[5.1/10] I get that they need to do Gene episodes. He’s a major character on the show and deserves to get the same character development anyone else does. But he just works so much better as a side character. He’s full of silly lines and goofy antics, and too much of that in the spotlight for too long can start to feel grating, even when it’s welcome in smaller doses. So this episode’s already working from a deficit.
Nevermind the fact that this one’s a little insane. Gene finding the prospect of growing up so overwhelming that he enrolls in a daycare for seven-year-olds goes beyond the Belcher kids being a little quirky and veers straight into “You should really talk to a therapist about this.” He also doesn’t really learn anything from the experience. He doesn’t really learn the value in growing up or come to appreciate new things, he just realizes that seven-year-olds can be gross or annoying, which isn’t much of a revelation.
That said, I continue to find his friendship with Alex very endearing. The two are sweet together, and there’s some Louse/Regular Sized Rudy-esque hints of puppy love between the two of them that’s cute. The show tries to use their friendship to add emotional ballast to Gene’s out there escapades, and it doesn’t really work, but them as pals is still heartwarming.
The B-story’s a real mixed bag too. You have some good humor with Bob going to a fancy salon and loving it, and Linda going to silly lengths to avoid Gretchen finding out she’s going there are amusing enough. But it ends in a weird place, where Linda’s clearly not happy with the job her friend does on her hair, has the chance to go to a new place despite her friend being weird and creepy at the prospect, and instead feels guilted into returning to Gretchen’s unpleasant shop, which we’re supposed to take as heartening. There’s a ton of better ways you could have landed that one.
Overall, a weaker outing for this season, which is a likelihood, though not a guarantee, for these Gene-fronted episodes.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2022-02-09T01:50:56Z
[5.1/10] I get that they need to do Gene episodes. He’s a major character on the show and deserves to get the same character development anyone else does. But he just works so much better as a side character. He’s full of silly lines and goofy antics, and too much of that in the spotlight for too long can start to feel grating, even when it’s welcome in smaller doses. So this episode’s already working from a deficit.
Nevermind the fact that this one’s a little insane. Gene finding the prospect of growing up so overwhelming that he enrolls in a daycare for seven-year-olds goes beyond the Belcher kids being a little quirky and veers straight into “You should really talk to a therapist about this.” He also doesn’t really learn anything from the experience. He doesn’t really learn the value in growing up or come to appreciate new things, he just realizes that seven-year-olds can be gross or annoying, which isn’t much of a revelation.
That said, I continue to find his friendship with Alex very endearing. The two are sweet together, and there’s some Louse/Regular Sized Rudy-esque hints of puppy love between the two of them that’s cute. The show tries to use their friendship to add emotional ballast to Gene’s out there escapades, and it doesn’t really work, but them as pals is still heartwarming.
The B-story’s a real mixed bag too. You have some good humor with Bob going to a fancy salon and loving it, and Linda going to silly lengths to avoid Gretchen finding out she’s going there are amusing enough. But it ends in a weird place, where Linda’s clearly not happy with the job her friend does on her hair, has the chance to go to a new place despite her friend being weird and creepy at the prospect, and instead feels guilted into returning to Gretchen’s unpleasant shop, which we’re supposed to take as heartening. There’s a ton of better ways you could have landed that one.
Overall, a weaker outing for this season, which is a likelihood, though not a guarantee, for these Gene-fronted episodes.