[6.2/10] Look, I enjoy Matt Berry (and Merkimer) as much as the next guy, but this was a really aimless and lumpy episode. The first half of the episode barely worked with the second half, and there wasn’t a lot of movement or momentum between the two.
“Detective Bean” with the local rubes was a weird look. Her looking into a local monster seems like a strange beat for her, and there was some particularly odd humor in the extended conversations between her and the guy who steals mugs. I can appreciate some mumblecore humor, but this is the second seemingly-improvised exchange in as many episodes (joining Odval and Zog’s convo from the prior one), and I don’t like them going to that well so often. They’re at least going for something when Bean tries to relate to the monster only to discover it’s the pig in Merkimer’s body, but it’s pretty mild.
The episode picks up a little when they go to Brentwood to ask for money and weapons to raise and army, doing a reverse Mr. Ed routine with Human Merkimer and Pig Merkimer. The pre-Revolution France gags are worth a mild chuckle, and there’s a lot of extended rolling/”saaaaaaad” gags. It’s not much, but it’s at least a little better.
I do like that we get a mini-arc for Merkimer. He expects to be welcomed home and yet, discovers via overhearing conversations in his pig form that nobody likes him, not even his parents. That leads him to join a coup with Human Merkimer (who’s learned to speak from watching Bean -- sure, whatever), and the two become “The Merkimer Boys.” Then, he has another change of heart when he overhears Bean describe him as a real friend, and uses his “greasy big” body to save them from Human Merkimer’s ironic punishment. It’s not the world’s greatest personal journey or anything, and the whole “He’s our friend” thing feels pretty unearned, but it’s nice nonetheless.
It’s also bumped up by the clockwork solution to Bean’s inciting problem for the second half of the episode -- When Human Merkimer tried to drown them in gold coins, Elfo swallowed enough of the loot for the escaping Dreamlanders to be able to raise an army, and their carriage took enough arrows to be able to restock the realm’s archers. Again, it’s not much, but it’s mildly clever, enough to save this one from being truly meh.
That’s pretty much where this one stands. I really enjoy Matt Berry’s work on What We Do in the Shadow, and I’m glad he gets something approaching a spotlight episode here, but I wish Disenchantment gave him better material.
@andrewbloom Glad I'm not the only one who found the mug conversation extremely odd and not very funny. I love Matt Berry though, and was happy that this episode made up for his lack of appearances this season by giving us double Merkimer!
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-01-27T01:34:37Z
[6.2/10] Look, I enjoy Matt Berry (and Merkimer) as much as the next guy, but this was a really aimless and lumpy episode. The first half of the episode barely worked with the second half, and there wasn’t a lot of movement or momentum between the two.
“Detective Bean” with the local rubes was a weird look. Her looking into a local monster seems like a strange beat for her, and there was some particularly odd humor in the extended conversations between her and the guy who steals mugs. I can appreciate some mumblecore humor, but this is the second seemingly-improvised exchange in as many episodes (joining Odval and Zog’s convo from the prior one), and I don’t like them going to that well so often. They’re at least going for something when Bean tries to relate to the monster only to discover it’s the pig in Merkimer’s body, but it’s pretty mild.
The episode picks up a little when they go to Brentwood to ask for money and weapons to raise and army, doing a reverse Mr. Ed routine with Human Merkimer and Pig Merkimer. The pre-Revolution France gags are worth a mild chuckle, and there’s a lot of extended rolling/”saaaaaaad” gags. It’s not much, but it’s at least a little better.
I do like that we get a mini-arc for Merkimer. He expects to be welcomed home and yet, discovers via overhearing conversations in his pig form that nobody likes him, not even his parents. That leads him to join a coup with Human Merkimer (who’s learned to speak from watching Bean -- sure, whatever), and the two become “The Merkimer Boys.” Then, he has another change of heart when he overhears Bean describe him as a real friend, and uses his “greasy big” body to save them from Human Merkimer’s ironic punishment. It’s not the world’s greatest personal journey or anything, and the whole “He’s our friend” thing feels pretty unearned, but it’s nice nonetheless.
It’s also bumped up by the clockwork solution to Bean’s inciting problem for the second half of the episode -- When Human Merkimer tried to drown them in gold coins, Elfo swallowed enough of the loot for the escaping Dreamlanders to be able to raise an army, and their carriage took enough arrows to be able to restock the realm’s archers. Again, it’s not much, but it’s mildly clever, enough to save this one from being truly meh.
That’s pretty much where this one stands. I really enjoy Matt Berry’s work on What We Do in the Shadow, and I’m glad he gets something approaching a spotlight episode here, but I wish Disenchantment gave him better material.