Watch out, Toontown ! Here come the Tappet Brothers

Jim Hill

16 years ago

Will the third time really be the charm for Click & Clack ? Or will this latest attempt to adapt NPR‘s “Car Talk” to television stall out just like the other two?

Truth be told, Tom & Ray Magliozzi — the real-life brothers who host this extremely popular National Public Radio program — bear most of the blame for the first TV incarnation of “Car Talk” flaming out. You see, in their eagerness to conquer the small screen, Tom & Ray actually began taping that show’s pilot before they had all of the necessary permits lined up. Which is a big no-no out in LA.

(L to R) Tom & Ray Magliozzi of “Car Talk” fame

Once that project got shelved, Click & Clack decided that — from here on — they’d leave television production to the professionals. Which is why — when the Walt Disney Company came calling in the early 1990s and wanted to use “Car Talk” as the inspiration for a brand-new sitcom for “Cheers” star George Wendt — the Magliozzis took a hands-off approach. In that they took the very big check that Mickey was offering and then had next to nothing to do with the development / production of “Under the Hood.”

Which — in the end — was probably a smart move. In that “Under the Hood” (which was soon renamed “The George Wendt Show”) wound up bearing little or no resemblance with “Car Talk.” The radio program’s distinctly Boston setting got dropped (Reportedly at George Wendt’s request. George supposedly felt that — were “Under the Hood” to be set in Beantown — that would then welcome unflattering comparisons to “Cheers.” Which — obviously — had also set in Boston) as was the call-in portion of the program. Which perhaps explains why “The George Wendt Show” got pulled off of CBS’s schedule after only seven episodes had been produced.

After “Car Talk” ‘s first two attempts at transferring to television had crashed & burned … Well, you’d think that Tom & Ray would have just accepted their fate. Realized that their faces were better suited for radio.

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the boob tube. Through their cameo appearance in Pixar’s 2006 release, “Cars” …

(L to R) Clunk, Lightning McQueen and Clink entertain Rust-eze’s loyal customers.
Copyright 2006 Disney / Pixar. All Rights Reserved

… the Magliozzis discovered animation. More importantly, this medium’s ability to make Tom & Ray seem that much more appealing to the non-NPR-listening crowd.

Which brings us now to “Click & Clack’s As the Wrench Turns,” which debuts tonight on your local PBS station. This animated sitcom actually does a pretty decent job of translating Tom & Ray’s rather bizarre sense of humor to the small screen. Which is a would where — if you don’t actually meet your National Public Radio fundraising goal — you can be roughed up by Big Bird and the Cookie Monster.

Or — if you’re traveling to India — you fly aboard Air Sikh Airlines.

Yes, the jokes that you’ll see & hear on “As the Wrench Turns” are groan-inducing. Which will no doubt please longtime “Car Talk” listeners. Who’d expect nothing less from Tom & Ray.

But thanks to the top-notch production team that Howard Grossman & Doug Berman has assembled (Which includes master design Stephen Silver, noted animation director & historian Tom Sito, acclaimed animation writer Tom Minton as well as Disney Legend Floyd Norman), “Click & Clack’s As the Wrench Turns” is a handsome looking show that also isn’t afraid to poke fun at its home network. Be it the sly send-ups of hit PBS series like “Antiques Roadshow” …

… or the fact that those PBS coffee mugs & tote bags are often pressed into service whenever Stash does oil changes at Click & Clack’s Garage.

Tonight you can actually get a double dose of the Magliozzi’s special brand of insanity. The first episode of “As the Wrench Turns” has Click & Clack running for president as an bass-ackward way of raising dough for Public Radio. And in tonight’s second episode … Since they’ve now grown tired of doing “Car Talk,” Tom & Ray decide to outsource themselves to India.

So if you’re in need a laugh tonight, I suggest that you give this toon tune-up show a try.

Your thoughts?