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Mr. Greg
Some of you might be wondering what makes Steven Universe one of my favorite shows
of all time. The answer has several
layers to it. In addition to having a
creative world, solid humor, a huge mystery, and strong characterization, what
brings it all together is its sense of emotion. In fact, this emotional aesthetic is the strongest one I’ve ever
seen in any TV show. From the believable
trials the characters face, everyone is instantly sympathetic and seem believable. The storytelling expresses the challenges with an unbelievable scope making
it easy to feel for them when things get tough and at peace when they find
happiness.
The emotions are usually
strong, but their at their high point when music is involved . Throughout my life, I’ve concluded
that great animation and great music make the perfect combination, both expressing
absolutely any mood or creative idea the artist imagines.
These artistic mediums of endless possibilities create something grand
and memorable when their creative forces come together, and once you see it,
you’ll never forget it.
For this show,
music is a key element which is rare to notice in most animated series. It doesn’t just define the mood of a moment,
but also characters, places, and concepts unique to the series like
fusion. The great emotional scope and
use of music, both key in making this show as amazing as it is, are on full
display in this cartoon, “Mr. Greg” which I feel is the series at its
strongest.
It follows Greg getting $10,000,000 from his old manager back
in the last cartoon. Out of this concept is a grand experience of widely ranging emotions,
memorable songs, and several shining moments for the characters beneficial to their development. There are three main
players for this story. Greg is the holder of all this money just by writing a song that became
the theme for a burger place. Steven, his son, is good at reading into
relationships. Finally there's Pearl, who’s frequently been awkward around Greg since the
Gem she loved, Rose Quartz, was fonder of him than her. They all bring their own approach to the
story of Greg deciding what to do with his new money. His decision is to
spend a night in Empire City with Steven, who makes things interesting by
inviting Pearl along.
The
element of music comes in with a plethora of songs to move the story. The first one starts off wholesome of Greg
and Steven thinking of how to spend the money while showing their genuine love
for each other. It seamlessly
transitions into a livelier number that leads to the decision to go to Empire
City with a stronger sense of fun. The
fun reaches its niche at the Empire City hotel. There's an exciting song set to a
fast-paced montage of the three characters exploring the amenities backed by a
chorus of servants happy to serve a rich visitor. There’s also a nice moment of Pearl actually
enjoying her time in the city, seeming like she’s warming up to Greg. However, the tone suddenly changes the moment
the song stops when Greg invites Pearl to dance, and she declines. From there, the sense of fun changes to the
show’s strongest display of emotion.
It
all comes from the musical highlight “It’s Over Isn’t It.” It’s a moving song that packs in significant
relatable challenges people are likely to face such as unrequited love, grief,
and being too stuck in the past. Pearl
has frequently dealt with all these challenges which is why she’s the character
this song was made for. Not to mention her singing voice and the gorgeous shots of the
cityscape in the background sell its power.
It also has a hint of maturity to Pearl’s mindset. She could be most upset at Rose for choosing
Greg over her and disappearing, or Greg existing. The truth is she’s really upset at herself
for not being able to accept this. Overall,
this song is sure to touch the heart and bring more sympathy for a character in
this cast than ever before.
It’s fitting
that an emotionally sad song is eased with an emotionally optimistic song, and
it comes from the perfect character to perform it, Steven. Just after he tells Pearl that he wanted her
to come just so she could warm up to his dad, Steven heads to a piano to
perform “Both of You,” referring to Greg and Pearl. It plays to Steven’s strengths of helping and
bringing out the best in people. He
gives a meaningful suggestion to alleviate their turmoil by talking with each
other, which sounds all the more endearing from a child.
Greg and Pearl bonding over talking about
Rose and finally dancing together against a starry backdrop as the song plays is
the best form of emotional closure one could ask for. It’s effective in bringing on a welcome
change in characters with Pearl finally on good terms with Greg as shown as
they happily converse while driving home.
Not only that, but they remain on good terms for the rest of the series,
solidifying the impact of this amazing work.
It’s said that more effort was put into this cartoon than any
other, and it shows. The featured characters are used to their best
extent. It looks and sounds gorgeous. It impresses by how it uses the musical
element to pack in so many moments and character development, yet have
everything come together smoothly.
It’s a masterful work of this show and animation in general that must be
seen to be believed.
A++
Fan Art:
The Ranking
- Mr. Greg
- Gem Drill
- Super Watermelon Island
- Barn Mates
- Hit the Diamond
- Same Old World
- Steven Floats
- Drop Beat Dad
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where a simple story of Peridot trying to get big enough for amusement park rides brinks interesting insight on how Gems work.
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