This was my first encounter with Fish Police by Hannah Barbera. I don’t remember this show at all from it’s 1992 release. That’s not too surprising considering that it only lasted six episodes.
However, the fact that it only lasted that long is a little surprising. It’s really not a bad show. Featuring John Ritter, Tim Curry, Megan Mullaly, and Buddy Hackett, among others. It was based on a comic book series of the same name by Steve Moncuse.
Ep. 1- The Shell Game
The show opens on a crime scene. A fish corpse is being wrapped in the oceanic version of a body bag, a sardine can. Enter Inspector Gil (John Ritter). The victim is Clams Casino a formerly wealthy casino owner.
You can tell pretty quickly that the show takes itself pretty seriously. It’s not your ordinary nineties cartoon. It took a moment for me to realize what I was dealing with. Despite that, there are a ridiculous number of fish puns.
Gil surveys the scene and discovers some fish prints that he suspects belong to a fifty-five year old female in a green dress. With the help of an assistant the sand is gathered for evidence.
Cut to the police department. An old bitter receptionist takes a call.
“What makes you think your husband is dead? You got into bed and he didn’t move, honey we’re going to need more than that.” “Reach for his wallet, if he doesn’t move, you’re a widow.”
Snarky right? This is a fun watch already.
While at the station reviewing the evidence it’s found that Angel (a former love interest of our friend Inspector Gil) is the primary suspect. Her fin prints are present on all of the many weapons used to kill Clams.
But guess what… Gil isn’t convinced, and it isn’t because he cares about Angel… honest.
Gil suspects Calamari, a crime boss and former partner of Clams, despite the lack of evidence, he’s just a bad guy.
Calamari arrives at the station and waits for his lawyer before answering any questions. Suddenly a slick shark arrives (see what they did there?) and lays down more evidence incriminating Angel. He offers a few more puns about whether or not his client is being “O-fish-ally charged” and letting all of the evidence “float to the surface” before they quickly depart.
Honestly the puns aren’t completely overbearing. You can see they are trying to walk a balance between being silly and developing a vernacular that works in the setting, they might have just overdone it a little bit.
Gil believes someone is “trying to stick it to angel”
The chief responds, “So what else is new?”
Dirty jokes hidden in cartoons are my favorite, and this isn’t the last of them.
Gil requests 24 hours to prove Angel’s innocence and presents evidence of fin prints he found at the scene for someone other than angel.
The chief says no, as far as he’s concerned they’ve hooked their fish.
Gil and partner go to a club where Angel is performing. She’s like a fishy Jessica Rabbit.
Angel maintains she didn’t she didn’t kill Clams. Gil says he wants to help her but he can’t if she ties his fins. she responds “You used to like that.” More dirty fish jokes.
Gil has no choice. He arrests her.
As he puts her in the car she says “Gil, I’m not bad… I just smell that way.”
She IS a fishy Jessica Rabbit. I knew I wasn’t crazy.
As Jessica er… Angel is taken away Gil pursues the only lead he has, the fish prints.
Gil calls a hotel room where widow Casino is staying, impersonating Calamari and says the deal is off and verifies that Angel isn’t responsible for the murder.
“I knew it, Angel didn’t do it!”
“At least not in the last 20 minutes.” Pow!
Gil sneaks into Calamari’s place. The widow Casino arrives at the same time, frothing at the gills over the perceived betrayal.
they have a conversation wherein she confesses to the murder, she isn’t aware that Gil is present and hears it all.
She pulls a gun from her purse, Gil intercedes to stop her.
The police arrive.
The widow Casino is arrested and Angel is released.
Gil walks Angel home and they talk as they walk… or float… upright. She thanks him for believing she was innocent. He says he never believe she was innocent, he just believed she wasn’t guilty. They arrive at her apartment building.
Angel kisses Gil. What a bastard. Then says “This is where I get off” He then turns to the camera and says I’ve been trying to convince these people we’re just friends. She say, I mean we’re here, my apartment. They aren’t even trying to hide this stuff anymore. Come on Hannah Barbera.
She follows this not at all veiled innuendo with “If you’re ever UP for buying a ticket, my BOX OFFICE is always open.” … really? REALLY?
Gil pontificates about women and murder and goes to the diner.
End.
At first I was confused about exactly what this show was aiming at. You can usually find an adult joke or two hidden in kids programming but they didn’t seem to even be trying to hide it with Fish Police.
Upon further inspection I discovered that Fish Police was created as an attempt to create adult animated programming to compete with The Simpsons. It obviously didn’t work and I think that’s sad. It was pretty decent. Check it out.
Cheers.