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So, after a roughly 1 year hiatus, we're here with season 2 of Amphibia. It's off to a strong start. Let's talk about the first 6 episodes that aired.

1. Handy Anne

Writer: Adam Colas

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: July 11, 2020

Synopsis: "Worried that something bad could happen while they are in Newtopia, Anne decides to disaster-proof the farm."

The best way to describe this episode is with how relatable it is. Let's talk about it. In this episode, the Plantars are ready to leave for Newtopia along with Anne so that they can find a way for her to return home. However, Anne realizes how much they'll be risking by bringing her there, and tries to put up some type of security system to keep the house safe. However, she accidentally uses a magic curse that brings a vegetable monster to life. This episode is all about how you don't go overboard in trying to keep something safe. Anne definitely holds the episode together, especially with the beginning. She's still experiencing post traumatic stress disorder from the events of "Reunion". There's also the matter of how the Plantars are risking their safety and lifestyle to help her out. This adds an extra level of stress, yet also relatability to her conflict. What helps this out is that, while going overboard, she acts out of compassion. She's come to see the Plantars as a close family , and wouldn't want anything to happen to them. That is quite admirable. There's some nice little bits of humor to make the episode more enjoyable, such as the hijinks everyone else has in preparing for the trip. Everything comes together in the end. Anne manages to defeat the veggie monster with everyone in an intense action scene that destroys the house. She then admits she wanted to protect the family. Hop Pop then says they're not traveling for her. They're traveling with her. They're all in this together. That is sweet. As for the house, Chuck (who Hop Pop originally called to watch the house) manages to fix it instantly. Now they're off on the road.

2. Fort In The Road

Writer: Todd McClintock

Director: Joe Johnston

Date: July 11, 2020

Synopsis: "Sprig longs for exotic road trip adventures, but Hop Pop’s strict road rules threaten to spoil all of his fun plans."

We're off to Newtopia. The first rule is to read this review. As we go forth to Newtopia, everyone wants to take some pit stops to enjoy the sights. However, Hop Pop says no since the world outside of the valley is very dangerous. He then creates an elaborate rule book that they don't like. When Anne and Sprig sneak off in one stop, they accidentally get inside some kind of old temple, and activate the factory, bringing forth a giant robot. This episode has a simple message on how rules are important to have, and you can't be too strict. The dynamic with Hop Pop, Anne, and Sprig makes this great. Hop Pop is acting rather strict and a bit unfair. However, he's also the patriarch, and thus feels more responsibility in making sure everyone is safe, especially with how the world beyond the valley is. Anne and Sprig also act believably. They do acknowledge that things can get dangerous in the big, wide world. However, they also know that having some breaks helps to alleviate any serious situations and make them more bearable. As such, them rebelling is more out of misguided fun instead of trying to stick it to him. There's a great deal of fun from seeing how they try to get away, yet there's also a sense of excitement when seeing a factory like this outside of town. What's the world like? We find out more. The actual episode ends pretty well. The factory goes out of control and Hop Pop is captured. Anne saves him while Sprig shuts down the factory by stuffing the rulebook into the computer. After realizing that he has been suppressing all the enjoyment of the road trip for the kids, Hop Pop relents and realizes that he was wrong. He decides to let up on the rules and heads back to get them all ice cream from the diner they had passed up earlier. As Sprig and Anne question what the factory was about, a robot emerges from the ruins, unseen by the group. Now this is getting good.

3. The Ballad Of Hopediah Plantar

Writer: Michele Cavin

Director: Jenn Strickland

Date: July 18, 2020

Synopsis: "Hop Pop's efforts to be hailed as a hero amongst some small-town folks backfires when he stands up to the wrong family."

It's time to head the old west, or whatever the show's equivalent is. Anyway, this episode has Hop Pop wanting to be respected as a hero when he's thought to not be tough enough. When they pass through a place called Bittyburg , which has small townspeople, he exaggerates stories of his feats to appear more heroic. This causes problems when he gets a tough toad named Judro Hasselback to leave only for him to bring his whole family. This episode is all about you should know how to fight your own battles yet also know when to back down. Hop Pop definitely fits with what the episode is trying to say. He's not a wimp by any means. However, he does tend to be at more of a physical disadvantage against strong forces (whether physical or not), relying more on mind power and structure. As such, him trying to inflate his ego works. He wants to be seen as something more given how it's hard for others to respect him, though there isn't really a sense of hate. What I think helps is that, while he makes himself look better than need be, he never puts down others. Plus, he does at least put up somewhat of a decent fight even when thrown around like a rag doll. There's also this kid character named Bailey. He looks up to Hop Pop, both from his story and because of wide eyed innocence. He is crushed when seeing Hop Pop fall. Of course, he's not the only one to show trust in him. Everyone else in the family is at least trying to show support, even if they keep mentioning his weaknesses. The ending to the episode is good. Hop Pop struts into town and proceeds to "attack" the Hasslebacks with his tongue (actually just Anne, Sprig and Polly firing rocks at them). Mama catches on and knocks Sprig out from the distance. In fright, Hop Pop tries to flee, but after seeing the Bitties looking in fear and remembering Anne's words of wisdom echoing in his head, Hop Pop overcomes his fear and bravely stood his ground. However, the Hasslebacks promptly beat up Hop Pop. As he lies in defeat, the Bitties suddenly become furious; growing teeth with their eyes turning red and attack the Hasslebacks. A child native named Bailey informs Hop Pop that he inspired them to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Freaked out by the suddenly violent Bitties, Anne and the Plantars race off back into the desert. There's still some growing to do, but Hop Pop has become more willing to defend without ego. It's pretty good.

4. Anne Hunter

Writer: Jenava Mie

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: July 18, 2020

Synopsis: "When the family is in danger, Anne must put her self-consciousness aside in order to learn the true way of the hunter."

Grab your gear everyone. It's time to hunt. This episode has everyone low on food when they make a pitstop in a jungle. Anne decides to hunt for some food for them to eat. However, the Plantars get captured by a giant creature called the Scorpileo, and Anne has to rescue them. This episode is about how you should be one with nature even if it gets ridiculous. Anne definitely does hold the episode together. You wouldn't exactly call her a weakling when it comes to surviving and hunting in the wild. However, she's not exactly am expert. Besides her weakness in making sure others don't suffer for her, she also has pride. There's this special dance meant to stop predators from hunting you rather than the other way around. She at least has the basics of hunting, and just needs to learn to embrace all sides of it. Luckily, Sprig (at least his hallucination of him) helps her out. It helps fit with how he shows support for her in unconventional ways. As for the ending, it's quite fitting . As she sneaks into the camp of the Scorpileo, she's caught. She then performs the dance to lure the creature into the trap she prepared earlier. We get some really good movements and music here. The creature falls in and Anne rescues the Plantars. It's pretty good.

5. Truck Stop Polly

Writer: Gloria Shen

Director: Joe Johnston

Date: July 25, 2020

Synopsis: "Feeling unappreciated by her family, Polly hatches a plan to make them pay attention to her."

Here's an episode that has heart and toughness. In this episode, Polly tries getting attention from everyone in order to liven up the road trip. This results in a huge mess and everyone is not happy with her. At a truck stop, when she seemingly hears them saying she should've stayed home, she decides to stay with the truckers and put a look alike egg with the family. This backfires when the egg hatches into a giant monster bird called The Roc. This episode is about how you shouldn't do anything crazy to get attention from family. Having this episode focus on Polly makes it work. What helps the episode is how there's emphasis on how her impulsive nature combined with innocence. When it comes to getting attention or proving herself, she tends to act in over her head. For example, she tried asking Hop Pop to read a story even though he's tired from driving. She tries hanging with Anne and Sprig, but they're driving. She also makes a soggy mess of the food during bath time and zaps everyone when trying to cheer them up with zap tag. Yeah, she's really screwing up. There's no sense of malice. She's genuinely trying to liven things up. She's just acting before thinking. She also doesn't hesitate to try and save them when hearing about the Roc. We also see that the family does really care for her. They're just really tired from being out on the road. We also get a return from Soggy Joe, who's still delightfully weird and supportive as ever. The ending brings everything together. Anne, Sprig and Hop Pop discover that Polly has been left behind, but also discover the egg which hatches a giant roc that destroys their fwagon. Soggy Joe and Polly arrive in time to witness the carnage. Polly uses Soggy Joe's bee fur seating to create electricity and launches herself at the roc, defeating it and sending it away. Polly apologizes for her previous actions and Anne, Hop Pop and Sprig apologize for how they treated her admitting that they miss home and that they need to stick together. Soggy Joe offers them a lift to the next stop to get their fwagon fixed. I call this great.

6. A Caravan Named Desire

Writer: Adam Colas

Director: Jenn Strickland

Date: July 25, 2020

Synopsis: "Hop Pop signs the family up to join a traveling theater troupe, hoping to realize his dream of being an actor."

It's time to take the stage and put this episode into the spotlight. We have two plots in the episode that diverge from storyline. Everyone finds out about a traveling theater troupe led by Renee Frodgers. Hop Pop is excited since he loves theater. He tries getting the lead, and gets it. He's surprised to find out the troupe actually goes town to town stealing from everyone. For our subplot, Sprig tries to befriend Francois (who works under Renee) by showing off his acting chops, but he has a hard time pleasing him. This episode is about not going too far in pursuing your dreams. I like how both plots focus on Hop Pop and Sprig to get across this idea. Hop Pop's plot is done well. He has a love for the limelight, which fits with how he has an appreciation for culture and wants to do anything to get attention. At the same time, he's also responsible, and would do anything to do the right thing. It presents an interesting dilemma: Should he go along with the act regardless on if innocent people are robbed? Should he do the right thing even if he can't live out a dream? It doesn't help that Renee Frodgers is an incredibly persuasive with her charm. As for Sprig's plot, it's also done well. He wants to befriend others when they have a common interest. He's not exactly good with someone who actively resists his attempts to befriend them, especially a jerk like Francois. Things come together really well in the end. Hop Pop exposes the group while he's putting on the performance. Sprig also tells off Francois saying how he doesn't want to befriend a brat like him anymore. Talk about satisfying. They escape the cops and are on their merrily way to the next town. Talk about fitting.

7. Quarreler's Pass

Writer: Todd McClintock

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: August 1, 2020

Synopsis: "Hop Pop tries helping Sprig and Polly get along."

Today's episode of Amphibia was brought to you by the letter "C". That starts words like "cooperation", as this episode shows. In this episode, Sprig and Polly have been arguing for two weeks, driving Anne and Hop Pop crazy. As such, they drop them off at Quarreler's Pass, where they have to go through a treacherous environment in order to get back to them. However, their fighting makes this difficult. This episode is about how you should put aside your differences and don't fight, all for the sake of others. The dynamic that Sprig and Polly have helps sell it. Their bickering is definitely a large part of the episode, but it is kept to a reasonable level. Sprig argues about how Polly is too energetic and impulsive. Polly argues about how Sprig has no sense of privacy. We see that they can get along. At one point, they come across a log bridge over a spiky gorge. They remember a past incident of Sprig rolling the log while walking and Polly jumps around on his arms. They do argue again in the cave, but it's kept reasonable. It's there that they meet Lysil and Angwin, two olms who argue a lot. It's there that they realize how petty they were acting. They put their differences aside and exploit Lysil and Angwin's blindness by perfectly mimicking their voices (having previously shown this ability back at the fwagon). Sprig and Polly escape just as the cave begins to collapse, and get along better. They then make it back. It's pretty fun.

8. The Toadcatcher

Writer: Michele Cavin

Director: Joe Johnston

Date: August 1, 2020

Synopsis: "Sasha and Grime must make up."

The Sasha and Grime dynamic is something that's pretty refreshing to see. Let's see what this episode does about it. In this episode, Sasha is continually training, and she tries to get Grime to do the same. However, he's still in a funk from the events of "Reunion". Sasha tries to get him back in action. However, they have to deal with General Yunnan, a warrior who hails from Newtopia. Much like "Prison Break", it takes a fairly conventional message and gives it a twisted angle to make it interesting. Anyway, what we have is an episode about having the guts to go on even when something gets you down. The dynamic that Sasha and Grime have helps to make the episode great. Sasha herself is shown to be quite driven in trying to get Grime to get back up again. At the same time, there's also a feeling that she's hiding something, particularly when it comes to Anne. It does make sense though. She's a very proactive person when it comes to getting what she wants, acting very manipulative, but she also cares for Grime. She is his only friend at the moment, and she no longer has Anne around, meaning she lost a friend. Grime himself is also bizarrely sympathetic. He's just lounging around eating a bunch of food and watching Survival Island. Given how much he values power, it makes sense given that he doesn't know how to deal with being de-powered. Also, while he does brush off Sasha, he isn't exactly acting rude. He still cares for her given how he even invites her to watch TV with him. As for General Yunnan, this woman is insane and it is glorious. She's shown being incredibly over the top with how hammy and violent she is in trying to turn Grime in for the reward. I mean, with her overly long introduction, you can't help but find her entertaining. She's like Sasha, but incredibly unhinged. I do like the conclusion of the episode. Grime calls Sasha out for her behavior, and she says she doesn't want to lose him too, who's her only friend at this point. When Yunnan has Sasha trapped in a corner, Grime stages a sneak attack, and she tricks Yunnan into saying her overly long catchphrase. Grime then pushes her down the cliff and into the river, and she swears revenge. He and Sasha then decide to rebuild their army. It's twisted yet also satisfying.

9. Swamp And Sensibility

Writer: Gloria Shen

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: August 8, 2020

Synopsis: "Anne helps Wally with a game."

Put on your best suit. It's time to get this started. This episode has the family stopping in a fancy town called Ribbitvale, filled with high class frogs. It's there that Anne discovers that Wally belongs to the high class Riverton family. They think he's still an upper class frog, particularly his father Wigbert. When Anne reveals the truth, he's initially banned. However, if he wins the Riverton Family Challenge, then he can do what he wants without worry. If he loses, he has to stay and take over the family business. Anne then goes to help him out. This episode is essentially about being able to accept others for who they are, regardless of class or personality. The three major factors that make this work are Anne, Wally, and Wigbert. Anne, as always, is acting impulsive, yet well meaning. She may be trying to help Wally out without thinking of his family status, but that's because of genuine care. She knows he's a weirdo, and wants him to feel comfortable. She just wants to be able to help others. I mean, he helped her out. I also like how Wally is here. He's still the same lovable weirdo, but we see more to him. While he does want to act like his usual weird self, we see more to him. He's shown to be a family man who doesn't want to disappoint them, yet also wants to do what he wants. What also helps is that he doesn't really try to stop Anne, which shows how he's very trusting of her. What also helps is how Wigbert is actually quite reasonable. Yes, he's acting snobby and expects his son to take over the business. However, it's also shown that he at least plays fair, what with letting Wally prove himself and never resorting to sabotage. The actual game we get is pretty intense. It's like something straight out of The Olympics. Just as it seems like the family is about to win, Anne and Wally get a little creative. By that, I mean that he uses his accordion to have the advantage over them, and they win. However, Wigbert will miss Wally, and says that he can be himself as long as he can visit at times. I call this a great episode.

10. The Wax Museum

Writer: Jenava Mie

Director: Jenn Strickland

Date: August 8, 2020

Synopsis: "The Plantars go to a curiosity shop."

Here's an episode that has a great sense of atmosphere. This episode starts with Anne making a bunch of money at Stony Gluch by showing off how she's a human (since there are still people thinking humans are freaks). She then suggests they check out the Curiosity Hut, which is run by The Curator, who's named Mr. Ponds. It's full of all sorts of curiosities and oddities. When Anne sees a human artifact called The Skip Man (a CD player), he offers her a chance to get it if she'll get to be his exhibit for a day. However, he actually plans to turn her into an exhibit with wax, just like all the other exhibits. This episode is about being weary of others that you encounter. It's simple, but it fits the episode. The major characters that make this work are Anne and Mr. Ponds. One thing that's interesting about Anne is how she exploits how people in Amphibia still see humans as freaks. It's kind of genius to see her exploit this given how she's known for acting resourceful. Of course, she gets in over her head, but it's given some understanding here. She's seeing a human object that neither she not her friends brought. It's a reminder of home. How can she not be easily swayed? Also, I really like this Mr. Ponds character. He's a definite threat despite the funny lines he gets. He seems to act like a jovial curiosity shop owner when he's shown to be quite cooperative in letting Anne help him out. As mentioned, he encases all his exhibits in wax, meaning that he's keeping living, breathing creatures imprisoned. Talk about scary. The ending helps bring everything together. The Plantars awaken to find Anne gone and rush to the museum. While Hop Pop and Sprig fight off Mr. Ponds, Polly confronts the wax statues and unfreezes them with a torch. The monsters proceed to attack Mr. Ponds and drag him away into the backroom where he is presumably killed (though it's red wax). The Plantars take Anne's frozen body back to the fwagon and melt the wax. She apologizes for being reckless with Hop Pop telling her that she needs to be careful. Sprig reveals that he secured the Skip Man, making her happy. I call this a win. Also, it's a fun homage to Gravity Falls.

11. Marcy At The Gates (half hour episode)

Writers: Matt Braly & Adam Colas

Directors: Joe Johnston & Jenn Strickland

Date: August 15, 2020

Synopsis: "Anne meets up with Marcy."

This is a really big wham episode. Let's waste no time. Anne and the Plantars finally arrive in Newtopia. However, the city is closed off because of an invasion from giant ants. Anne decides to get rid of them, but they're too much. All of a sudden, a hooded figure appears. It's her other friend Marcy. They're excited to see each other. Anne tries to figure out how to stop the ants while making sure Marcy is safe. So, the best way to describe this episode is that it's just really enjoyable and emotional. It just gets pretty intense and has plenty of heartwarming moments with Anne and Marcy. It has a standard message on not being overprotective, but with how everything flows together, it fits. Let's go over the major characters that make this work:

Anne: You can definitely feel for Anne here. It's shown in flashbacks that, while Marcy is smart and sweet, she's also very clumsy. She was often prone to tripping or messing things up. She's fiercely overprotective, but it works. It's not just because of her clumsiness. It's also because of how she hasn't seen her in a long time. She could've lost her (whether she died or became a villain), adding a whole level of relatability to her. What also helps is that she never acts condescending. Even with how she tries protecting Marcy, she at least shows enough respect by letting her guide them around the area.

Marcy: It's safe to say that Marcy will be a fan favorite. Put simply, she's a cute dork and a formidable warrior. She's shown being quite smart given how much she knows about Newtopia and the general anatomy of frogs, as well as how much she loves gaming. She's also really happy, sweet, and compassionate towards everyone. She still has her clumsiness, but has become well trained enough to be a respected warrior. What I like about her is that she's a loyal friend even when Anne gets too overprotective. She just lightly asserts that she's gotten better, and even when she chews Anne out, she acts firm yet gentle.

Sprig: Sprig himself also gets a good subplot here. He's shown being quite skeptical on if Marcy is putting on an act, or if she's still genuinely nice. It makes sense though. He's shown being quite loyal to Anne, especially given how Sasha attempted to kill her in "Reunion". His skepticism is thus understandable. He at least doesn't continually try to force this idea on others.

The friendship the girls have is very strong. Compared to Anne and Sasha's dynamic, Anne and Marcy are shown to have a much healthier dynamic. It's like they're sisters who haven't seen each other in years.

The ending is what helps bring everything together. Marcy's plan is to drive away the ants with exploding mushrooms. Sprig also gets eaten by the queen ant. Anne then trusts Marcy with her plan, and the latter manages to rescue Sprig. The trap goes off, and the ants leave. Anne and the Plantars can now go inside Newtopia, which looks like something straight out of Venice, Italy. Anne and Marcy then strengthen their friendship by resolving for all of them to be able to go home. This is just amazing.

I'm very impressed with this batch of episodes. Let's see where the season goes.

Here's the cast for the episodes.

Brenda Song as Anne Boonchuy

Justin Felbinger as Sprig Plantar

Amanda Leighton as Polly Plantar

Bill Farmer as Hop Pop Plantar, Old Man

Brian Malliard as Leopold

Kari Wahlgren as The Computer, Queen Ant

Dee Bradley Baker as Bessie, Veggie Monster, Roc

Matt Braly as Customer, Blair

Scott Menville as Quentin

Sam Riegel as Chuck, Hasselback Family, Trucker, Spectator, Branson

Kyler Spears as Customer

Jenifer Lewis as Mama Hasselback

Keith Ferguson as Judro Hasselback

Julian Edwards as Bailey

Eden Riegel as Townspeople, Trucker, Cathy, Customers, Mother, Dancer, Baby

Fred Tatasciore as Soggy Joe, Trucker, Customers

Susan Egan as Renee Frodgers

Max Mittleman as Francois, Actor

Troy Baker as Grime, Actors, Announcer, Spectators , Buster

Anna Akana as Sasha Waybright

Zehra Fazal as General Yunnan

Laila Bertinz as Lysil

Chris Wylde as Angwin

Matt Jones as Percy

April Winchell as Braddock

Matthew Mercer as Randy

Matt Vogel/Kermit The Frog as Crumpet The Frog

Hugh Bonneville as Wigbert

James Patrick Stuart as One Eyed Wally

Alex Hirsch as The Curator, Frog Soos

Jim Cummings as Old Man

Haley Tju as Marcy Wu

Keith David as King Andrias

Michelle Dockery as Lady Olivia

Description
So, after a roughly 1 year hiatus, we're here with season 2 of Amphibia. It's off to a strong start. Let's talk about the first 6 episodes that aired.

1. Handy Anne

Writer: Adam Colas

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: July 11, 2020

Synopsis: "Worried that something bad could happen while they are in Newtopia, Anne decides to disaster-proof the farm."

The best way to describe this episode is with how relatable it is. Let's talk about it. In this episode, the Plantars are ready to leave for Newtopia along with Anne so that they can find a way for her to return home. However, Anne realizes how much they'll be risking by bringing her there, and tries to put up some type of security system to keep the house safe. However, she accidentally uses a magic curse that brings a vegetable monster to life. This episode is all about how you don't go overboard in trying to keep something safe. Anne definitely holds the episode together, especially with the beginning. She's still experiencing post traumatic stress disorder from the events of "Reunion". There's also the matter of how the Plantars are risking their safety and lifestyle to help her out. This adds an extra level of stress, yet also relatability to her conflict. What helps this out is that, while going overboard, she acts out of compassion. She's come to see the Plantars as a close family , and wouldn't want anything to happen to them. That is quite admirable. There's some nice little bits of humor to make the episode more enjoyable, such as the hijinks everyone else has in preparing for the trip. Everything comes together in the end. Anne manages to defeat the veggie monster with everyone in an intense action scene that destroys the house. She then admits she wanted to protect the family. Hop Pop then says they're not traveling for her. They're traveling with her. They're all in this together. That is sweet. As for the house, Chuck (who Hop Pop originally called to watch the house) manages to fix it instantly. Now they're off on the road.

2. Fort In The Road

Writer: Todd McClintock

Director: Joe Johnston

Date: July 11, 2020

Synopsis: "Sprig longs for exotic road trip adventures, but Hop Pop’s strict road rules threaten to spoil all of his fun plans."

We're off to Newtopia. The first rule is to read this review. As we go forth to Newtopia, everyone wants to take some pit stops to enjoy the sights. However, Hop Pop says no since the world outside of the valley is very dangerous. He then creates an elaborate rule book that they don't like. When Anne and Sprig sneak off in one stop, they accidentally get inside some kind of old temple, and activate the factory, bringing forth a giant robot. This episode has a simple message on how rules are important to have, and you can't be too strict. The dynamic with Hop Pop, Anne, and Sprig makes this great. Hop Pop is acting rather strict and a bit unfair. However, he's also the patriarch, and thus feels more responsibility in making sure everyone is safe, especially with how the world beyond the valley is. Anne and Sprig also act believably. They do acknowledge that things can get dangerous in the big, wide world. However, they also know that having some breaks helps to alleviate any serious situations and make them more bearable. As such, them rebelling is more out of misguided fun instead of trying to stick it to him. There's a great deal of fun from seeing how they try to get away, yet there's also a sense of excitement when seeing a factory like this outside of town. What's the world like? We find out more. The actual episode ends pretty well. The factory goes out of control and Hop Pop is captured. Anne saves him while Sprig shuts down the factory by stuffing the rulebook into the computer. After realizing that he has been suppressing all the enjoyment of the road trip for the kids, Hop Pop relents and realizes that he was wrong. He decides to let up on the rules and heads back to get them all ice cream from the diner they had passed up earlier. As Sprig and Anne question what the factory was about, a robot emerges from the ruins, unseen by the group. Now this is getting good.

3. The Ballad Of Hopediah Plantar

Writer: Michele Cavin

Director: Jenn Strickland

Date: July 18, 2020

Synopsis: "Hop Pop's efforts to be hailed as a hero amongst some small-town folks backfires when he stands up to the wrong family."

It's time to head the old west, or whatever the show's equivalent is. Anyway, this episode has Hop Pop wanting to be respected as a hero when he's thought to not be tough enough. When they pass through a place called Bittyburg , which has small townspeople, he exaggerates stories of his feats to appear more heroic. This causes problems when he gets a tough toad named Judro Hasselback to leave only for him to bring his whole family. This episode is all about you should know how to fight your own battles yet also know when to back down. Hop Pop definitely fits with what the episode is trying to say. He's not a wimp by any means. However, he does tend to be at more of a physical disadvantage against strong forces (whether physical or not), relying more on mind power and structure. As such, him trying to inflate his ego works. He wants to be seen as something more given how it's hard for others to respect him, though there isn't really a sense of hate. What I think helps is that, while he makes himself look better than need be, he never puts down others. Plus, he does at least put up somewhat of a decent fight even when thrown around like a rag doll. There's also this kid character named Bailey. He looks up to Hop Pop, both from his story and because of wide eyed innocence. He is crushed when seeing Hop Pop fall. Of course, he's not the only one to show trust in him. Everyone else in the family is at least trying to show support, even if they keep mentioning his weaknesses. The ending to the episode is good. Hop Pop struts into town and proceeds to "attack" the Hasslebacks with his tongue (actually just Anne, Sprig and Polly firing rocks at them). Mama catches on and knocks Sprig out from the distance. In fright, Hop Pop tries to flee, but after seeing the Bitties looking in fear and remembering Anne's words of wisdom echoing in his head, Hop Pop overcomes his fear and bravely stood his ground. However, the Hasslebacks promptly beat up Hop Pop. As he lies in defeat, the Bitties suddenly become furious; growing teeth with their eyes turning red and attack the Hasslebacks. A child native named Bailey informs Hop Pop that he inspired them to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Freaked out by the suddenly violent Bitties, Anne and the Plantars race off back into the desert. There's still some growing to do, but Hop Pop has become more willing to defend without ego. It's pretty good.

4. Anne Hunter

Writer: Jenava Mie

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: July 18, 2020

Synopsis: "When the family is in danger, Anne must put her self-consciousness aside in order to learn the true way of the hunter."

Grab your gear everyone. It's time to hunt. This episode has everyone low on food when they make a pitstop in a jungle. Anne decides to hunt for some food for them to eat. However, the Plantars get captured by a giant creature called the Scorpileo, and Anne has to rescue them. This episode is about how you should be one with nature even if it gets ridiculous. Anne definitely does hold the episode together. You wouldn't exactly call her a weakling when it comes to surviving and hunting in the wild. However, she's not exactly am expert. Besides her weakness in making sure others don't suffer for her, she also has pride. There's this special dance meant to stop predators from hunting you rather than the other way around. She at least has the basics of hunting, and just needs to learn to embrace all sides of it. Luckily, Sprig (at least his hallucination of him) helps her out. It helps fit with how he shows support for her in unconventional ways. As for the ending, it's quite fitting . As she sneaks into the camp of the Scorpileo, she's caught. She then performs the dance to lure the creature into the trap she prepared earlier. We get some really good movements and music here. The creature falls in and Anne rescues the Plantars. It's pretty good.

5. Truck Stop Polly

Writer: Gloria Shen

Director: Joe Johnston

Date: July 25, 2020

Synopsis: "Feeling unappreciated by her family, Polly hatches a plan to make them pay attention to her."

Here's an episode that has heart and toughness. In this episode, Polly tries getting attention from everyone in order to liven up the road trip. This results in a huge mess and everyone is not happy with her. At a truck stop, when she seemingly hears them saying she should've stayed home, she decides to stay with the truckers and put a look alike egg with the family. This backfires when the egg hatches into a giant monster bird called The Roc. This episode is about how you shouldn't do anything crazy to get attention from family. Having this episode focus on Polly makes it work. What helps the episode is how there's emphasis on how her impulsive nature combined with innocence. When it comes to getting attention or proving herself, she tends to act in over her head. For example, she tried asking Hop Pop to read a story even though he's tired from driving. She tries hanging with Anne and Sprig, but they're driving. She also makes a soggy mess of the food during bath time and zaps everyone when trying to cheer them up with zap tag. Yeah, she's really screwing up. There's no sense of malice. She's genuinely trying to liven things up. She's just acting before thinking. She also doesn't hesitate to try and save them when hearing about the Roc. We also see that the family does really care for her. They're just really tired from being out on the road. We also get a return from Soggy Joe, who's still delightfully weird and supportive as ever. The ending brings everything together. Anne, Sprig and Hop Pop discover that Polly has been left behind, but also discover the egg which hatches a giant roc that destroys their fwagon. Soggy Joe and Polly arrive in time to witness the carnage. Polly uses Soggy Joe's bee fur seating to create electricity and launches herself at the roc, defeating it and sending it away. Polly apologizes for her previous actions and Anne, Hop Pop and Sprig apologize for how they treated her admitting that they miss home and that they need to stick together. Soggy Joe offers them a lift to the next stop to get their fwagon fixed. I call this great.

6. A Caravan Named Desire

Writer: Adam Colas

Director: Jenn Strickland

Date: July 25, 2020

Synopsis: "Hop Pop signs the family up to join a traveling theater troupe, hoping to realize his dream of being an actor."

It's time to take the stage and put this episode into the spotlight. We have two plots in the episode that diverge from storyline. Everyone finds out about a traveling theater troupe led by Renee Frodgers. Hop Pop is excited since he loves theater. He tries getting the lead, and gets it. He's surprised to find out the troupe actually goes town to town stealing from everyone. For our subplot, Sprig tries to befriend Francois (who works under Renee) by showing off his acting chops, but he has a hard time pleasing him. This episode is about not going too far in pursuing your dreams. I like how both plots focus on Hop Pop and Sprig to get across this idea. Hop Pop's plot is done well. He has a love for the limelight, which fits with how he has an appreciation for culture and wants to do anything to get attention. At the same time, he's also responsible, and would do anything to do the right thing. It presents an interesting dilemma: Should he go along with the act regardless on if innocent people are robbed? Should he do the right thing even if he can't live out a dream? It doesn't help that Renee Frodgers is an incredibly persuasive with her charm. As for Sprig's plot, it's also done well. He wants to befriend others when they have a common interest. He's not exactly good with someone who actively resists his attempts to befriend them, especially a jerk like Francois. Things come together really well in the end. Hop Pop exposes the group while he's putting on the performance. Sprig also tells off Francois saying how he doesn't want to befriend a brat like him anymore. Talk about satisfying. They escape the cops and are on their merrily way to the next town. Talk about fitting.

7. Quarreler's Pass

Writer: Todd McClintock

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: August 1, 2020

Synopsis: "Hop Pop tries helping Sprig and Polly get along."

Today's episode of Amphibia was brought to you by the letter "C". That starts words like "cooperation", as this episode shows. In this episode, Sprig and Polly have been arguing for two weeks, driving Anne and Hop Pop crazy. As such, they drop them off at Quarreler's Pass, where they have to go through a treacherous environment in order to get back to them. However, their fighting makes this difficult. This episode is about how you should put aside your differences and don't fight, all for the sake of others. The dynamic that Sprig and Polly have helps sell it. Their bickering is definitely a large part of the episode, but it is kept to a reasonable level. Sprig argues about how Polly is too energetic and impulsive. Polly argues about how Sprig has no sense of privacy. We see that they can get along. At one point, they come across a log bridge over a spiky gorge. They remember a past incident of Sprig rolling the log while walking and Polly jumps around on his arms. They do argue again in the cave, but it's kept reasonable. It's there that they meet Lysil and Angwin, two olms who argue a lot. It's there that they realize how petty they were acting. They put their differences aside and exploit Lysil and Angwin's blindness by perfectly mimicking their voices (having previously shown this ability back at the fwagon). Sprig and Polly escape just as the cave begins to collapse, and get along better. They then make it back. It's pretty fun.

8. The Toadcatcher

Writer: Michele Cavin

Director: Joe Johnston

Date: August 1, 2020

Synopsis: "Sasha and Grime must make up."

The Sasha and Grime dynamic is something that's pretty refreshing to see. Let's see what this episode does about it. In this episode, Sasha is continually training, and she tries to get Grime to do the same. However, he's still in a funk from the events of "Reunion". Sasha tries to get him back in action. However, they have to deal with General Yunnan, a warrior who hails from Newtopia. Much like "Prison Break", it takes a fairly conventional message and gives it a twisted angle to make it interesting. Anyway, what we have is an episode about having the guts to go on even when something gets you down. The dynamic that Sasha and Grime have helps to make the episode great. Sasha herself is shown to be quite driven in trying to get Grime to get back up again. At the same time, there's also a feeling that she's hiding something, particularly when it comes to Anne. It does make sense though. She's a very proactive person when it comes to getting what she wants, acting very manipulative, but she also cares for Grime. She is his only friend at the moment, and she no longer has Anne around, meaning she lost a friend. Grime himself is also bizarrely sympathetic. He's just lounging around eating a bunch of food and watching Survival Island. Given how much he values power, it makes sense given that he doesn't know how to deal with being de-powered. Also, while he does brush off Sasha, he isn't exactly acting rude. He still cares for her given how he even invites her to watch TV with him. As for General Yunnan, this woman is insane and it is glorious. She's shown being incredibly over the top with how hammy and violent she is in trying to turn Grime in for the reward. I mean, with her overly long introduction, you can't help but find her entertaining. She's like Sasha, but incredibly unhinged. I do like the conclusion of the episode. Grime calls Sasha out for her behavior, and she says she doesn't want to lose him too, who's her only friend at this point. When Yunnan has Sasha trapped in a corner, Grime stages a sneak attack, and she tricks Yunnan into saying her overly long catchphrase. Grime then pushes her down the cliff and into the river, and she swears revenge. He and Sasha then decide to rebuild their army. It's twisted yet also satisfying.

9. Swamp And Sensibility

Writer: Gloria Shen

Director: Kyler Spears

Date: August 8, 2020

Synopsis: "Anne helps Wally with a game."

Put on your best suit. It's time to get this started. This episode has the family stopping in a fancy town called Ribbitvale, filled with high class frogs. It's there that Anne discovers that Wally belongs to the high class Riverton family. They think he's still an upper class frog, particularly his father Wigbert. When Anne reveals the truth, he's initially banned. However, if he wins the Riverton Family Challenge, then he can do what he wants without worry. If he loses, he has to stay and take over the family business. Anne then goes to help him out. This episode is essentially about being able to accept others for who they are, regardless of class or personality. The three major factors that make this work are Anne, Wally, and Wigbert. Anne, as always, is acting impulsive, yet well meaning. She may be trying to help Wally out without thinking of his family status, but that's because of genuine care. She knows he's a weirdo, and wants him to feel comfortable. She just wants to be able to help others. I mean, he helped her out. I also like how Wally is here. He's still the same lovable weirdo, but we see more to him. While he does want to act like his usual weird self, we see more to him. He's shown to be a family man who doesn't want to disappoint them, yet also wants to do what he wants. What also helps is that he doesn't really try to stop Anne, which shows how he's very trusting of her. What also helps is how Wigbert is actually quite reasonable. Yes, he's acting snobby and expects his son to take over the business. However, it's also shown that he at least plays fair, what with letting Wally prove himself and never resorting to sabotage. The actual game we get is pretty intense. It's like something straight out of The Olympics. Just as it seems like the family is about to win, Anne and Wally get a little creative. By that, I mean that he uses his accordion to have the advantage over them, and they win. However, Wigbert will miss Wally, and says that he can be himself as long as he can visit at times. I call this a great episode.

10. The Wax Museum

Writer: Jenava Mie

Director: Jenn Strickland

Date: August 8, 2020

Synopsis: "The Plantars go to a curiosity shop."

Here's an episode that has a great sense of atmosphere. This episode starts with Anne making a bunch of money at Stony Gluch by showing off how she's a human (since there are still people thinking humans are freaks). She then suggests they check out the Curiosity Hut, which is run by The Curator, who's named Mr. Ponds. It's full of all sorts of curiosities and oddities. When Anne sees a human artifact called The Skip Man (a CD player), he offers her a chance to get it if she'll get to be his exhibit for a day. However, he actually plans to turn her into an exhibit with wax, just like all the other exhibits. This episode is about being weary of others that you encounter. It's simple, but it fits the episode. The major characters that make this work are Anne and Mr. Ponds. One thing that's interesting about Anne is how she exploits how people in Amphibia still see humans as freaks. It's kind of genius to see her exploit this given how she's known for acting resourceful. Of course, she gets in over her head, but it's given some understanding here. She's seeing a human object that neither she not her friends brought. It's a reminder of home. How can she not be easily swayed? Also, I really like this Mr. Ponds character. He's a definite threat despite the funny lines he gets. He seems to act like a jovial curiosity shop owner when he's shown to be quite cooperative in letting Anne help him out. As mentioned, he encases all his exhibits in wax, meaning that he's keeping living, breathing creatures imprisoned. Talk about scary. The ending helps bring everything together. The Plantars awaken to find Anne gone and rush to the museum. While Hop Pop and Sprig fight off Mr. Ponds, Polly confronts the wax statues and unfreezes them with a torch. The monsters proceed to attack Mr. Ponds and drag him away into the backroom where he is presumably killed (though it's red wax). The Plantars take Anne's frozen body back to the fwagon and melt the wax. She apologizes for being reckless with Hop Pop telling her that she needs to be careful. Sprig reveals that he secured the Skip Man, making her happy. I call this a win. Also, it's a fun homage to Gravity Falls.

11. Marcy At The Gates (half hour episode)

Writers: Matt Braly & Adam Colas

Directors: Joe Johnston & Jenn Strickland

Date: August 15, 2020

Synopsis: "Anne meets up with Marcy."

This is a really big wham episode. Let's waste no time. Anne and the Plantars finally arrive in Newtopia. However, the city is closed off because of an invasion from giant ants. Anne decides to get rid of them, but they're too much. All of a sudden, a hooded figure appears. It's her other friend Marcy. They're excited to see each other. Anne tries to figure out how to stop the ants while making sure Marcy is safe. So, the best way to describe this episode is that it's just really enjoyable and emotional. It just gets pretty intense and has plenty of heartwarming moments with Anne and Marcy. It has a standard message on not being overprotective, but with how everything flows together, it fits. Let's go over the major characters that make this work:

Anne: You can definitely feel for Anne here. It's shown in flashbacks that, while Marcy is smart and sweet, she's also very clumsy. She was often prone to tripping or messing things up. She's fiercely overprotective, but it works. It's not just because of her clumsiness. It's also because of how she hasn't seen her in a long time. She could've lost her (whether she died or became a villain), adding a whole level of relatability to her. What also helps is that she never acts condescending. Even with how she tries protecting Marcy, she at least shows enough respect by letting her guide them around the area.

Marcy: It's safe to say that Marcy will be a fan favorite. Put simply, she's a cute dork and a formidable warrior. She's shown being quite smart given how much she knows about Newtopia and the general anatomy of frogs, as well as how much she loves gaming. She's also really happy, sweet, and compassionate towards everyone. She still has her clumsiness, but has become well trained enough to be a respected warrior. What I like about her is that she's a loyal friend even when Anne gets too overprotective. She just lightly asserts that she's gotten better, and even when she chews Anne out, she acts firm yet gentle.

Sprig: Sprig himself also gets a good subplot here. He's shown being quite skeptical on if Marcy is putting on an act, or if she's still genuinely nice. It makes sense though. He's shown being quite loyal to Anne, especially given how Sasha attempted to kill her in "Reunion". His skepticism is thus understandable. He at least doesn't continually try to force this idea on others.

The friendship the girls have is very strong. Compared to Anne and Sasha's dynamic, Anne and Marcy are shown to have a much healthier dynamic. It's like they're sisters who haven't seen each other in years.

The ending is what helps bring everything together. Marcy's plan is to drive away the ants with exploding mushrooms. Sprig also gets eaten by the queen ant. Anne then trusts Marcy with her plan, and the latter manages to rescue Sprig. The trap goes off, and the ants leave. Anne and the Plantars can now go inside Newtopia, which looks like something straight out of Venice, Italy. Anne and Marcy then strengthen their friendship by resolving for all of them to be able to go home. This is just amazing.

I'm very impressed with this batch of episodes. Let's see where the season goes.

Here's the cast for the episodes.

Brenda Song as Anne Boonchuy

Justin Felbinger as Sprig Plantar

Amanda Leighton as Polly Plantar

Bill Farmer as Hop Pop Plantar, Old Man

Brian Malliard as Leopold

Kari Wahlgren as The Computer, Queen Ant

Dee Bradley Baker as Bessie, Veggie Monster, Roc

Matt Braly as Customer, Blair

Scott Menville as Quentin

Sam Riegel as Chuck, Hasselback Family, Trucker, Spectator, Branson

Kyler Spears as Customer

Jenifer Lewis as Mama Hasselback

Keith Ferguson as Judro Hasselback

Julian Edwards as Bailey

Eden Riegel as Townspeople, Trucker, Cathy, Customers, Mother, Dancer, Baby

Fred Tatasciore as Soggy Joe, Trucker, Customers

Susan Egan as Renee Frodgers

Max Mittleman as Francois, Actor

Troy Baker as Grime, Actors, Announcer, Spectators , Buster

Anna Akana as Sasha Waybright

Zehra Fazal as General Yunnan

Laila Bertinz as Lysil

Chris Wylde as Angwin

Matt Jones as Percy

April Winchell as Braddock

Matthew Mercer as Randy

Matt Vogel/Kermit The Frog as Crumpet The Frog

Hugh Bonneville as Wigbert

James Patrick Stuart as One Eyed Wally

Alex Hirsch as The Curator, Frog Soos

Jim Cummings as Old Man

Haley Tju as Marcy Wu

Keith David as King Andrias

Michelle Dockery as Lady Olivia