Following formulas may make shows somewhat predictable, but they also give them unique identities. Establishing typical setups one way can also open many possibilities on how to alter the formula. This cartoon sets out to alter what’s expected from usual, and it results in one of the most out-of-the-ordinary yet entertaining works of the series.
When it comes to the Eds pulling their scams, the mastermind is usually Eddy, and it’s all in the name of getting money from the kids. When you put another Ed in charge of the operation, just about everything changes into many unprecedented directions. This time, the focus is on Ed, and instead of money, his main interest is comic books and horror stories. Here, his comic is of the curse of Evil Tim, and his fixation and inability to separate fantasy from reality drives him to live out such a curse in real life. After rushing in to stop what he sees as a monster by dropping a tree on Jimmy and a bush-covered Double D, the alterations to the formula become clear. He gets an idea for an apparent scam, and through some coaxing, Eddy reluctantly agrees to let him take charge.
The thing is, Ed doesn’t exactly have a grasp on how these scams are supposed to work. In fact, it seems like he doesn’t have an idea of how his own plan is meant to work either. Everything he has Double D and Eddy do is incredibly random and nonsensical, and at times not even accurate. Eddy spends the cartoon wearing face paint and a washboard for some reason doing menial tasks for Ed. As for Double D, his task seems as simple as putting a heavy rock on an X, but all he can see are a bunch of painted Qs. There also doesn’t seem to be a clear plan when he suddenly sets them down for lunch, only to strip everything away and send his friends back to work.
The point of all this is that it’s never clear exactly what Ed wants to do or any purpose behind his entire plan. In most cases, this would be a problem, but here it’s very entertaining for leaving the audience guessing, laughing at the randomness, and fitting Ed’s general character well. There are even stakes risen when Ed’s scam directly impacts innocent bystanders of his nonsense plan.
Later on, the cul-de-sac kids find endearment in Jimmy getting a new toy, Mr. Yum-Yum, and Ed’s scam interferes with this genuine solace. As the kids are left perplexed by more random points to his scam, Ed really touches a nerve when he takes Mr. Yum-Yum. If that’s not all, when everyone rushes after Ed to demand Ed return the toy to Jimmy, Ed just gives a speech on the threat on Evil Tim. Finally, with no warning, he chews apart Mr. Yum-Yum, thereby ruining Jimmy’s new toy, embarrassing Double D and Eddy, and driving the kids to leave in a giant clam of Rolf’s.
Despite all
this, Ed never comes off as unlikable.
It’s clear there’s never malice in his actions, and he just wanted to
act out his comic book which no one around him understands. For his sake, something does come from his
efforts though as a flock of crows suddenly appearing does show his curse worked
after all. It’s certainly bad for the
likes of the saner Double D and Eddy though.
Still, you have to admire this cartoon for deviating from the usual
formula and greatly depicting what it’s like when a random nonsensical
character leads the way.
A+
Three
Squares and an Ed
Although the Eds are typically in the wrong for what they do on a regular basis, it’s still admirable how often they look out for each other. In this cartoon, where they set out to help one of their own, the compatibility of this group is at its clearest. While doing so, there’s also insight to how hard they have it in life, not just in social circles, but also their own families.
Following some random antics of Double D showing Eddy areas of his house, frustrations of the tour lead Eddy to chase Double D all the way to Ed’s. Things like a barricade around the backyard and Sarah and Jimmy standing on guard make it seem like something is up. As a matter of fact, all of these measures are meant to indicate that Ed has been grounded. The thing is though, it’s never explained why Ed is grounded. If there’s a slight hint at continuity, maybe it could be the business with the curse, wrecking Mr. Yum-Yum, and breaking his mom’s teapot in the previous cartoon. However, that’s just a theory and there’s no way to know for sure.
In any case, Ed’s punishment shows how much of a black sheep he is among his family. That’s apparent enough with how they allow his sister, Sarah, to be an aggressive brat and force him to sleep in the basement, but this cartoon goes further.
Ed is stripped of his belongings in his room, is forced to sit in a box, and most disturbingly, his parents have taken down the stairs, so he can’t leave the basement. These measures are far more extreme than the average punishment, and it doesn’t feel like Ed is worthy of them. The fact that we never learn why Ed is grounded makes the implications even worse.
For all of this, it’s easy to support Eddy and Double D doing what they can to bust Ed out despite running the risk of them getting in trouble too. They pull out all the stops in the escape, making for many entertaining scenarios. To get Sarah and Jimmy out of the way, they distract them with Jonny dressed as a leprechaun. They set up a decoy of Ed to cover up that he’s gone while Ed is scared enough to try and honor his grounding, further bringing insight to the psychological damage his family’s inflicted. There’s even a move to get Ed up the stairs with a simple safety pin.
From there, the excitement slows down as they find themselves sneaking away from Sarah and Jimmy who return, but the two eventually uncover the Ed decoy. It should be noted that Double D is kind of to blame here by setting it up with a book to read when he should know that Ed is not into this kind of stuff. Anyway, with the cover blown, the excitement picks up again as the Eds try to sneak away with a kite made from assorted objects in Sarah’s bedroom.
It’s cool to watch while in action, but in
typical Ed fashion, it backfires, and as predicted earlier, not only is Ed
grounded again, but now Double D and Eddy are grounded as well. Further insight to the parenting is seen here
with Double D only punished for three days while Eddy is apparently grounded
forever. So, sadly, the unfair
punishments win and all three Eds are subjected to being slammed into walls,
but it’s clear that their determination to support each other is still
strong. Plus, the self-contained nature of the cartoon softens the blow noticeably. The impressions of the Eds’
treatment is still an issue, but a great fun time can be had with this cartoon
anyway.
A-
Series Ranking
1. One
+ One = Ed
2. A Glass of Warm
Ed
3.
It Came from Outer Ed
4. Rent-A-Ed
5.
Once Upon an Ed
6. Fa
La La La Ed
7. Urban
Ed
8.
Laugh Ed Laugh
9.
Dawn of the Eds
10.
Wish You Were Ed
11. Mirror,
Mirror On the Ed
12. Ed-N-Seek
13. Keeping
Up With the Eds
14. Who
Let the Ed In
15. Avast
Ye Eds
16. Flea
Bitten Ed
17. Fool
on the Ed
18. Ready
Set Ed
19. The
Ed-Touchables
20. Who
What Where Ed
21. Dear
Ed
22.
Momma’s Little Ed
23. Hot
Buttered Ed
24. Stop
Look and Ed
25. Shoo
Ed
26. Ed
in a Halfshell
27. Scrambled
Ed
28. Vert
Ed Go
29. Oath
to an Ed
30. Button
Yer Ed
31. Read
All About Ed
32. Rambling
Ed
33. Home
Cooked Ed
34. Honor
Thy Ed
35. Floss
Your Ed
36. Quick
Shot Ed
37. Look
Into My Eds
38. Knock,
Knock Who’s Ed
39. A
Boy and His Ed
40. Eds-Aggerate
41. Three Squares and an Ed
42. High
Heeled Ed
43. Know-it-All
Ed
44.
For Your Ed Only
45. Cry
Ed
46. Eeny
Meeny Miney Ed
47. A
Pinch to Grow an Ed
48. Pop
Goes the Ed
49. Hands
Across Ed
50. An
Ed Too Many
51. Sir
Ed-a-Lot
52. Over
Your Ed
53. A
Key to My Ed
54. It’s
Way Ed
55. In
Like Ed
56. To
Sir With Ed
57. Nagged
to Ed
58. Tag
Yer Ed
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