Review of the Episode "Gadget and Old Lace" in the Cartoon Inspector Gadget

"Gadget and Old Lace" is the second to last episode in the history of the original Inspector Gadget animated cartoon series but it is a memorable one. Why is this episode memorable? That brings us to one particular scene that after all these years is a very good laugh out loud moment.

In this episode, Inspector Gadget must find out the origin of what is called dangerous novelty weapons and a M.A.D. plot is suspected to be the origin. Meanwhile, at the place called “The Old Bad Guys & Gals Retirement Home”, the criminal mastermind Less Reknowned is sitting and talking to the main villain of the series Dr. Claw. Less Reknowned has been Dr. Claw’s teacher since Claw’s earliest days and Less says that he trains only the finest criminals. He asks Sadie and Viola, two retired ladies to go out and try to get rid of Inspector Gadget. Sadie and Viola gladly take the job and manage to contact Inspector Gadget, pretending to be part of his fan club and offer to invite him to their house for tea. It appears that Sadie and Viola with the help of Dr. Claw managed to wiretap Inspector Gadget’s telephone and that’s why they got through to him.

Inspector Gadget has no idea that there is a plot designed to eliminate him at all costs. He is very fortunate that his loyal pet dog Brain is near the entrance of the home where all the work is being done underground as female agents working for Dr. Claw have produced deadly toxins as well as an electric chicken that is put to use in the end of the episode. There is a huge chest that can store clothes that starts coming down as soon as Inspector Gadget enters the house. Brain pushes him out of the way but then he pays the price as that big object falls on him. In addition, Sadie and Viola go to the underground laboratory and pick up a few items that the plan on using to try and eliminate the world’s most lovable bionic Inspector. When Sadie and Viola take Gadget to a public park and play blind man’s bluff, Inspector Gadget suddenly falls off the cliff and he is descending down to what Dr. Claw thinks will be his demise. However, once again as has been the constant in this series, Inspector Gadget’s loyal and reliable dog Brain attempts to rescue him. Back at the home where Sadie and Viola live, Inspector Gadget is invited to dinner but he does not realize that the chicken is actually an electric chicken. He attempts to cut it and he is immediately shocked by the electricity. How he does not perish after several seconds of being exposed to high powered electricity is anyone’s guess. However, Brain unplugs the electric extension chord as Chief Quimby arrives. Gadget and Old Lace is a better episode than Gadget and the Red Rose, the final episode of the series.