Beavis And Butt-Head (Paramount+ Relaunch)

Escape Room:

It was my opinion that the 2011 relaunch was the finest season of that show Mike Judge ever did, and this was similarly terrific. It had a classic Beavis And Butt-Head-style premise (they confuse the bathroom for the escape room) and resolution (they pee and poop in the escape room) and yet it's a modern NEW topic. Very well done.

I also noted the interstitials where they watch TV / online videos seem much shorter than they used to be. That makes sense because they were actually a cost cutting measure to save money on new animation back in the day and that's no longer necessary. The thing is, the music videos themselves back in the day were funny in their own right, and gave Judge a chance to riff and improvise comedy, so they obviously still need to be present, if not as prevalent. 4 stars.

The Special One:

I love the questions this raised about Beavis' psychopathy. We'll discuss that in a moment, but what I loved about the cartoon is that the premise was subversive and unexpected, and the resolution made perfect sense to something that outright weird. It plays as if Beavis And Butt-Head is an animated fable, and always has been. Many long jokes are structured this way too.

As for Beavis' mindset, if he is crazy and imagining the Fire speaking, the smart things the Fire says suggests Beavis has a core of intelligence he doesn't normally have access to. That might explain why he is so enraptured with Fire and willing to do what it says until he realizes all it wants is for him to better himself. Alternately, it's possible Beavis is NOT actually crazy, and the Fire as seen IS sentient and alive, and speaks to him and only him. I'm going to choose to believe the second interpretation. Because the idea that Beavis is a struggling, untapped genius makes me too sad. I'd rather believe the world itself was insane.

For the record, I did not dig Judge's riff during the music video. Because the music video was SO unambiguously awful. It's been AGES since I've seen the original show, and I can't imagine that all they riffed during were bad music videos. This one was so bad, I felt it was low-hanging comedy fruit. I would be similarly unhappy to see those two commenting on an old Mentos commercial. Everybody already knows they are dumb. There is nothing funny Beavis or Butt-Head could say about them. I felt that very strongly about this awful country video.

The story itself was fantastic, but the intermission was surprisingly weak, which is troubling as it's part of the first episode back. 4 stars.

Episode Overall: 4 stars.

Boxed In:

Van Driessen means the new episodes don't follow the continuity of Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe, in which the boys were transported for 1998 to the year 2022. I think that's probably for the best (they don't have to create an entirely new high school and neighborhood cast, and Judge can keep voicing those characters) although that movie remains my single favorite Beavis and Butt-Head project of all time. So it's a continuation of the previous two series operating in Peanuts Time, instead of the soft reboot operating in real time the movie was. It's more consistent because the 2011 season operated on Peanuts Time too.

Van Driessen confiscating the drill as Beavis was lowering it towards his eyes was probably the first responsible thing he's ever done when teaching those idiots.

Where do they find these online videos? I loved Butt-Head saying he was going to talk like this from now on.

I like Beavis, but the fact that he can't stop himself from spanking his monkey in front of other people if the urge arises says he's a problematic character at best. The whole intermission made me laugh though. I ain't going to deny that. I'm not proud.

Beavis is interesting because he quickly pivots to suggesting it might be fine to live in the box. I actually understand the mindset of weighing the pros and cons of giving up early on, especially if the task ahead seems so impossibly hard. Judge wants us to find Beavis stupid for the suggestion (along with his wishful thinking that there will eventually somehow be chicks in the box). I find his hopefulness in a hopeless situation relatable instead. 4 stars.

Beekeepers:

It never fails to amuse me when Beavis likes a music video Butt-Head hates. The funniest time ever was when Beavis stood by his opinion so fiercely he scared Butt-Head into backing off, but I like seeing Beavis seeming to understand him digging this boy band is pretty much indefensible. And when Butt-Head sees him twerking the couch I don't recall ever seeing and hearing Butt-Head so genuinely upset. Butt-Head is a sociopath who doesn't really care about anything. It's interesting that that was the thing that majorly offended him. Butt-Head's demeanor is always snide and amused in a mean-spirited way. For the first time ever he drops that smirky facade because he's genuinely mad. Beavis spanks him monkey in front of him, he gets a slap across the chops. He does THIS, he must leave his own house never to return. I actually almost get it.

I actually missed the shampoo bottle during the scene in the bathroom, so it being shampoo WAS a surprise. What's hilarious is Beavis and Butt-Head being angry at the "bees" for making shampoo instead of honey.

We're supposed to laugh as Beavis' violent misfortune with the bees, but I felt sympathetic towards him when he says doesn't want to open the box because it hurt. He doesn't have the verbal skills to explain why he knows it's a bad idea, and Butt-Head talks him into it anyways, but one of things that I relate to Beavis with is the fact that he doesn't have the ability to properly express what he's feeling, and he clearly wishes he did. And even if he did Butt-Head would torment him about it. But it wouldn't matter, because that would mean he could hang out with better people than Butt-Head. There is something tragic to me about the fact that on some level Beavis knows he's broken and can't do anything about it.

Mike Judge deliberately made sure that we remembered that his voice for Anderson may have been the prototype for Hank Hill, but it's still slightly different. Not only is Anderson's voice slightly deeper, he talks MUCH slower and more deliberately than Hank. He's what Hank will probably sound like at age 80. But it's still a slightly different voice.

I felt bad for Beavis by the end of this. 3 stars.

Episode Overall: 3 1/2 stars.

Roof:

A couple of very dark episodes with unresolved endings. I liked the second more than the first.

I'll tell you the interesting thing about the first, that differentiates this version from the original MTV run. Anderson doesn't end up humiliated and outraged over Beavis and Butt-Head ruining the job he had for them. He isn't punished simply because he's dumb enough to trust them. But the boys destroying the hearing aids instead makes their misfortune seem just.

Butt-Head is really tough to take in this episode. The one thing I liked that made me laugh is when Butt-Head told amnesiac Beavis his name and called him Ass-Face. It was a remarkably smart joke when Beavis asked him which one of those was his name, and which one of those was the thing he was calling him.

If the status quo going forward is that the boys are punished for their stupidity instead of the people trusting them being punished for that, we are in good shape. 3 stars.

River:

Another similar, dark premise but it had a perfect joke. Beavis and Butt-Head were at the dump looking for a floatation device. And lo and behold, there are a pair of inner tubes right there like a gift from God, and Butt-Head crows about their good fortune. The next scene is them riding a shopping cart and pushing it into the lake. I happen to think smart characters are funnier than dumb characters. But the comedy on Beavis and Butt-Head must be SO damn hard to write because what these idiots can actually grasp and understand is practically nonexistent, and you can't really do too many clever ideas with them. But that was using the boys' total dumbness to good effect right there.

The rest of the cartoon was only so-so, and the interstitial wasn't that funny. The interstitial in the first short wasn't that funny either, so that's another thing these two cartoons have in common. 3 1/2 stars.

Episode Overall: 3 stars.

The New Enemy:

The raccoon story was pretty dumb, although it's significant to me that Tom Anderson won the story AGAIN in his second real conflict with the boys, which says the mindset of the show has changed since it came back. Which is good.

The intermission was the more interesting part to me. It's always amusing to me that Beavis is torn between making fun of his loose mother when Butt-Head starts in on her, or telling him to knock it off because he just won't shut up about it. Frankly, I find Butt-Head obnoxious. 3 1/2 stars.

The Doppelganger:

The episode answers the question of "Is there possibly a worse hang than Butt-Head?" I'm going to say Keith qualifies. Honestly, it's sort of nice to have some normalcy enter the show, but the truth is as sane as the guy seems, he's also super clingy. I see why Beavis was annoyed, even if he dug the fist bump at the end.

I feel bad that Beavis has nobody to fist-bump. Maybe Butt-Head is the worse hang after all. 4 stars.

Episode Overall: 4 stars.

Nice Butt-Head:

Pair of great cartoons this week.

The first one proves that even after nearly 30 years, the show hasn't run out of ideas yet.

I didn't find much of Beavis' reactions too credible, which might be a bit of a failing on my end. Beavis preferring the cruel Butt-Head is I think not because Beavis is cruel himself, but because he's self-loathing and knows nothing else. Beavis fears and is very resistant to change, even when it's good. He has a definite inferiority complex about it.

As for Butt-Head, it is very illuminating to me that his psychopathy apparently is just down to a chemical imbalance in his brain. It makes me hate him slightly less.

The interstitial with the pig was great. You know what? Beavis DOES sound like that. 5 stars.

Home Aide:

I opined elsewhere the 2011 relaunch was the finest thing the franchise ever did (at least until Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe). But this cartoon shows Mike Judge is playing for keeps. He knows there are plenty of fans of the show who are nerds, and are disappointed the Universe movie wasn't followed up on. Here, he uses multiple Universes to suggest that Universe still occurred, as did this one, and so does the Universe of 2011 and this show, where events occur in "Peanuts' Time", the years pass, and the characters don't age. Ever have a continuity beef with this show? This cartoon has you covered.

If this is Butt-Head's actual future from our version, I almost think it serves him right for what a loathsome ass he is. Beavis, per usual, has a bare minimum amount of people skills and self-worth. I wouldn't object to this future for him. But yeah, if this is where Butt-Head actually ends up, I'll be happy. He deserves it. 5 stars.

Episode Overall: 5 stars.

Virtual Stupidity:

This specific level of stupidity beggars belief a bit. I'm sorry. I'm having a hard time accepting it.

The videos were cool. I love Beavis saying that was dark and Butt-Head apologizing. The beat your meat song is funny too.

It also makes sense that Beavis hates firemen. I loved him saying you wouldn't believe what comes out of firehoses. And he concedes the fire department DID save his life four times so they can't be ALL bad.

But the framing story was too dumb, even for me. 1/2.

Locked Out:

Butt-Head declaring that Pixar sucks has gone down as the most rewarding part of the relaunch for me so far.

Buford and Bernando. How dumb is Tom Anderson? Really, he's not any smarter than the boys.

I love that Beavis was scared of the movie Ghost. Totally in character for him.

Funny stuff. *.

Episode Overall: ****.

Kidney:

Stewart! That takes me back. He's somehow even more pathetic years later. 4 stars.

The Good Deed:

After Cosby I don't find the idea of Spanish Fly funny. But the episode didn't really use it, and the boys didn't seem to understand it, so it's a bit forgivable.

I like how Beavis seems to be better at singing (in their minds) and that pisses Butt-Head off.

It was all right. 3 stars.

Episode Overall: 3 1/2 stars.

Two Stupid Men:

I couldn't believe that music video. How was that ever allowed on television? Yeah, MTV is cable. Still.

The framing story was a bit obnoxious. It's less funny to see them screw with other people when they are adults. Judge should reserve the adult episodes only for them screwing around with each other.

Also I realize it's a cartoon, and a dumb cartoon at that, but in reality Beavis and Butt-Head would NOT be called for jury duty at the same time, much less serve on the same jury as each other. I know Family Guy pulled the same trick but I'm calling b.s. here.

Still it was pretty good altogether. 3 1/2 stars.

Freaky Friday:

The glass being confused for a mirror was on-brand for those losers.

I really, REALLY liked the ending. And there are few cartoons of this show that I like the endings of. Beavis asks Butt-Head if he's Beavis or Butt-Head. And Butt-Head says something uncharacteristically wise: It doesn't matter. Beavis asks him if they've learned a lesson, and Butt-Head says he hopes not. That is a brilliant ending on a show where brilliant endings are rare because the main characters cannot deliver them. Well, the relaunch just did anyways. 5 stars.

Episode Overall: 4 1/2 stars.

Weird Girl:

I figured it out. Beavis is Charlie Brown, Glennis is Peppermint Patty and Fire is the Little Read-Haired Girl.

The ending is depressing on some level, but Glennis is still out there, and she still loves Beavis, even if he's too dumb to understand it.

The series is meeting the cultural moment because the instant Beavis does his Great Cornholio bit at the beginning, he's tackled by school security. Things have changed.

"Another fine offering from the good people at MTV." Or maybe they have not.

Van Dreissen has always bugged me, but he's a total leering creep with his Romeo and Juliet fixation here. Creepy story period by the way. Weird thing for a grown man to fetishize.

Poor Glennis. 4 1/2 stars.

Time Travelers:

That music video bit was golden. I love Butt-Head saying Beavis was in rare form. And the kid in the video is so young Butt-Head laughs and says he's a victim. They're listening to Mozart to help his development. That joke had me rolling, but it was also a huge cheat. WAY too smart to be said by Butt-Head. But the boys often gain a startling level of insight for the music videos never present in their adventures. And finally Beavis says Butt-Head's comments are mean, and Butt-Head said another unusually insightful thing, and reasoned that the kid gets to score when he's 11. He'll be fine. I love that.

The shark video was great too. "Oral reef" IS clever, but it's not too clever that I can't picture Butt-Head not being able to come up with it.

The framing story was a bit ridiculous. I laughed when Butt-Head told Beavis to stop wrecking his game. Oh, Butt-Head. Beavis is the least of your problems there, pal.

And Van Dreissen proves at the end another reason why he is utterly useless. Are we supposed to believe Beavis And Butt-Head are the resident idiots on this show? Because they don't look so dumb standing next to their teacher. Just saying.

Funny. 4 stars.

Episode Overall: 4 stars.

I thought that was pretty great. I absolutely love that the Rabbi loves Iron Man. He pauses for a second and then talks Beavis' ear off. That's great and not a joke you'd see on the original series. I don't think Mike Judge was much of a pop culture aficionado when he was actually writing it.

The bit with Beavis falling in love with the skinny hot girl eating ten Big Macs on camera was hilarious too. I think that girl is gross and that they have the weirdest stuff on the internet.

Beavis being an expert in lizards is a pretty funny idea too.

Butt-Head repeatedly saying Beavis' name to make him nothing was great too. Also Beavis solved the mystery of who sharpied shlongs on his face.

I'm guessing that was the season finale since it was a full half-hour episode. It was cool. ****1/2.

Refuse Service:

This is easily the worst premise of the relaunch so far. During the middle of the run of the old show, it did stupid premises like this ALL the time, and it always wore thin. There's nothing clever here. It's not even an actual joke or misunderstanding. It's just stupid.

Butt-Head confirms psychiatrists have labeled him a sociopath, which I have been calling him for years. But he doesn't care. About that or anything else. Sounds about right.

Butt-Head being disgusted with the skull unboxer's cheery attitude is right. There's something deeply wrong with him.

I can't get over what a comedy dead end that was. I understand why the old show occasionally did stuff like that. In 2022 it's unacceptable. 1 star.

Downward Dumbass:

Is this the first time they had the end credits play over the actual ending in franchise history? I think so.

The visual of Beavis sliding through the mall in the greased up yoga pants was absolutely hilarious. Well-timed animation on the show as well, which is also unusual.

Butt-Head made an interesting observation about the survivalist guy doing the video. If he's gonna just fry up stuff he got at the market, wouldn't it just have been easier to take a box of Froot Loops with him and eat that? I like that the show points out that people like Butt-Head have more common sense than the average YouTuber.

Much better than the first cartoon, but man, low bar. 3 1/2 stars.

Episode Overall: 2 stars.

The Most Dangerous Game:

Amusing premise and well-done execution. Funny. Predictable and hilarious pay-off too. 4 stars.

Bone Hunters:

Beavis destroying the TV is a good reminder that the kid is kind of dangerous. I personally have always found Beavis's wants and desires kind of sweet. And the relaunch has done a great job of showing that. But the truth is there should also be an edge to Beavis. In the sense that he spins out of Butt-Head's control sometimes. I don't really care about him whacking Butt-Head back or there being a more equal dynamic to the abuse. But I think part of the reason Butt-Head advises Beavis to settle down is partly because he's afraid of him when he doesn't. And I like that the relaunch is exploring Beavis' struggles in being in a codependent relationship with a sociopath like Butt-Head. But Beavis is always supposed to be portrayed as having mental issues himself. I'd argue even if Beavis is easier to put into society at large, those actual issues are far larger and more dangerous. And I like that the episode gave Beavis enough rage to actually destroy the TV.

For the record, I understand why Beavis and Butt-Head were upset, because the notion upset me too. I actually think dating a sex addict is a GREAT reason to break up with somebody, and I'm willing to risk Beavis' wrath to say that. But it's a terrible reason to GHOST somebody. It's you acting like the relationship was less intimate than it was. And if there was an overabundance of sex, you shouldn't be ghosting the person for any reason. They deserve a clear-cut dump and explanation.

Butt-Head firmly tells Beavis that this is one time he won't tell him to settle down, and that he firmly agrees with him for once. That's actually interesting.

The framing story was all right. Any measure of success Beavis and Butt-Head ever find in their lives is always illusory. Even if they are able tp blend into society successfully for a brief shining moment, they are always unable to sustain it. It's actually a bit depressing, but considering how dumb they are, any different outcome would present a bad moral to the viewer.

Interesting cartoon. 4 stars.

Episode Overall: 4 stars.

The video stuff was a riot particularly Butt-Head telling Beavis he was just going to pretend he never told him that. I love that Beavis is so broken he thinks BUTT-HEAD is the weirdo. 4 stars.

Polling Place

The framing story was painful and awful (anyone remotely believe a strip club would ever allow free admittance in the middle of the day for people with an "I voted" sticker?).

The saving grace was the video and Beavis talking about the half of the Lego pirate ship he left in the toilet. Butt-Head remarks their teacher said he ruined the third grade. And then he retired. That got a HUGE laugh from ne. 3 1/2 stars.

Episode Overall: 4 stars.

Not to be confused with Old Beavis And Butt-Head.

I loved Butt-Head saying "That's disgusting." No other clarification needed. It totally is. It appears Butt-Head DOES have a line and Beavis just crossed it.

Beavis has no game. But he weirdly still has ten times the game Butt-Head does. 3 stars.

Tom Anderson's War Stories

If King Of The Hill is done to show why Hank Hill has value, Tom Anderson exists to prove why he sucks. I think Beavis and Butt-Head's take has the right of it on that kind of person. 3 stars.

Hunting Trip

I question why this exists. Do the writers not understand seeing idiots like Beavis and Butt-Head playing with a gun in NOT actually funny in today's climate? I understand this show used to be edgy back in the day. The problem is because of real life this crap isn't actually funny anymore so it's actually a comedy dead end. How do the writers not already know this? 1 star.

Episode Overall: 2 stars.

I guffawed at the "3 minutes and 35 seconds later" card. I especially love Butt-Head getting up and saying he yielded the rest of his time to Beavis. I love that Old Butt-Head knows what the word "yield" means in a committee context. And yet he's still too stupid to realize his home has been destroyed. 4 stars.

Pranks:

Not really a great mine of comedy gems, to be truthful. The video portion was nothing special either. 2 stars.

Episode Overall: 3 stars.

Hellhole

A little too stupid, even for Beavis and Butt-Head. The warped thing is at the end they are upset they are still actually alive. Part of me doesn't blame them. 3 stars.

Take A Bow

It's SO weird and refreshing seeing Butt-Head actually remorseful about hurting Beavis and feeling bad. He doesn't exactly apologize at the end but he does say he's glad he didn't die.

Just that alone justify angels singing. Take a bow, Michael. Great ending.

The stuff with the guy chugging the Mountain Dew is Classic Beavis And Butt-Head, and why I'm glad the show has expanded from JUST music videos. Trash TV and web videos deserve deconstruction from these idiots too. 5 stars.

Episode Overall: 4 stars.

Kind of cathartic to see the boys beaten with shovels for destroying that garden. That old lady kicked Beavis' ass.

I loved Beavis' utter confusion at the Sabrina Carpenter video. I'm surprised he actually knows who Montgomery Cliff is. 3 1/2 stars.

Married

Sort of predictable but it's also not a premise you can do in the Universe they're kids.

Their voices during that apartment tour were pretty funny.

All right. 3 stars.

Episode Overall: 3 stars.