Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Hands Across Ed / Floss Your Ed (Ed Edd n Eddy Season 2 Episode 4) - 'Toon Reviews 37

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Hands Across Ed



When it comes to the Eds, there are scams that have noticeable effort and impressive creativity to them, and there are those that make one question just what they’re trying to accomplish.  I’d say that the one driving this cartoon is sort of a middle ground to both types of scams.  For that, the experience is fun and enjoyable, but you can’t really deny how much of a mess the scam ends up becoming. 
Following an attempt at getting kids’ money with a magnet that backfires and prompts them to get chased down, the Eds wander into the junkyard. While hiding, Ed winds up in a top hat and holds an umbrella.  This leads to a believable inspiration for a new scam idea where Ed dancing around in this getup brings an impression that he could be on TV.  Such a notion has Eddy come up with an idea to set up a telethon in the cul-de-sac starring the neighborhood kids giving performances and the Eds getting money off of pledges. 
They easily win over the kids too rolling in on a runaway red rug, promising fame and making them believe they’re being captured live with their simple handheld camera.  The potential for a great performance builds up from there.  The kids, excited at the prospect of being TV stars, are attracted to audition with their own brand of acts.  Some of them have performances that are hard to understand like Jonny and Plank's comedy.  Rolf’s act gets cut short before he has a chance to go in depth.  Nazz and her talents at playing the tuba, or lack thereof, are chosen out of attraction.  There’s also room for character drama as Jimmy is caught between being a solo star or staying with the friend he cherishes above everyone else, Sarah.  With goading from Eddy and having a significant minute or so to think, he chooses stardom. 
Then comes the big show itself where everything falls apart, in and out of context.  Only when the audience attends does Eddy fabricate a cause for the show which is to pay for an eyebrow operation for Ed and it’s very unconvincing that he needs one.  The telethon itself doesn’t even have a lot to it, only consisting of two kids performing.  There’s Nazz giving one big blow from her tuba and nothing more, and then Jimmy comes on to do magic tricks.  Jimmy is also the main focus of the show, and he totally embarrasses himself with one blunder after another.  It ends up bringing the telethon down a lot, and backed by relentless heckling from Kevin, it’s hard to enjoy its backfiring from an audience perspective.  This is mainly because what the Eds are trying to do seems very directionless.  With few acts, neither of which are any good, and a fabricated cause clearly made up right on the spot, this is one of their disappointing scams.  Even so, after the build-up to something great, it’s hard not to feel for them when Kevin and Rolf put on a show about Rolf’s hairless otter story and get paid handsomely.  Stinging even more is how the cartoon ends with the magnet plan backfiring again by sending the Eds into a dumpster. 
Their performance and telethon direction may stink, but I wouldn’t say the cartoon does on a whole.  In spite of a lame scam execution, the showy atmosphere and a few good character moments keep the fun.

B+


Floss Your Ed


Watching this show at an older age can really take you back to some of the most memorable parts of childhood.  I bet one of them has to do with the idea of losing teeth and the prospect of getting money for it.  With the emphasis on childhood challenges as well as cartoonish antics, this show really delivers such a plot the way no other show can. 
First, there’s a very creative way that gets the plot started.  The Eds put together a very imaginative scam of a sea ranch that gives Jonny and Plank a ride on Ed dressed as a barnacle and then sucked out of a water dispenser.  Just the presentation of this can make you wish that this was fun in real life.  While Jonny doesn’t have cash to pay for it, he instead gives the Eds coconuts.  When told that coconuts are to be eaten instead of shaved, Ed does so by biting down on one, which really hurts his tooth, and he spends much of the cartoon in pain.  As Double D investigates, Ed biting down on that coconut has made his last baby tooth become loose.  To the Eds, that means the Tooth Fairy will be paying him a visit soon, and more importantly to Eddy, this means free cash.  He pulls out a vast multitude of stunts to get Ed’s tooth out right away. 
Through it all, there’s a major bit of character evolution for Double D.  For the majority of the first season, and even a few moments in this one, he’s seemed to easily go along with Eddy’s stunts without much objection.  However, his status as the often ignored voice of reason has grown significantly in parts as well.  This time is probably amongst his most significant terms of growth as of now.  He doesn’t approve of Eddy trying to rush Ed losing that tooth and spends the cartoon admonishing Eddy’s efforts at any given moment. 
Still, Eddy doesn’t listen and gets crazier with his stunts, even if it means appointing other kids to help provided he gives them a share of the Tooth Fairy’s profit.  This in turn leads to even more creative stunts.  Rolf churns Ed’s mouth with a simple plunger like butter.  Sarah and Jimmy play to Ed’s gullibility by making him think a nylon rope is soothing for his tooth, only to hang the tooth from atop a tree.  For Eddy’s sake, they get frustrated enough to not help them so he won’t have to share any profits.  The same isn’t true for Kevin and Rolf as they and Eddy get caught in an elaborate fishing scene where they attract Ed with butter toast on a fishing pole and try to reel him in.  It’s really a sight to see. 
Its outcome is also surprising as it somehow leads to an impact that gets Eddy to lose his own tooth.  That’s an effective loophole in the plan as now Eddy can keep all the money.  However, it’s after this when Double D’s warnings of impatience become meaningful.  It’s said that the Tooth Fairy only comes at night when kids are asleep, but Eddy believes that they’ll easily attract her if someone sleeps right away.  A whole airfield is set up on the roof just to attract her.  Such misguidedness and impatience leads to all the Eds falling off the roof while Eddy’s tooth, as well as Ed’s gets stuck in the gutter.  Then they’re left with no teeth when Ed sucks them and the gutter grime and swallows it all, leaving Eddy without anything to exploit for profit. 
It’s a disappointing ending after all the efforts, but with solid character moments and elaborate stunts, I can say the cartoon works as a cautionary tale on patience.
A

The Ranking

1.      One + One = Ed

2.      Ready Set Ed

3.      Dear Ed

4.      Floss Your Ed

5.      Knock, Knock Who’s Ed

6.      Know-it-All Ed

7.      Eeny Meeny Miney Ed

8.      Hands Across Ed

 

 
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where the Eds thinking the kids are spies results in a ruined birthday party, and we experience the awesomeness of Ed's imaginary friend Jib.

If you would like to check out other Ed Edd n Eddy reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

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