If you like this review and want to stay updated for what else I have in store, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter. Now on with today's review:
Boys Will
be Eds
In today’s inclusive media world, it has become clear that any characters, male or female, is fully capable of being strong, well-developed, and influential. Most media viewers may be used to male characters being the notable scene-stealers. However, if one were to look at much of the animated output of today, it may be easy to notice the larger presence of strong female characters. From major development, unique standout qualities, and being far more proactive than reactive, female characters have far more potential than history has given credit. In the past, most females have been relegated to mostly motherly roles or just being love interests. In some cases, having them as the generally nice figure can be enough for investment in a story and even contrast well with more dynamic characters. That’s the thing though; characters like that may work in context, but it doesn’t make them terribly interesting on their own. For that, media that presents things like females just being a love interest or suggest that they aren’t as active as males don’t hold up well, especially now. This show kind of falls into that trap with the character of Nazz, and this cartoon perpetuates that view, but there are a few catches to that.
The premise has most of the boys of the cul-de-sac completely smitten by Nazz far more than usual, apparently for just existing, blushing, word fumbling, and soft looks all around. The thing is that while the boys act all romantic, Nazz just takes no notice, and berates them for earlier inconsideration over Jimmy getting hurt over another one of the Eds’ scams. Then throughout the day, she rightfully goes about her own way as the boys make total fools of themselves trying to win her over. Basically, although Nazz is shunted into a bland love interest role, she doesn’t fully comply to it. As the most moral kid in the cast, she doesn’t let herself be swayed by the boys’ ridiculous takes on flirting and acts fully rational and makes smart decisions on what to do about them. This ultimately makes her performance solid, and allows the portrayals of the boys flirting for several comedic highlights.
It may have its own stereotypical feel and present them as treating Nazz like an object, but how far they’re willing to go to win her over feels legitimately funny. There’s a baseball game where the socially misguided Eds, hot shot Kevin, and free-spirited Jonny rush to let Nazz score a run all while playing off each other well.
Then everyone keeps popping up to give Nazz random gifts which quickly escalates from genuinely caring to full-on competitive and obsessive. Clearly Rolf has the right mindset for this situation by just standing on the sidelines and laughing at the ridiculousness of the setup. As for Nazz, she has the right idea to amscray as far as possible from these nuts like an honestly logical-thinking person should.
Then, as a grand finish, the Eds, who unsurprisingly have had the least luck with getting Nazz’s attention, try one more act by serenading her at night. It’s honestly impressive that they make good music with what little they have, especially Ed using a comb as a harmonica. For a shock, the silhouette they perform for is actually Jimmy in curlers, and he actually likes their music. I can’t explain why, but I find this to be a very funny turn of events and it's nice that the Eds get praise for the efforts, even if it's from the wrong person.
It’s true that this cartoon has outdated and stereotypical values, but
how it executes things can be viewed as an entertaining view on the
ridiculousness of gender roles.
A-
Ed or Tails
Because of how vastly different the Eds interpret the world around them, it’s easy to see that they don’t always agree on how things should be done and even get competitive. For this cartoon, the concept comes into play as their favorite thing threatens to come between them.
During a demonstration of an interesting scam where kids get to rent Double D and Ed as clowns, its backfiring brings the inciting element of the cartoon’s conflict. The Eds stumble over to Ed’s mailbox where a package is waiting. Inside the package are two whole jawbreakers that Ed sent in for from an offer on the back of a comic. There’s great excitement from the sight of their favorite candy, but then it’s quickly undermined by one big catch. It takes Ed a long time to figure this out due to his low intelligence, overnight in fact, but it gets to him that there aren’t enough jawbreakers for all three Eds. Once Ed does understand that, it’s easy to feel for him since the whole reason he ordered the jawbreakers was to share them with his friends. He even keeps up his generosity by letting Double D and Eddy take the two while he sadly goes without them.
As for his friends, while Eddy would rather gladly have his jawbreaker too himself, Double D goes the moral route by making sure everyone gets a share. The plan is to divide both the jawbreakers into three equal pieces, though they only aim to divide one. In typical fashion of the Eds’ schemes, they attempt to cut one of the jawbreakers with a random assortment of objects. Through an elaborate backfiring sequence, the one jawbreaker is lost and ends up in Jonny’s mouth, leaving one left. The Eds could just try cutting that in threes with more conventional methods like a saw, but that easy solution never crosses their mind. Even Ed forgets his generous mindset by wanting the whole jawbreaker for himself.
From here, the cartoon’s premise becomes simple, centering on all three Eds fighting over that one jawbreaker. However, it’s quick to come up with a solution to the dispute when Rolf suddenly appears and ridicules them for fighting. In accordance with his culture, Rolf proposes a challenge where the Eds must race each other with that jawbreaker as the prize. They have to carry eggs on ladles and rush around a corner, and whoever gets to the jawbreaker first wins it. This way, there’s not too much focus on the typically displeasing arguments, and there’s room for good excitement for the rest of the story. It even gets the attention of the rest of the kids, which is remarkable considering how they view the Eds. The race itself is a lot of fun with each of the Eds operating it in their own way. Eddy glues his eggs to his ladle so they can’t fall out, and causes Ed to trip so he can’t beat them. Double D operates with makeshift motorized wheels for speed as he and Eddy outwit each other with a variety of antics. All Ed can do is think of random ways to distract his competition, but in the end, he wins by simply going to the jawbreaker, even though he has no eggs.
It’s after this race when another thing stands in the way of even one of
them getting the jawbreaker. It gets
knocked away from the Eds, lands in the creek, and is ultimately lost. If that’s not enough, it looks like Ed finds
the jawbreaker, but he turns out to have found a snail instead. It’s a sorry sight to end on, but at least
Ed’s happy. Despite some blatant
ignorance of easy solutions, this is yet another solid look at how much humor
comes from the Eds escalating a simple conundrum.
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.
Dueling Eds
12. Mirror,
Mirror On the Ed
13. Ed-N-Seek
14. Keeping
Up With the Eds
15. Who
Let the Ed In
16. Avast
Ye Eds
17. Flea
Bitten Ed
18. Fool
on the Ed
19. Ready
Set Ed
20. The
Ed-Touchables
21. Who
What Where Ed
22. Dear
Ed
23.
Momma’s Little Ed
24. Hot
Buttered Ed
25. Ed or Tails
26. Stop
Look and Ed
27.
See No Ed
28. Shoo
Ed
29. Ed
in a Halfshell
30. Scrambled
Ed
31. Vert
Ed Go
32. Oath
to an Ed
33.
Ed, Ed, and Away
34. Button
Yer Ed
35.
An Ed in the Bush
36. Read
All About Ed
37. Rambling
Ed
38. Home
Cooked Ed
39. Honor
Thy Ed
40. Floss
Your Ed
41. Quick
Shot Ed
42. Look
Into My Eds
43. Knock,
Knock Who’s Ed
44. A
Boy and His Ed
45. Eds-Aggerate
46.
Three Squares and an Ed
47.
Will Work for Ed
48. Boys Will Be Eds
49. High
Heeled Ed
50. Know-it-All
Ed
51.
For Your Ed Only
52.
Dim Lit Eds
53. Cry
Ed
54. Eeny
Meeny Miney Ed
55. A
Pinch to Grow an Ed
56. Pop
Goes the Ed
57. Hands
Across Ed
58. An
Ed Too Many
59. Sir
Ed-a-Lot
60. Over
Your Ed
61.
From Here to Ed
62. A
Key to My Ed
63.
X Marks the Ed
64. It’s
Way Ed
65. In
Like Ed
66. To
Sir With Ed
67. Nagged
to Ed
68. Tag
Yer Ed
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Ed stops at nothing to take care of Sarah while she's sick, and Eddy's attempts at using a home movie to prove to his big brother that he's matured gives an exciting look at life in this cul-de-sac.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews though, look out for something special for Halloween.
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.
