The Loud House Nickelodeon
Episode 26a: The Hurt Lockers
There's a sinkhole in the school, which is one way to start a paragraph. That means some lockers at the middle school can't be used. Lincoln and his friends think it will be a good idea to share lockers. (I, an intellectual will say it will not be a good idea and go wrong. I'm also a pessimist) Lincoln convinces his principal with a slide show and gets it work. Rusty and Zach share a locker, Liam and Stella share a locker, and of course Lincoln and Clyde. They also much too much stuff in a dang locker: a special lock with a security laser, a chicken with an egg thing. It also seems to set up what could end up being some tension between Lincoln and Clyde and their locker. (Clyde put a freakin' soufflé in a locker, minus 0.1pt)
As predicted, this causes tensions between the pairs. Lincoln's messiness (that's new) Zach's security system, Liam's farm stuff. They decide not to have the episode drag on too long with that and Lincoln goes to the principal to convince her if they can swap again. (I hope she says no) She says yes. Lincoln gets Chandler as his locker mate. (duh) Zach gets Lynn (because duh?, also voice reasons) Stella gets Chief Pat , because that makes sense to someone (if they are drunk). Also minus 0.2pts for this show having weird things in lockers, stop it. Rusty gets a kangaroo, because that also makes sense if you hit your head 93 times then drink moonshine. Liam gets a cheerleader named Jenna. Also the cheerleader is bit much because she's with other cheerleaders and they cheer everything because sane. Clyde gets Andrew who the show has apparently turned into a cat boy? (Alright, I'm gonna head out)
This also doesn't go well because well duh. Also the school didn't fix the sinkhole very well, if can just collapse like that. (I'm calling the authorities) The friends lamented they should have tried better. Meryl decides to help them out by letting them use her locker and share together. The episode ends with them all getting along well and a laser of death.
Uh anyway, it's kind of a fast episode in the sense it feels like it veers quickly through it's plot and only had small build up. If you wanted an episode to build on tension, it's not this one. It does throw crumbs of tension but then rushes through it. There's not even much on them even making it seem good at first then going sour, then a switch, which it also doesn't linger on because episode really wants to go fast. While, I don't think the episode is awful or even bad, I think it's good, its pace doesn't help it.
This would have been a good episode to have it just be like Liam and Stella or something having a disagreement from sharing a locker , since it the show should show more of the inter-friendship dynamics more. Since I do like Lincoln and friends episodes, they should go in different directions with them than just conglomerate all the time. The episode also really went eccentric there too, like Meryl storing stuff in her hair, and a cat boy? That was something. I don't think it was a bad episode, it could have been better, but it also could have been awful, so it's fine. I give it 7.2/10
More after the Jump
Episode 26b: Love Stinks
Here's a twist to a plot for this series, it's Lola and animal plot instead of Lana. It does connect back to Lana since she brought a skunk into their room because it had a cold. (Don't do this, people!) It's also interesting to see Liam call Lana for some farm animal help, and anyway she needs Lola to watch the skunk, named Ann.
She takes the skunk with her while she shops. I do have to point out that this episode continues the myth that skunks always smell, and they don't. They spray a horrid scent as a resort to get would be predators or perceived threats away from them, but they don't smell 24/7. Also would point out they are nocturnal creatures too, but I'll let it slide a bit, but the rest minus 0.5pts. (Welcome to our blog, run by pedantic people)
Lola and the skunk start to bond, not sure it's good for the skunk to be un naturalized like that though, It's nice to see her bonding with an animal, it is a switch for this series where it's usually Lana, so it's a nice change of pace.
Lana tells her it's time for Ann to be released into the wild again, but Lola doesn't want to. Lola does what is right here to let her go, but she does get sad that she has to do it. No wait, there's like 5 minutes left, hmm. Lola changes her mind. This time she's going to have a secret skunk and keeps the creature in her locker.
Ann gets out in the school. Lola goes searching through the duct work to find the skunk. Lana got suspicious and figured out what was going on. They find the skunk and plot convenience-ly fall when the duct gives way. The episode ends with apparently, Ann (also I know Lola changed the skunk's name, but I'm not spelling that) living in fancy tree (poor tree).
This was a nice variation to what the show normally does. It's good to see a Lola and animal plot. (Especially since it would nice to see Lana have more non animal plots) It's nice to see Lola bond with the creature and have a nice time. It was a sweet episode and I enjoyed it. It was a good episode. I give it 7.8/10.
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Season Thoughts
Since this is the final episode of the season, it's time for season thoughts. I'm going to start by saying I found season 5, the previous season, to be good overall, it was fun. I think it executed the changes it wanted to do (key words, it wanted to to do, not what random people or even me wanted it to do. Though, I'll agree with most of how it worked out.) and brought some interesting elements to the series and gave it a freshen up. Season 6 takes some of that, but also does falls into its own comfort zones.
The Specials : Unlike season 5, it didn't do an 1 hour long special, but it have three specials. "Save Royal Woods!" takes the idea that the town the Louds and friends live in is important and was about to be wiped out, it's a 'save the neighborhood' in this case , town episode. But it did provide value in really showing us the town they live in and the value of it. I'm not going over the episodes fully again here, you can read my posts about them in full. "Time Trap!" I guess they tired of trying to end 1/2 specials with -ed, and that's fine it's a good change. This is fantastical time travel episode, and one I'd put as one of the plots the show has done, that would have better for the movie plot than the movie was. It could be seen as divisive for the show to do a fantastical plot with time travel being real. I'd say yes, but there is finesse in how it can be executed and it does a good job at also presenting its story well. It also counts as the show getting a "It's a Wonderful life" style plot out it's system too, right? Finally, there's "Great Lakes Freakout!" The Casagrandes ended after three seasons, this was the first episode to air after that. The first Loud House episode to crossover with them since season 4. It did it better than say the Thanksgiving special from season 3, because it didn't try to have ALL of both families be together, so it room to breath and let characters that were there- have their chance to be part of a story. Overall, I found these specials to be good, and an improvement over season 5's specials , minus "Schooled" which I found the weakest part of that season. (Again, except for Schooled , which was fun)
Some interesting tidbits: There are some interesting things the season does bring. Leni getting a drivers' license. That was something that wasn't brought up since season 1, and it kind of seemed that Todd, the robot was going to be taking Lori's role of being a third driver. I think the episode Driver's Dread did an interesting job but there are some weak points like Leni learning how to drive after cheating and then only doing it because she didn't want to die. (I wish that was my joke)
A Stella Performance was a good episode. Though, I would have liked it if it had given Stella more POV like Zach Attack did, but it was good to see how the friends worked together and not having Lincoln take the lead. I would love more individual focused friend episodes, in the vain of Zach Attack, but I think this one was good to see. Stella did more given to her since they don't seem to see her as much in depth.
Lynn and Order was a nice treat to have a second episode that had Liam and Lynn in an episode together. I really liked "Cow Pie Kid" so this was a top favorite for me this season. The fun of the episode is seeing their dynamic. I would like to see more of it, and/or maybe some episodes with a Lincoln friend and a sister combined.
The season did seem to be jarred by it's past season and did more family all together episodes rather than focusing on a sister or more Lincoln and friends. I think it would have been fun to see more episodes like in 5, using more sister duos and using time to add more to the friends as well. I do like that The Last Laugh was a fun to see Lola and Luan together in a fun plot. Seeing Lisa work with Lincoln in some episodes and their interactions have been nice.
During this season, the sister series The Casagrandes ended. The season decided to start having elements from that series brought in. Forks and Knives Out has Rosa and Ronnie Anne take a spot in a competition episode. It also gives a way that there won't be a winner because well look at it. It was both characters' first appearance since season 4, but remember they had their own show. Day of the Dad , was an episode I found weak, mostly because I think it was trying introduce Arturo, Ronnie Anne and Bobby's dad, and it seemed off to me because I would think Bobby would have shown his dad pictures of his girlified in the 2 years they've known each other. (Lori and Bobby I mean) Yeah, they can't even season 1-4 wobbly time themselves out on it here. Fashion No Show was pretty much a Casagrandes episode with the POV being on Carlota rather than Leni. I don't mind that setup, and it would be fun to see them do that set up with some other characters too like some of Lincoln's friends or even Chandler. I think it will be interesting to see how the Casagrandes would be used in the next season, that's a hard minefield.
The Lincoln Section : I like that Lincoln got some spy themed episodes. The David Steele stuff has been an interesting switch out from the superhero stuff he was into the past seasons. This was introduced more in season 5 and season 6 picks up more into it. Present Danger gave a finally a moment where Lincoln did "age up" I've only listened and counted ages when they were outright said, or a birthday (Lana and Lola) other wise, I don't think everyone changed age yet. It was a fun episode using the spy stuff to great effect and like how it was a gift and who it s from was sweet and I need more friend bonds like that. Lights, Camera, Nuclear Reaction was a fun episode taking the spy theme and giving it a mini-movie (Very mini) feel, another idea that should have been the movie instead. It was also nice to have Clyde and Lisa in it as well. Interestingly, the season didn't do much with Lincoln's love of magic, minus a couple things as mentions.
Musical Chairs did decide to eschew the Lincoln and family or sister , Lincoln and friends (to a point, and Lincoln and Clyde focus to go an old model of Lincoln vs. some one. I am kind of willing, though still confused why Lincoln vs. Mr. Bolhofner ended up to be a thing for this one, since they seemed cool before. The fun part of the episode is that Lincoln decides to stand up for his father and take whatever happens as a result. It's still kind of oft in the timing, but it's alright. The Taunting Hour does give Lincoln a good inflection, the only thing I found oft in that episode is that somehow the Louds that were affected by taunting or whatever seem a little strange. Again, season 1-4 the episode works better a bit, because again. Eg: Luna would have heard someone say her music sucks, because someone is going to say that, I'm sure someone has gone up and told Paul McCartney they don't like "Listen to what the Man Said" which is a good song (tangent), Luan would already have heard someone saying her comedy sucks, because someone is going to say that too. Lynn didn't seem to be like grr and attack back, but alright. I do like the episode didn't force Lana, Lilly (somehow), Lucy, and Leni into getting taunted some how. "Lana, the way you... fix that toilet uhhh uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" . Episode wasn't bad, and main was showing Lincoln's strengths and that he doesn't shrivel up act because someone critizies him or whatever Chandler was doing. (Just tell the boy you love him, Chandler, you stalked the boy to his sister's soccer game, come on) While not main focus, Lincoln did get good roles in like Save Royal Woods! where he rallies everyone to save their town. Lincoln was shown as a well strong character and this season continued that.
Less Lincoln and Friends: Season 6 did have less of Lincoln gang episodes, that they were more spread apart this season. I like these episodes, though I do want more development of the friends. Like how there were episodes with the McBrides and with Clyde's POV it'd be fun to see that with the other friends. The other thing I'd like is like Lincoln and Liam just those two in an episode, to see how they are friends by themselves without the others , like we've seen how Lincoln and Clyde are. Don't Escar-go put an interesting bond where the friends didn't want to see Clyde leave to France, but also ended up understanding that he has a chance for something big and they should be trying to let him have that. All the Rage is kind of fun and again has the friends with Clyde as their focus. It is funny to see that Clyde get set off on littering. (good for him) Snoop Scoop was their first episode that used their Action News team thing, (I wonder if the show pays to use that term, or is that allowed to go... on hmm). That is also a strange one in how apparently they are trrefying to compete with the news news ? It did give us some depth on the Spokes Family, now where's their other son? Save the Last Pants kind of does a focus on Rusty, and a bit of POV on him. I do like how it doesn't make Lincoln full leader here and they all do something to get the thing done. It's a strong episode I think gets a bit overshadowed. The Orchid Grief does a classic toned, Clincoln McLoud story. Which isn't a a bad thing, though again I'd like to see Lincoln + let's say Liam episode or even a Zach and Clyde episode without Lincoln seething this time or something. This episode was pretty fun and used dark comedy well too. It's not a big episode, but it's a fun episode. I do like the The Loud Cloud for being a Lincoln and Lisa episode where they work on something for the family. It's fun to see how they worked together and yes my bias is that Lincoln and Lisa are top favorites of the series. Snow News Day was another fun action news episode. It was about the team making sure a story didn't go out of hand and that they had to stay honest. The Hurt Lockers was an alright one, though I would like to see more of the friends outside a school episode, but it was nice to see the school setting, at the same time. There are things I wish it differently like a bit more into the friend dynamics but it was fine. I do hope nothing has made the show backing away from the format too much, they should try different things with the friends , and not step back on them too much either.
True Lisa Hours: I do have to point that Lisa didn't have as many episodes as she did in season 5. Really the only core episodes she had were Eye Can't which as an episode took an interesting approach at using Mr. Magoo style plot and having the young girl bumbling around since apparently she didn't figure out her prescription on glasses. Space Jammed had the added bonus of being with her and Leni and they didn't go for the low hanging fruit of smart character and un smart character being the focus. I think this episode was under appreciated, even though it's well done. Again most of the sisters didn't get a big let's focus on them episode this season as much as using combos and other family members or something to circle it in. Lisa was used a lot in other plots. She, along with Lincoln, Lana, and Leni have a role together in Flip This Flip. I do like that, the one thing the live-action spinoff has done that's fun was their sister groupings and it would be fun to see more of those, but this a highlight in an episode about Flip. In Present Danger , her role as Lincoln's version of M or Q (depending on time) worked out well, but her role in Lights, Camera, Nuclear Reaction was even better as she was more active in the role and gets to be with Lincoln and Clyde and even joins in their fun. The series seems to have been giving Lisa more than just being the smart one and adding a bit more to her young age. In Time Trap! her role is the person who made the time machine, which is making this show a little weird now. The part where Lisa is just being used to provide a random gadget to solve a problem for another character is not the direction I'm fully invested in. In Day of the Dad, she provides a gadget for Lori to wipe Arturo's mind, Lilly takes a shrink ray in Small Blunder which is also interesting they are back to back episodes. It's nice to her interactions in the family, like how she helps Luan in that episode she does with Lola. I would rather have seen an episode with like Lisa and Lana or Lisa and a sister we've not seen before together, or something something.
Lori's Time : In season 5, did get sidelined a bit, for golf college. This season does decide to give a bit more Lori than before. She does appear in a special of Time Trap! since it's her golf stuff that sets off the plot's problem. She's also the reason why Leni did want to finally achieve her license in Driver's Dread. In Crashed Course the episode uses Lincoln and Lisa as the driving force to find out they think that Lori isn't doing well in golf college, but then after trying to help her they remember it's golf college. In Stroke of Luck , it's golf college and Lori does something only to find out the her golf ball is one Lisa's special ones. Tying in the idea they really want to have Lisa be used as "hey we can have make random things for a plot to exist!" I can kind of feel they are trying to figure out what to do with golf college since they seemed to have written themselves into a corner because regular college with a golf scholarship would have made sense. Lori in season 5 having a plot where she's home and feels left out was a little stronger than these episodes, because that fits a bit more than golf themed college. Which, you might be able to tell I'm not fan of the concept. I do like Crashed Coursed tied in her family and that was the value of the episode. While I think Day of the Dad was weak in parts, the value of the episode is Lori and Bobby still being strong together and exploring other parts of Lori's life is pretty fun. The only thing I think that hampers is that the golf college. I think she's still a strong character in general.
Luan's Time : Yes, I'm using time twice. The Last Laugh was a treat of an episode having Luan and Lola do a comedy performance stuff together was fun. Also having Luan go a bit unhinged about her dummy and not having him be actually alive was a nice touch. They've written her character in a bit more interesting ways these past couple seasons and it was nice to see her working with Lola. Stressed for the Part was good at showing Luan being interested in stage performing, they've brought up a few times before now. It was also good way to show her and her teacher, and someone she looks up too and didn't want to hurt. This episode was fun. Puns and Buns takes an interesting turn in having Luan's boyfriend, Benny, be the POV character and Luan being the background-ish part as she's the plot obstacle it's a nice change of pace. It's a good characterization for Benny, who seemed to not have much in the show. Luan had a good showing.
Some Season noticing's : The age of old question of Leni having a boyfriend. I will give a note that I think it was fine if they didn't lock Leni into a relationship with one other character. Lori, Luan, Luna, have that covered. It's very normal for a teenager to not be locked into a long running companion. (They aren't lobsters) They did do something in Food Courting , to give Leni someone, and also note that Miguel is gay, or at least has crushes on guys. To me the value of the episode was characterization of character's we've seen before and trying to tell us why we should still want them around the show. Miguel does need a bit more and this was a nice touch. If they write Gavin well, then it's fine if they use him to Leni's boyfriend, but do feel things are kind of top heavy in that department. Rita didn't get a plot this season, which is interesting. I do find her plots kind of weak in terms of the characters. Most of her past episodes , to me, I can't rate that well, but I did like the plot she had with Lola in Crown and Dirty. I still think that we need a plot with her and Lincoln. There's a bit more Lynn Sr. plots, but most they linked the family in to the thing , like in Dine and Bash A Bug's Strife is really the only lead plot episode he had and it's kind of weak to me because it's Lynn Sr. fighting a bug. If it was 3 minute or 7 minute episode it would have been better harking back to old cartoon shorts, but 11 minutes was kind of forcing it to work.
I do like how Lana (disclosure: my third favorite Loud) had two focused episodes and they did plots that weren't animal focused. Sleepstakes shows Lana having a fear of sleeping away from her family, while You Auto Know Better does a plot about her mechanic skills. While, I do love her love of animals, it was being done a lot and she does have other interests, so it would be nice to see something about plumbing in the future. She some pretty good episodes. She wasn't used as much in other plots except a few. I do have to say the season counter balances by not really going much into individual sister episode plots as much.
Lynn had three plots, though I think season 5 did some great things for Lynn, here we kind of got something different first. Whatever disturbed force makes Luan go crazy on April Fool's Day apparently does the same to Lynn when apparently the snow is just right to attack people with. Snow Escape is strange idea, it'd be like making an April Fools Day episode then changing a sister and them going unhinged. Though, Lynn's stuff isn't as dangerous as Luan's was. (kind of) I think episode is good, but it was kind of strange and odd use of recycling an idea. Lynn and Order is going to be a favorite of mine for this season. I liked the idea of Lynn acting like a school cop, it has some "Filmore!" vibes to it. Also adding Liam was pretty nice , I loved their togetherness in "Cow Pie Kid" and this episode works to show more Lynn character devolvement. Cheer Pressure was the one episode that focuses on Lynn and her friends (minus Maddie) and also does a story about sports but something different from doing team work, but learning about cheerleading has a value. It takes a plot idea I've seen before and does it a good way of doing it, and it doesn't make the cheerleaders jerks, which a lot of media likes to do because reasons. She still got some strong episodes.
Other twists and turns: I wasn't fully impressed with Doom Service , but I do appreciate that it didn't degrade a characterization to have it work. Lisa being skeptical of a deal being too good, Lincoln being an optimist, but also wanting to get back at Vic because he shouldn't get away with it. It at least respected the characters. I do hope they don't use Vic too much, because he an automatic give away that something bad or he's the bad guy now, so I mean.
I think Lilly's episode, Small Blunder was alright. It's hard to make preschool appealing as place or thing. Especially under 3-year-olds (I still find the concept of under 4 year old pre school weird).
Lola and Lana had their seasonal twin episode, and I mean this season they had one twin themed episode. Kind of a basic plot for them, it was also strange they decided Scoots has a twin because reasons. Lola, herself, had two focused herself plots. Prize Fighter which does a children's pageant plot. In this case it's more about Lola trying to do get an award for something she's not doing on stage. Love Stinks took a different approach, I like the idea of a different sister being interested in animal.
I told myself, I wasn't trying to go sister by sister, I think that this was an alright season. I still place season five better, but I can place it somewhere comfy. I still think every season is better than season 4. This season does play to more comfort zone by harking to doing a lot more of the whole family (or maybe minus Lori) and those are fine, but going too much to those can also be an affect. I do think there should be a room for exploration and different things.
My top favorites: Lights, Camera, Nuclear Reaction, Present Danger, Time Trap! , Space Jammed, Lynn and Order, A Stella Performance, Save Royal Woods!, The Loud Cloud. These are kind of in order, and kind of not.
Episodes I found the weakest for me: Day of the Dad, Doom Service, A Bug's Strife.
I think there were a lot of episodes that passed through well and I enjoyed, some were fine, but not big on my reaction list, and I don't an episode gave me a strong dislike compared to Season 5's "Appetite for Destruction" or as bad as my lowest over all bar of "The Green House" , and "Vantastic Voyage".
I think it was enjoyable and had some fun. That's it for now, tune in next time when I remind you that skunks don't belong in lockers.
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