Penn Zero: part-time hero

Chances are he would have a change of heart if he saw Penn have a near-death experience.

This, and Phyllis blasted that guy into the sun and he's still alive so Penn himself wouldn't die.

Oh right, and even all those times Rippen and Larry do die/lose, they return to the normal reality. So really, even if he were to die in another universe, it still makes Rippen a sick bastard.

We're at the halfway point on Season 1 with Episode 13 - and I still like this show far more than Star Vs., despite its less than stellar beginning, IMHO. Then again, I admit I bought into Star Vs'. hype way too damn much (only because I revisited the first episode of that and only recall the fight scene from the first segment of that being the only thing that clicked with me, TBH...).

Now, to actually review what's in front of me:

Totally into Your Body: (Mid High Tier) While I am glad to see Boone taking charge and all, I wasn't feeling this one too much. Making Boone (the big guy) out to be the dumb one of his group is an overdone cliche/trope that really needs to die, IMHO (this is especially something Canada does WAY TOO MUCH in their cartoon and it wasn't funny even the first time they did it.) - thankfully enough, once he he educated himself proper, things do work out in the end. Thankfully. Also, Rippen really made himself look like an idiot underestimating Boone at all, despite being right about some things. So, overall, more than anything, these writers need to not flanderize Boone into an idiot, especially after this. It will come back to hurt this show in my eyes, should that happen.

Fish And Chips: (High Tier) Definitely the better of the two premieres, despite re-visiting an old setup, which is usually a loss of some points in my eyes... However, thanks to building upon the actual setup of that world and with a brilliant resolve that brought two enemies working together to bring an end to an near-inevitable bad ending (TAKE THAT, Rippen! Yeah - Rippen's defeat at the end was priceless enough for me.), I actually loved this one, even more than the first time they visited this setup indefinitely. Also, good continuity on Boone no longer being afraid of the ocean setting.

Wait, what does Canada have to do with Penn?

Canada has everything to do with everything. Canada is the answer to the ultimate question.

This show was made in Canada, which is probably part of why it's such an easy target, unfortunately (I say unfortunately, because unlike most of the crap made there and most of the tropes/cliches that are boasted heavily in their cartoons, especially as of late.). Doesn't change that I actually like this fucking show (so far.).

Well, as it stands, almost all toons from our Older sisternation(that aren't created by the Johnny Test people) are not that bad.

True - but that's hard to sell to a lot of people out there, as of late. Not completely, thankfully - Canada can make good shit when they actually try, specifically with not dabbling so much with so many cliches/tropes that are obvious turnoffs, but rather just making things that are fun to watch for kids that can win over adults like us in subtle, but effective ways as well - AKA, the key to making a good product.

So does butler having a butler have any practicality to it?

Making the butler jobs easier and less stressful, but then the butler's butler might end up needing a butler of their own. And then the cycle will never end.

New episode tonight: The Ripple effect.

Wow, that episode was getting into "feels" territory pretty quickly. But it also felt like a great season finale.

I'm not sure if this will make sense, but has anyone else notice that if Rippen wins his conditions might be worse than his normal life and his at times his role in the scenario seems unnecessary? Given how balance was brought up in this episode I think part-time villain job is just to help screw over the actual villains.

In this episode, though, Penn is the leading cause of destruction, making him the actual bad guy but repented in the end. And Rippen's role was to be the mayor, who is nice, and when he lost, he stranded an innocent man and policewoman on a desolate planet. I say Rippen's role is to fuck up everyone's lives.

The Ripple Effect..... Mid-High Tier at best, TBH. I really wanted to like this one more, but this felt lacking to me, especially considering how much more destructive this could have turned out - and just being told this one planet could cause all that chaos is not enough, IMHO.

Look, I'm glad to see how much Penn cares about his folks, especially at his age where adults can be easily disrespected - thus leading to a lot of unnecessary angst and conflict that only comes from it, but seriously now. I really hope that Penn never tries something so stupid anytime soon like that again; same goes for his friends helping him! I'm more than happy he found a way to make up for this in the end, however.

Now for what really hurts this episode for me: his friends, Sashi and Boone, clearly need to learn how to be better heroes than that. Seeing them not knowing how to take charge for themselves without Penn around on the job really made me cringe; that just felt... embarrassingly OOC to see and makes me wonder just how capable they are of anything on their own, going forward. And at this late in the game, that is not a good thing - I need some re-assurance that Sashi and Boone (especially) don't suck at their jobs without Penn's help, TBH - and that can't happen fast enough.

Yeah, this episode introduces that the people Rippen takes over might not always be villains beforehand.

Just incompetent?

Yeah, for anyone who still cares about this show... New Episode TONIGHT AT 8 (7/21).

Where Dragons Dare / Rip-Penn

Both episodes were some of the best and most entertaining I have ever seen yet in this show!! :D

The first one was truly a love letter to Top Gun.

The second one, seems to me that Rippen and The Zeroes have some history.

Also, people still care about the show, but they seem to give Star vs more attention because cute girls = rule 34.

Uh...I don't think it's cause of R34 dude. Theirs several reasons I have that it's more popular than Penn Zero. R34 isn't one of them.

The first one also gave me vibes of Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers and Tailspin!

SCOTT, I'M KIDDING. I DON'T KNOW WHY EVERYONE LOVES STAR SO MUCH MORE.

and Better presentation and animation values are a given. In some cases, better writing, too. Sad, but true. I say sad, because I like this show more and everything, but... Most viewers do treat this like kid's stuff compared to Star Vs., due to certain issues this show can have with what I've mentioned and what it lacks in comparison, overall.

THAT, however, makes no sense to me (if only because looks aren't everything to me; at least not anymore!). Both shows are different, yes - but they're both kid's stuff in the end. This is irrefutable truth, no matter how much Star Vs. fans want to tell me there's so much more to their precious show than that, especially when comparing this one, at best...

However, I'd like to hear your reasons. I could use some debatable reinforcement here.

edited 20th Jul '15 5:58:12 PM by Shokew