Teen Titans Go!: "Be Mine"

Premiered February 12, 2014

After defeating the super-villain Terra (Ashley Johnson), Raven (Tara Strong) imprisons her antagonist in alternate dimension, which also happens to be where the Teen Titans' dispose of their trash!

Six months pass and Valentine's Day arrives.  Starfire (Hynden Walch) asks Robin (Scott Menville) to be her Valentine and the Titans plan a Valentine dance party.

Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) isn't happy, because the only girl his heart beats for is Terra and he doesn't know what's happened to her.  Cyborg (Khary Payton) figures out Terra's whereabouts and Raven asks him not to tell Beast Boy.

Of course Cyborg can't keep the secret.  When Beast Boy learns of this, he lowers a rope into the "trash" dimension and rescues Terra.

However, Terra does not appreciate his efforts, she's spent her time in the garbage plotting her revenge on the Titans and especially Beast Boy.  Terra tricks him into helping her steal machinery that increases her earth-moving powers.  Raven tries to warn Beast Boy, but he's not having it.  We also learn that Raven is nursing a crush on Beast Boy.

Meanwhile, Robin is learning that being Starfire's Valentine isn't as fun as he thought it would be.

Finally, it's time for the Valentine party.

Terra attacks and threatens to ruin everyone's Valentine's Day.  Will Terra's plan succeed?  Will Beast Boy figure out that Raven has a thing for him?  Can Valentine's Day be saved by the power of song?  

RigbyMel says:

"Be Mine" makes for excellent, but not saccharine Valentine viewing.

There's teen angst and unrequited crushes.

There is love and vengeance.

Terra plots to destroy the Teen Titans while in the alternate dimension. 

There's Starfire's amusing take on the whole concept of Valentine's Day.

Starfire gives Robin an actual heart for V-day! 

There is Beast Boy in cat form, who remains (as I said in a previous review) adorable.   And he writes a LOVE SONG for Terra.   And it works!!

D'awww! 

There are troublesome cupids and Valentine cards as well.

This all adds up to a fun superhero Valentine frolic.  If you dig Teen Titans Go!,  you will dig this installment in the series.  If you're not familiar with the show, this is a fun starting off point.   I recommend this episode for the young and the young at heart.

RigbyMel's rating:

4 Valentine hearts!!

Titans Tower with bonus lovebirds

J.A. Morris says:

I'm in general agreement with RigbyMel about "Be Mine."  It's got humor, romance, action, super-hero fights, all in under 12 minutes!

Cyborg's Valentine Jinx (a villain) is, unfortunately in police custody on Valentine's Day.

Strange it might sound, there are parts of this cartoon that most of us can identify with. We've all likely been in scenarios similar to this one, where Beast Boy's feelings for Terra are not reciprocated. And the same goes for Raven's crush on Beast Boy.

It's got plenty of roses and heart-shaped boxes too, so it makes for nice annual Valentine viewing.

And like my co-blogger said, any episode with a guitar-playing kitty singing a love song has to be good!

In addition to frequent airings on Cartoon Network, "Be Mine" is also available for streaming on iTunes and Amazon.  It can be found on a dvd titled Teen Titans Go!:Couch Crusaders and a blu-ray called Teen Titans Go!:The Complete First Season.

This is a great episode of Teen Titans Go! and is highly recommended!  I plan to watch it every February from now on!

J.A. Morris' rating:

4 Valentine hearts!

Teen Titans Go!: "Second Christmas"

Premiered December 4, 2013.

Beast Boy: Don't mind us, we'll just be waiting another 364 days till next Christmas.
Cyborg: 364.  Doesn't seem so long!   I can't do it, man! I just can't do it!  It's too many days!!
Beast Boy: It's not fair!  Why does Starfire get a second Christmas? 
Starfire:  Are my ears hearing correctly?  There is a second Christmas coming? 
Narrator:  And with that one question out of Starfire's mouth,  the magic of Second Christmas was born ... 

The Teen Titans wake up on Christmas morning, excited about celebrating a day of presents and ugly sweaters.

"So ugly!"  "Yet still festive!"

Their seasonal joy increases exponentially when they learn it’s snowing outside!  After playing in the snow, it's time for a bountiful Christmas feast.

The next morning, they wake up … realizing that there are 364 days until Christmas comes again.

Starfire (Hayden Walch) is off to her home planet Tamaran to celebrate the Great Kergoff.    When Starfire compares Kergoff to Christmas, some of her teammates are jealous and say Starfire is lucky she gets to celebrate a second Christmas.  When she hears this phrase, she asks if there is such a thing as "second Christmas."

SECOND CHRISTMAS!

Cyborg (Khary Payton), Raven (Tara Strong) and Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) decide to trick Starfire into believing there's a second Christmas that's celebrated on December 26.  It even features a "second Santa" who is skinny, wears a green track suit and flies around with a jet pack.

Second Santa will deliver a miracle of ... someting.  

When Starfire says she wants to see Second Santa, her teammates tell her she needs to buy them gifts, decorate Titans Tower with more lights, cook a Second Christmas dinner and fly the Second Christmas kite.  After that, Second Santa will deliver the Second Christmas miracle.  Robin (Scott Menville) tries to intervene and tells Starfire the others are just trying to get more presents.

Will Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy come clean and tell Starfire there's no such thing as Second Christmas?   How will Starfire react when she learns she missed the Great Kergoff for nothing?

J.A. Morris says:

"Second Christmas" is a great holiday episode of a generally great series.  It made me think of how I often felt when I was a little kid on December 26 (or some years, the afternoon of Christmas Day).  Sure, my family always made sure I got good presents, but I felt a bit sad that Christmas was over and there would be no more holiday specials or songs and the anticipation of Christmas presents was gone.

The Teen Titans have that feeling here and do something about it.  Of course they go about it wrong, lying to Starfire, and just like in real life, little lies lead to more lies and get you in trouble.

I also appreciated Starfire's comments about her home planet's greatest holiday, the Great Kergoff happening right after Christmas.  It's a reminder to us Earthlings that many holidays and celebrations other than Christmas occur at the same time of year.

On Starfire's home planet, children get presents from Gilnark, The Terrible instead of Santa!

There are even some "Easter eggs" in the background, such as the ornaments on the Titans' Christmas tree.

"Second Christmas" can be streamed on Amazon and iTunes.  It's also available on Teen Titans Go!:The Complete First Season blu ray.  This series also airs all the time on Cartoon Network, so check their listings.

I have a feeling that I'll be watching this on December 26 for years to come.  "Second Christmas" is very funny and highly recommended for superhero fans and people (like me!) who have trouble adjusting to life when Christmas is over.

J.A. Morris' rating:

4 candy canes!

RigbyMel says:

I learned the term "anticlimax" on the day after Christmas when I was around 8 or 9, so I understand the Titans' sense of letdown.    Their solution is certainly creative,  even if the lack of honesty seems beneath them.     Then again,  they are teenagers and haven't settled into mature superhero-dom.

Starfire is starry-eyed about Second Christmas.

Starfire's enthusiasm for the hastily made up "Second Christmas" is actually kind of sweet.
Moreover, Beast Boy as a cat is adorable.

Look at him ... adorable!!! 

Even goth-chick Raven is not above getting excited about a "Pretty Pretty Pegasus" doll.  (Collector's edition!)

It's also amusing that Robin, the "Second Christmas grouch," is gung-ho about getting back to the team's regularly scheduled training while the others want to extend the holiday festivities.    I am sure we've all known (or been) on both sides of that equation.

 
The denouement of this episode deserves to remain unspoiled, but is also ... creative, and pretty wickedly funny.

Teen Titans is a super fun show in general and the post holiday mayhem of "Second Christmas" is great for helping to get over the post-holiday blues.   Highly recommended.

RigbyMel's rating:

4 candy canes!

Teen Titans Go!: "Black Friday"

Premiered November 19, 2015.

Raven: Black Friday is the one holiday everyone can agree on, because everyone loves a bargain!
Robin: Standing in long lines so you can buy things for 70% off is the ultimate act of love!

At Thanksgiving dinner, the Teen Titans scarf down their food at a breakneck pace.  When Starfire (Hynden Walch) asks why they can't slow down and appreciate the feast, Robin (Scott Menville) announces that they need to move on to the next "holiday": Black Friday!

Much to the dismay of her teammates, Starfire refuses to participate in the consumerist insanity.

Starfire conflates Scrooge McDuck with Ebenezer Scrooge.

She decides to take a nap, but is awakened by ghosts of Black Friday Past, Present and Future, who want to show her the true "reason for the season."

Starfire admires the Ghost of Black Friday Past's "dress."  

Will Starfire find the Black Friday spirit?   Will the other Titans get all the bargain prices on consumer electronics they hope for?  

RigbyMel says:

This short cartoon is hyperkinetic and very funny.   It uses "Christmas Carol" type spirits and tropes in a witty and subversive way.

Cyborg (Khary Payton) and Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) as the Ghosts of Black Friday Present.   Note the "ghostly" background!

I also really like the look of the Teen Titans Go! series in general with its stylized drawings with a bit of anime flavor thrown in.

Although I am personally on Starfire's side of the Black Friday argument, I certainly appreciate the silly denouement of her visits from the Black Friday Spirits.

Starfire is Not Amused.

This short is well worth watching and might even make you think a little bit before engaging in consumerist throwdowns.

RigbyMel's rating:

4 Black Friday sale tags

J.A. Morris says:

I agree with just about everything my co-blogger said about "Black Friday," but I think I liked it even a little more than she did.  It features some good (if unsubtle) social commentary about today's culture of consumerism and how it relates to the meaning of Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, in addition to being a Dickens parody, this episode features some piano jazz on the soundtrack that sounds a lot like Vince Guaraldi's tunes from A Charlie Brown Christmas.  At one point, Beast Boy extols the "virtues" of Black Friday.  This reminded me a bit of Linus' recitation of the Nativity story.  Of course Beast Boy's message is "spend money!"

The Teen Titans chase down the villain Jinx in search of bargains.

"Black Friday" also contains lots of "blink and you'll miss them" cameo appearances of other DC Comics superheroes.  During the consumer stampede, Starfire (literally) bumps into Kid Flash...

...Batgirl, and many others.

This episode premiered last week, but it's already available for streaming on Amazon.
Teen Titans Go! also airs on Cartoon Network multiple times every week, so check your TV listings.

Raven (Tara Strong) appears as the Ghost of Black Friday Future.

There isn't a lot of "Black Friday" programming out there, but this Teen Titans Go! episode is highly recommended.  I generally stay home and avoid malls on the day after Thanksgiving.  On future Black Fridays, I plan to add watching this episode to my non-shopping activities.

J.A. Morris' rating:

4 Black Friday Sale tags!