Sonic Boom, Episode 2.01: Tommy Thunder: Method Actor

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.01: Tommy Thunder: Method Actor

Original Air Date: October 29th, 2016 

Welcome to Hedgehogs Can’t Swim’s coverage of season two of “Sonic Boom!” Despite Cartoon Network’s inconsistent scheduling, the show managed to win over quite a few fans during its first season. The fact that a second season was produced, alongside continuing new merchandise, suggested that the program was doing well. Yet it’s hard to tell from the way Cartoon Network continued to treat it like a red-headed stepchild. The first episode of “Boom: Season 2” would be the last to debut on the network. From then on, episodes would first air on Boomerang – Cartoon Network’s sister channel ostensibly devoted to airing older cartoons – before airing in reruns at a later date on the main channel. 

It’s hard to know if this was done in reaction to “Boom’s” ratings. Perhaps Cartoon Network had committed to airing two full seasons of the show, regardless of how they performed, and this was how they fulfilled that contractual obligation in the face of poor viewership. Or perhaps it was simply because CN had to make room for fifty more showings of “Teen Titans Go!” It’s been over six years and no tell-all book about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of this production has emerged. I guess we’ll probably never know why “Boom” got shuttled around so much by its network. Though it’s easy enough to speculate on the reason. (Namely, since Cartoon Network’s corporate parents had no ownership in “Sonic Boom,” they had little money to make from its success.)

Through all the upheaval, the team behind “Sonic Boom” kept on keeping on. “Tommy Thunder: Method Actor” begins with the titular big shot movie star coming to Sonic’s village, to help promote a Happy Meal toy tie-in with Meh Burger. During an autograph signing, Sonic and friends deflect an attack by Eggman. Impressed, Thunder decides to ride along with Sonic and observe his superheroic nature. The hedgehog is reluctant to agree but gets talked into it, after Thunder smoozes with Amy. The actor’s egotistical nature quickly frustrates the hedgehog. 

In the past, “Sonic Boom” has taken a bleak view of the rich and famous. Comedy Chimp has repeatedly been shown to be a pathetic sell-out willing to do absolutely anything to hang on to whatever shred of fame he has left, largely in-service of a fragile ego. Soar the Eagle has similarly been depicted as a blow-hard phony who is only interested in making money and puffing up his own ridiculous self-image. Even one-off examples, like Justin Beaver, have been depicted as appendages of corporate greed. (The rich, meanwhile, have largely been characterized as out-of-touch opportunists.) It highlights how sardonic a program “Boom” is that it has such a low opinion of show business, despite obviously being written by people who work in the industry. 

So it goes without saying that an episode called “Tommy Thunder: Method Actor” would trade in similar downbeat, unimpressed observation about movie stars. Yes, Tommy Thunder is another self-obsessed egomaniac who is utterly manufactured in every way. He constantly refers to himself in the third person. He repeatedly takes credit for accomplishments completed by Sonic and others. All his talks of “method acting” are clearly a pretentious cover for his tendency to star in brain-dead action movies. He’s someone more than willing to use his privilege and fame to manipulate people and get what he wants. In the penultimate scene, it’s revealed that “Tommy Thunder” is a flashy stage name meant to cover up an embarrassing birth name. We even find out he wears shoe lifts, which – when combined with his first name and declaration of doing his own stunts – suggests Mr. Thunder is a vague parody of Tom Cruise. 

None of these are especially sharp or knowing jabs at Hollywood. In this day and age, we know the film industry is full of jerk-off movie stars who are totally fake. Tommy Thunder being such an exaggerated caricature of celebrity feels a little bit like lowly cartoon writers lobbing softballs at people who are way more famous than them. Sour grapes, ya know? In our post-#MeToo world, we all know that big name box office draws, and the studio system that support them, can be criticized for misdeeds a lot more severe than being totally fabricated showboaters. Tom Cruise, being the face of a life-destroying cult, can especially be lambasted for more than this. 

This is probably why “Tommy Thunder: Method Actor” is best when indulging in some freewheeling, “Boom”-style absurdity than making any specific points about movie stars. The methods Tommy Thunder uses to convince Sonic are amusing, such as taking his friends out to eat at the “V.I.P.” section of Meh Burger. Or delivering Sonic a sculpture of his own head, made of fruit. Both of these gags are followed-up on in snickering ways. Sonic’s reactions to Thunder’s annoying behavior – such as his shallow attempts to imitate the hedgehog – often proves a lot funnier than obvious set-ups like the actor taking credit for catching some robbers or the defeat of Eggman. 

This being an Alan Denton/Greg Hahn joint, the dialogue is especially sharp. A reoccurring bit about Sonic’s hut not having a door, Sticks’ answer to being told Tommy wants to follow them, or Knuckles’ reaction to an off-hand comment about someone with two tails made me chuckle. As did the show’s characterization of Eggman as low-key pathetic. He’s introduced here attacking a baker for only putting twelve croissants in his baker’s dozen. Later, he’s shown making muffins in his pajamas. While “Boom” definitely indulges in easy or lazy set-ups, the amusingly silly scenarios and one-liners is what keeps me coming back. 

Especially since “Tommy Thunder: Method Actor” kind of backtracks on its central thesis of “movie stars are hella fake” in its final moments. After being humiliated during Eggman’s attack, Thunder seemingly learns nothing from his ordeal. He still takes credit for a victory he contributed to in no way and obviously maintains a ridiculously self-important image of himself. Yet Sonic lets the guy have his moments. He displays what Amy calls “maturity” by allowing the façade of Tommy Thunder’s action hero persona to endure. So what’s the point here? “Big time movie stars are fake assholes but also they entertain people, so it’s okay?” Kind of a weird message to send.

Then again, perhaps expecting an eleven minute cartoon to form a coherent satirical angle is too tall an order to ask. Especially when “Boom” has to squeeze in enough jokes and half-hearted action scenes to appease the five-to-ten crowd. At the very least, “Sonic Boom” teaches kids that cops are fucking useless. The one police officer we see here alerts everyone to Eggman’s presence and then cowardly flees. I doubt this was intentional on the writers’ behalf but the show continuing to depict the local police force as totally ineffectual, leaving all the crime fighting up to free-agent superheroes like Sonic and friends, sends a clear message. Remember, kids: Sonic says ACAB and all the Tom Wachowskis in the world can’t change that. 

I guess if this rambling review hasn’t made it obvious, there really aren’t many noticeable differences between season one and season two of “Sonic Boom.” The animation looks more-or-less the same and the writing is consistently amusing if short-sighted. The only season two upgrade I’m noticing so far is a slightly more diverse soundtrack. While Tommy is leading Amy and the others to dinner, some music that sounds a lot like the opening bars of “Then He Kissed Me” by the Crystals plays. While Sonic is defeating Eggman’s Obliterator Bot, something that sounds an awful lot like the “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” intro plays. It’s nice to see “Boom” paying homage to the franchise’s past like that. 

While the showbiz is satire is about as shallow and facile as can be, “Tommy Thunder: Method Actor” still made me laugh a decent amount during its eleven minute runtime. I guess that makes it a fair trade-off. Here’s to fifty-one more episodes of “Sonic Boom!” [6/10]