Review: The Great North “Can’t Hardly Date Adventure”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Beef drives Alyson to meet a man she met online. Meanwhile, Wolf confronts his greatest fear: not being liked by a local bartender.

Our Take:

Online dating may be suitable for getting out of one’s comfort zone and meeting new people. However, it can also be problematic, especially when rushing to start a relationship with that specific person online. They might not be the same person they’re depicted online. Unfortunately, this week’s episode shows Alyson doesn’t quite get that memo.

The episode sees Alyson starting a serious relationship that isn’t with Beef. Instead, it’s with a guy she just met online, Jobianthan. Alyson plans to meet with Jobianthan at the resort for the weekend, which suddenly becomes a wedding between the two on an island. Feeling concerned about Alyson, Beef decides to drive her to her destination and tries to convince her to rethink her decision.

The Great North constantly succeeds in providing episodes representing specific serious topics through its light-hearted drama and sitcom-like comedy. “Can’t Hardly Date Adventure” marks another example of this trend, with the central focus being on judging people based on their appearances. They may seem friendly on the outside, but it’s when you get to know them that they showcase their true colors. Most of the time, their true colors aren’t as bright as they seem. With its perspectives of Alyson and Wolf, the episode delivers a solid representation of that scenario through its effective comedy and, more importantly, its character development.

In Alyson’s case, she agrees to marry someone she just met online without considering it. After a brief road trip and a ferry ride with Beef, Alyson finally meets the real Jobianthan, a nerdy adult already married with children. It’s safe to say that this guy’s a cheating scumbag. This moment reflects the concerns of catfishing through online dating. While it isn’t a massive game-changer for its commentary, the episode offers a humorous approach to the scenario while notifying its topic in a respectable matter.

But, of course, what makes this episode good in my eyes is the growth between Beef and Alyson. Throughout the episode, we see Beef trying to go through a dating list to win over Alyson during their trip. When the ferry breaks down, Beef has the courage to ask Alyson out for one last date before she marries Jobianthan, ending with them kissing. Of course, this was before they found out Jobianthan’s true identity. The episode offers a decent piece of character development involving Beef growing more confident in finding love again after his wife’s death. I won’t be surprised if Beef and Alyson actually tie the knot later in the show.

The episode also focuses on Wolf having to deal with the only person who doesn’t appreciate his positively optimistic appearance: a bartender named Cody. This segment represents Wolf being loved by everyone due to his excessive kindness, but the bartender changes that, serving as an interesting challenge for Wolf’s personality. This resulted in Wolf desperately attempting to get Cody to like him, including getting into a urinal conversation with him. When Wolf finally does hang out with Cody, he sees Cody for who he truly is: an arrogant jerk who hates music and animals. This segment represents Wolf learning to use his tender-hearted nature only for those who love him instead of everyone.

Overall, “Can’t Hardly Date Adventure” marks a big improvement over last week’s sausage pageant adventure. It not only represents the dangers of judging people based on appearances in an honest and comical light but also displays another character growth moment for Beef as he’s learning to be more confident in dating again. It’s unsurprising that Jobianthan’s real identity isn’t whom he seems to be, but that didn’t stop it from generating some chuckles. The episode also helps get the show’s third season back on track to finish its new year on a high note.