The Ruff and Reddy Show #5 – Howard Chaykin, Writer; Mac Rey, Artist
Ratings:
Ray – 6/10
The Ruff and Reddy Show #5, the penultimate issue of Howard Chaykin and Mac Rey’s Hollywood satire finally sees Ruff and Reddy’s careers get back on track, as it’s pilot season and they have a full slate. This means that we get a whole host of parodies of prominent TV shows, some funnier than others. Chaykin’s sense of humor has always been…divisive, and this issue embraces that a bit more. Unfortunately, it often veers into offensive and ridiculous. Case in point, the opening “Transfixed” segment has Reddy playing a dog that wants to transition into a cat. Not exactly subtle, there. I was more amused by “Frontier Planet”, a Westworld parody that sends up all the bizarre plot twists and strange narratives of the show. Likewise, a Game of Thrones parody with Were-Reddy amused.
Less funny? An elaborate South Park parody that seems to be making fun of sexual assault in a really gross way. Several other segments mainly seem to be making fun of millennials in a generic way. I’m not even sure what “Unjustified Entitlement” is supposed to be parodying. Beyond these one-page gags, Ruff and Reddy are still bickering and fighting with their distaff counterparts, and there’s a…sex tape waiting in the wings? Okay. That’s quite the final issue cliffhanger, but in general, the series feels like a concept in search of a bigger idea. A Hollywood parody through the filter of cartoons is an intriguing idea, but when you look at how Snagglepuss is executing it compared to this series, there really isn’t much of a competition.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
