The Awesomes: “Baby Got Backstory” Recap

Dr. Malocchio gets The Awesomes (minus Gadget Gal) stuck inside the H.I.P.P.I.E.R. an acronym that I can’t quite frankly remember but, basically a holographic simulator. Meanwhile, Gadget Gal is facing her arch enemy, Tomboy, and calls in some oddly named back up.

Origin stories were the order of the day in the H.I.P.P.I.E.R, with the exception of Hotwire, whose story seemed to change up and a bit suspicious. Best telling of their origin story has to go to Concierge, though who was once a pageant participant when she was younger.

And, holy brand dropping, Batman! Concierge mentioned during her telling of her origin story, which was hilarious and all began with a day planner at a pageant, that she was a Maxxinista. I wasn’t sure if that was purposefully placed or if it just fit for the moment because of what Sumo had said.

Muscle Man’s backstory helped see more of Prock and Mr.Awesome’s relationship than anything I could remember of Muscle Man’s story.

As they are sitting around a campfire, Gadget Gal and Tomboy are going at it as Tomboy calls in “the bowling team” to back her up while GG has Impressario’s mom to help her realize what was behind the whole rivalry, Tomboy has had a crush on her the entirety of their 40 years sparring culminating in a very entertaining outcome.

The episode ends with the first sign of actual (can’t believe I said that) conflict when Sumo’s parents walk right up to Awesomes HQ and claims they’re taking him back home.

We’re getting closer to where it all began but, not quite sure if it’s the pacing or the story that is making it difficult to see in a linear kind of way. Some of the characters are likeable enough but, I find myself trying to want to see more of these characters. Then again, I could just be taking this cartoon too seriously.

The Awesomes Prove Their Worth in “Pilot, Part 2”

The Awesomes go up against their first villain…and, well they’re surprisingly kinda awesome in a unconventional kind of way.

Part two picks up where the first episode ends; the newly formed team goes up against Compost, their first villain together. And, they seem to be failing miserably. That is until Prock starts dictating what the other members of the team should do, leaving me wondering if besides stopping time he has any power that we’ll be able to see when they go up against other villains in future episodes. But, his directives don’t exactly end all that well when Perfect Man annoyingly swoops in and finishes it.

The Awesomes then get invited to do Superheroes Tonight when Prock gets embarrassingly shown up by the host. He’s in for a surprise when Dr. Malocchio stops in and proposes Operation Safe to rid the world of super powers.

They continue to be unable to catch a break as Joyce threatens Prock to hand over their funding to a more capable superhero, Perfect Man. She makes a point that the roster has to have seven people. And, so the auditions that were later deemed try-outs begin. There were some interesting heroes ranging from Crab man, who can sever a limb and make it re grow to a woman who can make anyone gay. That is, until Hotwire, voiced by Rashida Jones walks into the room, and Prock immediately becomes smitten.

She becomes the seventh member of the team as someone who can manipulate anything electrical.

Joyce Mandrake pops in to Awesomes Headquarters paying them a surprise visit  And, for the first time I laughed out loud when “The Animal Kingdom” attacked headquarters.  It caught me so absolutely off guard. In the process of going up against these adorable creatures, Prock proves that the Awesomes are indeed a competent team.

While they are all excited and celebrating their “awesome” success, Hotwire congratulates Prock. In the midst of their conversation, Hotwire’s boyfriend comes by to ask if she was okay. And, who should her boyfriend be other than…Perfect Man, of course.

I just have one question: So, we’re gonna be getting those tags throughout the entire run?

The Awesomes: Starting from Scratch in “Pilot, Part 1”

Superheroes come together to celebrate, and then disband at Mr. Awesome’s 90^th birthday and retirement in the pilot of one of Hulu’s new shows, The Awesomes.

The opening scenes sets up what we’ll be seeing further down the line, a world where Prock, Mr. Awesome’s noticeably less awesome son, is the only superhero left in the world up against Dr. Malocchio. Flash back to six months before, where Mr. Awesome announces at his 90^th birthday.

While Mr. Awesome retires, Prock hopes to take over The Awesomes from his dad but, learns he is second choice to the very aptly named, Perfect Man. He decides to strike out on his own and the other superheroes quit as they hear Prock accept the position.

Meanwhile, in the Maximus Penitentary, Dr. Malocchio, one of the villains Mr. Awesome put away, begins to plot to assume his position once again now that he has retired. His demands once he hypnotized the guards were quite funny “I need a Tom Ford suit…and one of those expensive smart phones.”

Prock then learns that his funding is being pulled, from Joyce Mandrake, a stoic member of a government committee and I couldn’t help but equate her character to another certain government agent trained to work with another set of superheroes. I hope we see more of her. He then asks the last member of the staff, who they end up just calling concierge, to help them reassemble a roster of superheroes to get their funding back. That roster includes Frantic, a somewhat unstable version of the Flash, Sumo, an 11 year-old who seems unassuming enough until you get him upset and a member of the original lineup, Gadget Gal.

Rachel Dratch’s voice got me really excited and happy, playing government liaison, Joyce Mandrake. And, Kenan Thompson lends his voice to Impresario, a superhero with mom issues. And, of course, Dr. Malocchio voiced by Bill Hader was great. Loved that there were SNL alums joining this project.

There were a lot of moments that made me snicker but, none that really made me laugh out loud. And, the censoring is interesting considering it’s on Hulu and there really isn’t a strict need to adhere to these rules. Also, thought the tag was kind of funny in that it recognized what it was, a plug for a product.

And, now on to the next episode.