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𝟑𝟏 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝!!
The voice of Angela, Brigitte Bako, returns alongside Series Creator Greg Weisman as we dive into this pivotal episode of Gargoyles: “The Reckoning”!
We discuss Brigitte’s move to New York and how her own family background helped her connect with Angela as a character. We explore Angela finally meeting Demona and her desperate desire to love her biological mother despite the harsh reality of who Demona truly is. We break down some of the episode’s incredible dialogue (including Fang’s unforgettable one-liners), and discuss why Demona ultimately does the right thing here… and why that still doesn’t redeem her in the way many other shows might have tried to frame it.
And for fans who have long questioned why the Manhattan Clan briefly considered that Demona may have perished despite knowing about her immortality, we tackle that as well.
We also catch up with Brigitte about what she’s been up to, including her award-winning podcast, Lies My Vagina Told Me, where the show has been, what’s next for it, and her ongoing connection to the Gargoyles fandom — including the guest appearances from Greg Weisman and Thom Adcox-Hernandez on her show.
This episode gets a little raunchy, so mature listeners — and immature listeners — are all welcome.
We also share our First Impressions of Gargoyles Meets Darkwing Duck #3. Spoilers run from 0:55 to 6:40.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Audible, Spotify, and your podcatcher of choice! And join us on Patreon for the Exclusive Video Edition!
Follow us on Twitter at: @FromEyrie Follow us on Bluesky at: @GargoylesPodcast Follow us on Instagram at: gargoylesvoices Visit Jennifer L. Anderson’s online stores at: Angel Wings and Demon Tails Visit Greg Weisman at: Ask Greg Everything you ever wanted to know about Gargoyles at: GargWiki Visit Brigitte Bako on Instagram at: theofficialbrigittebako And check out “Lies My Vagina Told Me”
Double Take (1997) | Dir. Mark L. Lester
Gargoyles the Movie: Heroes Awaken (1994)
Back in 1995, I distinctly remember seeing a VHS of Gargoyles: The Movie at the video rental store. I picked it as my movie of the week and was disappointed when I realized it was only the 5-part series premiere edited together. This means we’re not really talking about a movie here, but we sort of are as well. Let's consider it a made-for-TV movie for this review's sake. As that, how does this fare?
In 994 A.D., Scotland, Castle Wyvern repels any invaders thanks to its stone gargoyles, which come to life at nighttime. Despite his frightening appearance, their leader, Goliath (voiced by Keith David) desires only cooperation between his clan and the humans who defend them while they are petrified during the day. Following a betrayal from within the castle walls, most of the gargoyles are destroyed and the few survivors are frozen in stone until the castle they defend rises above the clouds. A thousand years later, in Manhattan, billionaire David Xanatos (Jonathan Frakes) has moved the castle above his headquarters. Awoken in an unfamiliar world, they find a friend in Elisa Maza (Salli Richardson), an open-minded police detective.
Don’t expect the visuals to rival a theatrical production or even something like Nickelodeon’s The Last Airbender. While the characters are consistently on-model, I spotted at least one coloring error in the second half of the picture and there is more than one instance of the stone gargoyles looking pretty different from their awakened state - the "statues" are painted as static background elements so the stone texture and the angles of their muscles/limbs are much more detailed than anything in the moving foreground. Finally, this is a pilot so while it is self-contained, many threads will only pay off in later seasons, such as the gargoyle eggs Goliath leaves with Princess Katharine (Kath Soucie) and her wizard (Jeff Bennett) (not sure why he did that, in hindsight). That said, this is a strong debut.
There are many characters in this story and the gargoyles other than Goliath - they name themselves Lexington (Thom Adcox Hernandez), Hudson (Ed Asner), Brooklyn (Jeff Bennett again), Broadway (Bill Fagerbakke), and Bronx (Frank Welker) - are more established than given character arcs. This makes Goliath the protagonist and the others supporting characters. I’ve found that in most children’s television series, the leader turns out to be the least interesting member of a team but that’s not the case here. Goliath is at once trusting of humans and wary of opening up. He can be calm and collected but is also prone to fits of rage and frequently talks of vengeance against those who’ve wronged him. He adapts well to his new setting but shows no affinity for modern-day tech like some of his comrades. He's many things at once, which keeps you watching and wondering what's next. There are no obvious character arcs within him.
Gargoyles rather elegantly uses the limitations imposed upon it as a boy’s property to its advantage. All of the gargoyles in Manhattan are male, guaranteeing there won’t be any weird “should we start repopulating?” discussions. It also adds an extra level of tragedy to the story by making them the last of their kind. Conveniently, this makes Elisa the lone female hero of the show/film without making her a token. If there’s a secondary protagonist, it’s her (which gives you a bit of a Beauty and the Beast vibe) and unlike other shows, her status as a colored woman does not make her feel like a quota. It should also be noted that Xanatos is a person of color as well, making this a show with more POC than Caucasians. It may be because most of the cast are non-humans but that’s still something I feel is worth noting.
The story features plenty of varied action. There are battles set in 994 and others in the present as well - some of which don’t include the gargoyles at all and allow the human characters to shine. There are twists and turns as allies become enemies and new partnerships are formed. The general tone is tragic and adventurous with a few bits of comedy thrown in here and there. Best of all, this is a wholly original property. The show was conceived as an answer to Batman: The Animated Series but rather than dig up some available superhero property (this was years before Disney acquired Marvel), it's is something new.
My favorite scene of the film is an interaction between Goliath and his mate, Demona (Marina Sirtis), who managed to survive the thousand-year slumber. During a mission for Xanatos, she prepares to throw an unconscious guard out of an airlock to his death but is stopped by Goliath. “The centuries have made you weak, Goliath,” she says. The thing is, very little time has actually passed for the winged warrior. He’s been frozen in stone. He HASN’T changed but that one sentence shows how much she HAS. It’s a nice subtle exchange.
I am coming into this review biased. Though I haven’t seen the show in years, I remember it well and certainly, remember how it made me feel in 1994. It played right into my fascination with mythology & monsters and I attribute my affection for Shakespeare (the series draws inspiration from Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others) to the show. It had a lasting impression on me and I believe it has the power to enchant young audiences once more. (July 28, 2022)
Red Shoe Diaries (1992)
Thinking about this picture of Brigitte Bako (Monique's VA in Godzilla: The Series) that SciFi Japan unleashed on my middle school eyeballs
NECA has unveiled Gargoyles’ Angela ultimate action figure. It’s the eleventh toy in the Gargoyles line, following Goliath, Thailog, Hudson, Brooklyn, Demona, Bronx, Broadway, Steel Clan Robot, David Xanatos, and Elisa Maza.
The fully articulated 7” scale figure comes with two interchangeable faces, six interchangeable hands, baby Angela, and opening egg. It’s packaged in a window box with opening flap.
Due out in May, Angela is available to pre-order for $37.99.
Coming to CONvergence 2024: Everyone's Invited!
Brigitte Bako!!!
Brigitte Bako is a Canadian Oscar, Emmy, and Writers guild award nominee. She is the creator, writer, star, and executive producer of the hit Canadian cable series, G-spot. The show is one of the most loved and popular shows in Canada. It has been sold all over the world and has garnered numerous award nominations and including Best Comedy Series—three years in a row; Best Comedic Actress in a series; and Best Comedy Ensemble. As a voice actress, fans should recognize Brigitte as the voice of Angela in Gargoyles and Monique Dupre in Godzilla: The Series.
Read more about Brigitte Bako: https://www.convergence-con.org/guests/brigitte-bako/ Register for CONvergence 2024: https://cvgcon.org/register
