Introductory Stuff[]
Okay, I suppose before I start, I should give a bit of context as to why I'm doing this.
Hello, I'm ThatGuy456 (or /u/TheGuy789 on the reddit), and if this post is any indication, I enjoy The Loud House. It's a good show with a likable cast and a nice style.
Typically, I would be over-analyzing The Amazing World of Gumball on its dedicated wiki, picking apart the episodes and characters to the point it's not all that funny. However, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and tried tackling The Loud House.
I liked the batch of new episodes, and it will give me a different experience.
I'm not planning on making this a regular thing, but for the fun of it, let's give it a go this once. Who knows? Maybe other people will be inspired to follow suit.
With that said:
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I'm hiding for your surprise party. |
| Warning! This page contains spoilers regarding upcoming media. Continue reading at your own risk. |
Now you can't say I didn't warn you.
"Back Out There"[]
First time writing a blog post about The Loud House and I don't even have a decent joke to start it off. We're off to a great start.
To start off this...Loud...bomb...(that's what you call these, right?), we have "Back Out There", and while I think it's weaker relative to the other three episodes in this event, the episode is still really solid and enjoyable in its own right.
The basic premise? Clyde and his friends try to help Lincoln get over his supposed "P.B.B." (better known as "post-breakup blues") after the events of "The Loudest Mission: Relative Chaos". This episode is interesting in the fact that Clyde is a present force yet there is not a single mention of his beloved anywhere. With maybe one or two exceptions I am not aware of, Clyde is somewhat defined by his attachment to Lori and how he conducts himself in her presence. While this aspect of his character does not annoy me as others, I do admit that his shtick can get repetitive at times, so to have an episode in which Clyde is focused on being a decent pal and not constantly alluding to Lori is refreshing to say the least.
I love how this show can't decide what the relationship status between Ronnie Anne and Lincoln is supposed to be.
This episode is also unique in the fact that it's one of the few episodes entirely void of Lincoln's sisters, instead shedding a light on Lincoln's social life and how his friend group bounce off each other in particular. Clyde aside, the others in Lincoln's friend group prove to be fun in their own right. Similar to his role in "Back in Black", Rusty is the ever so lovable faux-ladies'-man character that's practically begging for more screen time. Liam and Zach are also respectable in their own rights, managing to snag a bunch of great one-liners, my personal favorite being Liam's " polybrominated biphenyls" for just how unexpected it is for the dim-witted character they're trying to portray Liam as.
If there is one gripe I have with the episode, it is how painfully obvious it is that Lincoln is not mourning over Ronnie Anne. I understand that it is hard to make these plots surprising, but Lincoln's upbeat and cheery demeanor makes the whole ordeal so telegraphed. Had the writers been at least more ambiguous with Lincoln's mood, it would have made things a little more interesting, but as is, things are a bit too predictable for me. It's not a huge issue, but it's something of note nonetheless.
Clyde continues to wonder why he'll never get a date as he continues to "solve" his friend's romance issues.
Also of note is how the writers seem to be handling Ronnie Anne from this point forward. If there's anything to take away from the last scene, is that Ronnie Anne is most likely being relegated to a character tailored for Lincoln to vent to; a second "audience" if you will. Personally, I am okay with that; it's not the best, but it's a decent way to integrate her into the show after such a change.
"Back Out There" is good episode simply because it's nice to see some character interaction and life outside the Loud family.
"Fool's Paradise"[]
There's genuine fear in their eyes. Genuine fear.
"Fools Paradise" has Luan going on a prank rampage on her family, although this time she is more cunning and calculating about the whole ordeal, trapping them in a motel setting (or so it seems). An episode like this means more Pyscho Luan.
Luan's more psychotic side seems to be a fairly hot topic among the Loud House community. Some people adore it and other people aren't too fond of it. One's opinion on "Fools Paradise" is dependent on how much Psycho Luan he/she can tolerate.
Where does that leave me? Personally, I loved this episode, and I not only found it to be the strongest episode of this batch, but one of my personal favorites among the entire series. The episode's main focus is delivering a comical eleven minutes with very little of the heartwarming moments the series is known for and the episode succeeds because of it.
Of course, one cannot discuss this episode without referring to Luan and her deranged characterization. To be quite frank, I really appreciate Luan's more unhinged personality; it gives her a much needed comedic edge, something she desperately needs. In the typical episode of The Loud House, Luan's sole purpose is deliver puns and be the "comedic relief". However, given that half of Luan's puns come across as wince-inducing rather than witty, it leaves the character feeling rather empty (and I should know, given I've cracked my fair share of embarrassing puns). I understand that in a show with eleven (arguably twelve) main characters, it is a challenge to make every character standout from the crowd, but when you have more engaging characters such as Lucy, Luna, and Lori (unpopular opinion! Whoot!) or even characters such as Lola or Lisa, who while are a tad more shallow have enough comedic charisma to remain likable, Luan leaves a lot to be desired.
This is the face of somebody who was forced to sit through days' worth of wince-inducing scenes from Powerpuff Girls 2016 and has become cynical, burnout, and eager to get back at the world for being so cruel.
An insane Luan is appreciated because her insanity allows her to stand out. Luan can be used as an instrument to tell darker jokes, and as a sucker for dark humor, more dark-colored jokes are appreciated. Luan finally has something that makes her a gripping character; she has something that makes her entertaining. It's one of the reasons why I respect "April Fools Rules" so much despite the flack it receives from the community.
What keeps Luan from being completely infuriating is that the show keeps it all in good fun. When one starts to apply a more drab and grounded tone to these kinds of situations, everything goes from being whimsical and charming to confusing and irritating at times. Both "April Fools Rule" and this episode keeps thing pretty lighthearted, allowing Luan to look more comedic and silly (in a messed up way, albeit) than a pure jerk.
While still on the topic of black comedy, this episode has some of the darkest jokes in the series to date, and I love all of them. A prime example of this more grim humor is Lana falling into a pit of her allergen in an attempt to avoid the fate of Leni. It's a quick moment and the episode doesn't dwell on the moment too long, but the implications are there nonetheless, and said implications of Luan intentionally injecting mulberry into those pies knowing full well of Lana's allergies makes the moment so funny. In a similar vein, Lucy getting dunked in bleach is hilarious for similar reasons; all the implications of what could have gone wrong had the bleach gone in the wrong places is comedy gold. Shoutout to Luna drowning in gelatin for accomplishing similar.
This is a legitimate death trap, guys...
Luan shares some of the spotlight with her father, with him being the co-conspirator, and he proves to be such a lovable dork. There is something about his whole rant Lincoln about how he is a horrible husband and father that is endearing. It's so over-the-top that it's hard not to crack a smile. It's an absurd little speech, but at the same time, it has that dorky sincerity.
"Fools in Paradise" is the perfect episode if one is looking for a good chuckle; it doesn't dwell too long on trying to be heartwarming or anything of that nature, but rather deliver one solid joke after another.
"Potty Mouth"[]
A screenshot such as this calls for a good old "EXPOSED" tag line.
There has been many attempts at the typical "baby learned a bad word" plot, but I don't think it's ever been tackled in the way The Loud House, with the show adding its own flair to the plot to make it stand out.
If it wasn't obvious enough, the episode has Lily supposedly picking the ominous "d word" from her siblings. Upon finding out their sister has incorporated such foul language into her repertoire, the siblings do everything in their power to clean her mouth before her interview with a prestigious daycare.
"Potty Mouth" is one of those episodes in which Lincoln and his sisters must unite with one each other to accomplish a larger task, and once again, the show uses it as an opportunity to inject some of Loud siblings' more colorful personalities. Excluding Lucy and Luan oddly enough, all of the children get two scenes each: one that depicts them using the "oh-so-scary-d word" and one that gives them a shot at redemption. Admittedly, the episode could have afforded to pick up the pace at the redemption scenes due to the set ups for most of the jokes already being used in the initial flashback, but regardless, both the flashback and the redemption scenes are enjoyable. My favorite gag would have to be Lola's recovery from the "traumatizing d word"; there's something all too funny about her contrived speech praising Daniel Day Lewis.
Lisa's face is the face of eternal suffering...or something deep like that.
Something to appreciate about the episode is its shift in focus about halfway through the episode. As opposed to spending the entirety of the episode hopelessly trying to revert Lily to her more innocent days, the episode becomes about the Loud children attempting to hide the supposed ticking-cuss bomb from the day care teacher. It's a swift and natural transition and one much appreciated too; it prevents things from getting overly stale. This shift in focus also allows for some great moments Lisa; outside of the potty humor gag (keeping in mind I'm not a huge potty humor guy in general), every joke with her hits the right notes. It's amusing how someone so childishly age-wise is so inept when it comes to acting near her age. (I know she's four and Lily's one, but close enough)
Interesting of note is the clever foreshadowing of the twist ending. The episode's conclusion reveals that Lily never uttered a bad word, rather just butchered the word "doughnut"."Potty Mouth" takes the time to showcase some imagery of the special pastry; it's not groundbreaking story telling, but a nice detail.
I had a really good joke planned for this image, but you know...the rules...
Top thus episode off with probably the funniest ending in the series, and viewers are in for a fine installment in the series.
"L is For Love"[]
Still a better love story than...you know what? That joke is so overused. I think I'll spare you guys from seeing it this time.
This episode is clearly doing something right because it seems to "that episode": the episode that not only garners mass attention within the community of the show, but seems to be catching the attention of outside sources. Clearly, this is the type of episode that is going to be remembered as a classic when the show is through, and I believe it deserves such a status.
The episode stars the Loud children and their quest to find their secret admirers after they receive a mysterious love letter addressed to "L. Loud", but you're not here to read my regurgitation of the plot. Discussing this episode without addressing the elephant in the room is like baked bread without yeast.
The revelation that Luna was into girls, Sam in particular, is not only a nice moment for the character, but is quite well-structured from a narrative perspective. "L is For Love" succeeds in subverting viewers' expectations; everything in the episode guides viewers to believe that Luna is infatuated with a male and is simply suffering from shyness: all of her siblings are crushing on those of the opposite gender, Sam is always seen in a group, and even the name "Sam" itself. The episode builds up this image of Sam in one's head only to turn that image on its head with class.
I feel like I should say something clever, but I got nothing.
In a way, this plot twist gives Luna's confidence issues a little more weight. The concept of rejection is increased quite a bit because of the circumstances, and it makes Luna even more vulnerable and compelling in hindsight.
However, the best outcome of this moment is that it's not forced. The show doesn't draw too much attention to the fact that Luna is attracted to girls, instead focusing more on how Luna grows as a person from the moment. In the wrong hands, this could have easily gone awry, becoming reminiscent of a Tumblr-induced nightmare that isn't doing anybody favors. It treats Luna like a person as opposed to a poorly-written original character.
Of course, this story is just as much about the parental figures as it is Luna. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is the first time people are given insight into how Lynn Sr. and Rita met. While their backstory is no "The Choices", it is still a sweet and endearing anecdote that is well aligned with the rest of the show. The concept of love letters as instigators of romance isn't anything new, but sometimes, one doesn't need to do anything groundbreaking to remain memorable. The show simply relies on its sense of humor and style of story telling to carry the scene, and it works because of how competent the show is. Clichés aren't always deal breakers.
That aside, the episode still has some great moments that make it worth remembering. The nature of the episode calls for more visual-based humor, and the episode does not fail to deliver. Lily is as adorable as ever; seeing her view the teddy bear as a potential romantic partner strikes the "cute" key well enough to extract some chuckles simply because it's so foolishly naive yet lovable at the same time.
I won't soil the image with my skewed sense of humor. You can just take it in.
Similarly, the jokes involving Lynn and Lisa in particular are also quite amusing because of how their more abrasive natures to attracting their secret admirers seems to accomplish the opposite of what they're hoping for.
In general, getting the other Louds involved (sans Lori) is a very wise choice because their different personalities ensures that jokes don't become too stale since there are so many gags that could be told with the different characters; slightly irked by the continuity error involving Lucy and Rocky and the mess that is Ronnie Anne and Lincoln, but alas, still solid.
"L is For Loud" has a lot going for it that make it such a must-see for any fans of the series.
Closing Stuff[]
For those who like to see preferences in a nice, numerical list, I got you covered. I have a list of my favorite to least favorite episodes of this batch using numbers one through four.
1. "Fool's Paradise" 2. "L is For Love" 3. "Potty Mouth" 4. "Back Out There"
That should wrap this post up. Any discussion is appreciated. Take care of yourselves.