2014 Christmas television special
Toy Story That Time Forgot (titled Toy Story: That Time Forgot on Disney+) is an American animated Christmas television special, produced by Pixar Animation Studios that aired on ABC on December 2, 2014. Written and directed by Sam &amp; Max creator Steve Purcell, the special was produced by Galyn Susman. Michael Giacchino composed the music for the special. Most of the regular cast from the "Toy Story" series reprised their roles, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Kristen Schaal as Trixie, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, and Joan Cusack as Jessie, with Kevin McKidd and Emma Hudak joining as new characters Reptillus Maximus and Angel Kitty, respectively. This was Rickles' final TV special role before his death on April 6, 2017, and was the last "Toy Story" production for five years until the release of "Toy Story 4" on June 21, 2019. The special received critical acclaim.
Plot.
Trixie, a toy triceratops, is frustrated that Bonnie never depicts her as a dinosaur during playtime. On December 27th (two days after Christmas), Bonnie takes Trixie, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Rex, and aphorism-spouting Christmas ornament Angel Kitty to her best friend Mason's house for a play date. However, Bonnie ends up tossing the toys into Mason's playroom and joining Mason in playing with his new videogame console.
Bonnie's toys discover the playroom is dominated by a huge "Battlesaurs" playset that Mason received for Christmas, complete with several humanoid-dinosaur-hybrid action figures led by the gallant warrior Reptillus Maximus and the "pteranodon"-like shaman The Cleric. Trixie is delighted to interact with them as a dinosaur; she and Rex are armed as warriors, unaware that Woody and Buzz have been taken prisoners. Reptillus and Trixie quickly grow close, but it is soon revealed that the Battlesaurs have not yet been played with, and therefore do not know that they are toys. To Trixie's horror, Mason's other toys are violently attacked in a combat arena. Woody and Buzz are then brought in to fight, but Trixie defends them. The Cleric denounces Trixie as a heretic for bearing Bonnie's name on her foot; she flees to get Bonnie's help, and Reptillus is sent after her. She shows him his own toy package, which enrages him.
In the arena, the Cleric takes control of Rex's robotic armaments and forces him to seize Woody and Buzz. They realize the Cleric is aware of Mason and their status as toys; with Mason preoccupied by the video game, the Cleric maintains authoritarian control over the Battlesaurs, and apparently, the playroom. The Cleric intends to destroy Woody, Buzz, and Angel Kitty by tossing them in the air vent. In Mason's bedroom, Reptillus confronts Trixie as she is about to deactivate the video game. She convinces him that "surrendering" to a child for playtime will broaden his horizons, and he reluctantly turns the game off. Mason finds Reptillus, and Bonnie begins playing with him, which convinces Mason to do the same. The children return to the playroom just in time to unknowingly save Woody and Buzz, and they play with the Battlesaurs and other toys in a variety of non-combat settings. Reptillus calls the experience "glorious".
Back at Bonnie's house, Trixie tells the other toys that she is "Bonnie's dinosaur", and is happy in every role Bonnie has for her. Angel Kitty gives one last moral and inexplicably vanishes.
Production.
The special was planned to be a six-minute short, but John Lasseter liked the idea and suggested making it into a holiday special. The special took three years to make, with two years spent on story development. The team took time to design the Battlesaurs as if they were a real cartoon and toy line. The story was made in three acts.
In the UK, "Toy Story That Time Forgot" was broadcast by Sky Movies and aired on December 6, 2014, four days after the US' air date. The TV special was also broadcast on Channel 4 and then later sister channel E4 in 2017.
Marketing.
The first look poster for "Toy Story That Time Forgot", created by comics artist Mike Mignola, was released at Comic Con 2014.
Home media.
"Toy Story That Time Forgot" was released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 3, 2015. Bundled with the physical copies is a fake intro to the "Battlesaurs" cartoon, animated by the Japanese production company Studio Trigger.
Reception.
The special received 6.79 million viewers, and received acclaim from critics. On Disney Channel, it received 3.27 million viewers, making it the most-watched broadcast on the network that night.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 91% of critics have given the special a positive review based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 7.50/10. At Metacritic, the special has a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
"IGN" said, ""Toy Story That Time Forgot" may not have time for the addicting sentiment that we've grown accustomed to with these characters, but it's still a lot of fun." "CinemaBlend" rated it 4.5 out of 5, saying "Delivering the humor, heart and toy-filled adventure that we've come to expect from the "Toy Story" franchise, "Toy Story That Time Forgot" is another wonderful, entertaining and playful installment to the franchise, and well worth a watch for kids and kids-at-heart."
References.
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