Fillmore!

I can't believe what I'd been missing this whole time for as long as I had. I passed up on watching this series when it originally aired as part of ABC's One Saturday Morning block, but after catching up on seeing some of the episodes on Youtube years later, I now wish that I had gotten into it sooner and regret not doing so. And even though I still had other episodes that I hadn't seen or have yet to see (I'm caught up on all of them now), I also still wish that it ran longer than it did, as it deserved to do so. I feel that so much more could've been done with it. I would've liked to have seen and known if there were some, certain characters that would've been featured in more than one prominent role, such as the return of the suspect featured in "Ingrid Third, Public Enemy #1. Because it since became one of my favorite cartoons/programs and I find this to be one of the better/best shows to spring forth from Walt Disney Television Animation and not only the last decade, but of all time. I have to disagree with the reviewer who mentioned that it was better that the show ended at the point it did before it got too stale. I don't think the cases would've gotten too stale had they continued nor do I see how so, each is individual in its own right. There's nothing the same about any of them. It was one of those things that had such grand potential. As the final series produced by the studio/company independently before hooking up with the Disney channel, I'd say that this was the one to go out on with a bang and I'm glad they did. And with the 10th anniversary of its premiere approaching next year, I say it's high time and overdue for DVD releases of both seasons.

What I really love about Fillmore! is the basis of its originality, intrigue and difference that separates it from others of the same formats/genres: It being a detective show set in a junior high school. Starring its titular character (full name Cornelius Fillmore), a street-wise black American student and his partner-in-crime solving Ingrid Third, a goth girl with a keen sense of photographic memory, they're two safety patrol officers who act as investigators and attend X Middle School. And they're not your typical safety patrol officers. Both previously came from troubled backgrounds, but they'd change their ways and decided to go straight after eventually getting caught with the crime-committing, and now having chosen instead to join the safety patrol. It makes for a great back-story of how they met (as in the episode "Ingrid Third, Public Enemy #1", in which Ingrid had transferred to X) and I like how that all came together in the end. Other members of the safety patrol team include Mexican American commissioner Horatio Vallejo, Italian and Japanese American forensics specialists Joseph Anza and Karen Tehama, and Irish American crime scene photographer Danny O'Farrell. The junior high principal Dawn S. Folsom acts as the mayor and vice principal Raycliff is her right-hand man. The whole thing is a kid-friendly take on various crime-fighting series like Shaft, Dragnet, Magnum P.I. and the C.S.I. franchise, serving as a parody of sorts. Speaking of which, another reviewer took the way some, certain things occurred and mentioned too seriously. They may not have been allowed to happen for real (and though I agree somewhat they shouldn't), but then again, who cares? It's just a satire. A third reviewer who reviewed this because the cartoon ran too often for him or her in his or her area, that's sort of a wasted review. All that reviewer had to do was simply take a break if he or she is/was tired of it, no need to bring that up here.

Another thing I like about this show is its mixture of action, comedy and drama, which are what else it has. I think it's one of the wittiest and most intelligently well-done shows that one will ever come across. It has it all: Great characters, superb stories, witty writing, all-star voice casting and more. It is what I'd consider to be a perfect Disney production. And despite what the few nay-sayers here already typed about it, to anyone reading my thoughts on it, don't listen to them. I implore y'all not to sleep on it like I did. This is amongst the best of the best that beats a majority of the rest, especially in over the past decade. I wish there were more cases, as the series has left and made me want more since.moreless

This show is quite stupid. Replacing crimes with silliness and police officers with kids. IT'S STUPID! I hate this show. The school has "crimes" like everyday and people still go to this school. They overeact for like killing a spider. I mean, 2 years detention for killing a spider?! And when an actual crime did happne (stealing) nothing happened to them. The bad peoples consequence is detention! Stupid!!!!! And they ALWAYS, ALWAYS RUN. Absolutely stupid. And arrg, it's also boring! Most of the characters are stereotypes. ARRG. And, god, I hate Fillmore he insults so many of the bystanders and keeps on saying "bebe". What is he? And idiot? You don't go around doing that. And what's with all those school events. A macoroni statue contest? huh? I have nothing left to say accept, the princaple is a bossy, vindictive, b**** who always wants her way. The show could've been good if it were actual crimes and ACTUAL police. And a tip to the "safety patrol". When the school day ends and the bad people aren't caught. The check their darn house!!!moreless

K this show has repeat each episode about 50 times, Take This Darn Show Off. Replace with a old show that you used to run then was cancelled like all-that, american dragon, or a new show, its kinda boring when you already no who the theft is. take it off.

Hello, Earthlings...two words: awesome sauce! This show is that awesome, it can only be described by these two words. I love it, and I wish I knew it was even on back then. It seems to me that the network it was on was pummeled in a web of cancellation, and...you know what? I'm just trying to get 100 words in here, so I'm just going to hum the Recess theme tune and sing the Pepper Ann theme song for the rest of this review...

*hums and sings, hums and sings, hums and sings and hums....

and sings and hums...and sings*moreless

Fillmore! was an amazing show full of on-the-edge-of-your-seat excitement and crimes that kept you guessing as to who the perpetrator was. It had the characters, no two were the same and they were funny in their own ways, Fillmore with his attitude and his constant demolition of school property, Ingrid with her ways and photographic memory, Vallejo with his many problems (mostly ones to deal with Fillmore), Principal Folsom with her constant threats towards the safety patrol and even Vice Principal Raycliff with his quick information and for backing up Principal Folsom, and all the other characters of course.
The crimes were well thought up as unrealistic though they were, they gave room for imagination and speculation and it was always interesting to see what the producers would come up with next.
The show was cancelled at a great time - before the characters became boring and before the crimes began to seem repetative. All in all, I would recommend this show to anyone who likes comedy, drama, mysteries, suspense, or crime solving.moreless