[5.6/10] Woof. I’m pretty sure this is the worst Ultimate Spider-Man episode so far. What’s funny is that I’ve really enjoyed this show’s sillier, more comedy-focused episodes up to this point. Loki turning his brother into a frog was fun, and Peter becoming Spider-Ham was a series highlight. Even apart from Loki’s shenanigans, episodes like “Spidah-Man” more focused on the character’s lighter side have been winners. It almost made me convinced that Ultimate Spider-Man had something in common with the 1960s Star Trek series: a propensity to go over the top with its morals and occasionally bite off more than it can chew when it goes for drama, but also the ability to be knee-slapping hilarious when it goes for something lighter.
But a cadre of baby superheroes is the peak of silliness and slapstick here, and it just did absolutely nothing for me. The idea of our teenage heroes trapped in itty bitty bodies is a cute enough one, but the fact that Shield and everybody else treats them like actual babies is ridiculous. The slapstick and grossout humor goes way too broad, and there’s just no tension or sound comedy to any of it. If you love the baby superhero cutaway gags enough that you want a whole episode of them, then I guess this one’s for you, but for me, this was all frosting and no cake.
There is some decent stuff here and there. Baby Thor vs. Loki is a little better, if only because Thor acting just like regular Thor, except looking like a bobblehead, is way funnier than any of the “look we’re babies” gags the show goes for otherwise. (Honestly, it has a certain element of Angel’s puppet episode to it.) And the fights with the Destroyer are mostly disposable but reasonably cool. And however corny the execution, setting a final fight in a toy store is a fun idea.
But overall, this episode is founded on ridiculousness, something I normally like, but never roots it anything beyond “superheroes as babies are hilarious”, throwing weightless gag after weightless gag about superpowered toddlers at the audience until the whole thing just becomes exhausting. You can (and have) do better at comedy, Ultimate Spider-Man!
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2018-12-27T03:29:24Z
[5.6/10] Woof. I’m pretty sure this is the worst Ultimate Spider-Man episode so far. What’s funny is that I’ve really enjoyed this show’s sillier, more comedy-focused episodes up to this point. Loki turning his brother into a frog was fun, and Peter becoming Spider-Ham was a series highlight. Even apart from Loki’s shenanigans, episodes like “Spidah-Man” more focused on the character’s lighter side have been winners. It almost made me convinced that Ultimate Spider-Man had something in common with the 1960s Star Trek series: a propensity to go over the top with its morals and occasionally bite off more than it can chew when it goes for drama, but also the ability to be knee-slapping hilarious when it goes for something lighter.
But a cadre of baby superheroes is the peak of silliness and slapstick here, and it just did absolutely nothing for me. The idea of our teenage heroes trapped in itty bitty bodies is a cute enough one, but the fact that Shield and everybody else treats them like actual babies is ridiculous. The slapstick and grossout humor goes way too broad, and there’s just no tension or sound comedy to any of it. If you love the baby superhero cutaway gags enough that you want a whole episode of them, then I guess this one’s for you, but for me, this was all frosting and no cake.
There is some decent stuff here and there. Baby Thor vs. Loki is a little better, if only because Thor acting just like regular Thor, except looking like a bobblehead, is way funnier than any of the “look we’re babies” gags the show goes for otherwise. (Honestly, it has a certain element of Angel’s puppet episode to it.) And the fights with the Destroyer are mostly disposable but reasonably cool. And however corny the execution, setting a final fight in a toy store is a fun idea.
But overall, this episode is founded on ridiculousness, something I normally like, but never roots it anything beyond “superheroes as babies are hilarious”, throwing weightless gag after weightless gag about superpowered toddlers at the audience until the whole thing just becomes exhausting. You can (and have) do better at comedy, Ultimate Spider-Man!