Cartoon Aficionado / Contributor
Posted:
Jan 30, 2011, 8:10 AM
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The Incredible Shrinking Toons.
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Thirty years ago today, "The Incredible Shrinking Woman" starring Lily Tomlin was released. So I've compiled a list of cartoons about characters who became tiny in their own ways.
"The Magic Bag," Felix The Cat, Trans-Lux, 1960. The Professor shrinks Felix to get him under his control, and steal the magic bag.
"The Little Man," The Jetsons, Hanna-Barbera, 1962. George is accidentally shrunk when he goes through a new machine. Mr. Spacely sees this as a chance for him to infiltrate Cogswell Cogs, and steal the cog needed to repair the machine. Later, Spacely and Cogswell are miniaturized.
"Small Spooks," The New Casper Cartoon Show, Famous Studios, 1963. The Ghostly Trio take reducing pills to shrink themselves and become small enough to terrorize insects. Casper seeks help from the Will 'O The Wisp.
"Small Change," Punkin Puss And Mush Mouse, Hanna-Barbera, 1964. Punkin Puss makes himself mouse-sized to catch Mush Mouse.
"Itty Bitty Freddy," The Flintstones, Hanna-Barbera, 1964. Fred invents Fred-O-Cal, a reducing formula designed to make him lose weight. Instead, it reduces him the wrong way. He and Barney perform a ventriloquist act on the Ed Sullystone show, but what happens there is predictable.
"The Big Shrink," Underdog, Total Television, 1964. Simon Bar Sinister invents shrinking water, and uses it to shrink everyone in town, including Underdog, Sweet Polly, and even Cad, who just happens to be bigger than him.
"The Evil Collector," Space Ghost, Hanna-Barbera, 1966. The Evil Collector captures and shrinks Space Ghost, Jan, Jace, and an alien from Jupiter, and has his catlike pet Dracto chase them like mice. The tables are turned on the villain, and even the Jupiterian refuses to save him from Dracto.
"Tom Of T. H.U.M.B," Rankin-Bass, 1966. Tom and Swinging Jack are zapped by a shrink ray, and become the world's smallest agents, dealing with the agents of MAD.
"The Shrinker," The Mighty Heroes, Terry Toons, 1966. The Shrinker uses a ray on his helmet to reduce anyone and anything he sees, including the Mighty Heroes!
"Tiny World Of Terror," The Herculoids, Hanna-Barbera, 1967. Torrak shrinks the Herculoids, and engages them in combat against his warrior microorganisms.
"Birdman Meets Reducto," Birdman, Hanna-Barbera, 1967. Reducto reduces the Pentagon to a tiny building, and then shrinks Birdman. Inevitably, the villain becomes too small to see. He later resurfaced as Myron Reducto on "Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law."
"The Micro World Of Dr. Doom," The Fantastic Four, Hanna-Barbera, 1967. Dr Doom shrinks the Fantastic Four after finding his way into a microworld.
"Prisoners Of Planet X," The Fantastic Four, Hanna-Barbera, 1967. On Planet X, Reed shrinks the entire planet's population, except for Kurggo, in order to save them from being destroyed from an out of orbit planet.
"The Forbidden Pool," The Adventures Of Gulliver," Hanna-Barbera, 1968. Gary and Tag drink from the forbidden pool, and become as small as the Lilliputians. Naturally, Captain Leech takes advantage of the situation....
"The Micro Ventures," Hanna-Barbera, 1968. There were only four episodes of this series in which Professor Carter, his son Mike, and daughter Jill used their Micro Reducer to become small enough to observe insects and other tiny creatures up close. Each episode had the Professor telling scientific facts about the animals.
"The Strange Experiment," The New Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, Hanna-Barbera, 1968. Dr. Philastro tests his shrinking machine on Huck, making him his first human subject.
"Fantastic Voyage," Filmation, 1968. In this animated spinoff of the movie, the four members of the Combined Miniature Defense Force are reduced for a time limit of twelve hours to infiltrate enemy organizations. One episode even had them going inside Guru's body, just like in the film.
"Gulliver's Gigantic Goof," Superfriends, Hanna-Barbera, 1973. Dr. Hiram Gulliver shrinks many adults on Earth, including most of the Superfriends. Only Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder Dog are immune to this.
"The Shaman U," Superfriends, Hanna-Barbera, 1973. A strange mist, eventually called Shamanite, shrinks some animals and plants, and enlarges others. The culprit, of course, is Dr. Shaman.
"The Incredible Changing Man," Speed Buggy, Hanna-Barbera, 1973. Speedy and his friends are up against Jerrick, a villain who can shrink or enlarge himself at will just by saying, "Metamorpho!"
"Incredible Shrinking Keith," Partridge Family: 2200 A.D, Hanna-Barbera, 1974. Danny accidentally shrinks Keith! Can he be returned to normal size in time for their gig on Minitravia?
"The Incredible Mr. Shrink," Hong Kong Phooey, Hanna-Barbera, 1974. Hong Kong Phooey and Spot set out to capture the title villain.
"Malice In Aqualand," Jabberjaw, Hanna-Barbera, 1976. Dr. Cybron builds a robot duplicate of Bubbles after capturing the real one. She shrinks Jabber and the Neptunes when she discovers their plan to fool her master.
"City In A Bottle," Superfriends, Hanna-Barbera, 1977. The Superfriends fly to another planet to rescue the citizens of Mid City and the Wonder Twins, all of whom have been reduced and imprisoned in a bottle by Mongor.
"Tiny World Of Terror," Superfriends, Hanna-Barbera, 1977. The Superfriends shrink themselves in order to pursue Professor Strickland, who's already shrunken two of his fellow scientists.
"Microgodzilla," Godzilla, Hanna-Barbera, 1979. Godzilla shrinks to near-microscopic size when the Calico passes through a pink cloud. While contending with a giant fly, the crew, especially Quinn, strives to make Godzilla big again. There's a brief comic moment when Godzooky decides to play Godzilla, and Captain Majors tells him there's no substitute for the real one.
"Time Of The Giants," Space Ghost, Hanna-Barbera, 1981. When the Phantom Cruiser goes through a radioactive cloud, Space Ghost, Jan, and Jace are miniaturized. Blip and the catlike space pirate Crugar, not being human, are unaffected.
"Microworld," Space Ghost, Hanna-Barbera, 1981. Space Ghost pursues the Toyman, who has somehow managed to shrink an entire planet!
"The Beginning," Pandamonium, Marvel Productions, 1982. In the premiere episode, Chesty, Timothy, and Algeron temporarily become tiny pandas.
"The Incredible Shrinking Wizard," The Smurfs, Hanna-Barbera, 1984. Thanks to magic pollution, Gargamel becomes tiny after falling into his own muck pond. The Smurfs get him to return to normal size by convincing him to think good thoughts instead of evil ones.
"The Incredible Shrinking Archie," The New Archies, DIC, 1987. Archie literally becomes the littlest boy in Riverdale.
"The Incredible Shrinking Turtles," Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Muirakami-Wolf-Swenson, 1988. The heroes become small reptiles. Can they deal with Shredder at this size?
"An Inside Job," Captain Planet And The Planeteers," DIC, 1992. When his fellow Planeteers and Sly Sludge are shrunk, Kwame unknowingly swallows them when he drinks the glass of water containing them! There was another episode with tiny Planeteers as well.
"Shrink Rap," Jackie Chan Adventures, Columbia, 2002. Jackie and Hack Foo are shrunken, and begin fighting each other.
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"Never walk alone in a danger zone."
(This post was edited by TammiToon on Jan 30, 2011, 8:25 AM)
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Animator
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Jan 30, 2011, 8:48 AM
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Based on the popular books, The Magic School Bus featured several episodes where the teacher, kids, and bus all shrink to miniature or microscopic levels in order to learn:
For Lunch - Arnold doesn't go on a trip with Miss Frizzle and the rest of the class, but unknowingly becomes the subject of their next field trip, due to accidentally swallowing them in a glass of water they are in, and they end up in his digestive system.
Inside Ralphie - Ralphie is sick, and it's up to Miss Frizzle and the class to get to the bottom of it. Or is it inside?
Meets the Rot Squad - The class shrinks down to learn how things rot and decompose on a closer level.
Gets Ready, Set, Dough! - It's Miss Frizzle's birthday, but the class learns first-hand how chemistry works when they're accidentally shrunk down and baked in the cake.
There were many other episodes where they shrunk down in order to learn about small animals, microbiology, and other sciences.
In the Looney Tunes cartoon Soup or Sonic Wile E. Coyote chases the Roadrunner through a set of pipes that reduce in size. When they come out of the smallest pipe, they have both been shrunk. Wile E. realizes what's happened, whistles to the Roadrunner, and they run back through the pipes, this time restoring themselves. Only problem is the Roadrunner is restored, but not Wile E. He stays small, catches up to the Roadrunner, and looks up. After he gets over the shock, he looks to the audience and holds up two signs:
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Research Guru / Moderator
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Jan 30, 2011, 11:46 AM
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In the 1934 Betty Boop release Betty In Blunderland, Betty falls down a long well. She crawls through a tunnel, finding herself in a room where characters make themselves small by drinking mugs of Shrink-ola (which looks suspiciously like beer). A Ten of Diamonds drinks some and becomes a Two of Diamonds! Betty drinks some herself, and shrinks to being small enough to pass through a tiny exit. (She's sprayed so that her dress shrinks to fit her.)
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"Oh boy." -- Allan Sherman
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Animator
Posted:
Jan 30, 2011, 12:05 PM
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In the Walt Disney classic The Sword in the Stone Merlin shrinks himself down to smaller animal sizes while dueling with Madam Mim, turning into such creatures as a mouse, a worm, and a crab. He finally defeats Mim by turning himself into the most smallest of living things out there, a germ that infects Mim.
Not to mention he shrinks all of his belongings when packing to leave with Wart/Arthur to Sir Ector's castle. If only that could be done in real life...
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Cartoon Aficionado / Contributor
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Jan 30, 2011, 1:22 PM
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"The Tiny Five," The Jackson 5ive, Rankin-Bass, 1971. A man shrinks the Jacksons, and imprisons them inside a portable radio.
"Mission: Magic, Filmation, 1973. Miss Tickle occasionally shrunk herself and the Adventurers Club when necessary.
"Bite-Sized," The New Adventures Of Batman, Filmation, 1977. Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Batmite deal with Electro, an alien who shrinks his victims.
"Dr Dred Is A Shrinker," Drak Pack, Hanna-Barbera, 1980. The Drak Pack lets Dr. Dred shrink them so they can foil his scheme, but are discovered and captured. Dr. Dred and OGRE also shrink a train to rob it, and themselves to steal the gold from Fort Knox.
"Two Mini Cooks," Laverne And Shirley In The Army, Hanna-Barbera, 1981. Laverne and Shirley are shrunk by a villain.
"Case Of The Shrinking Superfriends," Superfriends: The Legendary Superpowers Team, Hanna-Barbera, 1984. Luthor shrinks the Hall Of Justice, Robin, Firestorm, and the Wonder Twins.
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"Never walk alone in a danger zone."
(This post was edited by TammiToon on Jan 30, 2011, 2:59 PM)
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Cartoon Aficionado / Contributor
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Jan 30, 2011, 3:20 PM
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"The Incredible Indelible Magical Mystery Trip," Depatie-Freleng, 1973. Joey and Missy are not only shrunk by Timer, but also turned into cartoons! The trio ends up inside the kids' Uncle Carl and take a journey through his body.
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"Never walk alone in a danger zone."
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Key Animator / Contributor
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Jan 30, 2011, 7:02 PM
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From the Disney Television TaleSpin series comes The Incredible Shrinking Molly. Peculiar inventor Doctor Zibaldo invents a shrink ray to fit more stuff into a suitcase. Curious Molly gets a dose of the beam, and it's up to Rebecca and Baloo to rescue her.
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Cartoon Aficionado / Contributor
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Feb 1, 2011, 6:01 AM
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"Water, Water, Every Hare," Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros, 1952. Just before the infamous "nighty night" sequence, Bugs douses Rudolph, AKA Gossamer with shrinking formula. Later, when he wakes up back in his rabbit hole, he decides his adventure was just a nightmare--until the mini-monster comes by in a tiny boat, and says, "Oh yeah? That's what you think!"
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"Never walk alone in a danger zone."
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Directing Animator / Contributor
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Feb 1, 2011, 7:27 PM
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"Superstretch and MicroWoman" was a segment for Filmation's "Tarzan and the Super 7". Featuring a crime-fighting married couple Chris who can stretch his body and Christie who shrinks.
"The Legion of Super Heroes" series featured occasional appearances by the heroine Shrinking Violet. One episode had her powers reversed so she can grow to giant size.
The 1966 Filmation "Superman/Aquaman" show had a segment with "The Atom" aka scientist Ray Palmer who shrinks to fight crime. "The Atom" appeared in a few "Super Friends" segments as well.
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"Don't chew gum on camera. Don't whistle. You may kiss Bob Barker but please don't kill him." -announcer Johnny Olson briefing the audience of potential contestants for "The Price is Right"
(This post was edited by artytoons on Feb 1, 2011, 7:32 PM)
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Supervising Animator / Contributor
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Feb 2, 2011, 10:35 AM
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In the Raggy Dolls episode "Lucy's Greenhouse" (series 8 ep. 6) Lucy is overcome by the heat and dreams she shrinks to insect size. She meets a platoon of runner beans at the double, a rather fierce dandylion and a ladybird (ladybug) in a hurry, before being terrified by a pair of (relatively) enormous slugs. Having seen things from their perspective she realises that although they spoil her cabbages they just need to eat.
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Back by popular demand -
"La-la-La-la.. I can't hear you!"
(This post was edited by peterhale on Feb 2, 2011, 10:36 AM)
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Cartoon Aficionado / Contributor
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Feb 2, 2011, 12:51 PM
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There was another character called Shrinking Violet on The Funny Company. Like the other one, she was able to shrink, but only did so when embarrassed.
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"Never walk alone in a danger zone."
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Cartoon Aficionado / Contributor
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Feb 5, 2011, 3:17 PM
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"Tarzan And The Colossus Of Xome," Tarzan, Filmation, 1977. Tarzan is temporarily shrunken by Colossus, a robot built by the tiny Xomans.
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"Never walk alone in a danger zone."
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Key Animator / Contributor
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Feb 6, 2011, 7:16 PM
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Also, from DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, there's Elevator Man from The Super 6. By pressing buttons on his belt buckle, Elevator Man could grow (upward) to giant size, or shrink (downward) to minuscule. One cartoon featured, I think, a villain who pressed his "down" button while Elevator Man slept. When Elevator Man awoke, he was too small to press the "up" button to reverse the shrinking process. Fortunately, he found way to get the critical button pressed. *phew*
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Research Guru / Moderator
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Feb 14, 2011, 4:16 AM
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The 1985 Pink Panther And Sons episode "Pink Shrink" has Annie's shrink machine causing Pinky to become six inches tall.
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"Oh boy." -- Allan Sherman
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Cartoon Aficionado / Contributor
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Mar 11, 2011, 3:50 PM
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"The Witch's Arcade," Superfriends, Hanna-Barbera, 1981. A witch shrinks the Wonder Twins, Gleek, and Wonder Woman, and traps them inside her deadly arcade games.
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"Never walk alone in a danger zone."
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Research Guru / Moderator
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Mar 11, 2011, 4:44 PM
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The shrinking toon that wasn't: Deputy Dawg's Nephew (Deputy Dawg; TerryToons, 1962)
Muskie and Ty Coon mix a drink that is supposed to make you shrink. When they see Deputy Dawg's nephew Homer wearing a similar outfit to his uncle, the pair think that Deputy Dawg has shrunk in size, and they try to reverse the effects of their drink and help Deputy Dawg grow back to his original size.
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"Oh boy." -- Allan Sherman
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Member
Posted:
Jun 30, 2011, 2:09 PM
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Ub Iwerks did a toon in the early 1930s called "Reducing Creme," in which the character Willie Whopper uses the product to become bug sized. But the formula to restore him is accidentally dumped on a flea that runs amok at giant size.
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Research Guru / Moderator
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Jul 5, 2011, 12:16 AM
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"Very Little Lulu," a 1998 episode of The Little Lulu Show:
Lulu has promised to take Alvin to the zoo, and even though it's raining cats and dogs, he seems determined to hold her to her word. It's up to Lulu to change his mind with a cautionary tale about the time when she stayed out in the rain too long, and she wound up literally taken down a notch or two (or three). But even at a height of just a few inches, Lulu is still a force to be reckoned with, as Tubby finds out to his dismay. After she escapes his clutches, she makes her way back home, where she discovers that the cure for excessive personal shrinkage is nothing more than time and good old-fashioned home cookin'.
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"Oh boy." -- Allan Sherman
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Research Guru / Moderator
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Nov 27, 2011, 11:05 PM
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In the 1966 The Beatles episode "It Won't Be Long":
The Beatles go for a picnic in Japan, where Dr. Ah So has developed a shrinking potion, which he pours in a lake. John is reduced to doll size, and the others think he's a Beatle doll and chase after him. After John returns to normal size (once the potion wears off), the other Beatles fall in the lake and it shrinks them.
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"Oh boy." -- Allan Sherman
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Apprentice
Posted:
Nov 28, 2011, 7:07 PM
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Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Filmation)
"The Generation Flap"-Sabrina plans a surprise birthday party for Archie at her house, not knowing that Miss Della the Head Witch and various other witches and warlocks are going to be there that same night for a magic seminar. The noise and other interruptions finally push Miss Della over the edge and she fires a "micro witch whammy" at Archie and the gang, not knowing that Sabrina had put a protective force field in the doorway, and ends up about 2 inches tall.
"School Daze"-Sabrina gets stuck babysitting Miss Della's nephew Hexter, who shrinks her to the size of a doll. She's able to get her friend Ophelia to take her to school by pretending to be a pull-string talking doll, but ends up imprisoned inside her locker. She squeezes through the vents and uses her miniskirt like a parachute to float safely to the ground. To get back to normal size, she has to pluck a hair from the tail of "a mean alley cat".
(Interestingly, these 2 episodes were packaged together back-to-back for syndication, which is how they are on the DVD set.)
"The Babysitter"-This is the first time Sabrina gets stuck babysitting Hexter. The scene cuts from Sabrina asking how bad Hexter could possibly be to Sabrina, Aunt Hilda and Aunt Zelda shrunken and imprisoned in a birdcage. (But it doesn't last very long.)
"Living Dolls"-Aunt Hilda catches the Groovie Goolies stealing the cookies she just baked, so to punish them she shrinks them to doll size. But "strange things happen when you use magic on Goolies", so soon Sabrina is missing her legs and Betty and Veronica (who had just come over to visit) are floating through the air. The 3 girls go to Pop's Choklit Shop, taking the "dolls" with them, and the "strange things" continue (like Veronica growing a beard and mustache) until Aunt Hilda restores the Goolies to normal size.
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