I am super happy about the new series of Carmen Sandiego to hit netflix! I have been a long time fan of the franchise since the first game was running on DOS back in 1987. I even decided to include her in a Vindalf set starting with issue 270. She’s largely based on the 1990’s version because that had the biggest impact on me. One episode in particular: Episode 29, “Follow My Footsteps”, (Director: Joe Barruso, Writer: Kevin West).

The year is 1999 and Carmen is stealing something cool in Nepal whilst 16 year old Vindalf watches cartoons before school. The episode opens with an exciting chase sequence!

AND THEN THE GORRAM CABLE WENT OUT!! The TV just stopped working until I had to leave for school and I never saw another frame of that episode. I’m sure it was exciting and she had some clever way of getting out of it. Never mind, eh? it’s just one episode of a cartoon and tomorrow she’ll be back to the same old geographically educational adventures.

The next day in that time-slot:

Wait, where’s Carmen? I saw her plane crash and then she was NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN! She’s really dead?

They killed Carmen Sandiego! That’s why they had to cancel the show! NOOOOO!

By this time, the game-show version had completed it’s run too. The last few syndicated re-runs to fill the 8am weekday slot were replaced by the new “educational” show and the franchise went dormant. So I just had to accept that my favourite antagonist was no more. She was gone, and no amount of sleuthing would find her this time.

Of course, we ACME trained gumshoes don’t give up. Finally, years later, I was able to find the episode online and finally learned the fate of my first video-game arch nemesis. My friends sometimes still lightly tease me about how relieved I was that the cartoon character did not die in a plane crash. And then they tease me more for that time I admitted to having a crush on her. (see forthcoming Vindalf issues)

Welcome Back to TV, Carmen. Nice to see you alive!

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Do it, Rockapella!