Musings from a 38-year-old dude on Steven Universe

So this one time I made an agreement with my sister's teenage kids that for every episode of Star Trek: TNG they watched, I would watch an episode of Steven Universe and give them my random thoughts. These are those thoughts. If you want to see more of these, well, they come out at the rate of those kids watching Star Trek, so it ain't up to me! I'm doing this blind so no spoilers! Ya get blocked for spoilerin'!

[stevenuniversenotes]

So, uh, this blog hasn't been updated in ages, and I should probably finish this project sometime. Though a few things have changed since the last time I posted. For one thing, I'm no longer 38 years old. For another, well, I'm also no longer a dude. 🏳️‍⚧️

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Episode 036: The One Where Bowling Balls Fix The Sad Waffle Teleporter

"That almost looked like strategy" is probably one of the highest compliments Pearl has ever given.

The warp conduit netherworld limbo (or whatever it's called) looks remarkably like the Bill & Ted time travel tubes. I wonder if that was intentional.

This is the first episode in a while where Amethyst has been given more than like three lines, and it's mostly to confirm that, yep, she's still a jerk. And eats mac & cheese powder by itself.

I'm planning on rewatching the whole season once I get to the end and doing an overview post about it. I bring this up now because the middle "check the warp stream" montage is chock full of continuity that I can't remember because I've been watching these over the course of a year and a half now.

Wow, all the Gems are jerks this episode. Pearl is being a passive-aggresive douche when not believing Steven, Amethyst is being Amethyst...even Garnet didn't give Steven a cookie.

Also an interesting note: the thing that set Pearl off wasn't "Steven said something was true that I believe is impossible," but "Steven told me I was wrong."

Maybe it's because I'm not a parent or teacher and therefore don't have to deal with dishonest kids all the time, but believing someone (especially kids), or at least respecting their belief even if you don't believe it yourself, is something I've always tried to do because I know how it feels when people are condescending to you because they think they're obviously right and you're not. I'm just saying, I feel where Steven is coming from in this episode.

And then, a cranky bowling ball thingy happened.

And then, there was a Peridot. I don't even know if I'm spelling that right (kudos to everyone who hasn't spoiled me yet!) but I've seen her online in promotional material and art and such, so I'm pretty sure she's important. We only see her for like ten seconds so there's not a lot of time to form an impression of her. I guess we're supposed to not like her 'cause she's all business and also squashed a bowling ball creature, but this show has never had a real black-and-white character yet (other than gag characters like the mayor) so I'm withholding judgment until her inevitable return.

At least Garnet redeems herself from the cookie tease earlier. She’s definitely the most self-aware and empathetic of the three Gems, even when she’s being stoic and cool, and is able and willing to admit her own mistakes.

A nice bit of character foreshadowing: this season Pearl has become more and more of a nervous wreck, and it’s obviously connected to the non-Crystal Gems (or whatever the non-protagonist Gems are called), despite her never really talking about it. This helps build the menace that we feel here with Peridot’s appearance, even though we don’t actually know what it means yet. It’s nice to see long-term character work feed into a plot point that would otherwise come right out of nowhere.

Two heavy foreshadowy episodes back-to-back! This show's kicking into high gear! Maybe! (The next episode will probably be fluff, just to spite me.)

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 035: The One Where We Finally See Steven's Mom via a VHS Hidden Within a Lion's Mane

I know I've brought this up before, but the business side of the donut shop still continue to baffle me. Not only are the only employees we ever see Lars and Sadie (who are, what? 15 at the oldest?) with no boss or supervisor in sight, but Sadie can just throw her old sack lunches in a display case and nobody has a problem with this? Does this kind of thing happen in trendy donut shops?

Also where do they keep this lion? It shows up like every eight episodes but then disappears again.

Steven wishes he knew a little more about his mom. Don't tease me again, Steven Universe! You're gonna promise me backstory for five seconds, then have the rest of the episode be about a PB&J sandwich monster or something!

Nice of Dog-Copter to give us the moral of the series (be yourself and don't be defined by labels) in a dream sequence where he also eats a chess piece.

Oh, good. Steven upgraded to a Gamecube.

I don’t know whether or not to be creeped out by the fact that Pearl watches Steven while he sleeps. I mean, she is one of his guardians (maybe? This has never quite been spelled out yet) and she’s obsessed with safety. Sometimes. Depending on the episode. I guess I wouldn’t be so conflicted if Pearl’s character had any sort of consistency.

Wow! Rose is more hair than person!

While I have been trying to avoid spoilers, I did unfortunately have it spoiled that Rose and Steven couldn't co-exist (that he's, like, her reincarnation or something), else this episode may have had a greater impact than it did. Still, nice to actually get some backstory instead of a PB&J monster. (That's our Steven Universe: always subverting expectations!)

I feel like this episode is one I'll have to come back to when I've seen more of the series. The foreshadowing meter is off the chart. I may have more to say about it then.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 034: The One Where Steven Accidentally Breeds a Watermelon Army

Not many kids' shows would open with a non-sequitur Amadeus joke. Especially one where he has an Italian accent for some reason.

Steven's dad (Greg! I remembered!) is especially good at expectorating.

Is it just me, or has Greg's mullet grown longer and more luxurious? I expect that, by the end of the series, he'll be able to wrap himself in it, like a hairy scratchy blanket.

"By Jove! It's full of seeds!" Nice 2001 reference

Long side tangent warning: when I was a kid I remember watching old cartoons on the Disney Afternoon and Warner Brothers and such that were chock full of references to old movies from the 40's and 50's that flew way over my head. It's a little bizarre to see the same phenomenon in more modern shows like this one, but now I understand them because they're from later movies from my childhood (well, 2001 was a 60's movie, but close enough). Though the fact that Steven knows Amadeus, but not well enough to know that Mozart wasn't Italian, is a pretty good layered joke that's more than just a reference, so kudos.

Of course, then there's the hot dog stand in the background named "Wiener In Hand" which is the other kind of adult reference...

Could you even do this plot now? Most watermelons nowadays are seedless (other than the little white seeds that are edible, anyway).

Rose backstory alert: she could make plant armies! Did we know this one already? I feel like something similar may have come up before.

Uh oh. Ronaldo.

Uh oh. Onion.

Steven, regarding the baby melon: "YOU'RE...ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE?...I really shouldn't be so surprised about this." Hey, he is learning!

My favorite subtle joke: Ronaldo's livestream (you know, the one where a dozen sentient watermelon people are beating him up) has 0 views, viewers, or followers.

It’s a little embarassing that all three Gems ended up getting schooled by a bunch of sentient watermelons. I’d, uh, probably leave that one off the resumé.

I legitimately do not understand the ending of this episode. Why did the melons attacking Baby Melon suddenly pacify them all? Though maybe that's the point? Like, Steven himself said that the melons had to leave until they understood Baby Melon's sacrifice, so its nonsensical nature meant the melons would never return?

It might also be a movie reference that I don't understand, since this episode was full of them. I'm going to assume it's that.

This seems like the platonic ideal of the typical Steven Universe episode (at least so far in season 1). It begins with a slice-of-life scene with Steven and a friend or family member, then something fantastical happens that makes Steven happy, then it gets out of control and terrorizes the populace, then the Gems try to fight it and that doesn’t work, and finally Steven defeats it with the power of love or innocence or nonsensical speeches or whatever. Classic Steven Universe template for Problem-of-the-Week episodes.

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Episode 033: The One Where Steven Spins a Garnet Fanfic

I haven't gushed about Garnet as much as I did at the beginning because she hasn't been the focus much, but I still like her ability to engage Steven on his own terms (which Pearl can't) without being irresponsible (which Amethyst can't) to be a great strength. We'll see if this episode changes that, since according to the title ("Garnet's Universe") we might finally get some backstory for her.

I also like her deadpan delivery of pretty much everything. She uses the same intonation that I usually do when talking to kids: sincere, but not goofy.

So is this episode a parody of something specific? I feel like it's aping something, but I don't know exactly what. I did pick out some Dragonball Z and Sailor Moon references, and maybe a Chrono Trigger one, but other than that it was all cutesy generic anime video games.

"Ringo" is supposed to be Ronaldo from two episodes ago, or at least related, I...think? I really should watch these episodes closer together.

I was wrong. We didn't learn a single thing about Garnet. We learned a lot about the animes that Steven watches though.

Since this whole episode was just a story told by Steven it doesn't really reveal anything character-wise (other than things we already knew about Steven himself, like how he thinks everyone is motivated by how much they love him). I don't really have a lot to say about it. It's cute and anime-filled and a well done bit of fluff.

I do wonder if any of the random stuff Steven made up about Garnet will be revealed to be true in the future.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 032: The One Where Connie's Parents Are Slightly Less Judgmental Than Connie Thinks They Are

Is the doctor lady on the TV show at the start ("Under the Knife") doing a Shatner impersonation? This made me think that Shatner was on a medical drama they were referencing but I think my brain had smashed together Boston Legal and Chicago Hope, which shows my age a bit but whatever.

Uh...why don't Connie's parents know that Steven's dad is a widower (so to speak)? He seems to be pretty famous around town, what with the car wash and all. Even the mayor knows, and he's pretty out of the loop!

That said, Garnet's attempt to impersonate a mom on the phone was pretty great. ("They're playing swords. I'm sorry, playing *with* swords. Oh no, they're dead. Don't call again.")

So...a nuclear family now means two adults and their kids, regardless of gender? I mean, that's great and LGBTQ-friendly, but it's weird that they're still judgmental about the "exactly two parents" part of it.

Nice that they had to cram in Pearl's sudden aversion to eating to justify not picking her as the mom stand-in for dinner with Connie's folks. With the other two Gems it was obvious, but for Pearl they had to give her another wacky quirk to justify the plot (put another notch on the "Inconsistent Pearl Characterization" board).

Nice subtle moment: Connie's silent "What?!?" gesture when Steven mentions that his "parents" met on a roller coaster.

I also wondered why Connie still wore her glasses when her eyes were healed. Now that Steven's "secret" is out, will she take them off eventually, or are they too important to her character?

Connie: "Let's just hop on a bus and live somewhere else without telling anyone!" Steven: "That's a great idea!" (They immediately do this) I really just wanted the episode to cut to credits right here. Or at least start playing something Simon & Garfunkel-esque a la "The Graduate".

Garnet: "All comedy is derived from fear." That and pain. Maybe fear of pain.

Also nice (and an amendment to the "nuclear family" comment above): Connie *thought* her parents would only approve of a two-parent nuclear family, but in reality they just wanted to make sure Steven's caretakers were practicing good parenting techniques, so nobody in the actual episode cared about the nuclear part. Connie just thought her parents did because old people all supposedly have the same old-fashioned values, which isn't true here as in real life. Don't make assumptions based on generational stereotypes, no matter if you're old or young!

And finally: I'd be surprised if "Alexandrite" (or whatever they called the merged Pearl/Amethyst/Garnet) ends up not making a return in some super-dramatic episode down the line. Bold of them to introduce her(?) in an otherwise low-key throwaway episode about meeting Connie's parents.

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Episode 031: The One Where One of the Show's Ancillary Characters Realizes that He's an Ancillary Character

"Only those with special clearance may enter!" "May I have special clearance?" "...granted." I think I'll try this sometime and see how well it goes. Stay tuned for my next review: "Episode 032: The One Where I'm Writing From A Secret Government Gulag Using My Own Blood As Ink"

Ah yes, looks like the Fry Guy Who's Not Petey (I can never remember these people's names) is actually Gravity Falls' Dipper Pines' crazy uncle.

They say his name five seconds later (Ronaldo). I still think he's a Pines somehow, what with the paranormal conspiracy angles and whatnot.

Things seen on Ronaldo's Snake People conspiracy board: actual articles demonstrating this show's continuity, illuminati pyramid, government buildings, Bigfoot photo, gray alien, a turkey for some reason, fish pizza coupon, giant picture of Leonard Nimoy...seems pretty legit.

"its koaRA princess morooonnnn!!!!!!! there's no L in chinese" is probably the most succinct internet argument against internet arguments I've seen.

I wonder how the "dub vs sub" scene is treated in foreign markets. Do they dub over that line? Or subtitle it? Discuss like you are a snerson.

I thought I was getting numb to this show's bizarre artistic choices...until Ronaldo turned around sporting super-pretty anime eyes with long lashes to say "Yes, Steven?" in the middle of a non-descript scene for absolutely no reason.

I know Steven's naivete is a part of his character, but it's getting a bit old that it took him literally half the episode to realize that all the weird stuff around town was due to the Gems (and even then the Gems had to blatantly point it out).

Wow, this episode's being real harsh with the painful philosophical truths. Pearl's speech about humanity's tendency to overinflate its own sense of importance to inject meaning into an otherwise short, pointless existence was pretty stark for a kids' show.

"I just wanted to inspire Ronaldo to be weird again." Kid, he doesn't need your help.

At first I was going to argue that Ronaldo buying completely into the Snake People theory as weird while dismissing the Gems' antics as normal didn't make much sense (Arbitrary Skepticism, as TVTropes calls it). But then I realized that the point was that Ronaldo didn't come up with the Gems as an explanation, and the true lesson of the episode is the sad tale of when people let their ego get caught up in the discovery of truth. It's easier to believe in a theory you came up with than accept a truth you don't like or are indifferent to, even when it's staring you in the face, because one of those outcomes means that you made a meaningful contribution, and the other exists regardless of your participation. This explains not only those who come up with crackpot conspiracy theories, but also those who spread them ("I'm doing humanity a favor by getting this truth out that the higher-ups don't want people to know!" is more ego-stroking than "I'm sharing with you something that science and reputable sources are already telling people without me being involved"). This is a really good lesson for both kids and adults, especially in these times when a certain pandemic is still in full swing.

Also I'm pretty sure his "polymorphic sentient rocks" theory will turn out to be basically canonical anyway.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 030: The One Where Sadie Gets People Stranded And Almost Killed In Exchange For A Sweet, Sweet, Makeout Session

The Fly transportation joke. Nice Parental Bonus there.

Is chocolate jelly a thing? Like, is it chocolate and a fruit-based jelly together, or is it somehow jelly made *of* chocolate? Also, now I want it.

So...do Lars and Sadie actually have a boss at the donut shop? That might, you know, fire them since they literally just up and left in the middle of a workday? Or is Sadie the boss despite being like fifteen or whatever?

I like how the fish look like they're mildly shocked to be cooked and eaten.

Genuine laugh-out-loud moment: Sleeping Lars puts an arm around sleeping Sadie to stay cozy and she smiles, and a second later Steven's arm comes out of nowhere and wraps around Lars and he grimaces.

So...Sadie thinks that the jerk you have a crush on might turn out to be OK if you're literally the last option open to him? That’s...unbearably sad...

Holy crap, Sadie, you stranded children on a deserted dangerous island for, like, a week, just to possibly mack on your co-worker?!? I know I go on about how Lars is a jerk, but maybe Sadie *is* on his level...

Sadie, darling, I'm going to just say this once: GET NEW FRIENDS! When you have to commit child endangerment just to get a guy to notice you...it's probably time to move on, just sayin'...

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 029: The One Where Secret Teams Are Secret

I realized a second too late that Amethyst yelled, "Busted!" at Pearl when she found her with the rose quartz bubble. At first I heard, "Butt's Dead!" which I thought was pretty normal for Amethyst to say so I thought nothing of it.

The Secret Team montage was great. I feel like there are probably some T-shirts on Etsy with that logo on them.

Something I didn't know I wanted so badly until I had it: the 8-Bit chiptune film noir music that plays while fedora'd Steven downs a pack of fries like it's a scotch.

Pizza Daughter is now Mr. Pizza's daughter. I know they have real names but I will never remember them now.

I'm glad the episode's final line addressed the issue in the back of my mind the whole time: they're ripping up their free pizza coupons! That's the true tragedy!

Not a lot to say about this one. It was good and had some fun style and noir pastiches, and that's basically it. Even the weirdness wasn’t too weird (that or I’m getting numb to it).

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 028: The One Where Pearl Builds a Spaceship with a Moldy Recliner Seat

“Sheesh, I must be getting old. I used to like cartoons!” - Steven’s Dad (Greg, I learned last episode), who is probably my age or so.

“We are people…” - Steven’s Dad, thoughtfully.

In retrospect this should have been obvious, but this is the first time I realized that Steven’s last name is actually Universe, which makes his dad “Greg Universe”, which sounds like an American Gladiator name. Also, making a reference to American Gladiators: more proof that I’m about Steven’s Dad’s age.

“I think your calculations may have been off.” “Well, they can’t be off if you don’t do any.” - Pearl and Steven’s Dad

I know this is quickly turning into just a list of good quotes from Greg Universe, but whoever wrote his lines for this episode did a fantastic job.

Is it just me or is Pearl starting to get a little more unhinged as this series has gone on? I know I’ve never been able to really get a handle on her characterization and can’t tell which of her personality shifts have been inconsistent writing vs. character growth, but I feel like she’s been trending between the “overprotective guardian” trope and the “slightly autistic engineering savant” trope (the “I’m confused by the concept of a clown” episode being another example), and she tips pretty hard into the latter category here.

Grilled cheese sandwiches made with a blowtorch? Gear!

Even Steven Universe’s action-packed building and engine-exploding montages have the chillest of soundtracks.

OMIGOSH STEVEN SLEEPS IN A SLEEPING BUG INSTEAD OF A SLEEPING BAG

I liked this episode (it was definitely better than the last one), especially its portrayal of Greg as a dad who’s willing to indulge Steven 100%, stopping short of actually endangering him (kind of, his go-cart did fall apart and smash into a rock, but still). I have a feeling that he (and the other humans like my favorite Connie) will end up being the grounding counterpoint to the Gems’ increasing eccentricities as this series goes on.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 027: The One with the Warp Whistle

I'm sure the plot point that Steven's dad isn't living with the gems has some sort of super-sad backstory to it. I'm onto you, Steven Universe!

Hey, Pearl! No human tool is as complicated as duct tape!

Art seems a little off-model this episode.

I usually praise the music in this show, and the song Steven and his dad sing is lovely, but their voices...aren't so much (which is weird, Steven has sung better in other episodes).

Greg! That's Steven's dad's name! I'll probably forget it again before the next episode.

Funny background detail: The gamebox behind Greg's head in the Gems' living room is simply labeled "A Game"

Odd that Greg's farmer tan never matches up with what outfit he's wearing. What shirt that we never see does he wear outside so much that gives him those tan lines?

Also, if he just spent like a week inside, why still the farmer tan? Maybe he spraytans, I dunno.

Never thought I'd see the day when Steven Universe rips off a Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers episode, but here it is (there's a Rescue Rangers episode, "Kiwi's Big Adventure", where Dale fakes a leg injury to get Gadget to take care of him, which follows some similar beats to this plotline).

Is there a reason that they thought Steven’s healing power would fix the non-living storm vortex rock or whatever it was? I know that gems can be people in this world, but that one didn’t seem sentient or even alive.

Oh, I guess the reason Greg doesn't live with them is because he's a needy, incompetent, nosey boob (though a likeable one!). That's, uh, not quite so super-sad.

Pearl fixes the van but is severely put off by the hug Greg gives her for it.

Amethyst isn’t a jerk in this episode. True, she has, like, three lines, but it’s rare enough that I thought I’d mention it.

Appreciate the use of duct tape to solve the climactic problem. "If the Gems don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 026: The One Where Lapis BLOWS UP THE OCEAN!

Oh, I see. It’s a two-parter.

Appreciate the fact that, like last episode, the mayor doesn’t actually know anyone’s name in his town (he calls the Gems the “Magical Ladies”)

Uh…where is the water in the hose coming from that the mayor is using to try to refill the ocean?

“Guys, I just had the best idea for an album cover” can apply to literally any screenshot of this entire series

I like how the Gems’ fight with their doppelgängers mirrors their fighting style as well as their actual weapons (Watery Garnet uses brute strength, Watery Amethyst uses shapeshifting and trickery, Watery Pearl uses finesse, etc.)

Not the van!

The water tower collapsing in cube form is an interesting artistic choice. This show’s style continues to be fascinating!

The lion/Connie team works well. I hope that becomes a thing.

I like Lapis. She has a certain earnestness about her. I hope she doesn’t turn evil or something.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 025: The One Where A Random Mirror Somehow Becomes A Probably Major Character?

Two episodes with Connie in a row? Score!

Show me the Beast!

Lars is still a creep!

Favorite background detail: the arcade game that’s just called, “Guys!” [EDIT: This is probably a reference to the “Dave Guy” episode instead of just something random. Oh well.]

I always wondered if everyone in Beach City just knows who Steven is, since it seems to be a really small town. Turns out that’s half-true (the mayor apparently just knows him as “Car Wash Kid”)

Fun kid show trope: the job of a mayor (and other similar public servants) is to just get re-elected and also do whatever they want all the time, but in a suit.

Garnet said, “Howdy, bang!” while making gun fingers at Steven, but at first I heard “Howdy…bag.” Which I kinda like more.

This episode was really kinda disjointed, even by the standards of this series. Connie has tennis -> Steven starts a school -> Pearl gives Steven a mirror -> fart noises at the mayor -> high DRAMA as Lapis Lazuli gets free (who I assume will be important).

I hope they explain why Pearl just gave Steven the mirror if she knew its true nature, because that seems like a weird move for safety-obsessed Pearl to make.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 024: The One Where Connie Gets 20/20 Vision (for future reference, this review was posted on Jan 1, 2020)

Yay! Connie! She's my favorite so far.

"Sad wrinkly flabby Steven face" will be my nightmare fuel for the evening, so thanks for that!

Amethyst is still a terrible person. I will continue to say this until it is no longer true.

"Just today you were crying about snakes." "They don't have any arms!"

Even "slowly turning into a googly-eyed spaghetti monster husk" Amethyst is not as scary as "flabby Steven face", sorry.

Are we actually getting some decent Rose backstory finally, or is this Red Herring #28 or whatever?

Has somebody reversed Amethyst's backwards-talk? I wonder whether she's actually saying anything relevant or just something like "Now I'm talking backwards!" (Can't look it up, I'm avoiding spoilers!)

Oh, I get it. Amethyst's gem literally cracked, but Pearl is also figuratively cracking under the pressure. It's, like, a metaphor.

So Steven can't cry about his own mother, but spent the entire last episode crying over his Pokemon beetle?

Amethyst almost dies because she did something dumb, but she gets healed back up so she doesn't learn anything...dis Gem, I tells ya...

"What if I don't get those powers?" "Then you'll be like me. That's not so bad." I've said it before: I'm a sucker for the "normal character in magical world who is still important" trope, and that's why Connie here is my favorite.

Why did Connie's prescription glasses have pink lenses?

Also, healing spit, ew.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 023: The One Where Steven Becomes a Pokemon Trainer

Aah! Ice Krobus! (I've been playing Stardew Valley recently)

Hmm...so far I've only seen about five seconds of the episode, but based on past episodes, either the Ice Krobus will come back and harass them in the climax, or it drops some MacGuffin that will cause havoc. Placing my bets now!

I've played New Super Mario Bros. games, Steven! Just waggle the Wiimote until Toad pops your bubble!

The centi-beetle (centipeetle?) came out of a Pokeball?

Uh oh, Steven, don't start falling for the lab rats! 

The moral of this episode could equally end up being either "don't mess with dangerous monsters that the Gems have captured because they might nearly kill you/others" or "Dangerous monsters are friendly if you are friendly" and I don't know whether that's a strength or weakness of the show so far. (It could also be some third moral, to be fair.)

Amethyst is still a terrible person. Great character, terrible person.

He says he has "chiiiiiiips" but they are *clearly* "Chaaaaps"

Oh no! Centipeetle used "Acid Breath" against Wingull!

And now Amethyst is Latina? Apparently?

I like that the happy montage music is still playing when they find the dead skeletons of explorers and nobody even really reacts to them.

"You have to remember! This all happened today!"

Looks like moral number two was the correct one...for this episode at least.

Steven learned how to hit "A"! He can now bubble his Pokeballs!

As for Ice Krobus...it did drop a MacGuffin, but it wasn't the source of the havoc, so...partial credit?

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 022: The One Where Steven Gets Horribly Traumatized by Clones and Also Starts a Band

I hope when picking hourglasses they choose...wisely...

Amethyst chose...poorly...

It took me a second to realize that Steven said *Beach*-a-palooza, during which I thought, "Did they just say what I thought they said on a kids' show?!?" Given previous episode’s portrayal of both blood and butts I can’t be too sure it wasn’t intentional...

Getting tackled by two of your future selves who shout, "Wanna be in our band?" is probably the most Steven Universe thing ever.

I wonder if the creators of Steven Universe read Calvin and Hobbes? This whole plot is very Calvin and Hobbes.

Trying to pick up an hourglass, only to see dozens of your own clones materialize, spout nonsense, and melt into dust in the most horrifying way...also the most Steven Universe thing ever.

I appreciate that the instruments used in the reprise at the end with the other Gems has the proper instruments in the track (Pearl's violin, Garnet's keytar, etc.) when earlier it was guitar and bass with just the Stevens. Only nitpick here is that Steven is playing a guitar but the track clearly has a bass, but whatever.

Best subtle moment of the episode: Pearl gets a look when Steven sings the line about them being in an alternate timeline.

[stevenuniversenotes]

Episode 021: The One Where State Law Requires You to Help Someone Choking on a Flaming Donut

Stephen’s face-melt upon eating fire-sauce-seasoned fries brings up a question: how much of the bizarre faces Stephen makes are actually bizarre in-universe (since his physical form being malleable has been a plot point already) and how much is just part of the art style?

The Donuts corporate 90’s R&B song is so true it hurts. Seriously, Google “Wendy’s Training Video” sometime. You will find works of art that also teach you how to serve coffee.

I appreciate the slight subtlety that Sadie isn’t mad at Lars for skipping work but for flirting on the trampoline. I also like the fact that the show makes it obvious for anyone above age thirteen but not for kids.

I guess Lars setting the donut shop on fire with fire breath answers my previous question. It’s the art style.

OK, so the show makes it a little more obvious that Sadie has a crush later on.

People tell me that Lars gets better in later episodes. I sure hope so; he’s got a long way to go. I’ve seen too many Sadies get hurt in the same way to have a lot of sympathy for him.