\n<\/p>\n
What if I told you that midway through \u201cKnuckles,\u201d the new Paramount+ limited series based on the character from the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, there\u2019s a mini rock opera featuring vocals from Michael Bolton? If that piques your interest, then you will find many things to enjoy in this show, which frequently feels less like an exercise in I.P. expansion and more like an experiment from comedy weirdos. There\u2019s some strange sauce at work in \u201cKnuckles,\u201d which makes it overcome its crassly commercial origins to feel like a worthwhile watch for those in need of a quick and zany distraction.<\/p>\n
At its core, \u201cKnuckles\u201d is a spinoff of the two \u201cSonic the Hedgehog\u201d movies about a blue alien who can go fast. \u201cSonic the Hedgehog 2\u201d (2022) introduced Knuckles, a bright red echidna, sometimes called a spiny anteater, voiced by Idris Elba, who starts out as Sonic\u2019s foe but turns out to be an ally. You don\u2019t actually really need to know much of anything about the \u201cSonic\u201d movies or Sega video games to enjoy \u201cKnuckles,\u201d however. There\u2019s occasionally mention of Sonic lore, but it just serves as a backdrop to a bizarre buddy comedy.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnuckles\u201d finds the titular character teaming up with Wade Whipple (Adam Pally), a lowly deputy sheriff of the town where Sonic and his pals reside. Wade wants to win a bowling tournament. The deadpan Knuckles believes his quest worthy and promises to turn Wade into a \u201cwarrior.\u201d (The theme song is Scandal\u2019s very catchy \u201cThe Warrior\u201d<\/a> from 1984.)<\/p>\n So, yes, \u201cKnuckles\u201d is mostly about a man and an animated egg-laying mammal with super strength venturing from Montana to Reno in order to bowl. Along the way they are pursued by some bad guys (Scott Mescudi, a.k.a. the rapper Kid Cudi, and Ellie Taylor) who want to trap Knuckles, but they also stop to have Shabbat dinner at Wade\u2019s childhood home. There, Wade\u2019s mother, played by Stockard Channing, teaches Knuckles about Judaism and the filmography of Julia Roberts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n And then there\u2019s the \u201clow-budget rock opera,\u201d directed by Lonely Island\u2019s Jorma Taccone, in which Wade enters a musical dream sequence dressed as Knuckles in a fuzzy mascot suit. He is accompanied by a chorus of dancing owls led by Julian Barratt of the British comedy group the Mighty Boosh. It\u2019s a deeply absurd episode that feels right in line with the rest of Taccone\u2019s work, especially the underrated film \u201cHot Rod\u201d (2007).<\/p>\n Created by John Whittington and Toby Ascher, \u201cKnuckles\u201d has a shockingly deep well of comedic talent. It features Edi Patterson, who is just as funny here as she is on \u201cThe Righteous Gemstones,\u201d as Wade\u2019s ornery sister, as well as Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel as a pair of sports announcers. Cary Elwes eventually shows up as a smug, tea-sipping bowling champ.<\/p>\n Pally, however, is the wry anchor of the show. Elba gives all of his line readings hilarious gravitas, while Pally seems to wink at just how silly it all is. It\u2019s a ridiculous combination that shockingly does the trick.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re taken with Pally, I highly recommend checking out his work in the beloved but canceled-too-soon sitcom \u201cHappy Endings,\u201d streaming on Hulu. Also, if you can find clips of it, seek out the time he guest hosted \u201cThe Late Late Show\u201d in 2015 with Ben Schwartz, the voice of Sonic, during a snowstorm<\/a>. It\u2019s chaos at its finest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nSide quests<\/span><\/h3>\n