Knuckles (Paramount+ Miniseries)

In his own way Knuckles is far more damaging and reckless than Sonic. And unlike Sonic, he resists every moral lesson taught to him.

Ed Asner is dead so they had to settle for Christopher Lloyd as the Echidna Chief.

I am very worried about the importance given to this dumb bowling tournament. Even with Knuckles kidnapped by rogue government agents, it makes the entire series feeling startlingly low-stakes. 2 1/2 stars.

I'll tell you though that Wade is right about celebrating the victories. You'd figure a warrior race like Echidnas would be more into "I meant to do that!" bragging.

I LOVED the moment where the bad guy's mom calls him on the phone during the fight. It IS comedy, but it's also realistic which is the thing I love. I believe something like that would not only happen, but frequently be happening to more pop-culture bad guys before this.

Still that is some stinky dialogue. Poo! 3 stars.

I love that Mother Whipple's one note to Knuckles before the fight was to protect the candles. That single shot revolving room perspective fight was pretty impressive.

All right. 3 1/2 stars.

That was awkward, unfunny, dumb, and cringe. I haven't seen the final two episodes yet, but that was so bad I'm already declaring the entire series a loss.

And do they think I am too dumb to know that they had Wade spend the entire episode away from Knuckles because they ran out of money for Knuckles' CGI rendering? I don't just hate cheap episodes. I hate BAD cheap episodes.

Awful doesn't do it justice as a descriptor. 0.

I credit that with two things: The lady villain's monologue to Rory McCann, and Mother Whipple's warning to Wade. That conflict felt real-world relatable and as if it were had by people instead of cartoon characters. I did not appreciate the end of the episode taking the nuance out of the scenario. But I liked when the nuance was present.

Good episode or not, the complaint about the last episode of pulling the focus away from Knuckles to save VFX money is true here too. And it's his damn show, only six episodes long, and not okay to do for two episodes. I mentioned the last bad episode told me this show is a failure, This good episode did not change that opinion. We'll see how the finale goes. 4 stars.

It was entirely a failure.

I'm not saying the films are masterpieces, but if I were in charge of them I would disown this project. It would have the same canonicity to the films as The Star Wars Holiday Special does to Star Wars. A curiosity slash embarrassment.

There is no need to make Wade's father the pure monster he is. And Rory McCann wasn't such of a much either. I was all set to complain about the show cheaping out not putting Knuckles in the bowling alley to cheer on and mentor his friend for budgetary reasons, and then the outside climax happens, and I'm like "Oh, okay." That benefit of the doubt was soon destroyed when KNUCKLES is knocked the hell out in the final battle of HIS OWN DAMN show, and the day has to essentially be saved by Wade while he's unconscious! Why is the show called Knuckles? It turns out it's not even ABOUT him!

I watch a lot of bad television. I don't like it, but I'm used to it. But as far as bad television goes, Knuckles especially leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Mostly because I personally believe it's pretty tough to screw up a 6 episode miniseries, especially if each part is only a half hour long. The fact that this entire series has been so drawn out and lifeless, without the videogame fun promised shows this is a very serious failing on a level even I do not usually have to criticize. The only way this is superior to Titans and Riverdale is that it's not overtly offensive. But that is no kind of brag whatsoever.

So yeah, this was a bad thing, and Knuckles got a raw deal. Idris Elba is an executive producer? This may actually be a career low-point for him. Stay away at all costs. 1 star.