Sonic Boom, Episode 2.33: Amy and Stick's Excellent Staycation

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.33: Amy and Stick's Excellent Staycation 

Original Air Date: June 24th, 2017

Since the "Sonic Boom" episodes are so short, one can't help but assume the installments were designed to be shown back-to-back, in order to fill the half-hour time slot typical to children's cartoons. I suspect this is how the show aired in some international markets and it's currently how the episodes are structured on Tubi. Up until now, that had no effect on the actual episodes themselves. However, with the post-"Robots from the Sky" focus on continuity, the writers clearly started to experiment with this set-up. "Planes, Trains, and Dude-Mobiles" left Any and Sticks alone in Hedgehog Village while the guys were on tour. We got glimpses of what the girls were up to in the previous episodes, suggesting there might be more to that story than what we saw. "Amy and Sticks' Excellent Staycation" now shows us their side of the story. If the episodes are watched back-to-back, this plays like a rather clever little double feature. When watched with a week between them, as the program did here in the U.S., it's not as much fun. Another example of how badly this show got screwed by network execs. 

Also, both episodes take their titles from beloved eighties comedies, though "Amy and Sticks' Excellent Staycation" disappointingly does not involve hair metal, time travel, or George Carlin. Instead, while the boys are in their road trip, Amy hopes to have a relaxing girl's weekend with Sticks. This is delayed slightly by Sticks' paranoia and the two females' wildly different ideas of fun. However, Amy eventually convinces Sticks to participate in a spa trip. The rest and relaxation is interrupted when Belinda – the wife of nerd-turned-bad-guy Charlie – decides to pursue supervillainy on her own. Now, the ladies have to save the day without the support of their macho teammates. 

This episode brings to light something I've probably wondered about before. As different as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are, they have enough similar traits that you can see why they are friends. Sonic and Knuckles are united by their various dude-bro qualities. While Tails is a lot nerdier, his personalities compliments Sonic in other ways. And all three of them can enjoy some video games or hot wings together. What about Amy Rose and Sticks though? Why are they friends? Amy is neat and orderly. Even if "Boom" has toned down her usual girly-girl elements, she's still a very pink, very traditionally feminine young lady. Sticks, meanwhile, is a rather literal wild child who disregards most indicators of polite society, in service of her conspiracy-inclined, survivalist worldview. She has no use for fashion or accessorizing and seems content to live in an actual hole in the ground. I guess they are united by their mutual love of smashing robots. Aside from that? Would these two actually be buddies outside of an "Odd Couple" situation? They feel more like co-workers than friends to me. 

"Excellent Staycation" seems ready to play with this vast difference at first. Sticks is hyper-focused on bayonets, much to Amy's annoyance. The badger's idea of a good time is tossing clumps of mud around, which neat freak Amy can't handle at all. The spa seems to represent a happy middle ground for these two, a place where Amy can chill and Sticks can wallow in mud. After that though, the episode more-or-less abandons trying to find elements the two have in common. Next we see Amy teaching Sticks to knit, which makes it feel like the badger is some experiment Amy has taken on. Like she wants to civilize the savage or something. Perhaps Alan Denton and Greg Hahn realized, halfway through writing the script, that Amy and Sticks don't actually have that many similar qualities and decided to pivot from there. Or maybe they simply had to shove in an action sequence and whatever other goals playing these two off each other had got lost. 

One of the limits of Amy as a character is that she corresponds to a very stereotypical conception of femininity. She wears pink and ribbons and bows, is friend to the animals, and has a girlish crush. The "Boom" version of her character pairs this with even more girlish hobbies, like tea parties, knitting, and romance novels. Having a mud-encrusted tomboy like Sticks standing right next to her would be a good way to counteract any unfortunate implications. "See, not all women have to be soft, pink homemakers! Let your freak flag fly, girls!" Instead, the last act of this episode has both females weaponizing press-on nails, hair extensions, and shampoo. This is probably only because this scene happens to be set in a spa... Yet the result still feels a bit like the male writers couldn't think of anything for these female characters to do that didn't revolve around make-up, fashion, and beauty tips. 

This extends to the villainous subplot. Belinda overhears that Sonic is out of town while seated next to Amy at the spa. She wants her supervillain husband to strike in that moment but he's too absorbed in his manly hobby of digging up rocks. This results in Belinda occupying another unfortunate feminine stereotype: The shrewish wife who hen pecks her husband and resorts to violence whenever she doesn't immediately get her way, playing into the idea that women are emotionally volatile and inherently irrational. This impression is furthered by her eventual rampage through the town being largely devoted to petty grievances. Which I guess doesn't make her any different from most of the other "Boom" villains but... I don't know. I doubt think the writers did all of this intentionally but it doesn't strikes me as not the best choice. 

None of these issues mean I didn't find this episode amusing. In fact, it's got some good gags. The best of which revolves around, simply, Eggman being a lunatic. Amy decides to distract the doctor by putting a life-sized doll of Sonic up on a post. In another example of the characters' cognitive awareness varying depending totally on whether them being an idiot is funny in that moment, Eggman immediately falls for this. He spends the rest of the episode trying to fool and murder a stuff toy. The doctor having a completely one-sided argument with the Sonic decoy might make him look schizophrenic but it's also amusingly bizarre. The ploys to confuse the plush hedgehog gets weirder, as Orbot and Cubot do little dances, until Eggman's fixation on the fake Sonic gets nearly as weird as Amy having such a prop in the first place. (Which the script immediately lampshades, of course.) Whether it "makes sense," Eggman dedicating so much time and energy to trying to kill a mannequin, only for it to inexplicably bests him, is a good joke. 

These are paired alongside some typical examples of "Boom" humor. Such as fourth wall leaning self-awareness, evident in a line of dialogue from Amy that occurs after a cut immediately being picked up by Sticks, which escalates to both characters showing varying levels of awareness of being on a TV show. Or when Belinda rages at the Lady Goat, a minor background character that she looks nearly identical to. These are sharper jokes than rather limply delivered lines about mud baths or everyone hating Fastidious Beaver's constantly correcting everyone's grammar. Also, there's a “Matrix” joke – in 2017! – which is easily the surest sign that the writers were phoning it in on this one. 

Even if some of the jokes are weak, this episode is still better as a comedy than it is as an action/adventure show. Any hope that "Boom's" overall standard for action sequences might have been raised by the "Robots from the Sky" four parter is dashed here. These action scenes are exactly as weightless, slow, and awkward as I've come to expect from "Boom." Sticks landing atop a MantisBot, staying suspended in the air for several seconds as she karate kicks it head off, or being slowly launched across the room into an immobile wall look lifeless. In a weird touch, the lasers from Belinda's mech suit simply freezes everyone they strike, which seems like a deeply unsatisfying compromise for not being able to afford some explosion. Also, any time the episode focuses on those piles of mud, it seems to feature an utterly still pattern upon it that looks incredibly weird whenever it interacts with other people. I know I've beaten this drum over and over again but this show really should have just been traditionally animated if they didn't have the resource to make something as simple as mud not look so fucking off. 

I think this review came off more negative than I intended. I still reasonably enjoyed this episode, even if the script makes some iffy choices and the animation isn't the best. I guess I wanted a little more from an episode based around exploring Amy and Sticks' odd friendship. They can't all be winners and even a half-baked installment contains some decent gags, so I guess it's not too big of a missed opportunity. [6/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.32: Planes, Trains, and Dude-Mobiles

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.32: Planes, Trains, and Dude-Mobiles

Original Air Date: June 17th, 2017

In another surprising show of continuity from season two of "Sonic Boom," "Planes, Trains, and Dude-Mobiles" is partially built around the existence of Dude-itude, the rock band Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles formed back in season one episode thirty-nine, "Battle of the Boy Bands." Despite having only played one gig a year before, the band has somehow booked a concert. Tails excitedly tells Sonic and Knuckles, who had forgotten they were in a band. The fox has built a specialized van just for the trip to the venue. Sonic is hoping for a relaxing road trip but it soon turns into a nightmare, as his band mates insist on making frequent stops at kitschy tourist traps and the group is repeatedly hassled by a hard-assed patrolman. When a notorious criminal by the name of the Bike Chain Bandit ends up hitching a ride with them, thanks to Knuckles' idiocy, things get worse. 

Aside from putting bacon in things and crippling class inequality, there is perhaps no American tradition greater than the road trip. One can make the argument that this country, as we know it today, didn't really come into existence until the creation of our modern car culture during the post-World War II manufacturing boom. And people wouldn't have bought cars unless they had places to go, which was made possible by the boom in highway construction around the same time. While the glory days of Route 66 have long since passed – as anyone who talks about Route 66 will immediately tell you – road trips continue to remain a backbone of American culture. The advent of the internet has now made it even easier to find out about cultural events or unique treasures hidden across this fair land of ours, making an extended car ride to such places all the easier. Even a crabby-ass home body like me will admit that, sometimes, you just gotta pack a bunch of stuff into your car and drive someplace twelve hours away. Maybe it's the nomad in all of us that feels the siren song of the open road. 

Since the road trip occupied such a prominent place in the American subconscious, it should not be surprising that there is an entire genre of story built around such journeys. It makes sense, as there's no narrative older or more sturdy than the journey from one place to another. In the written word, the idea has produced classics like "On the Road" and "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." On-screen, the inherent filmic qualities of driving through the countryside, and the sense of adventure and discovery that goes along with it, has led to the creation of the road trip movies. Being such a mutable premise, the idea has infected practically all genres. There's a cinematic road trip for every mood: The hippy existentialism of "Easy Rider" and "Two-Lane Blacktop," the broad comedy of "National Lampoon's Vacation" or "The Cannonball Run," award-winning dramas like "Thelma & Louise" or "Paper Moon," grisly thrillers like "Near Dark" and "Natural Born Killers," coming-of-age stories like "Yu Tu Mama Tambian" or "Corvette Summer." If you want to hit the road via fictional proxy, there's no limit of options. 

Television, being a much more limited medium, doesn't do road trip stories as often but homages do appear from time to time. Which brings me back, finally, to "Sonic Boom." "Planes, Trains, and Dude-Mobiles" takes its title from a beloved road trip movie, another John Hughes' comedy about unlikely friendships and wacky happenstance occurring during a long trip. Despite that, Alan Denton and Greg Hahn are not paying specific homage to Hughes' film. In fact, "Dude-Mobiles" seems to be more of a throwback to the general idea of road movies, more so than any specific example. The ball-busting highway cop, shitty roadside attractions, and picking up a murderous hitchhiker are archetypal concepts that can't be traced to any specific source. The sense that the episode is a throwback to the vague notion of eighties road trip movies is supported by the episode ending in a chase scene set to a cheesy, butt-thumping, synth-rock ballad. It honestly feels a little bit like someone who actually hasn't seen that many eighties movies imagining what the genre must be like. Which I guess is fine, considering the eight year olds who watched this in 2017 wouldn't be likely to have seen those movies either. 

I always believe that a callback is pointless without specificity. However, I still had some fun with this episode. Considering my taste tends to run more towards "The Hitcher" than "It Happened One Night," it should surprise no one that the Bike Chain Bandit subplot is my favorite part. When Knuckles is given the wheel, so Sonic and Tails can nap, he drives down a spooky forest. That's when he picks up a scraggy possum with a bag full of bike chains, much to everyone else's horror. Just like in the classic urban legends, a radio announcement breaks out at exactly that moment – interrupting, in a great gag, "our regular broadcast of silence" – to announce a deranged killer matching the hitchhiker's appearance precisely is on the loose. The sequence that follows is obviously played for madcap laughs. Yet that a kid's show would even feature a scene where a lunatic tries to garotte Knuckles with a chain, amid a dark and stormy night, surprises and delights me. 

All things considered, this is an amusing ten minutes. Denton and Hahn's scripts can usually be relied on for a few solid zingers. A sequence devoted to the trio visiting "the world's largest non-rocking chair" escalates in amusingly silly way. Knuckles reaction to a bad lie Sonic told or safely pulling over to the side of the road while a killer pursues them are solid chuckles. As is Tails' reaction to the cop's color euphemism for a jail cell. There's lots of good little lines here – Sonic's reaction to Amy telling him "not to do anything [she] wouldn't do" or a Knuckles' quib about wallet chains – that definitely feel like they were tossed-in last minute but still made me grin. The subplot with the asshole cop and the guys meeting the world's biggest Dreamboat Express fan in jail are plenty limp but I did appreciate the reveal that Sonic uses "gotta go fast" as a medical condition to get out of speeding tickets. 

The episode never reaches the manic blend of wackiness it is clearly striving for. Part of that is that Denton/Hahn seem a little too enamored of the idea of Dude-itude. The guys breaking into a rap-like verse after getting in the van seems played totally straight, despite the sheer embarrassing cringe factor of it all. The climax is set to what I can only assume is meant to be a Dude-itude song, built around the "Push It To the Limit" soundalike riff that has played in several previous episodes. Roger Craig Smith sings the vocals in a clearly ridiculous manner, indicating this is obviously a joke. However, it's hard to make gags out of crappy songs because, at the end of the day, you're still hearing a crappy song. You'd think the people who write "Sonic" cartoons would've learned by this point that the blue hedgehog and musical numbers do not blend. 

I guess these rather unfortunate songs – which are, admittedly, still less unfortunate than any of the "Sonic Underground" songs – were inserted to make up for the fact that, despite Dude-itude being the motivating element behind this entire episode, we never actually see the band play. While not the most memorable, hilarious, or sharpest episode of "Sonic Boom," this one still isn't all bad. Like I said, the Bike Chain Bandit's appearance makes this the closest we'll likely ever get to a "Sonic" version of a slasher movie, making it impossible for me to give thus one anything less than a [7/10]. 

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.31: Lightning Bowler Society

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.31: Lightning Bowler Society

Original Air Date: June 10th, 2017

If I was able to do any project without falling horribly behind schedule, I probably would've wrapped up my "Sonic Boom" reviews months ago. Instead, my serial tendency to miss updates means this retrospective has dragged on and on. But maybe some things are meant to be. If I had finished discussing "Boom" on time, it probably would've been before the "Knuckles" streaming series started. Which means I would've discovered, only after the fact, how that show's much-contested focus on bowling wasn't even a new addition to the "Sonic" franchise! Yes, defying the odds, Wade Whipple's desire to best his absentee father at a bowling tournament isn't the first time the game of ten pins found its way into a piece of official "Sonic" media. The thirty-first episode of "Boom's" second season was all about rolling on the lanes, introducing Fred Flintstone and Homer Simpson's favorite athletic contest into the blue hedgehog universe. Assuming there isn't some shitty mobile "Sonic Bowling" game I've overlooked... 

[Update: There is, in fact, a shitty mobile "Sonic Bowling" game. Two actually: An original in 2002 and a remake in 2009. However, both were Japanese exclusives, so this episode is still the first English-language piece of official "Sonic" media about bowling. Hoo-ray for highly specific superlatives!]

The episode begins with the Lightning Bolt Society attempting another ineffectual and easily defeated feat of villainy against Sonic and the gang. Feeling discouraged afterwards, the wannabe supervillains decide to shift their focus entirely. From now on, they will be the Lightning Bowler Society, putting on ugly shirts and rolling balls down the lanes. This turns out to be much more successful for the group than their villainy careers ever were. All four of them quickly become local celebrities. This infuriates Sonic, who apparently also has a bowling team with his friends. After being bested by the new stars in town, Sonic becomes obsessed with topping them at their own game. Soon, in-fighting among the Lighting Bolters sees them breaking up, robbing Sonic of his chance at victory. He then dispatches his friends to convince Dave, Willy Walrus, and the rest to regroup, strictly so he'll be able to defeat them at the alley. 

I've talked before about how the "Sonic Boom" writing team managed to take some of the show's minor background players – who wouldn't amount to anything but running gags otherwise – and turn them into actual supporting cast members. Dave the Intern is the most obvious example of this. However, his involvement with the Lightning Bolt Society truly is nothing but a running gag. The wheezy teen's status as an apathetic fast food worker has long since eclipsed his pathetic desires for supervillain status as his defining characteristics. While Dave is reasonably well developed – by the standards of a reoccurring guest star in a children's sitcom anyway – the rest of the Lightning Bolt Society are one-note jokes. Two of them don't even have real names, being known only as Weasel Bandit and Tree Spy. (Or Tree Guy, as I usually call him.) Willy Walrus is a character that was created simply to pay-off a goofy sight-gag in the tenth episode, his name being the first name you'd think of for a walrus character. That he's reappeared probably has more to do with the "Boom" animators wanting to reuse CGI assets than anything else. 

With this in mind, the idea of "Sonic Boom" devoting nearly an entire episode to the Lightning Bolt Society seems like an act of utter hubris on the writers' behalf. Kids are here to watch Sonic and his pals have adventures, not to see your stupid O.C.s bitch about their lives, maaaaaan. As ill-conceived as this premise seems, "Lightning Bowler Society" actually manages to work pretty well. I praised Peter Saisselen's earlier episode, "Do Not Disturb," for being surprisingly dense and narrarively complete despite the short runtime of "Sonic Boom" episodes. "Lighting Bowler Society" has this same feature. In only ten minutes, Saisselen squeezes in a complete story that contains multiple dramatic turns and twists. Like all good narrative, the protagonists are different people at the end of this journey than they were at the beginning. Dave and the gang decided they didn't want to be supervillains, changed directions, became stars, broke-up, and then remember why they all became friends in the first place, rekindling their bond. They went on a journey and learned something about themselves. That this is done within such a short runtime is all the more impressive. 

The biggest evidence that "Lightning Bowler Society" had actually won me over by the end is that I found myself, against all odds, invested in the story of Tree Guy. The most one-note of the Lighting Bolt Society manages to use his low level of celebrity to win over a hot girlfriend. That would be Staci, the identical twin sister – even down to wearing the same outfit – of Perci. And while Perci seems like a chill person, her sister fancies herself a starfucking Lady MacBeth. She talks Tree Guy – now self-seriously calling himself "Chameleon" – into wildly overvaluing his own worth and going solo. And this is such a stupid subplot. I'm more invested in Old Monkey than I am Tree Guy! 

Yet, somehow, this story turn is compelling. Seeing perpetual underdogs like the Lightning Bolters actually win some success is... Nice? They then have it broken up by ego and petty squabbling, in a classic tale familiar to anyone who has read a book about a big rock group. Narratives like this are compelling for a reason and, even one this dumb, gets you caught up. Who doesn't love a tale about a beloved group of talented individuals, coming together to make something beautiful, only to be torn apart by their own flaws? Did I just compare a bowling team to The Beatles? I guess that makes Staci the Yoko in this story, the subplot about her and Tree Guy making an art film about his penis presumably being cut for time. 

Many times, while writing for this blog, I've found myself thinking "Isn't this cartoon/comic/movie supposed to be about Sonic the Hedgehog?" Saisselen's script keeps the blue hedgehog in the story by essentially shifting him into the antagonist role. Sonic and his bowling team provides the rivals the Lightning Bolters need to bring themselves back together. While Sonic having a newfound interest in bowling feels like a stretch, this set-up does return to one of my favorite moods of "Boom" Sonic. Having him want to beat Dave/Willy/etc because he wants to win a trophy is boring. Having Sonic want to beat these guys because their popularity is a threat to his ego is interesting. Especially since it results in him doing the right thing – helping some friends patch up their separation – for totally selfish reason. Even the most heroic versions of Sonic tend to be a little full of themselves. "Boom" sometimes exaggerating that into Sonic acting in petty, immature ways whenever his status as the village's top hero is threatened is a good gag. Especially since it allows Roger Craig Smith to really ham it up in amusing ways. 

The result is overall a funny episode. The rest of Team Sonic doesn't have much to do in this one. However, a montage of them bowling does, amusingly, reflect their personalities. Knuckles drops the ball before even throwing it, because he's a doofus. Tails slowly and exactly rolls it down the lane on the way to a perfect strike, because he's a detail-orientated techy. Sticks misses a roll and then violently lunches at the standing pins, because she's insane. The episode manages to make a lame-seeming gag about fruitcake funny by pushing the absurdity even further, Sonic and the gang actually deciding to dine on the weaponized dessert. Overall, there's some inspired gaggery here. Such as Willy trying to sell bowling ball earrings on a home-shopping channel, Tree Guy being applauded for his collection of tree suits, or taking his hot date out to Meh Burger. That last one involves a bit about the bowling team getting a tie-ins meal at the fast food place, composed of meat slurry slopped onto a plate. That's not the best joke but I do applaud the animation team for making those Beef Bowls look truly disgusting. 

It's an episode that shouldn't work but ends up being a good time, largely because it's well written and packs its set-up with plenty of surprisingly weird japes. And, who knows, maybe bowling will find its way into more "Sonic" stuff in the future. Someday, they might make more of those "Sonic & Mario at the Olympics Games" titles that I've never actually seen anyone play. The bowling industry lobby – something that apparently exists! – keeps trying to convince the Olympic Committee to make the sport a regular part of the games. Perhaps these two threads of history will converge. Perhaps we'll see Sonic knock over some pins again and for Knuckles to angrily declare that he doesn't roll on Shabbos. Stranger things, like this episode being good, have happened. [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.30: Flea-ing from Trouble

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.30: Flea-ing from Trouble

Original Air Date: June 3rd, 2017

After they stymie his attempt to shoplift a candy bar from a department store, Eggman deploys his latest death machine against Sonic and the gang: The accurately named HugeBot. Despite – or actually because of – his hugeness, the robot is easily defeated. Since making his robots progressively bigger hasn't worked, Eggman goes the opposite route. He builds a series of tiny FleaBots, designed to latch onto Sonic and friends and reduce them to an itchy, uncomfortable mess. The scheme is wildly successful, until the heroes realize that they are dealing with Eggman-built robo-fleas and not your typical shitty ol' fleas. 

I speak from an experience when I say fleas are no joke. It's story time. Once, not too many years ago, I had an old dog whom I loved very much. I loved her so much, I let her sleep on the foot of my bed. When she started to scratch herself a bit, I didn't think anything of it. Dogs get itchy sometimes, ya know? However, I soon started to have a very intense, chronic itchiness on my legs, to the point where they were covered in scabs from constant scratching. It took me an embarrassingly long time to put two-and-two together and realize my dog had fleas and had spread them to my bedding. And here's some advice: If your pet catches fleas, spring for the expensive anti-flea solution right away. I tried a number of home remedies and cheaper options and they didn't accomplish much besides making my house smell like Christmas cookies. This is not a paid shilling from PetArmor, I am a genuine enthusiastic user of their product. 

The point of this meandering diatribe is that I relate to Sonic and friends' pain in this episode. A constant itchiness is quite distracting from your daily life. Having said that, it's also fairly low-stakes as far as supervillainous schemes go. You can't imagine Lex Luther using this one on the Justice League. (Though maybe the Bug-Eyed Bandit would...) That speaks to one of the best running jokes of this show: The sheer pettiness of Eggman as a bad guy. His entire scheme begins with him wanting to eat too many chocolate bars. He's even willing to pay for them at first, simply objecting to the high price! That's not very evil of you, Eggsy. While this version of Eggman has certainly expressed a desire to brutally murder Sonic from time to time, it seems he's much more satisfied simply inconveniencing his archenemy. Which is an amusing subversion of your typical action/adventure cartoon plots, which is definitely the main running joke of "Sonic Boom" by now. 

It's a solid gag to build your eleven-minute-long cartoon around. Writer Marie Beardmore, previously of "Strike!," manages to cook up a number of amusing scenarios based on this set-up. While most "Boom" episodes derive their comedy from pithy sarcasm and hyper-verbal bickering, "Flea-ing from Trouble" focuses on elaborate physical comedy. Tt actually works well. A scene where all the members of Team Sonic pretend not to have fleas, while cooking up increasingly silly distractions so they can scratch themselves, is a good example of good ol' fashion goofiness. Even when facing off with Eggman, the gang is preoccupied with easing the infernal itching they feel. This results in a scene of Knuckles doing the Curly Shuffle. And I ain't gonna lie to you, that made me snort-laugh. Never underestimate the comedic power of a big doofus running around in a circle on the ground while making a silly noise! 

That commitment to pratfalls leads to another surprising scene. Upon realizing that they are dealing with robotic fleas, and that smashing Eggman's robots usually works, Team Boom begins to pummel the shit out of each other. If you are an overgrown man-child who watches a lot of children's cartoons despite being an adult, you might have noticed an odd bit of reoccurring censorship. Usually, when characters on a cartoon show punch each other, the actual fist-on-skin impact is often covered by a flash of white light on screen. Once you've noticed this trend, you start to see how common it is. "Sonic Boom" wasn't immune to this and the punching scene makes it clear, as almost every strike is obscured in this manner. (Perhaps revealing another reason behind the commonality of the "cartoon brawl turning into a whirling cloud of smoke" trope, which is also used here.) One assumes this kids' TV standard is another guard against what they call "imitable behavior," an attempt to keep impressionable young'uns from socking each other in the jaw. It's a silly tactic, as it does nothing to disguise what's going on. I guess it's not a hard rule either here. While the fight scene features lots of these white flashes, a lingering close-up of Sonic upper-cutting Knuckles in the gut goes uncensored. I guess you can show full-on punching in a kids' show as long as it's funny. Which this is, showing that all you need to get a laugh sometimes is people bashing each other over their head for little reason.

What I'm saying is this episode provides plenty of yuks. Sticks' reaction to Cubot and Orbot attempting to stealthily add the fleas to her hovel is another solid gag. As is the local law enforcement reacting to Sonic and the others having parasites by instantly quarantining them. This might be a less funny reality in a post-COVID era, when we've all had to self-quarantine for a while. It does expose another amusing element of this setting: After the good guys are hidden off, Eggman runs rampant over the village. This forces Mayor Fink and the police to beg Team Sonic to come back, prompting Knuckles to ask why can't the police defend things for once. Drawing attention to another bit of the show's depressingly realistic satire, that cops are so useless and corrupt that they can't be relied on to keep the public safe. Not that I support the notice of a group of vigilantes being called upon to safeguard the populace but I certainly understand the instinct. 

Also, is it just me or is this episode hornier than usual? I mean, I know I'm a deviant degenerate into all sorts of unspeakable sex acts that would attract the attention of Google's arbitrary censorship droids if I described them in any detail. But did the writers know what they were doing when they wrote a scene of Sonic putting a collar on Amy's neck, only to have this fact humiliatingly exposed to a crowd? Or when Knuckles and Sticks moan in ecstasy when Eggman's robots are grinding on them? It's not just my perverted imagination, right? You guys see this too? Either way, we do get a scene of Knuckles flexing for Perci, suggesting some mating displays and interspecies bonding is on the minds of the characters in this episode. Whether this was intentional or not, it's good to see "Boom" carrying on the proud tradition of a "Sonic" cartoon, unwittingly or not, triggering some disturbing fetish in a young budding furry somewhere. 

Anyway, "Flea-ing from Trouble" is a funny episode. Sometimes, "Sonic Boom" doesn't leave me with much to say other than I laughed a few times. Comedy is hard to write about! If nothing else, "Flea-ing from Trouble" does nicely carry on the show's tendencies, gives the characters plenty of amusing things to do, and cooks up some solid gags. You don't need much more than that, sometimes. Keep yourself and your pets flea free, my friends. [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.29: Robots from the Sky Part 4

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.29: Robots from the Sky Part 4

Original Air Date: May 27th, 2017

As May of 2017 neared its end, "Sonic Boom's" "Robots from the Sky" four-parter reached something like an epic conclusion. After fishing him out of a frozen lake, Eggman patches HypnoBot back up. The two are soon united by their mutual hatred of Tails and Sonic. They combine their forces for a full-scale invasion of Morristown. Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks hitch a ride to the city in the sky on FiendBot. The robotic civilians fall under HypnoBot's sway and quickly overwhelmed Team Sonic. That's when, hiding inside the lead-lined bunker, Bolts has a crazy idea. He builds robotic copies of Sonic and the gang but gives them organic brains, cloned from the original, in order to make them immune to HypnoBot's control. Will even this cavalry be enough? 

Aside from balancing comedy and action fairly well, what has made the "Robots from the Sky" arc compelling up to this point is that it had a little more thematic weight to it than your usual "Boom" episodes. The question of robotic personhood in the face of evil machinations and what responsibility a creator has to its creation always floated beneath the surface, adding a bit more substance to this smashy-smashy yuk-yuk kids show. Unfortunately, all of this is tossed out in the final part. Any discussion of whether Tails holds any fault for HypnoBot's turn towards villainy or the implication of the robot uprising being justified are dismissed. HypnoBot is unambiguously the bad guy. Everything Sonic and the gang do is unambiguously the right thing. Bad is vanquished. Good triumphs. Yada yada.

The part of all these big heroic moments that makes my brain is itch is the ease with which Mighton and Bolts smash other robots. In the first episode, simply seeing Sonic and the other fleshies crush some Badniks was enough to convince the Morristown duo to attack them. Now, they are fighting alongside Team Boom and happily participating in this slaughter of other robotic beings. I guess it's okay if they are attacking you too? It's somewhat disappointing to realize that Mighton doesn't actually stand up for all robots everywhere, only those that are on his side. Kind of makes Morristown seem like less utopian and more like any other assholes country, with its narrow-minded patriots and obsession with self-defense. That seeing the good guys destroy other machines is never questioned proves definitively that any themes of robotic rights in this story arc were purely accidental. 

In cartoons and comic books and the like, it's common for supervillains with otherwise contradicting viewpoints to team up against their common heroic foe. Even if it ends with Magneto sealing the Red Skull up in an underwater jail cell, it's plausible enough that bad guys would put aside their differences and unite against the heroes they all hate. Yet HypnoBot ignoring the obvious issues he would have with Eggman, because they both hate Tails, bugs me. I suppose HypnoBot is not actually about robotic liberation. He had no problem with enslaving the residents of Morristown and the other Badniks to his will. Still, that he align himself with Eggman – serial abuser of Cubot and Orbot, someone who only sees robots as his tools and lackies – seems unlikely. Maybe he was planning on betraying Eggman the minute he retook Morristown and smashed the heroes. Would've been nice if that could have been hinted at or something, in the name of consistency. 

I suppose dramatic density being tossed out in favor of crowd-pleasing theatrics is not uncommon for any last act. And you know what pleases the crowd, if the crowd is composed of Sonic fans? Robotic doubles! Metal Sonic remains easily the most popular secondary villain in the entire franchise. For years, fans cried out for cybernetic copies of Tails and Amy to be featured in the games, finally getting their wish kind of granted with "Sonic Superstars" last year. In this context, "Sonic Boom" devoting time to robotic duplicates of its furry heroes isn't unexpected. Unlike the horde of metal doppelgangers Eggman has cooked up, these are good robot us'es. They don't look that different from the regular "Boom" models. To the point where they could feasibly be alternate skins in a video game or something. Still, giving the good guys mirror images of themselves to play off of leads to some good moments. Sticks and her equally paranoid cyborg double interacting, their initial suspicions leading way to agreements, is a really good gag. 

Even with those moments, the focus is definitely on action here. The episode even features several slow-motion, Zack Snyder style, beats when Sticks is lunging into battle or Sonic is facing down a rocket punch. When Tails brings his wrench down on HypnoBot's telepathic antenna, the moment is replayed from several angles. Which seems to emphasize that this is an underwhelming way to defeat the main villain of the story. That's exactly the kind of self-aware joke I'd expect "Boom" to make but the scene is seemingly presented sincerely. After the action has been surprisingly decent in the last three episodes, nothing here is as memorable. (If still better than the average "Boom" battle scene.) At Sonic's injured leg is still milked for a little tension. Putting Sonic at a disadvantage is always an underrated move to make, even if it only amounts to a few seconds here. 

Ultimately, the focus on action over comedy here makes me wonder if the Denton/Hahn/Friedberger trio didn't run out of steam a little in the last part. The handful of jokes here are notably not as sharp as the humor from the last two. A bit at the beginning, where Tails is in awe over the identical buildings of Morristown, leads to a predictable payoff. A one-liner from Knuckles about leg day is weak. Most of Eggman and HypnoBot's banter did not move me. There are a few amusing moments. Knuckles randomly asking if his robot double can wear a bolo tie is amusing. (A joke they should've followed up on by actually giving Cyber Knucks a bolo tie.) Like I said, Sticks' paranoid diatribes usually make me chuckle. I'm not a Sonic/Amy guy but they get some flirty moments here that are genuinely adorable. And, hey, Cowbot still lives!

However, "Robots from the Sky Part 4" feels like a somewhat disappointing conclusion to what had been a very good story up to this point. I guess a plot full of interesting ideas collapsing into uninspired punching and fighting at the end is not uncommon for action/adventure stories. People expect the explosions, so it must be delivered on. Still, a little more insight into how these events effect everyone's attitudes towards their robotic brethren would've been nice. Even with "Boom" featuring more continuity in season two, I'll be surprised if Morristown and it's residents come back in any meaningful way. (And the civilians of Hedgehog Village learning to stand up for themselves will definitely be forgotten, probably by the next episode.) I guess three outta four isn't bad, all things considered. A somewhat underwhelming wrap-up to an otherwise ambitious story is, I suppose, still part of that ambitious story. [6/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.28: Robots from the Sky Part 3

Sonic Boom, Episode 2.28: Robots from the Sky Part 3

Original Air Date: May 20th, 2017

If I was a griping man – which, of course, I am – I would point out that "Robots from the Sky" has barely been a four parter. The truth is, it's only been the last episode and this one that clearly connect. The first part stands alone on its own fairly well, if you ignore that cliffhanger. Still, I guess it speaks to the writers' skills that they realized a whole episode was necessary to introduce the concept of Morristown and spend a minute developing Mighton and Bolts as characters. You can certainly imagine that information being rushed through in one of these later installments but, this way, it all breathes a little more. 

Anywho, "Robots from the Sky Part 3" has Sonic and Tails stepping into Morristown and immediately attracting the attention of some pissed-off robots. They soon meet up with the small resistance, led by Mighton and Bolts, protected from the violent malware by staying inside a lead-lined room. (That's not how malware works but just go with it.) They send the fleshies on a mission to confront the leader of this robot rebellion. Tails is shocked to see that it's a machine built in his own image: HypnoBot, after being blown sky high at the end of "Robot Battle Royale," was rescued by the Morristown robots. They rebuilt him, gave him a mind of his own, and now HypnoBot is using his powers to seek revenge. As Sonic and Tails confront the mechanic villain, the rest of Team Sonic attempts to defend the village from his minions. 

Previously, I said that a robot rebellion in this show plays with the idea that maybe Sonic and the gang have been ruthlessly murdering artificial beings with souls and personality all this time. Maybe such a revolt was actually understandable, justified even. I didn't expect Alan Denton, Greg Hahn, and Bill Freiberg to address these ideas in future installments. Yet the big reveal in "Part 3" actually does touch upon them some. Having HypnoBot be the machine responsible for this uprising makes Tails' inaction towards his own creation responsible for all this pain and suffering. He is Dr. Frankenstein and HypnoBot is his monster. He was created to destroy other robots, an elaborate trash compactor never intended to feel any sorrow for the trash it compacts. Tails never considered that his cast-offs might have a second life after he throws them away. Thematically, it's actually quite rich that the hero made a machine designed to control other machines, wasn't all that upset when it was seemingly destroyed, and now that machine is back to seek vengeance. Not just for itself but for all robots that have been similarly discarded. Having one of the good guys indirectly be tied to this entire affair makes it clear that maybe they aren't always in the right. Maybe the people who thought they were doing good have actually been committing horrible deeds by never confronting their own bias and strictly organic-centric worldview. 

I don't to want to give this children's show too much credit. Down on the ground, Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks still smash up Eggman's Badniks without it being depicted as anything but a justified act. HypnoBot is treated only as a deranged extremist, never as an ensouled machine that possibly has a good point. Moreover, Tails is basically cleared of any wrongdoing by two lines of dialogue: He specifically says that he didn't build HypnoBot with any sense of sentience. This was added to him when the Morristown residents rebuilt him. See, kids, Tails would never intentionally give one of his slaves a soul! That means it's okay that he treats them like trash! So maybe this entire four-parter wasn't inspired by the idea that Sonic and the gang constantly smashing Eggman's robots is kind of fucked-up. I guess I'm probably – big shocker here – overthinking it. Or maybe the writers realize they better step back and make sure everyone's favorite cute little pudgy two-tail vulpine wasn't passing out souls like Snickers on October 31st. 

Maybe Denton/Hahn/Freidberg missed the implication their premise unknowingly brought up. Either way, bringing back HypnoBot as the master planner behind this scheme is a good reveal. Namely because I had completely forgotten about this guy. In my review of "Robot Battle Royale," I even call it "an average episode." Out of the eighty episodes of this show I've watched and reviewed, such an installment is destined to sink into the recess of the memory. Bringing back a minor character from a past episode is another good example of how this four-parter represents "Boom" becoming something like a serialized program. Honestly, it mirrors how the Archie "Sonic" comic evolved somewhat, a gag series slowly bringing back little one-off jokes in order to form an actual history. This episode also sees the return of Og and Cowbot, two other characters I figured we wouldn't see again. (Also glad to see that the injustice of Cowbot being senselessly murdered was retconned.) I know "Robots from the Sky" only happened so the animators could reuse some seemingly one-off models. However, this strictly mercenary plan ended up further turning this silly show into something like a growing fictional world. Moreover, HypnoBot's super powers actually make a lot of sense for a villainous application. I said as much in my "Robot Battle Royale" review, saying it was a show-breaking power. Glad someone else saw that potential. 

There's another reason this episode is surprising beyond plucking a random robot out of a past episode to be the big bad. Sonic and Tails actually loose a fight in this episode! When up against the controlled robots in Morristown, Tails gets his tails trapped by a snare, keeping him from flying. Sonic, meanwhile, takes several blows to his shins, impeding his running. He even takes a gnarly looking stomp to the leg afterwards. Here, we see antagonists on this show actually attacking the sources of Sonic and Tails' superpowers, a strategy that bad guys on a show that wasn't a goofy sitcom could employ more often. Either way, seeing one of the fights on "Sonic Boom" have actual stakes is unexpected, much less to see Sonic and Tails actually take an L. I mean, HypnoBot is defeated but I still think this represents a hard loss for the heroes. 

That's what is going on in the sky though. What about the shenanigans in the village? Knuckles, Amy, and Sticks definitely come close to being overwhelmed. They are surrounded by robots at one point, a clear dramatic moment. Knuckles ends up turning the tide by convincing the villagers to fight back, instead of just fleeing in terror. Obviously, "Boom" being a comedic show, this is a farcical moment. Knuckles' rousing speech doesn't speak to the villagers' inner heroism or better nature. Instead, he says the robots are going to mess up all their stuff. Basically, Knuckles appeals to their selfishness. Obviously, this joke is an inversion of the typical heroic speech that gives the witless villagers the strength to fight back. Yet it also continues the depiction of everyone in town as totally myopic and self-centered. At this point, that has gone from a little comedic subversion to simply an established characteristic of the show. Everyone in Hedgehog Village fucking sucks. (That extends to the police force, who pointedly flee in terror when faced with a threat. Reminding you once again that Sonic Says ACAB.)

Speaking of reoccurring elements of this show that I repeatedly reference as a way to explore ideas and themes that personally interest me! Eggman doesn't have much to do in this episode. The first time we see him, he's sitting alone in his base, wearing a bathrobe, and eating store brand cereal. He even had a line about how pathetic he is, that he can't keep his own minions under control. I know I've made the observation that Eggman's super egotism and desire for control speaks to some obvious self-doubt. Yet this scene is the first where I've wondered if Eggman is, like, genuinely depressed. Once you start thinking about his life in this light – that he has to build people to spend time with him – his existence starts to feel really bleak. Poor guy. His Mombot should check in on him more often. 

Compared to the first two parts of "Robots from the Sky," this one is a little less jam-packed with sarcastic one-liners. Seems to me that Denton and Hahn actually got invested in the action/adventure plot some! However, that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of jokes here. The scene with Mighton packs in quite a lot of goofs on his mixed metaphors. Jabs are taken at Comedy Chimp getting divorced, condescending laughter, or FriendBot's name. However, the jokes and gags here are strong. A moment where Bolts says he's "transferring a map wirelessly" before physically handing Tails the map is like something out of a classic Mel Brooks flick. Grade-A jappery. The scene of Sonic and Tails attempting to navigate Morristown's innards, being pleased to meet some strangers in a dark alleyway, denying they were loitering, and HypnoBot providing a sick burn about any perceived coolness Tails may have are solid laughers. It's really almost as if pairing the comedy with some strong plotting and some actual stakes in the action scenes makes it funnier or something! 

This story isn't quite over, as the final scene prepares us for one more round with HypnoBot. Going into this four parter, I was skeptical if the show could actually pull off a more story-driven angle but, even one away from the end, I'm willing to call this experiment a success. The action has been better, the writing has been better, and even the jokes have been funnier. Honestly, I'm starting to wish "Boom" had taken this approach a lot more often. This is easily the best installment of what has been a strong story arc. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 71

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 71

Publication Date: July 31st, 2024

The internet moves so fast these days. The biggest movie of the summer comes out and, two days later, clips of it from shaky cellphone bootlegs are all over social media. A new installment of a comic book drops and the fandom is already overturning all its events within a few hours. All the surprises get spoiled immediately. If you don't read the book the minute it comes out or see the movie the day of its release, all the cool shit is going to be ruined for you. People used to care about spoilers around here! This is a long winded way of me saying that I didn't get a chance to read issue #71 of IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic until today, two days after it was released, and I already felt like I was massively behind. I don't know what this says about fandoms in the year 2024, that nobody can wait to discuss things politely, all of us operating under the assumption that everyone has immediate access to everything. Perhaps it speaks to the unrelenting speed with which all aspects of our culture move in a world where the internet rules our lives...

And you know what else is fast? Sonic the Hedgehog! Let's talk about his comic book! The Clean Sweepstakes race continues, the participants moving through a misty valley full of dangerously steep mountaintops. To add to the danger, participants can now sling dodgeballs at each other. Naturally, the Phantom Rider makes an appearance, acting even more antagonistic than usual. This is a surprise for Sonic, who is in disguise and lurking on the sidelines. Yes, Mimic is trying to add to the confusion and chaos. The shifty octopus ends up revealing Sonic's identity to Tangle, Whisper, and the Babylon Rogues. The groups consider what to do with this information. Meanwhile, Surge and Kit continue to ponder their newfound popularity while Tails and Amy come uncover the truth. 

Issue 71 is one full of action and incident. The meat of the comic is occupied with all the contest, the Phantom Rider's appearance once again immediately causing chaos and violence on the track. This guy is so distracting that his appearance instantly draws attention away from the race itself. Who cares about that when we have a masked villain creating mischief? The high stakes lead to a number of dramatic reveals, Sonic's cover being blown. Meanwhile, Amy and Tails rescue Belle, who accidentally reveals that Clutch orchestrated this entire event for shady reasons. What I'm saying is there's a lot of stuff happening in this issue. 

You would think the suspenseful action/adventure antics would be what is driving fandom discussion around this issue. That is not the case. Instead, it is some quiet character interactions that prove to be the most compelling aspect of this comic. When Tangle sees Sonic's face behind the Phantom Rider's mask, she's stunned. How can the Restoration's greatest hero be secretly operating as such a public nuisance? That's when Whisper shows her some video she recorded with her mask – a very convenient development, I'll add – that reveals there are two Phantom Riders. Tangle is overjoyed, since this suggests Sonic might not be a crook after all. Even though this conversation is largely plot focused and centered around another character, Tangle and Whisper's closeness makes this moment so much more interesting. It feels like Whisper is, once again, showing her vulnerability and Tangle, like always, embraces her. That gesture makes it clear that Tangle accepts her, no matter what, and that is fucking adorable. I love these lesbians. 

As utterly endearing as that moment is, another scene is even better. After the action is over for the day, Surge and Kit are approached by an adorable moppet. The kid fangirls all over Surge in that adorably kid-like way. Once again, it gives Surge pause. This is what Evan Stanley is good at as a writer: Showing the little ways characters can evolve and grow. Surge has built her whole life around this image of herself as a ruthless bad-ass with no use for society's rules. She's the definition of "acting out for attention" taken to supervillain extremes. Now she's getting praised for being a good guy. She's learning she doesn't have to settle for "If you don't love me, you'll hate me instead." Quietly, she's starting to question her whole personality. Character development happening, right before our very eyes! That this is spurned in by a child – who is as friggin' cute as they could possibly get them – makes the interaction more precious. Acts of unprompted kindness mean a lot to someone bred for cruelty.  

If Stanley has a real talent for characters interacting, her plotting still feels a little obvious and slapdash at times. From the moment "Duo the Cat" showed up at Restoration HQ, I've been waiting for someone to point out how suspicious he is. This has been followed by Jewel letting barely reformed criminals Surge and Kit into the club, before participating in a public event orchestrated by obvious criminal Clutch. At the very least, our heroes seem to be catching on to what is happening. Belle helps confirm Amy's suspicion that Clutch – who looks and acts like a child's cartoon imagining of what a crime boss looks like – might actually be a crime boss. Mimic mucking about with the Phantom Rider is a plot point I don't feel entirely satisfied about. However, it does feel like a step towards that particular storyline reaching a head. Hopefully we are getting there soon. 

The strengths of this issue cover up its biggest flaw, which is that this arc hasn't been much more than a chaotic jumble of subplots. Stanley is doing a much better job at juggling the large cast amid elaborate action scenes here than she did in "Urban Warfare." If only because the rest periods between races allow for a natural breathing room. However, we are still being asked to follow, by my count, between four and six different storylines at this moment. All of these divergent plot points are obviously being set up for a bigger resolution, within the next issue or so. Yes, this is another comic book primarily about setting up future comic books. It's not bad, necessarily, but sometimes you can feel the gears moving a little more than perhaps you should. 

With so much going on, some storylines will clearly be focused on over others. Sonic got some juicy emotional scenes last issue. In #71, he doesn't do much of anything because get punked by Mimic while buzzing around on his floating cheese wheel. Though there is a neat panel, where we see half of his face through the Phantom Rider helmet, that reminds me of a trick they would pull in old Spider-Man comics any time Peter Parker felt his secret identity was in trouble. 

I also question the timeline here a bit. Issue 71 picks up immediately on the cliffhanger issue 70 ended on, with Tails and Amy discovering Belle bound and gagged in a locker. After that initial moment, the other tendrils of the story continue. Which makes me wonder how long Any and Tails have been on the supply ship? It sort of seems like two days have passed in-between scenes there. Further more, how much longer are they going to be stuck up there? All the other plot threads are advancing at a normal rate while Tails and Amy are moving in snail time. 

Temporal paradoxes aside, Stanley continues to successfully chip away at my indifference towards Jet and the Babylon Rogues. I still don't think I'm particularly invested in this trio. However, playing up the burning jealousy Jet feels towards Sonic is a compelling angle to explore. When he discovers that the person he considers his greatest rival is behind the mask of this wanted menace, Jet goes into a more scheming mode. He clearly has his eye not just on defeating Sonic on the racetrack but also torpedoing his public reputation. If the focus continues to be on Jet's obsessive desire to be better than Sonic, he might become a genuinely interesting villain yet. Anybody else imagining some Robert DeNiro-esque backstory for Jet now, where he is a former Sonic fanboy whose admiration turned to a dangerous fixation? Just me? Alright, good to know. 

It's a good looking issue too! Min Ho Kim on pencils and Reggie Graham on colors are becoming a very reliable team. Belle's flashback have a cool, gritty filter over them. The use of mist and shadows during the mountain chase sequence are especially nice. Adds a fittingly spooky vibe to that sequence. Kim's facial expressions are very strong too. The little look Surge gives Kit after the kid talks to her conveys a lot of conflicted emotions. (Though the Babylon Rogues going full Big Mouth Billy Bass every time they are shocked is perhaps a bit much.) The issue also ends with a surprisingly creepy close-up on Clutch's face. I do wish the fight scene between Tangle and Whisper and Surge and Kit – oh yeah, that's a thing that happens too – was a little clear. There's a few too many blue, translucent superpowers in that scene. Gets a tad confusing. 

While I don't think this issue is as strong as the proceeding one, the parts are greater than the whole here. The page devoted to Surge and the kid, or Tangle and Whisper's cuddle time, are absolutely precious. They are so good that they elevate the rest of the book around them. Whether Stanley can carol this collection of subplots towards a satisfying ending remains to be seen. Honestly, I'm skeptical if she'll be able to. However, this particular arc has been worth it solely because of smaller, touching moments like those. [7/10]