I got really exhausted with the dialogue the internet was having about the series after it ended. People were comparing story points to ATLA and were calling the show trash because Steven “reformed” certain characters instead of “punishing” them. Like I get what they’re saying in the context of a real-world-scenario, but damn some people really missed what the show was about. Especially since it’s a children’s cartoon at the end of the day
I’m sorry to do this but “its a children’s cartoon” isn’t a reason to not think critically of this show. It takes itself VERY seriously and deserves serious thought. We’re not examining the Deep Lore of Spongebob here.
The critique was overblown but its still not wrong. If we weren’t shown the planetary destruction/genocide the Diamonds (the antagonists) were doing, I would agree entirely that people were thinking about a cartoon too hard. But the show makes a point to explore the destruction, the genocides and “human zoo” and its effects. It tells us directly why it happens and who is responsible. It takes it seriously, dwells on it, and then expects us to move on. Its reasonable to ask why the show chose to do this.
Someone chose to write this show this way. We don’t actually need Steven’s mother’s family to be literal fascists (they are the heads of an alien government if you did not watch the series) on top of being emotionally constipated and abusive. Pick one plot thread or make more characters. Send the Space Nazis to Space Jail for their Space Crimes.
There’s plenty of good in the show, though. That’s why people spend so much energy complaining about it. If it were simply bad people would have forgotten about it immediately. The haters are fans whether they will admit it or not.
The problems with Steven Universe are similar to the reasons I hated Harry Potter as a kid. I knew what slavery was, and I knew Hermione was right to fight it even when the author tried to frame her as a silly busy-body. It wasn’t even the only problem I had with the series as a kid, just the last straw. Kids are thoughtful and deserve good media.
(Steven universe is better than that series, just an observation)
I think there’s so much progress shown that even with such a large issue I don’t think it should overwhelm everyone’s option of the whole show.
It was my first experience seeing anything queer that isn’t just “gross dumb man dating other gross dumb man” (I was raised in the south by a homophobic mother who censored a lot) and to not take how vital the basic realization of “queer love is still love” to me was and complain that it didn’t do enough leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
That said rewatching it I agree with your points, but it’s still a very amazing show that shouldn’t be overshadowed by the ending.
I know the show is very old at this point, but anyone thinking about watching it who hasn’t already been spoiled definitely should without being so, it’s 100% worth it.
Spoiler
Really I feel like the main problem with the ending was just how rushed it was. Steven and the other gems grappling with finding out rose quartz was actually pink diamond lasted a lot longer, and was also a major part of both the movie and su: future, and in comparison she was way less bad, both by virtue of being younger and also starting the crystal gems. I think given more time it would have been a much more fleshed out arc with a more serious exploration of the diamonds personalities and their remorse, like how the rest of the show dealt with those themes. Like peridot’s arc took basically a whole season before she genuinely cared about others, lapis took a while to trust anyone and then had a long arc about abusive relationships and her feelings of guilt, etc. There was a bit of prior development of the diamonds, but only a little, so needing to cram all of that into two episodes was unfortunate. With the rushed ending they were forced into I think it’s probably about the best version that could have been done, but I would love to see what it could have been without CN canceling the show.
I don’t put any of the blame for that on Sugar or the show though. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t take away from how amazing the entire show was, and not capitulating on the wedding episode was a lot more important than being able to make the finale a little more narratively satisfying.
Yes exactly. Without writing too much more, I’ll just say I wish it had been done a bit different, and there’s no shame in critiquing a finished product for what it is (within reason. I’m not a huge fandom person so I don’t really know how toxic this all got for some people). It’s still quite good.
TBH I’m partial to Tuxedo Pearl, but that’s more a statement on the series than anything else.
Steven Universe is such an excellent show, I can’t believe it came out of Cartoon Network LMAO
Have they done anything as good since?
It’s the same era but Over the Garden Wall
I got really exhausted with the dialogue the internet was having about the series after it ended. People were comparing story points to ATLA and were calling the show trash because Steven “reformed” certain characters instead of “punishing” them. Like I get what they’re saying in the context of a real-world-scenario, but damn some people really missed what the show was about. Especially since it’s a children’s cartoon at the end of the day
I’m sorry to do this but “its a children’s cartoon” isn’t a reason to not think critically of this show. It takes itself VERY seriously and deserves serious thought. We’re not examining the Deep Lore of Spongebob here.
The critique was overblown but its still not wrong. If we weren’t shown the planetary destruction/genocide the Diamonds (the antagonists) were doing, I would agree entirely that people were thinking about a cartoon too hard. But the show makes a point to explore the destruction, the genocides and “human zoo” and its effects. It tells us directly why it happens and who is responsible. It takes it seriously, dwells on it, and then expects us to move on. Its reasonable to ask why the show chose to do this.
Someone chose to write this show this way. We don’t actually need Steven’s mother’s family to be literal fascists (they are the heads of an alien government if you did not watch the series) on top of being emotionally constipated and abusive. Pick one plot thread or make more characters. Send the Space Nazis to Space Jail for their Space Crimes.
There’s plenty of good in the show, though. That’s why people spend so much energy complaining about it. If it were simply bad people would have forgotten about it immediately. The haters are fans whether they will admit it or not.
The problems with Steven Universe are similar to the reasons I hated Harry Potter as a kid. I knew what slavery was, and I knew Hermione was right to fight it even when the author tried to frame her as a silly busy-body. It wasn’t even the only problem I had with the series as a kid, just the last straw. Kids are thoughtful and deserve good media.
(Steven universe is better than that series, just an observation)
I think there’s so much progress shown that even with such a large issue I don’t think it should overwhelm everyone’s option of the whole show.
It was my first experience seeing anything queer that isn’t just “gross dumb man dating other gross dumb man” (I was raised in the south by a homophobic mother who censored a lot) and to not take how vital the basic realization of “queer love is still love” to me was and complain that it didn’t do enough leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
That said rewatching it I agree with your points, but it’s still a very amazing show that shouldn’t be overshadowed by the ending.
I know the show is very old at this point, but anyone thinking about watching it who hasn’t already been spoiled definitely should without being so, it’s 100% worth it.
Spoiler
Really I feel like the main problem with the ending was just how rushed it was. Steven and the other gems grappling with finding out rose quartz was actually pink diamond lasted a lot longer, and was also a major part of both the movie and su: future, and in comparison she was way less bad, both by virtue of being younger and also starting the crystal gems. I think given more time it would have been a much more fleshed out arc with a more serious exploration of the diamonds personalities and their remorse, like how the rest of the show dealt with those themes. Like peridot’s arc took basically a whole season before she genuinely cared about others, lapis took a while to trust anyone and then had a long arc about abusive relationships and her feelings of guilt, etc. There was a bit of prior development of the diamonds, but only a little, so needing to cram all of that into two episodes was unfortunate. With the rushed ending they were forced into I think it’s probably about the best version that could have been done, but I would love to see what it could have been without CN canceling the show.
I don’t put any of the blame for that on Sugar or the show though. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t take away from how amazing the entire show was, and not capitulating on the wedding episode was a lot more important than being able to make the finale a little more narratively satisfying.
Yes exactly. Without writing too much more, I’ll just say I wish it had been done a bit different, and there’s no shame in critiquing a finished product for what it is (within reason. I’m not a huge fandom person so I don’t really know how toxic this all got for some people). It’s still quite good.
oh my god. Sorry but I ain’t reading that shit
Yeah. Valid. I’m just going to leave it up and take my downvotes.
Edit: replied to the wrong comment lol
i never even finished the show and i STILL love mr. greg. it’s one of the scant examples of a musical episode done really well.