Review: Human Discoveries “And Then They Discovered the Wheel”

 

 

Overview:

While Trog attempts to move his last few things from Gary’s cave, he stumbles with the amount he needs to carry. Through a freak accident, all of his stuff ends up perfectly creating a useful wagon. After showing it to the rest of the tribe, Trog is excited about the popularity it will bring him, that is until it is returned to him damaged.  He decides the best way to be compensated for his creation is to rent it out in exchange for goods and services. The results lead to the entire tribe creating a market. The new economy causes a different effect on every member of the camp. Gary and Jane, probably get impacted the most, as they are unwealthy in this new economy and steep to the creation of robbery.

 

Our Take:

Screw any fancy introduction here, I can’t help but shake the love I have of how this episode’s plot was initiated. Everything that grew and blew out of this story was brought on from some of the first lines of dialogue. Trog, overcome with the sheer amount of items he was attempting to manoeuvre to his cave, approached Minerva with his request of her help. In typical Minerva fashion, she replied with a statement somewhere along the lines of “are you really going to ask a friend to help you move?” And, that was the catalyst for not only the invention of the wheel but an entire economy.

It is almost ridiculous that asking a friend to move would be such a stigma that it caused working socialism to fall apart. Actually, it is ridiculous, ridiculously hilarious. It wasn’t even the first time that the theme came up early in the episode. It’s one of those small awkward social things that bother our normal everyday life. To use the concept to initiate the downfall of this tribe’s daily workings is an ingenious plot device. The simple request was so cataclysmic that it has altered the foreground of the show as we know it going forward.

Just like the discovery of alcohol or fire changed the dynamic of the series as it progressed, you can be damn confident the wheel is going to shake things up. With the season reaching its conclusion in the next episode, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the series have a completely different look should it return for another run. Even despite the fact that all the wheels and currency were destroyed by the end of the episode, the impact of their invention will most likely be seen.

There were so many significant aspects to this episode that all stemmed from that brilliant introduction. For one, Minerva ends up creating and operating the first bank. The heist that Gary and Jane pull together was not only the first in history but one of the most fun moments of the series thus far. It also led to Beth throwing herself in the mix for a potential threesome… also a discovery… maybe. Even the elk who always linger in the back were sent on their own moving adventure, and they too did not want to help their friend move. This was an episode packed to the brim, and all of it was as good as this show gets.

I mentioned earlier in this review the episode involving the discovery of alcohol. That episode was the standout moment where this series went from good to great. Well, with this clever addition to the season, Human Discoveries has done it again. Each episode has been good, but not to this extent. Truly, the further we come along the better things get. And, with one episode left to the season, if you haven’t started watching this show yet, it is time to get on it. Quite possibly the best adult animated show that you can get completely for free thanks to Facebook.