Release: November 19, 2015
Focus: Nostalgic Commercials
Guest Starring: Don Bluth
This review contains examples of:
- Accidental Truth: The Critic stated that Chuck E. Cheese's made Showbiz Pizza Place disappear under mysterious circumstances. We then see Billy Bob (the mascot for Showbiz) underwater. Truth is, though, that Chuck E. Cheese's DID make Showbiz disappear, and they did, in a way, kill Billy Bob (as well as the rest of the Rock-afire Explosion animatronic band), though of all the animatronics, only Billy Bob, Earl Schmerle, and Antioch the Spider actually disappeared. The rest (Fatz Geronimo, Dook LaRue, Beach Bear, Mitzi Mozzarella, Rolfe DeWolfe, Looney Bird, Choo-Choo, and the Sun) were turned into different characters (one character, the Moon, made it through Concept Unification unchanged).
- As Himself: Don Bluth, the guest star of the episode.
- Bread, Eggs, Breaded Eggs: The Critic compares Telephone Tammy's habit of talking of "useless shit" to "combin[ing] traditional girl stuff to a point where it makes no sense," resulting in this trope:Critic: Like, hey, you like horses and dresses? Here's a dress made out of horses. You like babies and cooking? Here's how to cook babies. You like dancing and tea parties? Read Pride and Prejudice. It's an engaging read of challenging social class.
- Bring My Brown Pants: In response to Doug's scary smile, Tamara, as one of the kids, says, "I think I need to be potty-trained again..."
- Call-Back:
- Critic is exasperated at having to see the trailer for A Troll In Central Park.
- Critic once again references the "Fucking Bubbles!" joke from "Return of the Nostalgic Commercials".
- Critic is taken aback by a Canadian PSA. See Rule of Three below.
- Critic groans when a Pokémon commercial comes on, repeating his disdain for the franchise that he showed back in his review of the first movie.
- Cliffhanger: The review ends with Critic begging Don Bluth to stop staring at him and tell him what he wants. Next episode, it turns out to be a review of Dragon's Lair.
- Cool Old Guy: Don Bluth. He can beckon people to the computer through Dragon's Lair symbols and take over TV channels, though it's not quite explained yet how.
- Corner of Woe: Critic is so disturbed by the commercial for Ayds diet candy that he huddles in "the uncomfortable corner", sucking his thumb.
- Death Glare: Don Bluth gives this to Critic throughout the review, barely even saying a line to him the whole time.
- Double Standard: Though the Bedtime Barbie commercial is fairly innocent despite the
Les Yay noted below, the Critic shows us how it would be a lot less innocent if the girls in the commercial were replaced with guys. - It's Popular, Now It Sucks!: As an adult in college when Pokémon first came out, Critic wasn't the right age for it and found the hype surrounding it to be obnoxiously annoying. Downplayed; he reassures viewers that if they grew up with it then he's glad they had fun - it was just a pain in the ass for him personally.
- Jump Scare: Don Bluth's steely gaze keeps popping up to scare Critic throughout the review.
- Les Yay: In-Universe, the Critic notes that there's an awful lot of this going on in the "Bedtime Barbie" commercial with the girls and the Barbie.
- Mondegreen Gag: Critic misinterprets a McDonald's commercial as Ronald saying "Food, fucks and fun!" (its actually "Food, folks and fun!")
- Overly Long Gag: In the Tiger Talkboy parody, Doug as a father tells his two kids, played by Malcolm and Tamara, to be in bed by a certain time or... then stalls for a long time with a Slasher Smile on his face before saying what "or" is: "I'll eat your hearts!" Needless to say, the "kids" are quite scared out of their wits.
- Product Placement: Don Bluth's Dragon's Lair movie kickstarter is prominently featured in the review.
- The Quiet One: Don Bluth. The only time he's spoken so far is him saying he's waiting for the Critic to make his move.
- Rule of Three: Related to Screaming at Squick below: the previous two commercials videos, from 2013 and 2014, respectively, each contained a twisted PSA from Canada. The first one was about rape, while the second one was about not putting things (pills, least of all) in your mouth. This video, too, contains a Canadian PSA, which is preceded by the Critic being initially Genre Savvy about the ad given his past experience with the first two, only to be disarmed by the innocuous nature... only for the PSA to once again take a shocking turn.
- Running Gag: Don Bluth constantly popping up out of nowhere to scare Critic.
- Screaming at Squick: The Critic's reaction to yet another Canadian commercial — the infamously graphic kitchen accident PSA of prevent-it.ca.Critic: YOU'RE SICK, CANADA! YOU'RE SICK!!!
Message onscreen: There really are no accidents.
Critic: No, no, no, I don't care what you're advertising, 'CAUSE YOU'RE SICK! - Serious Business: Critic is baffled at the plot of the Superman commercial, which is centered on Lex Luthor holding Superman captive and powerless under kryptonite, all just so he can ask why Superman Brand Peanut Butter tastes so great!Critic: ...slow day for evil, huh Lex?
- Squee: Critic has this reaction upon Don Bluth appearing, but things quickly turn sour.
- Sweetness Aversion: In-universe, Critic is sickened seeing the saccharine trailer for A Troll in Central Park. This unwittingly prompts Bluth himself to appear to Critic.
- Walking Spoiler: Don Bluth's presence is basically the entire plot of the episode.
"Bedtime Barbie doll has a soft body!"
