[7.3/10] A pretty simple tale, but one I liked. The anti-ageism message is laudable, and I like putting Hudson at the center of a story before the season wraps up. The point of “Long Way to Morning” is a laudable one. Hudson may not be as fast or strong as he once was, but he still has guile, cleverness, and as Goliath puts it, “wisdom” to contribute, which make him a valuable ally and a formidable foe. His quest to stall Demona long enough and keep Goliath safe just long enough for dawn to hit is a good story engine, one that gives the tough codger a difficult but achievable goal.
I also like the flashbacks to Scotland, which show us what life at the castle was like ten years before our last visit to that time period. We see the origin of the princess’s disdain for the Gargoyles, a combination of her dad using the idea of them to scare her, and her misattributing the archmage’s attack on her father as Hudson’s fault. It’s a little too tidy an explanation, but it works.
More to the point, I like the quest of Hudson, Goliath, and Demona to find the Archmage and take the magic macguffin book from him. That too creates an origin story, and gives Demona the opportunity to play Lady MacBeth once again with Goliath, telling him to overthrow Hudson and claim leadership of their clan. Goliath, of course, demurs, recognizing that Hudson has skills and knowledge as leader that should not go to waste, even if Goliath is the better physical specimen these days.
The fights in both time periods are well-done, and seeing more of New York City on the one hand and more of Scotland on the other helps lend the show a greater sense fo palace. This isn’t one of Gargoyles more jaw-dropping outings, but it has a modest goal and straightword plot that it achieves and delivers quite well.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-06-26T02:37:18Z
[7.3/10] A pretty simple tale, but one I liked. The anti-ageism message is laudable, and I like putting Hudson at the center of a story before the season wraps up. The point of “Long Way to Morning” is a laudable one. Hudson may not be as fast or strong as he once was, but he still has guile, cleverness, and as Goliath puts it, “wisdom” to contribute, which make him a valuable ally and a formidable foe. His quest to stall Demona long enough and keep Goliath safe just long enough for dawn to hit is a good story engine, one that gives the tough codger a difficult but achievable goal.
I also like the flashbacks to Scotland, which show us what life at the castle was like ten years before our last visit to that time period. We see the origin of the princess’s disdain for the Gargoyles, a combination of her dad using the idea of them to scare her, and her misattributing the archmage’s attack on her father as Hudson’s fault. It’s a little too tidy an explanation, but it works.
More to the point, I like the quest of Hudson, Goliath, and Demona to find the Archmage and take the magic macguffin book from him. That too creates an origin story, and gives Demona the opportunity to play Lady MacBeth once again with Goliath, telling him to overthrow Hudson and claim leadership of their clan. Goliath, of course, demurs, recognizing that Hudson has skills and knowledge as leader that should not go to waste, even if Goliath is the better physical specimen these days.
The fights in both time periods are well-done, and seeing more of New York City on the one hand and more of Scotland on the other helps lend the show a greater sense fo palace. This isn’t one of Gargoyles more jaw-dropping outings, but it has a modest goal and straightword plot that it achieves and delivers quite well.