Teen Titans, Season 4, Episode 1: Episode 256-494
Some episodes and creative teams like to go full meta and just absolutely insane, referencing a gajilion amount of things at once. Its own continuity, things from the comic or novel it's based on, pop culture, something about its actors or production that tickles the producers' fancy. And it's all fine... as long as the references don't drown out the actual plotline being told. This episode stars the return of Control Freak as he apparently gains some weird powers to physically run around in TV shows and change what's going on in the program, which makes as much sense as anything going on in this show, I suppose. Season four of Teen Titans is infamous for having the darkest episodes (we explore Raven's daddy issues which I'm surprised was even allowed) and the absurdly most bonkers one. Maybe they were trying to allay complaints that season three tried to take itself seriously with the Brother Blood plot? Going full-on mental isn't quite the answer, I think.
And while I'm an advocate of fun episodes... this one just didn't click for me. The episode tries to stuff in as much references to all sorts of TV shows ranging from Star Wars to Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter to Dr. Seuss to Bill Cosby to Highlander, but it's just a big huge mess. Which I guess is expected for an episode with Control Freak in it, I guess. You either like it or dislike it. I don't like it.... the visuals aren't quite engaging enough to get invested in the action, and Control Freak is such an annoying little twat compared to other 'let's have some wacky fun' villains like Mumbo Jumbo or Mad Mod, that I find myself not liking this episode. At all. The Wild E. Coyote segment was the only one that's actually funny, while all the other attempts at jokes feels like it's trying too hard.
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