Art by T.J. Denton (@TDenton_1138 on Twitter) — visit his store!
First off, congratulations to all the Mutants who received their Summer School diplomas
by turning into your essays and answering the call to higher drive-in learning. We’re
proud of all of you for taking the time this summer to stay tuned and strive for a higher
degree of knowledge.
A special shout out goes to TA Kathy, who helped grade all the stuff and is now helping
out with the Patreon.
We’ll probably put together a Dean’s List or something that shows off some of the best
submissions here on the website when we get around to it. And also, let it be known
that you all got off easy with the essay questions. I had some good ones that would
have challenged the most stalwart student, but since my application for tenure at the
Briggs Academy of the Drive-In Cinematic Arts hasn’t been signed off on by Joe Bob
(he says it’s somewhere in the Toronado) and because Joe Bob wanted folks to
actually receive passing grades and diplomas, mine got put aside.
A pity because I REALLY liked my essay question for Dr. Giggles:
The U.S. health care and insurance system has been widely criticized for inflating the
cost of delivering proper care while, according to some, underprioritizing positive
outcomes and care for patients. How does the bedside manner of Dr. Giggles coincide
and clash with the state of medicine today?
Where else but the Last Drive-In would you get to see Larry Drake’s demented doc
cavort under the covers AND learn about the magical world of 4,000% medication
markups on acetaminophen, I ask you?
Darcy learned that, at least from the perspective of the Briggs Academy, things do get
magical once you stagger through the doors of the emergency room, schedule that
surgery from the doctor’s office or get wheeled in to the medical facility on a cart. It’s
kind of like the magical gateway once you enter into a sporting event or concert, where
a single beer exceeds the cost of a 12-pack outside the venue, or the BMV, where an
ounce of cheap foil registration stickers approaches the value of gold.
Dr. Giggles, believe it or not, is an adaptation of a comic book put out by our pals at
Dark Horse Comics. Though it didn’t achieve the success of say, a Hellboy, it did serve
as a goofy post-Freddy and Jason burnout/pre-Scream slasher akin to Ice Cream Man.
Not a ton new to bring to the genre, but some creative kills and a frenetic energy from
the main character make it watchable and for a good time as evidenced by these totals.
Not a ton else to cover, other than if you wanna save some money the next time you go
to the doctor’s office, pack accordingly, bring your own meds, blankets, slippers and
heck, Prime Day just concluded and you probably could have got a great deal on a
hospital gown that doesn’t show your hiney.
Thinking about it, you also could have gotten a good deal on the Dr. Giggles Starter Kit
for that perfect Larry Drake cosplay — surgeon’s gown and mask, stomach pump,
scalpel, forceps and don’t forget the snazzy medical bag.
Who said TV isn’t educational anymore?