Tuesday, October 10, 2017

"Toon Reviews 6: Steven Universe Season 1 Episode 43


Maximum Capacity








Sometimes in life, the simplest things you do can lead to some heavy stuff, and that idea is what this cartoon is built around.  The simple thing in question is that Steven and Greg set out to clean Greg’s cluttered storage unit of a garage as New Years draws near while getting help from Amethyst.  It feels like the cartoon will keep all its focus on the clean-up with a few antics for good measure, but then the direction is really changed when Amethyst finds a box full of tapes of an old sitcom called Lil’ Butler.  Apparently, both she and Greg used to watch this show all the time back in the day which gives some detail of their relationship before Steven came around.  It’s also easy to get a feel of what their past relationship was like when Greg becomes enticed to watch the show with Amethyst for old time’s sake and it takes up so much time that he’d rather watch the show than clean the storage unit.  That still may not sound heavy, but it’s shown to have harsh effects on others.  Above other things, it distracts him from being there for his son, someone he clearly loves, up to the point of missing out on joining him for the annual New Years fireworks.  Not to mention what he’s sucked into doing is something Steven is prohibited from doing, making his separation from him all the more concerning.  Anyway, the heaviest part involves Amethyst and how she uses the show to force Greg into hanging with her.  Every time Greg gets the idea that he needs to do something productive, Amethyst just manipulates him with another episode.  However, once Greg realizes he’s missing the fireworks and needs to be there for Steven, Amethyst makes the ultimate move to hold onto this past friendship by shapeshifting into Rose while also alluding to how hurt she is that Greg chose to be with Rose instead of her, making Greg uncomfortable.  This scene brings out another strong layer to this friendship of how what happened with Greg ruined everything for Amethyst.  It’s no wonder she’s willing to do anything to maintain the past.  However, what resolves the tensions is a strong thing in the form of Steven, a vital part of both their current lives, claiming that while it’s hard to let go of the past, it must be done to make room for the present while referring to the full storage unit.  It’s this moment that gets Amethyst to realize how blinded by resentment she’s been, and perform a noble deed of clearing out the entire garage, taking all the useless junk and allowing Greg to keep his favorite picture of him and Rose.  This simple gesture means a lot for showing how she’s put the past behind her and accept the present.  That’s the whole appeal of this cartoon.  It’s full of simple moments that turn out to have a lot of character-building depth.  For that, this is another masterful entry for the season. 10/10
The Ranking
  1. Ocean Gem
  2. Lion 3: Straight to Video
  3. Alone Together
  4. Coach Steven
  5. On the Run
  6. Maximum Capacity
  7. Mirror Gem
  8. An Indirect Kiss
  9. Space Race
  10. So Many Birthdays
  11. Steven the Sword Fighter
  12. Lion 2: The Movie
  13. Bubble Buddies
  14. Monster Buddies
  15. Laser Light Cannon
  16. Winter Forecast
  17. Giant Woman
  18. Lars and the Cool Kids
  19. The Test
  20. Steven’s Lion
  21. Horror Club
  22. Watermelon Steven
  23. Gem Glow
  24. Steven and the Stevens
  25. Warp Tour
  26. Island Adventure
  27. Rose’s Room
  28. Cheeseburger Backpack
  29. Future Vision
  30. Secret Team
  31. House Guest
  32. Serious Steven
  33. Joking Victim
  34. Beach Party
  35. Cat Fingers
  36. Tiger Millionaire
  37. Together Breakfast
  38. Fusion Cuisine
  39. Frybo
  40. Onion Trade
  41. Arcade Mania
  42. Garnet’s Universe
  43. Keep Beach City Weird
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Steven and the Crystal Gems follow the funky flow to their first interaction with Peridot in "Marble Madness."
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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