Yeah, this feels weird all of a sudden. No new Bob’s Burgers and The Great North is the only show in town that I have to cover for this week and this week only? Well, that was originally the idea back in January but...yeah, things happen. And now that we’re in May and the season coming to a close with the two-parter coming up to wrap up the third season of The Great North and I might as well do the review of this week's episode. The third-to-last episode of the current season.
So in this week's episode of The Great North, the threat of automation has arrived at Lone Moose and the fishing community in the town ain't going to let a robot, let alone a vending machine, steal their jobs as Judy and Kima have their side of the aisle in the episode volunteer to become junior female smokejumpers, which until just now when doing a head start before the start of the episode had to Google what the job even means in my spoilerific review of the twentieth episode of Season 3 of The Great North, titled "Barrel Be Blood Adventure".
And yeah, the threat of automation is nothing new to be in the spotlight in our daily lives. Especially in light of the rapid rise of artificial intelligence like ChatGPT taking over our daily lives. Don't forget that the rise of AI is one of the many factors that led the writers of Hollywood to go on a strike as of the writing of this review. Factories, fast food restaurants, retail shops...it’s quite a list and that list is expected to grow by the minute as the rise of automation and AI continue to rise. So it’s quite topical with The Great North this week with Beef and the other fishermen of the small town of Lone Moose feeling threatened by a vending machine from a company that gives the public a quick way to get their fish. Something that, of course, Beef, alongside the likes of Londra and Craig, ain't having that when fearing the idea of a robot and would go desperate measures to get rid of the machine.
Yeah, quite a topical subject we're touching on this week's Great North. In fact, three of the four shows on Animation Domination just this week touched on some topical stuff if you even want to call it topical. The Simpsons...well, it's pretty much a jab at the early days of the pandemic when the quarantine happened. People stay in place. Businesses closed. Schools are being held online. It's giving you flashbacks to the hell that was March of 2020 when the lockdown took place. Funny that just last week that the World Health Organization declared that COVID is no longer a pandemic, doesn't mean that the virus is good as gone, it can still fuck around once we get to the summer months. Family Guy, of course, is the thing with Russia to close out their season. And of course, The Great North with automation.
I mean, the episode did start right off the bat with Beef noticing the salmon price going up before the subject gets shelved by the important matter at hand that is clouding over the industry that could pose a possible threat and run them out of business. Beef noticed it at first and boy, he was livid over that. And not just, but some others also joined in...well, two people who had speaking roles in the episode, that being Londra and Craig entering the scene and they too seem worried about the arrival of the vending machine that gives the public a pack of fish as if you’re in a fast food restaurant and picking up a Big Mac for your dinner date than cooking up a meal at your own house. And when I said that Beef was livid...
He was livid. Once he dropped the family off in town for them to do their stuff and stayed in his car, watching everyone forming a line throughout the day leading to the night once the last patron buys fish from the machine. Without getting out of the car to stretch or go out to eat, had to rely on the family to bring him some food to consume while being in the car all day and not trying to act like a stalker. But yeah, Beef is not pleased with everything that is going on with people getting their fish from a machine than taking it to the local market that can throw a massive wrench at the local economy that can drive everyone out of a job. Don't know what's the job that carries the town of Lone Moose economically but if I were to guess, knowing that the town is located by the shore, fishing would be the major contributor to the town. I mean, take Houston for example where the job that carries the city is, of course, energy. Well, energy and oil but it's a major economic source that held the city. Similarly, you take a look at Lone Moose where they have to rely on fishing (and boating) to keep the town flowing, and with the vending machine invading the town and people lining up to get fish that knowing that it's from a machine that you don't know if it's even good and safe to eat...yeah, you could see why we have a topical subject in the spotlight over the idea that we could be replaced by robots as artificial intelligence continues to grow rapidly. And the sight of a vending machine that gives out fish isn’t new if you’re a traveler.
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| Photo courtesy of Coconuts Singapore |
I mean, take a look at certain Asian countries where they have objects like that. Getting fish from a vending machine. Getting milk from a vending machine. Hell, getting pizza from a vending machine. And some people go to a random vending machine to get some items in less than a few moments than going into a restaurant or convenience store, mostly a 7-Eleven. And again, with automation coming in at lightning speed and artificial intelligence like ChatGPT invading our daily lives, you can see why it became a topical issue in today’s times where the fears of a robot that could one day take our jobs because your bosses decided to be freaking cheap asses. Support the writers during this strike and don't let Hollywood to even think about replacing them with AI for pennies on the cheap. But yeah, Beef isn't happy with the vending machine that is selling fish on the cheap getting the public's attention, and fearing the worst on how the machines can one day drive the industry out of business. I mean, as long as AI doesn't go too far into building Terminators, then we should be good.
When we get to the nightmare that Beef has once the night hits after arriving back home of not trying to play stalker while being in the car, I guess you could say that is a pretty accurate take of what life is like when working at a warehouse. Most people who worked in Amazon where the working conditions are terrible over there in what is pretty much depicting what the world would look like if robots were to enslave the human race and turned Lone Moose into a robotic dystopia, so pretty much what America is going to look like after 2024, where the robots are the bosses and Beef, Londra, and Craig are the human servants with them working at a conveyer belt and package the fish. No breaks, no treatment, and had to resort to wetting themselves in diapers. You could say that the scene whether or not is necessary, mostly because with the rise of automation, you’d think it would be the robots doing the job and the humans probably living in the streets, but instead, it’s fears of a potential robot uprising and the humans have to be enslaved as workers by doing the packaging. But that is Beef’s possible fear when noticing the arrival of the fish vending machine and the fear that he and the others would be out of a job if this were to continue. Something that he won’t let that slide.
This is pretty much the entirety of the episode with Beef, alongside Londra and Craig, which, no fisherman lives in a fancy house like that when Beef and Londra paid a visit to him. Seriously, I have never met anyone I came across who has a small job but lives in a fancy house, by themselves unless it's a nice-looking apartment that is looking like a condo by the downtown area. But regardless, Beef has to drag Londra and Craig to join his side to get everyone to come back to their senses and stop using the vending machine. I mean, Londra, I get it because, like Beef, that's her job. That's her profession and the fact that a vending machine that is selling fish on the cheap threatening her livelihood, she's not going to let the machine slide and has to do something. Craig on the hand...well, Beef had to convince him to join in the apparent protest against the machine and all it took for Craig to join is for Beef to tell the guy that everything he owned, including the house, will be going bye-bye if this shit continues. Basically using scare tactics to convince Craig to join the cause and boy, that didn’t take long for him to join in and make sure the fish vending machine doesn’t kill the industry.
And this is what the second and third act of the episode with the main plot for Beef, Londra, and Craig with them going through trial and error in attempting to save their jobs and attempting to get everyone to move away from the vending machine. Decorating the family fan and selling the fish they caught to the public, though the smell from the fish going from the Tobin household to any area in town...yeah, not a good smell. Also, I can’t tell if the link that Londra or Craig painted, I think that was Londra who wrote down the link, is even legit. One being...well, is it an actual link? Because oftentimes, whenever there's a URL link like that, it's unclear whether or not it's even legit. Let alone if it's safe and doesn't result in your computer getting a virus. But then again, in the Bob's Burgers short, "My Butt Has a Fever", Rudy shouted out a link after finishing his juggling performance at the school talent show...turned out...that was an actual site. Yeah, Loren, Nora, and Bernard, they had us good last year when the movie and short came out. Whether or not the show's creator with the site that Londra may have written on the Tobin family fan is considered legit...well, you're on your own. Though it looks like they misspelled Craig’s last name. This is how Craig’s last name is actually spelled, “Ptarmigan”. And the name that Londra may have accidentally misspelled is written “Ptarmingan”. There’s an “N” added to the name. Yeah, somebody better fix that once the second airing comes out in the summer...oh wait, there's a strike going on and production is on a halt. That's going to have to wait.
Other than that, the second and third acts of the episode have been all trial and error with Beef, Londra, and Craig trying to get everyone to get away from the vending machine and have them buy their own caught fish but each time they do it, it resulted in people going towards the vending machine even more. The lines would get longer as if they’re getting tickets to see Taylor Swift in concert. No matter the cost, which should’ve at least helped them by beating the machine when it comes to the cost of the fish, no matter the performance that should’ve brought the public to the van, whether being Craig playing the saxophone, Londra doing hamboning, or Wolf...whatever he’s doing, people kept on lining up to the barrel. Though props to the animation with Beef throwing a tantrum by trying to break the machine with his own hands. So out of options to close out the second act and first half of the episode and decide to perform an act of crime...
That being taking the barrel deep into the woods and making sure no one can ever find it. Which sounds like a desperate attempt for the fishing community, mostly Beef, Londra, and Craig...mostly Beef primarily since he’s the one with the bitch fit and thought it was a victory for everyone to start the third act of the episode, before finding out that the company behind the vending machine decided to pull some bullshit out of their ass and add a replacement barrel at the spot where the original was at. And speaking of the original, people lined up in the middle of the woods where Beef and the others are lined up once Craig called Beef about the barrel they got rid of last night. It feels like...you know how saying "I play chess while you all play checkers" goes? Yeah, it's sort of like that with the Beef and the others trying to take out the vending machine. They thought that going on the road, going across town, and selling the caught fish to them was going to get the people of Lone Moose away from the machine? Well, here are the people forming a bigger line than the last. Thought that getting rid of the machine into the woods would be the end of the whole issue? LOL fuck you no, bring in another shipment of the machine and have the same machine that Beef and the others threw away and serve as another location deep in the woods. It's like dealing with a goddamn rat invading your house and you're having trouble getting rid of it and want to do it yourself rather than getting the exterminator involved. Don't know why you can't bring the other people into the fishing industry and form a protest? Don't know why you can't file a complaint with the city? Let alone the freaking state? Even though the state would probably not get involved in something small that doesn't affect them, even though it might affect the state’s economy, and also...knowing the company behind the vending machines...of course, corruption. Take the money and side with the company over the people. Welcome to America.
At least Beef, Londra, and Craig decided to be civil and just talk things out by going to where the company behind the vending machine is located, going to Anchorage, and talking to the big boys behind the machines that are killing small jobs from small towns. And uh...yeah, you just want to beat the shit out of those two because they’re freaking assholes. I mean, they’re CEOs of a company, what the fuck did you expect? I mean, other than turning it into a game of he said, they said with the CEOs stating that the vending machines are a good thing because it’s innovative, cuts down cost and time of getting fish, you know, trying to convince them to let them slide while having their fingers crossed behind their backs. But them making snarky comments, somewhat offensive comments towards the three, not to mention the blatant sexism towards Londra, yeah, no, the gloves should've come off for one of them and at least beat the snot out of those two. I don't promote violence to anyone and we here on this page don't promote anything violent, but it feels like you just want to want to beat the ever-living crap out of those two as if we're in an episode of The Jerry Springer Show. RIP to the host with the most. He was a mayor of a major city at one point. So with being unable to get rid of the barrel that resulted in more coming in, unable to attract everyone to move away from the line, and unable to get the company to get off their backs...you’d think that everyone in the fishing industry would come down to raise the white flag and let the industry go under utter collapse...well, except for one thing that is waiting to be pulled from the deck throughout the episode...imitation.
Oh yeah, imitation fish is what is going to be enough for the residents of Lone Moose to step away from the machine. Surprising that no one in town developed any food poisoning after getting the supposed fish from the machine. And you can thank the Tobin family for noticing something odd about the fish from the machine after Beef decided to waive the white flag. Finding out that the fish that was from the machine isn’t from their own backyard, but rather, it’s a different species of fish and noticing the texture and color being off and that's more than enough to get everyone to step away from the machine and telling them that the town is not welcoming the idea of a barrel stealing away their jobs. Still surprising how the people didn't develop potential food poisoning from the vending machine. Seriously, you don't know where the fish came from? Or how long it was stored when it was first operated? Let alone freaking FDA-approved! But we got our resolution with everyone to stop eating from the vending machine...but really weird to add a random twist that came out of nowhere once the ATF showed up and confiscate the machine after it was revealed that the same company that is behind the vending machine...well, they've been harboring weapons for some reason other than an "uh...okay" comment. Yeah, just didn't expect a fishing company that almost killed the fishing industry to somehow secretly sell weapons behind the public's back. A weird way to end it with the company going out of business and the fishing industry being unharmed by the fear of automation. I mean, a touchy subject with the fear of AI and automation taking over our daily lives but...yeah, a weird way to wrap up the main plot but what you reap what you sow I guess. So that’s one side of the episode that was somewhat discussed in this review...and then on the other side of the coin, you have Judy and Kima while the whole debacle with the vending machine was taking place.
Before watching the episode, I had to search for what is a smokejumper and what they do. A smokejumper is a special type of firefighter where they have to jump down from a plane into the area where a wildfire is taking place and have to take it out, primarily in wildlands like in a forest outside of city limits. They are usually located out west where most wildfire activity is there whenever it's fire season...or in this instance since climate change is a thing and on the verge of fuckery by the end of this decade, all year round. All it takes to be a smokejumper would...of course, training in the firefighting aspect and having to take classes to become one. And also know how to safely land because they're trained professionals. And that's where you have Judy and Kima at Kima's place watching a movie to get their minds ready for their few days at the station to become voluntary smoke jumpers themselves. Mostly Kima wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps since Esther is a smokejumper herself. And also that Judy and Kima were the only two who signed up to volunteer while the rest sat out or didn't even notice that there was a sign-up unless Esther brought it up off-screen before the episode during Judy's visit or Kima had to bring it up during the school day. Also put in a little disclaimer about the smokejumper job that it takes days, weeks, months of expertise to become a trained professional and probably tell the two girls that this isn't something coming out of a Hollywood movie because life isn't a Hollywood movie and would show some concern for her daughter and her daughter's friend's safety...is what I would’ve thought the subplot would be for this week’s episode. And instead...
You have Judy and Kima being treated like housekeepers upon arriving at the smokejumper base and notice the place being a pigsty. Not to mention a bit of mistreatment from Esther’s group upon arriving at the base. Yeah, not the thought process that Judy and Kima thought how it would turn out upon visiting. Yeah, not a good look for the smokejumpers in this episode where you have two people who signed up to volunteer for the unit and have to do manual labor like cleaning the house. As if they just signed up to do maid service. But at least Kima is being somewhat optimistic about all of this and thinks to herself when talking to Judy when cleaning the dishes that this is an initiation. A test given to them by Esther and her smokejumper crew in hopes for them to gain experience before getting ready to get to the frontlines. Following sorority rules and looking at the montage after this...
Despite being optimistic as the episode drags on, the “initiation” continues as the montage shows Judy and Kima doing housework as the members of the smokejumper crew doing nothing but messing around and doing stuff like playing games and watching TV. I mean, they tried to be optimistic. They tried their best to be patient when a call of action is going to arrive during their visit but seeing the montage of the episode and after, once midnight hits, it almost feels like their optimism is starting to dwindle. Especially when given the false hope at midnight when being awoken by Esther to get out of bed, thinking that it's their moment to shine. Them finally becoming the junior smokejumpers that they have been waiting for throughout the week...
Only to awaken to see Esther and the other members of the crew preparing to binge-watch a season of Yosemite. Realizing that they were given some false hope, even though if it’s an actual emergency, you would be hearing the alarm bells ringing but I guess not. Yeah, it’s not painting a good look for the episode...rather, the subplot...rather Esther and her crew because my god...yeah, Judy did have somewhat of a point that this, all of this, her and Kima going through hell in the past few days, is not an initiation or a haze like what they saw in the movies leading up to their visit and instead noticed that the crew are feeling uninspired and with their exams coming up to renew their certification, they need to take matters into their own hands but my god...yeah, it’s not looking good for the smokejumper crew throughout the episode. And you could say that it might be a tad hard to watch to see the shit that Judy and Kima went through in this week’s episode.
Even though later in the episode...yeah, Judy and Kima got the boot for creating their own obstacle course in hopes to get Esther and her crew to get motivated with their exams coming up in less than a week's time. An obstacle course that is made up of the base's equipment like firehoses, backpacks, and tires...the two girls got kicked out for taking what is pretty much government property, which is a major no-no. Though knowing that they’re minors, jail time would not bode well for Judy and Kima, especially since...well, Judy broke a law once a few episodes ago regarding one of the weird laws that the state-imposed. But regardless, Judy and Kima are thrown out for taking the equipment from the base, and knowing that they're 16 years old, well, they get grounded. But mind you that those two went through hell in what was supposed to be their shot at becoming junior smokejumpers, but the fact that you have treated them as your servants during their visit...nah, can't do that. Can’t do that. They went through hell and back and even though Judy and Kima shouldn’t take the equipment from the base, mind you that it was you guys that made their visit a living hell. You were sitting on your asses during their visit and had two girls, high school girls, to play servant. I get that it's not fire season and all, but come on!
Sure, they did answer the call in the final minutes of the episode and went into the frontlines to tackle a mild wildfire outside of Lone Moose, looking badass in taking out of the fire before it spreads out of control as if Judy and Kima don't need to motivate them. And sure, the two did apologize to everyone once the fire is put out with Esther giving both Judy and Kima a bit of ash to their face to name them honorary junior smokejumpers, but man, those two went through hell after being excited about what is waiting for them upon arriving to the base. Giving them some false hope during the visit. I get that it's all expectation vs reality for Judy and Kima. And life is nothing like what you have seen in Hollywood movies, I get that. But be better when have Judy and Kima around. Show them the ropes in all of this instead of having them treated as the crew's water girls during their visit. I’m gonna get canceled because of this.
Reaction/Thoughts:
So all and all, it was an okay episode. Quite a topical one regarding the idea of automation plaguing our daily lives with the arrival of the vending machine and causing people to step away from the local fishing industry. An okay main plot though you think that, other than Beef, Londra, and Craig being the center point when it comes to their jobs and livelihoods being threatened by machines, the other people who are at the pier would've also voiced their concern and joined in the protest. I mean, the main plot has been more of trial and error with the three making their attempt to get rid of the machine out of their town with the company being one step ahead of them whenever they tried to get rid of the vending machine. Though quite a weird way to resolve the main plot with the ATF stepping in to get rid of the machine and finding out that the company somehow became freaking arms dealers and using imitation fish as a cover. A weird twist but it was an okay main plot, just hoping to do a bit more with it.
The subplot is where you could head into some trouble. Mostly with how the smokejumper crew acted during Judy and Kima's visit. Sure, the two girls did try their best to be optimistic during their visit and they waited patiently hoping that any moment would be their time to shine. Treating them as maids and taking some time to find out that this isn't their supposed "initiation" just as the next day hits. Still think that the subplot would've done a little different with Judy and Kima becoming voluntary smokejumpers. You know, Esther and her crew showing them the works. Telling them that the profession is not easy as what they saw in the movies and showing some concern for Kima and Judy with their well-being. And instead, we sort of have the opposite of that. Yeah, Esther and her crew did go out and take out the fire at the end...sure, it was at the end of the episode and they do look badass with Judy and Kima realizing that maybe they shouldn't push the crew to be motivated, they really shouldn't treat Judy and Kima as their personalized maids. I mean, the two should've at least called them out and said that they don't want to be treated as caretakers. I mean, you can't blame both Kima and Judy for trying to be optimistic during their visit...should wish the subplot would've done at least a little differently. So I'll give "Barrel Be Blood Adventure"...
A 5 out of 10. But that’s my opinion and I wanna hear yours in the comments below. The Bob’s Burgers reviews are back on the week of May 14 as the show and The Great North, it’s the final countdown for the current seasons of the show. And the next episode for The Great North is a two-parter. The show’s first two-parter in the series with an odd odor lurking across the town of Lone Moose but that's not going to stop Judy and Kima from being frantic over them having some trouble in trying to find their dates for their upcoming prom in the twenty-first episode of Season 3 in "For Whom the Smell Tolls Part One".
Follow me on Tumblr, Twitter, Mastodon, and Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes stuff. The third match of the Group B stages in the 2023 Battle of the Week Voting Tournament has already taken place between Feliciano Vargas (Hetalia) and Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach). Voting ends on Saturday, so cast your vote if you have the time. Speaking of voting, the MVP voting for Bob’s Burgers and The Great North are currently open for y’all to vote and the winner will be announced on the night of the season finale, May 21. I have the links pinned in my Mastodon account if y’all can visit there. And of course, y’all should know the drill by now...
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