In addition to Steven’s daily life and the creative elements of Gem culture, this show also has a lot of stories involving the inhabitants of Beach City. There’s a lot of appealing characters with unique personalities to watch Steven hang out with, but most of them work better when we get them in small doses since they’re not really as interesting as Steven and the Gems. This is kind of the case with this cartoon. The Beach City resident this cartoon focuses on is Peedee, a kid who works at his dad’s fry shop by dressing up as the mascot, Frybo, to get people to eat there. This is conflicting since Peedee doesn’t like wearing the costume and understandably so given how creepy it is with its big soul-crushing eyes and demented smile, yet at the same time, he wants to have a real job so to be treated like an adult and make his dad proud. This conflict is relatable and well thought out for sure, but it’s not all that engaging given how much Peedee laments about his problem like it’s the worst thing that could possibly happen. It gets tiresome after a while. Now, Steven, being the good-hearted friend he is, helps Peedee through his dilemma by having the Frybo costume come to life through putting a Gem shard in it to get Peedee out of that job. As nice of a gesture as this is, it does further showcase how overly clueless Steven is with something serious. In the bit of Gem lore we do get here, Pearl explains to Steven of how dangerous Gem shards can be since they have a conscious part of fallen Gems and could turn anything it’s put inside into a monster. It’s fascinating and creative information, but the problem is that Steven doesn’t pay attention despite how important it is, and what we learn here goes on to become one of the darkest aspects of the series which makes Steven’s reaction to it all the more frustrating. Now, since he put a shard into the Frybo costume, there are major negative drawbacks to this decision when the costume attacks Beach City by forcing fries into people’s mouths. Also, it looks creepier than ever as it carries out these monstrous deeds. Even his takedown as unsettling when Steven defeats it by having his clothes, which come to life via Gem shards, attack Frybo, including his underwear. This proves that Steven’s brave, yet his childish mannerisms sure can get disturbing. As for Peedee, it is at least nice that his dad accepts that he never liked the costume in the end, and it gets even better when he’s seen with a better job of working at the counter for the rest of the show, in smaller appearances I might add. The story’s good overall, but Steven’s overly clueless attitude, and the creepiness of Frybo himself make this one of the weaker cartoons. 7/10
The Ranking
- Laser Light Cannon
- Gem Glow
- Cheeseburger Backpack
- Together Breakfast
- Frybo
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where things remain creepy when Steven's first shapeshifting attempt gives him "Cat Fingers."
If you would like to check out other reviews on this blog, click here for the guide to all the reviews posted so far.
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