All right, so where to begin? Well, first I should say I wasn't writing hyperbolically---I sincerely hate this special. That said, some small part of me feels the hate is unjustified, hence this re-watch (ie, does this special deserve my hatred?).
The first thing to be noted is The Raccoons and the Lost Star (TRatLS) is the third of three specials that preceded the television series, with the fourth (The Raccoons: Let's Dance) simply being a compilation of songs and segments from the previous three. The first two specials (The Christmas Raccoons; The Raccoons on Ice) are loosely connected and have little to do with television series.
TRatLS is different in that it seems to WANT to be 'canon'---it tries to tie itself with the television series ...in the worst ways. For starters, it attempts to retcon the first two specials by suggesting the raccoons and the Sneers didn't exist in the real world---that Schaffer somehow created them. Adding injury to this insult is TRatLS is an objectively bad viewing experience---the plot is awkward, the acting is horrible and the characters are dumb.
...but as a well read man once said, "You don't have to take my word for it"
So, let's have a look (link tested 11/24/2019): REDACTED New Link tested 05/02/2023 (thx, Foxy): https://youtu.be/V3w5jFoLq7M
Now, before going ahead any further, it must be said there are two versions of TRatLS. The one we're watching here (so far as I can tell) is the uncut version. The other was abridged for additional commercial space.
The special begins with Ranger Dan lighting a campfire in his back yard. With Ranger Dan are his two children (Julie and Tommy) and their sheepdog, Schaffer. The purpose of the campfire is to create atmosphere for Ranger Dan's story about a star,
RANGER DAN: "...Not so long ago, there was a tiny, sparkling star. Now this little star was very lonely, and it dreamed of becoming a shooting star ...so it could travel to a friendly, far-off place"
The story is interrupted by the sound of a car horn out front,
RANGER DAN: "You two stay put; let me check and see what that is. It might just be a surprise!"
The kids are called inside as, in fact, a surprise is waiting for them. Schaffer, however, remains by the fire---he has fallen to sleep.
Of course, what proceeds is Schaffer's dream, albeit the special doesn't make that obvious via segue or any other transitionary devices. Instead, we're led to believe the proceedings are actually happening.
Schaffer is awakened by an object falling from the sky, into the forest. Upon Schaffer's investigation, the object is revealed to be a WWI-type biplane (of the variety Snoopy would fly). Ah, but this is no ordinary war relic---it's a spaceship, piloted by a bear (bears, in this series, are typically dumb mooks or minions of Cyril Sneer ...this one is no exception).
A message comes forth over the space-plane's radio,
GENERAL PIG 1 (over radio): "Imperial commander [UNINTELLIGIBLE]! Report back at once! At once!"
Schaffer does the smartest thing he could do (#sarcasm)---he jumps into the backseat of the space-plane. :P
Soft rock music plays as Schaffer and the bear take-off into space.
The Raccoons series is known, in part, for its songs and music. The songs were always kid-appropriate, but had a 'grown-up' sound to them, thanks mostly to the electric instruments and the vocalists, some of who were actual adult-music performers.
Anyway, the space-plane carries Schaffer to a jungle region of some planet (which the special doesn't give a name to). In the midst of this jungle is a fortified missile base, built inside a (hopefully inactive) volcano. The space-plane files into a tunnel cut from the volcano, and makes its landing.
Schaffer (yet unnoticed by the bear), finds himself surrounded by rockets, tanks, and bear mooks carrying fantasy weapons. A jeep pulls up to the space-plane. General Pig 1 (of three) hop out,
GENERAL PIG 1 (to the bear pilot): "Give me the reconnaissance data! ...Imperial Commander has been waiting for you! He does not like waiting!"
For those who don't know, the three pigs are slightly higher up on the minion totem than the bears, but they're still dumb and every bit as subject to Cyril's persistent abuse (perhaps more so than the bears).
IMPERIAL SNEER (over loudspeaker): "I'm waiiitiiing! ...Well, get this: all generals and that pilot report to me immediately! On the double! That's an order! Hop to it!"
Schaffer takes this opportunity to escape. Schaffer spots an exit tunnel, but he is detected before he can reach it. Sneer orders the pigs to capture Schaffer,
IMPERIAL SNEER: "A dog!? An Earth dog!? Nw hear this: deactivate that dog!"
The pigs scramble for their jeep, to give Schaffer chase. Schaffer (running) somehow outpaces the vehicle through the entirety of the tunnel. Once outside the base, Sneer calls the pigs back inside,
IMPERIAL SNEER: "Our imperial commander has just ordered us to return! We can crunch the dog later!"
'Deactivate'? 'Crunch'? Such strange word choices.
Stranger still is how quickly the chase was abandoned, and for seemingly no reason. I mean, an alien creature stows away into your fortified rocket base. You have vehicles, guns and soldiers at your command to arrest said creature, and you give the order to do so ...only to rescind that order moments later. Why? :P
Anyway, Schaffer finds himself surrounded by jungle. Schaffer drifts around until his ears detect the sound of falling water. He follows the sound to a waterfall, whereat we meet Sofia Tutu,
SOFIA: "Hello! Who are you?"
SCHAFFER: "Schaffer. Don't 'cha know me?"
SOFIA: "How could I; we just met?"
...*sighs* It's never explained by the special, but apparently this jungle planet exists in some kind of parallel universe in which Schaffer's 'earth friends' each have a doppleganger ...and as a consequence of Schaffer not having a double of *himself in this universe, no one here recognizes/confuses him.
*well, this may not be entirely accurate (hang on a sec)
Moving forward, Schaffer explains his story to Sofia, who doesn't seem to internalize the strangeness of it all.
A friendly four-legged puppy begins barking in the distance. He makes his way over to Schaffer and Sofia,
SOFIA (holding puppy): "Schaffer, I'd like you to meet Broo ...you see, you [Schaffer] also remind me of a friend"
...So one could extrapolate from this that Broo is Schaffer's counterpart here. Either way, the similarities between the dogs are only superficial (ie, the two resemble each other stylistically, albeit Broo is a feral type who cannot talk, and Schaffer is a talking anthro type).
Plotwise, the important thing about Broo is something external to him: it's the star he wears on his collar,
SOFIA (regarding Broo's star): "I'd never seen anything like it before---I found it on the ground, sparkling---almost like a star. And I thought, 'That's for Broo!'"
I really don't like Sofia's portrayal here. Her voice actress has a deliberate way of reading her lines, almost one word at a time. granted, Schaffer's voice actor isn't much better, and for similar reasons. The script only adds insult to injury, esp. with lines like this,
"We're two of a kind, except for that starry thing. It sure is pretty!"
In fact, despite being only a quarter of the way through this special, I think I understand why I dislike it so: the (main) protagonists are grating to the ears and dumb to the mind. This is a corollary of my having been exposed to the main series before experiencing the specials, in which the characters (who were still in development at the time) weren't as refined/mature as I'd come to know them.
I cannot fault this special for that ..though I really want to! XD
Anyway, the trio proceed further into the jungle,
SCHAFFER: "This jungle sure seems deserted"
SOFIA: "This may sound odd, but all the animals seem to be disappearing. I hope you're not going to leave"
SCHAFFER: "It looks like I don't have much choice, but I should go home soon; my family will be missing me. I wonder how I can get back there"
SOFIA: "Well, my boyfriend does have a very influential father. Maybe he can help"
Said boyfriend is Cedric Sneer and his father is Cryril (ie Imperial Commander) Sneer
...oh, spoilers (I guess), but this proceeding line from Sofia gives it away :P ^^
SOFIA: "Actually, I've never met his father, but if he's anything like my boyfriend, then he'll be sweet, and kind, and gentle and helpful"
Yeah. Always meet the parents, kids, esp. if you exist in a cartoon!
Returning to the Sneer Base,
IMPERIAL SNEER (to the pigs and pilot): "I, Cyril Sneer: imperial commander, send you to Earth on a simple but vital reconnaissance mission, and you bring back an earth dog!?"
In fairness, Cyril called the pilot to return within moments of his landing in the forest, so... What was he to do? Cyril has a bad habit there, Cyril: barking orders then immediately cancelling or reversing them. :P
IMPERIAL SNEER (to pigs): "Now I'm willing to overlook that pilot's clumsiness, but I am not willing to overlook the blunder you made with my star!"
Which, of course, is Broo's star...
IMPERIAL SNEER (continuing): "For the past few months I've made millions of calculations, used all my expertise so that one tiny perfect star, unique in all the universe, would fall into the jungle outside. The star falls, right on schedule, but where are you guys---taking a coffee break!? Goofing off!? And now someone else has found it---I. Want. My. Star!
...That star is irreplaceable---only it has the atomic dynamics needed to power all my rockets. I cannot launch my attack on Earth without it! I want you to find that star immediately! I want to own Earth by next week!"
Well, I suppose Cyril could own the whole earth, but where would he put it? Moreover, it seems he's more keen on destroying Earth than 'owning' it---perhaps it obstructs his view of Venus? Either way, Cyril should have chosen a less specific form of energy/fuel). :P
Enter Cedric Sneer,
CEDRIC: "Hi, Pop"
IMPERIAL SNEER: "Cedric? What are you doing out of uniform?"
...Says the guy wearing only a hat.
CEDRIC: "I've got a date with Sofia: my girl!"
Cyril doesn't care about Cedric's plans, advising Cedric to hold off on his romantic interests until Earth has been conquered, as Cyril's rockets cannot take on passengers ...which makes sense considering the weight of an unaccounted-for Tic Tac can throw off NASA's space shuttle ...but then we know Cyril has space planes that can fly to Earth and transport stowaway earth dogs, so... :P
Returning to the plot, wee learn Cyric and his goons have been capturing and imprisoning the jungle animals, in hopes of determining the whereabouts of his star, explaining Schaffer's observation from earlier.
The pigs are ordered to capture what is rest of the jungle dwellers.
Back to the jungle,
SCHAFFER: "I don't mind telling you, Sofia, but I was scared! Inside were all these tanks, and mean-looking bears ...and pigs!"
This from from a character who accidentally killed someone while practicing karate (yes, that was a thing from the series ...and, yeah, yeah---this special came before all that).
SOFIA: "My boyfriend's from the mountain, but it must be a different part, because he wouldn't be mixed up in anything bad"
*grumbles*
Ah, but as it happened, our heroes walk into a trap! The three find themselves tied up in a net? Could this be one of Cyril's traps?
BERT: "Bingo! what a catch!...Hey, we snatched three of the animal snatchers!"
...Nope! The trap was meant FOR Cyril, and was set up by our raccoon friends ...or, rather, their dopplegangers. :P
The three explain their situation to the raccoons and are released. In the process, we learn Sofia doesn't know who Cyril Sneer is ...nor does the name 'Sneer' seem to ring any of her bells, as if Sofia never asked Cedric for his last name (seriously, how dumb is this girl?). :P
RALPH (releasing the captives): I'm sorry about the trap, but we're just about the only animals left around"
BERT (observing Cyril's space-planes flying overhead): "Gee, I'd like to fly one of those babies!"
SCHAFFER: "The only way I'd get into one of those contraptions would be to go home to earth ...I sure miss my kids"
MELISSA: "What are kids?"
...THESE CHARACTERS ARE SO DUMB! Schaffer, you've already been in one of those 'contraptions', and I know good and well Melissa knows what a kid is! D< D< D<
Anyway, the six decide to work together to free the animals and return Schaffer to Earth.
...But their plans will have to wait as Sofia remembers she has a date tonight with Cedric.
We transition to sometime later with Cedric and Sofia. Sofia tells Cedric of the day's adventures, and asks if he knows who Cyril Sneer is.
The result is Sofia dreads never seeing Cedric again once his father moves to Earth. We re treated to another pop song as we watch the two sweethearts spend what's probably their final night in each other's company.
We jump to the next day at the raccoon treehouse, whereat the raccoons and Schaffer have devised a plan to raid Cyril's mountain.
Time to go!
We're given yet another pop song to listen two as we watch our heroes break into the base ...by distracting the guards with tomatoes. :P The animals are rescued, but are recaptured. The sequence is replayed, almost exactly as before (tomatoes and all), including the recapturing of the animals.
It's lazy, granted, it's an amusing sequence to watch ...at least until the music ends,
NARRATOR (yes, there's a narrator): "Night after night, the raccoon gang would outwit Cyril Sneer. But no sooner were the animals freed, then Cyril's army quickly rounded them up again.
See, that's just depressing (those poor, simple beasts). :(
NARRATOR (continuing): "Only the raccoon gang was able to elude Cyril, in his frantic search for the missing star"
Hm. I think, maybe, once the raccoons were outside, Cyril would call his army back from their pursuit. It wouldn't be unprecedented!
Cedric 'helps' by staying away from the action, although he does keep watch via Cyril's surveillance cameras. Ah, but Cedric has been caught doing so by Cyril.
Cyril reviews the footage. He learns, incidentally, that Sofia is helping with the raids, but more important is Cyril discovers his star, hanging round Broo's neck. Oh my!
Cyril dismisses Cedric.
Later that night, Cyril observes Cedric going out once again to see Sofia. Cyril has he army follow Cedric in secret, knowing that wherever Sofia is, Broo and the star will be also.
The army succeeds in surrounding the lovers and their dog.
IMPERIAL SNEER: "Well, well, well---we meet at last. Sofia, isn't it?"
SOFIA: "Cedric!? How could you!?"
CEDRIC: "I didn't know! Honest!"
Upon interrogation, Sofia refuses to disclose Broo's whereabouts, hence she is carted away to Cyril's dungeon, and we're given another (saccharine) pop song.
Cedric is free to go.
Later that night,
BERT: "These raids are gettin' to be so simple! Heh! No challenge anymore!"
I'll say, hitherto now all that was needed was a replay button. ;)
The raccoons, Schaffer and Broo encroach upon the base, hoping to liberate Sofia.
The party sneaks in and find Sofia's cell ...and, of course, it was a trap. The gang is apprehended and locked in a cell (along with Sofia). This cell is a brick-built structure hanging from the ceiling of the rocket-launch area. It's revealed to our heros that Cyril's attack on Earth will begin the next day, and that the mountain base will self-destruct (with the prisoners inside) once the rockets are launched.
I'm sure that would make sense if I were an evil rich guy ...but, alas!
As for Broo, his star is taken, but Broo himself manages to escape.
NARRATOR: "Little Broo did feel pretty lonely. And he was just as worried about the others as they were about him. But he wasn't ready to give up hope---not quite yet"
The next morning, Broo climbs up a mobile staircase that just happens to be adjacent to the hanging cell of our heroes. In Broo's mouth is a map of the mountain, apparently drawn by Cedric (thus redeeming him in Sofia's eyes). The raccoons look over the map,
RALPH: "It shows how to get to the war room from here!"
...Oh, you mean that big, obvious tower in the midst of the rocket area? yeah, I could see how that'd be easy to miss (really, though, a key would have been more useful).
Anyway, Broo 'says' (in the language of bark) that he wants to go after the star. Schaffer gives his blessing. Exit Broo.
Broo has little difficulty making his way to the war room, wherein Cyril is broadcasting,
IMPERIAL SNEER: "This is your imperial commander! I am activating the last phase of our countdown! Secure all boarding hatches! Finish loading gun bays! Start rocket engines! I wanna hear those beauties hummmmmm!"
Broo observes the star, spinning inside some sort of power convertor.
Broo is spotted by Cyril, who tries to nab him. In the process, Cyril accidentally launches one of his rockets, which explods inside the base ...and damages absolutely nothing.
Uj, even if that rocket wasn't armed with a live head, it still should've, you know, broken something. Ah, well. Cyric continues to mash button after button, as Broo runs across the control board. Consequently, several more rockets are launched, exploding harmlessly against the base's ceiling.
Cyril might wanna reconsider some of his life choices after this.
One of the buttons opens the door of the raccoon gang's cell. The party evacuates ...along with all the other animals that were still imprisoned elsewhere inside.
Returning to the war room, Broo takes the star and runs away with it.
IMPERIAL SNEER (loudspeaker): "Mission aborted! Stop the countdown! Round up those animals! I want them now! I want my star!"
The animas did you a service, bro--they let you know your rockets ain't no good!
Meanwhile, the raccoon gang are surrounded by the bear army. They are backed up against one of those space-planes,
Bert starts up the space-plane. His friends jump in ...as does Broo (star in tote), at the last possible second!
Bert flies the space-plane through the exit tunnel. The bears close the tunnel gate, but a missile from the space-plane blows up the gate. The party escapes!
...and we learn the small missiles the space-planes are armed with are more destructive than the huge rockets Cyril planned to use to destroy Earth ...again, I cannot get behind the logic of this special! XD
Anyway, the base's self-destruct mechanism is (accidentally) activated and the base is destroyed, but supposedly Cyril and Cedric escape.
After all the excitement, Bert offers to fly Schaffer back to Earth via the space-plane.
BERT: "...outer space will be a cinch--no tunnels!"
But wormholes, apparently.
Schaffer accepts, and a pop song plays.
RALPH: "You're a good friend, Schaffer; we couldn't have beaten Cyril without you"
SCHAFFER: "It was a good team effort ...Well, I hate long goodbyes---besides, we might see each other again!"
MELISSA: "That's a mighty special wish"
SCHAFFER: "And I wish you all lived on Earth, in the Evergreen Forest, with me. It's funny, but I feel like I've always known you"
...That's because he has.
The events of the preceding specials clearly show the raccoons existed in Schaffer's 'real world', in the Evergreen Forest, BEFORE the events of TRatLS. The first special (Christmas Raccoons) began as a dream, but showed us the Raccoons afterwords, in the real world, celebrating the replanting of the trees Cyril had cut down in the dream. Granted, Schaffer only 'saw' the Raccoons outside the dream, but that was enough to give the raccoons a real-world existence. The second special (The Raccoons on Ice) didn't involve dreams at all, and showed clearly the relationships among Schaffer, the raccoons and even the Sneers, as happening and existing in Schaffer's real world.
TL;DR: I don't buy this 'Schaffer dreamed the raccoons into life' nonsense (and neither should you).
Ah, but I digress---TRatLS is the special we're watching, and there's still more of its nonsense to get through.
The space-plane runs out of gas, just over Schaffer's home,
BERT: "Uhm Schaffer, looks like there's not enough gas to land and take off again. We better return. We'll hunt for gas and then try again another day!"
Uh, you're not low on fuel, Bert---you're slap out! You're dead, pal! XD
Luckily for Schaffer, he brought a parachute. Schaffer bids farewell to Bert as he deplanes.
As Schaffer descends, the voices of Tommy and Julie rouse him from his dream,
TOMMY: "Schaffer! Schaffer! Guess what! We've got a surprise to show you!"
It's Broo---Ranger Dan bought the kids a puppy, with a nice star collar to go with.
NARRATOR: "That night, the stars seemed to shine down on the forest with a special warm glow. Schaffer wondered if he could have dreamt it all---surely a star had fallen and spread magic in its path, and one special with had come true, just now! And the Schaffer stopped wondering, because he suddenly knew that if Broo had made it to the Evergreen Forest, then he would soon see Sofia and the Raccoons, too)"
...Except he already knows the aforementioned (but whatever---I'm just grateful to God this special is over)! XD
All right, so do I still hate TRatLS?
I certainly haven't developed any new appreciation for or of it, but, that said, I at least understand my dislike of this inane, pointless special. I know others like it, and that's fine. What's important is I don't have to. :3
ADDENDUM/EDIT: A slight clarification needs be here. The proceeding occurred between and reader and me,'
READER: "So is THAT how it fits into the TV series?"
MARTEN: "Well, it is a dream (Schaffer's, specifically), but the issue lies in what's said at the end of the special, after the dream concludes,
(NARRATOR: '...And the Schaffer stopped wondering, because he suddenly knew that if Broo had made it to the Evergreen Forest, then he would soon see Sofia and the Raccoons, too')
The implication is Schaffer will see the others for the first time (meaning this special completely disregards the first two). ...And then there's Broo, who didn't exist in the other two specials, but would be a regular on the TV series ...and if one thinks about it, Brooo has all the characteristics of a jump-the-shark character, so one could say 'The Raccoons' jumped the shark with its first episode!"
READER: "Right, but he also said, in his dream, that he already HAD a friend called Sofia and indicated quite strongly that he'd met people identical or very close to the ones he encounters in his dream, not just once like the narrator's assertion but as he meets each character.
So which is it? If this is supposed to be his dream coming to life then why, in that dream, did he seem so confident that he'd met all these people before?"
MARTEN: "Because this special makes no sense.
Yes, Schaffer knew (say) Sofia in the real world and acknowledges it... But then he wakes up, the narrator doesn't say Schaffer dreamt about his friends, but that they (like Broo) would soon come to the Evergreen Forest.
It's almost like saying Schaffer will see both his old friends AND their counterparts together in Evergreen"
READER: "That seems the most logical choice.
After the special they all get together and marvel at the duplication, but not before plenty of confusing hijinks where they all split up and bump into each other and don't understand why everyone's acting weird.
It was the fourth special, available only on HD Imagination"
MARTEN: Indeed :3"
Remember, Broo IS Schaffer's doppleganger, 'dreamed into life'. The same would apply to Bert, etc., if (what is rest of) Schaffer's dream would come true. ...But no one really wants this (including the series's writers), which is why we never saw (say) two 'Berts' in the series (ie, the real one and his doppleganger), contrary to what TRatLS believes it wants its viewer to think. Hence there will never be two sets of raccoons, so for Schaffer's dream to come true, the next time Schaffer meets the raccoons, he won't be meeting the ones he already knew and dreamt ABOUT, but their dopplegangers he dreamt into reality (ie, the raccoons from the other specials 'never happened').
The story makes no sense. Therefore you hate it. I am assuming you draw this character not because you think he's cute. (I think he is kinda cute). You drew him because he best represents the story in your view. Correct?
The story makes no sense. Therefore you hate it. I am assuming you draw this character not because y
Suffice it to say I just don't like the movie; it's not coherent and doesn't seem to be in the same universe as the TV series (though it's supposed to be).
Suffice it to say I just don't like the movie; it's not coherent and doesn't seem to be in the same
