They’re Still My Favorite Martians #5 “My Favorite Neighbor”
Reviewed and Analyzed by Jeff Baker
Continuing our look at the 1973 cartoon series “My Favorite Martians,” a version of the original live action series which, as we will see this time, used some of the same story ideas.
Snoopy “Freelance Security Officer” Brennan’s attempts to spy on Martin have driven the Martian to develop a “personality reverser ray.” Martin is, of course, not ready to use the device until it is thoroughly tested. Andy, of course, is impatient and wants to test it immediately.
He and Katy see Brad, Brennan and Chump snooping with a periscope which knocks over a hornet’s nest (literally!) and Andy uses the personality reverser ray on the hornets, which changes their attitude and they zip back into their hive. Of course, the ray accidentally zaps the snoopy trio, something Andy doesn’t realize at first until Brad, Brennan and Chump show up at the O’Hara apartment with the usually hostile, snoopy Brennans acting impossibly overly friendly. And the voice actors and animation are letter-perfect in this scene!
Figuring out that the Brennans accidentally got zapped, Martin sends them on a scavenger hunt while he works on the ray machine.
Written by Jim Ryan and Bill Danch, “My Favorite Neighbor” is a re-do of an episode from the original series and it fits wonderfully into the cartoon. The episode’s closing gag makes me smile all these years later.
For a Saturday-Morning kids show there are a few references in this (and other) episodes that are fairly sophisticated. Such as “hep-cat” and playing “Post Office.” I actually had to ask my Mom about the last one which I had never heard of!
One quibble; in the scene where the Brennans are bicycling to the Department Store, there is an exchange between a father and son that is supposed to be funny but would not fly today.
Jonathan Harris, as the voice of Uncle Martin, needs no introduction. His instantly recognizable voice and clipped British diction were known the world over. But Harris freely admitted that the accent and diction were “an affectation.” Like several other actors he realized the British “had the best diction” so he adopted it. He was the New York-born son of Russian-Jewish immigrants who actually had a Bronx accent to start with and had never really wanted to be anything but an actor.
“Martians” was his first (but not last) regular role in an animated series. Best known as Doctor Smith on “Lost In Space,” he would wind up his career bringing his blend of intellect and sarcasm to Pixar Movies. A blend that was perfect on this series as Uncle Martin.
Next time, another episode borrowed from the original series, where we find out that three Andys are not necessarily better than one!
Here’s a link to “My Favorite Neighbor” on You Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkB3cYv9GyE
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