Among some animation fans, including myself, "Tiny Toon Adventures" was a much-needed turning point for TV animation: It feature full animation (a big improvement over the previous three decades) and a scene-specific score, which put it leagues above its competitors. Most importantly, though, it was a return to fast-paced gag-based comedy that its predecessor, Looney Tunes, was loved for.
So you can imagine my disappointment when I watched "Whale's Tales". In lieu of the usual silly tone was a sickeningly sweet story about saving a baby whale's mother from poachers wanting to use her for cosmetics. Great, so not only do we have a story that feels out of place in the Tiny Toons universe, but it also wants to be a message show. Look, I hate whales being turned into cosmetics, but this isn't the show for such a message. Where are the laughs?
Well, they are virtually nonexistent in this outing. Outside of a self-aware line or two that seemed added out of desperation, there are no laughs, because the episode doesn't even attempt to be witty or funny. In fact, a couple scenes actually make me gag, they're so cloying.
I also felt that Elmyra was totally superfluous to the story. Towards the beginning, she takes the baby whale home, Buster and Babs discover this by hearing the whale crying from outside, and rescue the whale from her house. The way it was executed, it felt like padding, because it doesn't affect the overall conflict in any way (that is, rescuing the mother whale). Why couldn't they have discovered the whale another way without involving Elmyra?
Why doesn't this get the lowest rating possible? Its score is pretty good, sweeping and grand in spots, and heavily using "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" throughout. So credit where credit is due. Otherwise, this is definitely in the bottom five for "Tiny Toon Adventures" episodes. If you go in expecting to laugh and be entertained, prepare to be let down.