The new series Monsters At Work has started streaming. A mostly “below decks” show addressing the difficulties in the switch in business models from screams to laughter after the events of Monsters, Inc., with some employees feeling that they’re screwed by the change. (One monster actually said “We’re screwed”–I actually thought that was a little salty for the target demo.) first episode wasn’t bad.
I’ve watched the first two episodes. They’re amusing, but they’re not knocking my socks off (yet).
I’m a little impressed they seem to have got all the original voice actors for the main characters back.
Episode 3, “The Damaged Room”, was the funniest of the bunch. I’ve always enjoyed the Mike/Sulley friendship, and the way they fight like an old married couple, and again they’re fighting like an old married couple with a kid. But the way they fought at the baseball game would lead a third party to believe that the kid is actually theirs. “Oh, I see. You wanted to go to the game with Fungus and leave me at home with the baby!” “I changed the diaper, but you’re cooking and cleaning tonight!”
Tylor and Val’s relationship is getting better with Tylor’s memory being jogged by Val’s tearful recollection of the only thing Tylor ever said to her in college. And hey, now they’re work buds!
Stay for the closing theme. It’s in stadium organ style.
Episode 4:
At first I thought having a bowling episode was kind of a stale trope, but it won me over with the team name The Big Wazowskis. Also, in a world where almost every monster has a unique shape, it was kind of weird to see one exactly like Mike, only blue. It really shined a spotlight on the question of what’s the deal with the biology there.
I liked how the teams tied, so instead of Mike going to Harryhausen’s with Celia, he has to go with his arch-enemy.
In episode 5, “The Cover-Up”, Tylor and Duncan cause a city-wide power outage while Fritz is on vacation and Duncan is acting as temporary supervisor. Duncan, of course, spends his time lording it over “College Boy”.
My favorite line from the episode:
Val: “Is this the right thing to do?”
Cutter: “I’m gonna remain neutral until I see what happens.”
This week’s closing theme music was performed on steel drums, in keeping with the Caribbean vacation theme.
The wacky wall walker left behind his box of eyes when he left.
(A sentence never before written in the history of mankind).
There was an excellently played movie reference in this week’s episode. With an extra layer of meta to take it home.
You mean that reference to that old Disney movie from 1980?
And now that you mention extra meta, I suddenly realize that a voice actor from this episode had a cameo in that movie–I assume that’s what you mean?
I dug the Empire Strikes Back reference, and the return of the “Adorable” Snowman, and finding out why the Snowman was banished: He found out about the Scream Extractor.
I also enjoyed the coy reference to the fact that Monsters, Inc. dropped many, many years ago, but it was only a week ago in Monstropolis time.
Well done. Have a wookiee cookie.
I sit corrected… about a month ago now. The episode in which Fritz goes on vacation lasted about two weeks.
Interesting nugget that there are competing power companies still using a fear-based system.
Some day I want to see the gritty spin-off series where humanity discovers what the monsters have been doing to children and declares all-out war on the monster planet/dimension.
I’m guessing they got John Goodman for one day and got him to say all his lines for the entire season in like two hours.
More than 2 1/2 years after the end of season 1, a second season has just started.