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Part 4: Joey vs. Slim Shady Yuno’s friends make their way further through the Yeezus island’s exotic sights, arriving near a mountainous terrain. Seeking his promised character development, Joey wishes he could be as good as a duelist as Yuno someday. Yuno reassures him with the usual spiel that as long as he believes in the heart of the cards and lyrics, he can do anything. Yuno gives Joey his Time Wizard to add to his deck for good luck, literally and figuratively. Suddenly, out of the shady shadows appears Eminem, Kanye's next minion. Tristan exclaims he can’t believe it’s the real Slim Shady! Eminem greets them by rapping: “That’s an awfully hot coffee pot, should I drop it on Yuno Miles, probably not, but that's all I got 'til I come up with a solid plot!" Eminem uses a dinosaur themed deck, a subtle reference to how old and out of touch he is. Yuno starts giving shoutouts to the dinosaurs, ready to duel. But Joey offers Yuno to step aside for a well earned break, wanting to prove he can rely on himself and defeat Eminem. Tristan doesn’t think this is a good idea since if he loses the duel, he loses his soul, but Yuno trusts in Joey’s strength. Joey says he’s one rapper who’s not afraid to diss Eminem and challenges him. Eminem scoffs Joey off as a third rate duelist, but will accept the challenge as he senses this will be over quick. He warns Yuno he’s next after he beats Joey. Eminem then reveals his Millennium Item: The Millennium Bling, a fancy shiny ring around his neck. Spooky shadows appear around the area again and echoing through the shadows are Eminem’s pissy diss responses to critics, which try to throw Joey off balance. Tea fears Joey has no chance, but Yuno believes in him. The duel begins. Joey doesn't do well initially, having his Baby Dragon destroyed by Eminem’s Two Bump Heads King Rex. Eminem’s monsters also gain a power bonus thanks to the mountain field effect, putting Joey at a further disadvantage. He manages to rally with Axe Raider and Flame Swordsman against Two Bump Heads King Rex and Godzillowler. But it doesn’t last, as Joey’s monsters are soon destroyed by Closet Cleaning Raptor. Eminem offers Joey a chance to surrender so he won’t suffer a completely humiliating defeat. It takes him remembering his well-developed friendships with Yuno, Tristan and Tea to help him keep fighting. Joey uses the Swamp and Lava Battleguards as a team to deflect Eminem’s attacks, but the dinosaur duelist has a powerful dragon waiting in the shadows: The Red-Eyes Slim Shade Dragon. While less powerful than Fantano’s Blue-Eyes, the dragon is versatile and strong, and Joey has nothing that can stand against it. Especially not once Eminem plays Dragon Nails to boost his power to that of Blue-Eyes. Eminem then wagers Joey his Red-Eyes for the Time Wizard card he'd intended to combo with Baby Dragon. Joey is putting all his faith into Time Wizard’s luck. He then Flip Summons Time Wizard, wiping the smile off of Eminem’s face, and casts its Time Roulette effect. If the effect fails, his monster will self-destruct and take out the few Life Points Joey has left. But by sheer luck, Time Wizard’s roulette lands on a Time Machine, which ages Red-Eyes Slim Shade Dragon into a fossil and collapses it into dust, netting Joey the win. Joey brags that Eminem felt the full power of his Brooklyn Rage and is proud to be more than a third rate duelist, even though his win came down to rolling dice. Yuno gives Joey an approving thumb up and cliched moral certifying his character development. Eminem is about to lose his soul and a tear is brought to his eye, as the duel reminded him of when he put heart into rapping. He throws his Red-Eyes to Joey, recognizing he earned it fair and square. A card with his at peace face is left behind. Yuno picks up the Millennium Bling; three items remain. After witnessing one of the world’s most famous rappers die before them, Yuno and friends decide to have a jolly camp for the night. Meanwhile, Anthony Fantano has been on a quest of self-discovery following his defeat to Yuno. Fellow music critics and rappers think he’s cooked following his historic defeat against Yuno, which has been talk of the world. Anthony is not letting the mockery ruin his mojo, but he did realize he’s been viewing Yuno wrong all this time. He then hears through the grapevine that Yuno and friends went to Yeezus Kingdom for some reason. I’m also not sure if anyone knows Rap Critic went missing. Anthony realizes what must be going on here, and he too has beef with Kanye after his brutal takedown of Vultures 1. Anthony knows he must be the one to face Kanye and save rap. He books a flight to Yeezus Kingdom. Dun dun dun.

Hello everyone!!! It’s been a while. I can’t lie. I considered not doing another top 10 list for 2024. I pretty much stopped doing movie lists and I think I’m at a place where I’m gonna stop doing annual tv and movie lists because I’m working and I don’t wanna make a list for the sake of it. Why are we here then? Because 2025 pretty much rekindled my love for TV, especially these last two months when I got to talk about tv shows with you guys weekly. It was such a wonderful time that I decided “Hell, why not end my annual lists with this one?”. Maybe I’ll go back to doing this in the future but If not, this is a good stopping point. With so much hell happening in 2025, TV once again became my comfort zone. So I wanna honor that with the great times I had with SBC, here we go… WHOBOB’S TOP 10 BEST TV SHOWS OF 2025 #10: Star Wars: Visions This is a gem that keeps on giving. With complete creative freedom, this show is a great way of reimagining Star Wars as a whole. I don’t know how they keep making gems like this. I’m awed. Vol. 3 of this show was just as brilliant as the first two. Some brilliant follow ups to beloved stories from Vol. 1 like The Duel while some others are completely new and bold stories like The Bird of the Paradise and Black. My only issue with this volume is that there are a few episodes that feel just a set up for a new story and not all of them hit as much as I wanted to. But overall, this is a strong series for Star Wars and I cannot wait for the upcoming The Ninth Jedi tv show. #9: Peacemaker I think the criticism that went to the second season of the show is perfectly valid since it pretty much ended with setting up James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow and the runtime was shorter than usual cuz Gunn was also doing Superman at the same time, so this season could have been polished better. Is it still a damn good TV? Well, I still had tons of fun. This season put Christopher Smith and his cast into a really unique journey. Making them confront their toxicity and flaws as well as their friendships. It was an especially impressive season for Chris who had to deal with who he was, where he came from and how he was comfortable living on a lie. I won’t say further than that but bless James Gunn for making me care about this messy team, making me laugh and also feel emotional towards them. And for good songs once more. Can’t wait to see where these characters’ journeys go from here. #8: Long Story Short I am sad that this show didn’t make waves like Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s other show BoJack Horseman did but I guess it’s because it looked like yet another animated family sitcom (and Netflix didn’t promote it well) but this show is absolutely worth it. It’s about a jewish family in different time periods and how life shaped their history. You get to see characters in their youth and in their old selves. It’s quite an experimental show dealing with non-linear storytelling and I just dug so much of it. Jokes hit, animation is pretty (different art style than BoJack but still quintessential Waksberg), emotional beats wreck you hard etc. I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for something different in a typical family sitcom setting because it’s gonna be special and I can’t wait to see what season 2 has in store (hopefully it won’t be the last) #7: Smiling Friends Smiling Friends enter the top 10 tv list!!! This show boomed like hell and there is no stopping it. The show has become this generation’s The Simpsons, South Park, Bob’s Burgers etc. A high quality animated show with non-stop laughter and smiles! Something always catches people’s attention if it’s Creed as Mr. Frog’s dad, Mr. Boss and Allan cookie yaoi, Pim on a rampage and killing his friends, Glep’s insane backstory and the return of Squim. Smiling Friends is one of those shows that held SBC as a community together and I’m happy for its existence because of it. Here’s to more wacky seasons to this show. #6: Severance Praise Kier. Season 2 of this show hasn’t been holding it back at all. I’m a sucker for good sci-fi stories and this show is impressive in its way for being an intriguing sci-fi show that has something to say. Whether it’s the way cults operate in real life, capitalism making the working class’ lives a living hell, racism in the work environment, women’s bodies being used for experimentation without their consent and so on. A thought provoking show with great character development, intense thrills, chilling music and beautiful cinematography. AppleTV is rising up the ranks as the best streaming service with shows like this and I’m glad it has enough budget and creative freedom to be special. I don’t know when season 3 is gonna arrive but once it does, I’ll be seated. #5: Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake As many movie/tv show franchises have gone to nostalgia fest and slop for sake of it, Adventure Time is one of those exceptions that actually grows up with you as time goes on. It’s a franchise with fan service that actually drives the story and character arcs instead of being there for the sake of it, characters having issues without losing their character development and maturing as a process and expansion of the lore that doesn’t feel out of place. The second season of the show was an interesting and controversial time because many viewers felt Fionna was so unlikeable this season and it had pointless storylines and such until the last two eps supposedly saving the show and dare I say… People are so critical of flawed women characters without understanding what the character goes through, Fionna in this case. Missing the point that she is NOT Finn and that’s why she is so messy this season and I can’t lie, Fionna’s journey this season was very relatable for me because we set expectations on ourselves that ultimately disappoint us, make us hate ourselves and cause us to make more mistakes. That’s what Fionna dealt with which is why this season is among the best Adventure Time material and I ain’t being hyperbole and how this season ended for Fionna and her world, I was more than satisfied. I don’t know if we are gonna get a s3 but I’m glad Adventure Time is this rare franchise that still has juice. #4: Heated Rivalry No one could have seen it coming that a Canadian gay hockey show would be one of the biggest hits of 2025. It grew a fanbase even before the show premiered and once it was out to the world, it was all over social media with bunch of fanarts and edits, it’s insane. And it was so well deserved. Bless Rachel Reid and Jacob Tierney for giving us an impressive hockey show that dealt with queer masculinity. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are THE TV couple of 2025 and definitely one of the best in this decade so far. They have great chemistry with each other and their sex scenes are hot and moving. As you get to see this pair go from fucking each other from time to time to committing an actual meaningful relationship, it’s beautiful. And giving us Scott Hunter and Kip Grady on top of it with their just as moving story. The show will make you horny but also make you cry and laugh. When so much media has become sexless and devoid of chemistry, Heated Rivalry comes and shows how it’s done. It was about time we had a popular queer media that isn’t making us suffer but instead celebrating queer joy. Of course it isn’t easy with this show as characters deal with homophobia and toxic masculinity in the sports industry but it pretty much rewards you at the end. I’m glad it is such a hit with season 2 on the horizon and made a huge impact on people’s lives. Go see it. #3: Andor We will never have a Star Wars story like Andor ever. Star Wars franchise has had ups and downs since Disney took over with the SW fanbase becoming more and more hostile as it went on. As a result, Lucasfilm leans more and more into memberberries, nowadays leaning into Clone Wars/Rebels nostalgia of it with mixed results but Andor is the best Star Wars media since the original trilogy. Tony Gilroy and his crew put heart and soul into a show about an underground movement. It’s mature, thought provoking and soul crushing. One of the bleakest looks at fascism. Cassian’s journey started from surviving in his life to being part of a revolutionary movement. Him alongside countless ordinary citizens in the galaxy far far away making a change and standing up for freedom and liberty, it’s inspiring in these current times with the ruling class oppressing us. Many franchises downplay the politics of the world and play a more centrist/liberal angle and Andor isn’t like that. At least by western media standards. I’m sure I said this in 2022 when I put Andor in my best TV of 2022 list but I’ll say it again. Never in my life I would have predicted a prequel show of a prequel movie about Cassian fucking Andor being one of my all-time favorite shows ever made. Thank you Diego Luna for your amazing performance and your well-written character and rest of the cast for being just as fabulous. Thank you Tony Gilroy and the crew for making me feel hopeful in these hopeless times. You guys played a gamble with the show and it paid off so well and it ended on a high note. Star Wars can still make great stories after all this but Andor is one in a lifetime experience that will never be recreated and I’ll never forget it. #2: The Pitt Yeah, I’m a predictable gay person. I saw raves about the show and I almost considered it but I felt that body close ups in hospitals would disturb me and gross me out, so I pretty much chickened out. When I saw a gay fanart of The Pitt, I was like “UGHHHH fine, I’ll watch this.” and I am glad to make that decision. Noah Wyle is a hot man, who can deny that but above all, this is a damn impressive show about Trauma Center. I’m a sucker for ensemble casts and The Pitt has some amazing characters. All of them, you get to know their experiences and their personalities and how they put so much of them into their work by saving people. The show can make you laugh with these characters’ interactions with each other but make no mistake, this show will crush you. I cried multiple times in season 1 and I was at my breaking point in episode 13 which was nervewrecking. Noah Wyle is one hell of an actor and he was so good in this show, I could praise him all day. While I get that over 10 episodes per season is too much to ask these days, getting a show with 15 episodes per season annually is nice to see. With so many stories we get out of larger than life characters these days, it’s good that we have stories about mundane people getting through every single day and The Pitt is exactly that. Not just doctors in the show but also patients we see here. You get to feel for them. It is something special and I can’t wait to see what’s more in store. #1: Pluribus Vince Gilligan said he doesn’t wanna be one trick pony and man, he proved himself right. Here’s a show completely different from Breaking Bad and yet still so Vince Gilligan at the core. Body invasion and hivemind concepts have been done in many movies and tv shows before but what makes Pluribus stand out is that it actually asks harder questions about individuality, culture and loneliness. What happens when the world is united under one mind and only a few people have their individuality left? What happens to people’s culture and practices when they are one? The show challenges its audience by making it seem normal and acceptable underneath all that gruesome facts. When the world we live in has become so desensitized to atrocities, it only makes sense that the show would make the joining feel so normal and uplifting when in reality, it’s a bleak situation. Stories often take a more black and white and less nuanced approach to the state of the world but in Pluribus’ case, it delves deeper into the core issues without being so in your face. This was the breakout role Rhea Seehorn needed after her brilliant performance in Better Call Saul and I’m glad this show has become a hit that she’ll be recognized by people further. Apple TV is doing something right by giving original shows a chance and Pluribus truly is this generation’s prestige tv show. Discussing the show weekly was great which is why more companies should take lessons from it. Engagement in stories matters. If people do not pay attention to the story, then you are doing something wrong. This show made me put so much thought, therefore engaging with it and hopefully it’s only gonna go bolder from here. With so much colorless and lifeless TV slop, Pluribus has beautiful colors and gorgeously shot cinematography. This show was the biggest reason why TV has become important to me this year. Do not sleep on it. And that's all. Thank you all for reading my rambling of these great shows throughout (almost) each year and hopefully 2026 will be even better. Take care.

Welcome To Glove Universe By The First Descendant of Smitty It was a beautiful day in Bikini Bottom. Every moulisk was content. Each sandwich was loved. Even under a rock there was joy. Ah… what made today different from others? Well you see, it was the day SpongeBob SquarePants went to Glove Universe with his best buddy, Patrick Star. “I’m glad you had a spare key, Pat,” SpongeBob said as the two walked around the newly opened amusement park. “Yeah,” Patrick agreed as he munched on his cheesy coral dog on a stick. “I don’t think they’re going to find the one in Glove Lake for a long time.” The two best friends imagined a chrome future where advanced life forms discovered the key in an archaeological dig. “Anyway,” SpongeBob said, bringing them back to the cacophony of cheer. “What do you want to do first?” “That one! That one!” the starfish said as he jumped up and down. Patrick pointed into the distance, throwing down his snack. SpongeBob followed his gaze and stopped on the Glovey Boats. Some little guppies were screaming ecstatically as a bored looking employee operated the ride. “Oh that just looks so fun!” he said, doing a twirl. “How about I race you there?” Patrick frowned. “No,” he said, crossing his arms. “I want to go there.” This time, SpongeBob saw his friend was really pointing at what was beside the Glovey Boats. SpongeBob gulped. It was the Haunted Mansion of Glove. Unable to control himself, he frantically chewed his finger nails down to his wrists. “Well,” Patrick said, already waiting at the attraction. “Are you coming or what?” he waved merrily and leaned over to take a closer look at the scary decorations. SpongeBob laughed nervously. “Coming, Buddy. Just one second.” In a flash of light he was back in his sweet, safe, pineapple home. “Sorry Gary,” he apologized, almost tripping over his pet snail. Just as quickly as he had gotten there, SpongeBob whipped out a quill and scroll of parchment. He madly attacked it with the quill and it immediately became his will. “Here Gary,” he said. He tucked the scroll under the snail’s shell, with a kiss before materializing back at Glove Universe. Patrick stood in the exact same position and appeared that no time had gone by. “Lost you there for a second there, buddy,” Patrick said. “But don’t worry. There’s no one else in line.” “Wow… that's great,” SpongeBob said in a false cheerful voice. He slowly walked towards the haunted mansion, his limbs moving robotically. Before he could ask his friend if they could do something else, Patrick grabbed SpongeBob by the arm and dragged him through the doors. A wailing scream filled his spongy ears as he made out his surroundings. Skulls looked back at him, all wearing torn glove hats; destroyed versions of the ones they were wearing. Suddenly, he felt something on his foot and screamed. Something was moving. Little glove spiders scurried over SpongeBob and Patrick’s feet, making him scream even louder. Patrick, on the other hand, laughed. “Awww! All of these little baby mittens must think you’re their glove mommy. He nudged his friend playfully, chuckling some more. He looked up to see SpongeBob turn into a white piece of paper. Patrick plucked some gum off his teeth and placed it on the paper before wadding it up and tossing it aside. The mitten spiders screamed and all fled. The paper popped up and there was SpongeBob. “This is boring,” Patrick said, kicking a skull aside, clearly not noticing SpongeBob’s transformation. “I wonder where all the scary stuff is at.” They continued on passing (in SpongeBob’s opinion) more scary things. It was the same performance at each one. SpongeBob howled in fright at the finger cakes in the dining room while Patrick tried to eat them. In the bedroom, SpongeBob almost lost it because of a creepy hand puppet. Patrick thought it was amusing. Even the glowing sign of the exit sent SpongeBob under the covers. Scaredy Pants was here to stay. What the two didn’t know was that behind those doors, something was waiting for them. The Flying Dutchman maybe… or even Davey Jones himself? Unfortunately, it was someone even more frightening. SpongeBob and Patrick screamed, jaws dropping to the floor as the door swung open, revealing a slimy, sneaky creature which belonged deep below the waves. The two paused to take a breath and then continued screaming. “Shut your kelp holes, you big babies,” the foreboding figure said. As if on cue, they had their thumbs in their mouths and were curled up on the ground, rocking back and forth. “Oh wait!” SpongeBob exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. He brushed his pants off. “It’s just Squidward.” Patrick didn’t listen and continued his baby routine. Squidward only sighed and took the two by the shoulder. He led them through the exit of the haunted mansion and then stopped once they got to a quieter area of the park. He let them go, not caring that they tumbled to the ground. “Hi Squidward,” SpongeBob said. “Are you here to experience the wonders of Glove Universe too?” “No!” Squidward shouted, then said in an imitation of SpongeBob’s voice, “I am not here to experience the wonders of Glove Universe too.” He switched back to his normal nasal tone. “I am here because Mr. Krabs had another money making scheme which takes place in this dump!” In a huff, he pointed to his Krusty Krab hat. Patrick frowned, finally standing up. “I’ll have you know Mr. Tentacles, that today is my day to play with SpongeBob, so you can just go back to that skinflint crustacean and tell him that my friend is unimpairable.” “Unavailable,” SpongeBob whispered to his friend. “That’s what I said,” he grumbled. “So go back and schedule your own time for SpongeBob, but guess what. I heard my buddy is booked until next year.” Patrick crossed his arms and looked the other way, jutting out his bottom lip. SpongeBob, who was ecstatically jumping up and down, held up a hand. “Don’t you see Pat? What’s better than having the Krusty Krab be here and hang out with you?” Scratching his head, Patrick shrugged. “Is it ice cream?” he asked. His eyes were unfocused as a stream of drool dripped from his mouth. All that he could think of at the moment was a delicious Gooberberry Sunrise. “Close,” SpongeBob said. “The answer is performing my Krusty duties at Glove Universe with my two best pals.” He hugged the others despite the fact Squidward was actively trying to squirm out of the warm embrace. “Whatever,” he sniffed. “Let’s just go find Mr. Krabs.” “Aye! Aye!” SpongeBob barked and ran to find his boss as he dragged Squidward and Patrick along. They soon found him. Mr. Krabs was just where you’d expect him to be. “Come get yer Krabby Patties, steaming hot and packed full of nutrients!" he said to a growing crowd around the food court. In a rush of excitement, SpongeBob hovered over his boss. “Mr. Krabs!” he said. “I can’t believe you got permission to sell my favorite food at the best amusement park in Bikini Bottom.” hearts surrounded his face which had materialized out of thin air. Mr. Krabs’ dazzling smile faltered. “Er -- Well, permission is irrelevant in a situation like this,” he said. He put his claw around SpongeBob’s shoulder and held a Krabby Patty, waving it around the frycook’s face. “Glove Universe won’t come out of this business partnership empty handed.” “You mean Glove Universe gets a cut of the profit?” SpongeBob asked. In his eyes, Mr. Krabs always knew what the right thing was for the Krusty krab. That’s what made him the best boss. There was, of course, the time he left the Krusty Krab in a pawn shop, so he could be SpongeBob and Squidward’s tour manager. Then there was the time Mr. K had made his millionth dollar and closed just so he could get revenge on a money snatching clam. During that clamming episode, SpongeBob also found out how good he looked in Coral Blue lip stick. “I’m doing them an even better favor,” Mr. Krabs announced. “Like giving the employees free patties?” Before SpongeBob could ask another question, Squidward cut in with his signature sneer and nasal laugh. “Come on,” the cephalopod said. “Krabs doesn’t even give us a Krabby Patty without charging us. I’m sure the Krusty Krab’s wonderful gift to Glove Universe is relieving them of hungry paying customers.” “Wow,” SpongeBob said, clasping his hands together. “That is so generous.” His genuine euphoria made Squidward wretch. Mr. Krabs on the other hand, still looking nervous, decided to take the opportunity. “Aye! Me boy,” he laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.” Suddenly, a park security guard appeared, menacingly cracking his knuckles. “Sorry, bub,” he said, not sounding sorry. “Management doesn’t want you here.” With that, the security guard punched Mr. Krabs, sending him out of the park, landing in the ruins of Glove World. SpongeBob and Patrick kicked themselves over the fence before he could say anything to them, so the security guard turned to Squidward. “Wait!” Squidward said, sweating profusely. “I can just use the exit.” The security guard ignored him and sent him flying as well. The four of them sat in rubble. The only recognizable thing was a Glovey Glove mascot outfit and some stray hats. Patrick rummaged around in the garbage until he pulled out cotton candy. “Nooo!” Mr. Krabs wailed. “Me money!” “It’s ok Mr. K,” SpongeBob said. “I have a solution. By the time the sun had completely set and the neon lights were flashing on the Wheel of Glove, SpongeBob rang the makeshift bell he had put together. “Order up,” he called out to the ruined theme park. The customers were no breathing fish but scraps that mildly resembled park goers. “I knew I should have stayed in bed today,” Squidward moaned as Patrick chased Mr. Krabs with an empty money box. The grilled piles of metal gave him a headache as spongebob flipped them occasionally of a “stove”

yugichads win yet again

a true post modern classic

homo

Last time on this thread, we talked about a Nicktoon that was as exciting and unique as you’d expect a cartoon called “Robot and Monster” to be. This time, we’ll be discussing a show that’s plenty more exciting and thankfully, it’s a series I’m actually familiar with. #38. “Rise of the Turtles (Part 1)” – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [September 28, 2012] I guess I should start with my entire history with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles……..I don’t have much, actually. I mean, I definitely remember watching the 2003 cartoon and have caught a few episodes from the 1987 cartoon and remember liking both but it’s not really a franchise that really stuck through my childhood the same way SpongeBob or Pokémon has. That being said, there hasn’t been a TMNT cartoon that I haven’t really distrusted and I’d be very surprised if I end up hating this one. Well, let’s find out. Let’s grab a slice of pizza and see if our heroes in a half-shell bode well in the 2010s! The episode starts off with all the turtles and Master Splinter celebrating 15 years since their mutations happened. Leonardo suggests celebrating 15 years by heading up to the surface but Master Splinter says they lack the wisdom and maturity to go up there (I’m getting Korra flashbacks now). After a few begging and pleading, Splinter lets them go up there for the night. The Turtles go up to New York City and explore what there is to do around there. After Raphael scares off a pizza delivery boy, they come across a box of pizza and they get introduced to their signature food. After they do a lot of exploring, they head back to the sewers but before that, Donatello sees and falls in love with a girl named April O’Neill. Seeing she and her father are both taken away by a group of men in suits, the Turtles fight them off. Michelangelo defeats one of them but the man turns out to be a cyborg with a brain that attacks him. He tries to tell the rest of them but just about as he’s about to show them, it disappears. Back in the sewers, Master Splinter scolds the four for not using their powers responsibly and tells them they have to wait another year to return to the surface. After Donatello tells him about what happened with April and her father, he changes his mind and tells them to save her as a team, with Leonardo being their leader. Back in NYC, the Turtles find the logo to the van that kidnapped the O’Neills and find the kidnapper. He escapes in the van but Leonardo uses a shuriken to pop one of his tires. They approach the van when they notice a familiar thermos pop out of it. Could it be the one containing their mother? I dunno, I’m asking you guys. This was the end of the first part and I don’t really feel like watching the second part. Well, if I had any doubts about this series, they’re long gone now! While I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch every episode, it has a lot of the qualities I liked about the other two. Most of my enjoyment really comes from the banter all the characters have with each other. Michelangelo definitely has a lot of my favorite moments in the episode, some of which are the part where he gets his mind blown by the sign to a fortune teller shop, him thinking they’re gonna steal a van, and the part where he plays a guessing game while all the Turtles are waiting for the guy to show up. There’s plenty of cool action in the show to balance it out, much like Teen Titans does. So yeah, if you’re a Ninja Turtles fan, I’d probably recommend it. VERDICT: 8/10 (This is definitely—a pretty decent adaption to a franchise!) RANKINGS: Welp, we're getting pretty close to ending off the 2010s and the first half of our list. Let's consult the will of the wheel and see whether or not our trek into the 2010s continues!

no coconut milk? for shame... as for actual milk, i have one very ultra-specific favorite vanilla milk in mind they have not made in almost 20 goddamn years that I miss dearly and wish they'd make again...

Last time on this thread, we talked about one of Nick’s biggest shows and one of the longest running Nicktoons that’s still running to this very day. The same can’t be said about this show though! #37. “Monster’s Great Escape” – Robot and Monster [August 4, 2012] Folks, sometimes you come across a one-season Nicktoon that’s so great, unique, and amazing that you have to wonder what the executives were thinking canning it so early. “Robot and Monster” is not one of those shows, however. This is the kind of Nicktoon that was made to be canned. And indeed, that was the case, as it only lasted for four months in 2012 with four unaired episodes and Nick stopped rerunning it in 2014! Then it stopped airing forever! Jeez, that’s a lot of fours I said right there…anyways, the idea of this show revolves around, you guessed it, a human and vampire working at a blinking lights factory and they’re also best friends too. So it’s almost like Fanboy and Chum Chum, only with a saner character. With that description in mind, you can imagine I won’t have fun looking at this but we shall do it anyways! The episode starts out with Robot playing a prank (Sound familiar to another character Curtis Armstrong voiced, folks?) on his boss, Gart. Only problem is Monster fucks up and tells Gart they put glue on his controls because he doesn’t know how pranks work. Robot tells of when he pranked Monster back in school by placing a whoopee cushion on his seat, but this upsets him and he starts getting paranoid that he’ll be pranked next. When Robot asks why this is a big deal, Monster explained that the incident ruined his dream of becoming an escape artist through a long, convoluted line of logic. Robot teaches Monster on how to become an escape artist in different ways, his final trick being one where he must escape dangling above a pool of venomous sharks in under 30 seconds. Robot lights the rope and sits down…only to hear a whoopee cushion sound from his seat. Turns out this was all a set-up for Monster’s prank! Then Monster falls into the pool of sharks and gets his deserved just desserts. Well, I went into this show with low expectations at first and after my rewatch, it’s refreshing to see my opinion is still justified! There’s not much you can really get out of this show that you can’t get from better buddy cartoons. And while I do like Robot, I could definitely do without Monster and his sleep paralysis demon looking ass. Yet another unremarkable cartoon from this decade but on the bright side, it doesn’t look like any other future show we cover from that decade will be godawful. We’ll see. VERDICT: 4.5/10 (This is definitely a show!) RANKINGS: Well, that was a show. Save me, San Francisco Wheel Decide!

Part 3: The Drake Part Tea decides to contribute to the plot by searching on Google for Kanye’s whereabouts. They learn he’s holed up at an asylum on his private island: Yeezus Kingdom. Conveniently, Kanye left them a cruise ticket to his humbled abode inside the package, as his arrogance is hungry for the challenge. Yuno is eager to get Rap Critic’s soul back. They pack their things and head to the boat’s location. One of Kanye’s minions is waiting for them, who escorts them on board. They are then greeted by Drake, much to their disappointment as they were hoping for someone else. He claims he was “invited" by Kanye to collaborate on their next album, though they sense something isn’t right. Joey whispers they better hide any kids on the boat, and Tea is concerned he might be checking her out. Drake congratulates Yuno on defeating Anthony Fantano with Tupacia. He’s always wanted to see the legendary cards up close. Yuno, none the wiser, shows him the cards and Drake looks impressed. He then walks to a railing, and the group panics, realizing what that crazy asshole is about to do. “SAY GOODBYE TO TUPACIA!” Drake yelled in a nasally voice, as the five cards go flying overboard into the sea, thus taking away Yuno’s trump cards. Joey calls him one of the dumbest motherfuckers who ever lived because a real talented duelist would’ve, y’know, kept the cards that auto win the game. Hell, Tristan says even he wouldn’t be stupid enough to do that. Drake is infuriated so he challenges Yuno to a duel when they reach Yeezus Kingdom. Drake disses him by saying he has no talent and only got lucky due to Tupacia. Yuno accepts, saying he can defeat him without Tupacia. The boat docks at the island, and they chase Drake into a forest. Drake then pulls out his own Millennium item: The Millennium Headphones, which lets him drown out the world and any insults thrown at his fragile ego. He activates the Headphones and a shadowy mist covers the area, turning the forest freaky. Drake reveals that to add stakes to this game, whoever loses the duel…loses their soul (!). Tea jokes that she didn’t think Drake still had a soul. Tristan warns to Yuno, “If you lose the duel, you lose your soul!” just so he really knows the stakes here. He really looks out for his friend. The duel begins with Drake playing his Killer Nokia and Hotline Beetle bug monsters. Drake reveals another twist in that due to the forest setting, his bugs receive a defense boost. Yuno fights valiantly, but not knowing all of the bullshit boosts puts him at a disadvantage. However, he uses Drake’s overconfidence against him, luring him into a trap with Swag Force Mirror that destroys all of his insect monsters on the field. Drake’s life points are taken down to 555. When Drake places the Cocoon of Evolution on the field, though, it's only a matter of time before whatever's lurking inside hatches. It makes nasty noises that sound like Drake trying to flirt. Knowing he has to destroy Drake’s cocoon before the creature inside can hatch and wipe him out, Yuno uses a Fire Land card to wipe out the forest surroundings, allowing Jackie Chan the Fierce Knight to destroy the cocoon. However, the Certified Freak Mottho, while not as strong as it would be, had evolved enough to hatch. Its power puts Yuno at a severe disadvantage thanks to its poison. Yuno activates Polymerization from his hand to fuse Curse of the Rapper with Jackie Chan and fusion summon Jackie Chan the Rapping Champion in Attack Position. But even Jackie Chan the Rapping Champion isn't enough to stop the Mottho. Tristan reminds Yuno yet again that if he loses the duel, he loss his soul. Yuno thanks him for the astute observation. Yuno is able to turn the match around with the spell card Celsius the Magical Mist and Summoned Subaru, which electrocutes the Mottho and wins him the game. Yami Yuno finishes his verse by scolding Drake that he won his duels by lying, creeping and cheating, but a true champion plays with honor. Drake suffers a worse panic attack than the one he had when Not Like Us first dropped. His Millennium Headphones act freaky and he screams out in horrifying agony, being consumed by the shadows. Drake’s soul (what little he had left anyways) is taken away and all that’s left behind is a card with his face on it. Yuno picks up the Millennium Headphones, keeping it safe in his backpack. Three down, four to go. They’re one step closer to saving his best friend, Rap Critic, much to Joey’s annoyance. As for Drake’s soul card, it was left there with nobody giving a damn. “Yuno…if you lose the duel…you lose your soul!” Tristan reminded one last time despite the duel being over. Oh Tristan. The group makes their way deeper into the island. As for the Tupacia cards, those remain lost at sea and will never be recovered.

Habeas corpus Our absorbent attorney SpongeBob SquarePants, Attorney at Law Episode 2: Dexter's Meth Lab (Dexter crawls into his house, the sounds of sirens behind him and a bloodstain on his white lab coat gradually getting larger.) Dexter: Must...get...to...laboratory. (Dexter enters him room and struggles to his feet, sifting through books in his bookcase until he finds the right one and pulls it, revealing the entrance to his laboratory behind the bookcase. Once he's in his lab, he sees a large red button in the distance.) Dexter: I know what that button does! (Dexter uses the last of his strength to get to the button, but just as he's about to press it, he collapses. Moments later, SWAT agents fall into the lab and surround him as Baby Blue by Badfinger plays. When Dexter finally wakes up, he's in a hospital bed.) Dexter: I'm...alive? (At the law firm of Finster, Finster & Pickles, Chas Finster, Kira Watanabe-Finster, and Stu Pickles are reading about their newest case.) Kira: I'm fucking sick of these boy geniuses! Remember when we had to defend Jimmy Neutron for selling all those weapons to Saudi Arabia? I want nothing to do with this one! Chas: Yeah, it does look like a tough one. Stu: I know! Why don't we assign SpongeBob to it? Kira: Are you crazy? Chas: He did good on the Eds case, but this is a different animal entirely! Stu: C'mon, we need to show that we trust him so he doesn't leave for the first big firm that offers him! Chas: This could destroy our business...or it could help us reach heights we've never dreamed of. Kira: I'll let you boys discuss this. Just keep me as far away from it as possible. (Later that day, SpongeBob enters the local police station.) SpongeBob: I'd like to talk to my newest client, Dexter! Receptionist: Do you have your credentials? SpongeBob: Right here, ma'am! (SpongeBob hands something to the receptionist.) Receptionist: This is a coupon for a free Triple Gooberberry Sunrise at Goofer Goober's...that expired three years ago. SpongeBob: Is that...not what you wanted? Receptionist: I don't get paid enough for this. (The receptionist's phone rings, and she picks it up.) Receptionist: Uh huh. Uh huh. (hangs up) Okay, your client's currently in the interrogation room. It's right around the corner. SpongeBob: Thanks! (SpongeBob leaves, and the receptionist shakes her head.) Receptionist: Wouldn't want him to be my lawyer. (SpongeBob walks into the interrogation room, where Dexter and Detective Arnold are waiting for him.) Arnold: You're the attorney, right? Hey, there. I'm Arnold. SpongeBob: Ooh, like the robot from the movies? (changes voice) Come with me if you want to live! Dexter: That's the worst accent I've ever heard! Arnold: Where's your accent from, by the way? Dexter: What accent? Arnold: Are you from Germany? Russia? SpongeBob: You can answer that. Dexter: I...I'm from here. Right down the street. Arnold: (writes in notebook) Interesting. So, what should I call you? Dexter: Dexter. Arnold: Do you have a last name? SpongeBob: Don't answer that. Arnold: Fine, let's shift gears. Do you recognize this? (Arnold throws a bag of a blue substance onto the table between him and the others.) SpongeBob: Ooh, what is that? It looks tasty! Arnold: That, my friend, is Blue Heaven, the purest meth ever to hit the streets. Not only did we find this in your laboratory, but we found equipment that we can already confirm was used to manufacture this. (Arnold throws pictures taken in Dexter's laboratory on the table.) SpongeBob: Can you prove that this laboratory or any of the stuff in there belonged to my client? Arnold: The DNA results are still pending, but I'm sure we will. Dexter: (crosses arms) I don't know about any of that. Arnold: The meth and the equipment aren't the only things we found in your lab. We also found the bodies of several unidentified men... (Arnold throws pictures of multiple dead bodies on the table.) Arnold: ...and the body of a girl we've already identified as your sister, Dee Dee. Dexter: (starts to cry) I told her to stay out of my fucking laboratory. SpongeBob: (laughs nervously) My client has no idea what he's talking about! He's uh...he's high! On that Blue Heaven you were talking about! So nothing he just said can be put on the record! (Arnold finishes writing in his notebook.) Arnold: All of this is going on the record. That's enough for today. Nice meeting the two of you. (Arnold leaves the room.) SpongeBob: I think that went well! (Later, SpongeBob and Dexter are in the courtroom.) SpongeBob: I wonder who the prosecutor for this case will be! Dexter: Do you always wonder aloud like that? (Jack, a samurai-turned-lawyer, walks in wearing a suit and holding a large briefcase.) Dexter: We're doomed! Jack is the best attorney out there! He's never lost a case! SpongeBob: Well, he's never gone up against me! Dexter: Haven't you only gone up against one other lawyer? SpongeBob: (looks both ways) Maybe. Judge Leghorn: The court, I say, the court is now in session! Jack: Thanks, your honor. Today, we're going to learn about a boy, a boy who seems to be an ordinary boy but is actually a ruthless drug kingpin. Working out of a laboratory in his parents' basement, he's cooked up something that has ruined lives, destabilized families, and led hundreds, if not thousands, to untimely deaths. You'll understand in short order why Dexter can never be a free man again. SpongeBob: Oh, is it my turn? (clears throat) Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Dexter is innocent of all charges. This other lawyer, while he talks real good, isn't talking much truth. I'm calling him a liar, a big, fat liar. And a meanie, too! Jack: I am not a meanie! SpongeBob: Are too! Judge Leghorn: (bangs gavel) Enough with that there name calling! Let's get this thing started! Jack: I would like to call my first witness to the stand...Dad. (Dad comes onto the stand.) Jack: Now, Dad, what's your son's name? Dad: Timmy Turner. Jack: Goddamn it! We got the wrong Dad! (Five minutes later) Jack: Now, Dad, what's your son's name? Dad: Dexter. Jack: (sighs with relief) So, are you aware of what your son was allegedly doing in your basement? Dad: Yes, I'm aware, and I think your allegations are insane! Don't you think I would know if my kid were running a meth lab right under me? Jack: Dad...are you afraid of Dexter? Dad: (laughs) Why would I be afraid of him? Jack: Do you happen to recall this? (Jack plays the below video on a large screen mounted to the courtroom's wall.) Dad: (sweating) I...uh...I tried to punish Dexter for being out late one night, and he didn't like that very much...but he did eventually feed me! (Dad turns to Dexter with a friendly smile, who then responds with a disapproving shake of his head.) Jack: No further questions, your honor. (Jack calls Mom to the stand next.) Jack: Mom, what's your son's name? Mom: Dexter. Jack: Thank God. Now, Mom, did you have any suspicions at all about your son's alleged secret life? Mom: No, none at all. He's in his room a lot, but I just assumed he was doing what every other boy does. You know, reading comics books, playing video games, certainly not what he's being accused of. Jack: You've never noticed any changes to his behavior? Mom: He's a growing boy. Not too far from puberty. Of course there have been some changes, but nothing that would lead me to believe he would hurt anyone. Jack: Why are you wearing those rubber gloves? Mom: A few years ago, I started smelling something strange in the house, and no matter how much I scrubbed, the smell would never go away. So, I wear these all the time now, just as a precaution. Jack: Is it possible that the smell had come from the production of methamphetamine in your basement? (Mom's eyes widen as she thinks about what Jack said.) Jack: Remember that you swore on a Bible (pulls out a Bible) to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Mom: I guess...anything is possible. (Dexter sighs in despair.) SpongeBob: Your own mom. That's rough. Dexter: Let me testify. SpongeBob: You sure? Dexter: (nods) It seems that nobody can save me but myself at this point. (Jack paces back and forth with Dexter on the stand.) Jack: Why did you choose to testify? Dexter: So that I can clear my name. Jack: Do you really expect one person in this jury to think you're innocent at this point? Dexter: I expect all of them to do, because I am. Jack: Do you think we're a bunch of morons? SpongeBob: Objection! Now he's name calling! Judge Leghorn: Sustained. Don't you be suggesting I'm a moron, now. Jack: Let me rephrase. As somebody who has never struggled in school, who has an IQ on par with some of the smartest people in the world, do you believe that you deserve things people who aren't morons but also aren't geniuses like you don't? Dexter: No. I've never felt my intellect made me better than anyone. All I've ever wanted to be is normal. Jack: Final question: what happened to your sister? Dexter: (pauses) I plead the fifth. Jack: Are you saying that you would like to exercise your Fifth Amendment right not to implicate yourself? Dexter: (looks down) Yes. (Murmurs are heard throughout the jury.) Jack: No further questions. Judge Leghorn: Court will now adjourn for a recess. SpongeBob: Yay! (Dexter walks back to SpongeBob sadly.) SpongeBob: Want to hit the seesaw? Dexter: No, I don't want to hit the seesaw! I'm about to go to prison for the rest of my life! SpongeBob: (bats eyelashes) Please? Dexter: (groans) Fine. (As Dexter and SpongeBob go up and down on the seesaw, Dexter thinks.) Dexter: SpongeBob, do you think you can relay a message to an associate of mine? SpongeBob: Sure! Who is it? Dexter: His name's Aku. I think he would love an opportunity to give Jack his first loss, and I know exactly how we can make it happen. SpongeBob: And how do I find this Aku? Dexter: Well, he's a demon, so you have to summon him. I'll tell you the words to say, but make sure you say them exactly how I do. If you say them wrong, you'll summon the Red Guy instead, and that guy's annoying as shit. SpongeBob: You can count on me! (After the recess ends, SpongeBob and Jack give their closing remarks.) Jack: ...and that is why you must convict our defendant and keep him and his Blue Heaven off our streets. SpongeBob: Friends, jurors, countrymen, lend me your ears. My client is guilty of nothing other than being smart and loving science in a world that hates smart people and rejects science. But despite this, he never lost faith in this world. He never wanted anything other than to make it better, which is why he built a laboratory, not a laboratory to cook meth in, but to cook up the coolest inventions I've ever seen! (SpongeBob pulls out a fidget spinner.) SpongeBob: Like this! Jack says Dexter is a monster, but what kind of monster would create something this incredible? If you send Dexter to prison, we won't be losing any drugs, but we will be losing this brilliant, amazing boy and all of the brilliant, amazing things floating around in his head. The decision lies with you, jury. Make the right one. Judge Leghorn: Begin, I say, begin your deliberations. (The jurors go into another room and spend less than an hour in it before returning. SpongeBob shakes and Jack stands confidently as they prepare to give their verdict.) Juror: The jurors find Dexter...not guilty! SpongeBob: I did it! I won again! My speech worked! Dexter: (whispers) I think Aku threatening all of the jurors' families had a bigger effect. SpongeBob: No, it was definitely my speech! (SpongeBob and Dexter leave the courthouse together as Jack remains inside, speechless.) SpongeBob: So, now that this all over, mind telling me what happened to your sister? Dexter: (sighs) My biggest rival in this business, Mandark, found out where my lab was, and he sent henchmen there to ambush me. Unfortunately, I wasn't the first person to encounter them. Dee Dee was, and by the time I caught up with them...it was too late. SpongeBob: Gee, I'm sorry. Dexter: I killed the henchmen, and I left immediately to do the same to Mandark. (feels patched-up wound) He got me good, but I did him one better, and right as I was about to put the final bullet in him, he revealed that he alerted the authorities to the location of my lab...the fucking rat. SpongeBob: That's how they found you there. Dexter: Yeah. (SpongeBob and Dexter keep walking until they're at the door to Dexter's house.) SpongeBob: You think I did a good job? Dexter: No. SpongeBob: Why? Dexter: I gave you one job: to not fuck up the summon... (Dexter opens his door to reveal the Red Guy inside his house.) Red Guy: What's up, bitches? Dexter: And now I have to look at his bare ass for the rest of the day. SpongeBob: I got it right the second time, though! Dexter: (sighs) Yeah, I guess. If you ever need anything from me, call me, beep me, you know how it goes. (Dexter slams the door in SpongeBob's face.) SpongeBob: Another job well done! (The End)

Last time on this thread, we talked a spinoff based off of one of Nick’s biggest franchises. Today, we’ll be talking about another one of their biggest cash cows……and one that’s still going on to this very day…. #44. “Left in the Dark” – The Loud House [May 2, 2016] Happy new year, everyone! Did you guys also go out, get drunk, and party? Yeah, me neither. Anyways, we’re covering quite a big show on this list. As you know, Nickelodeon has had an annoying habit of treating their non-SpongeBob cartoons badly. Whether it be a tax write-off, lack of promotion, or move to Nicktoons Network, plenty of shows on this list got canned after a year or two (if lucky) so it’s quite the surprise this one would co-rule the network! So why this one? Well, let’s get into it. First, I should mention that I have a very faint memory of liking this show around the time it premiered. I was one of those naïve people who believed that this show could really save Nickelodeon, which…..yeah, really great job it’s doing so far….but we finally have a second long-runner so great, I guess? Honestly, if you need a good analogy of my opinion on this, it mirrors that of my opinion on Rick and Morty, another long-running cartoon. I liked it around the time it was conceived but I slowly gave up on it sometime later. In fact, both shows have problematic creators so it was hard for me to support both shows any further. So with all that said, let’s take a look at this show’s first episode and see how well it aged for me! The episode starts off with a clip from Lincoln’s favorite show, Hunter Spector: Spectre Hunter. Lincoln wants to watch it but all his sisters fight over the remote around the time it comes on. He manages to distract all his sisters in many different ways, all except for Lucy (the goth girl) who wants to watch her favorite show. Lincoln tells her that she can watch her show on their old black-and-white TV, but when he plugs it in, the power goes out and all the sisters blame Lincoln for it. When Luanne (the sister who tells lame jokes) eats one of Lisa (the smart girl)’s cookies, she starts glowing and they use her as a light when they go down to the basement and fix the circuit breaker. Unfortunately, her light suddenly runs out and it’s too dark for any of them to want to go down there. Lincoln takes charge and uses Luanne’s night vision camera to see through the dark. They turn the power back on and Lincoln is ready to see his favorite show……only to find out he missed it. The sisters then sympathize with him and tell them at least he lived the show and the episode ends with Lincoln explaining that having fun with your sisters can be better than watching TV by yourself. So unfortunately, this wasn’t really the show that would save Nickelodeon and after reviewing those two really great Nicktoons, The Loud House does feel like a step down for me. Do I think it’s the worst? Of course not! I just don’t think its humor really appeals to me right now like it has back then. I must have watched a funnier episode as my first because the ones in this episode just weren’t landing. Luanne’s lame jokes and Lily, who’s only purpose is poop jokes, didn’t really help matters either. The joke with Lincoln fighting the ghost and it turns out to be a laundry basket was the closest to a laugh this episode gave me. Another issue I have with this show is the amount of characters in its main ensemble. It’s a unique concept but I won’t lie when I say it was exhausting for me to keep up with all the characters and who they are. I like me some dysfunctional family sitcoms but I’d probably rather watch “The Goldbergs” or “Malcolm in the Middle” instead. VERDICT: 5.5/10 (This is definitely a show!) RANKINGS: Alright, now it's time to see which Nicktoon's next on my list...

Part 2: The Mic is Thrown After defeating Anthony Fantano, life returns to normal for Yuno and friends. Joey wants to learn how to play Rap Monsters properly after a loss to Tea, vowing to train under Rap Critic. Tristan continues to be vitally important to the plot, doing his thing. Rap Critic is proud of Yuno for his victory and honored that his teachings paid off. He says he almost views Yuno as his own grandson, wink. Rap Critic says as the mentor, it’s finally time he told Yuno the obligatory backstory and what he’s been training him for. Rap Critic reveals that a secret powerful society of men have been controlling rap, bringing upon the plagues of mumble rap, Swedish song writers and more that has hurt the art for the past few years. The society stole the remaining Millennium items and want to use all seven’s powers for a sinister purpose. However, Rap Critic was able to secure two of them from their clutches: the first being the Millennium Juul which he gifted to Yuno, and the Millennium Album, which he keeps locked away inside his shop. He says Yuno is the one destined to defeat this group and save rap by believing in the heart of the lyrics (and his cards). Yuno is ready to take on whoever else comes his way and thinks he’ll cook them even faster than they did Fantano. However, Rap Critic tells him to hold his horses because they still have training to do if he wants to defeat the group. Yuno mixes together his personal deck and Rap Critic’s. At the asylum, Kanye West is revealed to be the ringleader of the society that Rap Critic speak of: The Society of Ye. He’s dressed up the place with creepy Illuminati themed digs. Once a brilliant respected rapper, he suffered a serious mental break due to the loss of his wife, causing him to turn to the dark arts and repulsive world views. His quest lead him to Egypt, where he discovered ancient tablets depicting the Shadow Rap Games and Millennium items. Inspired by the tablets and to make himself relevant again, Kanye created Rap Monsters from the tablets! Yep, we’re getting all the lore out of the way now. Upon learning Yuno has the Millennium Juul, his curiosity shoots up harder than his dosage of medication. Kanye says he’ll let Yuno finish, but he has one of the best mic drops of all time ready… A package for Yuno is delivered to Rap Critic’s record store; I guess the Society of Ye controls the postal service too. Everyone is shocked to see it’s from Kanye West himself, who they know as that once famous rapper who kinda went crazy and created Rap Monsters. Yuno credits Kanye for his career and wonders if he’s congratulating him. Inside the package contains a disc and he puts it into the television, where he is stunned to find Kanye challenging him to a duel in real-time! The Kanye on the tape reveals he also possesses a Millennium Item—the Millennium Microphone—and, using its powers, freezes time and draws Yuno through the tape into the Shadow Realm where the monsters are as real as they are. Scary shit, man. Kanye challenges Yuno to a duel to test his skills. They'll play for fifteen minutes, and whoever has more Life Points at the end will win. However, the Microphone allows Kanye to read Yuno’s mind, look through his voice, and thus counter every strategy he has. Kanye then reveals to Yuno that Rap Monsters isn't actually his game and he merely sampled it. It existed in Ancient Egypt long ago, where deadly Shadow Rap Games were played until a Pharaoh sealed them away with the Millennium Items. And if you read the exposition in episode 1 then that ain’t new. He adds that there is magic inside the Juul that would change Yuno’s life if he knew how to harness it. Kanye simply throws down a card face-down, then tells Yuno he won't win with the Dragon card he's holding, shocking Yuno, as he is indeed holding the Cheeseburger Deluxe Dragon card. Kanye claims to be able to know every move Yuno will make before he does, and proves it by playing Dragon Capture Jar to steal Yuno’s Cheeseburger Deluxe Dragon. Kanye plays the Dragon Rapper to brainwash the Cheeseburger Deluxe Dragon and use it against Yuno, delivering his own lyrics back at him and taking away a good chunk of his life points. Yuno’s heartbroken his idol would do this to him and is struggling on how to counter this. He prepares to play Indiana Jones, until he realizes that Kanye is using the Millennium Microphone to read his cards. He decides to play a card without looking at it, figuring that if he doesn't know what it is, neither will Kanye. He pulls a card from his deck and places it on the field. Kanye, expecting Indiana Jones, placed the trap card Gold Digger, but Yuno reveals his card to be Dank Magician, nulling the effect. It attacks and destroys Cheeseburger Deluxe Dragon, making Yuno take the lead. Kanye credits the clever move, but brags it won't be enough to defeat his genius. After more moves, Kanye summons the Dark Fantasy Mage and entrances the Dank Magician with the Freestyle of Illusion. Just as Yuno is about to strike back with the Summoned Subaru, unfortunately it’s too late because the timer runs out. He loses by default, which is some bullshit tbh. As punishment, Kanye takes Rap Critic’s soul away. He brags that Yuno will have to come to him in order to save him…but not without facing his minions along the way! Yuno wakes up back in the real world and clutches the television as Rap Critic’s soul fades from view. He shouts out “Oh my god!” one last time before disappearing. Everyone cries. Yuno yells “IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME, NOT HIM! IT’S NOT FAIR!” in an award worthy performance and vows to get his best friend back. Before you question “isn’t Joey his best friend,” how about both. Back at the asylum, Kanye tasks the rest of his henchmen to defeat Yuno and his friends. He sends Drake up first, who utilizes a disturbing freaky deck…of bugs. Hopefully just bugs.

Happy 2026! It looks like I'm starting the new year by finally ending a long-time project of mine... Well, it's been quite the ride. After talking about 57 different shows to come out of Cartoon Network, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. There may have been a few downs in this thread, but there were way more ups, and that's what I'm going to be celebrating today. To close out this thread (and as a birthday gift to myself), I'm going to revisit my ten favorite shows that I've talked about over the past seven years. These are very the kinds of cartoons that made me want to do this thread in the first place, and whether I've known them since childhood or only got around to them recently, each one of them holds a special place in my heart. So let's quit dawdling and go out on a high note! Here's the ACTUAL best of what "the best place for cartoons" can deliver! DMAN's top 10 BEST Cartoon Network originals And...for real this time...that's everything! I want to say thanks to everyone who joined me for this entire thread, even with the years-long gap inbetween. It's been one heck of a ride, but now with it looking like my life is finally about to get back on track, it's the perfect time for these talk-abouts to come to an end. I've talked about some of the best things I've ever seen, some of the worst, and even discovered a few hidden gems. Even in its more milquetoast moments, writing for this project has been a ton of fun. I don't know if I'll ever do something like this again in the future, but if I do you can bet it'll be right here on SBC. Alright, I think that's all I have to say. Good night, and check ya later. Thank you for sticking with us for all these years. Up next, King of the Hill! THE FULL RANKING:

The final bev. We really didn't need the wheel anymore, I just wanted to be funny. We started with Fanta, and now we're ending with Fanta, quite fitting. This represents Fanta's Fourth attempt at an apple flavor, the other three being Apple, which didn't survive the Rebrand, Green Apple (which was a personal favorite of mine) that also didn't survive the rebrand, and Spiced Apple, which was released in 2024 to promote Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. So How is it? Well, it's an Apple Fanta, that's for sure, but not as in-your-face as my vague memory of the old US Counterpart was. a Trend with Japanese Fanta is that it's rather smooth, nice tasting and a great value for the money. - like the soda equivalent to a nice Cruise, of course, as it is a trend with the other two, yes, it is a repeat buy. Would I Recommend? - It's a Japanese Fanta review, what do you expect me to say here? Of course I recommend you try it, especially if you are a fan of one of the other 3 Apple Fantas that are now discontinued. Would I buy if it got a US Counterpart? - We had our chance for years, but because It was a poor seller, it did get the boot, that being said, if Coke ever explored the idea of bringing back Apple Fanta, please use this formula, and also give it a Zero Sugar Counterpart. Thanks for stoppin' by, this concludes this series (...for now)

Playing a rapping card game has somehow left me severely injured