Review: Doomsday Brothers “St. Zephyr’s Day”

 

 

Overview:

Gabe is trying to catch the biggest game he can for the annual St. Zephyr’s Day barbecue. When he lands a massive bird, he hopes it will be enough to impress Ana. However, as Gabe develops a bond with the animal, he has some internal conflict about killing it for the feast.

Rafe meets a new lady by the swamp and things get heated quickly. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know about her family that he is about to tear apart. Trying to set things right, Rafe attempts to get the family back together with mixed results.

Meanwhile, Judith is reaching a low point in boredom and loneliness. AENUS attempts to comfort her with a virtual reality rig to simulate a relationship with John Doe. Although his methods hide his true motives of trying to experience human connection for himself. Leaving Judith feeling taken advantage of.

 

Our Take:

This was an exciting week for Doomsday Brothers. Three individual voice actors received ACTRA Award nominations for their work on the series. The union awards are hopefully the first of many nominations for the program.  Doomsday Brothers deserves to be acknowledged for trying something unique and exciting in the often-dulled-down Canadian market.  

We can only hope this show gains the same recognition as Corner Gas Animated has seen with its current run. Though a significant factor in that is the difference in reach.  Doomsday Brothers is leading through an unestablished territory, being the first exclusively homemade series on Adult Swim Canada. And as grateful as we are to have something this good all to our selves for once, there is a much larger audience for this show.  

It is episodes such as “St. Zypher’s Day” that showcase what this show is capable of. It included an original story with unexpected directions and inventive humour. There have been a few stand-out episodes through this inaugural season, and this was absolutely one of them.

There are often themes hidden across an episode. The theme for this piece was all about sex or losing virginity to be more specific. Two starring characters managed to pop the cherry in individual plots. Both as clever the other.

For Rafe, his first intimate experience was heavily tainted. That is unless you are into Shape of Water situations with scales and gills and all. Beyond that, discovering your partner is married with children can always put a dampen on things. Regardless, he handled it well, did the right thing, and accomplished a personal goal. This was a great episode for Rafe.

Meanwhile, back in the bunker, where plots can be hit-or-miss. It is hits like dealing with AENUS’s virginity that make the show great. We have seen how AENUS can mess-with and manipulate his human companion. Though he took the cake this time by attempting to take advantage of Judith. Boundaries were pushed. And the way this plot concludes is unexpected and weirdly challenges the mind.

In fact, all three of the plots running through this episode had a shock conclusion. The best third act in the series yet pulls laughs the whole way through. The choices that are made with this story is what you would expect from a Rick and Morty. And you know an episode is good when it leaves you laughing to the last moment.

With all of that said, the best part of the episode was the small additions. Mutant flowers traumatized from being picked. An insecure husband watching his wife have sex. A blood-stained teddy bear. These small details add so much to an episode. More angry flowers would benefit the series.

There truly is not anything else like Doomsday Brothers on Canadian television. If this show has not been considered for more award nominations in the nation already, this episode should be enough to change that. It could be argued that this series is standing shoulders with some of the most popular sitcoms coming out of the more established US market. Especially with episodes that do things outside-the-box as this one does.