Review: The Smurfs “The Pluffs!”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Brainy and Smurfblossom enter a universe where the Smurfs are mean, and Gargamel and Azrael are kind.

Our Take:

Since its American debut back in September, the new iteration of The Smurfs has been doing reasonably well in recapturing the innocent and delightful spirit of Peyo’s comic series. If you’ve read my previous reviews of the series, you’d know that I have a soft spot for the Smurfs’ new set of charming adventures in Smurf Village. Now, the show is looking to continue this trend with its first half-hour special, which has them traveling to a brand new world.

No, I’m not talking about New York City as they already explored that in the live-action movies. I’m talking about an alternate universe where everyone is not who they’ve seemed to be. I guess The Smurfs is attempting to capitalize on the multiverse concept from Marvel. It’s an exciting concept that surprisingly fits as a double-length episode regarding the characters in unfamiliar territory.

The episode, which is split into two parts, focuses on Brainy Smurf and Smurfblossom as they get transported to an alternate universe during their escape from Gargamel. When they arrived, they encountered the Pluffs, the ungrateful version of the Smurfs who bully each other and everyone else. To get back to their own universe, Brainy and Blossom will have to do the unthinkable: teaming up with the kind-hearted version of Gargamel known as Caramel.

One of the reasons I enjoyed The Smurfs was the different pairings between the two Smurfs. They serve as fresh and humorous ways to represent the chemistry between the chosen characters, especially the supporting ones. “The Pluffs” is no different as it paired the most intelligent Smurf in the village with the most talkative Smurf. The development between the two characters was pretty close to nonexistent, but it isn’t without a few chuckle-worthy moments, including Brainy using the berries as earplugs. Unfortunately, there were also some moments where Blossom’s talkative nature can be a bit annoying. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen way too often.

As for the story itself, it’s an enjoyable adventure that earned its two-parter scenario. Part one showcases Brainy and Blossom exploring Pluff Village and encountering the Pluffs. The Pluffs are the grey Smurfs that constantly ruin everyone’s day with bullying. All I can say about them is that they’re intriguing additions to the cast that are also appropriately mean-spirited.

Part two has Brainy and Blossom teaming up with Caramel and Marshmallow (the alternate versions of Gargamel and Azrael) to get back home. Aside from its rushed ending and low stakes, the second part of “The Pluffs” maintained its entertainment values due to its slapstick humor. Part of the comedy comes from Caramel, who’s unsurprisingly just as clumsy and humorous as Gargamel.

Overall, “The Pluffs” offered enough charm and comedy to make the show’s first half-hour special a delightful success. Despite some flaws in its plot and chemistry between Brainy and Blossom, the two-part episode is not as ungracious as the disgusting Pluffs. Fortunately for us, the show has got a couple more two-parters coming our way soon, so let’s hope they’re just as amusing as the Smurfs’ little trip to the multiverse. Whenever they arrive, that is.