History YMMV / AMatterOfLoafAndDeath

** [[spoiler:Piella's KarmicDeath is probably the darkest moment in Wallace & Gromit history, considering it's the first time a villain is explicitly killed (the moon robot was NotEvilJustMisunderstood, Feathers [=McGraw=] was locked up, Preston was rebuilt thanks to being a Terminator {{expy}}, and Victor Quartermaine was run out of town by an angry mob). And her SanitySlippage moment just before it occurs makes the whole thing seem almost ''disturbing''. There is, of course, a GoryDiscretionShot as it cuts to the remaining characters' reactions, but the sounds suggests she was ''ripped to pieces by the crocodiles.'']]

** The scene where Gromit finds the truth about [[spoiler:Piella is extremely chilling. He discovers that her room contains mannequins with the hats of all the bakers she's murdered, and her scrapbook is filled with the photos of said bakers, each with a number next to them. [[WhamShot And Wallace is the last number on the list.]] Gromit then knocks over all of the mannequins in his panic, forcing him to replace them as quickly as possible, then hide in the chandelier above to avoid detection. Gromit avoids being seen, but as the night goes on, his limbs lose strength... and then they give out. He plummets towards Piella in her bed down below, who [[JumpScare suddenly opens her eyes...]]]] and then it's morning. It's an overall terrifying scene, and the temporary ambiguity at the end before Gromit attempts to bring the book to Wallace leaves a rather ominous feeling as to how much of what we saw happened, and as to whether [[spoiler:Piella knew she had been found out. FridgeHorror sets in when you realize that she could have easily killed Gromit to hide the truth...but she didn't. Brrrrrrrrr...]]

* ToughActToFollow: Being the follow up to both the hugely popular feature-length outing, ''WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit'', and the by-then-classic original trilogy of shorts, this one had some very big shoes to fill. It was also the first installment made specifically for television rather than film festivals, resulting in some [[MoodWhiplash dissonance]] between the broad TV-friendly tone and the extremely dark story. As such, most fans consider it the weakest installment of the franchise and a contributing factor in its declining popularity in America, not helped by Peter Sallis [[EndOfAnEra retiring from acting two years later]]. Tellingly, the only installments for a long time since have been commercials, though Peter Lord insists that Creator/NickPark might want to do one final short with the duo; indeed, a new ''Wallace & Gromit'' film is set for a 2024 release.

* ContestedSequel: Though both were well-received, ''Wallace & Gromit'' fans frequently discuss whether this film or its predecessor, ''WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit'', is the franchise's weakest instalment. Some criticise ''A Matter of Loaf and Death'' for its [[DarkerAndEdgier uncharacteristically morbid tone]] and its [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks repeats of prior story beats]], seeing it as a disappointing effort after the [[SequelGap long wait from the previous shorts]]. Others see it as a return to form for the series with its smaller, more intimate story and its attempts to recapture the simpler setting and charm of the first three shorts, after ''The Curse Of The Were Rabbit was subject to significant ExecutiveMeddling from Dreamworks.
* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: A common criticism levelled against the short is that it relies heavily on tropes and plot points that were already done in the previous ''Wallace & Gromit'' films. Most notably, it follows the exact formula of ''WesternAnimation/ACloseShave'', with Wallace gaining a love interest with her own dog that [[spoiler:turn out to be criminals - though in this case, Piella is the main villain while Fluffles commits a HeelFaceTurn, a direct flip of Wendolene's relationship with Preston - and Wallace ultimately DoesntGetTheGirl]].

* ContestedSequel: While by no means a misfire for the duo, ''A Matter of Loaf and Death'' is considered to be a lesser outing in part due to its uncharacteristically morbid tone and repeats of prior story beats (Wallace getting a potential love interest, Gromit's relationship with Wallace being tested, a seemingly friendly face turning out to be the antagonist, the antagonists' sidekick pulling a HeelFaceTurn).

* ToughActToFollow: Being the follow up to both the hugely popular feature-length outing, ''WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit'', and the by-then-classic original trilogy of shorts, this one had some very big shoes to fill. It was also the first installment made specifically for television rather than film festivals, resulting in some [[MoodWhiplash dissonance]] between the broad TV-friendly tone and the extremely dark story. As such, most fans consider it the weakest installment of the franchise and a contributing factor in it's declining popularity in America, not helped by Peter Sallis [[EndOfAnEra retiring from acting two years later]]. Tellingly, the only installments since have been commercials, though Peter Lord insists that Creator/NickPark might want to do one final short with the duo.

* WhatAnIdiot:
** Played with when Wallace shouts, "Gromit! [[spoiler: It's a bomb!]]". He spends most of the film not heeding any of Gromit's warnings. However, [[spoiler:as soon as he discovers the bomb, he puts two and two together and realizes that Piella is a SerialKiller]].
** [[spoiler:For all of her hatred towards Bake-O-Lite ''and'' bakers in general over her losing her job, it really doesn't make sense why Piella'd still have the balloon in her house. Not to mention, not getting off of it once she realizes that it wouldn't hold her for long.]]
** [[spoiler:Despite being the smart one of the duo, Gromit gets this when he tries to show the photos that Piella had in a book without checking to see if she's with Wallace at the moment.]]

* ContestedSequel: While by no means a misfire for the duo, ''A Matter of Loaf and Death'' is considered to be a lesser outing in part to its uncharacteristically morbid tone and repeats of prior story beats (Wallace getting a potential love interest, Gromit's relationship with Wallace being tested, a seemingly friendly face turning out to be the antagonist, the antagonists' sidekick pulling a HeelFaceTurn).

* NightmareFuel: This by far the darkest work Wallace & Gromit has ever been in, period. It opens with someone being murdered, and though it does have the same cheery upbeat attitude we have come to expect from this franchise, there is still an ever present sense of dread as the truth is fully revealed.

** [[spoiler:Piella's KarmicDeath is probably the darkest moment in Wallace & Gromit history, considering it's the first time a villain is explicitly killed (the moon robot was NotEvilJustMisunderstood, Feathers [=McGraw=] was locked up, Preston was rebuilt thanks to being a Terminator expy, and Victor Quartermaine was run out of town by an angry mob). And her SanitySlippage moment just before it occurs makes the whole thing seem almost ''disturbing''. There is, of course, a GoryDiscretionShot as it cuts to the remaining characters' reactions, but the sounds suggests she was ''ripped to pieces by the crocodiles.'']]
* ToughActToFollow: Being the follow up to both the hugely popular feature-length outing, ''WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit'', and the by-then-classic original trilogy of shorts, this one had some very big shoes to fill. It was also the first installment made specifically for television rather than film festivals, resulting in some [[MoodWhiplash dissonance]] between the broad TV-friendly tone and the extremely dark story. As such, most fans consider it the weakest installment of the franchise and a contributing factor in it's declining popularity in America, not helped by Peter Sallis [[EndOfAnEra retiring from acting two years later]]. Tellingly, the only installments since have been commercials, though Peter Lord insists that Nick Park might want to do one final short with the duo.

** [[spoiler:Despite being the smart one of the duo, Gromit gets this when he tries to show the photos that Piella had in a book without checking to see if she's with Wallace at the moment.]]