Review: The Barbarian and the Troll “Pictures of Boo”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Brendar and the group seek shelter after getting caught in the middle of a storm. They are then welcomed into a mysterious house by a strange host.

Our Take:

From one pit stop to another. After dealing with some snow gremlins and the return of General Skelly, the gang is now going face to face with their ghostly host. They’re going to need to call the Ghostbusters for this one.

The episode started with Brendar and the others searching for someplace to sleep after getting caught in a storm. Not a snowstorm like the previous episode, just a regular one. Its comedy also started on the right foot, with the characters choosing between an inn run by gnomes and a creepy old house. They eventually went with the latter after noticing the gnomes’ true identities. They should’ve gone with the gnome inn.

This is something that would work nicely as the show’s Halloween special rather than a regular episode. It’s got a creepy atmosphere, portraits of people with mustaches, and a ghost who’s more than what he seemed. What more could you want out of this frightening chapter? Admittedly, it’s more goofy than scary, and it served as another filler episode that didn’t go anywhere in its main plot. However, it is also an enjoyable episode where Evan steps in to save the day, or in this case, save the night.

The episode introduced another minor antagonist in the form of Colonel Johnny’s ghost. Johnny is the host of the Haunted Inn, where guests can check in, but they don’t check out. He plots to steal the group’s souls and keep them in his portrait for all eternity. The way Johnny steals the characters’ souls was pretty amusing, with them having mustaches while being possessed. The character as a whole was a fine addition to the show’s puppet cast despite his evil plan being on the nose.

The show’s comedy also continued to shine with some quotes from The Shining and Ghostbusters, as well as Evan’s fear of ghosts. The part where Stacey kept Brendar from sleeping because she’s nocturnal was pretty funny as well. However, the one piece of humor that got me laughing the most was when Evan used his magical sock to call upon the Army of the Unravel to help him save his friends. They managed to get the ghost out of their bodies by singing and dancing in a musical number that resembles Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Who knew socks could be this talented?

Overall, “Pictures of Boo” may not have advanced its season’s central plot, but it’s an entertaining filler episode that’ll give viewers a scary good time. With two pit stops down already, it’s only a matter of time before they reach yet another obstacle that’ll stand between Brendar and the dreaded Alvin.