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doodle-beeez · 5 days ago

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And he didn’t dress in drag and do the hula so like what is even the point 💔

ALRIGHTY. Time to write an essay that literally no one fucking asked for. 😤

I reminded ✨myself✨ of how much I dislike the live action TLK’s take on Timon, and now I want to sit down and REALLY, truthfully unpack why that is.

I’ll start with what I already know, just from my gut instincts after having spent so much time with Timon as a character:

Right off the bat, no analysis needed, this version of “Timon” just does not FEEL like Timon. The way he speaks, the way he behaves, the way he interacts with other characters—it’s almost completely alien to the original Timon that I know and love.

And, now I’m gonna ask myself… Why is that?

Because on the surface, Billy Eichner’s Timon seems to be “performing” the character well enough. He’s sarcastic. He’s witty. He’s flamboyant. He delivers most of Timon’s lines from the original TLK, plus some extras. He’s even funny, from time-to-time. But there’s obviously something missing, at least for me.

Let’s dig into that.

(Long ass post under the cut.)

So… What exactly makes Timon… Timon?

I’m gonna just kinda… stream-of-consciousness pour my heart out and write down what I think a well-written depiction of Timon should look like (based on my personal opinion and interpretation, of course!)

Please forgive me if it’s disorganized.

The first thing that comes to mind is that he needs to be deeply flawed, but still endearing.

He’s self-centered, he lies, he’s controlling, he’s deeply insecure, he’s cowardly, he’s self-aggrandizing, he’s anxious, he’s neurotic, he’s codependent… I could keep on listing. HA.

But, what keeps him from being unlikable is what motivates these flaws. Timon is a deeply FEAR and SHAME driven character, and I think that is such an important aspect of his identity. This is not a character that operates from a place of malice or apathy, or rage against the world. No, no, this is a character that is desperately afraid.

He is a character that has experienced deep social and emotional wounds, and feelings of being abandoned and not being good enough. Even without the extra context that The Lion King 1 1/2 gave us, Timon (from the original TLK) STILL reads (to me) as a character that is hiding a deep wound and a sense of self-shame behind his swagger.

So, to me, a well-written Timon should be:

-Neurotic, with a constant underlying anxiety and desperation that gives that “hanging on by a thread” energy.

-Overconfident, but the confidence should be overcompensating and FALSE. He is full of performative swagger and bravado that MASKS deep, entrenched insecurity and shame.

-Fast-talking, scheming, flamboyant, and full of theatrical wit. He uses humor as a shield, and gives off a vaudeville, show-biz energy with a dash of con-man and a smidge of smarm.

-A control freak, always wanting to be seen as the leader, the one with the plan, the “idea guy,” the “brains of the outfit.”

-Deeply, deeply insecure, and terrified of being abandoned, rejected, irrelevant, and a failure. He is DESPERATE for validation, but pretends not to be.

-Extremely codependent with Pumbaa, relying on him heavily for his emotional needs, and not just for physical safety and companionship. Any time Pumbaa starts to pull away, Timon should get snippy, anxious, dejected, or panicky. And despite his attempts to seem unbothered, he always falls apart.

-Emotionally constipated, avoidant, and terrified of vulnerability. He avoids being emotionally open by cracking jokes, deflecting, or changing the subject.

-And this is probably the most important point: Timon speaks and behaves like someone who has experienced a life full of exclusion, heartbreak, abandonment, and rejection—but also, as someone who is desperate to NEVER feel that way again, to the point that he will go to any length to avoid facing those feelings. Basically, Hakuna Matata is not joy and peace (yet), but a coping mechanism meant for self-protection.

And also—let me talk real quick about what Nathan Lane’s voice acting brings to the table. (Because he’s doing a lot of heavy lifting for the character, let’s be so real!!)

-Nathan is witty and effortlessly funny, and as Timon, his voice is humorously enunciated and shrill, always ON, and you can hear him trying to sell himself with every line of dialogue, even if no one is buying. Timon is constantly acting, overcompensating, and trying to control how others perceive him, and every bit of Nathan’s performance drives this feeling home.

-Nathan also gives Timon this fast-talking, quick paced patter that really feels like it’s disguising anxiety and fear beneath the surface. Timon’s speedy delivery is funny, yeah, but it’s also very much another form of deflection. Nathan’s quick, clipped vocal delivery embodies this feeling of someone who talks to fill silence, because, perhaps, silence might bring forth feelings. His pacing makes Timon feel frantically alive, but also deeply uncomfortable with stillness.

-Nathan’s voice always brings forth the sass and the snark, but not in a cold or emotionally detached way. In fact, his jabs usually carry a WARMTH to them, like he feels deep love for the ones he is razzing on. And besides that, there always seems to be something trembling underneath Timon’s sarcasm. His delivery often feels just shy of losing it, like he’s barely keeping it together. He laughs just a little too hard at his own jokes before peetering out and changing the subject, like he’s almost pleading not to be perceived. HAAAA.

-Also, no one does comedic fear like Nathan Lane. Like, when Timon’s confidence crumbles, oh boy, you really feel it. His voice cracks, his pitch rises, he moans and groans, he trembles. There’s physical comedy BAKED INTO THE VOICE. And it’s so revealing of character!! Anyways, in my opinion, no other voice actor has ever captured Timon’s panic-laced bravado so truthfully as Nathan has.

-And, finally, and potentially most importantly, there is this lovely, honeyed, (almost) unexpected WARMTH to Nathan’s voice. Like, despite the sarcasm, Nathan makes Timon’s voice GLOW like an ember in tender moments. He’s not excessively sentimental or cloying, but those fleeting moments of warmth feel so powerful because of how much it costs Timon to show it. It’s the sincerity that leaks out sideways that makes Timon so lovable despite his many flaws. And it’s Nathan’s voice that really sells that!

OH, and one more thing—let’s be real here: Nathan Lane is just straight up CHARMING. He’s witty, and there’s comedy in not just what he says, but HOW he says it. And I might be showing my ass here a little bit, but I’d hang onto every word he says. Ha!

ANYWAYS.

I’ve just talked a lot about what a well-written, well-performed Timon should look like. So, where’s the disconnect between all of that, and the TLK 2019 Timon?

I’ll preface by saying that I am, in fact, a Billy Eichner fan! I adore him in Bob’s Burgers and Billy on the Street. He cracks me up. Genuinely!

…But I don’t like him as Timon. 🥲

And I think the easiest way to discuss why I don’t enjoy him as Timon is to talk about what the TLK 2019 Timon LACKS:

Vulnerability and Depth of Character:

-He sort of… loses Timon’s emotional depth? Like, TLK 2019 Timon is sarcastic, but not DEFENSIVELY sarcastic like the OG Timon.

-There aren’t really any signs of masking pain or shame or hiding wounds.

-Billy Eichner delivers almost every line with flat sarcasm, self-assured irony, and cold emotional detachment. (And frankly, “self-assured” and “emotionally detached” are NOT words that I would use to describe the OG Timon.)

-Timon is meant to be masking fear, not indifference!

-Nathan Lane’s snark feels desperate, performative, and insecure, while Billy Eichner’s feels confident, cool, and aloof.

-There’s no vulnerability beneath the quips, and… without that, Timon just feels obnoxiously smug rather than sympathetic.

Try-Hard Desperation:

-Billy Eichner’s Timon gives off this glib and “cool” feeling, rather than the frantic, trying-way-too-hard feeling that Timon should have. He lacks that “please laugh with me and not at me or I will explode” energy.

-Timon is supposed to be a frantic, fast-talking, one-man show that is desperately trying to SELL BOTH HIMSELF AND HIS OWN IMPORTANCE.

-But Billy Eichner, as Timon, is WAY TOO COMFORTABLE in his own skin. He doesn’t sound like someone who’s clawed his way out of the proverbial Pit-Of-Shame by sheer overcompensation and force of will.

-There is NO SENSE that TLK 2019 Timon needs the room to like him. Where’s the desperation? The neediness?

-Instead of grasping for validation, TLK 2019 Timon gives off an air of “Whatever. I actually believe I’m better than everyone in the room and I’m above all of this.” 😬

-Once again, he just feels way too smug and aloof!

Control Freak Tendencies:

-TLK 2019 Timon is WAY too laid-back, go-with-the-flow, and hands-off. Now, sure, Timon WANTS to be like that, but wanting to be like that and ACTUALLY being like that are two very different things.

-Timon‘s control freakery is evident in almost every line he utters in TLK 1994. He is constantly reasserting his dominance over Pumbaa. Timon doesn’t just reject Pumbaa’s ideas. No, no, he steamrolls them, calls them ‘stupid,’ then repackages them as his own. He is also SO desperate for validation and getting credit for everything! This is not someone who is laid back and go-with-the-flow. This is a meerkat that literally cannot relinquish control of ANYTHING for even ten seconds.

As an example, let’s look at Timon’s control freakery (or lack thereof) during the scene where they rescue Simba in both films.

TLK 1994:

-Timon IMMEDIATELY establishes himself as the one in charge of he and Pumbaa’s dynamic. He raises his voice, barks commands, physically yanks Pumbaa’s ears to steer him around, etc. He also has a strong gut reaction to Simba, and it’s that they should RUN from him. He desperately tries to enforce this, and he does so by positioning himself as the one that calls the shots.

TLK 2019:

-Weirdly enough, Pumbaa almost feels more in charge, here. At least in the sense of that Timon is not really… doing anything to assert dominance over Pumbaa. He’s kind of just… detached. Aloof. Cool-headed. Even… weirdly timid??? Like, he checks out Simba’s body to determine what sort of animal he is, and when he realizes it’s a lion, he just BOLTS. And hides behind a rock. He tells Pumbaa to run, but doesn’t assert it or yank Pumbaa around the way he does in the original. And then when Simba wakes up, Timon just… hides behind Pumbaa’s leg?? He doesn’t really lead the conversation at all.

TLK 1994:

-Timon flat out REJECTS any ideas that aren’t his own, such as Pumbaa’s suggestion that Simba might grow up to be on “their side.” In fact, he even calls the idea “stupid,” until he realizes he can reframe it as having been his idea all along. This is a full 180 pivot, but it’s still about Timon seizing the narrative. He reframes the situation so that he is in control. He makes it seem like it was his idea all along. He maintains dominance in the decision.

And speaking of dominance, this goofy ass meerkat is CONSTANTLY trying to reassert his dominance over Pumbaa. “Who’s the brains of this outfit?” He isn’t joking when he says this!! LMAOOO he is so damn insecure, and he NEEDS to feel in control.

-He is also constantly trying to control the narrative. Everything was HIS idea. HE orchestrated Simba’s rescue. HE is the brains. HE is the one that knows EVERYTHING about Hakuna Matata (“lie down before ya hurt yourself.”) HE is the one with all the answers, even if those answers are made up on the spot.

-And basically… this part of Timon’s personality is just absent or toned WAY down in TLK 2019.

Relationship with Pumbaa:

-One of the most important aspects of Timon’s character is his weird, desperate, co-dependent love for Pumbaa. And… in TLK 2019, this is kind of… shockingly absent.

-Like, Nathan Lane made Timon’s sarcastic little jabs towards Pumbaa feel AFFECTIONATE. Like, annoyed, yes, but also warm and protective. Snarky, but still loving and tender. You believe that Timon GENUINELY needs and LOVES Pumbaa.

-Billy Eichner’s Timon, on the other hand, feels so weirdly aloof, unbothered, and emotionally detached from Pumbaa. They feel more like roommates that barely even like each other, much less soulmates. Their dynamic lacks that vulnerability and need that made the original Timon and Pumbaa so compelling.

Voice Acting:

And while we’re at it, let’s talk about the voice acting. Because, frankly, Eichner’s Timon lacks the nuance and the comedic physicality that Nathan brought to the character.

Nathan Lane doesn’t deliver lines flatly. He makes funny sounds. He squeaks. He groans. He growls. He changes pitch and volume. He speeds up and slows down mid-sentence. He’s hilarious not just in what he says, but in how he delivers it. It’s in his tone of voice. The weird little noises he makes. He brings physical comedy into his voice acting!!

And, Billy Eichner, although he is very funny, he just feels too monotone. Too dry. Too sardonic. Too even for a character like Timon. He’s funny, but not in the way that Timon is meant to be. He also kind of… sounds the same in every scene. There’s very little modulation of tone.

Like, whether he’s rescuing Simba, bantering with Pumbaa, or nihilistically dismissing the Circle of Life, it’s all delivered in the same tone of voice: wry, dry, sardonic, and a little smug.

But Nathan Lane, in contrast, will switch gears mid-line! He’ll start calm, then roll into panic or fury. He’ll go from wry to wounded in a heartbeat.

And Eichner’s Timon stays weirdly cool-headed and unbothered in most scenes, which, incidentally, softens Timon’s comedy, his volatility, and his HEART.

Fear and Shame:

He also just… feels like he lacks the core motivators of 1994 Timon’s flaws. That sense of fear and shame. TLK 2019 Timon doesn’t seem afraid underneath his snark. He doesn’t feel insecure. And he definitely doesn’t have that sense of buried shame that I feel from the OG Timon.

No, TLK 2019 Timon just feels so unbothered and uncaring and cold and indifferent. It feels like his nihilistic claim of “life is meaningless” is genuinely what he believes, and it feels like he arrived there coolly and intellectually. It’s very cynical, and quite unlike the OG Timon’s avoidance of his past due to hurt and shame. This is a version of Timon that denies meaning altogether.

So yeah… for me, Timon isn’t just about the jokes. That’s not what I’m here for. That’s not why I love him. No, to me, he is ALL about the desperation underneath the jokes. And when that gets lost or softened, so does the heart and soul of the character. Timon without fear and shame is like Pumbaa without wisdom and heart. He becomes just this… one-note, two-bit snarky meerkat.

And frankly, I just don’t care about that guy. 🥲

#also girl you are speaking my language with Nathan lanes performance as Timon I LOVVEE him #he DOES have that tenderness every time he’s making little jabs at pumbaa #trust I have Ranted over how one of Timons VAs in the cartoon LACKS that and it makes it seem like he literally hates pumbaa #as someone who has been told her Timon impression is strangely really good- Timons a PERFORMANCE. bros a theatre kid you gotta act like it #also live action Timon is ugly as hell there I said it #anyway get tlk live action Away from me lmao #timon and pumbaa #timon #tlk

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