Science Court
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"To Serve, and Observe". |
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Based on educational software (sold directly to schools), Science Court was an Edutainment Show that premiered on ABC Kids One Saturday Morning in 1997. It used the animation style called Squiggle Vision and was made by the same guys that made Home Movies and Dr. Katz.
Every episode someone makes a frivolous lawsuit or criminal allegation against an innocent party, who would surely have never been in this mess if everyone understood Science! And so, with Science! on her side, defense lawyer Alison Krempel perennially defeats her ignorant nemesis Doug Savage with a roster of expert witnesses establishing that No, you cannot repair a snapped electric cord by tying the two halves together.
While the show technically ran for 3 seasons, the second was really just the first season presented in a revised format, adding a Teaser Opening and closing with bug-like hosts and a new segment in the middle called "See You Later, Estimator" hosted by the Science Court character Professor Parsons. (Some trimming was done to the rest of the program to accomodate these additions.) The third season also used this new format, but with new episodes instead of reruns.
- Adult Child: Most of the adults engage in rather childlike activities. In one instance, Judge Stone received a toy car for her birthday and loved it.
- Animal Motifs: Miss Krempel has Fish-shaped Earings. Doug Savage has a fish-shaped tie.
- Bunny Ears Lawyer: Most of the court staff. Especially the stenographer.
- Butt Monkey:
- Doug Savage
- Professor Parsons is this in the See You Later Estimator segments, but usually not in the main cartoon.
- Captain Obvious: "I bet that water's wet."
- Cast of Snowflakes
- Cloudcuckoolander: Doug Savage is the Designated Villain of all episodes (albiet, as an attorney, a Punch Clock Villain) but is portrayed as hilariously weird at times rather than negative.
- Deranged Animation: It is a Squigglevision cartoon, after all.
- Evil Counterpart: Not evil by any stretch of the imagination, but Micayla is basically Doug's equivalent of Miss Krempel's assistant, Timmy.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Parsons's cat puppet said that it's name was "Puppet". In season 3, she changed her name to "Cat".
- Friendly Enemy: I.M. Richman and his rival regularly invite each other over for dinner.
- Meaningful Name: The Not-Quite Brothers and their "Not-Quite" Lightning-Proof Tower.
- My Name Is Not Durwood: It's Felix Fultergas, not Felix Filled-With-Gas!
- No Indoor Voice: J.C. Cramwood
- Not So Above It All: Miss Krempel can occasionally be just as childish or bizarre as everyone else.
- Once an Episode:
- In the first two seasons, Miss Krempel always sings about the science subject in her closing argument. This was dropped in the third season.
- Dr. Julie Bean is called to the stand as the first expert witness. Professor Parsons is called to the stand as the second expert witness. Very rarely, they'll switch out Dr. Bean with Felix Fultergas or some other consultant.
- Perpetual Smiler: Cramwood
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Timmy's voice actor hitting puberty. Rather than replacing him with a younger actor, they studio simply had Timmy hit puberty too. Arguably a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming for the crew.
- Recycled in Space: The third season's host segments were identical to the second season's, except that they took place in a satellite orbiting the earth.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Cramwood.
- Southern Belle: Clarice Cow.
- Surfer Dude: Parsons's lobster puppet, Josh the Surfing Lobster. Takes the stoner-like aspects of this trope Up to Eleven.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: Dr. Bean and Dr. Fultergas both look like and are voiced by children.
- You Gotta Have Blue Hair: The Judge