Perry White
04-23-2002, 05:03 AM
Update (05/03/02): Yet another review added.
Update (05/01/02): Added another review.
Update (04/25/02): Added two more reviews.
Kids' WB has provided Toon Zone with an advance copy of the upcoming Static Shock episode "Jimmy". It looks to be this season's "socially responsible" episode, akin to last season's "Sons of the Fathers". Here is how Kids' WB describes "Jimmy":
In this special episode, Virgil and Richie befriend shy classmate Jimmy Osgood, who unfortunately has become the target of the school's bully. After his laptop is destroyed, he is stuffed into a school locker and then humiliated in front of his friends. Jimmy believes there is only one way to stand up to the bullies... by bringing a gun to school. As Virgil recounts that fateful day, he must come to terms with his pain and anger over a moment the forever changed his life and the people he most cares about...
http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock5.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock5.jpg) http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock6.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock6.jpg) http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock7.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock7.jpg) http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock8.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock8.jpg)
Here's what Static Shock story editor and series developer Chris Simmons had to say about this highly anticipated episode:
First off, "Jimmy" is our "issue" episode, in this case, guns in schools. Jimmy is a loner kid who's being harassed by BMOC types. Virgil and Richie try to help him with the bullies, as well as try to get Jimmy to emerge from his shell. But things spiral out of their control, leaving Jimmy to feel that he has no other choice but to solve his troubles with a gun. The episode makes great points about how important it is to look for warning signs in situations of this nature, as well as bring home the point that it's important to seek out help in the form of teachers, parents and guidance conseulors as early as possible. It may be heavier than the average Static episode, but the messages it delivers makes it a home run, nevertheless.
Here's a video clip from the episode, in both RealVideo (http://www.real.com) and DivX (http://www.divx.com) formats. Please download the file to your hard drive by clicking on the link with your right mouse button and choosing "save".
<a href="http://news.toonzone.net/staticshock/jimmy/jimmy.rm">Real Video</a>
<a href="http://news.toonzone.net/staticshock/jimmy/jimmy.avi">DivX-encoded AVI</a>
Several Toon Zone crew members have seen "Jimmy", and we'd like to share their thoughts with you. First, let's hear from AniTainment Board moderator "Failure":
Let me start out by saying I'm a fan of Static Shock. I've liked it from the beginning. I’ve liked the lighter episodes and I've especially liked their "issues" episodes. Last year's "Sons of the Fathers" was one of the best takes on racism that I have seen on TV, and probably the best take ever by something that's considered a "kids" show. Clear enough to convey the message effectively, but subtle enough to keep it from seeming like a mandated community service project.
That said, "Jimmy" blows "SotF" away (Well, maybe not blows it away... hyperbole people!). The seriousness and the intensity of the episode is hinted at from the beginning by Static’s restrained conversation (kudos to Phil Lamarr for showing such great emotional range thoughout the ep) with a school psychologist reminiscing about Richie getting ambulanced away. I don’t want to give too much detail away, but in a nutshell, it’s a story about a troubled kid and his tormentors. While the basic plot may be cliché, the sincerity of the presentation makes it captivating. And captivating it sure is. It reels you in and never lets go for a second. The pacing of this episode, at least until the ending, is terrific. The intensity just keeps picking up, minute by minute, stage by stage. By the time Jimmy goes off, I had goosebumps and a chill down my spine. With the whole "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" hubbub from 2 years back, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Static Shock’s creative team took the easy way out, but it’s a credit to the creative team that they were willing to risk the censor’s wrath in trying to get their point across. While there’s no blood and no death, the climax was nevertheless still powerful.
At this point, I guess I should let my inner fanboy come out and air out my qualms about the ep. First, I thought that the ending was a bit rushed. They could have filled the time out a little better, instead they ended the show with a Public Service Announcement. Which brings me to my second nit-pick. I’m not a big fan of PSA’s. I like it when a show is willing to respect an audience’s intelligence and allows them to make their own conclusions. The subtlety is what I liked so much about "SotF". However, in the grand scheme of things, I guess I should keep in mind that this is a "kids" show. PSA notwithstanding, "Jimmy" is an unmitigated success, as an episode and as a message.
Next up is Adult Swim board moderator, Joe Tully:
I've never really been particularly fond of the villains on Static Shock. They've seemed a bit two-dimensional and corny, to be honest. Fortunately, this episode is much more down-to-earth, and only features a minor appearance by a super-villain at the beginning.
The plot revolves mostly around bullying, a typical aspect of life in school. Although this is something that is very ordinary, it's presented with a sense of emotion that draws you in to the characters, making you feel sympathetic for them, which is something rare among Saturday morning cartoons. Adding to this is a strong sense of suspense. This episode is presented with the near-ending of the story first, showing us Richie on a stretcher being wheeled into an ambulance. After this, we get the rest in flashbacks. While we know the general direction in which the story is headed, and can easily spot the clues along the way to get a general idea of what will happen in the story, we don't get the details of how it happens until the flashbacks come full circle. The feeling of suspense over exactly what is going to happen, and whether Richie is the only one harmed in the incident, keeps you interested throughout the story.
While the story does have a moral, it manages to provide it without being preachy or condescending, other than the very brief announcement at the end, which I half-expected to end with "And knowing is half the battle." I also felt that the aforementioned appearance of the super-villain was unnecessary and slightly detracted from the sense of realism of the overall story. It seemed to be there just to appease the viewers who feel like there has to be a hero vs. villain fight in every episode. It had no explained beginning, as we join the fight halfway through it, and no sufficient end, as we see Static leave the villain temporarily incapacitated but conscious, with no police in sight, easily able to come after Static another day. Still, besides these very minor points, it was a good story that I would recommend to anyone, regardless of whether they are a fan of the show or have never seen it. I give the story an A-.
And now, the episode's lone detractor, Warner Bros. Club moderator Craig Marinaro. Be warned that there are some spoilers in this review, but the major ones have been placed in an easily-skipped over spoiler box.
When I was presented with this episode to review, my curiosity was piqued. Who was "Jimmy"? What did he want? Where did he come from, and where will he go? In the next twenty minutes and change, all of these questions and more were answered, as I watched the shocking, unbelievable, must-see-it-to-believe-it events that were to unfold before my eyes. I’ll spoil these events for you below.
Jimmy is a man with a gun. Not a cool man with a gun, like Peter Gunn, or even Maverick. No…he’s a twerpy little computer addict, whose turn-ons include lava lamps, keeping a computer diary, and playing with firearms. To be fair to the makers of the show, the commentary on it "always being the quiet one" is well-intentioned. But, as usual with this series, subtlety isn’t the strong point, and too much of it comes across as overstatement. The melodrama is heaped on in buckets — from the pretentious storytelling method (having the whole thing be a flashback as Virgil talks to a psychologist) to the music (intense General Hospital music inexplicably replacing the traditional hip-hop soundtrack in the scenes where we’re supposed to be on the edges of our seats). Lines of dialogue like, "It hurts much more than it looks like on TV!" seem kinda silly — they’re killing the realism they were apparently striving for there, just by having the characters spouting such inane dialogue while in such intense pain, instead of stating something more feasible, like, "“Owww!" or "[expletive deleted]!"
Actually, the first two acts have very little to do with guns, or violence of any sort. Most of it involves the dorkiest bully in the history of high school (with a bad helmet cut, girly tank top, and disses like "It’ll be enough of a Fright-Fest with Jimmy here! Yuk yuk yuk!") bugging the heck out of Jimmy, and Jimmy developing a crush on a toothpick of a babe named Frieda and trying to impress her by working on a Halloween thing. Virgil’s big dilemma is whether or not to talk to an adult — in the first act about the bully’s abuse of Jimmy, in the second act that Jimmy has access to a gun. I understand the down-to-earth effect they were going for, but it all boils down to two acts of our stalwart hero wondering if he should tell on his peers. It seems sort of a juvenile subject for *any* high school student, let alone a super-powered sewer-cap-manipulating dude like our hero.
The thing that finally pushes Jimmy over the edge is getting chased a bit and shoved in a locker. Then he cries. The General Hospital music plays. Everyone stares wide-eyed. Virgil says, "I didn’t think this scene could get any uglier." Now, really. He’s a superhero who beats up all sorts of twisted freaks who blow stuff up and throw trucks at people, and some kid getting shoved in a locker is supposed to make that much of an impression? Not to seem unsympathetic — it’s not the most fun thing in the world. But crimey, talk about overstating.
The show ends with Static giving a very Power Rangers-esque closing statement about not being afraid to tell on friends who have guns. Apparently, they didn’t think the episode itself was quite explicit enough in its message. As a public service announcement, the show makes some valid points, which perhaps the less-informed in the audience are glad to have learned. As entertainment, though, it’s not good for much more than a laugh or two. It’s way too serious to be anything but funny.
Next, here's what Dr. Belch, a long-time Kids' WB reviewer from the Warner Bros. Club, had to say about "Jimmy" (once again, the major spoilers are placed in a spoiler box.):
The newest episode of Static Shock deals with a very prevalent subject in our society: violence in schools. It hit close to home for me because I've been close to it myself--I was living in Jonesboro in 1997 and attending ASU when the whole ugliness broke out not too far away from our campus, leaving us students filled with anger and paranoia, wondering if that could happen on our campus.
In addition, I have seen two close friends I went to high school with arrested for gunplay--one back in 1994, the other only a week or so past. Their lives absolutely went to hell after graduation. One must wonder what sort of desperation drives someone to throw their futures away on such a mad gambit as to level a gun on someone...or to write a threatening letter to someone...or to stalk an ex-lover. Twisted honor? Clinging to the past? A skewed hope for redemption?
The story of "Jimmy" is told in the form of a flashback as Virgil speaks to a counselor...after we see Richie wheeled out of the Dakota High auditorium on a stretcher. Glossing over the superhero angle of his life a bit (a brief comic-relief sequence of Static vs. metathug Carmen Dillo), Virgil begins the tale of Jimmy Osgood...a quiet, perpetually-taunted computer geek and loner.
A bully--who looks a bit like an evil Wonder Twin--by the name of Nick Connor and two of his idiot buddies relentlessly tease and torture Jimmy. Virgil asks why the teacher ignored such goings-on...and then mentally slaps himself for not calling her attention to it. Maybe if he'd done something, or reached out earlier, Richie wouldn't have been loaded into the back of that ambulance.
Virg and Rich make friends with Jimmy, bringing a gift to his house --a mouse, to replace one Nick broke. Jimmy, admonished by his mother to not frighten away another perspective friend (which sort of gives us a framework of his low self-esteem), takes the guys up to his room, and in the course of jovial conversation, shows them a gun. Virgil understandably has issues and becomes visibly upset, storming out. As he says to the counselor, he should have done the right thing then, and regrets not.
The incident is forgiven, however, and Jimmy, Virgil and Rich are talked into helping decorate the auditorium for a school event. Here Jimmy shines, creating like a man possessed, and finally crawling out of his shell. He even starts to have feelings for Frieda. However, he is shattered when he overhears her tell Nick the feeling isn't mutual, and is then chased relentlessly by the bullies, who wreck his week of hard work and stuff him screaming into a locker.
Unrequited love coupled with victimhood is a dangerous combination...and Virgil soon learns, after reading the data on his his portable laptop screen, that Jimmy plans to somehow set everything right Fearing the worst, he alerts his and Jimmy's dads to the situation...and he is right: the gun is missing from Mr. Osgood's dresser drawer, and the key to the drawer is absent. Presumably the boy has both. Mr. Hawkins tells his son to stay there as he drives off to DHS...but Virgil decides that if he can't be there, then a certain electric hero must.
Jimmy shows up at the school auditorum and draws the gun on Nick in front of dozens of his classmates. Clearly he doesn't want to use it, but he intends to make the worm crawl, and the gun makes him feel high and mighty. Richie convinces him that isn't the answer, and for a second it all looks like it will be okay--until one of Nick's friends tries to wrestle the pistol from Jimmy...and it goes off. Richie crumples to the floor, clutching his leg. Static arrives just a minute too late to prevent this tragedy.
Thankfully Richie isn't seriously injured...but Nick will be suspended, and the boy he tormented will be sent to juvenile hall--not exactly even justice all around, but it could've been a lot worse. At least no one left DHS in a body bag.
The music on the soundtrack of this ep is interesting and even compelling, especially the "run Jimmy, run" number during the maze chase and the tense, evocative rythm that pounds as the gun fires and we see the aftermath in slow-motion...graciously bloodless yet still powerful.
The counselor, who reminds me a bit of the one from my old high school who got me through a lot of hard times, assures Virgil that there was nothing he could've done that probably wouldn't have made the problem worse, that he should be thankful it came out as well as it did rather than be angry or blaming everyone and himself, and offers advice tempered with facts about school violence (the "ten students a day" statistic, if true, is very chilling, driven home even more by the shot of rows of headstones at a cemetery).
Interesting to note Sharon hardly uses her computer mouse--if she were any kind of college student, that thing should be getting a major workout. I wonder what sort of Mickey Mouse courses she takes?
Nice to see Mr. Hawkins recognizes from the signs how troubled Jimmy is--a textbook case, one he's seen all too often at the center. Noble, if sadly too late to save the boy.
The only thing I wasn't sure about was letting our hero break the fourth wall a bit and speak directly to the viewers at home in the last couple of minutes--that felt a bit too Captain Planety to suit me--but that was the only tiny flaw in a very nicely-executed script. There really were no winners in this one, no grand effort to reward good, punish evil, and precious little jokiness or reliance on "freaks of the week". The message was grim, and the victories Phyrric at best.
And finally, Jim "Dick Grayson" Harvey, Adminstrator of the World Finest Boards, presents a quick spoiler free review of the much anticipated episode.
Recently, Saturday morning cartoons have been the breeding ground for mindless cartoons. Thankfully, I can say that Static Shock is not apart of that group. Static Shock has proven to bring a mix of serious issues and great fun, and this hard hitting episode is no exception. Guns are becoming more common place in today's school, and the creative crew behind Static Shock accuratly portray the horrible events that lead up to horrific events of a school shooting. We get the time honored cliche of the popular bully that is unfortunatly too common in today's school. This all leads up to a finale that had me gripping my chair as I watch. This episode pulls all the stops, short of showing a bloody mess (don't worry - this episode is blood free) and the impact is hard hitting.
Static has tackled alot of issues in it's short life. Issues ranging from racism, to dealing with a parent's death, to mental illness, and now to this. The crew handles this fragile topic as carefully as they should. I'n being as vague as I can becuase I do not want to give anything away. The video clip above does provide that sense of foreboding in the episode and also presents Virgil in a situation that is all too common for children across the nation. The feeling and frustration that Virgil goes through is real and accurate, making us able to connect with both Virgil and and the situation presented in the episode. This is the episode to catch. Do not miss arguably one of the best episodes of one of the best Saturday morning cartoons on television today! Highly Recommend!
"Jimmy" is written by Dwayne McDuffie & Alan Burnett and directed by Joe Sichta. It airs Saturday, May 4th at 8:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT.
<font size=+2><b><a href="http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32031">Discuss The Episode Here!</a></b></font size=+2>
Update (05/01/02): Added another review.
Update (04/25/02): Added two more reviews.
Kids' WB has provided Toon Zone with an advance copy of the upcoming Static Shock episode "Jimmy". It looks to be this season's "socially responsible" episode, akin to last season's "Sons of the Fathers". Here is how Kids' WB describes "Jimmy":
In this special episode, Virgil and Richie befriend shy classmate Jimmy Osgood, who unfortunately has become the target of the school's bully. After his laptop is destroyed, he is stuffed into a school locker and then humiliated in front of his friends. Jimmy believes there is only one way to stand up to the bullies... by bringing a gun to school. As Virgil recounts that fateful day, he must come to terms with his pain and anger over a moment the forever changed his life and the people he most cares about...
http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock5.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock5.jpg) http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock6.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock6.jpg) http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock7.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock7.jpg) http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/t-staticshock8.jpg (http://www.toonzone.net/shows/images/kidswb/staticshock8.jpg)
Here's what Static Shock story editor and series developer Chris Simmons had to say about this highly anticipated episode:
First off, "Jimmy" is our "issue" episode, in this case, guns in schools. Jimmy is a loner kid who's being harassed by BMOC types. Virgil and Richie try to help him with the bullies, as well as try to get Jimmy to emerge from his shell. But things spiral out of their control, leaving Jimmy to feel that he has no other choice but to solve his troubles with a gun. The episode makes great points about how important it is to look for warning signs in situations of this nature, as well as bring home the point that it's important to seek out help in the form of teachers, parents and guidance conseulors as early as possible. It may be heavier than the average Static episode, but the messages it delivers makes it a home run, nevertheless.
Here's a video clip from the episode, in both RealVideo (http://www.real.com) and DivX (http://www.divx.com) formats. Please download the file to your hard drive by clicking on the link with your right mouse button and choosing "save".
<a href="http://news.toonzone.net/staticshock/jimmy/jimmy.rm">Real Video</a>
<a href="http://news.toonzone.net/staticshock/jimmy/jimmy.avi">DivX-encoded AVI</a>
Several Toon Zone crew members have seen "Jimmy", and we'd like to share their thoughts with you. First, let's hear from AniTainment Board moderator "Failure":
Let me start out by saying I'm a fan of Static Shock. I've liked it from the beginning. I’ve liked the lighter episodes and I've especially liked their "issues" episodes. Last year's "Sons of the Fathers" was one of the best takes on racism that I have seen on TV, and probably the best take ever by something that's considered a "kids" show. Clear enough to convey the message effectively, but subtle enough to keep it from seeming like a mandated community service project.
That said, "Jimmy" blows "SotF" away (Well, maybe not blows it away... hyperbole people!). The seriousness and the intensity of the episode is hinted at from the beginning by Static’s restrained conversation (kudos to Phil Lamarr for showing such great emotional range thoughout the ep) with a school psychologist reminiscing about Richie getting ambulanced away. I don’t want to give too much detail away, but in a nutshell, it’s a story about a troubled kid and his tormentors. While the basic plot may be cliché, the sincerity of the presentation makes it captivating. And captivating it sure is. It reels you in and never lets go for a second. The pacing of this episode, at least until the ending, is terrific. The intensity just keeps picking up, minute by minute, stage by stage. By the time Jimmy goes off, I had goosebumps and a chill down my spine. With the whole "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" hubbub from 2 years back, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Static Shock’s creative team took the easy way out, but it’s a credit to the creative team that they were willing to risk the censor’s wrath in trying to get their point across. While there’s no blood and no death, the climax was nevertheless still powerful.
At this point, I guess I should let my inner fanboy come out and air out my qualms about the ep. First, I thought that the ending was a bit rushed. They could have filled the time out a little better, instead they ended the show with a Public Service Announcement. Which brings me to my second nit-pick. I’m not a big fan of PSA’s. I like it when a show is willing to respect an audience’s intelligence and allows them to make their own conclusions. The subtlety is what I liked so much about "SotF". However, in the grand scheme of things, I guess I should keep in mind that this is a "kids" show. PSA notwithstanding, "Jimmy" is an unmitigated success, as an episode and as a message.
Next up is Adult Swim board moderator, Joe Tully:
I've never really been particularly fond of the villains on Static Shock. They've seemed a bit two-dimensional and corny, to be honest. Fortunately, this episode is much more down-to-earth, and only features a minor appearance by a super-villain at the beginning.
The plot revolves mostly around bullying, a typical aspect of life in school. Although this is something that is very ordinary, it's presented with a sense of emotion that draws you in to the characters, making you feel sympathetic for them, which is something rare among Saturday morning cartoons. Adding to this is a strong sense of suspense. This episode is presented with the near-ending of the story first, showing us Richie on a stretcher being wheeled into an ambulance. After this, we get the rest in flashbacks. While we know the general direction in which the story is headed, and can easily spot the clues along the way to get a general idea of what will happen in the story, we don't get the details of how it happens until the flashbacks come full circle. The feeling of suspense over exactly what is going to happen, and whether Richie is the only one harmed in the incident, keeps you interested throughout the story.
While the story does have a moral, it manages to provide it without being preachy or condescending, other than the very brief announcement at the end, which I half-expected to end with "And knowing is half the battle." I also felt that the aforementioned appearance of the super-villain was unnecessary and slightly detracted from the sense of realism of the overall story. It seemed to be there just to appease the viewers who feel like there has to be a hero vs. villain fight in every episode. It had no explained beginning, as we join the fight halfway through it, and no sufficient end, as we see Static leave the villain temporarily incapacitated but conscious, with no police in sight, easily able to come after Static another day. Still, besides these very minor points, it was a good story that I would recommend to anyone, regardless of whether they are a fan of the show or have never seen it. I give the story an A-.
And now, the episode's lone detractor, Warner Bros. Club moderator Craig Marinaro. Be warned that there are some spoilers in this review, but the major ones have been placed in an easily-skipped over spoiler box.
When I was presented with this episode to review, my curiosity was piqued. Who was "Jimmy"? What did he want? Where did he come from, and where will he go? In the next twenty minutes and change, all of these questions and more were answered, as I watched the shocking, unbelievable, must-see-it-to-believe-it events that were to unfold before my eyes. I’ll spoil these events for you below.
Jimmy is a man with a gun. Not a cool man with a gun, like Peter Gunn, or even Maverick. No…he’s a twerpy little computer addict, whose turn-ons include lava lamps, keeping a computer diary, and playing with firearms. To be fair to the makers of the show, the commentary on it "always being the quiet one" is well-intentioned. But, as usual with this series, subtlety isn’t the strong point, and too much of it comes across as overstatement. The melodrama is heaped on in buckets — from the pretentious storytelling method (having the whole thing be a flashback as Virgil talks to a psychologist) to the music (intense General Hospital music inexplicably replacing the traditional hip-hop soundtrack in the scenes where we’re supposed to be on the edges of our seats). Lines of dialogue like, "It hurts much more than it looks like on TV!" seem kinda silly — they’re killing the realism they were apparently striving for there, just by having the characters spouting such inane dialogue while in such intense pain, instead of stating something more feasible, like, "“Owww!" or "[expletive deleted]!"
Actually, the first two acts have very little to do with guns, or violence of any sort. Most of it involves the dorkiest bully in the history of high school (with a bad helmet cut, girly tank top, and disses like "It’ll be enough of a Fright-Fest with Jimmy here! Yuk yuk yuk!") bugging the heck out of Jimmy, and Jimmy developing a crush on a toothpick of a babe named Frieda and trying to impress her by working on a Halloween thing. Virgil’s big dilemma is whether or not to talk to an adult — in the first act about the bully’s abuse of Jimmy, in the second act that Jimmy has access to a gun. I understand the down-to-earth effect they were going for, but it all boils down to two acts of our stalwart hero wondering if he should tell on his peers. It seems sort of a juvenile subject for *any* high school student, let alone a super-powered sewer-cap-manipulating dude like our hero.
The thing that finally pushes Jimmy over the edge is getting chased a bit and shoved in a locker. Then he cries. The General Hospital music plays. Everyone stares wide-eyed. Virgil says, "I didn’t think this scene could get any uglier." Now, really. He’s a superhero who beats up all sorts of twisted freaks who blow stuff up and throw trucks at people, and some kid getting shoved in a locker is supposed to make that much of an impression? Not to seem unsympathetic — it’s not the most fun thing in the world. But crimey, talk about overstating.
The show ends with Static giving a very Power Rangers-esque closing statement about not being afraid to tell on friends who have guns. Apparently, they didn’t think the episode itself was quite explicit enough in its message. As a public service announcement, the show makes some valid points, which perhaps the less-informed in the audience are glad to have learned. As entertainment, though, it’s not good for much more than a laugh or two. It’s way too serious to be anything but funny.
Next, here's what Dr. Belch, a long-time Kids' WB reviewer from the Warner Bros. Club, had to say about "Jimmy" (once again, the major spoilers are placed in a spoiler box.):
The newest episode of Static Shock deals with a very prevalent subject in our society: violence in schools. It hit close to home for me because I've been close to it myself--I was living in Jonesboro in 1997 and attending ASU when the whole ugliness broke out not too far away from our campus, leaving us students filled with anger and paranoia, wondering if that could happen on our campus.
In addition, I have seen two close friends I went to high school with arrested for gunplay--one back in 1994, the other only a week or so past. Their lives absolutely went to hell after graduation. One must wonder what sort of desperation drives someone to throw their futures away on such a mad gambit as to level a gun on someone...or to write a threatening letter to someone...or to stalk an ex-lover. Twisted honor? Clinging to the past? A skewed hope for redemption?
The story of "Jimmy" is told in the form of a flashback as Virgil speaks to a counselor...after we see Richie wheeled out of the Dakota High auditorium on a stretcher. Glossing over the superhero angle of his life a bit (a brief comic-relief sequence of Static vs. metathug Carmen Dillo), Virgil begins the tale of Jimmy Osgood...a quiet, perpetually-taunted computer geek and loner.
A bully--who looks a bit like an evil Wonder Twin--by the name of Nick Connor and two of his idiot buddies relentlessly tease and torture Jimmy. Virgil asks why the teacher ignored such goings-on...and then mentally slaps himself for not calling her attention to it. Maybe if he'd done something, or reached out earlier, Richie wouldn't have been loaded into the back of that ambulance.
Virg and Rich make friends with Jimmy, bringing a gift to his house --a mouse, to replace one Nick broke. Jimmy, admonished by his mother to not frighten away another perspective friend (which sort of gives us a framework of his low self-esteem), takes the guys up to his room, and in the course of jovial conversation, shows them a gun. Virgil understandably has issues and becomes visibly upset, storming out. As he says to the counselor, he should have done the right thing then, and regrets not.
The incident is forgiven, however, and Jimmy, Virgil and Rich are talked into helping decorate the auditorium for a school event. Here Jimmy shines, creating like a man possessed, and finally crawling out of his shell. He even starts to have feelings for Frieda. However, he is shattered when he overhears her tell Nick the feeling isn't mutual, and is then chased relentlessly by the bullies, who wreck his week of hard work and stuff him screaming into a locker.
Unrequited love coupled with victimhood is a dangerous combination...and Virgil soon learns, after reading the data on his his portable laptop screen, that Jimmy plans to somehow set everything right Fearing the worst, he alerts his and Jimmy's dads to the situation...and he is right: the gun is missing from Mr. Osgood's dresser drawer, and the key to the drawer is absent. Presumably the boy has both. Mr. Hawkins tells his son to stay there as he drives off to DHS...but Virgil decides that if he can't be there, then a certain electric hero must.
Jimmy shows up at the school auditorum and draws the gun on Nick in front of dozens of his classmates. Clearly he doesn't want to use it, but he intends to make the worm crawl, and the gun makes him feel high and mighty. Richie convinces him that isn't the answer, and for a second it all looks like it will be okay--until one of Nick's friends tries to wrestle the pistol from Jimmy...and it goes off. Richie crumples to the floor, clutching his leg. Static arrives just a minute too late to prevent this tragedy.
Thankfully Richie isn't seriously injured...but Nick will be suspended, and the boy he tormented will be sent to juvenile hall--not exactly even justice all around, but it could've been a lot worse. At least no one left DHS in a body bag.
The music on the soundtrack of this ep is interesting and even compelling, especially the "run Jimmy, run" number during the maze chase and the tense, evocative rythm that pounds as the gun fires and we see the aftermath in slow-motion...graciously bloodless yet still powerful.
The counselor, who reminds me a bit of the one from my old high school who got me through a lot of hard times, assures Virgil that there was nothing he could've done that probably wouldn't have made the problem worse, that he should be thankful it came out as well as it did rather than be angry or blaming everyone and himself, and offers advice tempered with facts about school violence (the "ten students a day" statistic, if true, is very chilling, driven home even more by the shot of rows of headstones at a cemetery).
Interesting to note Sharon hardly uses her computer mouse--if she were any kind of college student, that thing should be getting a major workout. I wonder what sort of Mickey Mouse courses she takes?
Nice to see Mr. Hawkins recognizes from the signs how troubled Jimmy is--a textbook case, one he's seen all too often at the center. Noble, if sadly too late to save the boy.
The only thing I wasn't sure about was letting our hero break the fourth wall a bit and speak directly to the viewers at home in the last couple of minutes--that felt a bit too Captain Planety to suit me--but that was the only tiny flaw in a very nicely-executed script. There really were no winners in this one, no grand effort to reward good, punish evil, and precious little jokiness or reliance on "freaks of the week". The message was grim, and the victories Phyrric at best.
And finally, Jim "Dick Grayson" Harvey, Adminstrator of the World Finest Boards, presents a quick spoiler free review of the much anticipated episode.
Recently, Saturday morning cartoons have been the breeding ground for mindless cartoons. Thankfully, I can say that Static Shock is not apart of that group. Static Shock has proven to bring a mix of serious issues and great fun, and this hard hitting episode is no exception. Guns are becoming more common place in today's school, and the creative crew behind Static Shock accuratly portray the horrible events that lead up to horrific events of a school shooting. We get the time honored cliche of the popular bully that is unfortunatly too common in today's school. This all leads up to a finale that had me gripping my chair as I watch. This episode pulls all the stops, short of showing a bloody mess (don't worry - this episode is blood free) and the impact is hard hitting.
Static has tackled alot of issues in it's short life. Issues ranging from racism, to dealing with a parent's death, to mental illness, and now to this. The crew handles this fragile topic as carefully as they should. I'n being as vague as I can becuase I do not want to give anything away. The video clip above does provide that sense of foreboding in the episode and also presents Virgil in a situation that is all too common for children across the nation. The feeling and frustration that Virgil goes through is real and accurate, making us able to connect with both Virgil and and the situation presented in the episode. This is the episode to catch. Do not miss arguably one of the best episodes of one of the best Saturday morning cartoons on television today! Highly Recommend!
"Jimmy" is written by Dwayne McDuffie & Alan Burnett and directed by Joe Sichta. It airs Saturday, May 4th at 8:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT.
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