Spinning off from Sonic the Hedgehog and being set in between 2 and the upcoming third installment, Knuckles could have easily phoned it in to deliver an entertaining little side story. Take Knuckles, an outsider learning the customs of Earth for the very first time, present some manner of fish-out-of-water storyline, and sprinkle in some interactions with Sonic, Tails, and their humans. Unfortunately, the Knuckles series lacks the charm or scope of the second film. Rather than making him the lead, Knuckles instead becomes second-billed to Adam Pally’s Wade Whipple. One may remember Wade as a police officer and temporary sheriff from the two previous movies. While Wade was quite funny in smaller doses, positioning him as the central focal point makes no sense whatsoever. If I ever hear another loud scream or frantic freak-out from Pally, it will be too soon. Giving video game fans only a taste of the titular Echidna in a show titled after him, Knuckles completely misses the mark while doubling down on a zany tone and offbeat humor.
A cute narration by Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in the series premiere catches up new audiences (or those who cannot think back to 2022) on just why Knuckles matters so much. Last we left him, Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) became besties, settling in with their human family in the aftermath of a showdown with Dr. Robotnik. Now, Knuckles has trouble taking a break from being a fierce warrior. A mysterious elder named Chief Pachacamac (Christopher Lloyd) appears to task Knuckles with a mission. He must teach Wade the customs of the Echidna, and help to grow their traditions. Told that the fate of the Echidna rests in his hands, Knuckles must shift his priorities considerably for the sake of his own future.
Wade taking center stage happens gradually, with a slow motion disaster set to Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” cementing him as a main player. The series tries to build up what he has with Knuckles as an oddball sort of friendship. Knuckles meets Wade’s mother (Stockard Channing) and sister (Edi Patterson) in a defining direction that comes about mid-season. At 80, Channing impresses in terms of both physicality and onscreen presence—she notably pronounces Knuckles’ name with a Jewish twang for the “ck.” Wade teaches Knuckles random lessons, such as the definition of a “jam,” along with a comparison to magic. Duo scenes allow them to team up, lacking the magic felt when Tom joins up with Sonic. Instead of featuring series familiars often, we are lucky to glimpse any of them more than a couple times in the six-episode run.
The setup remains simple enough at the beginning, and the production slickly provides some major set pieces. The budget soars, but too often they just throw in a bombastic action brawl in the last five minutes and call it a day. Once the formula becomes more obvious, it feels repetitive in the most exhausting kind of way. The pop culture references often do not play as organic either—why would Knuckles know to refer to Kevin James as “the mall cop?” After realizing the whole thing only leads toward a bowling tournament, Knuckles amounts to little more than a yawn. Worse still, not so much as a tease happens for what comes next. The focus entirely on Wade allows no room for outer development.
Despite not matching my expectations for a spin-off show being that Knuckles himself would be the central focus, one does have to acknowledge that the creators do not play it safe when it comes to structure, or creative, ridiculously stylish tangents. A bizarre musical moment has some cool video game easter eggs that fans will want to keep an eye out for. One epic fight sequence carries the appearance of a one-shot take, never breaking away from the wallops. Stockard Channing gets in at least one good punch by series end. Additionally, Patty Smyth’s “The Warrior” and those animated credits fit perfectly. Run in the opposite direction from Knuckles if over the age of ten; for the youngsters, the Paramount+ series may be worth more to them than a golden ring.
Snatch the golden rings on your back into the world of Sonic with Knuckles, streaming exclusively to Paramount+ on Friday, April 26th.
