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Watch Closely Now...
Observations of Team Rocket
The TR we all know and love of today has gone through many changes o'er the past seasons and episodes. From a truly evil crime group to an utterly hilarious, yet sweet, clique of misfits, Jessie, James and Meowth have become more than just the failing antagonists. Here, I'll take a little look into the stages of Team Rocket, and try to show you the exact time when they went from one stage to another. Hope you like.

The Suckisodes
Aaah, the suckisodes! When Ash was crap, Misty was pissy, Brock was a mystery, James was normal, Jessie was evil, and Meowth was easily the most hated Pokémon alive. Basically, the title says it all: they sucked. Jessie and James were quite possibly the most platonic girl-boy group the world has ever witnessed. Occasionally they would hug, and in "Charmander: The Stray Pokémon" they did a tango thing, but that was about it. Why, you ask? Personally, I think there are several reasons. One, as Haley often points out to me, they were trying to explain the concept of Pokémon and didn't have time to focus on it's characters; two, and I think this is the most likely, Jessie and James had just recently begun their lives in Team Rocket and were trying to be the "perfect team" that Giovanni would appreciate. After all, Meowth wanted to please the boss, and I'm sure J&J did too, so they followed the instructions of other, more experienced Rockets and tried to be evil. Luckily, it flopped. This was also the time when James' voice was played by the same guy who does Giovanni, so he doesn't sound even slightly feminine and very evil. Meowth's voice sounded odd too... I don't think the actor was different though, I just think that the dude was having problems "purr"-fecting his voice. Jessie was mostly the same, but she was a lot nastier, and not as quick to beat her teammates up. More of a tongue-lasher than a mallet-whacker, you know? But that was okay... her and her teammates evolution would come soon enough.

Teetering on the Edge of Hilarious

Pin-pointing the beginning of this stage is very simple- it was the day James' voice was changed and he wore a dress. Yes, I'm talking about "Battle Aboard the St. Anne," where everything finally began falling together. Jessie had her mallet at hand, Meowth was quick to scratch but also a wiz with the puns, and James was... a crossdressing feminine heterasexual. Oh, I almost forgot whining. Though in some episodes, such as "Primeape Goes Bananas" the trio resumed their old evil form and James' voice started to sound straighter, they would always reform by the next day and be ready to smack, joke, and basically provide all the comic relief. Jessie and James also started to grow closer to each other... well, after messing up several times, you'd be ready to say, "Screw what the others say, we're doin' it our way," too, wouldn't you?

The Golden Years
Though it's hard to tell when "The Golden Years," or the best of Pokémon began, if I could make an educated guess I would say right around the time when, "Pokémon Scent-sation" came out. That, of course, being the episode when Ash cross-dressed and the trio of TR were doing what they did best... being scheming, conniving, idiotic and complaining villains. Some of the best Team Rocket episodes came in this period, such as "Holy Matrimony!" where the big Jessie-James scene took place. By this time, Meowth's voice actor had finally decided on how he wanted him to sound. The Golden Years were by far Pokémon at it's greatest- the good ol' days, if you will.

Indigo and Beyond
Ash's big battle on Indigo Plateau. Those episodes were some of the most annoying I have ever seen. There was little to no TR, just Ash kicking some booty and then getting his booty kicked. And that annoying Richie... Team Rocket didn't change much in this period, they just faded back a little. The directors were trying to focus more on Ash, I guess. Still, TR did have it's good scenes, such as the quotable quote when they're being carted off by Officer Jennys and Jessie snaps, "I want my lawyer!" Followed quickly by James' "I want my mommy!" Good times, good times.

The Orange Islands of Hell
Something happened to our Team Rocket friends in the Orange Islands. Either the water sucked the life out of them, or something else, because their plots always lacked, and oftentimes they were sent "blasting off again" two minutes into the show, never to be seen again. There were about two good moments for them in the Orange Islands. "Meowth Rules" was freaky-funny-cool, but at the same time kind of corny-sweet, and "Pikachu Re-Volts" had some killer Butch and Cassidy action. That's about it. My opinion? It's all Tracey's fault. And I'll leave it at that.

Johto Journeys: The First Season
A season of Johto has passed, and I quite frankly don't know WHAT to think! True, Team Rocket's had some of great episodes ("Fortune Hunters"... need I say more?), but... DAMMIT ALL, WHERE'S THE ROCKETSHIPPING!? Dee misses the fearhugs, the handholds, I even miss the royal smackdowns! Half their time is spent trying to get a decent meal, and Meowth and James are, like, TURNING on Jessie! What the hell is up with that? The way the season ended was kinda freaky too, you know, with "Forrest Grumps." It was sorta like TR was starting to realize things could be a whole lot better if they gave up the villain thing, and that part didn't bother me... it was the fact that at the end Jessie told James and Meowth they were the reason she was miserable, and they told her the same thing! *Starts crying* What's happening to my Rocket Dan!?

Johto League Champions

I have no complaints about this season, so far, anyway. As a matter of fact, I couldn't be happier. It's going along quite well, for the time being, and as long as the episodes stay funny I shouldn't have a problem. Okay, thats a lie, I have one complaint... JESSIE AND JAMES SPEND THE ENTIRE EPISODES FIVE FEET APART! Like I said, in the first Johto Season, Rocketshipping's being kept at a minimum, but I guess I'll live. And, as my News and Rumors Section hints, there should be some great moments in the world of Team Rocket just around the bend! I'm definitely not about to give up on this show yet! ^_^

I'm Dee, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Blast Back to Ii Kanjii!