Inspector Gadget's Last Case: Claw's Revenge

My namesake spent about 15 years in the wild before this terrible 2002 made-for-video effort came along, following the 2001 Gadget and the Gadgetinis show, which wasn't half bad. While it may have a bright color pallet I can't believe that in 2002 they decided to animate this in the old 1.33:1 aspect ratio and master it for VHS consumption. It's like DIC Entertainment and Nickelodeon were completely clueless about the rapidly changing nature of home video and media consumption. Also, there's too much of the formula missing which bog this Gadget right down the toilet.

First of all the classic Inspector Gadget theme song and music is completely absent. Spongebob Squarepants composer and Patrick Stewart/Jason Voorhees crossbreed Stephen C. Marston tries to compromise by doing a score that sounds similar but it's just not good enough. The Gadget-mobile is now a talking car, not a car that can turn into a van. Plus it looks a lot cuter and rounder instead of being the angular cutting-edge vehicle it used to be. Penny no longer has her computer book and she and her dog Brain hardly make an appearance at all.

The plot is non-existent. There's something about a transformation formula and Doctor Claw using it for some never revealed evil but that's all I got. What the deal was with the short/giant Italian guy I will never know. It had nothing to do with anything.

And if the title is anything to go by, his last case is wrapped up in no way whatsoever, and he stays on the force so why it's called 'last case' is a mystery also.

I wasn't impressed at all. This is an affront to a great animated show. No kid will like or appreciate this and no fan Gadget will be satisfied.