#smbss ep 17

[darkcloud-kcalifornia]

You know, it’s been a while since I’ve done a rambling post while watching a show.  Let’s change that.  Oh yeah, it’s Mario time!

Alrighty, the live action segment this time is “The Marios Fight Back”.  It appears to be about some reporter (David Horowitz) investigating their claim to be able to undo any clog within 3 minutes.  Which normally speaking is a ludicrously obvious ad, but this is TV Land so it’s probably an actual reporter doing “investigative journalism” on an incredibly slow day.  But then while showboating with over the shoulder tosses Mario accidentally… knocks out the reporter.  During a world wide broadcast.  So that’s a shenanigan right there.  Some might call it a wacky one, but I’m a bit hesitant to use that designation.  After the animated segment Luigi points out that not only is the reporter out cold, but they haven’t unclogged the sink. Mario in desperation tries sprinkling plant food in there as it looks kinda similar to their drain cleaner, and the two heads out for lunch.  And after they leave the reporter wakes up… right as an abomination begins to rise from the sink.  Dang it, I got enough sink emergent abominations from Parasite Eve!  The reporter is of the opinion that he should be getting hazardous duty pay for this.  Look buddy, if I don’t get it for having to deal with a conga-line of Karens all day during a pandemic you don’t get it for a hairy sink clog monster. But hey, technically speaking the sink’s no longer clogged now.  And… the episode ends before that’s actually resolved.  Monster menacing everybody.  Well, guess that’s it.  Mario Bros. are gonna die.

 The cartoon is “The Fire of Hercufleas”.  Though really that should probably read Herafleas.  Anyway, the titular legendary hero is apparently an old friend of Toad’s (I’d love to hear of Toad’s adventuring career before the Marios came along some day), and he wants to ask the guy to help them take down Koopa, as well, it’d be kinda easy for him.  But ol’ Herc has let himself go with eating habits almost as atrocious as Mario’s. Herc explains he’s got a steady job now as the guardian of the Great Balls of Fire.  Which really lends credence to all of the jokes about heroes being murder hobos, if you stop doing it once you can find steady employment. Also, I think I vaguely recall from my childhood that the show once used “Great Balls of Fire” as a musical number, so if I’m recalling correctly it’ll probably be this one.  Huh, now there’s an odd moment.  While King Koopa is berating his minions and planning the theft of the Fire he refers to the Marios as “sewer simps”.  And here I thought that was new slang.  But anyway, some Flyguys manage to steal the Fire for Koopa, with one staying behind to both defeat and humiliate Herc so as to illustrate what a diet high in donuts does to a retired hero.  I sense a training montage sometime in the future.  Yup, there it is after the Marios’ failed attempt at Fire retrieval.  Kinda odd that Mario would be acting as a coach to get somebody back into shape given his own figure though.  Well, I guess you could argue he has plenty of muscle underneath the flab.  You don’t need to be a showy bodybuilder to be strong. Kinda weird how getting buff again gave Herc a deep reverb voice though.  Also really weird how apparently Mario’s grandma made garlic chip cookies.  Just… ew. I don’t think even Cookie Monster would be able to stomach something like that.  Anyway, the big fight scene happens after that.  Kinda lackluster to be honest, but it is interesting to see Toad grab a fire flower for once and start chucking fire himself.  Now I’m just waiting to see them give one to Princess Toadstool.  Anyway, Koopa ends up expending the Fire in his literal fire fight with Toad, and so runs rather than try to take on both Toad and Herc.  Huh, no musical number during that.  Guess I remembered wrong.  (POST EPISDOE ADDITION: Actually looking it up it seems like the musical numbers were removed due to copyright and licensing.  Dang.  I guess this means no Secret Agent Man later on either?  Though this explains at least some of the lackluster music… it’s not what’s supposed to be there at all.)  Anyway, Herc’s down about failing to protect the Fire leading to it being used up, but Toad just empties his Fire Flower power into the pot and it reignites. Which… leads me to question just how Great those Balls of Fire could have been if a Fire Flower was just as good. Well regardless, Toad got to be the hero of the day and gets a statue next to Hercufleas’.

 Overall the episode wasn’t bad, though there was a few odd decisions in this one.  Like having the monster situation in the live action segment still ongoing at the end.  Or Toad being the main cast member focused on and hero during the animated segment.  On the other hand those aren’t necessarily downsides, and it’s nice to mix things up every so often.

 Moral of the day:

When in doubt, pose.