Season Review: Corner Gas Animated Season Three

 

 

Corner Gas has come a long way since the original live-action series debuted in 2004. Over an initial six-season run, the series became one of the only homegrown sitcoms to outperform American imports in Canada. 

Now, the original program is one of the most widely distributed and most popular television shows to ever come out of the country.

The Corner Gas Animated series was the perfect vestibule for the franchise to continue its unique brand of comedy. It offered creator Brent Butt and company an opportunity to add to the lore of Dog River without the high production costs. The first season was a rousing success from the beginning, with the premiere episode setting records for The Comedy Network.

By season two of Corner Gas Animated, the show had become established with its fans, and the format had years of fine-tuning. And, while that season did clean up a lot of the animation, and deliver some great jokes, the main draw was the list of amazing guest stars including Michael J. Fox and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Despite the popularity and humour, Corner Gas Animated has had one significant flaw up until this point.

It failed to utilize its animation media to its full capacity. The franchise is built on simplicity, centring on the most rural of places, Saskatchewan. A great idea for a live-action series where they could essentially build a town to their liking. However, with the endless possibilities of animation, the new series kept to old formulas, and never strayed far out of the box.

Without trying anything new, the animated series failed to separate itself from the original. And if the two shows are going to be direct reflections of each other, most viewers would rather choose a live-action repeat over a cartoon.

Well, season three changes the game for Corner Gas. The new batch of episodes includes a healthy ratio of the beloved humour, call-backs to the original, and a good dose of new and exciting ideas. Even the driest of the season’s episodes included some original settings and unique themes.

There were some particular episodes this season that were much more advantageous when it came to animation. “Band Aid” included the reunion of Thunderface, Brent and Hank’s high school band that has been an ongoing joke since the live-action series. “The Fat and the Furious” saw the titular gas station transformed into a drive-in movie theatre. And the Christmas-themed season finale saw every setting of the show get a winter overhaul.

Of course, Corner Gas did not disappoint when it came to adding to its illustrious list of cameos. Appearances this year included Arcade Fire, Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart, and Jason Priestley. But the biggest hit by far was a scene including SCTV alum Andrea Martin performing a jingle as herself.

What was truly noticeable in season three were the episode titles themselves, and how fitting they are to the plots of the individual stories. When it comes to creating an episode title full of puns and relevance, Corner Gas delivers better than any other show.

In a recent exclusive interview, Brent Butt disclosed their secret to these brilliant episode titles. The writer’s room actually begins with these fun and clever puns to give them some ideas for where the show could go. When they get a good idea, they build the episode around the title and find ways to justify the name.  

In the case of “Give Pizza Chants” the plot included The Ruby adding pizza to the menu, while Brent writes a chant for the new Dog River rugby team. “Lock n’ Loaf” was a story about sourdough bread and a new locking system for the gas station. Not only are these fun titles for the fans, but it gives some direction to the story. 

Come a potential season four, it should be interesting to try and estimate plots based on the announced episode titles.

The real heart behind Corner Gas is the realistic and relatable characters. In terms of timeline, the animated series lands itself somewhere in the middle of the original. Which means that a lot of the development that we have been through in the live-action series is essentially reset. And for Brent and Lacey’s unrequited love, it means the cartoon will never show them come together.

That doesn’t mean that the animated series is afraid to play around with these old themes. Often Wanda’s schooling and child help to progress her plots. And more than once this season Brent and Lacey developed a little bit closer including exchanging thoughtful Christmas gifts and Brent writing songs about his feelings for his friend.

This was the biggest season of Corner Gas Animated yet. Instead of feeling like an off-shoot of the original that follows the same premise, season three helped establish the animated series as its own show. It no longer has to sit in the shadows of its predecessor, Corner Gas Animated can take these characters to places the live-action show never could.

However, there is plenty of room left for expanding Corner Gas Animated. Continuing at the pace set in these last 11-episodes could generate some big ideas. Additionally, the series could opt to break out of its repetitive storytelling and take this world somewhere completely unexpected.

Honestly, the series could use a little bit of expanding. If Corner Gas is anything it is a formulaic delivery service for comedy. It has served them well as a live-action television sitcom. But with the infinitesimal capabilities of animation, the limits of the 8-person/2-plot formula are free to explore. Simplicity is the bread and butter of this series. Yet there are ways to expand without breaking that core. It would be a treat for everyone if Brent Butt and company pushed for a few last big hoorahs to celebrate a spectacular franchise.

On that note, I wouldn’t expect the animated series to be going anywhere any time soon. This was a peak season that could stand-up against anything the franchise has done before. Cancelling Corner Gas Animated now would be a waste of quality content and take away the opportunity to see just how great this show can get.

Additionally, the Covid pandemic has turned the industries eyes on animation as a cheap source of material that can be created entirely by stay-at-home work. It is surprising that CTV hasn’t already invested in getting more episodes as quickly as possible. Canada may have a lot of animation studios, but we don’t have much in the ways of homegrown adult animations. But Brent Butt has assured us that the process has already begun on his side and the team is just awaiting confirmation.

It would be surprising to find anyone that didn’t agree that this latest season was at a higher-level quality than the previous two. For loyal Corner Gas fans, this season was full of special treats. The return of Dog River Days and Thunderface were significant payoffs for long-time viewers. And the Christmas episode was a nice gift at a time when lots of people could use some extra joy.

Corner Gas Animated is still not a show that competes with American heavy hitters like The Simpsons or Rick and Morty. It is Canada’s show. It features Canadian talent dealing with Canadian problems in Canadian settings. This franchise is a treasure and a gift that delivers a local brand of comedy. As long as there is the influence of those major American programs in Canada, then there remains a need for Brent Butt and Corner Gas to continue producing this quality of content.