Clinton, W. Bush, Obama, Trump (1), Biden, Trump (2)

Avengers: Age of Ultron - Marvel wanted the whole sequence at Clint’s farm to be cut because they thought it was too uneventful for audiences to care about. The director insisted it stay because it gave new insight into all of the protagonists. He won and the scene stayed.

Beetlejuice - Tim Burton was ready to cut the dinner party possession sequence because he thought it simply wasn’t funny and it would’ve been embarrassing to include. Test audiences instead told him it was the single funniest scene in the movie so he trusted their word.

The Nutty Professor - The studio wanted the family dinner scene to be cut because according to them it was too long and didn’t add much to the overarching story. But again, they changed their minds after test audiences called it the standout scene in the whole movie.

Armin Zola - Spidey and his Amazing Friends

“Hey we want to make a show for young kids to introduce them to Marvel characters, who should be use as one of the first villains they’ll ever meet.”

“I don’t know, how about the ROBOT NAZI?”

Black Hand - Lego Batman 3

In a game that introduced the likes of Bat-Cow, Krypto and Music Meister we also get William Hand, the corpse of a necrophilic who massacred his whole family in a murder suicide.

Al Capone - Night at the Museum 2

We got a couple historical figures like Einstein, Lincoln and Amelia Earhart we also get one of the most notorious mobsters in American history.

Bojack Horseman (Free Churro) - Bojack tells a story about how his mother died in hospital and her last words were “I see you”, and he spends a lot of time pondering what he meant. Then it clicks to him she meant to say I-C-U, as in the Intensive Care Unit. Her last words were not towards him.

Spider-Man Brand New Day - >!Throughout the movie Sadie Sink’s character is looking for a mystery item called ‘V-Max’ which has something to do with her sister. But after being captured by Damage Control and locked in a testing facility she looks up and sees the ventilation is labelled V-Max with the sticker half ripped off. The V-Max message her sister sent her was the last image she ever saw, and she died in the same room Sadie was currently locked in.!<

Hulk being unable to stop Godzilla, but the brilliant scientist Bruce Banner can like the great scientists Godzilla previously lost to.

The Lich defeating Aku because his unstoppable evil is the same type of insurmountable power as Samurai Jack’s will to kill Aku was.

I have been on a tear watching FNAF 4 theories, and the one thing I keep returning to is Scott Cawthon’s Steam post where he said the game is not filled with random details. So I have tried to look at the game and specifically look for any details Scott added that are small enough they could’ve flown under the radar, but is something he still took time to add.

In the minigame where you can find the TV Easter Egg people have already dissected the 1983 date, but there’s something that sticks out to me more. Look at the character backgrounds: solid colors for all, except for Chica who is white and green. It also makes it look like she’s outside. If Scott chose to add this detail onto only Chica and intentionally give himself more work, there must be a reason he chose to do this. But what is it? It’s a pattern he establishes and immediately breaks for no clear reason. I don’t think this actually means much, but if I throw it out into the universe maybe it can be a detail someone else can interpret into something more exciting than me.

The Chameleon - Kung Fu Panda 4

She wants to steal the skill of every kung fu master in history because she was rejected from training in academies because she was too small. This is despite the fact we’ve seen Praying Mantises, Snakes and even Chickens become highly skilled fighters.

Russ Cargill - The Simpsons Movie

Springfield is the most pollutive city in America, so his plan is to permanently quarantine the area from the rest of the world. When that fails his nuclear option (no pun intended) is to bomb the city with an explosive. His plan to curb pollution is to bomb a city with an active nuclear power plant.

Evelyn Deavor - Incredibles 2

I’ve talked about her to death so I’ll make this quick. She wants to make superheroes illegal, however they were already illegal when her plan begins so she was working on a plan to make them doubly illegal I guess. If she genuinely did nothing all movie she would’ve got exactly what she asked for.

Adam Smasher (Cyberpunk 2077)

If Arasaka needs a situation handled properly, Smasher is sent as a final resort to flatten any problems they have. However, he’s also liable to going off script and ignoring instructions for the sake of a more exciting battle.

Conquest (Invincible)

When a planet doesn’t comply to assimilation into the Viltrum Empire, Conquest is sent to maul them into submission by killing and destroying anyone who denies them.

Some fights blew up planets, some destroyed galaxies, some shattered reality itself. But Scooby’s Zobrinsky Triangle onto Courage was so strong it broke the in-universe battle simulator and began harming Wiz and Boomstick. That is the equivalent of a line of code breaking out of your computer and slapping you in the face. The single most powerful moment in DB history was performed by Scooby Doo.

Toy Story 2 - Rex asks Buzz how they’ll get out the air duct, and Buzz says to use his head. They immediately cut to the toys using Rex’s head as a bartering ram.

Buzz Catches Covid-19 (HourofPoop on YouTube) - After seeing how dangerous it is to cross the road to the store Buzz says there must be a safe way, then he looks and sees a Safeway right next to him.

#62: Cats Whiskers (3.0)

#61: Grim Up North (4)

#60: South Africa (4.5)

=#59: Dead Leg Part One, Fly Fishing, Recipe (4.8)

#56: Local Hero (4.9)

=#55: Balls Up, Small Change (5.0)

=#53: Down and Out, Heavy Petting (5.5)

#51: The Fall Guy (5.8)

#50: Job (6.0)

#49: Scones (6.5)

#48: Pie (6.6)

=#47: Wedding, Gadgets (6.7)

#45: The Undrinkables (6.8)

#44: One In, One Out (6.9)

#43: Dial a Bus (7.0)

=#42: Faimly, Hyper, All the Best (7.1)

#39: Saucy (7.3)

=#38: Buntin, Hootenanny, Flittin (7.4)

=#35: Dead Leg Part Two, Who’s the Daddy, Dug (7.5)

#32: Cold Turkey (7.6)

#31: Plum Number (7.7)

#30: Kill Wullie (7.8)

=#29: Over the Hill, Brief, Ring, Hot Seat (7.9)

=#25: Hitched, Hoaliday (8.0)

=#23: Doacters, Tappin (8.2)

#21: Smoke on the Water (8.3)

=#20: Wireless, Gairden (8.4)

=18: Fresh Lick, Aff, Seconds Out (8.5)

#15: The Party (8.6

#14: Cauld (8.7)

#13: Hatch (8.8)

#12: Scran (8.9)

#11: Swottin (9.0)

=#10: Big Yin, Shooglies (9.1)

=#8: Fly Society, Drama, Cairds (9.2)

#5: Hard Nuts (9.3)

4: Courtin (9.4)

#3: Wummin (9.5)

#2: Oot (9.6)

#1: Lights Out (9.7)

I modified a couple rankings and gave a few episodes some more or less points depending on how they stacked up against one another, but mostly I’m happy sticking with my guns on my initial rankings. The top 3 was such a close race and I went back and forth on what my number 1 was between Oot and Lights Out several times up until today, but I’m happy with this as my final locked in ranking.

Every season ranked*:

1. Season 3 (8.8)

2. Season 2 (8.3)

3. Season 5 (8.2)

4. Season 4 (7.9)

5. Season 6 (7.6)

6. Season 1 (7.56)

7. Season 7 (6.1)

8. Season 9 (6)

9. Season 8 (5.1)

*Going off my initial scores for each episodes

Best after credits scene: Winston kicks his leg out the window (Drama)

Best scene: Archie’s monologue (Oot)

Best gag: Jack and Victor play Operation in the dark (Lights Out)

I guess that’s it. Well this has been a fantastic experience, after going on a two month binge of this show I definitely have a newfound appreciation for how it progressed over time. I may do more posts that go over my retrospective thoughts on the show (if you all would like it I considered a character ranking among some other things), but I feel happy as this being my bookend on the series. Nothing left to say expect, that’s plenty.

2014: Champions

2018: Eliminated in group stage

2022: Eliminated in group stage

2026: Eliminated in round of 32

Beau (A Quiet Place)

Plays with a toy rocket that emits noise which attracts noise and brings the aliens out to kill him, showing to the audience why you absolutely can’t make noise.

Kaufmo (The Amazing Digital Circus)

While later episodes gave more insight into him, in the Pilot he exists to show why losing hope is dangerous as he Abstracts and turns into an uncontrollable monster.

Season 9, Episode 6

Plot refresher: Isa becomes obsessed with charity, Jack and Victor decide to have one final adventure.

And with that, we have finished the series. Through good episodes and really bad episodes we have reached the end. One final episode. Will this be worth the two month adventure we’ve been on?

I want to change things up and get the bad out the way. Namely, Isa’s plot is pretty bad in my opinion. It’s comical to watch her get into such a drug like obsession with charity and it’s a really weird plot to end her journey with. I wouldn’t typically be so critical, but this is the series finale, our final ever time with these characters. I would have absolutely preferred something else for her and Navid to be up to.

But onto the main episode, like the plot last time they laser focus in on the most important characters in the show over its run. While the ensemble story was nice, this show had to end with Jack and Victor. The plot of them climbing up Ben Lomond felt similarly big enough to justify being a finale and I like the subversion where they don’t actually get to do it in the end. I want to talk about that point more later, but in the meantime they have plenty of good jokes with the five central characters trying to arrange a mountain climb. Watching them banter over equipment or even just beans in a can felt like it belonged in the old seasons. This episode manages to be fun throughout.

But there’s something more to this one. This episode has its own edge to the tone where it’s still here to have a good time, but there’s a feeling of inevitability undercutting it. Everyone Jack and Victor turns to tells them to turnaround, that they can’t do it. But they persevere anyway, first from perseverance but eventually through stubbornness before accepting they won’t do it. This episode is here to have fun, but it’s also reminding you that the end is near.

So, I guess I must get to the end. The final scene. Jack and Victor descending the mountain. There is a beautiful scene right before it where they have a quiet conversation just themselves, not feeling the need to joke but just accept what they’re seeing. And then, as Bob Dylan plays us out they walk and fade away as does everyone else. I know for two months I would have to watch this scene again, I knew it was coming from the moment this series began, but Jack and Victor weren’t even halfway down the hill before I was already choked full. This scene. This whole scene.

What makes this scene such a perfect ending to the show is not the fact it takes characters you’ve grown attached to and makes you watch them die one by one, it’s the fact this episode embodies exactly what this show has been trying to say from the very beginning: Life is long, complex, and at plenty of times painful, but it will always go on. In your life you will meet people that will change you for the better; partners, friends, colleagues. And while you know them you will get to go on many adventures together like personal growth or life milestones. But eventually, like anything in life, it will end. And it will hurt. But even if it does end there will always be something more. Jack and Victor went through almost every experience they could together; growing old, marrying, raising families, losing loved ones. And they did so many adventures; they went to Canada, they went water rafting, they went on TV. But that moment on the hill, the only thing they could think was that they were grateful to be in each others company in that moment. That was the journey. What mattered wasn’t whether they climbed up a mountain, but getting to climb down it together. Even if you know a story has to end, be still game for it.

And that’s what the final montage is about. Moving past what we know, but seeing that life will go on. New life will come and tell their own stories, new chances and new opportunities will come, and those who came before will be remembered forever. That’s what the final shot represents: The audience and Boabby having an intimate moment together remembering what we’ve been through together. The lads are gone, but as long as you remember them they’ll be around forever. And for that I will never, ever, be able to watch that final shot of Boabby in the bar now an old man without being inconsolable.

This was the hardest episode to ever rank for me. While I won’t pretend this episode is flawless, the emotions running through will inevitably override any attempts at being neutral. To the best of my ability, I’m giving this a 7.9/10, a worthy end to a special show.

Best gag: Winston having a glass being smashed against his real leg is great physical comedy. While they do spell out what the punchline is meant to be at the end, they trust the audience to understand what Victor is doing which creates some great dramatic irony.

Season 9 recap

Best episode: Hitched (8.0)

Worse episode: Cat’s Whiskers (3.0)

Seasonal average: 6.0

What a way to end the show. The division between the first and final three episodes is pretty insane, it feels like the writers were going off adrenaline in the home stretch to stick the landing. Still doesn’t save this from being one of the worst seasons.

Emotions are running high, but don’t worry, this is not goodbye. Tomorrow there’ll be a little treat: Due to popular demand I’ll be ranking the 4 Hogmanay and Christmas specials. It’ll be more laid back than most reviews. And after that on Tuesday: the final ranking. My parting thoughts on each episode, my final thoughts on the series, and at long last I crown my favourite episode.

Season 9, Episode 5

Plot refresher: Jack, Victor and the rest of Craiglang work together to give Winston a perfect wedding

Here we are, the penultimate episode and probably the most well liked revival episode apart from the finale. Can this episode live up last time and help end the show on a good run?

The best part about Hitched is that it’s an ensemble story. Jack, Victor and Winston are the central characters yes, but most of the supporting cast gets something to do to chip into the wedding planning. Characters like Peggy and Stevie who wouldn’t make the cut for the finale are given their own sendoffs here which was a smart move. Giving different characters different roles makes this episode feel bigger which works for the story it’s telling.

Speaking of said story, it’s really sweet. Seeing everyone band together one last time feels like a throwback to a classic episode and it captures the spirit of those episodes well. There’s a great heart at this with Winston wanting to give Winnie a good wedding but not being able to provide it. It’s a simple story about his pride getting the better of him but it doesn’t have to be complex since it’s a wholesome story about everyone supporting him. It’s the type of sweet simple stories the show should’ve been doing all season.

As for complaints, there were definitely a few dud jokes. You remember how Cairds had a thing about how you can’t take a random word and use it as the crux of a joke? They do that several times here. While this is definitely the funniest episode this season it still has its misses. Also, I didn’t really care for all the celebs Boabby was phoning up. It felt like the show trying to squeeze in as any cameos as they can before the finale, but the Bluebells as the final payoff worked well.

Honestly, if this episode was the finale I wouldn’t mind. Everyone gets at least one moment in the sun, the plot is charming and the ending feels like a celebration of how far the shows come. This season has really turned itself around as it’s reached the final stretch, 8.0/10.

Best gag: The banana boots during the credits gag was a nice payoff to the jokes Jack and Victor made during the actual episode. Also, this is the final ever after credits gag, so I felt like it deserved some recognition.

And with that, we’re 57 episodes down and 1 to go. If you’ve been watching this series from the start or just catching on I really hope you can be with me at 8pm tomorrow for the final review before my final ranking on Tuesday. Get your hankies ready, because there’s only 1 episode to go…