Having just reviewed Regular Show: Fright Pack, I have been encouraged that these individual DVD releases from Cartoon Network are more than just simple cash cows that the network knows fans will purchase. Nope, these episodes are cleverly put together into packs that maintain a central theme, and never stray away from it. The DVD release of Adventure Time: Jake the Dad is no different.
There are 16 episodes in total for this DVD, but these are some of my favorites included:
Jake the Dad – Jake has to keep up with his adorable kids. The problem is that he is sleepy as heck and they’re actively trying to drive him nuts. I think this one hits close to home, which makes me enjoy it all the more. Probably one of the cutest episodes ever made for the show. Scratch that, this is the cutest episode ever made for Adventure Time. Definitely worthy to lead this DVD release.
Burning Low – Jake and Finn mistake Princess Bubblegum’s warning about the Flame Princess’s impending doom for jealousy. When the warnings are ignored, Finn accidentally ignites a fire within the Flame Princess that could literally mean the end of all things. This is a rather tragic love story that ends well, but not the way you would hope. It’s a great episode and it doesn’t hurt that Finn looks like a burrito at the beginning (I don’t know why I wrote that, but it makes me hungry).
Gotcha – The Turtle Princess and Lumpy Space Princess band together to put together the ultimate book for bagging dudes. I won’t lie to you, this was a somewhat sad, humorous and frightening episode. I’m not sure if it was the Lumpy Space Princess dressing up in a grocery bag that made me uncomfortable or the fact she spread jelly around her lips to try to entice Jake and Finn. Regardless, the oddity level of this episode pretty much exceeds the usual for the show.
Sons of Mars – Magic Man is caught by his brothers from Mars (all 4-in-1 of them). To escape he decides to switch bodies with Jake, who then gets transported to Mars to stand trial for Magic Man’s magical crimes. Finn must find a way to get to Mars before Jake is put to death. This is a dark episode that’s hilarious. The most serious moment is when Jake gets execu– yeah, you’ll have to see it. A great story of friendship.
BMO Noire – A complete episode focused on Finn’s missing sock. But not just a wacky, odd episode, rather an episode wrapped in a black/white film noire motif. It’s incredibly creative, funny and a bit creepy (chicken with lipstick — that’s all I’m saying). It’s definitely one of my favorite episodes in the bunch with this release, if not only for the creative mood it sets.
The Hard Easy – I don’t even know where to begin. The conversation with the tadpole thingies is hilarious (Jonathan Katz makes this work). After that… yeah. It’s like a warped Wes Anderson film, but like most Wes Anderson films it has some pretty darn good music.
I Remember You – The Ice King wants to write a love song, but needs the help of Marceline to do so. Of course, Marceline is less than willing to help, but eventually gives in. It’s a funny and touching episode that lends well to the mysterious origin of the Ice King. Definitely a good one, if not only for the penguin.
All the Little People – This is a very unusual episode, as Magic Man slips a bag of tiny replicants from the Land of Ooo onto Finn. Finn decides to play God and mix/match each replicant with one another. What comes out of that mix/matching is sad relationships, hurt feelings and an endless pit of loneliness. It’s a very surreal episode, even by Adventure Time standards. It’s high quality material that does present some situations and religious questioning. Also, you get to see Finn shake the hell out of Finn. That’s pretty cool.
Mystery Dungeon – Enjoy this one. I won’t even begin to describe it. Just enjoy it. It’s brilliant, and a little creepy towards the end. Well, scratch that, a lot creepy.
All Your Fault – When Princess Bubblegum sends Finn and Jake to Castle Lemongrab to help the Earl of Lemongrab and Lemongrab 2 make more candy, things get wonky. This episode is something out of a Terry Gilliam film (name one), where there’s such oddity and metaphorical stances, that it’s difficult to work out just where the heck its’ going. The episode ends in a bang, and leaves you with disturbing images of brains. I wish all of what I just said was a joke, alas it is not. Disturbing and a bit charming.
BMO Lost – Best line ever… “Good morning, everyone! I didn’t have any dreams.” (BMO)
When BMO gets carried away from Jake and Finn’s home by a giant bird, BMO has to find a way back to the treehouse. Along the way back, she befriends a hopeless bubble and finds a giant baby named Ricky (or is it Sparkle?). I have no idea what was going on in this episode, but it made me laugh out loud several times. It ends sadly, though. I love BMO led Adventure Time episodes.
These are some of the best episodes in the bunch, and the big deal here is that all the episodes are worth your time and attention. There really isn’t a bad episode in the house. What’s more amazing about these episodes is that their central theme is about love. Love meaning either friendship, actual love or just caring about someone’s well being. In short, if you’re a fan of Adventure Time then you probably need to add this to your list of things to own. Adventure Time: Jake the Dad captures the essence of the show you’ve come to love, and a bit more adorableness to boot (and some oddity on the side).
In addition to the 16 shows you get with this release, you also get a wonderful Jake hat with the DVD. It’s a great add-in to the value of the release and kids will absolutely eat it up. My daughter took the hat to school this morning for weird hat day, so I know it’s cool enough for kids to wear (and adults — don’t judge).
Back to the disc, with this release you get one special feature. The feature is called ‘Little Did You Know’. It’s a small guide to Jake and Lady Rainicorn’s children. Each child gets their own musical theme and a healthy description of who they are. Comparably, it rates up there with the Villain list on the Regular Show: Fright Pack.