User:Afterword/Towser

Aesthetic
Towser is hand-painted in scruffy watercolours, taking on a much more illustrative style (with blotches and hatchings) than cel-shaded cartoons, which also typically use much more saturated colour. The sky in Towser's world is most often very pale. But within the confines of the watercolour palette Towser still employs vibrantly coloured objects, such as the rainbow-striped clothes of some of Towser's friends or the exotic hues of the pervasive jungle. Towser's world is a unique mixture of tropical forests, medieval castles and 20th century domesticity. Elements of science fiction and fantasy are also liberally included - thus, aliens, witches, lions and knights are amongst Towser's acquiantances. Towser's escapades are narrated in a subdued tone and accompanied by brass-heavy music (an up-tempo brass theme provides the title tune) although in sadder scenes the accompanying theme becomes more melancholic and draws on minor plinky-plonky piano lines. The cartoon is somewhat 'quieter' or less chaotic than today's typical cartoons (viz. The Powerpuff Girls, Pokemon) due to the less exitable tones of the principal characters and an absence of exagerrated sound effects. Many of the objects and persons rustle like they might be made of straw.

Characters
Like many cartoons, Towser includes a mixture of talking animals and humans. Mute animals, fantasical humanoids and creatures unfamiliar to Earth also make appearances.

Towser
Towser is a white-furred dog with a black patch over his eye. He is approximately similar in appearance to a Schnauzer, though he can walk on his hind legs and talk. Tony Ross' describes Towser thus:


 * Towser is smart (but not too smart)
 * Towser is brave (well, resourceful anyway)
 * Towser is considerate (but not soppy)
 * Towser is appealing (or so he thinks)

He is, in short, very much down-to-earth. Though ultimately triumphant over his foes, Towser is no colossus amongst his peers. Though he has his wits - he lacks obvious physical strength - he is not supremely intelligent. At once a little silly and an inspired pragmatist, on one occasion Towser tries to reach the moon by standing on a tower and waving a stick, only to give up and use a balloon as a substitute moon instead. Towser is more often caught up in events than an instigator of them, usually resolving episodes with a gently humourous remark. Introverted in the face of a bizarre and (intermittently) antagonistic world, Towser can be interpreted as an existential soul.

The King
The King is a friend and ally of Towser. Though never cast in an overtly negative light, he might be considered somewhat less intelligent than Towser as he is unable to solve one of the Kingdom's few problems; that is, the presence of the Terrible Thing. The existence of a 'royal playroom' inside the King's castle complete with 'royal teddy bear' may also imply some incompetence or juvenility about the King. Though old and white-bearded, his crest (as displayed on a knight's shield) is a teddy bear. The King wears a large crown and purple-and-blue striped robe.

Doctor Smelly
The Doctor's occupation is science, presumably physics, and sports a lab coat and black goggles at all times. He speaks with a scots accent and resides in a laboratory. The Doctor is an archetypal benevolent mad scientist. Towser is a friend and sometime client of the Doctor.

The Wizard
The Wizard's appearance is highly colourful; he wears a black robe emblazoned with a lightening bolt of red, his sleeves are rainbow-striped and his hat black with stripes of purple. He has a darker skin-tone than the other human characters offset by a brilliant white beard and long jagged hair. He posseses formidable skills of conjuration, precipitated explosively with a mere gesture of the hands. He is another amongst Towser's circle of friends and can be found working in his cottage.

Sadie
Sadie is a feline creature with (apparently) no occupation. She lives in a modern house, speaks hushedly and sighs. She seems largely passive. Towser does not treat her as an effite young cat though - eager to please his friend, Towser seems to be quite ably manipulated by Sadie on more than one occasion. She is at least as intelligent as him.

Goblin Gobble
Goblin Gobble is a sinister character - hunched but darting, and prone to muterring unintelligibly or screaming. Although cruel enough to kidnap Towser and conspire to eat him, the Goblin is not particularly bright. The Goblin and his castle guard speak in what might be a scouse accent. Goblin Gobble's guard is almost completely deaf. His only line is "You what?", which he says every time someone speaks to him. This eventually proves Goblin Gobble's undoing, as when he finds himself locked in the tower room himself, he is unable to make the guard hear him. The episode ends with Towser walking off, and Goblin Gobble still trying to get the guard to realise he wants him to open the door.