RMS and Brandon's First Episode (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes Season 1 Episode 44) - 'Toon Reviews 19

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RMS and Brandon’s First Episode

Some characters here are more important than others, but it’s still beneficial to get cartoons devoted to side characters.  Most turn out to be more than just cool looking background characters and make Lakewood Plaza Turbo feel much more fresh and alive. 

The starring side characters here are A Real Magic Skeleton (RMS) and Brandon the bear with the t-shirt that speaks his mind.  They mostly watch all the action other characters get up to and commentate on it.  Other times, they’re seen working at a frame store expressing an interesting dynamic where Brandon is more irresponsible while RMS is more competent and focused.  Their dynamic brings interesting subjects for this plot, even if only one of them truly benefits. 

We learn more about their workplace here than usual.  Their boss is an actual living painting of a medieval nobleman and RMS’s feelings on working there has huge relatability.  He’s put down about doing the same menial work of setting up frames and displays despite enjoying hanging with his Brandon. This seems like an accurate representation of how most people can feel when they can’t move past their first job.  The frame store does have an edge to it with a threatening-looking biker customer telling RMS and Brandon to set up a display for his helmet, but it’s not unlike most of the series.  These factors work in favor of RMS wanting to step out of complacency and get a new job despite it also being an equally menial coffee shop job.  His attitude feels like a healthy fit, and his anxieties on the idea of staying in the same dead-end job forever are convincing as to why a career change would be good. 

While this story reveals a lot about RMS, Brandon unfortunately doesn’t get the same development.  He’s portrayed as the same slacking goof he always is, and most of what he does for this plot is object to RMS changing careers.  How it’s frequently brought up does show the depths of their relationship, at times hinting that they’re more than friends. Nevertheless, in a cartoon devoted to both RMS and Brandon, things should be learned about both characters and not just one. 

Even if only RMS has any depth here, it’s nice that the climax provides shining moments for both characters in this relationship.  After a humorous scene of his boss lamenting being trapped in his frame, RMS is inspired to go out and get that new job while a typical Boxmore attack occurs.  There’s strong drama as he walks through the fray of battle and his bones fall apart.  While this does build atmosphere, it’s also kind of stupid for him to not just go around the fight.  Still, when RMS is nothing but a head, Brandon does get his biggest moment in the whole cartoon. After spending all his time complaining about his friend leaving for a new job, he awesomely picks up RMS’s bones while rushing to get him to the coffee shop amidst the fight.  Considering how much of a slacker he is, it’s great that Brandon would do this much activity to make his friend happy even if he doesn’t approve. 

The whole conflict turns out to be worthless when the ending has Drupe get the coffee shop job after hearing RMS talk about it earlier.  This means the status quo is maintained and nothing is done about RMS wanting to move on.  I can’t fault his and Brandon’s relationship remaining strong in the end, especially when that biker has them hug instead of getting mad that they wrecked his helmet. 

This isn’t a perfect starring role for RMS and Brandon by any means, but it still has good heart, relatable themes, and many strong instances of development.

B+

The Ranking

1. Face Your Fears
2. Let’s Take a Moment
3. Mystery Science Fair 201X
4. You Have to Care
5. T.K.O.
6. Back in Red Action
7. No More Pow Cards
8. Glory Days
9. Legends of Mr. Gar
10. We’ve Got Pests
11. I Am Dendy
12. Let’s Have a Stakeout
13. You Get Me
14. Let’s Be Heroes
15. You’re Everybody’s Sidekick
16. We Got Hacked
17. K.O.’s Video Channel
18. Jethro’s All Yours
19. Know Your Mom
20. Everybody Likes Rad?
21. Villains Night In
22. A Hero’s Fate
23. Plaza Prom
24. We’re Captured
25. My Dad Can Beat up Your Dad
26. Let’s Be Friends
27. We Messed Up
28. Parents Day
29. Plazalympics
30. Presenting Joe Cuppa
31. Sibling Rivalry
32. RMS and Brandon’s First Episode
33. Second First Date
34. Stop Attacking the Plaza
35. Just Be a Pebble
36. The Power is Yours
37. Do You Have Any More in the Back?
38. Let’s Watch the Pilot
39. Villains Night Out
40. You’re Level 100
41. You Are Rad
42. We’ve Got Fleas
43. Rad Likes Robots
44. One Last Score

The next OK K.O. review tells the origins of another side character, Mr. Logic the robot barber, and his ties with a young Lord Boxman.

Next time on MC Toon Reviews is the 40th episode of Animaniacs.

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