Tuesday, March 13, 2018

'Toon Reviews 13: The Loud House Season 2 Episode 25: The Crying Dame/Anti-Social


The Crying Dame







The Louds have always given special care and affection to their baby sister, Lily, but in this season, they’re care for her has been especially meaningful through the instances of them working as a team more, and becoming more aware of their actions.  That’s why it means a lot when the plot has them try to get her to stop crying so much, even when Mom and Dad know from experience that sometimes babies cry for no reason, which interestingly includes the reason why they have Lucy’s hair cover her eyes.  Anyway, the plot is set into motion when Lori leads the siblings to the attic where they find a toy, Fenton the Feel Better Fox, that stopped her crying when she was a baby, and it quickly works for Lily.  Yet, Fenton works too well when, as foreshadowed by Mom and Dad’s overactive reactions to “the demon toy,” Lily keeps playing the toy’s song and the annoyance of the Loud siblings as it keeps playing is creatively depicted.  It captures the feel of listening to the same thing on end, and as someone who played things over and over at a young age, makes me understand how others can get annoyed by this scenario.  Also, while the song can understandably be grating to most people, to me, it’s catchy enough to avoid my scorn, though I certainly wouldn’t want to hear it incessantly, so it’s also good that the song is muffled when the toy’s far away.  Because of this, when the siblings plot to get rid of Fenton, you side with them without trouble.  You might expect the cartoon to consist of comedic antics of the kids’ constant failed attempts to get the toy away, but surprisingly, their first plan is strategic enough and works immediately when Lily’s separated from it during a diaper change.  The disposal of Fenton is not only executed competently, but it’s also a fun scene on its own, working in solid teamwork from all the siblings.  However, while they succeed in getting rid of the toy, it’s incredibly sweet that Lily’s happiness is still highly valued.  Even though she doesn’t cry while separated from Fenton, she’s still incredibly sad the next day, so much so that she can’t bring herself to do anything fun.  The best part about this is that despite being annoyed by Fenton, the kids understand that he’s still important to Lily and that they shouldn’t have separated her from him, regardless if she’s crying or not.  Their care for their baby sister grows even more when they try to save it from the dump.  The attempt fails, but their alternate plan is far more impactful than simply saving the toy.  The kids discover that as annoying as Fenton’s song was, it still somewhat fun to sing, as discovered when they hear the tune hummed by the most musical Loud to bring on the reveal, Luna.  They then sing and dance to the song while Lincoln wears a Fenton costume for Lily.  Lily’s happy reaction is the high point of the scene bringing a super cute end to the conflict.  That said, you’re left wondering if she’ll ever understand the concept of obsessions when it looks like her siblings will be doing this forever even though Fenton's a baby toy and Lily is sure to grow out of him eventually.  Also, Mom and Dad’s roles are really problematic since they deliberately stay out of the conflict instead of helping the kids get rid of the toy.  Other than that, this is still a good cartoon built on genuine cuteness and proof of how more considerate and loving the Loud kids have become. 8/10


Anti-Social








Given the amount of users on many social media sites, it’s clear that the use of electronic devices is one of the biggest aspects of modern society.  That said, a large usage of any activity isn’t the healthy way to go, so it’s fitting that this cartoon works as a commentary on how to live a good life in today’s technology-driven world.  As the cartoon opens with the Louds blocking out their surroundings with their phones and tablets, Dad gets annoyed and threatens to cut the internet.  Since the kids love what they’re accustomed to using and can’t live without them, they’re determined to show Dad just how valuable electronics and internet usage can be.  The things they teach show their constructive benefits which can apply to real-life such as texting several people at once, occupying yourself with game apps when waiting in line, sharing pictures to use for your ID, and promoting and streaming your work or products to people all over the world.  These moments show that even if electronic devices are overused, what they do can be legitimately useful.  As an aside, the ways Dad is taught these benefits without fully understanding at first are funny for how relatable they are to people not used to using electronic devices and learning about them for the first time.  However, it’s amazing how he soon gets a grasp of all the wonders of technology that they take up his life as much as they do for most people in real life.  You might say that Dad gets incredibly obsessed with using electronics, so much so that he starts abusing them through posting embarrassing pictures of the kids, stalling dinner to stream what he’s cooking, and ignoring his family.  This whole sequence of events makes this cartoon tread familiar grounds from this season tying into other cartoons where Dad gets obsessed with something and the family suffers for it.  It brings to mind“Vantastic Voyage” where it seemed like his new interest was more important to him than his family which is unfortunate.  That said, the scenario doesn't really wreck much enjoyment since his obsession with electronics stand out for their established relatability.  If that’s not enough, the story goes in a surprisingly mature direction when the kids discover that the way Dad’s acting now is no different from how they acted towards him at the start of the cartoon.  It’s always beneficial when the characters we’re supposed to side with acknowledge their own faults to resolve a conflict.  It makes what happens more immersive to any audience member and goes beyond basic black and white right and wrong moralities, making the characters feel more human.  Anyway, the issue is resolved with the kids deciding to temporarily cut the internet, and through a montage of them doing various activities with Dad, they slowly break their technology attachment as the cartoon comes to an end.  The whole sequence is not only is a fitting end for the kids and their dad regarding their hook on electronics, but it also offers a great bit of life advice for everyone.  Electronics have their benefits, but you shouldn’t be completely dependent on them and balance your life with other things, and that can help make your life healthier and your family bonds stronger.  This and many other relatable scenarios make this cartoon another strong entry for the season, even if it does have an all-too familiar setup. 9.5/10

The Ranking
  1. 11 Louds a Leapin’
  2. L is for Love
  3. Pulp Friction
  4. Frog Wild
  5. Yes-Man
  6. Party Down
  7. Friend or Faux
  8. Room with a Feud
  9. Lock n Loud
  10. Fool’s Paradise
  11. Fed Up
  12. Out of the Picture
  13. Job Insecurity
  14. Potty Mouth
  15. Mall of Duty
  16. Anti-Social
  17. The Loudest Mission: Relative Chaos
  18. Spell it Out
  19. Baby Steps
  20. Shell Shock
  21. Suite and Sour
  22. Back in Black
  23. Legends
  24. Future Tense
  25. Patching Things Up
  26. No Spoilers
  27. Not a Loud
  28. Tricked!
  29. The Whole Picture
  30. Read Aloud
  31. No Laughing Matter
  32. Health Kicked
  33. Garage Banned
  34. Back Out There
  35. The Old and the Restless
  36. Kick the Bucket List
  37. Intern for the Worse
  38. The Crying Dame
  39. Lynner Takes All
  40. Cheater by the Dozen
  41. Pets Peeved
  42. Making the Grade
  43. Vantastic Voyage
  44. Change of Heart
  45. ARGGH! You for Real?
  46. No Such Luck
  47. Brawl in the Family
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the last episode of Season 2, featuring two snow-themed cartoons, one with one of the noblest family acts in a dire situation in "Snow Way Out" and one with Clyde at his absolute best in "Snow Way Down."
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