Patreon Preview #325: Dinosaucers! (and other stuff) w/ Thomas Sanders

Summary

Hey Riddle Riddle Podcast - Patreon Preview #325: Dinosaucers! (and other stuff) with Thomas Sanders

Release Date: May 30, 2025

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Introduction and Guest Appearance

In the latest Patreon Preview episode of Hey Riddle Riddle, Headgum's trio—Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, and John Patrick Coan—welcome back their recurring guest, Thomas Sanders. This marks Thomas's fourth appearance on the show, where his enthusiasm shines as he hints at future episodes:

Thomas (00:07): "Thank you for having me back. This is, I think, my fourth appearance, and I can't wait for the next one where I join the Five Timers Club and I get my robe."

The hosts playfully compare their session to Saturday Night Live, joking about the promised robes:

Adol (00:17): "Yes. We're just like SNL in that. We'll have a very nice robe." ... Aaron (00:21): "It's less of a robe and more like a rash that everyone gets after being here five times. It's sort of like a disease."

Reviving the Real or Fake Game

Thomas introduces a nostalgic twist to the episode by reviving the beloved Real or Fake game, a favorite among Patreon subscribers. This segment has evolved over time, originally featuring anime and later superheroes. Today, Thomas brings a fresh theme:

Thomas (00:32): "I am bringing back the Real or Fake game... this time I am bringing to you real or fake Western animation, because apparently it doesn't have to be an anime for it to be something that you haven't heard of and for it to be very, very strange."

This version focuses on Western animations, primarily from the 1980s, an era Thomas finds particularly experimental and intriguing.

Nostalgia Dive: 1980s Western Animation

The conversation delves into a trip down memory lane, discussing iconic and obscure cartoons from the '80s. The hosts share their experiences and memories, highlighting the unique creativity of that decade's animation.

Adol (01:31): "Children, sit down and let Uncle Adol tell you of a little thing called street sharks." ... Thomas (01:09): "There was a very experimental era with cartoons, and it really took place in the decade of the 80s."

They reminisce about shows like Street Sharks, with Adol humorously describing the characters:

Adol (01:36): "They're like sharks in cutoff jean shorts. It was sort of the Ninja Turtle craze launched many ships."

Discussing The Snorks and The Wuzzles, they highlight the penchant for hybrid animal characters:

Adol (04:05): "They're all, like, hybrid animals. Like, they're all freaks."

Aaron (05:53): "This one's nightmarish. Absolutely fucking nightmarish."

Modern vs. Classic Cartoons

The hosts contrast the nostalgic '80s animations with today's children's shows, which they find overwhelmingly abundant and often perplexing.

JPC (01:47): "I was with a group of other parents, and they were, like, talking about the shows that their kids are watching... I've heard of, like Bluey."

Thomas (02:14): "Yeah, so many variations of cocoa melon. It's insane."

They humorously critique the proliferation of modern shows:

Adol (02:17): "But cocomelon. Peppa Pig."

Aaron (02:19): "Delicious."

The banter underscores the hosts' struggle to keep up with the ever-growing list of current animations, contrasting sharply with the more manageable lineup of the past.

Main Segment: Real or Fake Western Animation

Thomas transitions to the core of the episode—the Real or Fake Western Animation game. He explains the rules and sets the stage:

Thomas (04:15): "I think that might be the best way to go through it. But let's start out with this plot. In the near future, a mad scientist wants to conquer the Earth and turn everyone into robot slaves..."

The hosts engage in witty speculation, initially mistaking the plot description for a parody of familiar franchises:

JPC (04:53): "Is this the plot to Three Men and A Baby. It's Gutenberg Dancing Selleck."

Adol (05:00): "If only real. If I had a baby that turned into a Jeep. The dream obviously easily tips over, but that's fine."

Revealing Dinosaucers

The pivotal moment arrives when Thomas describes a show that blends elements of Captain Planet and GI Joe, only to reveal it's a real, albeit obscure, cartoon:

Thomas (07:58): "It's actually a bunch of dinosaurs from outer space. These teens team up with space dinosaurs in their war against other evil space dinosaurs."

Adol (08:38): "Adol's mind palace is talking to him correctly. This is a real cartoon."

The hosts express their surprise and amusement upon learning about Dinosaucers:

Thomas (08:45): "This one's called Dino Saucers. And believe it or not, this one came out before Captain Planet. Whoa."

Adol (09:00): "This is real."

They further delve into the show's unique features, such as the Dinovolving ability, drawing comparisons to pop culture icons:

Thomas (09:20): "Dinovolving, where they transform into their primitive dinosaur state while maintaining their intelligence and speech."

Adol (09:36): "Bruce Banner could never."

Humorous Banter and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with light-hearted jokes and reflections on the quirky nature of '80s cartoons:

Aaron (10:02): "Excuse me."

Adol (10:04): "Hey, Riddle."

JPC (10:05): "Riddle's Clue crew, listen to the rest of the episode. Now, by starting your free 7 day trial at patreon.com heyriddleriddle."

While the transcript ends abruptly, the episode effectively balances nostalgia with humor, offering listeners a delightful exploration of forgotten or lesser-known Western animations. The Real or Fake game serves as both an engaging activity and a conduit for the hosts to share personal anecdotes and comedic exchanges.

Key Takeaways

• Thomas Sanders brings a fresh theme to the Real or Fake game, focusing on Western animations from the '80s.
• The hosts reminisce about classic shows like Street Sharks, The Snorks, and The Wuzzles, highlighting their creativity and uniqueness.
• The revelation of Dinosaucers as a real cartoon predating Captain Planet surprises and amuses the hosts, sparking discussions about its blend of dinosaurs and futuristic warfare.
• The episode contrasts the experimental nature of past animations with the overwhelming variety of modern children's shows, underscoring a sense of nostalgic appreciation.
• Humorous banter and shared memories create an engaging and relatable atmosphere for listeners, whether they are longtime fans or new to these classic cartoons.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Thomas (00:07): "I can't wait for the next one where I join the Five Timers Club and I get my robe."
• Adol (01:31): "Children, sit down and let Uncle Adol tell you of a little thing called street sharks."
• Thomas (04:15): "But let's start out with this plot... it's just our podcast fusing with assault weapon systems known as Power Extreme. God."
• Thomas (07:58): "This one's called Dino Saucers. And believe it or not, this one came out before Captain Planet."
• Adol (09:36): "Bruce Banner could never."

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, insights, and the entertaining dynamic among the hosts and guest. Whether you're a fan of '80s cartoons or new to the genre, this episode offers a delightful glimpse into the whimsical world of Hey Riddle Riddle.

Transcript

[Adol]

Well, Thomas, thank you for coming back. You're going to be doing another in your series.

[Thomas]

Thank you for having me back. This is, I think, my fourth appearance, and I can't wait for the next one where I join the Five Timers Club and I get my robe.

[Adol]

Yes. We're just like SNL in that. We'll have a very nice robe.

[Aaron]

It's less of a robe and more like a rash that everyone gets after being here five times. It's sort of like a disease.

[JPC]

The robe gives you the rash.

[Aaron]

We'll talk later. We'll talk offline.

[Thomas]

Yeah. But, yeah, as a tribute to the first appearance that I had on Patreon, I am bringing back the Real or Fake game.

[JPC]

Yes.

[Thomas]

The first time we did it was with real or fake anime, and then a short little stint with real or fake superheroes. This time I am bringing to you real or fake Western animation, because apparently it doesn't have to be an anime for it to be something that you haven't heard of and for it to be very, very strange. And I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys may or may not know.

[Aaron]

Ooh, very strange. Have you watched any of these?

[Thomas]

Ooh, that's a great question. Most of these I have. Not a lot of these. You'll find there was a very experimental era with cartoons, and it really took place in the decade of the 80s. So most of these come from the 80s, because I was like, what is this? This is very interesting.

[Adol]

Children, sit down and let Uncle Adol tell you of a little thing called street sharks.

[Aaron]

Huh?

[JPC]

Yeah. No, I know street sharks.

[Thomas]

I do know street sharks.

[Adol]

They're like sharks in cutoff jean shorts. It was sort of the Ninja Turtle craze launched many ships.

[JPC]

It truly did.

[Thomas]

Yeah.

[JPC]

The 80s is wild because I feel like animation nowadays is so, like, I can't keep up with TV and movies just in general, but I feel like the animation. I was with a group of other parents, and they were, like, talking about the shows that their kids are watching, and, man, they just had lists and lists of shit I've never fucking. Because I've heard of shit. I've heard of, like Bluey.

[Thomas]

Right.

[Adol]

But cocomelon. Peppa Pig.

[JPC]

Yeah.

[Thomas]

So many variations of cocoa melon.

[Aaron]

Delicious.

[Thomas]

It's insane.

[Adol]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

That's my favorite breakfast. Cocoa melon and Peppa Pig.

[Adol]

This is my backyard barbecue.

[Thomas]

Yeah.

[JPC]

I got a Peppa Pig under the ground right now. It's been cooking for 18 hours, ladies and gentlemen.

[Adol]

Salt and Peppa Pig.

[Thomas]

Peppa Pig is adorable, though. I gotta say Peppa Pig and Bluey.

[Aaron]

Bluey.

[JPC]

That's what Peppa Pig looks like.

[Adol]

Bluey's the best.

[JPC]

Yeah, well, but these are from the 80s, so.

[Thomas]

These are mostly from the 80s, if not all, but I could be missing some. But yeah, a lot of these are from that era. And, yeah, maybe you have heard of these, maybe not. I'm going to just stick with describing the plots to you and then giving you the name of the animation if you guess it. And then some of these have come from my audience, so I'll also precede it with who may have submitted the proposal. A lot of these are gonna be from me, so that's not gonna be required.

[JPC]

I think you should say your own name before you read a lot of these. I was born in the 80s, but I predict I'm gonna do very poorly here.

[Thomas]

Yeah, same. Exactly.

[Aaron]

I've never done well at a game on this show, and I'm not gonna start today, Thomas. No, not today, Thomas.

[Thomas]

I don't know. Who knows? You might have a good intuition on these.

[Adol]

I wanna say there's a cartoon called the Snorks, and it was sort of like if you drown Smurfs.

[Thomas]

Hey, Adol, don't spoil. Don't. Don't.

[Aaron]

The Snorks. The huge round Smurfs.

[Adol]

Yeah. And there's also the Wuzzles, which I think was like. Oh, yeah, there's like an elephant crossed with a bumblebee.

[Thomas]

Yes.

[Adol]

And there's like a lion crossed. So it was a bunch of animals who lived in a little community, and they're all, like, hybrid animals. Like, they're all freaks.

[Aaron]

Yeah, I was gonna say they're absolute mutants.

[Thomas]

It was the cuter version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Like, JPC said, it launched a lot of ships.

[Adol]

Mm.

[Thomas]

But yeah, yeah, Snork, I remember Snorks. If you want to just do a buzz and then give me a real or fake based off of your answer, you totally can.

[JPC]

Okay.

[Thomas]

I think that might be the best way to go through it. But let's start out with this plot. In the near future, a mad scientist wants to conquer the Earth and turn everyone into robot slaves. Luckily, he's thwarted at every turn by a team of three warriors known by the centurions. The first is a white man. The second is a white man. And for diversity. The third is a white man with a mustache. And they fight the true blue American. It's just our podcast fusing with assault weapon systems known as Power Extreme. God.

[JPC]

Is this the plot to Three Men and A baby. It's Gutenberg Dancing Selleck. Selleck.

[Adol]

Selleck's the guy with the mustache.

[Thomas]

Of course you don't realize it, but the mech is a. Or the baby is a mech. It transforms into a Jeep, I think.

[Adol]

If only real. If I had a baby that turned into a Jeep. The dream obviously easily tips over, but that's fine. Aaron, you just sent a link in the chat to an ebay item. That's the wuzzles that I was talking about.

[Aaron]

Yes.

[Adol]

Stuffed animal. It's a piggy pine. Half porcupine, half pig. 72 bucks a steal.

[Thomas]

It's got those glow worm eyes. Look at.

[Aaron]

Oh yeah, you can see those too.

[Adol]

Glow Nala. Fuck me eyes. Thomas. Buzz.

[Thomas]

Yes, Adol.

[JPC]

Aaron. This thing is terrifying.

[Aaron]

I'm gonna say I didn't invent it.

[Adol]

That's honestly that piggy pine or whatever it's called. That's the least egregious of them. The rest of them are like.

[JPC]

This one's nightmarish. Absolutely fucking nightmarish.

[Adol]

I feel like the elephant bumblebee. Oh yeah, that one's.

[Thomas]

How would you rank it in comparison to this American Girl? This American Girl.

[Aaron]

This American girl. Welcome back to this American Girl.

[Adol]

My name's Iri Glass.

[Aaron]

I'm Samantha. I was born in 1900.

[Adol]

12 year old women from the pioneer era.

[Aaron]

I'm friends with the poor girl next door.

[Adol]

This 13 year old lost an arm in a factory.

[Thomas]

That's honestly. I'd listen. I would listen.

[Aaron]

I would too. I would too, buddy.

[JPC]

All American Girl dolls should come with a companion podcast that Ira Glass does. Just reading the book entry for that person.

[Aaron]

Kate Kitteridge, girl detective and journalist.

[Thomas]

He's a journalist.

[Adol]

All American Rejects Life. Thomas. I'm gonna say that that was a real cartoon.

[Thomas]

Of course it's a real cartoon.

[JPC]

That sucks. So what was it called?

[Thomas]

It's called the Centurions. And extra details. There is the power mechs that they wear can also be equipped for space and for water diving. So I guess the. I don't know if this was a cartoon that was supposed to birth a bunch of toy releases or yeah, that seems likely vice versa, I'm not sure. But it does seem like the focus was on the suits. Not so much on the very two dimensional in more than one way, men that were featured in this show.

[Adol]

Three mechs and a little baby, I think could be something.

[Thomas]

I love that. Why didn't that movie spawn a bunch of different cartoons? Three men and a little baby.

[JPC]

Three mechs and a little Baby.

[Aaron]

That should have had the one with all the toys. Yes, just the action figure. I'm Tom Selleck.

[Thomas]

Cute. Okay, moving on to this one. Regular teens suddenly attain the gift of powerful rings that summon an entity of which Earth has never known. No. But isn't Captain Planet.

[JPC]

Fuck.

[Adol]

What?

[Thomas]

It's actually.

[Aaron]

You walked right into the trap.

[Thomas]

I know it isn't Captain Planet. It's actually a bunch of dinosaurs from outer space. These teens team up with space dinosaurs in their war against other evil space dinosaurs.

[Adol]

Okay, wait a minute.

[JPC]

Dude, this is so funny. I have to say this is fake. I have to say fake.

[Aaron]

I'm gonna go real for balance.

[Adol]

I feel like I have an image in my head of a young Adol watching a cartoon that has, like, an ambulance, like, on two legs, ambulatory triceratops with, like, a laser gun. So I think this is real.

[Aaron]

That's it, Adol. Go to your mind palace. Find it out.

[Adol]

I tripped and fell. Take my dikes out.

[Thomas]

Adol's mind palace is talking to him correctly. This is a real cartoon.

[Aaron]

You're kidding me. I'm looking it up right now.

[JPC]

Insane. But that's insane because there's so much in this that is just a ripoff. It's like a ripoff of Captain Planet and a ripoff of Transformers just with dinosaurs.

[Adol]

What's the name of this one?

[Thomas]

This one's called Dino Saucers. And believe it or not, this one came out before Captain Planet. Whoa.

[Aaron]

All right. This is dark sided. This has a terrible energy to it. Adol, I'm so sorry you had to remember this.

[Adol]

I feel like I blocked it all out. Except for the triceratops. Is there Triceratops with, like, a laser gun?

[Thomas]

I think there is, yeah. The good space dinosaurs have a special ability called Dinovolving, where they transform into their primitive dinosaur state while maintaining their intelligence and speech.

[Adol]

Bruce Banner could never.

[Thomas]

It's like the new Hulk. And they used this special ability a couple of times at the beginning of the series and then pretty much drop it for the rest of the show. They never return to that power. It's like. And you're right, it's like one part Captain Planet and one part GI Joe. I don't know. That's wild.

[Aaron]

Don't worry, y' all. There seems to be a hot dinosaur. Good news, everybody. There's a hot one.

[Adol]

Have you ever seen land before time? There's always a hot dinosaur.

[Aaron]

Excuse me.

[JPC]

One, two, three, four.

[Thomas]

Hey, Riddle.

[JPC]

Riddle's Clue crew, listen to the rest of the episode. Now, by starting your free 7 day trial at patreon.com heyriddle Riddle it.