TVSquad

(S02E08) Not everybody likes the same things, and you don't have to spend a lot of time on this blog to know that a lot of people have different opinions about what constitutes a good television program. Tom Goes to the Mayor is so unique in its look and sense of humor that it's perfectly reasonable some would be turned off by it. If you've been reading my recaps/reviews, you know I'm a big fan of the show, but I wanted to try and find a reasonable argument against it. However, perusing the messageboards on the Adult Swim site doesn't offer much in the way of "reasonable arguments," other than "this show sucks" and "this show is totally gay."

I was listening to the archives of Paul Goebel's podcast the other day, and I think he offered an apt critique of the show. Goebel likes Tom Goes to the Mayor, but he does feel it's too "post-modern." In other words, it's sometimes so weird to the point where a person can totally lose interest, and you end up not really caring about the characters or what happens to them. I'm of a different mind, and actually revel in that post-modern weirdness. I splash around in it. I drink deeply of its essence, I do. Goebel references another great Adult Swim show, Venture Bros., which manages to be unique and still have characters you really care about. As a fan of both shows, I think that's a fair assessment of them. Nevertheless, I've always had a very dark and odd sense of humor, and TGTTM taps right into it. I can't help it, it's just how I'm wired.

Having said all of that, I will admit that this most recent episode wasn't the best one. Gibbons, Tom's short annoying friend, returns in this episode, dropping not-so-subtle hints that he wants a surprise party for his fiftyish birthday, and a very expensive samurai sword. Tom plans a surprise party, but the Mayor already has one in the works, though he isn't sure Tom will be added to the guest list. Tom's former self, Tom Pickle, appears to him in a mall fountain and suggests that Tom steal pennies to buy the sword. Once he has the sword, he'll be invited to the surprise party. That's actually a pretty basic premise for Tom Goes to the Mayor, but I loved the little extra touches, such as Tom actually setting up a coin counting machine in the mall bathroom to count the pennies, as if that wouldn't be completely conspicuous. Gibbons, who works as a security guard at the mall, becomes wise to Tom's thievery and threatens to expose him unless Tom gives him half the money. Then, at the party, Gibbons frames Tom and Tom is arrested. I also loved the final scene where the Mayor has Gibbons duct taped to his body as they speed around on the Mayor's motorcycle, not to mention the Mayor's endless fascination with Gibbons, who he sees as some mystical creature rather than an actual human.

My favorite episodes of TGTTM tend to be ones that have really bizarre premises, but this one proved that even when the show is relatively normal, it's still pretty damn weird.