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Werewolf by Night Review

I never saw the Universal Monsters movies before, but I know about their impact on pop culture. They provided the public with definitive versions of famous monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein’s Monster. Now, even the MCU’s trying to emulate the classic monster movies for Halloween. The end result, Werewolf by Night, is a triumphant masterpiece. A perfect blend of classic horror and the often-overlooked horror elements of Marvel comics.

Monster Hunters Ain’t That Surprising

In a universe filled with heroes, gods, magic, time travel, does the existence of monsters come as any surprise for anyone? The answer is a resounding no: monsters exist in the MCU, and so do the people that hunt them. Thus, when the most famous monster hunter of all, Ulysses Bloodstone, dies, the best hunters in the world congregate to choose his successor via a trial. 

There are several candidates that show up, but the ones that should be the main focus are Jack Russell, an unassuming guy with a high kill count, and Elsa Bloodstone, Ulysses estranged daughter. It’s never explained why, but it seems that she left her home due to not being on good terms with her stepmother. To be fair, though, her stepmother is a very unpleasant woman! The only reason Elsa returned is so she can gain her father’s bloodstone, which provides longevity, among other powers. Thus, we get to the main event of the special: the monster hunt. Each hunter enters a maze to chase a monster with the bloodstone attached to it. The first one to kill it and get the stone wins.

On the surface, it seems like a simple premise. However, it soon becomes clear that it’s not so simple.

Not Evil, Just Misunderstood

As it turns out, Jack wasn’t interested in getting the bloodstone for himself. He just wanted to help out the monster, AKA Ted, AKA Man-Thing, a being that’s the product of a science experiment gone wrong combined with mystical energy. Despite his monstrous, plant-like appearance, though, Man-Thing’s a gentle giant, and a friend of Jack. He only acts threatening to those that seek to do him harm, as he chooses to spare Elsa when she chooses to not attack him. 

I picked up on it early on, but I want to say it anyway: most of the monster hunters are racist Van Helsings. They automatically assume that anything that looks like a monster is a threat and must die, regardless of whether or not it actually is a threat. In this case, Man-Thing’s not evil; just misunderstood, as is Jack. 

As it turns out, Jack is a werewolf, albeit one that goes out of his way to make sure he can’t hurt anyone when he turns into a werewolf. Despite this, Mrs. Bloodstone and the other hunters don’t care, since they capture him and Elsa and trap them inside a cage with the goal of having Jack, the Werewolf by Night, kill Elsa.

Sometimes, the biggest monsters in the universe are the ones who think they’re doing the world a favor. In reality, they’re just being bullies who need a swift kick in the butt. In this case, Jack delivers a well-deserved ass-kicking as he proceeds to break free as a werewolf and kills all the monster hunters. Except for Ulysses Bloodstone’s widow; she dies at the hands of Man-Thing. 

The Monsters Win!

Thus, the story ends with Elsa reclaiming her birthright, the bloodstone, and her dad’s home. As for Jack and Man-Thing, they get to walk away. Happy ending for the good guys!

Overall, I thought that this was a very fun Halloween special for Marvel to do. It pays homage to classic horror with its black-and-white appearance. It doesn’t go too heavy on CGI in favor of practical effects. There’s even a shout-out to The Cryptkeeper in the form of Ulysses Bloodstone’s corpse acting like an animatronic. It’s a lot of fun. Hopefully, Marvel will decide to do more horror-themed stuff in the future. I wouldn’t mind seeing this sort of stuff for Halloween.

I Give “Werewolf by Night” a 4.5/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 7 Review

When I saw the premise of this week’s episode of Marvel What If…?, I thought that the show was joking. Having one based around Thor if he never had Loki as his brother? It was intriguing, but not the kind of thing that most people would want to watch. Especially when you consider how every episode of the show thus far has focused on big changes to the timeline. However, then we get to the ending, and we see that Marvel played us all with a bait-and-switch. The party god brings the thunder to Earth this week, people!

Party Hard With the Party God

In the main MCU, after fighting against the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, Odin ended up adopting Loki, the infant son of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants. However, in this universe, Odin somehow convinced Laufey to keep Loki and treat him right. As a result, he grows up a Frost Giant, and Thor remains an only child (as far as he knows). Unfortunately, rather than grow up to be the boisterous but lovable warrior we know, Thor becomes a…party god.

I’m serious. Rather than spending his days fighting, Thor and his Asgardian friends throwing the biggest parties in the Galaxy. And while Odin’s asleep for a week and Frigga’s visiting friends, Thor decides to do just that. And the place he chooses to go to? Earth, which he turns into a party planet.

It’s an absolutely silly premise. The first time extraterrestrials come to Earth (that the public knows about), and they come to party like college students. And it’s not just Thor. We got Yondu; Drax; Rocket; Nebula; Korg; Surtur; and the Grandmaster as a DJ!

As for Loki? He shows up with his Frost Giant posse, and it’s clear that Loki and Thor have a better relationship than they initially did in the MCU. It’s nice to see that these two, for better or worse, were always meant to be brothers.

Frigga Is Coming

So, S.H.I.E.L.D. has a big problem with Thor showing up and turning Earth into a frat planet. And when Jane Foster (who’s already met Thor partying), won’t help, they call in Captain Marvel. And she is not happy with Thor ruining her homeworld.

Since Avenger: Endgame, I’m sure plenty of people have wondered who would win in a fight between Thor and Captain Marvel. Spoiler alert: Captain Marvel would probably win, and this episode proves it. The two clash in a fight around the world, and it looks like Captain Marvel will likely come out on top. Until, that is, Thor gets a call from his mother.

Jane managed to get in contact with Lady Frigga, and told her just what her son’s been up to. As a result, Frigga decides to come to Earth, leading Thor to panic. What follows is pure hilarity. Once Thor tells everyone that his Mom’s coming, they panic and proceed to fix all the damage they’ve done to Earth. It’s honestly like one of those teen party scenarios we see in sitcoms and movies, and I loved it.

But I think I loved what happened next even more.

A Multiversal Threat Emerges

In the episode’s closing moments, Thor, the audience, and even The Watcher are all surprised when an army of machines steps in through a portal. And at their head is what looks to be an Infinity Stone powered Ultron with the body of Vision. Uh-oh.

So, maybe the TVA was right about keeping the Multiverse down to a bare minimum to prevent the rise of threats like this. My current theory? In one universe, Tony and Bruce succeeded with Ultron as they meant to, only for him to go rogue and seize the Infinity Stones, leading him to becoming a universe-hopping conqueror. Or he succeeded in taking Vision’s body for himself, wiped out humanity, got the Stones, and did all of that. Either way, this is bad news for everyone.

The teaser for the second half of season one of What If…? has hinted at some sort of crossover between the different variations of characters we’ve seen thus far. Now, with the threat of a super Ultron to contend with, The Watcher may have no choice but to intervene for the sake of the Multiverse. Either way, I expect the next episode to set us up for the season finale, and the birth of a Multiverse-spanning Avengers.

Here’s hoping Party God Thor can be of some help.

Also, Darcy and Howard the Duck have a Vegas Wedding!

I Give “What If…Thor Was an Only Child?” a 3.5/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 6 Review

Who’s the best villain in the MCU? Given how most of the MCU baddies are forgettable, there are only three real choices right now: Thanos, most versions of Loki, and Erik Killmonger. Erik Killmonger may not be a demi-god like Loki or a universe-altering warlord like Thanos, but he’s still one of the best villains in the franchise. His backstory elicits sympathy. His motives, while violent, are understandable given what he went through. And though he lost, he ended up changing the Black Panther’s view on the world. So, when I saw that Killmonger would be coming back for Marvel What if…?, I was excited to see how things would turn out for him in this part of the Multiverse.

Having seen the episode, though, I am…a little let down.

What If…Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?

In the latest alteration to the MCU timeline, the fateful attempt of the Ten Rings to capture or kill Tony Stark fails, thanks to the intervention of Erik Killmonger. According to him, he was in deep cover with the Ten Rings when he got word about the attack, and thus saves Tony from the events that make him Iron Man. Then, to further ingratiate himself (and show just how far above he is over most of the MCU villains), he ousts Stane as the mastermind behind the attack.

That is only step one of Killmonger’s master plan. From here, he orchestrates a Machiavellian chess game that would make Littlefinger and Tywin Lannister jealous. Firstly, he talks Tony into building mini Gundam drones (he likes anime, just like his actor). Then, he offs both Rhodey and T’Challa and frames both sides for the other’s deaths. Tony follows suit, along with Klaw (Andy Serkis was great as him), and uses it to get himself into Wakanda where he “heroically” saves the day from the drones he helped to create.

On the one hand, this just hammers home how dangerous Killmonger really was, rivaling even Loki in terms of manipulation. On the other hand, it feels like they wasted him this time around.

What the What If…? Should’ve Been

When I first saw the teaser for this episode, I hoped that things would take a far different turn than what they did. Saving Tony Stark could’ve been Killmonger’s start to a better life, one where he could actually do some good for the world. He could’ve turned his back on his violent past, become a better person, and become the Prince he could’ve been if T’Chaka hadn’t left him behind. If he did that, then he could’ve entered Wakanda under much happier circumstances.

Instead, they wasted one of the MCU’s best villains just to hammer home how dangerous he really is by playing everyone like a fiddle. Almost everyone, really; Pepper and Shuri team up at the end to stop his plans for good; that seems like even more of a cop-out than it did when Hank Pym killed the Avengers. Even the Watcher disapproved of how things turned out.

The Watcher May Not Watch for Much Longer

Speaking of the Watcher, this episode dropped a subtle, yet important, clue about his role as the show continues. When we started out, we never saw the Watcher; only his silhouette. Then, we saw him cloaked in shadow. The story with Dr. Strange had him directly interact with events in the show. And this week, we see him in full view as he watches everything with disgust.

Those who read the comics will know the Watcher’s history, and that despite his oath to not interfere, he ends up breaking it many times for the greater good. My guess is that as these alternate timelines in the MCU continue to grow worse, it gets to the point where the Watcher says “Screw it. I need to fix this mess!”

I would not blame it. There’s a time to observe and a time to take action. And something tells me the Watcher will take action soon. Until then, Disney should go back and use an alternate Killmonger better.

They did, however, hit home with this scene of T’Challa’s funeral.

I Give “What If…Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?” a 2/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 5 Review

Ahh, the zombie apocalypse. It’s a classic horror film scenario, or the premise behind a long-running show like The Walking Dead. For superhero comics that use the concept of the multiverse theory, though, it’s all but mandatory to have one universe filled with zombies. Case in point, in 2005, Robert Kirkman of The Walking Dead wrote a mini-series titled Marvel Zombies. In this alternate universe, a zombie apocalypse occurs and threatens to kill everyone in that universe. So, with the MCU now tapping into its own Multiverse, it was inevitable that What If…? would cover this. It ends up being one of the goriest things the MCU’s shown us; and that includes the Netflix series!

What If…? Zombies!?!

In the MCU film Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hanky Pym traveled to the Quantum Realm to find his long-lost wife, Janet. However, in this timeline, Janet got infected by a quantum virus that turned her into a zombie. Hank got infected, and when he got back, he spread it to the entire west coast of the US. The Avengers reunite to stop it, but…you can guess what happens.

Fighting a zombie apocalypse is already a terrifying prospect, but Marvel cranks it up to 11. While the MCU zombies are mindless beings driven only to multiply, they retain all the skills and abilities they had in life. Dr. Strange and Wong can use magic; Tony Stark’s got his armor. And Wanda? You don’t want to face her!

Considering how the last two episodes of the show have shown us universes where things don’t end well, this episode ups the ante. However, it stops short of being as dark as the story with Dr. Strange, as that episode ended with the entire universe being destroyed. Additionally, the story with the alternate Strange hit harder as it felt far more tragic with almost no humor. In contrast, Marvel balances out the horror with their trademark humor. It works, but a little too well at times.

Spider-Man Is the Smartest Survivor of the Zombie Apocalypse

In world-ending events like this, usually it falls on the oldest and most experienced to help everyone survive. However, in this zombie apocalypse, it’s the youngest member of the surviving heroes who proves to be the smartest: Spider-Man.

MCU Spidey’s repeatedly proven to be very pop-culture savvy, and while some may find it annoying, that knowledge has proven invaluable on numerous occasions. In this case, watching enough zombie films taught him how best to survive the undead. Which only makes it more frustrating to see the adults ignore his advice, which leads to several of them dying.

Spider-Man’s really the MVP of this entire episode (along with the Cloak of Levitation), giving the team sound advice that even Okoye admits she should’ve listened to. Moreover, his optimism in such a bleak scenario makes him all the more endearing. There’s a reason why he’s Marvel’s greatest hero, and this is why.

I’d Bail On this World, Too, Watcher!

Unlike last week, which saw the Watcher indirectly interact with that universe, here he maintains his distance. And you know what? I don’t blame him. While he could end up helping the heroes (if he could), he probably knows that it’s best not to make things worse. If he got infected, it would spread to other universes, and then the Multiverse would be screwed!

While by the end of the episode, the survivors have a ray of hope for a potential cure, the Watcher makes it clear that their odds aren’t great. A threat just as big has just made its way to Earth, only to get infected. As a result, this whole universe looks to be screwed. If they can’t cure the virus, then it’s best to get out of that universe quick!

This episode doesn’t reach the emotional highs as last week’s, and gets hampered at times by it’s own need to balance out the bleakness with comedy. However, it also makes up for it by being fun to watch. Also, it gave us this:

And this.

I Give “What If…Zombies?!?” a 3.9/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 4Review

It finally happened. After four episodes, our trip into the new MCU Multiverse has taken viewers to a Universe where there’s no happy ending. No light at the end of the tunnel! Everything that can go wrong does go wrong! And this week, the Watcher shows us a reality where Doctor Strange loses it, and everyone suffers as a result.

Doctor Strange, Minus the Dose of Humility

Whereas every episode of What If…? has started out following the main MCU only to branch off, this week’s Universe sees it having branched off before hand. In this universe, Doctor Strange and his colleague, Christine, are dating and going to an award show together. Then comes the car crash that changes his life. However, instead of losing his hands, Strange loses Christine instead. And somehow, this still motivates him to learn magic and become the next Sorcerer Supreme. The real problem comes afterwards, where his inability to accept Christine’s death leads to horrific consequences.

While I think the concept of the episode is hampered by the fact that no explanation is given as to why Strange and Christine were dating, I quickly ignored that in lieu of how this affected the plot of the episode. Having kept his hands intact, Doctor Strange never gets that dose of humility that he needed to become the hero he was meant to be. As a result, he arrogantly tries to use the Time Stone to try and prevent Christine’s death, only for the universe to keep willing it to happen.

And, being Strange, he doesn’t accept this, and tries to undo this event anyway. And this leads him down the path to becoming a monster.

Strange Supreme

Using the Time Stone, Strange spends centuries learning magic to bring Christine back. More terrrifying, though, is the fact that he spends that time absorbing all manner of supernatural creatures to increase his power. As a result, he gradually becomes less human and more of a humanoid abomination.

Doctor Strange is one of my favorite characters in the MCU, and Benedict Cumberbatch brings so much life to him. Needless to say, seeing the snarky but good-natured Doctor fall down this dark path was hard to watch. Even more so when an alternate, good version of him created by the Ancient One tries, and fails, to defeat his dark counterpart. By the time the episode ends, he’s barely even human anymore!

And he does bring Christine back, but as Mordo would say, the bill comes due. With Christine now alive, Strange had no reason to study magic. The resulting paradox then causes the entire universe to implode, killing Christine again and leaving only Strange himself, alone in the void.

The Watcher Begins to Interact

As heart-breaking as that ending was, it’s nothing compared to the Watcher’s role in this episode.

Until now, the Watcher has kept to his role, merely observing events as they happened, like a stand in for the audience. However, at one point in the episode, Strange seems to become aware of the entity’s presence when he remarks how he’s tempted to intervene and warn him about the folly of his actions. Yet the Watcher decides to keep to his decision to not intervene, as he knows that that will only make things worse.

This then comes to a head in the episode’s final moments when the Watcher confronts Strange directly, with the maddened sorcerer pleading for help. While a part of us wants to fix Strange’s mistake, the Watcher rightfully calls him out on his decisions, and leaves him to face the consequences. It may seem terrible to abandon an entire universe, but this was the result of what Doctor Strange did. His hubris destroyed his entire universe.

Regardless, this marks a notable shift for the Watcher. Fans of the comics know that he has repeatedly intervened in universe-threatening events in the comics. Given the threats that this new multiverse may unleash, the MCU Watcher may soon have no choice but to intervene. Either way, it’s likely that these one-off episodes are building up to something bigger.

This was the darkest episode of the series thus far, and it’s only a fraction of what the series can give us. Definitely a step up from last week’s story.

I Give “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” a 4.5/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 3 Review

We all know the story of the Avengers by now. A group of remarkable people come together to become Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and fight the battles others never could. That’s how it goes in most of the comics, and how it went in the MCU.

At least, in the main MCU timeline. But in the Multirverse, anything is possible. Like, for example, a timeline where someone offs the Avengers before they even have a chance to assemble. This week, What If…? asks the question of what would happen if Earth’s Mightiest Heroes never got off the ground.

Fury’s Worst Week Ever

Fun fact: in the MCU, the events of Thor, The Incredible Hulk, and a good part of Iron Man 2 all took place in the span of a single week. That week wound up proving key to the creation of the Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Or, it was supposed to.

In this week’s dive into the Multiverse, the Watcher shows us a universe where that never happened. Instead, Tony Stark suddenly croaks in the donut shop while talking to Fury and Black Widow. Thor gets shot by an arrow that Hawkeye supposedly misfired. And then Hawkeye’s found dead, too!

It soon becomes clear that someone’s going around targeting all the names on Fury’s list for the Avengers Initiative, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Loki shows up with an army demanding justice for his brother’s death and wants Earth to either pay up, or burn!

Who is killing the heroes, though? The answer…will be told right here and now. It’s Hank Pym.

Why Hank Killed Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

There’s a reason why I just spoiled who the killer is, but we’ll get to that in a moment. For now, I think it’s worth talking about why Hank went nuts like this, and how it’s not as jarring as you might think.

In this universe, Hank’s daughter, Hope Van Dyne, wound up becoming a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, only to die on a mission. Coupled with the seeming loss of his wife, this was enough to send Hank over the edge. And instead of getting revenge on Fury himself, he just went around killing people who had nothing to do with his daughter’s death. Hank claims it’s because he wanted Fury to suffer like he did, but in truth, it’s nothing more than a jerk move. He’s spitefully robbing Earth of its mightiest heroes and risking everyone, a fact made all the more clear when, after all’s said and done, Loki conquers the planet.

Again, this is not surprising when you look at Hank’s comic book history. He’s had years of mental instability. He even hit his wife at one point. So, him being a serial killer here is, ironically, bringing him more in line with his comic book history.

Weakest Episode To Date

Whereas the two previous episodes were fun and imaginative, this episode was, in a word, dark. Everything that could go wrong for Nick Fury did go wrong, with him losing most of the Avengers roster before they ever meet up. If it had ended like that, then it might have been slightly better. However, Disney then reminds us of the fact that the Avengers were just a few heroes in a universe that would soon be sprawling with them. Captain America was still on ice, Captain Marvel returns from deep space, and I’m pretty sure War Machine could fill in for Iron Man at this point. Bottom line, the Avengers would assemble, albeit with different members.

It doesn’t change the fact that this was my least favorite episode of the series to date. Then again, in the Multiverse, we were bound to find versions that would suck like this. Regardless, this is one branching timeline I don’t think I’ll want to re-visit anytime soon.

I Give “What If… the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?” a 2/5

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Star Wars: The Bad Batch Episode 2 Review

Even though The Clone Wars show ended last year, The Bad Batch makes us feel like it never did. As we saw in the hour long premiere, The Bad Batch went out of its way to make it seem like a continuation of The Clone Wars. Some fans have even jokingly called it “The Clone Wars, Season 8.” I don’t think they’re wrong, either. Case in point, the second episode to The Bad Batch brings back a character that only longtime fans of The Clone Wars may remember.

Cut Lawquane Knows the Bad Batch

After deserting the Empire and their brainwashed buddy, the Bad Batch has to lay low and figure out their next move. Thus, they seek out the help of an old friend on Saleucami: Cut Lawquane.

For those who don’t know or remember, Cut Lawquane is a Clone Trooper who deserted after his entire unit was killed. Ever since, he’s been living in peace with his wife and step-children, with Rex even covering him. However, it turns out Rex wasn’t the only one who knew about Cut. The Bad Batch not only knows about him, but they’re close with his family. Cut’s kids even call Wrecker “Uncle Wrecker.”

If the show expected us to enjoy this reunion, it might have failed. Firstly, we’ve only seen Cut once before today, so any emotional investment in him is going to be limited. Secondly, the fact that the Bad Batch knows him comes out of nowhere with no explanation. It’s implied that Rex told them about Cut, but that’s about it.

The Iron Grip of the Empire Already Taking Hold

That said, the Bad Batch went to Cut for a reason: to learn how to lay low, which is now very hard with the Empire in control. Cut’s trying to take his family and move elsewhere, but the Empire’s not letting anyone leave without a chain code. A chain code is basically a fancy way for the Empire to track everyone around the Galaxy, which is something someone like Cut and the Bad Batch can’t afford.

Seeing the Clone Troopers, who we’re used to knowing as the good guys, act so cold and detached is both frightening and sad. The Clone Wars only ended a few months ago, and the Empire is already becoming the despotic regime that fans are familiar with. And the worst part is that the Clones don’t even realize they’ve become puppets for Darth Sidious.

In the end, the Bad Batch comes up with a plan to create forged chain codes to help Cut’s family get off-world. However, when the plan goes awry, the Bad Batch has to fight their fellow Clones in a brutal stand-off. While Bad Batch doesn’t have a strong rapport with most of the normal Clone Troopers, it’s still tragic to see them fight their genetic brothers. However, they know they have no choice if they want to survive and protect Omega.

Omega Chooses her Family

Speaking of Omega, she’s the center of much of the B-Plot for this episode. Having never left Kamino, everything she sees is brand new and exciting for her. Seeing her get excited over something as simple as dirt or playing with a ball is very sweet to watch. However, it also reminds Hunter that she’s still a kid. And they may not be the best people to look after her. Thus, he tries to talk her into going with the Lawquane’s in the hopes of giving her a normal life.

Omega’s not having any of it. She chose to go with the Bad Batch, and she’s going to stay with the Bad Batch, much to Hunter’s joy. As sweet as it is, though, it also feels like the show rushed the growth of their relationship. Omega’s only known the team for a few weeks at best. Plus, it makes it feel like an attempt to recreate the famous bond of Mando and Baby Yoda. Then again, those two became close in a short amount of time, so it’s not impossible.

More Familiar Faces to Come for Bad Batch

After the drama and tension of the premiere, it feels like the second episode was a bit on the slow side. There was action to be had, but not on the scale of The Clone Wars, and I doubt there will be anything like that. But that’s part of the point behind the show. It’s not about massive armies fighting for control of the Galaxy, or the Jedi protecting it. It’s about the (subjectively) normal people trying to find their place in a changing Galaxy. So, while this episode seemed slow, I’m hoping that this won’t be the trend for the show.

In addition, the show gives us plenty to look forward to. Thanks to the trailers, we already know that Rex will make an appearance, and it may be sooner than we think. According to Cut, Rex visited the Lawquane’s the day before the Bad Batch arrived. Sooner or later, the team will run into him. And I can’t wait.

I Give “Cut and Run” a 3/5

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Welcome to the grand finale of my Phineas and Ferb week, everyone! After looking over when the episodes of the show were released, I realized that I wound up watching the majority of them. The last season was just strung over the course of three years. Having said that, there were a lot of episodes that I loved and/or found memorable, but I managed to narrow it down to the ten that I liked or remember the most. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this little trip down memory lane.

By the way, I will be excluding the TV movie and crossover episodes from this list.

Rollercoaster

Kicking off my list, we have the episode that started it all, Rollercoaster. In an effort to make the most of their summer, Phineas and Ferb decide to build the mother of all rollercoasters, and things just spiral from there. Meanwhile, Perry has to stop Doofenshmirtz from reversing the earth’s rotation using tin foil.

While future episodes would offer better storylines and jokes, what I like about this episode is the fact that it seems so simple in hindsight. The big finale song in the final episode even lampshades this by calling the experience “simple”. If something like a rollercoaster was simple to the boys, then that should have given viewers a hint of how crazy things would get.

Lawn Gnome Beach Party of Terror

One of the worst things about summer time is trying to beat the immense heat, but Phineas and Ferb are nothing if not creative. So when a heatwave strikes Danville, they make the most of it by building a beach in their backyard. A literal beach, I might add, that attracts everyone in the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Doofenshmirtz is enacting a plan to steal all the lawn gnomes in Danville.

I don’t know what I liked most about this episode: the fact that the boys made an actual beach in their backyard, complete with ocean and everything. Or maybe it’s Ferb’s catchy song that I would listen to over and over on my IPod. Or the fact that this episode that we get a glimpse into Doofenshmirtz’s hilariously abusive childhood. Seriously, that guy needs a hug.

Phineas and Ferb’s Quantum Boogaloo

While Phineas and Ferb had already traveled through time earlier in the summer, their second experience with it makes the first pale in comparison. When the boys travel to the future to get a tool they need, future Candace’s desire to bust her brothers gets reignited. Thus, she uses another time machine to go back and bust them on the day they made the rollercoaster. However, things snowball when this leads to a dystopian future where children are locked away and Doofenshmirtz rules the Tri-State Area. So Candace then has to go back and stop Candace from being…Candace?

Look, if this episode sounds confusing, then that’s the whole point. The creators did it to parody the absurdity of time travel stories, making it as confusing as possible. What makes it even more confusing is the fact that, in the credits, Isabella comes back in a time machine and gives the boys the tool they need. Thus, I don’t even know if any of the events happened!

Phineas and Ferb Get Busted

When Phineas and Ferb turn their mom’s car into a flying car of the future, Candace manages to finally expose them to her mom. As a result, the two get sent to a brainwashing military school that makes St. Olga’s look like child’s play. Once the euphoria of victory wears off though, Candace feels guilty and busts them out.

I would like to point out the fact that this episode may be one of the darkest moments ever seen on a kid’s cartoon. As a matter of fact, I think I repressed the memory of it until I was older. Thank god, though, that none of the events actually happened. The whole thing was just a dream inside of Perry’s dream. Not sorry for the spoilers

Meapless in Seattle

Yeah, this clip pretty much sums up why I loved this episode so much. The fact that the creators were willing to go this far for what was originally meant to be a joke shows real dedication. Respect!

Traffic Cam Caper

This may not be one of the more memorable episodes, but i found it hilarious. When Candace discovers a traffic cam’s recorded all of her brother’s projects, she think she finally has the evidence to bust them. Unfortunately for her, Perry also needs the disc on the camera since it could blow his cover. You can guess the rest.

Like I said, it’s not the most memorable episode, but there’s two reasons why I like. First, the second that Candace says she won’t let anyone take the disc, then Perry comes in using Norm the robot and steals it. The comedic timing is perfect! Second, this episode shows that when push comes to shove, Candace will choose the safety of her brothers over busting them. It’s sweet to know that Candace really does care about her brothers.

Lights, Candace, Action!

Another early gem from the show, in this episode Candace learns that a movie adaptation of her favorite play is being filmed in Danville. While she’s excited when she lands the lead role, she’s upset to learn that her brother’s are the directors of the film. Meanwhile, Doofernshmirtz takes up cheese-making and uses a new invention to super-age his cheese.

While this episode is not as big as future ones, I still think it’s significant. First, it marks the first time that Doofenshmirtz uses the “inator” moniker. Well, at least the first time we notice it. Second, that ending film “the Swamp Monster of Danville” is peak meme material and reminds me of the early days of YouTube.

Last Day of Summer

After eight years and hundreds of episodes, Phineas and Ferb’s summer vacation reaches its final day. And, as always, Candace fails to bust them for whatever it is that they’re doing. But while visiting Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s lab, she activates a device that rewinds the day back to the beginning. What should be a simple “Groundhog Day” story becomes even crazier, though, when the days start getting shorter. Oh, and things start to get sucked into another dimension and making people forget about their existence

As the final episode for an amazing show, “Last Day of Summer” had a lot to live up to, and I think that it managed to deliver. As I said in my post for Fandom two years ago, the finale serves as a reminder that, as fun as some things in life can be, we have to learn to let them go. Plus, the final song recapping everything the show did was the tribute fans deserved.

Flop Starz

You ever wonder why Phineas and Ferb had a song in almost every episode? It all comes back to the third episode of the series, “Flop Starz.” When the boys decide to see what life is like as stars, but not wanting to deal with the negative aspects, the boys write a one-hit wonder that becomes hugely successful, both in the show and in real-life.

I’m not joking about that. The executives at Disney liked the song “Gittchee Gitcchee Goo” so much that had Dan and Swampy right one for each episode. Thus, Phineas and Ferb and its successor, Milo Murphy’s Law, became musical cartoons. And I won’t lie, a lot of the show’s songs are very catchy.

Dude, We’re Getting the Band Back Together

There’s no particular order to these episodes and which one is my favorite. Until this one, however. This is my favorite, and a lot of fans will agree. When their dad forgets their mom’s anniversary, Phineas, Ferb, and Candace team up to give them their parents the ultimate anniversary gift. That gift being reuniting their favorite band to play a concert dedicated in their honor.

Crazy scheme by Phineas and Ferb? Check. A meaningful sub-plot involving Doofenshmirtz, his daughter Vanessa, and Perry the Platypus? Check. More than five amazing songs in the span of a single episode, one of which got nominated for an Emmy? Yeah, this is without a doubt my favorite episode of Phineas and Ferb.

Leave Me Your Thoughts.

Do you agree with my picks? What were your favorite episodes of Phineas and Ferb? Let me know in the comments below. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to stan the Phineas and Ferb movie on Twitter. The review will be up by tomorrow afternoon.

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RJ Writing’s Musical Cliptastic Countdown of Favorite Phineas and Ferb Songs, Pt. 1

Hello everybody and welcome to the first part of my week of Phineas and Ferb. It’s all leading up to the debut of my review for the new movie, Candace Against the Universe this Friday. Initially, I planned on doing something similar to what I did for Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus. However, I’ve got too much to do now. This would be a compromise.

So, here’s how this will work: every day, I’ll be revealing two of my favorite songs from the show and give a brief explanation about why I like them so much. Whether you agree or not is up to you. In addition, I’ll be counting songs from the specials and the TV movie, Across the Second Dimension. With that out of the way, let’s get started.

#11- Phineas and Ferb Theme

Okay, I know I was only going to do 10 songs, but I felt like it would be an insult not to include the theme song. So, in it goes!

Besides being a theme song that people are able to easily recognize, I love the theme song because it encapsulates everything that the show’s about. It’s just two boys trying to enjoy their summer vacation. Then it lists off all the crazy things Phineas and Ferb come up with to make their summer awesome.

#10- Perry the Playtpus

I don’t anyone would have thought that something as bizarre as a platypus could end up being so cool, but Phineas and Ferb managed to do just that. While he acts as the boys beloved pet, Perry’s really a secret agent whose mission is to thwart the schemes of Dr. Doofenshmirtz. And as his theme song aptly demonstrates, he looks super cool in his feodora while doing so. Thus, this song gets on the list at number ten.

#9- E.V.I.L. B.O.Y.S.

Coming in at number nine on my list, we have this little gem sung by Candace. While attempting to bust her brothers for building a circus in the backyard, Candace has an allergic reaction to wild parsnips. As a result, her face turns red and her voice sounds deep and raspy. When she gets to her mom, she then breaks out into a song that’s basically her venting over the fact that her brothers always get away with whatever they do and how much stress it causes her. What makes this song even more memorable is that the entire song is sung by series co-creator Dan Povenmire. He wound up performing it live at his birthday years later. What a performance.

#8- Ain’t Got Rhythm

For our final pick of the day, we’ve got the unlikely song that wound up being the best in an episode with several great songs. In their mission to reunite their parents favorite band, Phineas and Ferb find the band’s drummer working as a librarian. However, he refuses to come back since he claims he lost his sense of rhythm. What follows is a very catchy and impromptu song that has everyone in the library take part in.

I have to say, of all the songs from this episode, this is the one that I always remember first. It’s just so catchy, and the fans think so too. This song wound up being so good, it got nominated for an Emmy award. How cool is that?

Come Back Tomorrow

Well, that’s all the time we have today, everyone! Come back tomorrow to see the next songs on my list!

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A Week of Phineas and Ferb Musical Countdowns.

“Ferb, I know what we’re gonna do today!” If you were a kid or teen who grew up in the late 2000s, then you’ll hopefully remember that catchphrase from Phineas and Ferb. Officially premiering on Disney Channel in 2008, Phineas and Ferb struck a chord in the people who watched it. The show’s premise was simple: two brothers trying to make the best of their summer vacation. They go about this, though, through projects and adventures that most kids would dream of doing. Oh, and their pet platypus is also a secret agent who regularly fights this mad scientist.

I fell in love with Phineas and Ferb almost right away, and would watch the show like crazy for several years. While my interest would wane with time, I returned to see the series finale in 2015. To this day, I consider it to be one of the best endings to a cartoon that I have ever seen. In just a few days, though, Phineas and Ferb will be making a triumphant return with the premiere of their new film on Disney+, Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe. As a result, I’ve got Phineas and Ferb fever, and I want to spread the love as much as possible.

My Own Musical Countdown

Originally, I was going to do this thing where I post something about the show every day until the film came out. However, I looked at how busy I am and realized that’s not possible. Then it hit me: Phineas and Ferb is famous for its music. So let’s do that!

Starting Monday, I’ll be releasing a short post featuring two of my favorite songs from the show and why I like it so much. It will culminate in my all-time favorite song from the show on Friday. In addition, I’ll be posting my picks for my ten favorite episodes. My own cliptastic countdown and favorite episodes in one week! I hope you like it!

Clear your schedules, people, because it’s time to enjoy some nostalgia! Until then, enjoy this new music video from the show for the movie.

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