Despite being a huge Disney fan, 'Phineas and Ferb' was one of those shows before starting to watch where there was uncertainty as to whether it would be my cup of tea. Luckily, it turned out to be a major hit with me and my brother and sisters and very quickly we became addicted to it. Even if it is very formula-based, there are so many cool situations, quotes and songs and have always loved the characters and the theme song (which avoided it becoming repetition heavy).
"She's the Mayor" and "The Lemonade Stand" both had strong concepts. Both are also very well done and even great episodes, with "The Lemonade Stand" getting the slight edge as the better and more consistent one. There are even better episodes of 'Phineas and Ferb' about (which says a lot about how brilliant the show is at its best), but the exceptionally high quality that the show had at this point is still very much there in both "She's the Mayor" and "The Lemonade Stand".
Candace's behaviour in "She's the Mayor", even for her goal, when abusing her power was taken a little too much into extremes and almost too cruel. One of the main reasons as to why "The Lemonade Stand" struck me as the better episode was that she was written better and had a moral conflict that risks breaking a crucial relationship. One that was worth investing in.
The animation is bright and colourful, with such vibrant colours that literally pop out at you and beautifully detailed backgrounds. The character animation in the Doofenschmirtz subplot in "The Lemonade Stand" is particularly good and has some inventive and wonderfully exaggerated details, big and small. The music is in the style that is not usually my style of choice when listening to music, but it is very catchy and pleasant to listen to. The theme song is irresistible with a melody that sticks in the head for days without being an earworm and with very quotable lyrics. Some nice visuals accompanying it too.
Writing is full of wit and intelligence in both episodes, equally so and not one being better in this regard than the other, and the pacing is lively. It is never simplistic or forced, neither is it too complicated or tries too hard to be clever. The stories in both episodes are charming and fun, although "The Lemonade Stand's" Doofenschmirtz subplot is funnier and more imaginative (and more like him) than the one in "She's the Mayor" both represent him very well as the wonderfully kooky character that fans know and love. The character writing and voice work are excellent.
All in all, great. 9/10.
"She's the Mayor" and "The Lemonade Stand" both had strong concepts. Both are also very well done and even great episodes, with "The Lemonade Stand" getting the slight edge as the better and more consistent one. There are even better episodes of 'Phineas and Ferb' about (which says a lot about how brilliant the show is at its best), but the exceptionally high quality that the show had at this point is still very much there in both "She's the Mayor" and "The Lemonade Stand".
Candace's behaviour in "She's the Mayor", even for her goal, when abusing her power was taken a little too much into extremes and almost too cruel. One of the main reasons as to why "The Lemonade Stand" struck me as the better episode was that she was written better and had a moral conflict that risks breaking a crucial relationship. One that was worth investing in.
The animation is bright and colourful, with such vibrant colours that literally pop out at you and beautifully detailed backgrounds. The character animation in the Doofenschmirtz subplot in "The Lemonade Stand" is particularly good and has some inventive and wonderfully exaggerated details, big and small. The music is in the style that is not usually my style of choice when listening to music, but it is very catchy and pleasant to listen to. The theme song is irresistible with a melody that sticks in the head for days without being an earworm and with very quotable lyrics. Some nice visuals accompanying it too.
Writing is full of wit and intelligence in both episodes, equally so and not one being better in this regard than the other, and the pacing is lively. It is never simplistic or forced, neither is it too complicated or tries too hard to be clever. The stories in both episodes are charming and fun, although "The Lemonade Stand's" Doofenschmirtz subplot is funnier and more imaginative (and more like him) than the one in "She's the Mayor" both represent him very well as the wonderfully kooky character that fans know and love. The character writing and voice work are excellent.
All in all, great. 9/10.
