Category: Lifestyles

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Puhoy” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: April 8, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Tom Herpich & Steve Wolfhard

Puhoy is arguably one of the most theoretical episodes to date. I’ve seen more diverse interpretations for this one than any other episode, and for good reasons. It’s a purely heady fantasy adventure that once again touches on Finn’s entrance into puberty and his growth, and one that does a pretty fantastic job at that. I’ll be honest, even after several viewings of this one, I’m not sure exactly what I’m supposed to gather from it, but I mean that in the very best way, as this is one that continues to intrigue and interest me on multiple viewings after.

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As a knifestorm rains down on the Treehouse, Finn contemplates his relationship with Flame Princess and the current state that it’s in. Apparently it’s in the midst of a disaster, mainly because FP didn’t laugh at one of Finn’s jokey joke jokes, which makes Finn seriously consider ending the relationship over such a small debacle. It is interesting to see Finn in such a state of independence; as we’ve seen in the past, and as we will see in the future, Finn is usually much more dependent on Flame Princess than she is to him, so seeing him quite confidently acknowledge that he should end the relationship is certainly remarkable. Obviously I don’t think his confidence in this decision would last, and I think it’s totally something he would later regret in a few days, but it still strikes me as interesting that he shows no fear of potentially losing her. Jake gracefully tries to show Finn the error of his attitude, showing that getting hung up on issues that Finn himself has created in his mind won’t get him anywhere. He demonstrates this by tossing his favorite mug out the window, thereby releasing any emotional connection he had to it and not allowing it to cloud his attention. This is retconned later on when Jake reels the mug back in, showing that the desire to resist what your heart tells you and the resistance of persisting thoughts aren’t as easy as they seem. This is why Finn, who usually heeds to Jake’s advice, instead chooses to take time to “fester” and enters the pillow fort.

The pillow fort quickly turns into a pillow world, and Finn finally finds himself in an enchanted universe. The pillow world is adorable and lots of fun. The episode is quite creative in showcasing some terrific and colorful backgrounds, as well as some really nice looking designs. The Pillow World commits to everything being made of pillows to a tee, from Finn eventually gaining a robotic pillow arm (FORESHADOWING!!!!!) and the various textures on the inhabitants’ clothes and body parts. It all looks really lovely, and is one of my personal favorite locations in the entire series, purely on a visual level. There’s something quite whimsical feeling about it, and again, “whimsical” is a fascinating adjective to use when describing a world literally made out of pillows. But, as usual, the background artists really did their damndest to make this world feel authentic, and it pays off tremendously.

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But the real meat of the episode, however, is Finn’s experience within the Pillow World. Finn practically lives his life all in one packaged day: getting married, having kids, forgetting his younger self, and even eventually dying. It’s the type of a mindfuck premise that really kind of makes me wonder how much of it is happening in real-time, much like the premise of Hall of Egress later on. Mindfucks aside, I just genuinely enjoy seeing an older version of Finn, and I’m pretty sure it’s exactly how anyone had envisioned him. He’s a buff, masculine, bearded hero with a missing arm. That last part always makes me question what exactly was sharp enough in the pillow world to actually physically slice his arm off, but I’m probably reading too far into things. Besides that, I really love his family as well! His relationship with Roselinen doesn’t get a ton of development, as expected in a marriage that only spans the course of eleven minutes, but there’s something about the way the two work off of each other that makes it seem so… believable.

And I think that’s the best way to describe everything and everyone that Finn encounters in the Pillow World: believable. Whether this world is reality or not, I have no trouble believing that Finn would be a sexy, buff hero as a grown man, that he would have an honest and understanding wife, as well as two well-raised children. It actually has you kind of rooting for Finn to stay in the Pillow World at times, just because it seems like he’s created a comfortable living space for himself here. And there’s plenty of nice little tidbits, including the fact that Finn’s children are named “Jay” and “Bonnie,” which is especially endearing considering that, even after however many years Finn has spent in the Pillow World, he still holds a deep admiration for PB in his heart. Also a subtle moment, but I actually like the brief moment of sadness Roselinen experiences when Quilton reveals to Finn a possible way to escape their world. I just love that they did take the time to give this character some real depth and sympathetic traits. Even if the relationship is based on fantasy and that we want Finn to return home and acknowledge the error of his ways with his current/past girlfriend, Roselinen is someone who still put her all into getting to know Finn, marrying him, and giving birth to their two children, and although she acknowledges later on that she knew that Finn would have to leave eventually, she had settled into a terrific life with him. Though. Finn himself isn’t able to see that because of his lingering thoughts of wanting to go home. Roselinen proves to be one of the most emotionally mature and sound love interests he’s experienced even since the moment they danced to an instrumental of Let Me Show You Something Special, though Finn is once again more hung up on the past than the present in front of him.

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It boils down to Finn meeting up with “the oracle” Rasheeta, who really just seems like some crazy old man with bowel issues. It’s an enjoyable interaction, mostly carried by the voice work of Wallace Shawn, who I’m still glad got to lend his unique voice to a show like AT. I also really dig that “tea leaves” joke. Once Finn departs Rasheeta’s home, and states that he must “fester a bit,” mirroring his line earlier in the episode, he begins to acknowledge that, perhaps instead of focusing all of his attention on the troubles he’s faced with, perhaps he should just kick back and allow himself to accept life for what it is and allow the unknown to enter. Even as Finn recounts Jake’s message to him prior, he realizes that he isn’t even able to recall the interaction completely, and his warped sense of memory won’t do him any good when it comes to making worthwhile decisions. It’s here where Finn simply allows himself to let go of the past and focus on the positive connections that better his life, not the troubling thoughts that plague him from developing further.

This proves beneficial to Finn until his very last days, where he is surrounded by those who love and care for him. It’s a moment that is a bit touching, though it mostly focuses on being silly and light. I mean, even if our main protagonist is technically dying, we all know he isn’t actually just going to be killed off, so we spend more time enjoying Finn as an old coot, until he dies and enters some form of Dead World. Here, he’s met with a demon-like character known as GOLB, who is featured in subsequent episodes and may or may not be the big bad that kicks off the entire series. But we’ll see, I guess?? Finn’s only interaction with this deity is a brief bounce off of his tongue, as he re-enters the reality he left behind in Ooo. And if I had to guess, I’d probably have to say that the Pillow World Finn entered was real, and Finn’s interaction with GOLB simply erased that reality from his timeline and memory. Though, Finn is presumably met with a lesson at hand when Flame Princess does call to acknowledge how funny Finn’s joke was. He doesn’t recall a single thing that happened in his “dream” but the call from FP showed him that he was simply overreacting, and that viewing anything with an attitude of acceptance and patience is really much more worthwhile and mentally beneficial than creating drama and alternate versions of reality within the realm of your mind. That’s what I got out of it, at least. I’m sure y’all have plenty more interpretations yourselves, so feel free to share!

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And I neglected to mention the brief glimpses we get into BMO and Jake straight chillin’ within the Treehouse, which are just as terrific. They range from silly to somewhat poignant, where we get some funny and enjoyable lines like, “Jake, you drive a hard burger;” BMO’s incapability to grasp the human language never tires on me. There’s also a totally out of nowhere scene where BMO asks Jake if he misses his babies, and Jake just sadly grunts, which actually is pretty effective. We haven’t heard anything about the kids for 10 or so episodes, so it’s nice to see that they are acknowledging that Jake isn’t quite over the fact that he didn’t have a proper chance to raise his children, and that it is affecting him in one way or another. Also, the Pillow World, while thoroughly enjoyable, was somewhat light on actual jokes, so it was nice to have these brief interludes with the Treehouse boys.

Overall, I really, really enjoy this one. It’s experimental in all the best ways, and a really interesting use of a fantastical scenario that focuses on a different aspect of Finn’s life. It’s no secret that this episode takes some inspiration from Star Trek: The Next Generation, right down to the fact that it has Jonathan Frakes voicing the adult Finn, but it does so in all the best ways. All of it is so compelling: adult Finn and his family are really interesting and likable, and provide for a very subtle and ambiguous story that doesn’t really focus on heroes and bad guys, but the trials of life and how they are dealt with. Even as an adult, Finn isn’t able to completely pinpoint his issue of being too obsessed with his issues. It’s a pretty nice motif that carries across the message that everyone in this world should stop taking everything so fucking seriously. Relax! Have sex with a pillow if you need to! Luckily enough, however, Finn was able to realize his faults before he turned fifty, and is able to continue a healthy and ethical relationship with Flame Princess…. For now. I have few problems with this one besides that brief moment at the beginning where CMO lands on top of BMO’s head, mainly because it makes absolutely no sense as to why he would be there besides for a cheap easter egg gag. Aside from that brief nitpick, this one is a considerably shiny gem to me.

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Favorite line: “You’re getting all hung up, all hung up on imaginary problems. You gotta focus on what’s real, man.”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“A Glitch is a Glitch” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: April 1, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: David OReilly

Hope everyone had a very happy holiday!! I was fortunate enough to get the sixth season of AT on DVD this year, so I don’t have to waste any more of the money I don’t have when I eventually get to season six in the future! I also took the time to rewatch A Glitch is a Glitch, which I have previously dubbed the “worst Adventure Time episode ever,” but surprisingly enough, I found myself responding to it a lot more tolerably this time around. I think this is only the second or third time I’ve ever seen it total, so it seems that time has been gracious for this one. Does that mean that I think that it’s good? Well, no, but I’ll explain.

It’s worth noting, of course, that this episode was written, directed, and animated entirely by Irish animator David OReilly. I had never seen any of his work before this episode, but have checked out most of his videos and short films afterwards, and if you haven’t seen any of them, I’d say they’re worth a watch. Most are creepy, surreal, and often nonsensical, but in a somewhat admirable way. You can check out his YouTube page here.

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Before I dig deeper into the episode, I might as well briefly discuss how I feel about the guest animated episodes as a whole. For the most part, I think a good chunk of them tend to be misfires. There are a few diamonds in the rough, but I find that most of the guest animator episodes tend to usually occupy my “bottoms” list as opposed to my “tops” list. That’s not to say that some of these episode don’t look great, as almost all of them are visual treats from what we’re normally used to in most given AT episodes. The main problem, however, is simply that it’s pretty hard to write for Adventure Time, and that’s an understatement. Pendleton Ward himself has said that finding the right artists and writers for the show was a process, as it took time to find people who could honestly show that they knew the show as well as Ward was able to. So while these guest animators and directors usually come in with fascination and the best intentions, I think it’s mostly a difficult process for them to grasp how to write for the series, while also incorporating their own unique stylistic choices. And unfortunately, while I think there’s clear effort put into this one, OReilly’s sense of humor really does not match this show or these characters.

In a writing sense, I didn’t find myself laughing at this one AT ALL. Some of these jokes and gags are really, really bad, and I felt like I was watching a completely different show at times. A fourth wall joke of Finn punching himself in the face? PB making out with her hand? PB and Jake’s ELBOWS flirting with each other? Yeah, I really fucking hate that last one, but a ton of these gags pose themselves as a lot more awkward and uncomfortable than actually humorous, and sometimes even betray the fabric of the world of this series by doing so. Yeah, it’s totally non-canon and everything, but again, I wouldn’t mind the cheats on reality if they were actually humorous. A majority of the jokes are very loud and overly long. Like, I didn’t laugh at the screaming donut man the first time he was shouting about his face, and I certainly didn’t laugh the two other times they attempted the same exact joke. And don’t even get me started on the “one second later…” gag. Good God, did that feel like a frustrating attempt to just fill time. There’s very few instances I can think of where Adventure Time has attempted this form of Family Guy lengthy gags, and for good reasons. AT is very quick and subtle in its humor and quips, which makes it stronger on rewatch value because there’s a good amount of jokes and lines you may have possibly glanced over. Here, there’s definitely more of a focus on milking gags as much as possible, and it really backfires. In terms of writing, it’s definitely this episode’s biggest weakness, and unfortunately, that’s a pretty big point.

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The dialogue of the characters wasn’t particularly bad or detrimental to their personalities, but also, I didn’t particularly love it either. Everybody was just… okay. Though I never really expect the guest animated episodes to be very character focused at all. Finn and Jake are their usual selves, as Ice King is, though not a particularly funny instance of his creepiness or loneliness. PB is interestingly very snarky throughout the entirety of this one, and it’s somewhat refreshing, though I didn’t particularly get into the lines that were given to her.

So I don’t like most of this one, but what do I like? Well, surprisingly enough, I really dig the animation! The colors are a pretty big eyesore, which many people have labeled as an error, though I feel like this may have been intentional on OReilly’s part, as some of his videos share the same issue. Color aside, the actual quality of the animation is pretty nice, and allows for some really nice visuals. The entire episode looks very fluid and polished, with some really fun detailed gags, like Ice King’s nasty ass hand, or the random details that Finn’s face acquires at one point. I also really enjoy how the episode incorporates the glitch into the visuals, with quite a few moments of faulty audio and a commonly pixelated looking screen that’s more interesting to look at than it is distracting. I think the animation and visuals alone add a bit of zest and quality to the entire episode, which is what I’m sure the guest animated episode’s main goal is.

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The landscapes also look nice. I really love the CG layout of the Candy Kingdom, especially how it incorporates actual extras in the Oooniverse. There isn’t just generic Candy citizens walking around, there’s full CG models of Mr. Cupcake and Chocoberry, which was a really nice touch on OReilly’s part. I also love the backgrounds in the space-computer-world, and the actual design of the glitch.

Touching on the authenticity of the story would be pointless; there’s no way in hell I believe any of this could actually happen in the world that Adventure Time takes place in, but the story allows for a lot of those nice visuals and the episode itself isn’t really considered canon to the universe, so it doesn’t really bug me at all. If a season nine episode was the plot of Slumber Party Panic, I’d say to myself, “there’s no way in hell that could realistically happen in Adventure Time’s universe,” but as silly as it is, it did happen. So I can’t really question this one.

It’s also worth nothing that this one did air on April Fool’s Day, so people often argue that the quality of the episode was an excuse to troll us, but I don’t really think that’s the case. I think this one was in production regardless of a set airdate, and then was just appropriately aired on April 1st to surprise/shock people. Because, if this is a prank episode, it honestly didn’t really do its damndest at being a “good” prank episode either.

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So I’m half and half on this one. I think the writing is probably too poor for this to actually be a passable episode, but the visuals are a lot of fun, and certainly helped me enjoy this one a lot more in subsequent views. Regardless of quality, I have to give my mans David OReilly some fuckin’ props. He was probably thrilled to get a chance to work with a show as popular as Adventure Time, let alone have complete creative control over an episode. It’s certainly not one I really like all that much, but that dude has a portion of my respect for being able to pull off that accomplishment at all.

Probably my favorite moment in the entire episode is the video Finn and Jake watch on their computer, which is actually also a video on OReilly’s YouTube channel. You can check out that disturbing and menacing creation here!

Favorite line: “You should wash your mouth!”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Simon & Marcy” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: March 25, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Rebecca Sugar & Cole Sanchez

“There’s so much that exists outside of show because it’s a post-apocalyptic future, which means that the present exists in the reality of this show. You have to extend this whole world back into the past and every that’s happening in it is real, and there’s so much that you didn’t see that’s implied to have happened, and that becomes real, but it also becomes something that you invent. So you have a personal ownership over everything that created Ooo, and it really does feel like your imagination because it’s asking you to imagine so much of it and connect all these dots.”

If this Rebecca Sugar quote sounds familiar to you, that’s because I used it for reference back in my I Remember You review to show how eloquently it went with the theme of the episode. Interestingly enough, this is a quote that I actually think works more against this episode than supports what it was going for. Yeah, this is one where my opinion might come off a little pretentious and douche-y. Whereas people have regarded I Remember You as the “really good episode that isn’t as good as everyone says it is,” that’s somewhat how I feel about Simon & Marcy. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s hard to argue that this episode isn’t at least good, but that is to say that it’s one I do have a lot of problems with, though this may just be on a personal level. Let’s dig right into it.

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First off, let’s address the bits I don’t like, and then we’ll gradually work our way towards the good stuff. I think my biggest issue with this episode is simply that, well, it’s one of Adventure Time‘s least surprising entries. This isn’t one where I was disappointed because it didn’t go the way I had wanted to, because that would simply be unfair to the episode itself, but this is one where I was disappointed because it went EXACTLY how I expected. And honestly, that’s a pretty surprising feat for any Adventure Time episode. Even an episode like I Remember You, where we all knew that Ice King and Marceline’s backstory would be explored in some shape or form, the way it was presented, as well as it being the most raw AT experience to date, was intriguing, to say the least. This one just plays as a straightforward backstory episode, and it’s certainly not presented badly at all, yet, it really makes me question the intent and purpose of this episode if it was just going to simply show us what we already could’ve pieced together on our own. Future episodes like Evergreen or Bonnibel Bubblegum, were both mainly backstory focused episodes, but they had their own unique twists and turns that saved them from potential predictability. Here, I could kind of gather exactly where it was going to go, what it had to say, and how the characters and relationship would be portrayed by the first second. It just seems a little too standard for Adventure Time‘s… standards.

Like the quote at the beginning of this post suggests, part of the fun of Adventure Time is piecing together the parts of the show we don’t see. We never got to see how PB and Marceline became friends, but we still believe that they were close and are even able to share our own interpretations of how they got together and how they eventually separated. Similarly, we’ve never seen an episode of Simon and Betty’s married life, though we know they were in love and we feel the tragedy of their relationship regardless. Likewise, Simon and Marcy are two characters who, even without seeing this episode, you can gather a lot of their backstory from just looking at the evidence already at hand: Simon found Marceline during the fallout of the apocalypse, took care of her until the crown took over, and separated from Marcy for thousands of years. You can gather all of that from just simply watching I Remember You. So in a way, I think this one actually shows a little too much and goes beyond how much I actually feel like I’d need or want to see in terms of the Simon and Marcy arc, or, in a contradicting sense, not enough. It shows a good chunk, but nothing where I feel like I learned anything new or I’ve gained more insight into the actual Simon and Marcy story.

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And I wouldn’t mind it as much if the episode was a little more complex, say, if it had bits of Marcy and Simon’s relationship throughout a period of months (similar to the journal entries from Marcy’s Super Secret Scrapbook, how dope would that be?) but instead we’re left with what I consider to be a somewhat low stakes adventure as Simon tries to find chicken soup for Marceline and battles off oozers in the process. I think the boundaries could’ve been pushed even further, with Marceline’s sickness being more crucial than it seemed, and the inevitability of surviving after the war coming into question. Go full on Grave of the Fireflies on our asses! But again, that’s me wanting something from this episode that it clearly isn’t trying to accomplish. It’s trying to be a lighter tale that Marceline tells the boys and Ice King in order to keep the spirit of her and Simon’s relationship alive. But again, I really question whether this is the kind of expedition I wanted to see from the two old pals or if I actually learned anything new.

There’s also some nitpicks I have as well, mainly from a writing perspective. I think a lot of lines that they give Simon come off as really clunky and confusing on occasions. Probably the worst line of dialogue in the entire episode is when Simon first puts on the crown and states, “YOU WILL NO LONGER TERRIFY A 47-YEAR-OLD MAN AND A 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL.” I know it’s supposed to be Ice King speaking, and yeah, he’s crazy and everything, but by God, who the fuck talks like that? That line literally only exists to give us a frame of time as to how old Simon and Marcy are, and I wish they could’ve done away with it completely. Aside from that, there’s parts where… I think Simon is being quirky, but I can’t tell if that’s what they were going for or if it’s supposed to further show how he’s transforming into the Ice King. For example, the scene where he’s singing to Marceline, or when he asks her if she’d like a ride on his back. Like, I guess you could kind of suggest either; that he was being goofy and charming towards Marcy, or he was losing it a little bit while the crown took over, but I can never figure out which I’m supposed to feel. I guess that’s what makes it interesting, but it’s more confusing than intriguing for myself.

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Alright, before y’all raise your pitchforks and torches and burn me at the stake, I do LIKE this episode. The main factor that I enjoy about it is, surprise, surprise, the relationship between Simon and Marceline. They really are just adorable to watch, and yeah, it’s everything I expected them to be, but it still is enlightening to see them work off of each other so well. I honestly can’t praise Ava Acres enough, but she really does such a tremendous job portraying young Marcy. Everything she does, says, and feels is extremely endearing, and I really enjoy whenever she’s able to have some sort of part on the show. And I love how much this episode hammers in that Simon needs Marceline as much as Marcy needs him. Without Marceline, Simon would most likely have just given into the crown, and not even attempted to fight off its power, but he fights and does his all to make sure that Marceline’s safe. It’s a pretty beautiful relationship that the two have, and in contrast to my bitching prior, it really is what saves this episode and helps it land on its feet.

In addition to great voice acting from Acres, Tom Kenny does a superb job at giving Simon a quiet, likable charm to him. Just as Holly Jolly Secrets proved, Kenny is capable of more than just silly voices and wacky characters, and when he pulls off a competently serious performance, it really knocks things out of the ballpark. This is really the first time we get to see Simon in a full length episode as well, and aside from those moments I mentioned above, I do like how he’s portrayed as somewhat of an awkward father figure. I’d even suggest that, most of the time, he really doesn’t know what he’s doing. Of course, he puts his all into caring for Marceline no matter what it is, but instances such as when he’s trying to ride the motorcycle, which backfires, or the simple solution that he legitimately does believe that chicken soup will cure Marcy of her illness, shows that he isn’t the most competent person in his position, but it really only adds to his charm and likability. He most likely wasn’t ready to be a “father”, but pretty much had to given the circumstances around him.

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And my polarizing views aside, this one does have one of my favorite AT moments of all time, which is the inclusion of the Cheers theme song. Besides being an avid fan of Cheers myself, the way it’s used by Simon as a method of keeping his sanity and holding onto his own reality is quite brilliant and incredibly powerful to watch. The entire sequence is like a suckerpunch to the gut; as Simon softly begins the song, it quickly transpires into a frantic and violent melody that gets more distorted as it goes on, and then quickly returns to soft and solemn on the line “Where everybody knows your name,” where Simon realizes that he doesn’t even remember his own name, or at this point, Marcy’s for that matter. It’s a tragic scene that uses once again uses raw emotion and music to convey some really sound emotional drama.

There’s also some little bits I get into a lot, mostly with the backgrounds. This one is eye-candy galore, with some really nice debris and wreckage in the background that just really sucks ya into this apocalyptic world, and for the most part, it’s all visually interesting. I think pretty much all of us have that bridge implanted in our subconscious somewhere. While some of the humor can be a little awkward and out of place, some gags do get a laugh out of me. I like the birthday cards they have inside the soupery, and the Clambulance, as stupid as it is, is such a bizarre idea that I can’t help but snicker at the very concept of it. Also, some nice little chunks of lore with the inclusion of the gooey, bubblegum substance, which we wouldn’t really understand the meaning of until Bonnie & Neddy. Or Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW, if you got through the boring redundancy of that game, or just watched it on YouTube.

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So overall, despite what seems like many, many issues I have with this one, I do like it to a degree, just not as much as most people do. From a personal standpoint, the episode as a whole kind of defies what I believe is the fun, imaginative aspect of piecing parts together in the world of Adventure Time, but I am glad that we got to see the wonderful relationship that is Simon and Marcy. I could’ve easily believed they were as close as they’re portrayed without this episode, but it is nice that it exists for all the people who wanted to see what they were like together. It just so happens that it played out exactly how I thought it would and that hurt the element of surprise that AT so often excels at, but everything I expected is really sweet and enjoyable, and I’d be wrong to say that Simon and Marcy are portrayed badly otherwise. This was Rebecca Sugar’s last episode during her time on the show, and I think it was a goal for her to nuke us with emotional goodness for her final episode. It goes a little bit overboard and is slightly distracting for me, but I’m glad she left fans with such a sweet, heavy, tune filled episode that is pretty much everything any Adventure Time fan has ever wanted from Sugar. Nevertheless, thank you for some terrific entries the past few seasons, Rebecca! Your presence on the show is truly appreciated by all (sometimes to a pretty extreme degree). I conclude this review with a beautifully written selection of panels from Adventure Time Comics Issue #16, featuring Simon and Marceline. It made my heart grow heavy.

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Favorite line: “Yeah, lay down, Marceline, go to sleep! Right? What are we talking about?”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“The Great Bird Man” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: March 4, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Ako Castuera & Jesse Moynihan

Xergiok was a pretty one-note character during his first appearance in The Silent King, so it’s somewhat odd that they brought him back for another spotlight appearance in this one. I mean, it’s not completely out of the ordinary for AT to do; look at Magic Man, who started off as this really one-dimensional jerk and is now what I consider to be one of the show’s most complex characters. That goes for many of Adventure Time’s characters, to say the least, and with Jesse Moynihan behind the helm of this one, who is also behind giving Magic Man so much depth, it just ultimately seemed to make sense. However, this one kind of ends up just being pretty dull.

Part of the issue is, well, I just still don’t find Xergiok that interesting at all. He was okay in his first appearance, but I’m not sure as to why we’re supposed to care for him otherwise. I get what they’re going for here; I think the concept of someone attempting to change their life around after something drastic happens to them is a pretty interesting concept, and the idea of whether they’ve actually changed inside and out is always an intriguing inquiry. But again, I go back to my first statement that Xergiok isn’t really that interesting of a character, and it’s hard to sympathize with him at all when we barely know anything about him to begin with. This plot could’ve been done a lot better with maybe Ice King or even Magic Man, but it baffles me as to why they chose this character to be a representative for this theme.

The plot and motif also seem pretty weak as well. I’m not even really completely sure what to gather from it in the end. That you should leave your old life behind completely and never (literally) look back again? That change is hard, so you have to commit yourself fully to new ideas or you won’t be able to make a difference? I dunno, whatever it is, I couldn’t really gather anything that cohesive. I actually really do like the idea that Xergiok’s life turned around once he lost his sight, but I don’t feel like there were any interesting allegories or metaphors that actually came from it. Just a pretty straight forward story that ends more with a whimper than a bang.

I wouldn’t really desire a deeper meaning so much if this episode was fun, but sadly, I think it’s a bit middling when it comes to entertainment. It has its moments: I still fucking love the idea of Xergiok breastfeeding, and feel like it’s one of the most single shocking gross out jokes in the series. There’s also some good Finn and Jake moments as always, like Finn tossing the communicator that PB gave to him ala The Other Tarts or Jake discussing his cool ex-girlfriend that knew Braille, which I’m assuming is Monniker. There’s other jokey bits that don’t really work for me, like Xergiok’s psychedelic song in the sky, which I thought was just kind of dumb. I usually like whatever trippy and psychedelic shit JMoyns has to offer for this show, but Xergiok’s singing voice kind of kills it and the lyrics themselves aren’t that interesting or poetic. I also thought the ending, which was funny on an absurdist level that also tied the beginning and the end together, was somewhat of a lazy conclusion to Xergiok’s story. I like it in the sense that it offers the simple solution to loneliness, which is finding someone to be with, but it was clearly thrown in there as a silly finishing gag that doesn’t really address Xergiok’s still remaining issues at all.

I actually really like the backdrops in this one. Time of day plays a really big part with the sky scenes, as we get to see nightfall, sunrise, sunset, daytime, and a lot of different brightly colored backgrounds that just look lovely. I also like the designs of the birds as well. They could’ve easily made regular birds look gigantic, but in typical AT fashion, they’ve created some really unique looking feathered friends, with giant noses and pointed ears. I also enjoy how they’re all named after flavors and tastes, signaling that Xergiok likely has a stronger sense of taste because of his disability.

I think this one definitely has missed potential and lacks an overall feeling of fun. I think this could’ve so easily been a more interesting episode if it just had focused on the right character for the story, but Xergiok simply isn’t a character that can hold any kind of weight to himself. It’s no wonder that he hasn’t appeared once since this episode. It’s a dry F&J expedition that ends up not really having a ton to say by episode’s end.

Favorite line: “The mermaids are trying to beach themselves. I came to see why. Turns out they’re just lonely.”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Vault of Bones” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: February 25, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Kent Osborne & Somvilay Xayaphone

This may just be my favorite episode centering around Finn and Flame Princess. FP herself has kinda gotten the shaft in all of the episodes centering around her: Incendium was mostly focused on Jake, Hot to the Touch was most focused on Finn, Burning Low centered around the connection between PB and Finn entirely, and she may as well have never appeared in Ignition Point. Vault of Bones brings the couple to centerstage, in a dungeon crawl that’s both a ton of fun and pretty adorable.

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Right off the bat, this episode starts off with some really funny moments. I love the two second cameo of Flame King, especially because it meant that Keith David literally came into the recording both to utter two lines and that was it. What an easy paycheck that must have been. Jake doesn’t have much of a part in the overall story, but he really adds some terrific comedic prowess in the first minute or so. I love his general intrusiveness towards the two kids and how he ignorantly misunderstands everything Flame Princess was intending to say. Love me some silly Jakey. The only thing I didn’t enjoy about the beginning was that weird hyperactive sniff thing Finn was doing to FP. I’m willing to bet $1,000 that scene was included for the sole fact that it could be used as a misleading promo piece.

A good chunk of the episode is really just watching how Finn and Flame Princess interact with the surrounding dungeon, as well as with each other, and I think this is probably the best attempt to develop Flame Princess at this point in the series. I’ve never not liked her before, but I think this was the first episode I found myself acknowledging that I really do like her presence in the series! I genuinely enjoy her standoffish behavior when it comes to her not really enjoying the dungeon, and I actually found her to be even more identifiable than Finn in this one. Her behavior throughout the episode is totally justified; the method of dungeon exploration at the helm of Finn does sound unbearably boring (though it is a nice homage to the Zelda games), and you do want to see her complete the dungeon in her own way, but also the right way.

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I think the graphic novel Playing with Fire definitely stressed Flame Princess’s inner turmoil a lot more than this episode does, but I think that this episode does a decent enough job at showing her own self-consciousness and desire to be the kind of person that Finn is. The truth is that Vault of Bones isn’t some dark character study; it shows that Flame Princess knows who she is and knows who she wants to be, but is continuously reminded of her own family’s heritage. Only now, she’s learned to keep a leveled head, and not to let her anger and rage get in the way of her stride to be good. Also, she’s just plain cute in this one. I love her flabbergasted reaction to Finn asking her to burn the rope, as well as her crowning moment when she does eventually save Finn. The moment when she refers to Finn as her boyfriend really just fuckin’ melted my icy heart. And I do like how there is some intrigue at the end on whether she is completely stable or not. I mean, obviously it never really goes anywhere for clear reasons, but it is nice that this episode works as a resolution piece, as well as opening up a possible direction for Flame Princess’s identity crisis in the future. If there’s one thing I don’t like about her appearance in this episode, is well, her appearance. Yeah, I don’t really dig her design all too much, she looks waaay too young and cutesy for her age. And for some reason, this is the design that’s featured in a ton of different games, novels, and promotional art. No idea why!

Though Flame Princess is the one I found myself empathizing with more, I have to say, this really is some of the best writing for Finn I can think of in recent history. I mean, I can’t think of a time in the past where he’s written badly, but by God, he’s just portrayed as so darn likable in this one. I love how he’s a total fanboy-nerd when it comes to dungeons and how he can pretty much decipher his way through the entire quest without even questioning his surroundings. His enthusiasm is a ton of fun to watch, (“we don’t have to go back, we GET to!”) and I really just love watching him teach Flame Princess the ways of adventuring. Also really nice is how accepting he is with Flame Princess throughout the episode’s entirety. When she says she isn’t having any fun, he doesn’t get defensive or argumentative, he simply allows Flame Princess to have it her way and apologizes for taking too much of a lead. In addition, despite his concerns when Flame Princess goes absolutely berserk, he supports her no matter what, even during his periods of terror. What a good suitor that FTH is… for now, at least.

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I mentioned in Mystery Dungeon that the dungeon wasn’t particularly anything special, but man, this one is dope. Besides being riddled with nice orange and brown-ish colors that really help drive through that dungeon-y feel, it’s also riddled with really unique and diverse looking skeleton foes. I love the wimpy one in the beginning that is totally understanding about everything, including giving Finn a second to talk to his lady and simply giving into Finn because he won’t stop screaming at him. That’s the definition of a good gag character. I also love the goo skulls that face off against Flame Princess. Not only do they have an interesting and also somewhat disgusting form of ability (I don’t even wanna know what that one was doing flicking the other’s goo) they also have various forms of weapons attached to them. The one that picked up Finn had fucking chainsaws strapped to its body! Much like the ogre from The Enchiridion, it’s a detail that’s totally irrelevant and pointless, but it just really adds a factor of surrealism and intrigue to the character.

As I mentioned, the humor is really spot on in this entry. This episode reunites Kent Osborne and Somvilay together, and while they haven’t been my favorite pairing in the past, they definitely gave this one their all with some really great interactive humor. I love every single exchange from Flame Princess and Finn, some of the visual gags are nice, and just the overall tone of the episode is fun, vibrant, and exciting. And that green, hairy butt that was contained in the chest was just the bit of AT bizarreness that should’ve closed off this episode.

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So yeah, this is one I really like. It’s such an enjoyable direction to take the Flame Princess and Finn dynamic, and I finally feel like FP has gone through some significant development and is a much more rounded and versatile character because of it. It would’ve been so easy for this episode to take the obvious route of having Finn and FP fight over which way is right and which way is wrong, but I’m glad they took a fun route over the more formulaic choice. Unfortunately, this would be her last main appearance in the series before the eventual demise of her relationship. We’re almost at the turning point of the series, folks.

Favorite line: “I’ve been acting an uncouth lout, m’lady.”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Bad Little Boy” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: February 18, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Cole Sanchez & Rebecca Sugar

Bad Little Boy is perhaps the last enjoyable episode in the Fionna and Cake saga. That’s not to say the later episodes don’t have their redeemable moments, but I think this is the last one I’d consider to be legitimately “good,” or at least enjoyable. Not to say that this one isn’t without it’s problems, though.

I really enjoy the silly beginning with Ice King’s purposely terrible Fionna and Cake vs. Dr. Prince escapade, though I really am not sure if this works with the overall continuity of Ice King as the author of Fionna and Cake. I mean, it seems like something Ice King would write, yet the story told in Fionna and Cake was a legitimately captivating and well-written story, ludicrous ending aside. And then you have Five Short Tables where, enjoyability factor aside, was also a very well-written, coherent story from the Ice King. So I’m not really sure I’m fully behind the idea of the IK being a shitty writer, because again, it’s been contradicted both in the past and the future. But bitching aside, this was a fun beginning, and I do really love how Ice King is just casually reading to a group of captured princesses. Honestly, rewatching these episodes, I’ve really never realized how fucking bad Wildberry Princess has it. I mean, I think she’s gotta be the most frequently captured princess in the entire series. And Ice King doesn’t even like her that much! Poor chick has to deal with silver fox trauma almost everyday.

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The reactions to Ice King’s awful tale is where Marceline comes in, and I think it’s really cute that she was just chillin’ around the castle and spying on him. This is the first post-I Remember You interaction between the two, and it’s heartening to know that she already is comfortable enough with being around him that she doesn’t mind dropping by every now and then. And I appreciate how this episode is just them hanging out without any mention of their past history together. It’s nice to just see them shoot the shit for once.

Once Marceline’s story starts, it is nice to once again see Fionna, Cake, and Prince Gumball. Despite my feelings on the F&C episodes as a whole, I do appreciate these characters and the dynamic they share with each other. For instance, I like how Fionna is actually the one who’s kind of fed up with Gumball. The first episode established her as a strong female character WHO DON’T NEED NO MAN, and I’m glad this episode followed up with also showing off her general annoyance with Gumball’s prissiness. Also, this is sadly the last time we get to hear that lovely Neil Patrick Harris voice portray Gumball. This is why celebrity guest voices never work for recurring characters (looking at you, Lena Dunham.)

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Speaking of celebrity voice actors, Donald Glover portrays Marshall Lee in this episode, and man, is it spot on! I recall back to that terrific fan-animated video featuring Marshall Lee and I remember thinking, “I hope the actual Marshall Lee sounds like that.” And I’m sure it wasn’t intentional, but Glover captures that exact tone and deliverance perfectly, while also adding a bit of experience and flare to his performance. Lee as a character is very enjoyable as well; he’s basically Marceline as a playful douche, but one that’s a lot of fun in that regard. I enjoy his carefree dickishness (“I know you’re gonna say yes to me, so let’s just go.”) and I think it makes a lot of sense that Marceline would portray herself as a carefree badass. Obviously she’s a lot more caring and sensitive than she puts on, but we’re still at a point in the series where she hasn’t completely sacrificed her laidback facade.

Good Little Girl/Bad Little Boy are sadly Rebecca Sugar’s last original songs during her time on the show (yeah, yeah, I know we still have Everything Stays, but that was long after she left the series) and it definitely hits on all that Sugar charm that makes her tunes so catchy and enjoyable. I’m not one of those people who thinks that Sugar leaving the show was some catastrophic event that ruined the series, but damn, did the show suffer song wise after her departure. I can count on one hand all of the AT songs I enjoy post season 5.2, while I can count all the songs I don’t like on one hand from the first five seasons. A shame, really.  Nevertheless, Good Little Girl is an enjoyable vocal and visual entry. I like all the genderbent characters that attend the concert, including new visitors, such as Ms. Pig and the female Marauaders. I also crack up at the fact that Lumpy Space Prince’s voice is identical to his female counterpart, which is later acknowledged, but I think it works best here. Also, I can’t get enough of Cake shaking her rump and singing about her hot potatoes. That was priceless.

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The dynamic between Fionna, Marshall, and Cake works great as well. Again, I think Fionna is a little more mature and level-headed than our boy Finn, so it’s cool to see her fuck around with Marshall and not really fall for any of his bullshit, whereas Marceline usually leaves Finn hopelessly confused. Even strengthening her maturity is the idea that Fionna will allow Marshall to mess with her as much as possible, but once he messes with Cake, she don’t fuck around. This then transitions into the next song, where Marshall captures Cake and lays down some hardcore bars with his skeleton bros in a graveyard. This song isn’t quite as enjoyable or memorable as Good Little Girl, but it is nice for the show to utilize Glover to his fullest potential by giving him a chance to rap at all. And a pretty solid one, at that! Weird Al Yankovic still has yet to put out anything tolerably enjoyable during his time as Banana Man.

This conflict leads to some pretty gruesome shit where Marshall gets stabbed, which, even though it’s fake, is still pretty explicit for the show to feature. I do appreciate how the big emotional scene is just kind of treated as total bullshit and Fionna once again has the upper hand on the maturity scale, but it is kind of weird to see this coming from Marceline’s perspective. I love the idea that Marshall thinks Fionna is, “the realest person [he] has ever met,” which could easily be attributed toward Marcy’s perception of Finn, though the idea that Marshall Lee kinda puts on this attitude that Fionna is infatuated with him is… kind of strange, right? I assume Marceline doesn’t think this way about Finn, but why would she insert a quasi-romance between the two if it didn’t even cross her mind? Probably reading way too far into it, but it just is somewhat odd writing that I’m not sure I can ever really understand fully. I actually think I would’ve liked it better if the entire story was from Ice King’s perspective and it turns out he was reading to Marceline the entire time.

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However, the story ends, and Ice King is visibly disappointed with the turnout. Again, not sure I understand why, as it seems almost completely identical to the first F&C story, but I’ll let it slide. I do enjoy him kicking everyone out and taking time to praise his Fionna and Cake ice shrines, even if I still believe this one would’ve made more sense before Mystery Dungeon.

Overall though, I think this one is decent. I think there’s some definite lulls; as much as I enjoy the beginning scene with the IK, it makes the actual F&C story seem a lot more frantically paced. I mean, the actual story doesn’t start till about three and a half minutes in, and while it does contain plenty of enjoyable moments, it just feels like it’s on fast forward. I do genuinely enjoy Marshall Lee and his interactions with Fionna and Cake, so a bit more time and focus on the actual story would’ve been much appreciated. This is a particularly nice looking episode, however. The backgrounds are great! Love the lighting in the concert sequence, the eeriness of the graveyard, and the sunrise that befalls Marshall, Fionna, and Cake. It all visually looks really impressive. Aside from the visuals, interactions, and a good chunk of funny moments, this episode doesn’t really live up to its predecessor, and the entire F&C saga kinda dies after this one. Sad to see that such  highly regarded element of the series only has two good episodes out of five, but Fionna and Cake is simply a concept that doesn’t have a ton of room to grow outside of the first episode. But, for now, I’ll enjoy the tasty remnants of this one, and prepare for the bad taste that The Prince Who Wanted Everything will eventually leave me with.

Favorite line: “Wildberry, don’t pretend; I know you like the silver foxes.”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Little Dude” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: February 4, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Cole Sanchez & Michael DeForge

Little Dude is one I usually tend to look over and forget. It’s not a particularly bad entry, but I can’t really think of much that makes it stand out. It’s the most basic form of a fluff episode, but one that does include a decent array of enjoyable moments.

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I think the concept for this episode is certainly a bizarre one, even for Adventure Time’s standards. The idea of Finn’s hat coming to life, turning things into poo, and lusting after control of others is certainly never something I asked to see from the show, but it’s silly enough that it somewhat works. I don‘t really care for the character of Little Dude too much, as I’m not really sure how we’re supposed to feel about him by the end of the episode. Like, he’s nothing but an annoyance to Finn and Jake the entirety of the episode, yet Finn angrily claims “we were supposed to be buds!” when Little Dude does goes berserk. I dunno, it seemed like a weird emotional connection that never really payed off. And of course, Little Dude’s existence meant we had to awkwardly stare at a buzzed cut Finn throughout the entirety of the episode. I admit, it was kind of humorous and interesting to see Finn’s hair this short, but it’s still just fucking weird. I mean, even though we know it’s his hat, we as viewers are kind of all under the illusion that Finn’s hat is a part of his head, so going to entire episode staring at his neck and ears and rounded noggin is just a surreal experience.

Luckily enough though, I think the episode is sprinkled with tons of silliness that I am on board with. I really like entire beginning scene with Finn and Jake trying to make a whirlpool in the water, that was classic bro stuff. I love Jake’s sassage flare, and the absolutely vile way Finn and Jake actually eat the sausages: dipped in milk. What a fucking gross atrocity that I could’ve gone my whole life without seeing. I also love to see BMO as somewhat of a mom to Finn and Jake! I’m not really one for gag characters, but I do love how BMO’s relationship with the boys can change from episode to episode. One episode he can be their sassy robot buddy, other times he’s their child, and here, he’s their mom. And a spunky mom to say the least. He hit Finn on the butt! Also, the “kiss my cook” apron was priceless. That’s gotta exist somewhere on Etsy.

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This is also the Life Giving Magis’ first speaking role after his first appearance in Mystery Dungeon. I do enjoy the Magis as a character, which is mostly driven by Dana Snyder’s voice. But also, how can one not enjoy Dana Snyder’s voice? Magis gets a couple of funny moments in this one; I’m not completely down with the whole contrived daddy issues arc, because even though it’s a recurring theme in AT, there was really no reason for this one to exist outside of it being a recurring theme. I don’t really care about Magis’ daddy problems honestly, and the conflict just kind of seems unnecessary. If Magis was able to take the sentient life out of all the inanimate objects in the end, why wasn’t he able to do so to Little Dude when he was wrecking the Candy Kingdom? The simple answer is that it did allow for a pretty fun havoc sequence, and I did like the incorporation of the Gumball Guardian. It is always fun to watch him get in on the action, even if it is for only a minimal amount of time.

The climax was a bit meandering as well, but one I didn’t mind a whole lot. I did like all the funny one-liners the sentient objects of Ooo offered, and it did provide for a decent conclusion to the episode. But overall, there just isn’t a ton to this one. It’s actually funny to see just how many “fluff” episodes there are in the first half of season five; not that fluff episodes are bad but any means, but I’ve found that a good handful of these are particularly insignificant, especially after coming off of season four, where it felt like every episode was trying to be something impactful. However, season four was only half the length of season five, and things will eventually pick up once the second half of the season comes along. For now, I’ll enjoy these lighter episodes, in preparation for some of the heavier and darker stuff we get down the line.

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Favorite line: “Whomever the hat possesses gains the proportional strength of a hat!”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“All Your Fault” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: January 28, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Tom Herpich & Steve Wolfhard

I was somewhat dreading this one at first. I thought it was a really silly idea to have a fully focused Lemongrab episode coming right after his terrific appearance in the last episode. For that reason, I think I went into this one less enthusiastic at first, and it somewhat dampened my opinion of it for a while. However, looking at it with clear eyes now and not paying attention to the actual episode order has made me really enjoy this one. It’s actually pretty great.

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In typical AT fashion, the beginning doesn’t waste any time setting up for the episode’s main story, as only the first minute is used to explain the conflict (loved the Lemongrabs’ letter, especially how they took the time to write out, “mmmmmmn”) and send Finn and Jake on their mission. I also really enjoyed the “date” Jake was having with Cinnamon Bun. It was really sweet to see Jake so committed to dressing up with a bow and humor CB for a couple of hours. You rarely get to see that sort of genuine kindness from Jake aside from the kindness he shows Finn, Lady, and his kids.

The episode glances over that first bit fast, because the main focus of the episode is on the Earldom of Lemongrab. And boy, does it capture my interest. Without it, this would just be a pretty typical dungeon quest for the boys, but the entire atmosphere of the Earldom is just plain zombie-like. The landscape is ugly and an eyesore, but in a self-aware and effectively unnerving way. It’s filled with unwelcoming greens, yellows, and browns that just simply make the episode pop with nausea. There’s already something a bit off and uncomfortable about the Lemongrabs in general, so the fact that there are now dozens of them running around, some with very distinct and creepy features (pretty sure this guy didn’t appear in All Your Fault, but this catlike lemon person is by far the freakiest out of any of ‘em.) Part of the fun is just seeing Finn and Jake’s reactions to all of them, especially Jake’s. I love how absolutely terrified he is, and just simply utters “nope!” before bursting out of the room when he sees the screaming, peeling lemon. That was priceless.

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During their expedition, they also encounter the main anti-hero of the episode: Lemonjon. Lemonjon’s probably my favorite aspect of this episode; for some reason, he gives me major Rock Biter vibes from The NeverEnding Story. In fact, this episode in general gives me major Return to Oz vibes. It’s creepy, unsettling, but there’s something really sophisticated and unusual about it. Lemonjon is basically the epitome of dark and whimsical, and the down-pitched Justin Roiland voice actually sounds pretty awesome. I’m impressed he was able to pull off that impressive of a performance for just using his typical Lemongrab voice with slight modifications, but it really works, especially during his ending monologue. But we’ll get to that awesomeness later.

When Finn and Jake finally do reach the Lemograbs, it’s clear that they are not well. This is the first real-time we get to see the Lemongrabs work off of each other, and man, are they fucking creepy together. Not to mention their stomachs have receded greatly and their general appearance has deteriorated, which only adds to their presence of unease. And here, the Lemongrabs’ motivations are pretty well-defined. Their connection with each other, as well as Lemongrab 1’s discovery that there was a method, or in this case a serum, to create more living beings to connect with most likely deeply intrigued him. Having Lemongrab 2 by his side gave the first Lemongrab a sense of belonging and pride. Yet, it’s still only one person. Lemongrab wants to follow in his mother’s footsteps and have a society of citizens, or in this case children, to care for. In this instance, he and his counterpart are actually obsessed with it. They love having other living beings exist in Castle Lemongrab that are like and equivalent to themselves. But their efforts to populate their own kingdom have left them with low amounts of food to serve the entire kingdom. They’d rather just fuck around with the serum and make barfing babies all day. A lot of people have commented about the connections to overpopulation, but I really just think its commentary on how lonely the Lemongrabs are. They’re literally sacrificing their only sources of food to create more living beings, simply because they enjoy doing it so much.

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And of course, the continued trend of Lemongrab’s accusations of Princess Bubblegum being the title of the episode returns, this time with Lemongrab blaming PB for the reason why the Lemon People are starving. This one is maybe the most ludicrous accusation of all, but connects back to You Made Me in the sense that anything Lemongrab does wrong, or anytime he feels something is wrong with himself, Princess Bubblegum is the one to blame no matter what because she created him. Again, it’s another pretty interesting mindset that LG perceives, and it really makes me question Lemongrab’s feelings on PB as a whole. He admires who she is, yet detests her for creating him without a properly functioning sense of sociability. It’s pretty somber.

This adds up to the big conclusion where the Lemongrabs decide to infiltrate the Candy Kingdom for more food, against Finn and Jake’s original requests. This is where Lemonjon takes off, and the artwork, as well as the camera angles used, just look terrific. This is one of many instances where Herpich’s boarding looks just superb; his attention to detail on both the characters and their expressions translates very well when it comes to the animation process. So when Finn and Jake decide to target Lemonjon from his lemon heart, Jake accidentally kickstarts the heart, and drives Lemonjon to pronounce a thoughtful soliloquy.

Whoa, hold the phone! What is this powerful new juice coursing fromst my core source? The juice aches. Is this the rumored ache of feeling? The feeling of caring unknown to Lemons? New thoughts emerge! If I act, the Candy People will suffer. If I don’t, the Lemon people will suffer. The greater good demands but one course only: that I dissolve the bonds uniting me and become component to all!

Man, do I love this monologue. I feel like this is what comes to mind when I think of a super heady, long-winded speech from the series, while most probably turn to the Tart Toter’s speech from The Other Tarts. I just think this one is so eloquently and somewhat touchingly put, in the silliest most Adventure Time-y way possible. I think it’s really badass of Lemonjon to practically kill himself in a result for the greater good, by both saving the Candy Kingdom, as well as providing food for the Lemon People. That Lemonjon is alright! The episode is resolved by PB erasing the candy serum formula from the Lemongrabs’ brains, but not changing their hearts, simply because they’re just “like that.” Not sure if that was the most direct answer, but I think it ties more into the idea that, one again, PB doesn’t want to change the Lemongrabs for who they are. Just as Cinnamon Bun is half-baked, the Lemongrabs are socially and mentally inept, but that’s the Lemongrabs for ya, and there isn’t anything that can change that.

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Overall, I think this one is quite an enjoyable escapade. I really dig the creepy atmosphere and how much emphasis was placed on Castle Lemongrab being as ugly and disfigured as possible. Lemonjon was also the perfect one-off character story to tie into this one, and it’s a story I think was pulled off exceptionally well. Add a perfectly enjoyable Finn and Jake quest to those aspects and you get a really enticing adventure-themed episode. After two Lemongrabs in a row, however, I’ll need some time for my juices to sit for a while.

Favorite line: “Fix the door? What?! What? Fix the door? Fix–what? What’s goin’ on here? Fix the door! Finn, what’s goin’ on? Fix the door!”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Mystery Dungeon” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: January 21, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Jesse Moynihan & Ako Castuera

Adventure Time has the benefit of having a very compelling cast of secondary characters, so the idea that we won’t be getting a typical Finn and Jake adventure is never something that’s dreaded. That’s why when I saw there would be an episode that starred Ice King, Tree Trunks, Lemongrab, NEPTR, AND Shelby, I instantly said to myself, “this is going to be the greatest episode of all time.” While that may have been a gross exaggeration, it definitely is a great comedic outing for the season and series in general.

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What makes this such a strong episode is really just blending all of these unique personalities together. Lemongrab’s histrionic behavior, Ice King’s loneliness, Tree Trunks’ slow mind, Shelby’s sarcasm, and NEPTR’s optimism all work off of each other just great, and individually they work just as well. It’d be silly to not talk about each character and what makes their presence work in this one, so I’ll take a look at them one by one.

This is probably Lemongrab’s most straightforward funny appearance outside of his debut. Lemongrab is mostly utilized for psychological and somewhat antagonistic reasons in his featured episodes, but this one mostly focuses on just how unusual and loud the sad lemon man is. And boy, does it pay off. I think this is arguably his funniest appearance in the series, only adding to his already over-the-top behavior, including him punching a rat, eating a pie out of the rat’s mouth, and constantly referring to people as his slaves. He really is the biggest tyrant ever featured in the series, and it’s emphasized in this one for added hilarity. I think his desire to rule others in this one, as well as You Made Me, are really what drive his further desires to have complete control over others in future episodes.

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I just noticed something. NEPTR is fucking sweating. What a ludicrous visual.

NEPTR is, as always, a lovable loser. It’s a fucking crime against society that this is his only appearance in season five, because every time he’s on-screen, it’s just delightful. And I’m so glad they took advantage of the NEPTR-Ice King dynamic once again; I assumed that was something that was just going to be virtually ignored, but it’s nice to see that, even after NEPTR chose Finn and Jake, he still has positive feelings toward his “poppy.” Even more fitting is seeing that the Ice King doesn’t remember him even slightly, and even sadder is that NEPTR wasn’t supposed to be included at all! If there’s one character in this show that’s sadder than Ice King, it’s NEPTR man. It hurts my soul when Ice King calls him a “useless pile of junk.” Though, it’s nice to see that he and his poppy get a happy ending. It’s pretty sweet that NEPTR actually remembered something that Ice King taught him.

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Tree Trunks brings her usual dimwitted old-person-ness to the table, and I like how her role is virtually useless as well. Like, would her ability to make apple pies have really saved her and the others from a giant rat? It’s likely not. She did provide the grossest sequence in the entire episode when she snorted a dollop of snot, or “essence” into Lemongrab’s mouth, which still kind of has me scratching my head to this day. How did she know that would even work? I enjoy her long-winded monologue aimed at Ice King, but mainly for the fact that her slow speech patterns and demeanor just completely divert the attention of everyone watching her. It’s like, I as an audience member even have trouble following her unfocused babble, and the characters humorously follow in the same direction.

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Shelby brings a bit of sarcastic edge to this one, and I truly think he’s the shining star. I really appreciate his dry-wit and his attitude of “I could give less than a fuck,” throughout the entire episode. Probably the biggest laugh I get out of this one is the fake-out where it seems like Shelby’s going to volunteer to be on the fishing line, and then it immediately cuts to Tree Trunks. That was a terrific bit with great timing and payoff.

And of course, the man who concocted this whole plan himself, the Ice King. I have to give him props for his insanely convoluted plan, and how it, for the most part, works. It’s a strangely competent plan for the likes of the IK, despite the fact that he clearly didn’t wasn’t paying attention when he grabbed NEPTR, because he doesn’t look a thing like BMO. And tying the entire plan back to Ice King’s desire to bring Fionna and Cake into the real world was pure genius. Though, my only gripe with this is that it would’ve made much more sense coming after Bad Little Boy than before. I’m not sure what came first in production order, but now that episode just has a somewhat confusingly foreshadow-y ending with no real payoff. Though, the payoff in this one with the book coming alive at the literal hands of the Ancient Sleeping Magis of Life Giving (his first appearance!) was deeply hilarious, and I know this pissed a lot of people off, but c’mon, you have to at least snicker a bit at his incessant flatulence and Mickey Mouse gloves and voice.

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As I mentioned, I think the episode ends on a perfectly sweet note with NEPTR reminding Ice King about his imagination zone. Also on a hilarious note, as Lemongrab makes an extremely abrupt departure and utters, “byedon’tfollowme,” and Finn, Jake, and Shelby watch the Ice King and lament over how sad he is, and how sad they are watching him.

It’s worth noting that this is a “Dungeon” episode, and while the actual dungeon itself isn’t the focus of the episode, they do manage to craft a relatively creative area filled with traps, neat looking beasts, and cool landscapes. It’s far from the coolest dungeon AT has ever put out, but again, the focus of the episode is the humor, not necessarily the visuals.

And aside from that, I have remarkably little to say. This is just an all around funny episode filled with great jokes, characterization, interactions, and twists. It’d be pointless of me to go through every great joke or line in this one, because there’s so Goddamn many of them. So here’s a special Favorite line section filled with some of the episode’s greatest bits of dialogue.

Favorite line(s):

“Check out my mods, bro!”

“Ice King, how do you taste?”

“Make pies, slave.”

“Golly, how we ever gonna worm our way out of this… fishy situation?”

“Don’t criticize my running, Shelby.”

“So stop sellin’ fib-bibs and give it straight!”

“You should’ve told us! I would’ve freaking brought something!”

“You serve no function, you must be destroyed.”

“Who in this world is sadder than the Ice King?” “Me, watching this.”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Davey” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: January 14, 2013

Written & Storyboarded by: Somvilay Xayaphone & Skyler Page

I quite enjoy the concept of Davey. Finn quarreling with his identity as a hero, and wanting to just be “normal” amongst any average citizen of Ooo is a really great idea for a premise. After all, Finn certainly isn’t the kind of person to do things specifically for attention or credibility. He does it because he likes to battle bad guys and do favors for other people, that’s just who he is. When it comes down to it, however, Finn is some who enjoys his privacy, and despite his friendliness and outgoing behavior, he still is slightly introverted. So the episode largely focuses around Finn trying to go about town as a “regular person,” and does so with mildly satisfying results.

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I love the entire beginning sequence, containing a fast paced dragon slaying at the hands of Finn’s demon blood sword. The entire scene is great, poppy fun, and I love Finn and Jake’s carelessness throughout. Jake’s just chilling playing video games, and he flips Finn into mid-air without even looking up, to which Finn quite beautifully slices through a dragon’s buns. Also Jake’s advice, “don’t let the dragon drag on, dude,” probably has a ton of different interpretations for meaning behind it, but I just like to think of it as a lovely bit of nonsense. The overemotional Candy Person who really wants to have dinner with Finn is one of my favorite gag characters. This character is actually based off of someone who Pendleton Ward had previously met at Comic Con, who was insistently begging for the same request. Appropriately enough, Ward also voices this character, and the delivery of the lines is what really makes him so enjoyable. I just like picturing in my head how dinner with Finn and this dude would actually go. I imagine it’d be filled with a lot of screaming.

As Finn begins to feel that he wishes he was more normal, I do have to say that the subtlety of his issues both works for and against the actual dilemma of the episode. I appreciate the later seasons’ approaches to how characters feel and why they feel the way that they do. There’s usually no heavy exposition or characters saying “I feel x because of y;” it’s moreso just the character having an issue and dealing with it by what we would expect that character to do, without even addressing the problem in words. And this is how Finn is portrayed in this episode: he feels sad about not being able to freely go about his day, so he takes action by taking on a new identity. It’s a borderline personality crisis that I’m glad was covered with so much grace, but simultaneousy, I’m just disappointed there wasn’t more build-up or focus on Finn’s issue. I feel like it would’ve been a more effective first act if it showed Finn constantly running into situations where he felt smothered and unable to go about his daily life. I just think it’s odd that a couple of people screaming outside his house was what drove Finn over the edge into feeling as though he couldn’t go about his life calmly, and it’s one of those episodes that I think could’ve benefited from a few extra minutes, but there’s no use complaining about an 11 minute show that usually manages to fit so much important junk in that span of time. It’s another one of those situations where something isn’t done badly, I’d just like to see it in much more deeper light, because Finn having an identity crisis is, as we’ve seen really interesting.

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But the truth of the matter is, this isn’t the dark and solemn crisis Finn was experiencing two episodes earlier in All the Little People; this is a bright and silly episode full of comical ideas, and for what it is, it’s pretty fun! There’s tons of great visual gags to take from this one: Jake beating an egg into flour ($10 he wasn’t even going to actually cook anything), Finn’s gravity-defying flip from his window onto the grass, Finn eating a cocoa bird that costs money, and then just blatantly throwing the money he has into a fountain instead, and, my favorite, Finn sweeping up mini brooms with a broom. There’s tons of absurdly silly moments like that, and I found myself appreciating them a lot more on rewatch than when I first saw this episode. The character of Davey is pretty funny as well. It’s worth noting that Davey Johnson is based on the real-life Davey Johnson, who voices Xergiok, as well as the character of Davey himself. Johnson does a terrific job of voicing Davey, and giving him such a mundane, yet likable voice. Speaking of mundane, I really like how humorously boring Davey’s life is. He just builds log cabins and hangs out with some guy named Randy, who too is delightfully monotonous. That poor guy just gets shit on the entire time he’s on screen.

I’ve said this before this season with Up a Tree, but this is one that Skyler Page and Somvilay gifted with a really nice, relaxed atmosphere. There’s a good minute or so that’s just Davey walking around and checking out his surroundings, and it’s really calming and helps emphasize the type of life that Finn is capable of achieving. And, by episode’s end, I do kinda find myself siding with Finn’s debacle on whether to continue to be Davey or to return to being Finn. I mean, Davey’s life is quite boring, but there is something rewarding about a life of quietness and peace, which I think Finn has come to realize. Yet, it’s abandoning Finn’s true self, who does love a life of spontaneity and devoting his attention to helping others. Which is why he uses his alternate persona to selflessly put other people’s needs before himself by the end of it. And it’s nice to see that, as a hero, Finn is looked at as someone who isn’t capable of doing anything wrong. The Banana Guards don’t suspect a thing from him (though probably mostly due to their stupidity) and he realizes that there are people who need him in their life, like Jake. Again, I wish there was a bit more of realization in Finn to make it a stronger conclusion, but it’s a sweet ending that reunites the brothers regardless.

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So yeah, it’s a light one, but one I do enjoy. I wish there was more attention focused on Finn’s issue, but I think the humor and atmosphere are what shape this up to be a perfectly serviceable entry. Lots of quirky gags, good character moments, and a solid story. Also, adorable BMO scenes! The little guy is especially cute in this one, I felt so bad for him when Finn shaved his hair off. I feel you, Beems. Davey is an aspect of Finn’s personality that has never returned in the series, though mentioned in Issue #50 of the comics, where he was apparently one of Finn’s past lives. Whether it’s canon or not, it definitely is an interesting scenario to use the character for, so if you’re a person out there who just really, really enjoyed this episode or the title character, I’d say check it out!

Favorite line: “Oh, I thought it was Finn on account of he’s wearing Finn’s exact clothes.”