Review: Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. "The Hulking Commandos"

The Commandos didn't hulk a single time. I want my money back.

Plot
For this episode, they dusted off good ol' Generic Plot number 12.

"Team A teams up with Team B to defeat Threat C."

It's not a bad thing when there's no other point to a story other than seeing two groups team-up. Many episodes of many shows use this plot to great effect, but here it just seemed... transparent. In all honesty, "Halloween Night at the Museum" seemed less transparently team-up-ish than this. And that one was made to promote a live-action kid-com.

There's really no reason to set this episode on Halloween. I mean, despite the choice of setting it in Salem, a bit of fluff about trick-or-treating, and the Howling Commandos, there was nothing Halloween-y about this. "Halloween Night at the Museum" at least gave us a Jack O'Lantern villain. This show just dusted off a villain that we've already seen numerous times across the Marvel Animated Universe. And what do you know, he's got the same plan of conquering Earth.

Yawn.

And the fact that they aired this episode early to make it sync up with Halloween just means that the fact that Hulks make it back to Earth is spoiled for us. Thanks for that. I mean, it's obvious that they would, but this is like airing Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home before Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. It makes it kind of obvious that they're going to find him, you know?

Theme
Having said all of that, I must admit, the message of this episode was very surprising. Instead of the Hulk yearning to be accepted as a hero, beloved in spite of what he is, he comes to terms with his inner monstrosity. He's a monster. And that's okay.

Hulks here, he's a monster, get used to it.

Pictured: The Hulk Pride movement.

Because whether you look like Brad Pitt or John Merrick, it's what's inside that counts.

Characters
Pretty much the same as ever.

Most of them were rendered MIA for most of the episode due to evil hoodoo, and our two regular characters remaining did their standard stuff, with little character growth. Sure, Hulk apparently learned a lesson, but I think we all know it will stick as well as the talking Hulkjet or A-Bomb's girlfriend, Crystal. Why, I... WAIT A SECOND.

Okay, so I always assumed that Crystal, the Inhuman princess and A-Bomb's girlfriend, would make another appearance. And yet, in "It's a Wonderful Smash," he's trying to hook up with Eliza Dushku!

What gives? Where is this nebulous abyss that you keep dumping your continuity into, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.? I know I'm getting off topic, but seriously!

Animation
Same as ever. Same ol', same ol'.

Look, the highest praise I can give this episode is that it wasn't actively bad, This is a forgettable episode with a minimum of plot, minimum of stupid, and a maximum of action. Sadly, that's the best we can hope for from Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Next time, we get something truly scary: another episode. See you then.