When you think of a side story to the Sonic The Hedgehog movies, you might think about Knuckles and how he’s doing following the events of the second film. The new Paramount+ series Knuckles answers that question for audiences. But at the heart of it, this is a show about a different character. One that feels more likable, personable, and relatable than a giant, powerful, red echidna ever could be. Yes, this is a show called Knuckles, but the focus is really on Wade Whipple. Knuckles plays out like this, we get Knuckles being chased by evil forces (played by Ellie Taylor and Kid Cudi) who want to capture him and use his essence. Wade Whipple gets caught up in this and wants to learn how to be a warrior to overcome his self-doubt so he can win a bowling tournament against his dad.

Along the way, Wade learns bits and pieces of what it means to be a warrior from Knuckles and also becomes entangled with bounty hunters who want the price on his head. Each episode is pretty varied from a length and concept standpoint. We have one episode that’s pure action with Wade trying to break Knuckles out of captivity. There’s another that’s basically a rock opera about Wade trying to overcome his own self-doubt. I didn’t think that Wade’s story would register as much with me, but by the end of it, I was all in. Adam Pally goes all the way and then some with his performance. Whatever line you’d think would be drawn in the sand, he crosses it in the name of laughs and hilarity.

Without Pally’s full-bore performance, the show would undoubtedly sink. It’s because of that that most of the humor comes out. If you really think about it, a show about a giant red echidna flying around punching people would be pretty silly. That’s what Knuckles does best. The silly humor works for any age, and normally, that would be a bit hokey, but here, it works. For fans of the movies, this is an extension of what you already love. If you want more of these characters, you get more of these characters. There are some parts that could be nitpicked here and there though. There’s a lot of product placement in the show, Knuckles eats Doritos, which actually ends up as hilarious thinking about Idris Elba say the phrase “cool ranch doritos”, but it is a bit distracting.

The villains end up being pretty blah and generic. That’s no fault of the actors; it’s just that they don’t really have a lot to work with here. They’re generic bad guys that want to capture Knuckles. It’s hard to compare to Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik from the films.

If you’re not into silly or over-the-top comedy, Knuckles won’t be for you. However, for those who want something a bit sillier, the series will be perfect for you. We’re all warriors of some sort in our lives, whether that’s a giant red animal or someone trying to win a bowling tournament.

Watch all six episodes of Knuckles on Paramount+ on April 26th.

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