I already talked about one underrated show in this countdown with Final Space. So how about I talk about another underrated show that made the cut as we’re now at the final four spots of the Top 12 Countdown of 2021, well, after the release of this post, we’ll be down to three. So I might as well get this out of the way by introducing the number 4 spot in the Top 12 Countdown of 2021 and it’s none other than “Pride & Prejudance Adventure” from The Great North.
Yep, this series made it this high on the list and if this episode hasn’t sold you the show, then I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing? The Great North was the only newcomer to make it onto this year’s countdown and I’m not going to lie to y’all, the first season blew everyone’s expectations. Blew it away. Sure, there are some episodes that might be on the up and down from this exact season whether being the episode with Judy and Beef playing some curling or an episode that is pretty much taking the playbook from “Art Crawl” from Bob’s Burgers. But there are some good episodes that came out from that season earlier this year including the two that I’d enjoyed that I mentioned back in April from the revisit article. “Avocado Barter Adventure” is one episode to list out and the other that I’ll be talking about in this countdown, “Pride & Prejudance Adventure”.
And by now, y’all should know the plot of the episode and where we’re heading with this episode with the school dance being the central focus when it comes to the setting. That and also the characters in focus with Judy, Ham, and Crispin. And of course, the subplot with Beef and his brother Brian, who decided to pay the Tobins family a visit. But the entire focus for the countdown from this episode is, of course, the main plot with the school dance. You have Judy asking her imaginary friend, Alanis Morrisette, about the upcoming dance and hoping that today would be the day where she asks her crush at the time, Crispin, to the big event. Of course, you have that small comparison between Judy and Tina being the eldest daughters of the family, both being creative in their own rights, and of course, having their dream boy to crush on. But while Tina continues to go chasing after Jimmy Jr (and every other guy across town), Judy on the other hand, not so much. And I say that because once she gets picked up from work by Ham and makes their way to the smoothie shop as they’re prepared to head on home...
Is when Crispin locks eyes on someone else and that someone else happens to be Ham and you can really feel a connection going between the two once Ham gets his cup from Crispin in what is supposed to be them holding hands for the first time. Hell, he was invited to the Tobin household and over at Ham’s room where he and Ham looked through a book with leaves attached in what is pretty much his scrapbook. We all have hobbies and Ham has his. But why stop there? Because once we get to the montage of them at school is where things are really hitting things off between Ham and Crispin from passing notes, looking at each other’s eyes when doing sit-ups, cleaning the mustard stain from Ham’s face after eating a burger for lunch. The episode is building these two up to become an official couple, especially with the school dance now right around the corner. Though Judy, still has the hots for Crispin at the time, can’t even see the writing the wall on what’s going on between her brother and her now former crush. To the point where denial is not just a river in Egypt once the night of the dance arrives.
And it was that moment during the dance that Judy finally read the writing on that damn wall on what’s been going with Ham and Crispin all week long once Judy heads out for a bathroom break and you have Crispin asking Ham to have a dance to themselves to pass the time and even shared a kiss under the spotlight in the middle of the dancefloor. And it was a very nice moment to showcase in television, especially in the world of animation with one of the main leads of the show who came out as gay in the first episode of the series and didn’t turn that moment into a side gag or any form of a one-line joke with that declaration, unlike certain shows from the past. So I have to tip my hat to the Molyneuxs and Minty Lewis for what they’re doing and give light to the LGBT theme and breaking barriers. And also Charlie Kelly, who wrote the episode, for making the magic happen with that exact moment and pretty much the episode in total. So Judy gets upset over seeing Ham and Crispin together and behind her back. Finally notices the writing on the wall and storms out of the gym. Thinking that the dance was supposed to be her big night with the guy of her dreams and this is where Judy gets a reality check from the one and only Thomas Wintersbone from the poster and gives her the carfax on the background of the dance.
By now, we all know the so-called story behind the dance where Thomas Wintersbone, who has dreams of becoming a schoolteacher and he did but while he was teaching the class in session is where she fell in love with a groundskeeper named Ruby. But her father forbids their relationship from ever happening. That is where Thomas decides to prove that he’s a good fit for Ruby by attempting to survive the Alaskan wilderness for a month. That didn’t pan out well and ended up dead due to a lack of survival skills and upsetting Ruby and putting her in a heartbroken state…is what Judy and the whole town of Lone Moose think when summing up the history and background to the whole dance. But according to Wintersbone himself via Judy’s imagination, it’s nothing more than a lie.
While yes, Thomas did eye on Ruby outside of the schoolhouse as what the myth said, but there was no romantic spark between the two individuals. Mostly because they already got their significant other. With Ruby, it’s her best friend Anne. And for Thomas, well...we haven’t gotten the name of his significant other, so let’s just call him Phil for the time being. And both Ruby and Thomas want to be with their significant life partners and live a happy life but can’t because knowing the setting and historical standpoint, society is fucking bullshit. As in Ruby and Thomas want to be happy with their partners but because it’s the olden times and back in the day, being with someone who is of the same sex is going to get you in trouble and could be facing some persecution just because you want to be happy with someone who isn’t of the opposite gender. A bullshit ruling that is still alive to this day in various countries around the world. Hence, the alliance that Ruby and Thomas had to create to fool the masses by pretending to be a married couple and the separate houses for the two to live in up until Thomas’ sudden passing while being out in the wilderness because he couldn’t be proud of being himself. And because people disagree with the autopsy with Wintersbone, they had to create a bullshit story so people can agree on, hence, this dance. A story that should’ve been told to the masses of him and Ruby wanting to be happy with their partners but because of fears of being persecuted due to the tribalistic nature of the people from a historical standpoint, is where the alternative had to take its place to this very day. Enough for Judy to accept what’s been going between Ham and Crispin and should let them be together and to be happy for what they’re doing and who they are.
Which leads us to Judy pulling the fire alarm and having the whole school evacuated from the building, hitting the pause button on the dance, and telling the students and faculty that the story that they believed of what happened to Wintersbone is nothing more than a sham and told them the real truth behind what happened. More than enough for Judy to finally accepts what happened and decide to let go of her going after Crispin and be supportive towards her brother Ham and his now-boyfriend Crispin and the rest became history. Especially with Crispin appearing more and more in the show in its second and current season. And if this episode doesn’t sell you the show just for from this moment alone? Then, again, I don’t know what to tell you but to go and watch it. Especially as it’s about to enter its sophomore year on the air and already picked up a third season.
Oh yeah, and there’s a subplot with Beef and Brian with Beef wanting to reconnect with his brother after being time apart with him wanting to do some fun like they always do despite Brian being a busy bee. That and also that little side plot with Wolf and Honeybee hoping to pitch in their ideas to be picked up like it’s an episode of Shark Tank. But the main plot with the dance pretty much overshadows it with this episode.
And it was an amazing episode to watch when it first premiered. Even when rewatching it, it’s still an amazing episode and a strong one at best for the show’s first season that blew everyone out of the park. With the school dance being in focus and the LGBT theme being touched upon with Ham and Crispin was handled beautifully to the brim. Judy gets a reality check on the real history with Thomas Wintersbone after briefly getting her heart broken and finally accepts what happened after days of not knowing what’s been going between Ham and Crispin and that was after Judy finally got her shot for the big dance and asked her guy out. So it was nice for her at the end of the episode to finally close the book on going after Crispin and let Ham be the one to date him. A relationship that is still going on to this very day in the show’s second and current season.
The subplot was also fine, to be honest, with Beef wanting to reconnect with his brother Brian when he and his daughter Becca dropped by for a visit and I guess the little side story with Wolf and Honeybee trying to pitch their ideas was fine as well, it’s just that those two plots have been overshadowed by the main plot with Judy, Ham, and Crispin and I’m pretty sure that’s all I have to say about the episode other than being an amazing episode and a strong one at best for the season. And seriously, go watch the show will you. Wouldn’t hurt to try.
But that’ll do it for the Number 4 spot of the countdown with “Pride & Prejudance Adventure” from The Great North. Do you think that this episode should be higher, lower, or just stay put on your list for the year? Put it in the comments below. Down to the final three. Which episode and series will take home the bronze medal for the year? You’ll have to wait and find out as the countdown continues. Follow me over at Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes stuff and all that jazz. And y’all should probably know the drill by now...
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