Final Space: Chapter Three Review

"Dude, are you crying?" "No... no, I'm not crying, it's... space pollen."

In discussing the first two chapters, I wisely opted to skip around the idea of talking about the show's narrative, something that I've deemed my Achille's heel. With that being said, though, this is Final Space, and the plot is just as important as the characters, if not even more so. They aren't mutually-exclusive; they go hand-in-hand, and "Chapter Three" manages to find an exciting equilibrium. Don't get me wrong: this is a particularly loaded episode, but the interconnectivity of every arc occurring on the screen catapults it to success, all while allowing for a visually-diverse episode that keeps you engaged.

Consider the fact that there are three distinct plots going on in this episode (Gary and Avocato try to provide sanctuary for Mooncake; Mooncake gets forced to fight in the Deathcropolis; Quinn ventures out to the gravitational disturbance), and even more bubbling just below the surface. Again, that could so easily set the show up for failure, but they exist to let these things settle in, basically laying their claim for later episodes to explore. What Final Space does is put its most immediate plot at the forefront to take up the meat of each chapter, though with plenty of space to allow all of the other story elements to simmer and slyly loop back around; that's how Olan gets you hooked.

Final Space: Chapters One and Two Review

"I am going to MURDER your face off!" "I will murder your face... on?!" "That doesn't make any sense!"

There's not a single content creator I will ever have more enthusiasm for than Olan Rogers. He's everything the universe needs right now; charismatic, engaging, and hysterical, and his penchant for story-telling and manic comedic instincts are unrivaled. Sufficed to say, I'm proud to see someone like him, who works his butt off to make people laugh, finally got his due in something that he's always wanted to do: create television. And, for the most part, it works.

Now, as a self-important idiot standing on my humble soapbox, I have specific issues that I want to tackle, but as a disclaimer: I do think Final Space is good, and I do believe in its potential. Early episodes, after all, will always struggle a bit when you put into consideration how much they have to do–establishing the characters, setting the tone, and creating the universe of the show is a pretty tall order.

The first two episodes weren't rough, but they did have rough patches. However, I want to make the distinction that I think Final Space is reparable, so bear with me for a little while.

The Amazing World of Gumball Review: The Faith

"See? He's physically incapable of saying anything remotely positive about me!"

Unsurprisingly, to just jump straight to the meat of this review, "The Faith" was incredible. While it may not have been the most uproariously hilarious episode the show's ever done, that's not what it's going for; "The Faith" uses a more understated approach to comedy to address relative tragedy with a clever, optimistic spin. 

What I find so great about "The Faith" especially, and what I think sets it so far apart from other outings, is how it's written: more than anything else, it plays out like a sort of short story more than just another episode. There's a fascinating sense of ingenuity to how everything unfolds. First, the episode starts on an ominous foot as the world turns to black and white; we don't really know what's happening, and the episode uses this relative, brooding ambiguity to set the tone of the episode. It also uses that opportunity to play around with striking visuals and delightful concepts as far as the comedy is concerned. There's something delightfully surreal, for instance, about Gumball and Darwin stumbling across a graffiti-covered building to a point of being disoriented, and it uses that strand of visual cleverness to make some great jokes (in the form of Hobo and his useless directions).

The Amazing World of Gumball Review: The Cringe

"We have to air out the awkwardness. Let it all hang out. Free and loose, flopping in the wind like a panting dog's tongue!" "That sounds awkward enough already." "And then we'll roll in our awkwardness, slather ourselves in it like a couple of oiled-up prize hogs, until the bitter shame finally tastes sweet!" "I feel like I need a shower." "Funny you should say that."

One of the fun aspects of Season 6 being the final season is that it means the show's closing up shop, and this is the last call to get as much out of its supporting cast and their story arcs as possible. Last week, for instance, we saw Richard and Frankie make amends, and the week before, we saw Tobias finally discover what friendship actually is; in a few weeks, too, we have what's looking to be the last great huzzah for Alan's story arc.

"The Cringe," unsurprisingly, decides to finish off the trilogy of Hot Dog Guy episodes by tackling the duo's awkwardness head-on. First, the episode asks the expected question of how can they get it to stop, but more interestingly, when all else fails, "The Cringe" posits a question to stifle the whole story arc: why are they so awkward? At once, the episode tackles both concepts with an exciting bit of daring and gameness, yet they never fully pay off.