The following contains spoilers for Knuckles, now streaming on Paramount+
Knuckles benefits from the same element that allowed Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to stand out over the first film in the franchise and helps separate Sonic properties from The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Building off the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the Knuckles miniseries is a largely self-contained affair that mainly focuses on one of the supporting characters from the films. Tonally, it’s very similar to the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, which was a financial success but dull on a story level.
The sequel improved on this by embracing a strange approach to character and comedy that helped the film stand out in a fun way. The new miniseries tries to have a bit of both, focusing on a largely character-driven arc for Knuckles cast that deviates from the source material in some pretty big ways. In the process though, Knuckles refines the unique energy that the franchise has picked up. It highlights the advantage this gives Sonic the Hedgehog series over The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and why it needs to carry over to the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
The best parts of the Knuckles miniseries are when the show leans into a weird sense of comedy, an element the cinematic Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has developed as a whole. Knuckles is largely about Wade, the dopey deputy from Green Hills. After gaining Knuckles as an unexpected mentor, Wade sets out to win a bowling tournament and learn the true meaning of being a warrior. The first half of the series feels very reminiscent of the first Sonic the Hedgehog film, focusing on a family-centric road trip with occasional bursts of action. The fourth episode of the series, “The Flames of Disaster,” shifts gears somewhat.
After Wade is kidnapped by his former friend Jack Sinclair, Wade meditates and is greeted by Knuckles’ own mentor, Pachacamac. The musical Knuckles sequence takes a weird approach to character growth and exposition, with Wade placed in an ill-fitting Knuckles costume and forced to take part in a purposefully cheap rock opera featuring vocals by Michael Bolton. This gives Wade the confidence to challenge Jack to a motorcycle joust to earn his freedom. It’s altogether goofy, unexpected and weird. It’s also the most entertaining Knuckles ever is.
This commitment to a bizarre and self-aware cheesy sense of humor benefits Knuckles, giving it a unique energy to separate it from the other more familiar elements of the series. It’s similar to Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which likewise benefited from silly touches to help it stand out from other basic adaptations. While The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a visually stunning recreation of the games, critics maligned the film for sticking too closely to established formulas in its story. By contrast, Sonic the Hedgehog utilizes a more bizarre and frantic sense of comedy, especially in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
It allows the films to stand out from the source material, all while drawing just enough attention to the bizarreness of the situation to make grounded reactions more impactful. Knuckles’ brazen approach to human customs in the first episode of Knuckles is another hint at how the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise thrives when it allows itself to be weird. It’s something The Super Mario Bros. Movie doesn’t get as much room to accomplish, as it instead largely focuses on remixing material from the original games to create something faithful. Sonic the Hedgehog instead thrives on those bizarre touches.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 needs to continue this approach. It’s a series that’s been improved by taking these unexpected turns. It’s a franchise where government sting operations can end in firefights at weddings and titanic battles can be disrupted by chili dogs. The addition of Shadow the Hedgehog to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 series could easily make things melodramatic. Leaning into that sense of comedy could help keep things emotionally grounded in contrast to the weirder turns. The bizarre beats can carry the comedy, leaving room for genuine emotional beats.
By embracing a goofy sense of humor that matches the ridiculous nature of the franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Knuckles both improve on the more bland elements of the first Sonic the Hedgehog. It gives the characters a goofy willingness to do anything, and introduces a self-aware element to the stories that actually helps the more emotionally earnest moments land better. Wade’s growth is straightforward but gains uniqueness through Knuckles‘ use of weird comedic turns and strange musical moments. It helps Knuckles stand out from other video game adaptations and has proven to be Sonic the Hedgehog‘s best strength.