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A split image of Jason Ruiz, Evan Mann, Seth Cohen, and Royal Crackers Season 2

Exclusive Interview: Royal Crackers’ Jason Ruiz, Seth Cohen, and Evan Mann on Perfecting the Secret Ingredients For Season 2’s Recipe

Posted on February 29, 2024February 29, 2024 by Daniel Kurland

A different type of royal family.

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Overview: America’s favorite cracker magnate is back, baby! The Hornsby family returns for more character-driven and commercial drama when they’re forced to put out fires wherever they turn. Matt’s school, J. Davis High, becomes a microcosm for conflict when Royal Crackers gets pushed out of the cafeteria in favor of a healthier alternative that just so happens to be peddled by the Hornsbys’ greatest rivals, the Dennisons. Elsewhere, Deb’s affinity for a new Peloton-esque exercise routine throws a curious wrench in the spokes of her relationship with Stebe. Each Hornsby seeks out validation in their own respective ways, but it might take catastrophic conflict and the destruction of a business or two in order to get these wounded souls satisfaction. Our Take: Royal Crackers has been one of the biggest surprises to come out of Adult Swim in the last few years and an animated series that truly attempts to do something different. There’s a rough-around-the-edges visual aesthetic that’s perhaps kept some audiences at a distance, but the moving characters and heightened storytelling makes it easy to fall in love with this series. Royal Crackers’ first season heavily leaned into marketing that turned up the “Succession, but with crackers” angle and it’s reassuring to see its sophomore season get out of its own way and be more confident in its own skin. The Hornsby family are still deeply dysfunctional and detached, yet these two early entries from season two expand the series’ scope in ways that are both entertaining and organic. Crackers have never been so comedc. Royal Crackers’ second season begins with many compelling scenes where the entire Hornsby family work together and their irrational love for money enables one another to get crazier and bring out the worst in each other. These episodes move further away from the central power struggle within the Hornsby family and there is a greater attempt for them to work together and take on the community, which is a clever angle and an effective way to build upon the chaos. Royal Crackers messes with the Hornsbys’ social standing as they try to find peace within the community. The Hornsbys do their best to awkwardly blend in and learn how to accept themselves before they're accepted by others. That being said, this season emphasizes that the Hornsby family are the good ones here and not just a deluded, out of touch cracker conglomerate. It’s a subtle change, albeit a fundamental one, that helps the audience root for the Hornsbys and empathize with their plight, rather than simply pity them or laugh at their antics, which could occasionally be the timbre back in season one. There’s also some playful drama to be had here over the stress of being under scrutiny in a public venue, like a television broadcast, and how this pushes characters like Stebe to unexpected places. Royal Crackers focuses more on the Hornsby family’s fragile egos, frail images, and how this is all liable to crumble like a cracker. The Dennison family are back this season, bigger than ever, and continue to function as satisfying rivals that pose a threat to the entire Hornsby family. One of the silliest and most ridiculous details about the Hornsby/Dennison feud is that Dennison Snacks is pushing kale chips against Royal Crackers, considering that crackers aren’t even that unhealthy of a snack food. It’s not like they’re peddling donuts, cookies, or even anything that’s dense in sugar. It’s apples to organic apples here, which makes this crusade all the more outlandish and entertaining. It perfectly exemplifies the broader mania that often drives Royal Crackers storylines. The Dennison family drama boils over into a larger meditation on bullying, whether it’s in school, the community, or America as a whole, all with various degrees of imposing fascism. It’s a smart, effective way to juxtapose Matt’s personal problems with universal ones. On that note, Royal Crackers’ premiere features one of the stronger Matt storylines and he emerges more as a character this season than the shy cipher role that he largely fulfilled back in season one. Royal Crackers’ first season finale, “Craftopia,” did wonders for his character and so it’s satisfying to see the series continue to explore this and build upon it, rather than have him regress or decide that season one already covered this material while Royal Crackers instead shifts its focus to the rest of the Hornsby family. That being said, Royal Crackers really shines a light on Stebe and Deb’s marriage dynamics in a realistic manner that functions as the beating heart of this sweet animated comedy. It’s endearing to get stories that authentically explore marital malaise that don’t purely reduce these issues to broad punchlines. Theo, who’s frequently positioned as the most ridiculous member of the Hornsby family, also experiences a validating identity crisis. There’s a really satisfying wrinkle through these episodes where Theo turns to George Zeebos as a new father figure and someone who will better appreciate his odd interests, even if it’s a toxic, manipulative dynamic that’s doing demonstrably more harm than good. It’s a dark path for Theo to head down, but another layered character dynamic that fits the series’ themes. It speaks to the vulnerable, flawed nature of the Hornsby family and how they all really just want to find love and acceptance, even if it has to come from a heartless corporate overlord. Some of the strongest episodes from Royal Crackers’ first season are the ones that really play with form and indulge in science fiction and fantasy, like “Factory 37.” It’s encouraging to see that these more outlandish genre decisions are still very front and center in season two. There’s fantastical chaos like violent, bloody massacres, robot adultery, and a Terminator-esque billionaire CEO in these two episodes that provide so much personality and flavor to the franchise. Even the season premiere, which is a reasonably grounded and human story, ends with a completely ridiculous stinger where a human being shatters to pieces, defies reality, and it’s goddamn glorious. This is Royal Crackers in a nutshell – real, emotional storytelling that occasionally explodes into ludicrous lunacy. It feels like vintage Adult Swim programming in the best way possible. “Fight for J. Davis High” and “MyCycle” both go out on surprisingly sweet resolutions that focus on understanding over admonishment. As silly as Royal Crackers gets, it’s appreciated to see sincerity creep in and for the episodes’ conclusions to push commendable values that stand for something more substantial than simply creating the silliest story possible. There’s genuine weight to these episodes’ messages, which is what helps separate Royal Crackers from other series of its ilk. It functions as a testament to this show’s staying power beyond two seasons and that it’s far from out of ideas in its weird, wonderful world. It’s the secret ingredient to Royal Crackers’ success that guarantees that it’s not just some “unhealthy snack.” These are real characters with real things to say, even if they do frequently devolve into manic chaos. Royal Crackers never forgets that it needs to do more than that. Royal Crackers comes out of the gate swinging in its second season. There’s such a strong energy, a snappy rhythm, and tight storytelling in these two episodes that naturally moves the narrative along. It’s a powerful start that will please those who enjoyed season one, but it’s also a perfect, accessible entrypoint for any newcomers who are curiously checking out Royal Crackers for the first time. These two episodes are an excellent summation of what the series is all about and the heightened characters who bring its stories to life. It’s a very natural, confident start to the season that hopefully only continues to build upon this fantastic foundation. Bring on the all-out war between the Hornsbys and Dennisons. 8/10 Royal Crackers Season 2 Cast

Review: Royal Crackers “Fight for J. Davis High”; “MyCycle”

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Daniel Kurland

Royalty-free.

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