[7.6/10] A really fun episode! I am a sucker for “What If?” type stories, so having a trickster come in to turn all the humans into gargoyles and all the gargoyles into humans is a blast in my book. Making that trickster literally Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and voiced by Brent Spiner no less, is just the icing on the cake.
Kudos in particular to the design and animation team. The human versions of Goliath’s clan look surprisingly plausible in their choices, retaining the features of everyone in the gargoyle form, but melding them neatly with human looks. Likewise, Elisa’ Gargoyle form is striking, with a transformation that feels natural to the character as we’ve known her.
I especially like Puck as a “Be careful what you wish for!”-type elf. He’s technically under Demona’s commands, but comes up with creative ways to thwart her intentions and cause general mischief. Her frustration with him makes for a fun dynamic.
The same goes for the budding attraction between Goliath and Elisa. That element’s been in the show for a long time, but I like bringing it closer to the surface here. Elisa seeing Goliath as a human and vice versa gives them a new appreciation for one another, and true to the Shakespeare influences here, making them star-crossed adds a layer of tragedy to the attraction. It’s a fun way to explore the idea and show them feeling attracted to one another without having to commit to it.
But let’s be real, this one could totally coast on the novelty. It’s a smart move to have everyone think they’ve been human/gargoyle forever, so as not to have to deal with that part of the switch. And watching our heroes move through a world where they either blend in for the first time, or are flipped in terms of who’s considered the monster, is fun. The way the whole thing resolves with a fight is pretty convenient, but in an episode this light and fun, I can forgive it.
Plus, not for nothing, this is the most New Yorker the show’s felt thus far. I’ve appreciated the scattered references here and there, like the Gargoyles feeling at home in the Cloisters, but this episode goes for broke. The initial fight is at The Met. Puck launches his beams from the World Trade Center. And the final fight takes place in Rockefeller Plaza. It’s fun seeing these real life landmarks become part of the show’s setting.
Overall, this is a really enjoyable lark of an episode, and my favorite of the season so far.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-07-02T21:40:54Z
[7.6/10] A really fun episode! I am a sucker for “What If?” type stories, so having a trickster come in to turn all the humans into gargoyles and all the gargoyles into humans is a blast in my book. Making that trickster literally Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and voiced by Brent Spiner no less, is just the icing on the cake.
Kudos in particular to the design and animation team. The human versions of Goliath’s clan look surprisingly plausible in their choices, retaining the features of everyone in the gargoyle form, but melding them neatly with human looks. Likewise, Elisa’ Gargoyle form is striking, with a transformation that feels natural to the character as we’ve known her.
I especially like Puck as a “Be careful what you wish for!”-type elf. He’s technically under Demona’s commands, but comes up with creative ways to thwart her intentions and cause general mischief. Her frustration with him makes for a fun dynamic.
The same goes for the budding attraction between Goliath and Elisa. That element’s been in the show for a long time, but I like bringing it closer to the surface here. Elisa seeing Goliath as a human and vice versa gives them a new appreciation for one another, and true to the Shakespeare influences here, making them star-crossed adds a layer of tragedy to the attraction. It’s a fun way to explore the idea and show them feeling attracted to one another without having to commit to it.
But let’s be real, this one could totally coast on the novelty. It’s a smart move to have everyone think they’ve been human/gargoyle forever, so as not to have to deal with that part of the switch. And watching our heroes move through a world where they either blend in for the first time, or are flipped in terms of who’s considered the monster, is fun. The way the whole thing resolves with a fight is pretty convenient, but in an episode this light and fun, I can forgive it.
Plus, not for nothing, this is the most New Yorker the show’s felt thus far. I’ve appreciated the scattered references here and there, like the Gargoyles feeling at home in the Cloisters, but this episode goes for broke. The initial fight is at The Met. Puck launches his beams from the World Trade Center. And the final fight takes place in Rockefeller Plaza. It’s fun seeing these real life landmarks become part of the show’s setting.
Overall, this is a really enjoyable lark of an episode, and my favorite of the season so far.