Review: Duncanville “Witch Day”
Overview (Spoilers Below):
It’s the big Witch Day celebration in town, and everyone is getting ready. The celebrations center around everyone putting their deepest darkest secrets inside a paper witch and letting the town virgin burn it to ashes. And, guess who this year’s town virgin is? None other than Duncan. Disgruntled at being labelled, Duncan and his friend decide to steal the witch and try to bring down the ceremonies.
Meanwhile, Annie and Jack are hoping that this is their year to win the annual chilli cook-off. With the reigning champion being murdered, their best chance is to steal her recipe. With some diligence and the assistance of little Jing, they finally master the recipe. But, their efforts may cause more harm for Duncan if they don’t get their priorities straight.
Our Take:
Duncanville has taken a gamble as a series making its main character a teenager. Where most animated shows condemn children into the early years, or at most pre-teens, now seems like a great time in society to focus on the life of an average teenage boy. And, thus far, it has paid off in offering the series different directions that other animated sitcoms are limited from. Which is ever more evident in this episode. Because we all know there is no simpler way to embarrass a teenage boy than to call him out as a virgin.
I am beginning to think this show is continuously going to be outdoing itself when it comes to embarrassing Duncan. Which is entirely okay. This poor kid has been through plenty already in just a few episodes, and now they have outdone themselves. But what truly makes this dynamic great is how Duncan reacts to all of it. Amy Poehler plays the best teenage boy on television right now.
So far, this is Duncanville’s most cohesive episode. The story has an anchor point with the annual Witch Day events, which gives each character a platform with their own unique agendas. This series has yet to offer us an episode such as this. It helps to create the universe in which Duncan and family live. Additionally, we find out what is valuable to them as individuals and what drives them forward. Of course, we know what drives Duncan, in wanting to be an average teenager. But, Kimberly, Mia, Jack and Annie all gain some new traits in this episode.
Once again, the standout has to be baby Jing. I can’t stop writing about that cute baby. Besides offering some of the best one-liners in the show, she is the most unstable character in the show. Which gives her a chance to play some of the best roles. Like in this episode where she plays the part of a truffle pig who helps to hunt down her virgin brother.
The humour carries this show, and most of that is thanks to the brilliance of Amy Poehler. While we still await that one episode that really helps to define the series and help it stand apart from the crowd, the witty jokes are making this one lovable program. This episode showcases the amazing talents of the writers and actors that bring the show to life. The more we see of Duncanville, the more we love. I hope they can keep it up.
