Some nefarious person has set a devious plot afoot in "Mary Worth": Suddenly, none of the characters can speak, unless they utter a slogan or part of a script from a public-service ad.
You know what public service ads are, don't you? Well, just think Smokey the Bear, "learn not to burn," or "Let's take a bite out of crime." Unlike most commercials, which make us want to buy things that are usually bad for us or aren't worth the money we spend on them, public-service ads attempt to promote goody-goody causes like studying for school, staying off drugs, eating properly, not starting forest fires, etc. etc. ad nauseum.
Well, today's episode of "Mary Worth" sounds suspiciously like one of those commercials. "If you see something wrong, say something," says Mary to a young kidnapped child that she has helped rescue with her uniquely developed meddling skills. "No action is every to small to make a difference," says the child's father sitting next to her.
We've seen Mary act wacky before, as in this recent episode when she tried to squeeze precious life from a neighbor who innocently wandered into her vicinity. In an earlier epsiode, she appeared to pluck out the eye of a young girl who meandered into her range.
This ad-speak is something entirely different. Can we expect Mary to pull back on advising strangers and friends about their social lives in favor of overused bromides about health, nutrition and fair play? Tune in tomorrow as Mary tells a neighbor "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" and "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Next week, McGruff the Crime Dog will move in next door, nursing a terrible secret, and a painstaking desire to belong.
To reach the Comics Examiner, email me at bristei@aol.com or follow me on Twitter @bristei
Comments