This is an honorable mention. I do like the plotline which is not far off from being plausible. You can say this episode sort of predated the films "Misery" and "The Truman Show" as those films were based on fan and media culture taken one step too far.
I really like the scam the Misfits pull which is a clever way to draw out the secret identity of Jem. They of course concoct this scam by taking advantage of one fan's obsession. This fan character (voiced well by Rob Paulson) unlike most of them isn't the clichéd psycho we see many times around but he's a good guy, but the problem is he's taken his fandom too far, to the point where his sense of reality has become blurred. We also see he's a bit of a man child as one moment he throws a tantrum by taking a vase and throwing it down, for not knowing Jem's secret identity. It's easy to see how he's came to this state as his social economic status was a contributing factor to this unhealthy state as he's been overly spoiled, getting more of what he wants instead of what he needs, much like with Pizzaz.
However, I really like the turn on his character as both reality and his conscious finally catch up to him, when his dream of learning Jem's identity is becoming a nightmare when he sees how much harm the Misfits are causing Jem; but also, maybe even the big picture as to what this discovery could do to Jem's carrier and livelihood. This shows that this fan does possess a sense of integrity which of course does pay off in the end and proves what true fandom really is.
I really like the suspense in the episode where we're all a step ahead of Jerrica/Jem as we know she's in an entrapment situation as she's in a replica version of the Starlight Mansion and each of the Holograms she's interacting with are paid phonies. And were hoping that the Holograms will find Jem on time, because we know the longer Jem is in this theatrical prison, she'll eventually let her guard down and spill the beans.
This episode I feel doesn't just satire on fandom taken too far but also you can say reality TV and visual media subculture taken too far. How so much of it has created this unhealthy psychological need to blur the line between reality and fantasy, the envy complex to get closer to celebrities to become them, but also to invade their privacy and expose well kept secrets as a golden ticket to elevating one's status or even just downright destroy the person.
There's never anything wrong with being a fan as long as you still have one foot in reality to keep you balanced.
Rating: 3 and a half stars.
I really like the scam the Misfits pull which is a clever way to draw out the secret identity of Jem. They of course concoct this scam by taking advantage of one fan's obsession. This fan character (voiced well by Rob Paulson) unlike most of them isn't the clichéd psycho we see many times around but he's a good guy, but the problem is he's taken his fandom too far, to the point where his sense of reality has become blurred. We also see he's a bit of a man child as one moment he throws a tantrum by taking a vase and throwing it down, for not knowing Jem's secret identity. It's easy to see how he's came to this state as his social economic status was a contributing factor to this unhealthy state as he's been overly spoiled, getting more of what he wants instead of what he needs, much like with Pizzaz.
However, I really like the turn on his character as both reality and his conscious finally catch up to him, when his dream of learning Jem's identity is becoming a nightmare when he sees how much harm the Misfits are causing Jem; but also, maybe even the big picture as to what this discovery could do to Jem's carrier and livelihood. This shows that this fan does possess a sense of integrity which of course does pay off in the end and proves what true fandom really is.
I really like the suspense in the episode where we're all a step ahead of Jerrica/Jem as we know she's in an entrapment situation as she's in a replica version of the Starlight Mansion and each of the Holograms she's interacting with are paid phonies. And were hoping that the Holograms will find Jem on time, because we know the longer Jem is in this theatrical prison, she'll eventually let her guard down and spill the beans.
This episode I feel doesn't just satire on fandom taken too far but also you can say reality TV and visual media subculture taken too far. How so much of it has created this unhealthy psychological need to blur the line between reality and fantasy, the envy complex to get closer to celebrities to become them, but also to invade their privacy and expose well kept secrets as a golden ticket to elevating one's status or even just downright destroy the person.
There's never anything wrong with being a fan as long as you still have one foot in reality to keep you balanced.
Rating: 3 and a half stars.
