Monday, April 22, 2019

Kindergarten Kid (Steven Universe Season 4 Episode 1) - 'Toon Reviews 29

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So much has happened with this Gem of an animated series lately, and I’m here to dissect all of it in a review set spanning across two seasons:

Steven Universe (Seasons 4 & 5)
 
 
Basic Premise

 
For the past several years, Steven Universe has been a huge part of my life.  Of all the animated shows of recent years, this is the one that has crafted the most endearing atmosphere.  With wholesome family values at the center, interesting and creative world-building, gradual development, and amazing music, it’s a textbook definition of a passion project.  Some can argue about its constantly shifting focus and pacing, but even with its minor imperfections, every story from this show leaves some sort of positive impact.  That’s hard to do, but this show seamlessly pulling off quality material so often is what keeps me coming back.
This alone can be a good enough reason for why I’m looking into two seasons of Steven Universe in this review set instead of one, but there’s an even bigger reason.  When I talk about past cartoons of this show, I often bring up how huge and mind-blowing certain topics are now compared what the older works portray.  Rather than take my time to reach each big game changing event, I figured that it would make more sense to just get to them in one set.  Put together, both Seasons 4 and 5 are as long as Season 1 anyway.  Plus, given this show’s long hiatuses, I wouldn’t want to follow its networks frustrating practices and keep fans waiting to read my thoughts on where the show’s current events lie.  I may be the person who doesn’t connect when we get material to how good it really is, but I do sympathize with the common frustrations of waiting so long.  Don't be surprised if I decide to cover two seasons instead of one in review sets for other shows just so you know.
Anyway, with these seasons, the things we’re about to learn will do their part to broaden the Universe aspect of Steven Universe.  Though a couple cartoons will be the most light-hearted events shown since Season 1, others will be welcome additions to the ever engaging lore of the series.  There will be endearing character development, interesting reveals on the customs of Homeworld and their leaders, the Diamonds, and huge changes to what we thought we knew.  It will be a long process to get to these things, but with an open mind and general enjoyment from whatever the show presents, the results will indeed be worth it.

So without any further delays, it’s time for two times the excitement, endearment, and intrigue of the one and only Steven Universe!
 
Season 4
Kindergarten Kid
A common custom for season premieres in this show is to follow up on events the season before it started.  In addition to continuing the subject matter of those plot points, they also tend to continue the tone set by them.  Season 2 began with a follow-up on the first big scale Homeworld invasion of the show with plenty of emotional after effects and drama towards certain relationships.  Season 3 began with a follow-up on stopping Malachite and the Cluster which had an appropriate amount of intense action all throughout. 
With Season 4, we start appropriately enough with taking care of the corrupted Gems Jasper had captured for an army and imprisoned in the Beta Kindergarten.  While the subject matter is fitting for the premiere, the tone would say otherwise.  Even with the emotional effects of the corrupted Gems being forced into an army while under the already heavy trauma of their condition, the focus is far more on comedy.  There’s one corrupted Gem that’s far too difficult to poof and bubble so it can’t harm anyone or itself. 
With that, the cartoon is all about Peridot trying to prove that she can capture it without any help as her egotism brings many physical gags that backfire majorly.   As a result, the cartoon is not as impactful as it could be and certainly doesn’t measure up to many of the other season premieres.  Not only that, but showing off Peridot as a basis for physical comedy is reflective of how she’s mostly utilized for laughs despite proving to be far more fleshed out in the past.
This doesn’t make what we get bad though, especially since it’s always possible to get enjoyment out of physical comedy.  The ways Peridot’s plans backfire are very well-executed and take advantage of all that there is to her.  Some of them play to her powers like controlling metal or skills like operating parts of a Gem injector as a cannon.  With appropriate timing of the corrupted Gem rushing away from the attack and certain heavy objects landing on Peridot instead of it bring on some solid laughs.  Plus, her egotistical attitude to thinking her plans will work and excuses for why they don’t have some enjoyment too.  They also reflect Peridot’s crumbling mental state as she resorts to the overly simple measure of dropping a rock from a cliff which also fails hilariously and spectacularly. 
As funny as these attempts are, there is still a seriousness to Peridot’s inability to catch that corrupted Gem and measures are taken to legitimately help her.  The advice she gets is also quite interesting as Steven starts bombarding her with confectionary puff rocks (marshmallows) to get her to feel the way the corrupted Gem feels.  In addition to showing his maturity of how he understands the situation, it allows for an appropriate success on Peridot’s part after so many laugh-filled failures.  She confronts the corrupted Gem by imitating its practices, and then rushes towards it to grab its gemstone, successfully poofing it and later bubbling it away. 
Ultimately, for all its emphasis on comedy, something has been gained from this mission for Peridot.  Even if we are going to see more of her for comic relief’s sake, there is development towards her becoming an active member of the Crystal Gems.  Along with very few tidbits like how Homeworld doesn’t have corrupted Gems and mentions of how bubbling them is the best thing for them, this is a solid start to Season 4.  The show has done better, but if you’re in the right mood for a laugh, you’ll have a good time with this.
B+
The next Steven Universe review follows up on the previous season even more as Steven and Amethyst introduce their fusion, Smoky Quartz, to their friends.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is the Season 3 premiere of The Loud House.
If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.
 

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