Thursday, November 21, 2019

In Like Ed / Who Let the Ed In? (Ed Edd n Eddy Season 2 Episode 5) - 'Toon Reviews 37

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In Like Ed



The Eds are known to be social outcasts who can never seem to fit in no matter how hard they try, but sometimes it can test the audience’s patience too.  Their quirks can become so out of line that it can make too much sense that they’re not well liked amongst their peers.  For this cartoon, they end up being so out of touch with the world around them that it becomes sad that they end up ruining things for everyone. 
The beginning features a few nice moments as they set up garage sales to sell any unwanted items, showcasing faults in their strategies.  Eddy sells his stuff at ridiculously high prices due to his greed.  Double D’s prices are ridiculously low, coming off as overly courteous to the customers.  Ed, being unintelligent, doesn’t care much in the way of numbers and logistics, and slaps random prices onto anything he picks up.  It’s a nice showcase of character, but it makes it painfully obvious that the kids are more into Kevin’s better thought out garage sale. 
It’s here where the story’s focus goes all over the place when it suddenly shifts from the garage sale to Kevin seeming to know things before anyone else.  Another issue with this is that there isn’t enough of this to warrant so much concern from the Eds.  Kevin just guesses that Plank wants what Jonny is getting and he somehow guesses what random thing Ed’s going to say before he does so.  Just from those little instances, the Eds believe Kevin’s up to something suspicious when in fact there could very well be some logical explanations.  Even the logical and more reasonable Double D is in on this ridiculous possibility. 
At least there’s solid entertainment in this direction as the Eds take up an interesting spy angle.  There’s a multitude of gadgets made from common household items, inventive code names, a functioning jetpack, and for Ed, a coat hanger that looks like a claw.  There’s also solid laughs from how inept the Eds are as Ed hides a camera to spy on Kevin, but it’s actually out in plain sight.  It’s after the establishment of the spy angle when the story shifts focus yet again with scenes of all the neighborhood kids carrying presents to Jimmy’s house.  Along with images of a room full of balloons and a piñata, and everyone wearing pointy hats, it’s a clear sign of a party.  The strange part is that there was never any indication that it was someone’s birthday anywhere prior. 
At least it does follow up on the Eds’ spy angle where the ineptness starts getting overbearing as they mistake the obvious party for a meeting of spies.  Thankfully inventive humor is still prominent.  Ed struggles to follow his friends inside. Double D disguises himself as Nazz to look for truth serums in the part food. Following that lead, Eddy ends up stuffing cake down the real Nazz’s pants.  There’s also some refreshment as Double D starts seeing the truth of the matter, but by then it’s too late. 
The Eds get exposed at the party as they hog all piñata treats and open all the presents.  Jimmy breaking into tears after finding out he isn’t getting a pony for his birthday is the major breaking point of the Eds’ actions.  It practically hurts to see everyone scornful over what they did.  Not helping is Eddy filling the room with baking powder, yet the kids are still in a better position to beat them than the Eds have to escape.  The cartoon stops before that happens though. 
This is a very fun cartoon overall, but it’s also a shining example of the Eds’ cluelessness shown in a bad problematic light.

B


Who Let the Ed In?



While the Eds’ eccentricities can be too much, more often than not, they’re highly entertaining centers for a cartoon.  A lot of them come from the dumbest of the group, Ed, and when they’re not wrecking the daily scams, they’re innocent fun that showcases what goes on in his head. 
As his friends put together an elaborate and promising scam of a prize grabber machine, Ed suddenly has something to show them.  He starts playing around with his own imaginary friend called Jib to which Eddy and Double D humor at first.  While Jib is merely an invisible figure who doesn’t appear to mean much of anything, what sells the concept of him is how he allows for many creative activities.  Things like pretend sword-fighting with random objects is fine, but then there are things like Jib’s supposed favorite game.  It makes fun use of a spinning chair, suddenly stopping it, and having whoever is onboard get all dizzy.  It’s demonstrated to hilarious effect on Double D, and especially Rolf who’s sent flying through the air unaware of the concepts of invisible friends. 
Speaking of friends, while Jib causes Ed to drift away from his real friends, he surprisingly increases his social appeal among the other cul-de-sac kids.  As Ed presents Jib to some of them, they don’t know how to react at first.  Then it’s revealed that Jib has allowed Ed to go all out with appealing to them as he gives them presents.  This is certainly not something you’d expect from the average friend on a normal day, but it is telling of all the potential the Eds truly have to make friends.  The problem is that they’re so different that when one Ed achieves friendship, the other Eds can’t follow along.  This is shown when Ed’s fixation on his imaginary friend reveals Eddy’s prize grabber as a total scam, enticing the kids to stay away from it just as they were getting interested.  It is concerning that Ed betrays Eddy like that, but it works for two reasons.  First, Ed is a total innocent in matters so this isn’t too surprising or even out of character.  Second, there’s really nothing too wrong with Ed having fun with Jib, especially when the things they do together are solid fun and gives Ed a good reputation among others. 
Eddy, naturally, is frustrated beyond belief that he can’t get any money as long as Ed is playing with his imaginary friend.  He and Double D go to Jonny, who technically has his own imaginary friend, Plank, to see what can be done about it.  While Jonny somehow doesn’t get the concept of imaginary friends, he says that the way to stop Jib is to build an invisible trap.  Doing so brings an interesting layer to the concept of imaginary friends in this show.  They can’t be seen, but anything that’s imagined does turn out to be real. 
The invisible trap successfully catches Jib, but Jib fights back hard in many ways he beats up Eddy to retaliate. He whacks him up and down, spins him, and throws him into a house like a basketball.  The kids cheering this beating is concerning, but it is lightened somewhat by the ending.  Jib somehow decides to leave the cul-de-sac right down to a bus coming to take him out of town.  Everyone, especially Ed is saddened by his departure, but while it is emotional, it’s refreshing for Eddy after getting beaten by him.  In a way this ending works as good relief for him as well as sorrow for a legitimately good friend to others. 
With many perspectives to take from the story, chances for the Eds to become better liked, and creative takes on mundane subjects, there’s a lot to take from this cartoon.
A+

The Ranking

1.      One + One = Ed

2.      Who Let the Ed In

3.      Ready Set Ed

4.      Dear Ed

5.      Floss Your Ed

6.      Knock, Knock Who’s Ed

7.      Know-it-All Ed

8.      Eeny Meeny Miney Ed

9.      Hands Across Ed

10.  In Like Ed

 

 
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where the Kankers live a delusion of a vacation which is really a cul-de-sac invasion, and Ed takes a major step in escaping his abusive home life by moving into Rolf's shed.

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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