Sonic Underground, Episode 1.35: The Big Melt

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.35: The Big Melt

Original Air Date: October 15th, 1999

While enjoying some downtime at the beach, Sonia receives news that Robotnik is planning some bad shit at the North Pole. Sonic and his siblings head to the frozen north, were they see that Robotnik is melting the ice caps. The trio is separated following one such glacier breaking apart. Sonia is taken in by a trio of penguins, who believe her to be their prophesized queen. Sonic and Manic are captured by Sleet and Dingo. The siblings have to regroup to save the day and destroy Robotnik's melting mechanisms. 

Here in 2021, it is apparent that man-made global warming represents the biggest threat to human civilization and its future. While some people – most backed or brainwashed by billionaire industrialists – claim this isn't so, every creditable scientist agrees. Since "Sonic" is an ecologically themed series, it's not surprising that it was tackling that threat as early as 1999. Unfortunately, as you've probably guessed, "Sonic Underground" did not have the most nuanced take on the topic. Here, Robotnik is melting the polar ice cap not because he's a cartoonishly evil capitalist who only cares about short-term profit and couldn't give less of a shit if poor people are left in an ecological doomsday scenario. He wants to flood the planet strictly to kill the hedgehogs. This Robotnik is so nihilistic, he is willing to literally destroy the entire world just to smite his enemies. This would be frightening if it wasn't so absurd. Flooding the entire planet, killing untold millions, just to get at three measly hedgehogs is a tad over-the-top, don't ya think?

Since it's obviously incapable of tackling the political and sociological reasons behind the global warming problem, "The Big Melt" simply presents a narrative challenge. After the dramatic scene of the glacier breaking apart, the siblings are separated. Considering how much of this show is built around the relationship between the triplets, splitting them up is not a bad idea for an episode. Especially sending them adrift in an inhospitable location like the frozen north. This could've been a survival story, of our heroes left disoriented by having to be self-reliant and also having to navigate some very rough terrain. 

Instead, Sonic and Manic are quickly captured by Sleet and Dingo, quickly escaping with ease, while Sonia is embroiled in a bizarre subplot. A trio of penguins – one sounds like Marlon Brando, one sounds like Curly Howard, and one sounds like Garry Chalk doing his Grounder voice – find her and immediately assume she's their prophesized Queen Sauna, who is supposed to bring warmth and prosperity to the Arctic. They even have an elaborate underground lair, decorated with hieroglyphics and a large statue devoted to their promised queen. The statue does indeed look just like Sonia and, for a single scene, she is sucked into being pampered by the locals. She insists she's not the messiah, Haile Selassie style, even though her appearance does coincide with the ice caps getting warmer. (Why the penguins would want the arctic to get warmer, I'm sure I don't know.) The implications of this, if Sonia really is the messiah to some penguins, is never addressed. Neither is why animals like penguins would even know what a hedgehog is. How many hedgehog-related prophecies on Mobius are there?

If this entire subplot seems like a bizarre digression from the rest of the episode, that's because it is. After Sonia leaves the penguins' lair, they are never brought up again. Sonia never mentions how the local people believe her to be a god. In fact, this entire sequence has no effect on the rest of the story at all. I was really assuming that the penguins would help Sonia and her siblings stop Robotnik. That these events would either shatter their belief in her or further confirm it. Instead, the hedgehogs defeat the bad guy all on their own, simply with a well-placed bomb. The penguins and their devotion to Queen Sauna is never mentioned again. It really feels like Len Janssen had two different ideas for an episode and randomly mashed them up. 

In fact, "The Big Melt" has a third premise baked inside. The first scene has the triplets chilling on the beach, suggesting this will be another vacation themed episode. Before the plot swerves, the episode gets the musical number out of the way. "Fun in the Sun" is a pretty lame Beach Boys riff, though the writers at least did an okay job of mimicking Mike Love's particular lyrical style. More interesting is the bizarre images that accompany the song. Sonic and his siblings are imagined as ice cream cones or hot dogs cooking in a pan, while the other siblings attempt to eat them. There's also a scene where the triplets turn into dolphins and Sonic and Sonia give their brother a sensual, beachside back massage.

That's weird but more unsettling is the focus on everyone's feet. Yes, Sonic and Manic are barefoot on the beach. Which wouldn't be weird if their oversized, colorful tootsies and soles weren't so lovingly detailed. At the episode's end, as the heroes enjoy the suddenly sauna-like conditions at the north, there's more shots of their feet. Even though Sonia was depicted earlier with dainty feet, this scene has her growing enormous feet that are pointed, sole first, directly at the camera. (Yes, she's wearing a bikini in these scenes too.) Ya know, just once I'd like to get through an episode of this show without feeling like I'm being exposed to someone's jerk-off fantasy. It was funny when "AoStH" did it but there's just something incredibly unsavory about "Underground's" not-so-subtle fetishism. 

An out-of-balance plot, barely concealed perversion, and dumb-ass prophecies that don't make any sense: Oh look, it's a typical episode of "Sonic Underground." At this point, all I can really do is be thankful that I'm almost done with this retrospective. [5/10]

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.24: Six is a Crowd

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.24: Six is a Crowd

Original Air Date: September 30th, 1999

Len Janssen continues to be one of the few "Sonic Underground" writers with a sense of continuity, as "Six is a Crowd" picks up a plot point from "When in Rome." Sonic, Sonia, and Manic return to the Oracle's lair to ask him about the snow globe he gave them last time. Sonic asks him what the next step is. He responds in a typically cryptic way, before launching them into an alternate universe. Here, Sonic, Sonia, and Manic are cruel dictators who rule over a ruined Mobius, while Robotnik is the leader of an underground resistance. The triplets must outsmart themselves if they hope to return home. 

"Mirror Universe" stories like this occur with quite a lot of frequency in sci-if/fantasy fiction. The Archie "Sonic" comics, of course, founded a long-running series of stories on a very similar premise to this episode. The point of tales like this is for the heroes to be confronted with their worst tendencies. To reaffirm their moral path by revealing that it takes very little for a Freedom Fighter to become a fanatic, that revolution and tyranny frequently follow one another. Good examples of this story type – "Justice League's" Justice Lords two-parter or Ian Flynn's best Scourge issues – revolve entirely around the "this could be you" principal. It challenges our heroes to continue to be good, to never take their moral position for granted. 

Bad examples of Mirror Universe stories just use the switcharoo premise for easy shock value or gags. Guess which one "Sonic Underground" is? These alternate versions of Sonic, Sonia, and Manic have one defining characteristic each. Evil Sonic is gluttonous, having grown fat and jiggly on too many chili dogs. Evil Sonia is vain and tacky, obsessed with fashion. Evil Manic is greedy, hoarding gold. Okay, they are all incredibly cruel too, sending people to the dungeon for the smallest infraction. Good Robotnik, meanwhile, simply has a full head of hair and acts like a bland hero. 

Yet none of these ideas really reflect on our heroes. Sonic likes to eat but him growing a gut and saggy man-titties – vividly animated – play more like a gross sight gag than a commentary on his own personality. I've never once thought Manic's shoplifting habit was a result of greed but rather being raised in poverty. As for making Sonia a fashionista... That's really just her regular personality! You can't just present a bitchy version of a character and say "this is the evil you!" Moreover, our heroes defeat their evil selves with ease. Sonic can easily outrace his chubby counterpart, Sonia replicates the old Groucho mirror gag with her double, and Manic sucks up Evil Manic with some sort of giant vacuum cleaner. 

What were our heroes supposed to learn from any of this? After subduing their counterparts in combat, Robotnik points out that the royal trio haven't been out of their palace in years. As soon as they are marched outside and shown the conditions of the world, the cruel tyrants are immediately moved. They shower a Dickensian ragamuffin with gold and are awed by the beauty of Sanctuary. After a few hours of seeing all this, they declare that Mobius will now be a kingdom of freedom and music.

I guess the incredibly milquetoast message this is supposed to send to kids is that "anybody can change." But, in execution, it sends a very different message. It implies that dictators are simply unaware of the misery they create. That, if you appeal to fascists' inherent humanity, they will quickly change their tune. This ignores that most rich people are raised in a system that teaches them poor people are subhumanoid creatures unworthy of basic human rights, that they are poor because of moral failings and deserve their poverty. Someone who rules with an iron fist is already a sociopath and expecting them to act upright when exposed to the horrible conditions they created probably won't work. This ending doesn't even make sense within the context of "Sonic Underground." Do the Freedom Fighters really think Robotnik would immediately become benevolent if he was shown the state of the world his regime has made? Of course, he wouldn't. 

Also, I'm confused about what exactly this is supposed to teach Sonic, Sonia, and Manic. The Oracle assures the teens that they "may see their own future" in this encounter. Yet the evil versions of the triplets are so exaggerated, so comically bitchy, that it's hard to even link them with their primary counterparts. I guess the point is urging Sonic, Sonia, and Manic to never lose sight of decency and humanity... Yet that never really felt endangered anyway. The episode ends with a ghostly vision of Queen Alena appearing to the triplets and telling them they "saw what happened when power corrupts" and "what happened when good triumphs over evil." What the fuck does that even mean, mom? You mean this wasn't meant to teach them something about their current struggle but about some future struggle that may happen?! It's all just more vague bullshit, an attempt to depict something deeper but with nothing of actual substance behind all the mystery. 

It's such an annoyingly dumb episode but it does feature a song that is dumb in kind of a funny way. Sonic, Sonia, and Manic launch into a musical number while inside Good Robotnik's secret base, for reasons that aren't important and I can't remember. The song is called "I Can Do That For You" and features a number of hilariously goofy fantasy scenarios. Such as Sonic giving a hungry child three ludicrously oversized chili dogs, Sonia magically giving a homeless kid an instant makeover, and Manic literally showering somebody in gold coins. Also, the moon turns into their smiling faces and SWATBots start doing a half-heart kick line. The song is inoffensive bubblegum pop that isn't good but is too bland to offend. I wish more of "Sonic Underground's" music was hilariously overwrought like this and not just cringe-inducing. 

I guess "Six is a Crowd" is an episode that should earn points for having a good idea and being merely massively misguided in its moral, instead of knowingly malicious... But I don't feel like handing out gold "you tried" stickers today. This cartoon is bogus. [4/10]

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.20: Three Hedgehogs and a Baby

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.20: Three Hedgehogs and a Baby

Original Air Date: September 24th, 1999

There aren't very many episodes of "Sonic Underground" that made much of an impression on viewers, even within the "Sonic" fandom. However, one episode has proven especially infamous. At some point, an out-of-context clip from "Three Hedgehogs and a Baby," the topic of today's review, went viral. The incredibly bizarre and badly animated sequence stood as yet another example of how cursed the entire "Sonic" franchise is. Now the time has come for me to consider this particular installment in all its glory. 

While on the trail of a new invention called a "micro-roboticizer," Sonic and his siblings hear a baby crying in an alleyway. They take the infant hedgehog back to their lair where Manic quickly forms a bond with the child, that he nicknames "Hip." However, the child holds a dark secret: He's actually an android built by Robotnik. The goal of this spy-baby is to record the path to Sanctuary. (Dingo is disguised as Hip's bassinet, for extra insurance.) Inevitably, Manic is going to discover the truth. 

"Three Hedgehogs and a Baby" is another Len Janssen scripted episode. It's another example where the "SatAM" influence is especially obvious. Robotnik is determined to seek out Sanctuary, not dissimilar to the previous iteration of the character tirelessly searching for Knothole Village. There's even a scene where Sonic and Sonia sneak into Robotnik's base, ending up surrounded by SWATBots and with electric shackles around their ankles. This is one of the few moments in the series so far where Sonic has actually come face-to-face with Robotnik, ostensibly his archenemy and the main adversary of the series. 

Yet, if this is an episode of "Underground" that can function as a SatAM" substitute, it's not a very good one. Gary Chalk's limitations as Robotnik are especially evident here. He mostly just laughs megalomaniacally, in a very exaggerated cartoon supervillain fashion. He absolutely lacks the sinister glee and malevolent intent Jim Cummings brought to the character. Sonic and Sonia never really feel like they are in danger. They escape when Sonic activates his magical guitar and creates a power outage, easy enough. Mostly, the premise doesn't really work because we've barely spent any time in Sanctuary. We aren't invested in it, the way we were in Knothole and all its residents. There's just not much tension to this episode. 

Even this is not the biggest problem facing this episode. In order for the script to be really effective, the audience has to be invested in Manic and Hip's relationship. Sadly, the baby hedgehog robot is incredibly unappealing. This is largely thanks to another hideous "Sonic Underground" character design. His eyes are squinty. His face extends upward in a weird way but also appears way too small for his head. His feet and arms seem oversized and overly detailed. It's just painful to look at him. Being a baby, he spends a lot of time crying, shitting, and burping. Which is normal but the script rarely presents the upsides of having a baby around, namely them being cute or watching them grow. Mostly, Manic goes from resenting Hip to loving him within a few scenes. I know this is a half-hour cartoon but I've seen similarly short shows endear an audience to a new character, and mine tension from their presence, way more effectively. (The "Beast Wars" episode "Transmutate" is similar to this one and about 100% better.)

Ya know, that's just the base-level incompetence that I've come to expect from this show. You can see that same lack of shits given in other elements of the episode. Namely the animation, which verges from the mediocre to the hilariously half-asses. Yes, the infamous climax of the episode is hysterically nonsensical. The scene of Hip falling through the air, Manic chasing after on his boogie board to grab him, is animated without any sense of depth or speed. The baby seems to float downward as a languid pace. The image of an infant exploding, its eyeball flying through the air and wires dangling out of its smashed head, is too bizarre. When combined with the typically terrible character designs, I can see why this moment became a minor meme. 

Aside from Hip's ghastly appearance, the worst thing about the episode is how the plot discredits its own premise. Disguising Dingo as the baby basket seems to largely void the need for the robo-baby in the first place. Why go to the trouble of building a realistic robot when you could just disguise Dingo as a mundane object and slip him in somewhere? Throughout the episode, Dingo-in-bassinet-form also sprouts limbs and moves around. This violates the previous rules we've seen regarding Dingo's transformations, where he's needed another blast from Sleet's transmogrifier to change shape... But mostly it just looks hilarious and horrible. This show presented so many moments of hideous body horror in such a casual way. (There's also a moment here were a fleet of Robotnik vehicles is perfectly cloaked, technology that probably could've been applied in a much smarter way.) 

Oh yeah, there's a song too. Of course there is. Instead of focusing on Manic and Hip's relationship, with some adorable "Kooks"-style number, the song instead generically celebrates the freedom of childhood. "Being a Kid is Cool" is, as that title indicates, totally insipid in both its lyrics and tinny music. The references to "bubbly bubble baths," ice cream, and boo-boos is sickeningly saccharine. The show seems aware of how obnoxious this song is, as we get a split-second shot of Robotnik holding his ears and grimacing. I've got to agree with that one. This is the music they play in Hell's waiting room. 

I guess I should be thankful that there aren't any poop jokes in this episode. Only one sequence is concerned with dirty diapers and it is, as far as children media's treatment of this topic goes, fairly tasteful. Truthfully, I've seen more embarrassing, more cringe-inducing episodes of this show already. (And this isn't even the worst "Sonic" cartoon about babies, as both of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog's" baby-centric episodes are considerably more grating.) Yet "Three Hedgehogs and a Baby" does deserve its infamy for the aesthetic missteps it makes. It may not be the ugliest or most bizarre episode of "Sonic Underground" but it certainly combines those attributes in a suitably baffling way. [4/10]

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.18: When in Rome...

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.18: When in Rome...

Original Air Date: September 22nd, 1999

"When in Rome...” – the city of Rome doesn't exist on Mobius but just go with it – begins with Sonic and his siblings having another close shave with Robotnik's forces. Feeling like they aren't making any progress, Sonic insists they meet with the Oracle again. The Oracle sends them on a wacky trip backwards in time to Mobius' past... Without their medallions. Stuck in a city/time period roughly analogous to Ancient Rome, Sonic and his siblings must defeat a local tyrant relying only upon their skills. 

In the past, I've commented that removing a superhero's powers usually makes for a compelling superhero story. Ya know, it's that whole idea that it's not the suit or super-strength that makes the hero, but his skills and ethics. Writer Len Janssen is attempting something like this here, by sending Sonic, Sonia, and Manic on an adventure sans medallions. But there's a problem: Even though this show has always depicted Sonic's speed as being an innate ability of his, he seemingly looses his fastness without his medallion here. Instead, Sonic spends most of the episode helping a minotaur/centaur thing feel more "cool" and confident. What the fuck? Did any kid tuning into a "Sonic" cartoon in 1999 want to see that? By sticking us in a wildly different location and giving us a slow Sonic, "When in Rome..." just emphasizes how disconnected "Underground" is from what Sonic is supposed to be. 

The episode's premise isn't just distant from what this franchise is supposed to be. I'm not sure it even makes sense for "Sonic Underground." I guess the triplets are tossed backwards in time... Yet the architecture is still quasi-futuristic looking. The part of Roman centurions are still played by SWATBots. (Though adding a cape and a Roman helmet actually makes their designs a little cooler.) This unnamed city is ruled over by Emperor Sleetus and his dumb muscle, Dingotus. Yes, it's Sleet and Dingo in Roman cosplay. Are these meant to be Sleet and Dingo's identical ancestors? Because they are so similar that this feels less like a time travel thing and more like an alternate universe thing.

As annoying as these issues are, they aren't what really bother me about this episode. "Sonic Underground" is a show that continues to mistake being vague for being intriguingly mysterious. Sonic show up at the Oracle's place asking for answers. He sends them on this time displaced side-quest instead, promising answers when they get back. So what does he tell these young heroes, after they've proved their mettle, I guess? He reiterates the prophecy that we've known since the first episode. (That the siblings will eventually reunite with their mom, form the Council of Four, and then defeat Robotnik.) He then hands them a fucking snow globe that includes some sort of cryptic hint about the future. 

Fuck you, Oracle! This is the thing that annoys the shit out of me about this show: The Oracle has the answers! He just refuses to share them! Queen Alena is free and seemingly aware of where her children are at all times! The only thing that's preventing the "Council of Four" from forming right now is that the Oracle says it isn't time, for vaguely defined reasons. Meanwhile, Robotnik is still in power, still fucking up the environment and roboticizing people. (Which, I'll repeat, is irreversible in this show.) The world is suffering because the Oracle wants to teach these three teenagers a lesson in responsibly or some shit. The entire premise of this series revolves around the whims of this wannabe Yoda chode. 

It's not good storytelling because the whole situation is so contrived, that all immersion is broken. In the past, I've compared "Sonic Underground's" preference for mystery-spouting mentors to Ken Penders' "Knuckles" stories... But this is actually worse than Penders, because at least Knuckles' world and personality were growing while the Brotherhood of Guardians jerked him around behind the scenes. The "Sonic Underground" characters are static and never evolve. Their motivation – they made a vow their mother would be found – can never change. So the entire endeavor feels hollow, pointless, and incredibly annoying. 

I'm reluctant to blame the writers, because I know the bullshit amount of pressure DiC was putting on them. Yet, at a certain point, you have to lay blame on the creative staff. Len Janssen continuously shows a misunderstanding of things throughout this episode. He thinks characters saying shit like "don't have a moose," "major yes," or Sonia correcting someone's grammar makes them seem cool or endearing, instead of fucking dorky. He thinks the triplets dethroning Emperor Sleetus and re-instating Emperor Augustine – trading one monarch for another – is an act of heroism. He thinks a mino-centaur wearing sunglasses and talking with a shaky John Wayne voice is entertaining. I'm sorry, Len, this is not your best work. 

Of course, all of "Sonic Underground" is built around perverse misunderstandings of what is cool or interesting. Look, once again, at the musical number for evidence of this. Being without their medallions/instruments does not keep Sonic and the gang from performing. While in a prison cell, Manic starts drumming bones on a skull. Sonic uses a stick threaded with some strings as a guitar. Sonia... Also drums with a bone. Despite the lack of electrical instruments, the siblings perform a quasi-hip-hop/funk track. It's cringe-y as fuck, as you'd expect. This sequence also features Sonia doing a weirdly sensual dance and Sonic playing his stick-guitar – which becomes an actual guitar in this one moment – with his mouth, Hendrix-style. Considering this "guitar" is literally a stick he found in a dirt floor, that is not sanitary. 

It's another baffling, frustrating, obnoxious episode of "Sonic Underground." "When in Rome..." is really only notable for one thing. Upon arriving in ancient not-Rome, Manic rescues a girl from being trampled by Dingotus' chariot. The chariot is pulled by a weird reptilian horse creature that somewhat resembles the Streaking Pasha, the weird reptilian horse creatures from the "Knuckles" comics. Whether this was an intentional nod to the comics or just a coincidence is unknown, though I'm leaning towards the latter. Especially since Dingo just calls it a "horse," and not a "Streaking Pasha," because even the "Sonic Underground" writers aren't as dorky as Ken Penders. [4/10]

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.14: Bug!

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.14: Bug!

Original Air Date: September 16th, 1999

When the Saturn came out in America, Sega did everything they could to build hype for the new console. It didn't exactly work and the lack of a proper "Sonic the Hedgehog" game has long been considered a factor in the console's disappointing performance. What the Saturn did have was Bug. (Or "Bug!," if you must.) Bug wasn't that different from the "Mascot with 'Tude" Sonic rip-offs that flooded the nineties. He was a cartoon animal that starred in a mediocre platforming game and had a grating, sarcastic personality. However, "Bug!" was actually published by Sega. He was even being groomed as a mascot character for the Saturn.

Why do I bring this up? Because the Sonic News Network wiki informs me that DiC was supposedly developing a "Bug" cartoon, further cementing his status as the next Sonic. They say the cartoon never got out of development and the sole remnant of its existence is the title of this "Sonic Underground" episode. However, the wiki's claim isn't sourced and I can't find any other information about this supposed "Bug" animated series. I'm betting the entire thing is a big coincidence and I don't know why I brought it up at all!

So, no, this episode does not feature Sonic and his siblings teaming up with a green insect in red shoes. Instead, it concerns Sonic saving Manic from a new SWATBot. After wrecking it, they hear a message from the still active radio transmitter about Queen Alena being spotted in Quadrant 10. Quadrant 10 is a desert area with burning oil wells. They soon run into Rudy, a Freedom Fighter whose friends turned against him after being stung by robotic flies with brainwashing venom. After going off on his own, Manic is stung by one of these flies. Unaware that he's now a sleeper agent for Robotnik, Manic attempts to upset a scheme to destroy the fly-bots.

You can always tell when a "SatAM" veteran is the writer of a "Sonic Underground" episode. "Bug" comes to us from Len Janssen. Janssen and Ben Hurst's scripts always refer to the rebel forces against Robotnik as Freedom Fighters, while other episodes tend to favor "the resistance" or "the underground." The StealthBot that attacks Manic in the first scene resembles a "SatAM" SWATBot, with its gray color and dome-like head, more than the purple-and-red SWATBots usually seen in this episode. Robotnik's egg-shaped fortress and spinning throne, also holdovers from "SatAM," get prominent appearances in this episode too.

This episode also follows the "SatAM" house rule of "there must always be losses." Rudy has his village razed to the ground. At first, he's convinced that means all his friends and family are dead or Roboticized. At the episode's conclusion, he discovers everyone got out in the time. The village is gone but the Freedom Fighters survive. That's nice and all but we never really care about Rudy. We never learn much about his personality or history. He's just a laidback, dinosaur-looking dude dressed like a road warrior. (Maurice LaMarche gives him an Australian accent, seemingly confirming that connection.) The character is just a plot device, meant to introduce the fly-bots. He's no different than the report that the queen was spotted in the area, another contrivance meant to advance the story that never actually goes anywhere.

This is also one of the more moral-focused episodes of "Underground." Queen Alena's opening narration explicitly says that Manic has to learn a lesson about teamwork. In the very first scene, Sonic chastises him for surfing alone. He gets bitten by the robo-bugs when he impulsively goes into the desert in the middle of the night. Just to make sure the audience gets the point, the episode ends with Sonic and Sonia letting Manic how dumb he was to go off on his own. That last part is handled with some humor, so at least the Lesson of the Day isn't jackhammer obvious like some shows aimed at seven-year-olds. It's only sledgehammer obvious.

Otherwise, I don't have a whole lot to say about this one. There's some mildly disturbing close-ups on Sonic's ass. Manic's nose inflates after the bug bite. Sonia is still written as obnoxiously girly here, as she has a visceral disgust of insects. The song, "Never Give Up the Fight," is as generic as an "Underground" song can be. The highly repetitive lyrics don't touch on anything specific about the episode and the music is a mediocre rock beat. I've already forgotten everything about it. God help me, but I think a crossover with an annoying green bug would've been more memorable. [5/10]

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.12: A Hedgehog's Home is Her Castle

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.12: A Hedgehog's Home is Her Castle

Original Air Date: September 14th, 1999

"A Hedgehog's Home is Her Castle" begins with Manic loitering around a sewer for some reason. He discovers a scroll he thinks was hidden by the queen but is, in fact, a trap set by Sleet and Dingo. The note says Sonia has inherited a castle from an obscure cousin. Sonic and Manic are reluctant but eventually decide to tag along. The castle is full of bats, cobwebs, rats, secret traps, and passageways. There's also a magic mirror, placed there by the real Queen Alena. Sonic and the others soon figure out something funky is going on, especially after Sonic coerces a confession out of token spooky groundskeeper Balloc. Luckily, they are prepared to turn the location against Sleet and Dingo after they arrive. 

If, by some chance, you don't know already, I am a huge horror movie buff. I especially love the classic monster movies of the thirties. So "A Hedgehog's Home is Her Castle" already wins some points with me for indulging in some monster movie atmosphere. The spooky castle is obviously patterned after Dracula's castle. Balloc, whose name sounds a lot like Bela, seems to be some sort of bat. Maurice LaMarce provides his best Hungarian vampire voice for the character. The abundance of traps and secret passageways brings a hundred old dark house movies to mind. It's definitely more on the "Scooby-Doo" end of the spooky castle spectrum but the ambiance still goes a long way. 

Sadly, that's about the only thing about this episode I like. "A Hedgehog's Home is Her Castle" leans heavily in dumbass comic relief. There's an entirely superfluous sequence where Sonic outruns Sleet and Dingo through the streets of Robotropolis, the two bounty hunters being mocked and humiliated in the process. It has no effect on the plot and I honestly wonder if it wasn't inserted simply to pad the episode out. Later, there's a scene where Sonic brings Balloc to his knees just by playing a guitar riff, a predictable gag I'm shocked it took the show this long to use. Balloc also carries around a seemingly stuffed owl named Hooter, that the episode stops to acknowledge multiple times. As if the idea of the groundskeeper having an eccentric obsession with a taxidermized animal was inherently hilarious. 

This episode also emphasizes why I dislike Queen Alena so much. In this episode, she emerges from the magic mirror to give a sleeping Manic the information he'll need later to escape the castle. Not only does the queen's presence raise some questions, considering the entire plot was a set-up by Sleet and Dingo, it's just lazy writing. The show writer falls back, once more, on using Alena as a deus ex machina. She appears out of nowhere, drops plot resolving information, and then disappears again. 

Furthermore, I just continue to hate this bullshit about how she desperately wants to be with her kids but just can't. At the episode's conclusion, Alena watches her children from the shadows and quietly weeps. Prophecies be damned, if you loved your kids that much, you'd be with them. It's shitty, contrived writing designed to keep the series' story going. This isn't the first time I've complained about it and it won't be the last. 

I'll give the episode some minor positive feedback though. Sleet uses his shape shifting ray in a way that's actually sneaky. He disguises Dingo as Queen Alena and has him set up a trap. Considering the queen's appearance is public knowledge, and everyone knows the triplets long to be reunited with their mom, it really shouldn't have taken the bad guys this long to capitalize on that. Sleet also transforms Dingo into a chili dog vendor too, another move that should've been obvious considering how often Sonic mentions his trademark favorite food. "SatAM" vet Len Janssen wrote this one and he includes some elements mildly reminiscent of that show too, like Sonic's magnetic shoes or some flying drones that vaguely resemble StealthBots. 

Of course, it wouldn't be a Hedgehogs Can't Swim "Sonic Underground" if I didn't rip into the episode's required song. This has the generic moniker of "Let's Do It to It" – another possible "SatAM" homage? – and plays over a montage of the triplets activating the castle's various traps, smashing SWATBots and humiliating Dingo. So at least it moves the plot forward. While the lyrics are typically garbage, I don't totally hate the music this time. Befitting the spooky castle setting, Sonia switches her keyboard to its "ominous organ" setting. That pairs well with a fast-paced pop number. I'm not adding it to my Halloween playlist or anything but it's definitely one of the more tolerable songs from this show. 

It's definitely a dumb twenty-one minutes of television, with some crappy writing that annoys the shit out of me. Yet the episode's setting appeals to me and the writer has some mild fun with it. Considering how incredibly unappealing "Underground" is on its best days, that does make this one of the more memorable episodes. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), Episode 2.09: The Odd Couple / Ro-Becca

Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), Episode 2.09: The Odd Couple / Ro-Becca
Original Air Date: November 5th, 1994

“Sonic SatAM” only ran for two short seasons, which you wouldn’t think would produce enough episodes for a consensus to emerge, as far as best and worst installments goes. Yet one episode is generally agreed upon as the worst of the installment. As is often the case, we have executive meddling to thank for this. Following “Fed Up with Antoine / Ghost Busted,” another two-in-one comedic episode would be produced in a continued effort to lighten up the show’s supposedly dark tone. While I can’t say I’ve ever heard much good about the first time “SatAM” tried this, fans are definitely united on hating “The Odd Couple / Ro-Becca.”

The comedic device of two people with opposing personalities being forced to co-habituate is a well worn one. So the “Odd Couple” premise is a common one and Len Jansen didn’t even feel the need to think of a new title for the segment detailing this scenario. So who are our odd couple? Why, Antoine and Sonic, of course. Yes, both segments in this “funny” episode also revolve around Antoine as, I guess, the “SatAM” writer’s room couldn’t think of any funny ideas that didn’t involve the cowardly coyote.

Long story short: During a blizzard, Dulcy makes a rough landing and smashes through Sonic’s hut. (This is partially Antoine’s fault, as he was watching Dulcy and directing Sonic on how to direct her.) Since Antoine has the biggest house in Knothole apparently, Sonic moves in with him. Neat freak Antoine doesn’t respond well to Sonic’s slovenly habits. Soon, the two are driving each other absolutely nuts.

Since this is suppose to be a funny episode, the question must be asked: Did I laugh? No but there are one or two mildly amusing gags here. Let’s consider Antoine’s interior decorating skills. While he does have a portrait of Sally on the wall — let’s not think about the things he’s done in front of that portrait — the painting above his bed is of... Himself! At one point, we also see he has a bed full of stuff animals, which was cute. We also learn in this episode that Sonic’s socks are the same red and white color as his sneakers. Rob Paulsen in general has a good time goofing it up as Antoine. The song he sings while polishing his boots is mildly amusing.

However, this episode is mostly devoted to some truly pedestrian slapstick. Antoine being a neat freak is new information, though hardly out-of-character for him considering his general prissiness. We also learn Sonic sleep-runs, which leads to predictably zany results. Considering how irritating Sonic has always found Antoine, it’s mildly clever that Sonic ends up being the annoying one. Yet it’s hard to get too much joy out of the eventual mental breakdown Antoine suffers or the massive mess Sonic somehow manages to create in his kitchen. The episode hits its nadir with the scene of Antoine being splattered with chili, after it bounces around the room. That was just too wacky for me.

And that raises another point. And this is truly the nerdiest of nitpicks. Antoine’s kitchen includes a fully functioning stove and a wide collection of pots and pans. While making himself chili dogs, which leaves a disproportionately large mess behind, Sonic opens a can of pre-packaged chili. So is Mobius a post-industrial country or what? Was that chili cooked up with ingredients that came from a farm somewhere? Which was then preserved, sealed, and packaged? And then sent somewhere where Sonic could purchase it? Are we to assume this is what happened? Because where does a Freedom Fighting waging a terrorist campaign against an insane dictator buy his groceries? I’m overthinking things again, aren’t I?

So “The Odd Couple” isn’t really good. Yet this two-fer is widely disliked more for its second segment, “Ro-Becca.” It seems adverse weather is the other theme that links these two segments. During a thunderstorm, Rotor assembles a vaguely feline robotic assistant. Antoine is trying to help him but, being a huge klutz, that’s when he drops some nuts, bolts, and screws into the robot. That’s when Ro-Becca springs to life and immediately falls in love with Antoine. It’s the obsessive, smothering, crazy type of love. Antoine is basically tortured for a while by Ro-Becca before Rotor intervenes... Which still doesn’t stop the machine’s uncontrollable passion.

It’s easy to see why “Ro-Becca” is so disliked. The titular robot has to be among the most unappealing characters across the entire “Sonic” franchise. Visually speaking, she’s hideous. She speaks through a radio grate, which is made further uncanny by the addition of lips around it. She has a plume or white-streaked “Bride of Frankenstein” hair atop her head. (That, along with Rotor’s castle-like lab and the thunderstorm, suggest a classic horror atmosphere that I would’ve loved if the rest of the segment wasn’t so bad.) Her body was seemingly made up of junk Rotor had around his workshop, so her left foot is a tricycle wheel and her torso resembles a purple trash can. Add the cat-like face and tail for an all-together unpleasant. And then she speaks in a nasally, obnoxious, Fran Drescher-like voice.

Not to mention her behavior, which is deeply comfortable. Antoine’s unwanted robot girlfriend is, essentially, abusive. She flattens a door atop him during a manic chase. Later, she force-feeds him a grey slop with more nuts and bolts inside it. This leads to Ro-Becca attempting to massage Antoine’s sore body, which feels like it’s seconds away from escalating to something much more assault-y. Heaping abuse on Antoine is the primary gag here. He’s also struck by lighting at one point. Yeah, sure, Antoine is a weenie and somewhat annoying... But this quickly starts to feel cruel. The combination of a relentlessly wacky tone, with the horribly obnoxious Ro-Becca, results in a painful ten minutes.

I want to give writer Pat Allee some credit. The conclusion is so bizarre, it borders full-blown absurdity. Antoine deduces that his suave French style is what makes him so irresistible to Ro-Becca. So he adopts a Schwarzneggerian accent, which succeeds in driving the robot away. When Sonic mockingly imitates Antoine’s natural voice, he becomes the new object of her obsession. This could’ve been spun into some sort of moral, if Sonic getting some of his own medicine after picking on Antoine so much, but the episode’s comedic sadism and questionable gender politics makes that hard to assume.

Thankfully, Ro-Becca did not become a regular cast member of “SatAM.” In fact, outside of Archie’s slapdash “Ghost Busted” adaptation years later, none of the jokey “SatAM” episodes had any lasting effect on the overall “Sonic” franchise. I’ll admit, when I use to daydream about stealing Ian Flynn’s job, I thought about trying to redeem Ro-Becca. Even then, I dropped the creepy Antoine obsession in favor of the idea of a newly created robot learning to experience the intricacies of the world for the first time. But that’s all besides the point. “The Odd Couple” gets maybe a [5/10], if I’m being nice, while I must shame “Ro-Becca” with a [4/10].

Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), Episode 2.06: Fed Up with Antoine \ Ghost Busted

Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), Episode 2.06: Fed Up with Antoine \ Ghost Busted
Original Air Date: October 15th, 1994

As I’ve mentioned previously, the second season of “SatAM” — while perhaps stronger narratively than the first season — was hassled with some typically clueless executive meddling. At least speaking for myself, kid-me loved the show’s darker atmosphere. Watching this blue hedgehog cartoon made me feel all sophisticated and shit. However, I guess somebody in charge thought the first season was too dark. The second season introduced the frequently cutesy and comedic character of Dulcy. It also included two comedy-centric episodes, both containing two stories apiece. The first of which was “Fed Up with Antoine / Ghost Busted.”

Presumably because he already functioned as the show’s comic relief, both of these segments prominently feature Antoine. After reading the Archie “Sonic” comic for twenty years, where Antoine would grow into a very different character, it can be a bit of a culture shock to revisit “SatAM’s” Antoine. Archie’s Antoine started as a coward, who often covered up his insecurity around his own cowardice with a self-inflated ego. He got over that pretty quickly, growing into the actual brave soldier he always wanted to be. The original cartoon Antoine never got to that point. If anything, he lost ground in the second season. While season one Antoine was occasionally useful, when not being a buffoonish stuffed shirt for Sonic to riff at, season two Antoine is nothing but a grandstanding fool. (Or “fuel,” as he would say.) He’s pretty annoying, honestly.

Which means basing nearly an entire episode around him wasn’t a great idea! But here we are anyway. The first of episode 2.6’s segments, “Fed Up with Antoine,” begins with the coyote and Sonic on a mission into Robotropolis. After a stop by the anachronistic gothic cathedral where Uncle Chuck hangs out, Sonic gets so annoyed with Antoine’s bragging that’s he threatens to leave him there. Later, Antoine asks Bunnie to train him in self-defense. This ends so badly that the former royal guardsman leaves Knothole. He’s soon picked up by a motorcycle gang calling themselves the Nasty Hyenas, who start worshiping him as a king. Antoine, being a bit of an egomaniac, loves this. But the Freedom Fighters soon discover the Hyenas are actually cannibals that eat their kings. Meaning Antoine is soon to be on the menu.

There’s about one really good joke in “Fed Up with Antoine.” While the Hyenas are attempting to cook him, in one of those giant stew pots that seemingly only exist in cartoons like this, Antoine complains... Not about being eaten but about being cooked with a pedestrian spice like pepper, instead of something fancier like paprika. That made me chuckle. Otherwise, the humor is derived here from extremely frantic slapstick. We have a gag like Antoine flailing about ineffectively while attempting to do king-fu. Instead of leaving it at that, things quickly escalate to him tossing a dummy into Sonic’s hut, which gets tossed back out. This kind of manic physical comedy occurs again, when Dulcy ends up wrecking a bedroom at the end. Maybe it’s just because I’m old but I found this stuff a little too aggressively goofy.

And what’s further disappointing about Len Jansen’s script favoring this kind of humor is it would’ve been easy to make a funny episode of “SatAM.” The show has a wonderful cast of fleshed-out characters. Since trying to topple Robotnik can only take up so much of your day, the Freedom Fighters presumably have a lot of downtime. What’s life in Knothole like when there’s no freedom fighting to be done? There’s a lot of potential for slice-of-life comedy there. We even get a brief taste of that. When Bunnie is training Tails, and Antoine not-so-gingerly asks for the same treatment, it’s cute and amusing in a more low key manner than the rest of the episode. I guess asking a kids cartoon to do a funny episode based in character interaction and no-stakes hang-out humor would’ve been too much to ask.

So Antoine’s egomaniac bit grows tiresome pretty quickly and the slapstick is mediocre at best. “Fed Up with Antoine” leaves us with one thing of interest. And that would be the cannibalistic hyena motorcycle gang. Their designs are kind of ugly and uninspired. Their voices are indistinct. (One member seems to cycle from gruff to Australian and back again.) They also participate in the wacky slapstick, when one is knocked over by the odor of Antoine’s feet. Yet I feel like this group of characters had potential. A group of humanoid hyenas who wear leather, ride on hover-bikes, and eat people? Throw in some body modification/mutilation and you’ve got a Clive Barker creation there. While the comic book featured other animal hover bike gangs, they never featured the Nasty Hyenas. Which is a bummer because it would’ve easy to turn these mildly interesting enemies into something much creepier, weirder, and interesting.

The second segment is “Ghost Busted,” which I’ve already discussed a little in the context of its bad comic adaptation. The story concerns Sonic and Tails camping out in the Great Forest, as a teaching exercise for Tails and to facilitate some brotherly bonding. They discover Antoine, who has fallen into a pit of mud and is screaming his head off. They decide to let him tag along. That night, Sonic tells Tails some ghost stories. The first of which concerns an evil spirit that changes into a duck. The second is about a headless horseman/gopher with a glowing medallion. The stories clearly get to Tails, as he has nightmares that night. He wakes up and sees a strange glowing entity, convinced it’s a ghost. Turns out, it’s just Antoine covered in some glowing leaves, a thing that apparently exists on Mobius. But the story doesn’t quite end there either.

“Ghost Busted” features similar humor to “Fed Up with Antoine.” There’s a lot of pedestrian slapstick here, much of it centering on Antoine. There's a mildly funny gag, of Antoine dragging a canape bed on a camping trip and sleeping in footie pajamas. Otherwise, we are expected to laugh at sights like Antoine fumbling helplessly in mud, sucking his thumb, or his repeated mangling of the English language. Maybe this stuff would make a really young kid laugh but I'm betting, even back in 1994, “SatAM” was targeting slightly older kids than that.

The element of “Ghost Busted” that does work, sort of, is Tails being led on an adventure by Sonic. Even by this point in the series – there's all of seven episodes left – the two-tailed fox hasn't done much. So his little camping trip with Sonic allows Tails the chance to shine. The story of a kid getting a little overly excited by a campfire ghost tale, letting his imagination getting away from him and becoming scared by something that's not-so-frightening in the day light, is a classic one. Yet there's an important moment here. While flying around freaked-out, Tails pauses in a bush. He stops and considers the situation, gets his thinking straight. It shows the kid's growing bravery and forethought.

What's probably most memorable about “Ghost Busted” is its, well, ghosts. Or “ghosts,” as it were. Pat Allee cooks up some very goofy, odd ghost stories for Sonic to tell. (I like to think Sonic makes the stories up off the top of his head.) Tails imagines the sinister duck monster as a demonic figure forming in the moon. He next has a vivid imagining of the Headless Gopher, which easily ranks among the odder homages to Washington Irving's seminal ghost story. (And like Irving's story, this episode has an ambiguous ending that leaves the reality of the ghost up to the audience.) Yet neither are as odd or enduring as the image of Antoine, bathed totally in glittery leaves that look like both gold or like fire. Sonic describes these as from a Firefox Bush, presumably because this plant doubles as an adaptable internet browser.

As an experiment, I could sort of see the point of this farcical double feature. Taking a break after the fairly serious “Blast to the Past” two-parter with a breather like this wasn't a bad idea. Not that the show was ever so serious, even in its grimmest moments, that it needed a breather quite this... Breathy. I almost get enough out of 'Ghost Busted” to say I enjoy this episode – also, this episode aired a few weeks before Halloween, which is close enough for me to officially declare it a Halloween special, so therefore I have to at least partially love it  – but “Fed Up with Antoine” is pretty rough to get through at times, if only because it continually pushes that character's most irritating aspects.

And one last thing. The episode ends with a  dedication to Owen Fitzgerald. In the years before the internet came along, such a jovial episode concluding on a black notice of someone's death confused and baffled many a young viewer. Now that the entirety of human knowledge is at the tip of our fingers, we know that Owen Fitzgerald was an experienced layout and storyboard artist who had been working in the animation industry since the forties. He was most prolific at Hanna-Barbera in the seventies and early eighties. “SatAM” was his last credit before his death in 1994 – he also worked on “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” and tons of other stuff – and clearly the creative team felt him worthy of a dedication. But, after a light-hearted episode about ghosts, it certainly ends things on a weirdly morbid note. Anyway, I just had to mention that as I know someone would have brought it up if I hadn't. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.06: Sonic Racer

Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.06: Sonic Racer
Original Air Date: October 23rd, 1993

As I mentioned in the previous review, I had several episodes of “SatAM” on VHS tapes as a kid. Looking it up, it seems six episodes were released across three tapes through the “DiC Toon Time Video” label. The first tape highlighted upcoming episode “Hooked on Sonics,” the third highlighted the previously reviewed “Super Sonic,” while the third release promoted “Sonic Racer” on the box. Upon looking at them, I'm fairly certain I had all three tapes. During those long years in-between “SatAM” disappearing from the airways and Shout Factory releasing the entire series on DVD in 2007, I definitely watched these tapes over and over again. And of the six collected episodes, “Sonic Racer” was definitely my favorite.

Once again, we must observe the formula. “Sonic Racer” is another episode that begins with Sonic and Sally (and also Bunnie) sneaking into Robotropolis to destroy one of Robotnik's generators. The mission is a success... But Robotnik just activates his back-up generator, voiding the Freedom Fighters' efforts. Nevertheless, the robotic tyrant is infuriated that Sonic got one over on him. He formulates a scheme with Snively to appeal to Sonic's ego: Throw a race to determine the fastest thing on Mobius, have Sonic naturally show to such an event, and throw as many pitfalls at him as possible. This includes a super-fast new robot specifically designed to match Sonic's speed. This is obviously a trap but Sonic shows up to the race anyway, claiming he'll be a distraction while the others work on destroying that back-up generator.

I have no doubt that “Sonic Racer” must've been among the earliest episode Len Jansen pitched. The premise is pretty much inevitable, isn't it? Sonic goes super fast. Eventually, we were going to get an episode structured around a race. What I especially appreciate about “Sonic Racer” though is how it plays up Sonic's flaws, not just his strengths. Obviously, he recognizes the race is a trap, as does everyone else. But he can't resist a chance to showboat. There's something like a moral here. Sonic ultimately sacrifices his chance at winning to save his friend, showing his heroism ultimately does outweigh his ego.

It's not exactly a humbling experience for the hedgehog though. Yes, he nearly dies a few times during the race. What racing through what is clearly last episode's Forbidden Zone, he nearly gets dragged into one of those bumbling sulfur pits by one of those mechanical crab claws. However, he remains especially quip-filled throughout the entire episode, both before and after. The opening sequence has him taunting one SWATBot after another, being super annoying in that typically Sonic way. After the super-fast Cheetah robot tosses Sonic into the air with an arm that extends from its back – an image that has been seared into my memory since childhood – he simply swings down from a conveniently placed flagpole, never breaking a sweat. But I guess that's in keeping with Sonic's personality.

Yet I suspect Sonic's lack of sweating over his tight situation probably isn't what drew me to this episode as a kid. More likely, it was the pretty cool action scenes the race sequence sets up. Sonic weaving in and around the Hover Units as they race through a tight canal is cool, as it that scene ending with one of the Units crashing directly into a wall. The Cheetah Bot – it's never given an official name – is a pretty cool one-off enemy. I really like the design, which invokes a skeleton and a reptile in addition to a cheetah. A villain that can match Sonic's speed certainly ups the tension through the episode, as Sonic is surprised and tangles with the robotic beastie.

Sonic and the race is obviously the star attraction here but there are other elements that work for me. Once again, the scenes of the Freedom Fighters sneaking around Robotropolis are surprisingly tense. As intelligent as Sally is, as strong as Bunnie is, there's always this lingering sense they really could be captured at any time. The very first minute of the episode is an evocative shot of Hover Units floating through the sludge-clogged, darkened areas of Robotropolis. That pulsating music plays as Sally and Bunnie attempt to overload the generator's computer, making what probably could've been simple kid's stuff in other hands into something more serious.

This is also a quality episode for Robotnik and Snively fans. Robotnik seems to especially relish his villainy here. I'm just now noticing that Robotnik almost never calls Sonic by his name, instead referring to him as “the hedgehog.” As if to show the hero is so beneath him, he can hardly be bothered to remember his name. Though he's also not self-aware enough to realize that his own ego is something he has in common with Sonic. There are two separate moments where Robotnik's eyes glow red, making him appear even more sinister. Snively is certainly sympathetic, up to a point. He sweats and panics as Robotnik gets increasingly pissed at him, as his schemes fail. Yet Robotnik's number one toady also seems to really enjoy plotting villainously.

(Though Robotnik's villainy is still chained by the standards of children's broadcasting. When Sonic shows up to the race in a red cloak, Robotnik goes up to the starting line and talks with him briefly... Instead of just, ya know, shooting him dead right then and there. Best I can fan-wank this is Robotnik's own ego insist he see Sonic fall to one of his plans, instead of opportunistically poppin' a cap in his hedgehog ass.)

And if you are into “SatAM” for the shipping – consider me guilty as charged - “Sonic Racer” provides some serious grist for the SonAlly crowd. When Sonic gets the notice about the race, Sally tells him its absolutely a trap. She expresses some concern about this – Kath Soucie's delivery of this dialogue is so goddamn good and genuine – that is a little more than just the sort of worry you express over a friend or teammate. After he heads off to the race, Sally is kept up at night, looking longingly out the window of a hut while Bunnie reads Tails a bedtime story. Okay, duh, there's no doubt Sonic and Sally are clearly a romantic couple. She gives him a kiss during the theme song of every episode, after all. But it makes this dead husk of a heart of my pump again when I see these cartoon characters expressing feelings for each other.

This is in general a good episode for the Freedom Fighters, with the exception of Rotor who is literally reduced to a background role here. Bunnie is so friggin' adorable here, Christina Cavanaugh's performance rarely sounding more warm and loving. Her dialogue with Sally during the first mission, her teasing of Antoine during the second mission, her reading “Little Red Riding Hood” to Tails (which features a reference to, uh, a “one-eyed snake”): They are all endearing as hell. Tails, though his part is minor, is pretty cute too, cheering Sonic on when he decides to participate in the race. And, of course, there's Antoine who is a cowardly buffoon all throughout the episode and nearly gets killed at the end. Really makes you wonder why he's ever invited along on missions.

The episode concludes on a striking note. The back-up generator is destroyed, presumably setting Robotnik's various machinations back quite a while. Sally delivers a rousing speech to the residents of Knothole around a campfire, assuring them that Mobius will be free of Robotnik's tyranny soon enough. It's a triumphant moment but one that you really feel like the heroes have earned. Probably because Sally's disappointment earlier in the episode was so palatable. Also, look around that fireplace for likely inspirations for Archie's Dylan the Porcupine, and Geoffrey St. John, as well as the second appearance of the pig that definitely became Hamlin.

The episode has its flaws. That Sonic never actually gets to defeat the Cheetah Bot is disappointing. There's some janky animation, including a really weird close-up on Robotnik's clenching and unclenching fist. Overall, however, “Sonic Racer” is a really strong episode. Is nostalgia clouding my judgment? Probably no more than usual! Therefore my opinion is totally objective and unquestionable. [8/10]