Jenny & Dr Mertz

Jenny & Dr. Mertz/Bobo
with giant snake.. Lulu

Name of show that these characters are from: Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
Title of Episode:

RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

Original Air date: March 5, 2001 (NETWORK: Fox Kids)
Where can I find this episode now?: No Longer Available

EPISODE TYPE : Growth Ray (Potion) & King Kong Situation
(see Common Themes section for more on this category)

WHAT IS JENNY?: An anthro, furry, monkey

WHAT IS DR MERTZ/BOBO?: An anthro,human, adult scientist/An anthro, non-furry, adult gorilla

ARE THEY MACRO ORIGINALLY?: No

HOW DID THEY BECOME MACRO?: Drank a growth potion

WHAT DO THEY BECOME AFTER THEY GROW?: (Jenny) Giant Version of herself
(Mertz/Bobo) Two headed gorilla giant
IS GROWTH SHOWN?: (Jenny) Yes

HOW MUCH OF BECOMING MACRO STAGES SHOWN?: (Jenny) Most of the growth stages shown.

MACRO NAME: (Jenny) SAME AS BEFORE
(Mertz) SAME AS BEFORE

QUOTE: (Jenny) "What? And risk breaking a nail?"
                   (Mertz) "Say good night to mommy!"

SEX: (Jenny) Female
          (Mertz) Male
<>
LOCATIONS: A Jungle in Congo

MACRO SIZE (Approx or Average ): (Jenny) 50 Feet
                                                             (Mertz) 30 Feet

NATURE: (Jenny) Heroic Good
                  (Mertz) Chaotic Evil

DESTRUCTION LEVEL DONE: Low- Wall of building , crushed building in camp and whole building after growth.

SYNOPSIS OF EPISODE: In the jungles of Borneo, two scientists are doing research in the jungle talking of a Dr. Mertz who was obsessed with animal species who were disappearing from the wild. He too had gone missing in the very area they were in. The ground seems to shake a bit as the two scientist look on in horror. They see a huge foot print then a huge creature suddenly approach. A 50 foot two headed gorilla roars down at them smashing their building in the camp they are staying at.

Back at headquarters Big Guy pilot, Dwayne Hunter, is getting a briefing on the situation while Dr. Donovan and his talking monkey Jenny listen in from afar. Donovan and Jenny both seem to like the idea of giant sized cattle and pigs to make huge profits on. Big Guy and Rusty head out to the jungle of Congo to investigate while Donovan has to figure out a way to get there as well to hopefully get a piece of the profits from all of this. Metrz/Bobo see the robots arrive in the jungle via a camera watching them and sends out Lulu, a huge python snake.

Big Guy and Rusty start to fight the huge sized python. Big Guy gets trapped within and Rusty has to fly in to save it. Rusty notices a metal device around its tail only to be hit by the huge snakes tail sending Rusty flying into a rock and slamming down into a river far below. Big Guy manages to free himself from the snakes grips . The metal collar falls off of its tail as Big Guy puts the finishing touches on the snake tying it up around a tree. Big Guy calls into base telling what happened as Erika Slate tells him that she is heading there right away so Big Guy can continue with his mission. Donovan and Jenny over hear this and figure out a way to be able to go with her to the Congo. Rusty is revived with a memory loss only to see a group of monkeys standing around him. Thinking himself to be one of them he starts to act like a monkey and runs off with them into the tress just as Big Guy flies over head missing them.

Big Guy follows the path Mertz/Bobo took heading through a river only to be met up with leaches. Followed by a giant sized leach that attacks him. The leach attacks him tackling him to the floor of the river. Big Guy gets back up and gives a huge punch pulling out a metal control device attached to the leach causing the leach to stop attacking. He realizes that someone is controlling these creatures and goes back to his search. Rusty meanwhile continues to travel with the monkeys in an open area. The monkeys still haven't accepted them as one of theirs leaving him behind as he runs to follow.

Erika arrives in the jungle via a jet meeting up with Big Guy on the runway. Donovan arrives a moment later via helicopter bringing along some of Big Guys earlier prototype robots for backup. He claims that Jenny is his head tracker as she folds her arms making mock monkey sounds. They all head out into the jungle together in search of Rusty. Rusty meanwhile continues to try and impress the monkeys by following them up a tree and trying to swing over towards them. He swings over and slams into a tree falling down to the ground. He recovers and starts to work his way back up. Mertz suddenly shows up in search of a monkey to use for his latest experiments. He breaks tress down and fights off Rusty and the other monkeys taking a female monkey that Rusty thinks is his mother. He stomps off leaving the area in a mess of broken trees.

Now at the lab Mertz/Bobo keeps the monkey tied up to a platform under some device. He has to drain her of DNA to keep his body that of an ape rather then a human. He's about to pull the lever to complete the process only for Rusty still thinking he is an ape to show up. He fires a laser at Mertz the laser goes through the roof and noticed by Jenny and Erika who realize its from Rusty. Mertz is less then amused and goes to crush Rusty. Erika and Donovan show up before he can do this and the robot drones go in to remove fleas from Mertz mistaking the word "Flee" for "Flea". Erika tries to help Rusty regain his memory. Mertz demands to know what they are doing here. Erika lets on realizing that she knows who he is. So he goes into an explanation of his plan. He tells them that he mutated himself with a gorilla to lead them past the travesties that man kind have done to them with the use of a mutation growth formula. And that he put devices in the other giants he created to lead them via remote as he eliminates all of man kind. Donovan asks Rusty for help only to be met by grunts. He then asks Jenny for help as she replies with a snide remark. Mertz is shocked to hear her talk and must know more of her origins. Jenny starts to tell him only to be interrupted by Big Guy flying in to clock the huge two-headed ape into the wall. Mertz gets back up and tackles Big Guy out of the building through a wall and they start to fight.

Donovan starts to look through the lab for the formula with Jenny. He finds a spray bottle and just starts to spray Jenny with it. Sure enough she starts to grow right before him out growing the whole building as it crumbles down against her. Mertz becomes so distracted by the sight of this that Big Guy uses the opportunity to knock him out with a huge tree. Jenny smiles enjoying her view on things as Donovan tells her that she is flying back to the US pronto to be the spokes chimp for his new line of jumbo sized breakfast foods. She just grins and lifts the now small doctor putting him on her shoulder claiming to get some well needed revenge on him.

REVIEW OF EPISODE: Another one of those hidden little gems that you kinda hope to find but never expect to. While far from perfect this was an enjoyable episodes for many reasons. This was a short lived series based on a comic book by Darkhorse. The premise is basically a big robot named Big Guy, is piloted by a human who fights evil and for truth justice and all that heroic stuff. He works with a little boy robot that is actually just all robot who has no idea that Big Guy is really a human inside. They go on adventures together saving the world. So that being the case I had hoped that something would turn up eventually worthy of this site. There was the usual expected robot vs. robot battles almost all the time. A few interesting situations here and there. But nothing that was really fitting into the theme of the page. Until this very last episode of the series occurred.

It's a fun situation that starts off with a bang. The huge two-headed Mertz/Bobo mutation attacks a camp of two scientist leaving his mark on the territory and sending Big Guy and Rusty into action. Mertz as a giant was a cool creation. He pretty much mutated himself with another gorilla so that he could lead his army of would be giant animals through the use of another animal. Interesting idea I felt. It was original and creative. He even had some cool moments. Scaring the scientist at the beginning of the episode as well as destroying the forest looking for a monkey to use for his DNA transfer experiments. The interacting with his other head was also amusing. It was a lot of fun and that makes what would other wise be a generic situation into one that is enjoyable.

But of course like everything I review it was far from perfect. The plot seemed to limit the Mertz character into a basic.. getting revenge on humanity for how they treated animals.. type of situation. While a noble reason to mutate yourself into another gorilla, his execution was weak at best. Lets see he grew a snake, a leech and a gorilla he controlled? Hmmm with all the creatures inside of the Congo he could have done much better then this. How was he planning on accomplishing such a goal as destroying all humans so giant animals can take over? Have a snake coil someone and a leech attack? It just seemed far fetched that he would have such an easy to use formula as just spray and watch grow, as well as a way to control said giant creatures but use it only on two weak at best creatures in total besides himself. This episode really could have been great if there was a giant jaguar or an army of giant monkeys serving him. I just wasn't buying it the way it was set up as a smart doctor like that would have had much more in the way of giant creatures then we saw.

Jenny was really the cool moments due to the fun growth scene that shows up involving her. For some strange reason the formula was just in some common spray bottle which was silly as well. After Donovan sprays here a few times she just starts to grow. Out growing the very building and almost roaring out as she kicks away whats left of it. Then she goes into this passive aggressive stance by claiming she doesn't want to break a nail by fighting the over grown gorilla. She also had a fun moment of turning the tables on Donovan and putting him on her shoulder like she has always been on his throughout all the episodes. Very fun situation and a nice ending to the episode.

It was a nice way to end the series. Most of the episodes were typical fight this robot or this evil scientist. This was a good macro situation with some fun characters mixed in and a nice way to go out with a big bang. There were some dumb moments like Rusty thinking he is a monkey for the whole episode. Just seemed a little dumb for my tastes. Also the Big Guy clones coming in and being all confused as they are told to flee but search for fleas on Mertz was a little corny as well. Lastly I could have done without Big Guys very corny one liners that he used when speaking. I know that was part of his character but it got a little over done as the episode went on. Everything he did was followed by some cliché or snide comment in relation. You just sorta would have to see it to believe it. Definitely check this out though if you are a fan of giant gorillas or the similar. This will fulfill that quite well and its not a bad episode at all. Could have been a little better plot wise and given a bit more in the use of the formula on better creatures but for the most part a nice way for this series to go out.

RATING: B+

MEMORABLE QUOTES AND MOMENTS IN EPISODE:

(Two scientist in the jungle see a huge foot print)
Scientist 1: "What on Earth is it!?"
(The ground shakes as one scientist looks up in shock)
Scientist 2: "B..b..b...BIG!!"
(A huge gray foot smashes down crushing a building in camp to dust)

****************

(Big Guy struggles within the grips of a huge snake)
Big Guy: "You may be large.. but you are not in charge!!"

*****************

(A bonded monkey about to be sucked of it's DNA screams as Mertz holds a lever)
Mertz: "What's the problem? What's yours is mine and well...... I'm selfish.."

******************

Mertz: "Now say good night to Mommy!"
Rusty: "NO!"
(Rusty fires a laser out of his finger at Mertz/Bobo missing him and sending a signal into the air that Erika and Jenny see)
Jenny: "Found him!"
(Rusty blinks all confused like up at Mertz)
Rusty: "Ooo..ooo..ooo.."
Mertz: (lifts up a huge foot to crush Rusty) "Ooo ooo ooo yourself!!"

******************

<>(Donovan looks to Rusty for help as Mertz tells them they are about to be eliminated)
Donovan: " Rusty do something!"
Rusty: "Ooo oo oo.. ah ah ah!!"
Donovan: "Jenny do something!"
Jenny: "Like what!? Spit on him?"

*******************

FINAL NOTES:

*This was the last episode ever shown of the Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot series. The show only lasted for two seasons on Fox Kids Network With the first season only consisting of six episodes to introduce the show in 1999 with a full season being made in 2001. While there were other elements of macro to be found in the series, this was the only episode that truly fit the theme of this page.

* When Jenny is a giant she puts Dr. Donovan on her own shoulder to mock the situation she always finds herself in by being on the doctors shoulder all the time. This is another episode that ends without the giant being shrunk down. Jenny is never shrunk down at the end of the episode and since it is the last episode done we never find out if she is returned to normal or how. But most likely it would just be unexplained how she was back to normal had there been episodes to follow.

*Mertz and Bobo were also seen in an episode prior to this one in a montage type moment. That episode was called " The Big Boy". Technically "Rumble in the Jungle" can be seen to have happened before the events shown in the montage of that episode that took place at the beginning of the second season. But since no explanation of when certain events took place is given we can only assume that everything is happening in the same general time period.

*In total 4 creatures showed up macro in this episode. Those include: Two headed gorilla, a monkey, a snake, and a leach.

Errors--

Factual -- A leach would not attack a robot for food. They do not feed on iron or oil and it would be a waste of time. This happened when the small leaches attached to Big Guy's body as well as when the big leach attacked him.

Continuity -- The temple base that Mertz was using for his experiments was too small to have allowed him to get in and out of it so easily.

Continuity -- Seems to be a mistake in the gorilla heads. One is supposed to be Mertz while the other is Bobo a regular gorilla. But the head that talks with Mertz's voice seems to be the regular looking silverback gorilla head, while the head that just grunts like a gorilla is that of a more human looking head with human like hair on the back of it.

+ :Giant apes galore all throughout the episode. Non stop action moments with very little slow points. Cool Jenny growth scene. Some funny humor found here.

- Plot could be a little better. Some of the moments a little far fetched. Better creatures could have been used to grow rather then a snake and leeches.

PICTURES OF JENNY & DOCTOR MERTZ/BOBO

Next up in the tree throwing competition

Not just a monster but a mad scientist too

Talking to her feet won't help her to hear you

You like my manicure I got the other day?

PICTURES OF LULU

Yeah like he can do anything to stop that snake

AVI: