strange Tales of Weird Science" has a great subject and some great ideas, it certainly delivers on the strangeness as ought and is mostly entertaining as an episode. Did find it uneven though and that it didn't live up to full potential. Of the three segments, "Scentimental Pig", "Pit Bullied" and "Duck in the Muck", only one to me is outstanding. Of the other two, one is fun and surprisingly well done but not as inspired while the other didn't do much for me.
Faring weakest of the segments to me is "Pit Bullied". It's certainly not one to avoid, the animation, music and voices are all dead on and there are amusing moments. Arnold the Pit Bull is by far the best faring of the characters featured with the most personality. Just felt though that it did lack imagination, was a bit on the thin side and that it could have been sharper and wittier.
Also it's the least strange of the three, almost a little too cute, and not as relevant to the premise as the other two. Whether you enjoy it too is very dependent on what your stance is on Furrball, to me there are more interesting and funnier 'Tiny Toon Adventures' characters and here he is on the bland side.
While not great, "Scentimental Pig" fares better though and is not as sentimental as the title of the segment suggests. Have always felt again that there are funnier and more interesting characters than Hamton and again it could have been more creative, but there is more wit and wackiness here and the segment while pretty predictable doesn't play it too safe when it comes to weirdness. It is very well animated, scored and voiced and the other characters are great fun, especially Plucky. Who takes centre stage in by far the best segment "Duck in the Muck", the most relevant to the concept and truest in spirit writing-wise to the show's general style.
"Duck in the Muck" is the most wonderfully strange, the cleverest, the wackiest and most witty of the three segments, with the most inspired story that is both nostalgic and hilarious. The dialogue is at its most razor sharp and it's the liveliest segment pace-wise. Plucky is so well suited to the role of the Toxic Revenger, no bias is intended but he has always been one of my favourite characters of the show, and Montana Max is a well contrasted nemesis.
In all three segments, the animation is colourful and atmospheric in all the right places, with nice attention to detail and a nice job is done with some inventive expressions and gestures. The music fits beautifully and matches the tone of each story ideally, and it is hard to resist the theme song. Buster and Babs' wraparound story benefit from their great chemistry and Charlie Adler and Tress MacNeille's voice acting. The writing is sharp and has some affectionate and clever references that will delight older audiences (that are more likely to get them), some random but endearingly so. The voice acting all round is great.
Overall, fun but not great. One outstanding segment lifts it. 7/10
