Sonic Boom, Episode 1.49: Role Models

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.49: Role Models

Original Air Date: October 24th, 2015 

"Role Models" begins with the most typical of "Sonic Boom" scenarios: Eggman is terrorizing the village, causing the heroes to rush in and defeat him. This is apparently the millionth time Sonic and the others have saved the day, prompting Mayor Fink to give them awards. They are no longer mere heroes but role models to the public. This causes D.B. Platypus, an image consultant, to step in and coach Team Boom on proper heroic etiquette. His advice effects their ability to do their jobs, both in public and in their own home. 

"Role Models" engages in a debate that has been on-going for as long as people have been getting famous. What does a public figure owe the public? We're all human beings and everyone is flawed. Each of us have our vices and every person alive makes mistakes. Yet when someone is famous, so much of their life is a matter of public opinion. Now, everything a person does is scrutinized and, if they fail to live up to the public's standards for them, it can have disastrous results for their career. 

I mean, is that fair? I'm of the opinion that we really don't owe other people anything but common courtesy and human decency. Everybody screws up and public figures, whether they be movie stars or politicians, are under an enormous amount of pressure. At the same time, the debate that people trade privacy for fame isn't without some compelling points either. Moreover, someone admired by children probably should do their best to behave appropriately in public. I do think the powerful and influential have a certain responsibility to use their resources to make the world a less miserable place, as we all should. So it's a complex debate which deserves a nuanced response. 

Unsurprisingly, an eleven-minute cartoon designed for the seven-to-twelve crowd does not provide an especially deep reading of the role model debate. Instead, "Role Model" provides the strawliest of straw men for Sonic and the gang to bounce off of. D.B. Platypus is the most ridiculous kind of fuddy-duddy. He deems everything Sonic and the gang does objectionable. They literally can't walk out of a room without him issuing criticism. How they fight crime isn't the only thing that's effected. This guy even picks apart how they behave in their own home, policing how Amy and the others cook dinner. I don't think anyone would realistically – in so much that a realistic response is warranted – object to superheroes running to the disaster zone. D.B. expects Sonic and the others to walk at a gentle pace and in an orderly manner into action.

Naturally, this restricts their ability to be heroes immediately. D.B. wants Sonic to wear blunting sponges on his quills. He demands Amy and the others talk out their problems with a violent, unreasonable Eggman. Such a depiction comes dangerously close to weirdo, libertarian politics. It's a slippery slope from "the enforcers of public safety have to make risky decisions on the fly and can't be expected to follow polite orders one hundred percent of the time" to "we should let those in power do whatever they want, because they know better than us." Moreover, making so many of D.B.'s complaints petty, annoying, little nitpicks makes those who do object to the way hypothetical superheroes might conduct themselves seem unreasonable. This episode comes uncomfortably close, at times, to feeling like a screed against the "P.C. Police." That there's some nebulous force trying to keep us all from having fun in deference to a sense of public decorum. 

Like always, I'm overthinking it. I don't think Reid Harrison set out to write a manifesto against overly sensitive zoomers keeping him from cracking off-color jokes or whatever. Nor do I think he's arguing that those in power should do whatever they want, in the name of defending us. Yet I do think this episode probably would've been more compelling if D.B. Platypus wasn't such an annoying shithead. The constant sound of his whistle annoys Sonic and the gang and it annoys me too. His persnickety attitude is obnoxious, his voice is like nails on a chalkboard. Even his design, with his off-putting yellowish brown coloration and weird glasses that float in the middle of his face, is unappealing. 

As critical as I'm being of this episode – I swear, I'm less annoying than a platypus with a whistle – it does have a couple of good laughs. There is value in taking this idea, of "what if the gang had their heroics policed?," and extending it to its most absurd conclusion. When Eggman seems to actually get into the talking method D.B. has the team using, or ask the old man monkey to more politely repeat the news of incoming disaster, that made me laugh. Sticks quickly emerges as the best character here. Her natural suspicion of authority quickly has her bristling against the platypus' control freak rules. I've got to say the exchange between them of "Don't question me!" and "Why not?" got a big laugh out of me. 

The action scenes in "Boom" are always the weakest link but this episode's structure does give them a nice boost. First off, a barely changed version of the "Magnum P.I." theme song plays during the action scenes. And the "Magnum P.I." theme fucking rocks, so that adds some nice energy. Secondly, having the gang spend almost the whole episode constrained to a bunch of bullshit rules makes us anticipate them breaking loose again. When Sonic and the others rebel against the loathsome platypus, led by the naturally ungovernable Sticks, it's is very satisfying. 

If there's anything that's kind of weird about this episode, it's that Eggman feels pretty detached from the A-plot. This leads to a number of increasingly random gags starring the mad scientist. We discover he was nominated for a Grammy, a gold record displayed in his wall in what seems to be the synth genre. He later sings for the Mayor, resulting in an awkward pause. This proceeds a bit of him attempting to pole vault. These gags are so isolated that they start to feel a little like "Family Guy" manatee gags, which is never a flattering comparison. 

Also, the Mayor's statement at the episode's beginning that Team Sonic has saved the day a "million times" seems implausible. I counted the number of holes on the punch card he holds up and I only see 130! Typical lying politician. Also also, there's a pretty good joke about bread. Anyway, this episode has a premise that keeps it from being a lot funnier than it could've been, though I still laughed a handful of times. I guess that evens out. [6/10]