A Guy's Thoughts: Gumball Reflection - Season 1: Retrospective

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Anton: [Looks at sandwich] Butter side down, just like poor Uncle Eddie.

The Introduction

Stare into Leslie's eyes.

Hey there! Thank you for coming here and at least showing somewhat of an interest in what I am doing here!

For the four of you out there that have made yourselves regulars, you may recall that I alluded to having a big project in the works in my previous article. At long last, here it is! Or at least here is part of it!

This article is hopefully the first in a multi-part series in which I will do a comprehensive retrospective of The Amazing World of Gumball. In this series, I hope to tackle how the show progressed with each season as well as highlight specific episodes (good or bad) that came out of the season. This is going to be quite the endeavor from me, so I can only hope that everything goes well.

In this first part specifically, I want to talk about Season 1 as a whole: what Season 1 meant for the series, what it was trying to accomplish, and my general thoughts and analysis about it all.

With that said, this is probably the longest thing I have ever written for this blog spot. I know that is a thing I say at least once a year, but at this point, I am pretty sure I have greatly surpassed school assignments I have done in the past.

This is to say this is long. If you do not want to read something this long about a cartoon, I completely understand. I thank you for at least checking me out and giving me some of your time.

For those that still want to dive in, get comfortable. We’re about to dive head first into the world of Season 1, tackling its history, tone, visuals, music, and characters.

The History

An actual storyboard for "The Quest." Note Sussie's inclusion here despite not being in the final episode. A sneak peak into what jokes get cut, if you will.

It is interesting to look back at Season 1. Out of all the seasons of this show, it is the one that is by far the most different; some even find that it is best to look at this as an isolated entity from the rest of the show just because of how different most of its sensibilities are from the rest of the show.

This is the season that is most often looked down on by fans. It is noticeably more juvenile than the rest of its show in its humor and stories, and a lot of the characters feel weird in their portrayal compared to how the show would eventually go to portray them. In fact, I see many people recommend that newcomers skip this season because its general juvenility is a far cry from what the show’s best has to offer.

I feel that it is important to contextualize the production history of this season so that we can at least better understand why it is the way it is. A young Mr. Bocquelet teamed up with Director Mr. Graves to get this show produced. Having only worked in commercials beforehand, both had no experience in managing a full-scale television show, leading to several problems that impeded production. Neither had any previous writing experience; not only that, but the show was apparently storyboard-driven at the time, which was very unusual for European projects. As a result, there was a disconnect between the writers’ vision and the final product. Furthermore, a multimedia project of this scope had never really been attempted before, let alone one in the new Cartoon Network of Europe branch. The team ran into a myriad of difficulties trying to adjust to the steep learning curve that came with such complex visuals. Mr. Bocquelet has gone on record that Season 1 took 1.5x more time to produce than the average cartoon season because of all the issues that kept springing up, and that it was Cartoon Network’s blind faith in its potential that kept the show from being canned.

The unseeming union that gave birth to one of the finest shows on Cartoon Network's catalog.

This is to say that Season 1 was very problematic in regards to production. Combine that with the fact that the first season of any show is usually going to produce some weirdness, and this becomes quite the season.

I will establish right now that I do think Season 1 is the weakest of the seasons, with maybe only Season 5 giving it a serious run for its money (spoilers). That is not to say I think Season 1 is downright terrible: as a whole, it makes for decent children’s programming, but this season certainly does not have the same brilliant writing that has come to define the show. It is a season that has clear highs worth remembering, but also a season with some of the lowest lows the series has to offer. It is a season that has a lot of its own unique charm, but also a season that has its share of systematic issues that can make it hard to digest at times. That is to say, Season 1 is very Season 1.

The Tone

Childhood bliss is taking delight in the anthropomorphic flowers who probably have souls for pupils.

If I was to pinpoint the tone Season 1 is attempting to embody, it would be “innocence.” The Watterson brothers’ concerning level of ditziness is meant to convey an innocent, childlike nature. The way stories play out have a certain immature charm to them. The general outlook of the season seems to run on this unadulterated optimism. There is a certain youthfulness to Season 1 that makes it somewhat of a contrast to the rest of the series.

The rest of Gumball is not this extremely nihilistic, bleak show of perpetual despair, but it does have a pretty cynical edge to it that it very much relishes. Most of that cynicism is absent in its first season, however; it is a show about these two bright-eyed kids witnessing the different people and places of their unique world, and it cultivates an atmosphere not really found in the rest of the series. Rather than looking at situations through a somewhat matured lens that may expose certain flaws, the protagonists just go about the world in bliss and ignorance and are, at times, seemingly incapable of processing the bad.

Because there is such a kiddish approach to how the brothers and the show conduct themselves, there is a certain scope to the stories which are told in this era. Later Gumball, although still abundant with simpler episodes, is not afraid to get ambitious with their scale-- Season 4’s “The Nest,” for instance, has Evil Turtle’s chaos act as a threat to the entirety of Elmore. Hector’s rampage in “The Colossus” from Season 2 is just not a problem for its four primary characters, but a problem the whole town has to face. The universe itself is the antagonist of Season 3’s “The Void.” Season 1, on the other hand, prefers to have its stories on a smaller scale, with conflicts never elevating past the characters directly involved. For as destructive Kenneth is in “The Microwave,” his destruction never really evolves past the backyard of the Watterson household. “The Helmet” is an epic in its atmosphere, but its story is still very much contained to the Watterson family. Those two episodes are as drastic in scope as Season 1 gets; entries such as “The Pressure” and “The DVD” tend to be the standard in regards to grandiose for the season. After all, it makes sense that a show with a childlike eye has a childlike reach in terms of what its narratives can do. This can sometimes be limiting, though. Episodes like “The Car" or “The Responsible” were never going to be instant crowdpleasers, but they feel as if they mistake small scope for downright genericness, and this leaves the season with a handful of episodes that simply are not exciting.

"79% of stair accidents of all stair accidents happen on the stairs."

A recurring theme in Season 1’s humor is bringing attention to just how little the Watterson brothers know. Whether it is naivety, or more often than not, downright idiocy, this season loves centering its jokes around these traits. When executed well in episodes such as “The End” or “The Refund,” they can really sell the endearing naivety. When executed poorly—as they are many times in the season, with prime offenders being “The Goons” and “The Spoon”—the jokes come across as more obnoxious and paint the show’s puerile happy-go-luckiness as overbearing and unfun. There are only so many jokes about how Gumball has a tiny brain one can do before it seems like it is a show indulging in idiocy rather than good-natured idealism.

Gumball has always been a wacky show, indebted to its cartoony nature, but I find that Season 1 and the rest of the series are wacky in very different ways. There is a certain maniacal energy to the wackiness found in Season 2 onwards, as if the show is aware of just how weird and crazy everything is and embraces those qualities. Season 1’s wackiness is more whimsical; when Season 1 goes off the rails, it lacks the same maniacal energy and, for a lack of a better term, feels more magical as a result. The mania is still present in Season 1, but it feels less pronounced than it does in its contemporaries. The energy to the climactic chase scene in “The Mystery,” although still insane, feels somewhat tame to the chaotic foot race to the mall we witness in “The Gift” from Season 4. The visual gags are more absurd and surreal in the latter than they are in the former, and the latter constantly calls attention to just how weird it is to have all these visuals on one screen.

me

I find it interesting that the season that is the most idealistic and optimistic in nature is the one that relentlessly beats on the protagonist the most. Luck seems to be a core theme this season, mostly in regards to how Gumball is constantly riddled with the bad variety and how he suffers gravely as a result. An entire episode, “The Curse,” is dedicated to this concept, and entries such as “The Robot,” “The Mystery,” and “The Kiss” love piling on the character. He is on the receiving end of the bulk of the cartoon violence, and no matter how many songs he sings about lemonade, he is the show’s main punching bag. I know that some take issue with this, but I am personally neutral to it for the most part. Save for a few instances, most of it is reserved for quick gags or is used to further an episode; I find it used gracelessly too often. I also feel later seasons compensate by spreading the misery more evenly among its cast members.

Just a reminder that Gumball later goes on to recreate a scene from Miracle Star that is, in and of itself, a recreation of this original scene. Bask in the inception.

More than the rest of the series, Season 1 wants to emulate the feeling of being a curious kid in a world filled with mystique and wonder, and it is something I can certainly respect. I prefer the more realist direction the rest of the series takes, but wanting to embody the childhood experience and its various facets is admirable. It is unfortunate that Season 1 is pretty clumsy about this direction; Season 1 can be endearing at times with its earnestness, but a lot of times, something can get lost in translation, and the show can become obnoxiously idiotic in a poor attempt to emulate naivety with episodes like “The Picnic” or “The Goons.” Additionally, an effort to keep the scope small somehow makes episodes feel a bit on the generic side, as seen in titles such as “The Third or “The Secret.” Season 1 often struggles to communicate the happy-go-lucky tone it so desires, and that does make the viewing experience a slog at times, but it is hard to dislike just how sincere the season is with itself. There is nothing quite like it in the show’s catalog.

The Visuals

What is the most iconic facet of Gumball?

Its art style. Or rather its lack of a consistent art style.

Penny paints herself on the top of the hierarchy to cope with the fact that she is at the bottom of the pecking order within the show.

Gumball is a show that embraces the diverse and rich history of animation in order to further its theme of celebrating diversity. A 2D Flash animated blue cat can coexist with a photorealistic CGI T-Rex, an 8-bit video game spider, a chinikin puppet, and a stylized 3D paper bear doll in a photorealistic environment. All these characters have their own visual quirks that pay tribute to the animation style from which they hail, and the visual medium which they occupy is as integral to their characters as their core personalities. This is something I imagine most people are already familiar with, and Mr. Johnson’s brilliantly done essay on the show’s visual deconstruction does a much better job really delving into the idea than I ever could (I strongly recommend reading it if you already have not). Eventually, we will reach a point in the retrospective where I will properly flesh out my thoughts on the rich visual nature of the series, but for now, this will provide a decent foundation for discussion on the show’s visuals from this point forward. This should especially be helpful as I am not the most artistically inclined.

Gumball looks amazing. It has always looked amazing, even in Season 1. I have always had an affinity for an aesthetic that combines a variety of weird and diverse characters, and Gumball is the king of said aesthetic. Season 1 looks admittedly quite amateur relative to the rest of the series, but Season 1 is still a feast for the eyes, and everybody involved with crafting the visual intricacies of the show’s world should take great pride.

Take note of just how wide and geometric the 2D characters look here.

With that said, compared to the other seasons, Season 1 feels more loose and less defined, almost as if it is not nearly as polished. 2D characters such as Gumball or Penny have a more geometric and wide look to their designs, and they are often prone to going off-model. They do not go off model in the same way as Seasons 5 and 6, in which their expressions are occasionally very disconnected from the original design as if their faces are blank canvases, but more in a way that distorts what is already there and suggests a high malleability. Perhaps this is simply a result of me preferring the later designs as opposed to the Season 1 designs, but I think the 2D characters in this first season tend to look better in motion than they do stationary. Not that the 2D characters look bad in stillness this season—not at all—but I find that their strength is best displayed in movement. This is arguably a universal sentiment for all six seasons of the show, but it is a little bit more apparent here than it is in the rest of the series’ run.

Take note of Richard's contorted expression here.

3D characters this season are very fluid irrespective of the character’s specific visual quirks. This works well for characters such as Tina or Alan whose visual styles demand a sense of fluidity to them, but characters such as Doughnut Sheriff or Clayton, characters who pay homage to animation styles that generally have lower framerates, do look a little off when seen in motion. Some of the 3D characters seem somewhat glossy, a trait most noticeable in Bobert and Jamie; however, this can be attributed to the lighting more than anything else. There is a likable roughness to the 3D animation this season in just how much passion it oozes; yes, the series has offered better, but there is a charm to it here. And in spite of the slight flaws, the work done here is still a number of cuts above what a lot of children’s television is offering.

A glossy finish.

The backgrounds are as strong as ever for the most part. The combination of photography with well-done CGI to create a 3D realistic setting almost identical to our own makes Elmore feel like a place that could potentially exist in our world. The intention is to add to the show’s sense of whimsy by making it seem like a magical place hidden in our world in which these weird cartoon characters conduct their lives, and to that effect, Season 1 is as effective as the rest of the series in creating a convincing setting. However, there is a cartoony element to the backgrounds this season not found anywhere else in the series. This season occasionally opts for 2D stylized clouds or 2D stylized plant life in place of their realistic counterparts, and this adds a subtle, imaginary flair to the backgrounds. Such can best be seen when the Watterson siblings visit the park in “The Responsible” or when the brothers are trapped in the Forest of Doom in “The Picnic.” It is done sparingly and infrequently enough that it does not detract from the naturalistic aesthetic of the backgrounds, but whenever it is done, a small degree of abstraction is added to them. While it is not a bad practice by any means, I prefer the extreme juxtaposition of cartoony cartoons and realistic settings, so I am personally fine with the practice becoming rarer as the show progressed.

Take note of the stylized clouds here.

The lighting, although not as nuanced as it would later become, is still very much well-done. “The Party,” an episode that primarily takes place at night, uses its subdued lighting to great effect to create a very scenic feel whenever the characters are outside. However, the episode also brings out the neon lights and demonstrates Gumball’s ability to make use of dynamic lighting to create a frenzied atmosphere. The brawl for the lucky helmet between the Watterson family in “The Helmet” make great use of overcast to portray a foreboding atmosphere, and the warm lighting coming from the trash compactor in the climax helps in bringing about a certain intensity. Even the schoolyard scenes in “The Gi” give off the feeling of a warm afternoon day through its use of shadows and somewhat subdued lighting. Season 1 is very well-lit.

A breathtaking background with gorgeous lighting.

Season 1 Gumball is very visually ambitious and pleasing, and the passion for the craft of animation oozes everywhere even if there is a shortcoming or two. Although this is an optical buffet, there is a sense that in the confines of this season the show is not entirely sure what to do with it. Referencing Mr. Johnson’s essay yet again, Gumball had baked its multimedia animation into the fabric of its universe by Season 2, but such is not the case in Season 1. Although there is physical comedy galore, little of it takes advantage of the varied animation styles of the characters. Unlike the later seasons, there are not a lot of jokes that call attention to individual character quirks like Teri’s unique paper properties, Alan’s bizarre biology as a balloon, or Clayton’s malleability as a piece of clay, to name a few. Narratives are less likely to tie themselves to just how alien the characters really are. Stories in which physical characteristics are as important as personality traits are still found in Season 1 (see “The Ghost” and “The Robot”) but do not feel as solid or refined as titles such as “The Origins” or “The Shell.” Season 1 has a lot of potential with its animation that was only realized in its successors.

I just adore the way this scene is animated. One of my favorite scenes from the show.

Season 1 Gumball is still remarkable in animation today even if later seasons highlight some of its flaws. This does not just apply to the animation itself however, but how the animation is used. Season 1 is visually a delight, but it definitely still had some growing to do.

The Music

The musical stylings of Season 1 convey a lighthearted and energetic feel to them. Whether it be the music in the background or the season’s handful of musical numbers, the show’s music is always seemingly in a good mood. Elmore feels a lot more fun because of it.

Gumball Production Track Puddles

Puddles. Unfortunately, the crew has yet to release a studio quality version of the show's OST, so we will have to make due with this for now.

The most prevalent background tracks make especially heavy use of the recorder, an instrument that has an audible airy lightness to it. Other instruments often used in the background include the xylophone and the flute, resulting in tracks that extrude an easygoing nature. The tempo is kept at a moderate rate — slow enough to make everything feel relatively easygoing, but fast enough to keep an imaginative vibrancy going. Even some of the more somber tracks are careful not to use instruments that are too heavy, with ten-second snippets of orchestral strings being as drastic as it gets. First used in “The Dress” when Darwin decides he is in love, the music track Puddles screams Season 1 in its light instrumentation and moderate tempo. Even the now iconic credits theme with its heavy use of the recorder stays true to Season 1’s mantra. Sit back and enjoy the magic.

A lot of electronic music is sprinkled into the mix as well. Often acting as a compliment to the use of recorder this season, it adds an alien touch to the soundtrack that sells just how nonsensical the residents of Elmore are. The brothers dancing to the electronic sounds in “The Laziest” or its use in Mr. Small’s honesty rap in “The Sock” keeps things fantastical.

The Amazing World of Gumball -- End Credits

Arguably the most iconic piece of Gumball music ever.

Characters do not burst into Broadway-eseque musical numbers like they do in the modern seasons, but there are a small selection of musical numbers that pay homage to 80’s rock. You Gotta Think Big from “The Genius” or The Inner Warrior from “The Gi” dig into that boisterous spunk that made up of much of that decade and make for nice standalone pieces. Mr. Overall can certainly sing.

Season 1’s music is all about keeping it light and fun.

The Characters

Stare into Jamie's eyes.

Gumball has quite the lineup in its large cast of characters. The members of its large roster not only pay tribute to a wide array of animation techniques, but they also bring about a host of different personalities and perspectives. With that said, this is the heftiest part of the retrospective, as there are a number of characters I wish to cover.

Since this is the first of six retrospective pieces, I will go ahead and establish how this section will work. This section will contain two subsections: “The Core” and “The Support.” “The Core” will always consist of my analysis and thoughts of the five central Wattersons. “The Support” will consist of supporting characters who I feel are worth discussing in the context of the season. The characters discussed in this section are subject to change depending on what the show does with them that season and what I feel warrants mentioning.

With the ground rules laid, let us begin with the core cast and their depictions this season.

The Core

Gumball and Darwin

No image better encapsulates what the Watterson brothers were all about in Season 1.

Let us begin this discussion of the core characters with the two protagonists: Gumball and Darwin. As alluded earlier in the piece, the characterization of the Watterson brothers in the first season is meant to convey a childlike naivety with an unbreakable sense of optimism. They are meant to be these cheery and endearing characters that always persist with a smile on their faces through adversity. While I personally prefer what later seasons would do with the characters, there is something appealing about a cheery pair of brothers ready to face the world even if they do not quite understand it, and provided it is executed correctly, such a concept makes for a charming cartoon.

Unfortunately, Season 1 has a hit-or-miss track record in regards to properly depicting those characterizations, with the misses unfortunately being more plentiful than the hits. Episodes such as “The End” or “The Refund” do a great job portraying the Watterson brothers; in these episodes, the Watterson brothers are not particularly intelligent whatsoever, but they aregiven enough common sense and intuition not to be downright morons. The brothers mistaking an eclipse for the apocalypse in “The End” comes from a hyperactive imagination and heightened anxiety rather than an act of idiocy. When they buy a cartridge game for their disc-based system in “The Refund,” their hastiness and general naivety in the world of business was their undoing rather than pure stupidity. They are likable goofballs rather than obnoxious imbeciles and are a lot easier to get behind as characters.

The image speaks for itself.

“The Genius,” “The Goons,” “The Spoon,” and “The Picnic” are just a few of the several episodes that are interested in robbing the brothers of common sense in favor of irritatingly honing in on their ineptitude. No longer are they endearing goofy kids; they are instead exasperating, moronic dolts. “The Spoon” diminishes the boys’ intelligence to the point they seem unable to grasp the concept of a robbery. “The Goons” and “The Genius” make it a point to ensure the audience is aware of just how dumb the brothers really are, and “The Picnic”—one of my absolute least favorite episodes in the show’s entire run—has Gumball eating a rock as one of his less extreme acts of stupidity. This is simply annoying and makes for main characters that are hard to enjoy week after week; I want to like these characters, but their stupidity is played up to such an absurd degree that I just grow tired of them fairly quickly.

There are some differences between the brothers in the first season, but they are not nearly as distinct as they are in the series’ peak. Gumball is the more outgoing and boisterous of the two, but he is also far more rash. Darwin is more timid and even more naive than his brother, but he is also more pragmatic. While there is still a lot of fleshing out in their future to further individualize them, I find that this is sufficient for at least the first season, and there is at least enough of a difference for me to know that I prefer Darwin even this early on. I do have a soft spot for the quiet ones. The fact that Kwesi Boakye, the voice actor for the character in the first two seasons, is a fellow Ghanaian may or may not also be clouding my judgement.

There is certainly an earnest attempt at setting up likable protagonists this season, but earnestness sadly does not always perfectly translate to enjoyability, and their hit-and-miss portrayals throughout the season is proof of that.

Anais

Behold! Season 1 Anais showing an emotion other than apathy!

Anais is a serviceable character this season, and that is really it. She is inoffensive, but painfully generic. By the end of the show’s run, Anais is one of my favorite characters for how relatable and layered she is, but Season 1 has little to do with my admiration for her. She is just a fairly bland member of the cast.

I imagine that most of us are familiar with the textbook “responsible and smart younger sibling” archetype. Anais this season is very much said archetype without bringing anything new to the table. She is smarter and more responsible than her brothers, and she is condescendingly snarky towards them. Anais is certainly the most intelligent member of her family, but that really does not play too much into her place as the anchor in the family as it does in later seasons. Her social awkwardness and her issues regarding loneliness are pretty much absent. Very rarely does she indulge in her brothers’ antics. Anais plays to the most basic definition of her role, and very rarely does she do anything more.

Anais has a literal meltdown.

There is the occasional moment where she will deviate from her blueprint. “The Quest” has her empathize with Tina Rex and forfeit her Daisy doll in favor of relying on her brothers for protection, “The Painting” showcases the genuine appreciation she has for her family regardless of their dysfunction, and “The Helmet” has her express legitimate concern for the welfare of her family. These moments are definitely nice, but they do little to change that all this character really does is pop in for a snide remark and make her brothers look even more immature through relativity. I do not dislike this iteration of the character, but I do not really care for it either.

Richard

Season 1’s take on Richard is probably my least favorite character in this entire series. Very few characters come close to the distaste I feel for this character.

same

It does not help that I have an innate aversion to the dumb dad archetype. I find it very trite and grating, and I am sick of its seeming omnipresence in cartoons. Characters of this archetype are loud, lazy, insensitive, slobbish, and selfish in the most irritating manner possible. Their vices are played in such a bizarrely exaggerated manner that what humor would have been in their character is mostly absent. Very seldom do they contribute to the family, and oftentimes, they fail to demonstrate endearing traits that would at least counteract their flaws. There are the occasional exceptions, such as Homer Simpson in his prime, that actually manage to be a compelling and interesting character in spite of their base archetype, but far too many fall short of this standard.

Although it is somewhat of a turbulent ride, Richard does get to a point where he is a genuinely likable, fun, and interesting character. We are just not at that point yet. Everything I described of the worst of the dumb dad stock characterization applies to Richard this season. “The Laziest” is dedicated to just how much of a lazy jerk he is as he dumps his one chore onto his sons to get out of quality time with them; when his sons beat him at his own game, he plays up the manipulative guilt trip to Nicole and lands them in trouble for his own slothfulness. Of course, “The Laziest” is the most extreme example, but examples of Richard indulging in deplorable behavior are constant throughout the season. He becomes petulantly childish and antagonistic towards the main duo to the point of emotional scarring just for the sake of a prank in the aptly titled “The Prank.” “The Spoon” has him send two middle school boys into harm’s way in the middle of the night because he cannot even be bothered to remember his wife’s birthday. In “The Wand,” he becomes so ridiculously whiny and power-hungry over a petty plastic wand that his sons have to rise up and essentially parent him. Even small moments intended as one-off gags without much impact (such as him eating the brothers’ homework in “The Sock” or recording over Nicole’s wedding tapes in “The Club”) get on my nerves because of just how constant it is.

"Hi!" "Five!"

Let me establish that I am not this righteous saint who needs his cartoon characters to be moralistic and perfect all the time. Gumball is a show very much about flawed characters, and some of its most well-written characters are those who are not always perfect. I am not for axing Richard of any flaws or vices, but Season 1 relishes in his shortcomings so much that the character just easily fatigues me. Yes, he does get the occasional good moment in episodes like “The Painting” and “The Refund,” but Richard is presented as a negative presence so often that such moments do little to sway my mind on the character. Also, in a show that prides itself on its core characters having a tight familial bond, Richard not bringing a lot of positives to the table is not a particularly great fit.

On the bright side, Richard being at his lowest here means that he can only go up from here, and he does eventually go up.

Nicole

Deserved, honestly. Riding the aggressive neighborhood dog? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Nicole is like Richard and Anais in that she follows a base archetype, that being the neurotic but responsible housewife. Unlike the other two, however, Nicole actually brings some of her own energy to the table via her anger issues and martial arts prowess.

Whereas I am indifferent toward this season’s depiction of Anais and have a distaste for Richard, I actually do like Nicole here. It helps that I find an inherent likability to the archetype she embodies. A stressed out woman who still finds the energy to act as a responsible, rational, and affectionate head of the family out of dedication to her family makes for a lovable character. She is not as fleshed out as she would later become in the season’s successors, but what Season 1 provides as the building blocks is sufficiently engaging for its purposes.

I cannot help but feel that such a face is a universal constant among parents.

One thing I find interesting about Nicole’s portrayal this season is that her more hardcore side is downplayed in favor of highlighting her more caring side. This is not to say that Nicole does not have her moments of showcasing her grit. The show’s Yankee premiere episode “The DVD” has her performing absurd acrobatics with refined agility in the climax. Her immense raw strength is displayed multiple times throughout the events of “The Club,” and “The Ape” exists as a reminder that Nicole is capable of some truly insane stunts when pushed to her limits. Her anger issues are still made apparent, with the Watterson kids fearing her anger to the point they choose to face a T-rex over her wrath in “The Quest” and her ire being enough to scare Gumball out of telling the truth in “The Responsible.” However, such moments are not as frequent as they are in future seasons, and Season 1 seems far more interested in crafting a more affectionate perception of the character. When Gumball is in need of advice in “The Ghost,” he turns to Nicole, who provides legitimately sound advice. “The Gi” has her trying to take a calm and doting approach to getting her sons out of their karate uniforms. The classic episode “The Meddler” is all about Nicole being so doting that it gets on Gumball’s nerves. Nicole’s anger and athletic ability feels more compartmentalized this season, and it creates a more relaxed depiction of the character. Nicole becomes a stronger character in future seasons, but there is something nice about what Season 1 is going for; it is on the cusp of reaching Nicole’s full potential, albeit in a more tranquil way.

Like Anais, Nicole is less likely to get in on the episode’s general antics. As the most adult member of the core Watterson family, even in future seasons Nicole is not the most common sight in the show’s goofier adventures, but Season 1’s use of her in such contexts feels even more restrained. Season 1 Nicole will not find herself wrapped in a family feud about the television remote, nor will she be seen trying to prove to Richard that she is the more popular parent. The most fun you will get out of her this season is a 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle.

Nicole is alright this season. There is still some room for improvement, but she is arguably the consistently most likable of her family for the season.

The Wattersons

No joke here. Doing this for this many images is really hard.

As a unit, the Wattersons are alright. Unfortunately, my dislike for Richard means that my opinion of the familial unit as a whole goes down somewhat, but overall they are solid enough together as a group. Their dynamic definitely needs more fleshing out, but at the very least, the sincere love they feel for each other is communicated well enough.

Episodes such as “The Club” and “The Ape” do a good job showcasing their ability to work together. They will stick up for each other and band as a team whenever one of them has been wronged. We do not see as many moments of dysfunction, with the most extreme being the power struggle between the parents and Gumball in “The Helmet.” It is probably for the better they held off on showing off more of the chaotic moments between the entire family; Season 1 Richard would probably have found a way to rid all the fun in that.

The Watterson family this season does fall into the trap of “moronic males, flawless females” that seems to be in a fair number of cartoons. I will give Season 1 credit in that it is not too terribly distracting as it could be, but it is a trait I am glad the show learned to mostly avert as it is somewhat of a stale setup.

What seems like a sentiment for almost all the Wattersons, the family works fine enough for the first season, but they are far from their peak.

The Support

Look into Alan's eyes.

We covered the Wattersons, so let us move onto other characters of note, but first off, a general statement that can be applied to pretty much the entirety of the supporting cast: most of them do not have concrete personalities at this point and are pretty much broad caricatures that act almost as living props. Banana Joe, for instance, can go from an oafish clown to an immature fear-mongering girl hater to a heartless bully on the flip of a dime, and characters such as Hector do not even have that luxury, and are instead left with the label of “height joke dispenser." Gumball is a show that is most interesting when appreciating its variety of characters and their diverse nature, and while Season 1 certainly has that down in the visuals department, most of their personalities are anything but. With that said, there are still some characters of note here.

Penny Fitzgerald

"Why are we always in space when we're about to kiss?"

Penny Fitzgerald is a character with whom I grow to have many grievances. It is not just that the show fails to capitalize on her potential, it is that the show fails to maintain commitment to what it set out to do with the character. This is an issue I have written about twice before, and I imagine I will bring it up yet again as we progress with the retrospective series. Unlike most of the supporting cast, Penny will be a guaranteed constant in each of these retrospectives because I feel it is important to keep an eye on this issue.

With that said, Penny is serviceable this season with no real glaring issues, but she is ultimately a fairly bland character who does not have much to her outside of being the designated love interest. Penny does express some fragility and sensitivity in “The Meddler” as well as some moral grounding in “The Gi” by sticking up for the boys, but outside of that, she exists more to inspire Gumball to action rather than being an active force herself.

I will give Penny her due and say that the moments in which she and Gumball become lost in the universe is cute as much as it is a fun little running gag for the season. It does not change the fact that Penny is a very vanilla character at the moment. This is fine for the first season, but it does not make for a character who is particularly interesting.

Mr. Robinson

...

Gaylord Robinson is one of the most prominent supporting characters this season. The show’s official production bible goes as far to declare him a main character. With three major roles and a handful of substantial gags, this is definitely Mr. Robinson’s time to shine.

Mr. Robinson is an irritable and cantankerous elderly man who abhors his neighbors and abhors his wife even more. This makes him a sharp enough contrast to the energetic and optimistic Gumball and Darwin. The juxtaposition between the brothers and Mr. Robinson makes for interactions that write themselves; it is no wonder Season 1 likes returning to this dynamic. Gumball feeling as if he is morally obligated to Mr. Robinson after he “saves” his life despite Mr. Robinson being more interested in his pending musical performance is a fairly easy episode to envision, the quality of “The Debt” aside. Mr. Robinson turning to the attic of the brothers who constantly get under his skin when his marriage falls apart in “The Poltergeist” is an inherently funny concept even if the episode does not do much with it. Even “The Car” and how it has the entire family contribute to his inevitable meltdown is conceptually sound with how Mr. Robinson sees himself above the family’s antics (of course, only to lower himself to even further depths in the end).

The dynamic between Mr. Robinson and the Watterson brothers does become a problem when the brothers outgrow their Season 1 characterizations because of how Mr. Robinson’s implementation forces them to regress. For now, though, it works perfectly fine, even if I am not crazy about the shtick. In the confines of Season 1, the Watterson brothers are meant to be oblivious and childish, meaning that Mr. Robinson is more relevant than ever.

Mr. Robinson’s best moments, however, are those completely separate from the fish-cat duo, and Season 1 is no exception. Even this early on, the constant vitriol between Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Robinson is humorous, with "The Poltergeist" going as far to suggest such vitriol keeps the marriage alive. His snobbish attitude towards Richard also produces some quality one-liners. Richard’s clip-on tie be damned indeed.

Tina Rex

Look me straight in the eye and tell me this shot is nothing but pure visual awesomeness.

Tina Rex is one of my favorite supporting characters, and I have always been somewhat bummed by the fact the show never used her substantially post Season 1. Her subordination to a tertiary character is understandable, but she always presented a lot of potential. She is a photorealistic T-rex, and that in itself is pretty awesome. However, more than that, she is a tragic figure who had a surprising amount of depth for a supporting character in the first season. Yes, she is a bully, but it comes from a frustration with her identity rather than any pure malice. At her core, she is a sensitive girl who wants to be more open about her femininity, but her monstrous appearance as T-rex combined with her father’s reputation as a mindless brute made it so that she feels as if she has no other choice but to be the brute society expects her to be. She could have been truly something special with the writing of the future seasons, but I digress.

Admittedly, the show does use her as the go-to bully character this season. She is the ringleader in the brothers’ dodgeball torment in “The Mustache.” The T-rex is the one student who has the audacity to mock Gumball in front of his mother in “The Meddler,” and “The Party” makes it clear that Tina is undesirable as a date for her aggressive and mean-spirited tendencies. However, moments in which we witness the other side to Tina make for some of the season’s most iconic highlights. “The Quest” displays a vulnerable side to the character: one that is scared of the environment she is in and finds comfort in a stuffed Daisy doll. In “The Fight,” she vents her frustration to Gumball about how she hates always being compared to her dad and how she just wants to be his friend. Even “The Meddler” and “The Party,” two episodes that cast Tina in a more antagonistic light, are sure to poke the subtle hole in that tough facade.

Tina would later go on to be featured in small scenes that explored her struggle with femininity in Season 2 before being relegated to the occasional visual gag from Season 3 to the show’s end, but if there was an MVP award for the most impressive character this season, Tina would be a strong contender.

Ms. Simian

Simian Kart (Yup, the well is that dry.)

This season, Lucy Simian is made to be a miserable, aggressive, and at times borderline evil woman who makes life difficult for her students, especially Gumball. In other words, she is yet another iteration of the evil schoolteacher archetype. She upholds this image to varying degrees throughout the entire series, but she is of the especially over-the-top variety for the first season.

I do prefer her more subdued nature of the other seasons, but she still does have her moments of hilarity here. Her primary starring role, “The Ape,” has the character go through desperate lengths to receive a “Favorite Teacher” award to the point she plays a manipulative long con with the Watterson family. When this all comes to fruition in the climatic car chase between her and the Wattersons, Ms. Simian’s animated hamminess contributes just as much to the scene as does Nicole’s sheer determination. Her flashy dramatics in “The Mystery,” which range from discovering an injured Principal Brown to gaslighting Gumball into hiding the evidence, only add to the fun of the episode. She and Principal Brown even manage to bring spice to “The Party,” an otherwise flaccid episode.

Something to note is that it seemed as if Season 1 intended to tie Ms. Simian to Nicole and Richard’s backstory and make her an eternal evil of sorts with whom the Wattersons have to manage. In “The Responsible,” Nicole and Richard mention how she can “no longer hurt them” and how they are in charge as the parents. “The Ape” is an episode dedicated to showcasing how Ms. Simian was a relentless bully to Nicole growing up, demeaningly calling her a “loser.” This angle was dropped once Season 2 aired, but a part of me would like to see how further exploring Ms. Simian’s persistence in the Wattersons’ history would have played out.

Her relationship with Principal Brown is very much here this season, with Gumball even calling it “unprofessional” in “The Sock.” Both “The Sock” and “The Party” find humor in the enigma of a couple that is Simian and Brown, but these episodes are nothing but teasers to what the future holds for the couple.

Ms. Simian is a textbook evil teacher here, but whether it be the screechy vocals provided by Mr. Lewis MacLeod this season or just the inherent hilarity of her animated antics, she is a funny textbook evil teacher with room to grow.

Mr. Small

"So before you speak, it's best to remember Each individual case will require a specific judgement call, depending on who you're talking to and the context of the conversation!"

Season 1 takes a very different direction with Steve Small compared to the rest of the series. Modern Gumball is interested in depicting Mr. Small as a spaced-out hippie who is somewhat of a doormat but very passionate about doing what he believes is the right thing to do. Season 1’s take of the character is that of an ironically problematic counselor who suffers from a myriad of anger issues. Both portrayals have the goal of creating a school counselor who is not the most competent at his job, but I find the modern iteration to be better written and more compelling of a character.

This is not to say that this version of Mr. Small does not have his moments. His extreme outbursts of emotion is what gives a lot of character to the Watterson brother scenes in “The Painting.” His aggression through his “Silent Snake” in “The Sock” only adds to the irony of trying to cure Gumball and Darwin of their supposed issues with dishonesty, and his unprecedented angry outburst at Penny when she opens up about her problems in “The Meddler” is yet another classic moment in an episode filled with them. However, I find that there is a lot more one can do with a hippie counselor with a list of contradictory beliefs than an angry counselor who only needs the correct trigger to explode. Season 1 Mr. Small, while fun in his own right, is somewhat of a one-trick pony in my eyes. An animated one-trick pony, but a one-trick pony nonetheless.

Larry Needlemeyer

Even in a state of hypnosis, the man still cannot bring himself to offer a refund. That is dedication to the craft.

Larry Needlemeyer is a character who has not changed much since his inception, and that is because Season 1 pretty much nailed him the first time around. Larry is a hapless and tired pink-collar worker whose mental state is constantly being attacked by the numerous jobs he has to maintain. He may try to show a smile, but such a smile does little to distract from the fact that he is miserable at his core and that he tries to mask his existential dread through keeping himself busy. “The Spoon” and “The Laziest” are not the best uses of the character, but “The DVD” is able to cast him as the blunt and snarky straight man to the boys. “The Refund” is even better in that it showcases the unfortunate dynamic he has with his boss and demonstrates how he struggles to be a good employee while also doing right by his own moral compass.

Both “The Laziest” and “The Goons” suggest that Larry proposing to his girlfriend only for the Wattersons to undo it would have been a running gag. I think it was for the better that got axed; Larry is a tragicomic figure, but watching that specific denial of happiness time and time again most likely would have grown sadder than anything else.

Rachel Wilson

Imagine your most iconic line being "No, not the TV!"

Rachel Wilson is supposed to be Tobias’ older sister. With only one starring role to her name, the character was quickly relegated to the background before being completely phased out of existence by Season 2. She must have fallen victim to the Void within the Void within the Void within the Void.

It has been stated that Mr. Bocquelet and other staff members disliked the character so much that they chose to scrap her from the show entirely. Some believe this to be a wise decision on the crew’s part whereas others believe that the character still has some potential. I lean more toward the former position — “The Party” was not a particularly great showcase, and I feel as if there is no real place for her in a post-Season 1 world.

“The Party” presents Rachel as a whiny, loud, and pitiful teenage girl. She lacks redeeming qualities and her vices are portrayed in a very matter-of-fact manner that lack an element of fun. I would not say she is as obnoxious as Season 1 Richard, but she still has an irritating presence to her.

It is true that technically speaking the crew could go back and revise Rachel’s character so that she is more tolerable. After all, the bulk of the cast was heavily revised in Season 2. I do however feel that Clare Cooper of Season 4 is Rachel’s spiritual successor and that her existence nullifies the need for a Rachel return. Clare is a mopey and short-sighted teenage girl, but those traits are played to such a humorous extent that she becomes almost a parody of the archetype and comically contrasts the wacky and cartoony world she inhabits. If Rachel did ever return in the show’s run, she would be a carbon copy of Clare as Clare is the self-pitying teenage girl “The Party” was aiming for redirected into a zanier direction more aligned with the show’s sensibilities. For that reason, I find myself content with Rachel’s permanent removal. Her character is redundant, and the art style she exhibited still exists with the other three Wilsons.

The Others

SUSSIE!

Here are some other notes about the supporting cast that do not quite justify a section of their own:

• Carrie is a bland antagonistic emo this season. I love Carrie in Seasons 2 through 5, but there is nothing too interesting about her in Season 1. It is interesting to note Season 1 depicts her as being in the afterlife, but Seasons 2 and 3 would later go on to confirm that she was born a ghost. Retcons…
• Bobert does have the “robot wanting to be a real boy” shtick going for him, but he is a little too malicious for my tastes here. Bobert works best when he is adorably unaware as to how destructive he really is.
• Tobias, one of the strongest supporting characters by the end of the show’s run, is just a generic rich jock. He has a long way to go.
• Alan “I have no hands” Keane
• Sussie is adorable, but I think her gags rely a little too much on being a slob this season. I am happy that they focused on her just being unorthodox from Season 2 onwards.
• There is this weird looking CGI cyclops kid in the background sometimes. I believe his name is Ross.

The Conclusion

Yeah, that Cyclops Kid Rick. Bet he won't amount to anything.

Season 1 is not perfect by any means. There are a lot of issues that plague it, and it is a season that screams “first draft.” I understand why a lot of people are so averse to the season; I myself have a number of issues with it.

However, I find it hard to completely dislike Season 1. It was the start of my favorite show to-date, and even if it is very different from what it would eventually become, it has its own uniqueness that cannot be found anywhere else in the show. Season 1 is even important to the show in a meta sense in not only is it the beginning of the show, but it inadvertently acts as the starting point for one of the most revered aspects of the show: the Void saga.

I am not likely to casually pick up a Season 1 episode for casual viewing’s sake, but I appreciate its existence. It may not be great, but it is a sincere attempt, and I can respect that.

The Closing Notes

Enjoy this violent decapitation of a banana child.

First of all, if you read all of that, give yourself a round of applause. You deserve it for reading my word vomit from beginning to end.

So, what do you think of Season 1? Like it? Hate it? In between? Do you agree with anything I said? Do you think I was way off base somewhere? Please, make yourself heard in the comments! I love talking about the show in general, and knowing that people, no matter how few, are reading these and are coming out ready to talk makes my day!

As per usual, my younger sister was a tremendous help in reviewing everything. Thanks again! Additionally, I had the help of some close online friends in regards to proofread. Thank you Matt, Game, Kata, and Zoe for your assistance with this mammoth of a project! You can check out their cool stuff below:

• Mattalamode’s Unfunny Guy Blog (Gumball Episode Ranking as well as Primal, Amphibia, and Final Space coverage)
• Game’s Archive of Our Own and FF.net
• Kata’s Archive of Our Own and FF.net
• Zoe’s Art Twitter

In the next post(s), we will discuss some of my favorite and least favorite Season 1 episodes. I am still unsure how I am going to format it, but I will work on it. Hopefully, I get it out on a somewhat timely basis.

On a somewhat related note, I have never done a retrospective of this scope before, so if any of you have any feedback about the formatting and how I should handle things moving forward, I would love to hear from you.

Wow where is the nicole article worry not it will be here eventually i promise i think maybe something um yeah

That is all I have for now! Until next time, stay safe and take care of yourselves! :)

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