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Who is this show for? A Review of Knuckles || Chatsu Shorts (SPOILERS)
178 Plays8 months ago
In this episode, Satsunami discusses his thoughts about the latest Knuckles series on Paramount Plus. Is it as good as the film series? Or is it as bad as everyone warns? Let's put on our tougher than leather spiked boxing gloves and find out!
This podcast is a member of the PodPack Collective. The members are as follows:
Chatsunami
Casting Views
Nerdstalgic
2 Girls 1 Reusable Cup
Review it Yourself
Seismic Cinema
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Transcript
Nostalgia & Controversy in Sonic Fandom
00:00:05
Speaker
Welcome to Chatsunami.
00:00:16
Speaker
It may come as no surprise that, yes, Shock Horror, I am indeed a fan of Sonic the
Reception of Live-Action Sonic Movies
00:00:22
Speaker
Hedgehog. If that wasn't apparent by our Sonic Month in Season 2, or the numerous collaborations I've done on it with other creators such as Wisteria Moth and Super Shadow 271, the series holds a nostalgic place in my heart. That being said, I'm no stranger to how contentious the fanbase can be in regards to the live-action movies, with some praising them as the greatest thing
00:00:44
Speaker
since his Sega Mega Drive, to those saying that it's worse than Sonic 06.
Introduction of Tails, Knuckles & Spin-Off Announcement
00:00:49
Speaker
And if you've got that reference, then you're certainly in the right place. But no matter what people think of the movies, there's no doubt that these have been extremely successful. And with the introduction of fan favourite characters in the sequel such as Tails and Knuckles, as well as a tantalising cliffhanger, it seems like the series has drawn interest across the
The Knuckles Series: Initial Reactions & Comparisons
00:01:09
Speaker
fandom. To add fuel to the ever-growing hype the second Sonic film was generating at the time,
00:01:14
Speaker
It was announced in February of 2022 that beyond the fall of being released in April of the same year, we would also eventually be getting a Knuckles spin-off show, and with that, things seemed to be on the rise for this new cinematic universe being created. However,
00:01:29
Speaker
something weird happened. At the time of the second film's release in April of 2022, there was little to no information about the new series at all, like many others. I assumed that maybe it would be released the following year to capitalise on the fresh success of the previous film, and yet
00:01:45
Speaker
It would not be until February 8th of 2024 that we would finally get our look into the first Knuckles
Opinions on Knuckles Series: Watch Before Judging
00:01:51
Speaker
trailer. And I'm gonna be honest, if you thought the reception to the live action films were bad, then you're in for a wild ride.
Character Cameos & Concerns in Early Episodes
00:01:58
Speaker
Going forward, I'm gonna be giving my own spoiled opinions about the series. If you haven't watched it yet, there's
00:02:04
Speaker
still curious, then feel free to pause this episode and go put it on, but with that out of the way, what made this series so objectionable? I was essentially tougher than the rest of them to get through, and is there a chuckle at the end of this series? Grab your spiked boxing gloves and let's find out. It may be a lukewarm take here, but I agree with the other reviewers out there when they say that the first two episodes are probably the strongest
00:02:28
Speaker
Here you have the majority of the scenes featured in the trailer, especially with cameos from other characters such as Sonic and Tails, telling Knuckles about how to live on Earth. As a character whose warrior upbringing clashes greatly with those he lives with, I initially thought this is where the majority of the story would be taking place.
00:02:45
Speaker
At least, that was until we started seeing posters of the main characters. The characters appear to be predominantly human, leaving fans to worry about the direction the show would take. After all, some of the first promotional art heavily promoted Knuckles, as well as his iconic art from the 1996 Sonic OVA, which I have to say, for a one-off appearance, it seems to me a very popular symbol related to Knuckles.
Knuckles' Adventures & Plot Challenges
00:03:10
Speaker
But despite the Rocky Star, the first two episodes seemed to be a relatively strong starting point. Under the advisement of the spirit of his ancestor, a character from the Sonic Adventure games that I didn't expect to see. Knuckles is advised to help the town's deputy sheriff, Wade Whipple, achieve his ultimate dream of winning a bowling tournament. And as crazy as that premise sounds, I
00:03:32
Speaker
Have to say, I appreciated the dynamic between the two, waved as inherently a goofy character, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't chuckle at a lot of the jokes. Unfortunately, beyond some pretty decent action scenes, as well as one or two real laughs, the cracks were already starting to show.
00:03:49
Speaker
Early on we're introduced to some very shady government agents from the organisation Gun, whose exploits to fans need no introduction.
Audience Targeting Issues
00:03:57
Speaker
This illusion by the way things are going, the two agents go rogue to capture Knuckles the Echidna for the mysterious buyer who used to work under Robotnik, and seeks to use Knuckles power for his own machines.
00:04:08
Speaker
And if you enjoyed that, well I'm sorry but beyond the first two and maybe two last episodes, we see little to none of them. Even the central villain is never called by his title, and it wasn't until I looked up the promotional poster that I saw his name was actually the buyer.
00:04:23
Speaker
And when we do, they come across as being over the top and comical, which I feel encapsulates a key question that I have. Who is this show made for? As the show goes on, we start focusing more on the human characters rather than the title character. While I've never discouraged people who like this show, a lot of people have jumped to its defence, stating that CGI is expensive and we should be grateful for the amount that we got. But I can disagree more. Can't believe I'm saying this a bit of sodding the hedgehog show, but of all things,
00:04:53
Speaker
I have no idea which audiences they were catering to. In some scenes, the humour is so juvenile that one would think that they were going for a younger audience.
Cultural Exchange & Tone Inconsistencies
00:05:02
Speaker
And that's all well and good, but weirdly enough though, the show also tries to have its emotional scene served side by side as well. You have a shh.
00:05:11
Speaker
strangely compelling motivation by the villains of the series, only for it to be overshadowed by Wade's family issues. In a bowling tournament plot that sounds like something plucked from a 1980s family comedy, E.T. strikes home, if you will. And speaking of family issues, there is a lot of bizarre choices that I feel needs to be addressed. This kicks off in episode 3, where Wade seeks refuge in his mother's home, just in time for a Shabbat dinner during the Jewish day of rest.
00:05:39
Speaker
This whole sequence could have been a great way to develop the characters, and at times I thought the relationship between Knuckles and Wade's mother was endearing. It could have been a perfect exchange of cultures, which in turn would have motivated Knuckles to have a desire to defend his new home. But between the dinner scene that along outstayed its welcome, to a brief Holocaust reference that came out of nowhere,
00:06:01
Speaker
Everything about it felt more like one of those weird religious Sonic illustrations. Yes, they exist. You would find them somewhere like DeviantArt, and if I had a penny for every time that event was referenced in Sonic Media, I would have too. Which isn't a lot, but damn it all if it isn't really weird that it happened twice.
00:06:19
Speaker
What follows is more bickering between Wade and his sister, a supposed FBI agent who acts more like a child trying to emulate what they think seems cool. It gave me horrible flashback to the old buddy road trip films that he used to pump out on mass years ago, where the main human character would be accompanied by a CGI creature and go on poorly written adventures with licensed music and jokes that never landed.
00:06:44
Speaker
To be honest, it's kind of ironic given how the first Sonic films started out in a similar format yet utilised the tropes better.
Product Placement & Audience Misalignment
00:06:53
Speaker
The tone of the show is all over the place. As I said, you have some really serious moments such as Wade trying to reconcile with his
00:07:00
Speaker
father, and the very real discussion of Sonic and co's impact on the world, which are, all things considered, pretty decent motivations for the heroes and villains. I even loved the no-nonsense aspect of Knuckles softening over time, while Wade took lessons from his new mentors resolving dedication. Unfortunately though, the show is drowned in product placement.
00:07:21
Speaker
and a plot that very young members of the audience would more likely enjoy. While there's some references sprinkled in there for the older fans, I'm not going to pretend that this show is by any means aimed towards the likes of
Consistency Issues & Lack of Engagement
00:07:34
Speaker
me. But then again, in episode 4 we get a reference to one of Sonic's more infamous enemies from the game, Sonic 06, known as the Fire Doom in Iblis.
00:07:43
Speaker
It is a creature of limitless destruction, one that strikes fear in the heart of many characters, reduced to a puppet browsing Facebook marketplace. No, I genuinely wish I was kidding there. What was actually interesting to note here is that many of the more casual fans who reviewed the show were unaware of who Iblis was.
00:08:01
Speaker
Making it all the weirder that they were choosing them of all villains to showcase. But that being said, and as hypocritical as it may sound, I had a lot of fun with Episode 4. It was goofy, it was over the top, but damn it was entertaining. It's just a shame that the rest of the series doesn't maintain a consistent tone.
00:08:18
Speaker
Going back to an earlier point, in the buddy road trip type films of recent years, you don't feel any suspense about what's gonna happen because of how cartoonish and over the top it is. You know at the end everything's gonna work out, but because of that there's no real investment in what's going on. And even at the end when Wade takes on what I can only assume is an American's interpretation of what an Englishman in 2024 looks like, and a bowling tournament, I find myself wondering why this is the direction they went for.
00:08:48
Speaker
If it was truly expensive to render a CGI knuckles for the full series, then what was the deal with all the product placement? Spotify? Derrittos? Hell, even TJ Maxx gets a place in the sun for being a central hub of savings and child abandonment. And coupled with the outdated music I mentioned before that I know kids today would have no idea about, the show falls into this weird middle-of-the-ground purgatory that
00:09:12
Speaker
Ironically enough, struggles with its identity followed by a really fast finale fight that they spend less time on than the actual bowling tournament. I doubt that many Sonic fans were on the edge of their seats, wondering if Wade would defeat his British father at a game of
Series Enjoyment vs. Unfulfilled Potential
00:09:28
Speaker
bowling. Overall though, how does the Knuckle series stack against the rest of the Paramount Sonic films?
00:09:33
Speaker
Unfortunately for me, it falls into the middle as a show of tick boxes with a bare minimum had to be achieved. I've seen people online enjoy this show, and for the actors themselves, they seem to be having an absolute blast filming this. So I'm not about to start calling this the worst thing that the series has to offer. If you like a series, then I'm genuinely happy for you.
00:09:56
Speaker
but I feel as if they could have done something more with this character.
Quality Expectations & Future Concerns
00:10:00
Speaker
And while I don't expect it to have been movie quality, if they were unable to create something of substance due to their limitations, then they should have stuck to the boundaries, instead of drawing attention to the fact that they were unable to create a series about the character that was on the marketing.
00:10:15
Speaker
A lot of fans will give this show a pass for being aimed at kids, and while I agree to I do agree, I think fans new and old deserve something better. Obviously I don't think the fault lies in the feet of the actors, but rather those who accepted that this was the best thing they could put out is a stopgap until the third Sonic film is released, and with more potential spin-offs reportedly in development, it's leaving some fans wondering if this could potentially be the first step into the series regressing rather than moving forward.
00:10:45
Speaker
The faults in this are certainly not unique to the series, as to varying degrees the Sonic films themselves have had the same issues, but at the same time they are able to bounce back given this spectacle that they provide.
Final Thoughts & Listener Engagement
00:10:57
Speaker
The Knuckle series needed something similar, and while I think in general it was decent enough, it was neither great nor terrible, and I think that's what potentially killed the reputation of this show.
00:11:08
Speaker
But what did you think? Does the series deserve a knuckle sandwich? Or do you think it was worth the wait? Whatever the case, be sure to let me know! As always, thank you all so so much for listening, stay safe, stay awesome and most importantly, stay hydrated!