The Case For The Cuphead Show! AKA: It’s Okay For Episodic Shows to Exist
The notoriously difficult yet hit game, Cuphead, is getting an animated show of its own titled The Cuphead Show!. The Cuphead Show! depicts two brothers, the loveable, yet impulsive Cuphead, and his cautious, but easily-swayed brother Mugman as they traverse the Inkwell Isles in search of fun and adventure. Many characters from the original game show up in the animated series, and we have seen plenty of them so far, such as the fan-favorite antagonists’ King Dice and Devil, in trailers and sneak peeks that Netflix has shared with the masses on various websites.
Netflix will be premiering the show tomorrow, February 18, 2022, to the world. However, media and review sites have gotten first access to the show and have left their thoughts on the show, with one review striking me with a particular intrigue.
I will be linking the review here so that the reader can read the review as well, we can all approach this on the same page, and know that the writer of the original review will not be taken out of context.
The Gamerant Review
Gamerant Reviewer Leslie McMann writes a review on the show two days ago, and while I will not be going toe to toe with this review on the contents on this show, the humor, etc because I have not seen it myself, I will be on these statements here:
McMann writes about the plot of the show, stating that the show’s “most compelling arc” is done at the end of episode eight, and further goes on to state that “the remaining four episodes feel like a letdown. The season finale in particular does nothing to set up the second season or expand on the universe. It’s the same type of one-off filler as what’s stuffed into the middle of the season. Netflix ordered 48 episodes total. Are viewers in for another 36 that are just Looney Tunes for the 21st-century child?”
There are some problems with these statements. The main one is that McMann is positing the idea that a show presented as an episodic series is not as good as story-driven series. It’s important to acknowledge and understand that episodic series are just as valid as story-driven series. It is also important to acknowledge that episodic series are the reasons Spongebob Squarepants, the various Looney Tunes cartoons works. Even then, it is also important to accept the fact that not every single animated series that exists has to constantly world build or have an overarching story, and even without these famous examples listed, The Cuphead Show! still has merit as a show with its episodic format.
Furthermore, deriding a show for being episodic is an unfair criticism to level against a show and is disrespectful to creative choices taken for the show. Not to mention, The Cuphead Show is a show that is inspired by the episodic nature of the 1930’s cartoons, to make it story-driven would dilute the inspiration shining through.
Perhaps there is something to say about the negative impacts that the culture of binge-watching has had on the greater society, but that will be a discussion we shall have at another time in the future. The greater discussion I think that we should have is: with the rise and acceptance of story-driven series, we must also make room, be accepting of episodic series, and not let our entitlement to story-driven series sully the art and creativity of episodic series.
We must learn how to accept a series in their presented format and they only succeed when we as an audience put in the labor and meet the show halfway.
