Review: The Bizarre Stories of Professor Zarbi “Kenstein’s Revenge”; “The Perfect Match”

 

 

Overview:

“Kenstein’s Revenge”

Professor Zarbi and his loyal protégé, Benjamin, are enjoying some quality time away from their duties. Unfortunately, they are interrupted by their old enemy, Dr. Kenstein. The mad doctor kidnaps Benjamin in hopes of keeping his head in a jar. Professor Zarbi is going to have to catch up if he hopes to keep his assistant. Thankfully, he brought back-up, in the form of his mother.

“The Perfect Match”

A man losing his wife is tragic enough without her coming back to haunt their home. Professor Zarbi and Benjamin think they can help someone in just that scenario. Although, they weren’t expecting the ghost wife to have such serious attachment issues. Luckily, the paranormal adventurers know a few bachelor ghosts, who may be potential new suitors for her.

 

Our Take:

That is a wrap on the second English-dubbed season of The Bizarre Stories of Professor Zarbi. The French series initially released on Quebec’s Teletoon la Nuit is now a collection of 40 quarter-hour episodes. And season two has successfully taken the series into the next phase of reoccurring characters and larger plots.

The season finale did not fail to incorporate the old and the new. In keeping with tradition, these are two unique stories offering different aspects of the Professor Zarbi paranormal world. One that culminates in a giant monster battle, another about the afterlife.

“Kenstein’s Revenge” is more than giant monsters. In fact, the story brings back a memorable character from season one, the evil mad doctor, Kenstein. The same scientist that was decapitating people to build himself monstrous servants. We should have expected that this super-intelligent villain would make a comeback. It obviously wouldn’t take him much to build himself a new robot body.

Hilariously, Zarbi and Benjamin are the distressed victims in this episode. The true hero of the story is Zarbi’s own aged mother. Thankfully, she is familiar enough with her son’s workings to become a giant lizard monster in time to save the day. The audience is thankful for one of the most exciting visual scenes from an already artistically entertaining show.

The second episode of the night, “The Perfect Match”, did not share the epic scope of the first. Truthfully, the piece was lacking in comparison to much of the series. Last season’s finale was the catalyst for the most significant event in the show’s history. This one was silly in contrast.

Alternatively, the episode did manage to bring in three former characters, all in their ghostly form. A pirate, a prank caller, and a professional eater all show up for a chance to date the newly dead wife (I want to call her a widow, but she’s the one that’s dead.). So, while this dating show parody was generally unimpressive, it did help to build the world further.

As up-and-down as Professor Zarbi is at times, the show is solidly entertaining. Hopefully, we are in store for many new adventures from the Quebecois professor and his understudy. Especially now that there are reoccurring characters and larger stories to unfold.