Knuckles (2024) First Viewing Thoughts.

Hey everyone- I am making good progress on my full review of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero; so you will see that as soon as it's done. I have also decided to review Pokémon Horizons by entire storylines as soon as I have access to all the EN dub; though a full review of "The Departure of Liko and Roy" won't be till after I look at the SV expansion at the earliest. In the meantime, here are my first viewing thoughts on another video game adaptation- the Paramount Plus event series Knuckles! 

Courtesy- Paramount/Sega/Sonic Team

Taking place chronologically between the second "Sonic the Hedgehog" film and the upcoming third installment, the show follows the titular Knuckles the Echidna (voice of Idris Elba). As he attempts to adjust to life on Earth, he ends up joining officer Wade Whipple (Adam Pally) on a cross-country road trip to a bowling tournament in Reno, NV; crossing paths with a strange cast of characters both friend and foe. All, as you can imagine, does not go smoothly (especially with accidentally breaking car stereos).

Though it may not reinvent the wheel as streaming spinoffs go (just dealing with all the ebbs and flows as they come lately); it is still a family-friendly six episodes that capture the ideas of what make the character work. It's especially anchored by much of the movies' cast and crew being retained; along with an assortment of new cast and crew. My personal favorites of each would be the enigmatic Buyer (Rory McCann) and the Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone. Regarding the latter, it's clear the style of comedy practiced by the Lonely Island has influenced my writing significantly. So, it's definitely a show worth checking out if you have Paramount Plus. You'll certainly get more out of it as a fan of the material (Hi!), but it's also solid family viewing even among those who might have never held a game controller.

I may not be doing a full review at this time; but I might consider it at a later date as I finish more of my backlog. Perhaps before Sonic the Hedgehog 3 comes out around Christmas (especially with Keanu Reeves informally being confirmed for the voice of Shadow). I once again lament the lack of updates; but I've been feeling exhausted these last few days. Regardless, I will be back in May, and I will see you then. Take care.