Another animated incarnation of a Barbie-type is Cynthia, the much-abused doll alternately loved and hated by shrew-in-training Angelica, on Nickelodeon's *Rugrats.* Angelica seems to have an obsession with tormenting Cynthia's once-lustrous and flowing locks, which have now been pared to what can only be described as retro-punk. The auto commercial containing a Barbie-type is by Nissan, and appears to feature a model no longer in production, the 3000ZX; today's actual Barbie would probably feel more *au courant* in a Pathfinder (I'm still a fan of her pink Austin-Healey 3000 from the sixties, a good choice for nostalgic "boomer Barbie," which is sure to come). Another of the carmaker's commercials implies that telepathic dogs prefer Pathfinders, anyway. *Kablam* on Nickelodeon has been mentioned in this thread with regard to *Action League Now," a nineties reworking of *Mr. Bill* allied with paranoia over government power, using an assortment of marginally competent action heroes, including one who is, in the series' words, "butt naked." Hosted by animated teenagers Henry and June (I doubt these names were plucked from thin air), this program features some of the most imaginative animation around. _______________________________________________________________________________ William Lafferty Department of Theatre Arts [log in to unmask] Wright State University office (937) 775-4581 or 3072 Dayton, OH 45435-0001 USA facsimile (937) 775-3787 "The universe was once conceived almost as a vast preserve, landscaped for heroes, plotted to provide them the appropriate adventures. The rules were known and respected, the adversaries honorable, the oracles articulate and precise as the directives of a six-lane parkway. Errors of weakness or vanity led, with measured momentum, to the tragedy which resolved everything. Today, the rules are ambiguous, the adversary is concealed in aliases, the oracles broadcast a babble of contradictions." --- Maya Deren, from her notes for *At Land* ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.sa.ua.edu/screensite