Jonny Quest "The Curse of Anubis" #1.3 (1964) (TV)

Anubis goes for a walk, 1 December 2008

In this episode of Jonny Quest, Dr. Quest is summoned to Egypt by a supposed old friend, Dr. Ali Kareem, to take a look at his latest archaeological find. But Dr. Kareem has other plans in mind for Dr. Quest and family - and they don't include sightseeing. Dr. Kareem is behind the recent theft of the mask of Anubis. He hopes to pin the theft on Dr. Quest so that his plans might be fulfilled. Unknown to Dr. Kareem (or Dr. Quest for that matter), however, the mummy Anubis has come to life and is searching the countryside for his lost possession.

I can just imagine that someone smarter than me might take a look at "The Curse of Anubis" and write an essay about the unflattering portrayal of Middle Easterners by Westerners. Or they might write about the significance Dr. Ali Kareem's ramblings calling for a unified Arab state. But you won't get that from me. I've never watched an episode of Jonny Quest and come away with the un-PC notions some other viewers seem to. For me, it's all about the mummy Anubis as he makes his slow march across the desert. "The Curse of Anubis" features one of my absolute favorite moments from Jonny Quest. It might not sound like much, but the sight of Anubis standing on the dune with the moon in the background as his tattered bandages flap in the breeze – Wow! I loved it as a kid and still think it's a great sight. The biggest weakness I see in this episode is with the ambiguity of Dr. Kareem's plans. Don't ask me what those plans are because Dr. Kareem's thinking makes very little sense to me.

9/10