I am absolutely loving Popee the Performer. It’s sense of humour really appeals to me. It’s far too good for kid’s TV, but oh I wish we could have had something like this back in the 80s and early 90s.
In these two episodes I’ve selected, I feel for this poor space alien. He does not come out well in either of them. I should say that this post’s title is somewhat misleading – it’s not such much Popee that terrorises the alien, but circus owner Papi. He clearly has something against space aliens. What this teaches children, I have no idea.
In the first, Medicine, Popee is taken ill and it’s up to Papi (the guy with the sunflower headpiece) to help cure him. He calls upon the neighbourhood space alien for help, with dire consequences.
In the following episode, Papi is attempting to get his troupe to perform the old balancing on a beach ball routine. Unfortunately neither Popee or Kedamono (the wolf with interchangable masks) manage it, so Papi abducts the space alien, forcing him to perform the act. With dire consequences.
Honestly, I have never laughed so hard at something like this in a long, long time. If they ever release all 39 episodes on DVD or Blu-Ray internationally, I’m buying it.