Review: The Great North “Rear Genius Adventure”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

The Tobins put aside an existing grudge they have with two other families over cheating in an annual competition regarding moose feces, while Ham looks for friends in his own age group.

OUR TAKE

I may seem like a dignified man from the way I write, but in reality, I am not above getting excited about poop stuff. Back when Burger King was coming out with Black Cherry Icees for Halloween a few years ago that had so much dye in them that they turned your poop green, I would buy them every day. I am not above seeing the thrill and humor in the brown stuff that comes out of all of us, so I can see the possible value in this story’s partial plot involvement of looking for moose turds. As for the episode itself and its plot, it’s fun to see how much the family is filled with competitive ire for two other families when trying to get through the competition. But it’s also heartwarming in this show’s special way to see them all put their differences and urges to cheat aside in order to protect their town from a neighboring mayor who disguises himself in order to sabotage the competition. It’s things like that which have kept me watching this show all this time and enjoying their off-color northern humor that sets it apart from the rest of Fox’s animation block.

Likewise, Ham’s subplot about finding the guy friends he’s always wanted is also something unique to this show. Ham’s always been a pretty interesting detail of The Great North, being an openly gay main cast character and possibly the only one among the currently airing Fox Sunday cartoons, so it’s always been fun to see how they handle him in interesting and subtle ways. In this case, he finds himself wishing he has guy friends his own age, something that would be pretty typical but have eluded him for so long. And naturally, his boyfriend supports him in this but knows him well enough that he expects Ham will actually end up befriending older women, something that does come to pass later on. But even when Ham is caught, it doesn’t become a huge point of drama like an addict falling victim to their urges, it’s just about this normal couple trying to branch out and make more friends. It’s stuff like that which makes me glad this series is still hanging in there, and that it seems to be beating the curse of other failed animated Fox shows and moving onto at least a fourth season. Hopefully there will be more!