The Bootstraps comment is causing some confusion, so let me clarify because, admittedly, I didn't use the best diction. What I was trying to say in that section is that charity should be given to those who are willing to do what it takes to improve their situation. A person with a bootstraps mentality is that type of person. In fact, I think people who don't demand/expect help are the ones who deserve charity the most. Hope that clarifies things.
bootstraps and charity go together very well. when you have one on one help its far far better than the often cold and distance government assistance. charity like churches and local organizations tend to be more personal. sure it often comes with more expectations and pressure from the person helping cause its the same person you are seeing every time that knows who you are and that is a double edged sword.
Shout out to Richie's dad for sitting with Vergil's family during the service and looking HAPPY. Dude really learned his lesson and grew as a person and didn't relapse. Little details like that are very good.
My head canon is that Mr. Foley went to counseling/ therapy to help him overcome his anger and prejudice after seeing his behavior’s affect on his son.
Fair, if the episode wanted to make the point stronger, maybe the episode should have shown a scene where static ignored a poor person earlier in favor of doing something else. Making it so in neither case Static isn't being directly mean spirited, but also showing we do forget to give those less fortunate than ourselves attention.
I like the implication when she said "The Voices in The Dark Call me Permafrost" that Marine could have encountered Ebon at some point OR could be having a mental health crisis. And that either, or both, are completely valid possibilities.
That is a pretty terrifying thought. Considering Ebon is basically Pure Evil he'd only want to use her powers. It could even explain her behavior in the episode considering he wouldn't take rejection lightly.
Yeah, I always assumed that Ebon found her and tried to get her to join the Meta-Breed (called her “Permafrost”, etc.), but abandoned her when he realized how difficult she would be to manipulate and control due to her mental instability. Which would, in turn, only make her mental/emotional state even worse as that would just be another group of people who threw her away or said she “doesn’t belong.”
Wow, that is a particularly terrifying idea, I just thought Maureen was suffering from severe schizophrenia but, when you remind us of Ebon it totally makes sense.
I love how the show isn't afraid to have Virgil admit that he's guilty of something. Brushing off homeless people is sadly one of those things that everyone is guilty of regardless of how good natured they are. This is because, for the most part, we physically aren't responsible for their issues, and facing them when we have nothing we're willing to give is an incredibly uncomfortable situation. I like how the show doesn't blame Static for his treatment of her, rather Static takes it as a sign to just be better.
@@SamuraiGirl02 Or it puts us in danger to do so. Why should we risk getting fined or an "assisted in purchasing drugs" for helping a panhandler? Or the stabbings, the fecal matter on the streets, behavior while high... let alone standard risks like illness and lice? When agencies can't even get through to people and their volunteers routinely get hospitalized for attempting to help, it would be irresponsible for a mother or father to jeopardize their family's well being over doing a singular good deed. This isn't to justify anything, but to offer an explanation. Judge all you want; each situation's different. But I'm on the west coast and deal with the homeless all the time (especially with all the border hoppers that wind up out here during harvest season).
Well actually that'd be a huge oversimplification of the issue. Many people don't believe in giving out money to homeless people because unfortunately, statistically, they're probably going to just go buy cigarettes, booze, or narcotics which don't help them eat or give them a place to stay. I do have my own issues, I can't always give my money away. Especially when I can't even verify if that money is actually helping them or just feeding into their vices more, thus keeping them unemployed and homeless. I don't think that means I need to "do better" I donate to food banks somewhat frequently with my grandma, and I've worked with Habitat for Humanity and a soup kitchen for the homeless. But I refuse to give them money much of the time. The only real exception is when I see kids with them, because no kid deserves to just starve, man. But at the end of the day, I can't even verify if the adults in those situations used that money TO feed the kids rather than something else. It's not just as simple as "being more aware" of it. It has a lot to do with people's opinions on how best to go about "helping" someone. I wouldn't enable a family member to destroy themselves with my money via drugs or booze or gambling. How can I let a stranger do it, who I have no personal allegiance to in the first place?
@@Eye_Of_Odin978 Of course its simple its still a kids show they have to tell it in a way where the kids understand but stil can mkae your own choices.
@@Eye_Of_Odin978I remember that once a woman came to my house asking for a job as a maid or money to pay for her son's treatment, I was about to give her whatever I had in my wallet Just when he was about to give it, I asked her about what happened to his son. I am not a doctor, but I am a follower of doctor channels and informed myself about the subject and I noticed that some answers were somewhat incongruous, For example, he said treatment as if he were sick but said he gave him a tracheostomy in the neck (which is a process to help people breathe when regular airways are not an option).Then she said he had an accident and left when I asked "hem how did this happen?" I don't know if he wanted to scam me or get a job to rob me but I hope I was right.
My mom was a homeless child. One night, it was so cold that her friend had to keep slapping her awake otherwise she would fall asleep and freeze to death. Situations like this actually happen to people and they happen everyday. My mom is safe and happy now :)
Static has the power of electromagnetic manipulation. He can do everything from shoot electric blasts to magnetically fly to control electronics. Personally, I like how inventive he is with his powers. He can do so many things with them because he is a smart guy who knows a fair amount about science. Logically other characters with similar electromagnetic powers should be able to do some of the many things he can do bit they don't because they don't even consider using their powers that way. His power use adds to his character.
Also let's not forget that this kind of power/ability use is also prevalent in the first two acts of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure with Hamon and later Spin/Rotation in 7. From keeping liquids from spilling, causing zombies and vampires to burn/melt, walking on water, passing force through objects, healing, transferring one's energy, making a barrier out of hair, making bubbles stronger and encasing/trapping your opponents, turning both liquids and bubbles into deadly whirling blades, reflecting light beams into a concentrated beam of light, walking up walls coated in oil, holding leaves together with magnetism firing projectiles etc. yet people like Hamon (not as much as Stands obviously), but the fact it stayed around for 3 parts and later returned in parts 7 and 8 in a slight redesign is exactly why people like characters who have creative uses with their powers. Stands being a step up from Hamon show how certan Stand users were also highly clever with the use of their abilities. Josuke, Koji, Okuyasu, Rohan, Kira, Giorno, Bucciarati, Mistah, Jolyne, I could go on. But I also see Shady's point about someone's powers being used for just about anything coming off as lazy writing when sometimes the science is unknown or just not based on anything known in reality.
I imagine if you wake up with electromagnetic powers one day, you would start researching electromagnetism to figure out what you can do with it. Same with Fire or any other powers like that.
@@saltyk9869 that is both person, and setting dependent though. Someone without good access to scientific knowledge can't study such things, though at the same time some people would only look at things at a surface level. Like if you got the power to manipulate space, and found out by teleporting. You might not even realize you could do other things. Makes me think of the movie jumper, where the antagonists had been studying the jumpers for a long time, and had a far greater understanding than pretty much anyone else in the movie. Or the movie push, which had a similar situation but with far more variety in the powers available to utilize.
It's kind of like how when Magneto was first created, readers laughed at his concept because the simple understanding of his power was that he could bend metal, and the films showed how that can be circumvented is by cutting him off from it and surrounding him in plastic. However, once a more talented writer handled him, and actually looked into the scope of magnetism (it being one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, like gravity) that TV Tropes summed up succinctly the potential his powers pose in Magneto's self-demonstration page: "To further elaborate, electromagnetism is arguably the most interesting of the four fundamental forces in that its scope, and thus the scope of my powers, encompasses virtually everything in the universe. I explicitly control half of physics, all of chemistry (which when boiled down is the study of protons, neutrons, and electrons), and most of biology (which is a combination of chemistry and physics). In fact, because I can manipulate valence electrons, I can force chemical reactions to occur that are normally impossible or make reactions that normally occur not happen. The EM spectrum by itself gives me heat vision, x-ray vision, illusions, and invisibility, I am essentially my own radio and can scramble any others at my leisure, I can produce the deadliest form of radiation, and I can even produce microwaves on a whim. Furthermore, I can manipulate nervous systems, flash freeze or heat matter by imparting or taking away kinetic energy through protons and electrons, transmute anything into any other thing by rearranging particles at the subatomic level, disintegrate anything bigger than a nucleus, hijack electronics, and a good number of other interesting effects. The long and short of it is: if it can be done via natural means, it can be done by me." If Magneto wanted to, he could change Earth's magnetic field so that the Earth's orbit is disrupted, exposing Earth to higher levels of radiation and cancer, and cause mass blackouts.
I think the reason why Permafrost wasn't known until now is because her powers only manifest in winter or when she's cold. Like when she's at the church talked to the reverend she's warm so her powers aren't active, but when she's outside they are because she's cold. The episode also shows that Static's greatest power is his empathy
No comment on how Richie's dad is at a church, sitting next to the black family, with a black pastor? That's character development! or inconsistency depending on when this show happens.
I usually saw this episode not long after Sons of the Fathers, so I felt like it did feel more like a natural progression for Richie's Dad. Shocking, but a pretty cool detail.
Couple things: 1) The reverend is played by Michael Dorn, Worf from Star Trek. Fun fact, and it's impossible to miss his voice. 2) Interfaith services are a thing. 'Interfaith' usually means 'Anyone of any denomination of Christianity can attend,' but I've seen other ones that just focus on like, togetherness and spiritual well-being. They aren't terribly popular because most people like going to their own churches/temples/mosques, but I've seen a few advertised.
Ecumenical is I think the word you want to use and I think that those are probably more popular than inter-faith services, since the Abrahamic faiths' differences tend to be much sharper than those that separate denominations of the individual faiths.
i thought the reverend was Brock Peters until you mentioned Dorn… given that they’re involved in the community center, it’s likely it’s as part of their program to hold one for all especially around Christmas
One of the things I love about Static Shock is episodes like this where the “villains” aren’t actually villains. They’re someone with powers who either can’t control them or is being manipulated by someone else to use their powers for evil.
The episode where the Bang Babies were all de-powering was definitely a big sign of this for me. Talon refusing to work for Ebon once she lost her powers, and telling Vergil her real name (Teresa) really showed how she wanted out of the gang life.
This is a trope I think is done too often today, and usually done very badly, but if done sparingly and well can be extremely effective. You need plenty of villains who're just bad people for realism, because let's face it, a lot of people are bad people. But if you sprinkle in a few who're only doing bad things because they haven't got a choice it can really make an impact, especially if you want to put a redemption arc in your story.
@@SunwardRanger83 I think it's far more effective to have most of the villains be relatable and misunderstood if you're going for realism. It's usually people who are easily manipulated as apposed to evil who do bad things. It only takes one bad person with charisma to lead a bunch of people astray.
Please watch Static Shock… I know I was a child watching it but that show literally deserves more attention. My only fear is that a company like disney will notice and ruin it. Lol
It’s worth it. Sure, it’s a little hokey or heavy handed at times, but it’s a show that was willing to tackle issues that no one else would at the time, especially in a kids show. And it has a lot of heart.
One thing I think is underappreciated about this episode is its portrayal of religion being a force of good for communities. I'm raised christian and it warms my heart to see this show portray how many churches provide charity for homeless folk. And the ending speech is a great message that I believe we need now more than ever: No matter what we believe in, we should show compassion and love to others.
It's really one of those things where as someone who does believe in the 'Good Will Towards Man' part I have to remember it's shared with all those who bring nothing but hatred toward men...
@nickjoffe8433 As a fellow Christian, seeing a pastor spreading a kind message, as well as showing genuine kindness towards someone in need, warmed my heart :)
Virgil is a literal superhero, i think he's entitled to be a little selfish during the holidays considering he's doing way more than his fair share of community service the rest of the year.
As Shady mentioned, Richie eventually does get powers, and in an other episode he shows jealousy for Virgil having them and he didn’t. It’s a subtle sort of character arc. I like it.
I mean, Virgil had a legitimate reason to not be able to help the person who we thought was just a bystander at that time he was looking for a damn criminal who had super powers!
but she didn't know that. all she saw was what was likely just another person too busy with their lives to care at all about her's. as far as she saw,she was nothing to him,not even a person and it's likely something she's experienced a lot.
Btw it’s implied that the “Voices in the Dark” are voices Marie hears in her head. Schizophrenia and hallucinating voices is sadly very common amongst homeless people often due to poor nutrition, stress and preexisting traumas that go untreated. It’s part of why you see Marie and many homeless people talk and mumble to themselves, it’s a way of trying to cope with the voices.
Absolutely no reason it can't be both. Voices in her head and also Ebon not helping by speaking from the shadows without manifesting himself where she can see him.
I don't think it needs to necessarily go that far as Schizophrenia or the like. Sometimes it's just negative self-talk coming from the darker more painful side of one's self.
It shows how timely this episode is that I thought Permafrost/Marine in the jewelry store was the beginning of a heist. But she's just admiring a figurine that reminds her of a good moment from her childhood. I think the pastor asking Marine whether she's ready to be helped could also be interpreted as eliciting her consent before sending her away with the lady. I guess that also implies that Marine's rehabilitation will need to be a mutual effort she participates in, but that's part of consent--that this is something she's doing with the help of others, not something she's being forced into.
A homeless person in a store being assumed to be a thief. Not saying you’re a horrible person but I imagine a lot of people, in and out of the show, thought that
The homeless people don't fear Primafrost/Marueen and are actually somewhat protective, showing that they are more than just in the same boat. They likely were more nice to her then those who are in better positions then them. They are well aware of her powers and Bang Baby status, but she's still allowed a space in the depo. I like to think the homeless mother that showed Static her space wants better for Primafrost since she has two kids, who are clearly younger than Primafrost. As much as Primafrost hates "happy families" she clearly doesn't want to cause more suffering to those who already suffering, like herself. And yet despite that, it doesn't make her feel any better. Really shows how homelessness and lack of human kindness can harm you mentally especially as a young kid.
@@tivednagol9127 Tell that to the autocorrect and the stupid English language when it concerns trying to write down how they sound vs how they are written. It's annoying.
This episode honestly made a big impact on me as a kid and I stopped ignoring homeless people, and began talking to them, I'd be honest and say look I don't have any money but I'm here to talk about anything, and I will listen. For a few years, most of them were so thankful and it ended up with tears and hugging. In the past few years, it's started to become constant harassment, screaming, demanding drugs or money, and even outright refusing food / warm clothes and throwing them back at me. It hurts, man. I just wanted to help people. I'm glad I got through to some.
That's just the sad reality of society today. If anything this goes along with what Shady was talking about in his Ms. Wakefield review last year, a lot of homeless have become entitled and think they are owed things. The ones you were talking about who actually were friendly to you and appreciated your kindness are the ones who, despite being homeless and hardly having anything, were thankful for whatever they did have, even if it was simply kindness from strangers.
I don't know if you're a person of faith or not, but I've found that God (or my conscience, if you will,) nudges me towards the people who are actually hurting, and has mostly kept me away from negative encounters. When I ignore that nudge and think someone else looks more deserving, that's when I meet the push back. I guess this is my way of saying to you not to give up, especially since you've shown a lot more courage than I have, and not to let a few bad encounters stop you from helping someone in the back who's really hurting.
The thing about homeless people throwing food back, I've learned recently, is because there have been a lot of cases of people poisoning food that they give to the homeless in order to intentionally make them sick. Sometimes for a shitty RU-vid/TikTok "prank", but other times it's just because they can. Knowing that, it makes sense why they'd reject food just in case, and I've heard of many people giving them gift cards to go get food instead that are accepted. Other times, more unfortunately, it's panhandlers who take advantage of people's kindness and don't actually need the help, they just legitimately don’t want to work and will make it harder on the homeless.
Honestly, this is often why I try not to interact with homeless and the unfortunate much, not because I think I'm better than them, but because my heart can't take hearing so many tragic stories, or worse yet, being told off for trying to care in the first place. I've been through some real bad heartbreaks these past couple of years, to the point where I've felt _physical_ pain at the grief of not being able to help someone I care about. I can't handle more of that, especially now, when I really need to focus on myself at the moment, because I'm trying to put the missing pieces of this puzzle together that should've been put there a long time ago, and to add more heartbreak on top of that from even more people that I can't help... I'm not sure I could take it... That being said, there have been times when I have helped homeless people, at least, I hope so, in the best way that I could, but I never know if I should give them money or not, because I don't know if they're scammers or going to spend my money on drugs instead of essentials... I truly feel for homeless people, as it's a terrible circumstance to be in, can happen to people suddenly, and the nights are the worst from what I've heard, and it kills me sometimes that I can't do anything more to help them...
god i love the humanity in Virgil...he makes mistakes and sometimes serious character lapses but he is always a man and owns up to his faults...the moment she made him realised his disrregaurdment of her...he gives no excuses....he self examines his actions regaurdless of how mundane. he really is one of the best fictional roll models for teenage youth.
@@lavellelee5734There were a series of episodes where Static teamed up with various heroes. In the last one, he went to Batman Beyond's timeline, and was told they needed his help to rescue the greatest hero of that time...and it turned out to be him
@@Garrus1995 I met a friend of my grandfather (who passed), and he let me rent a cabin. I would’ve been homeless again already if he wasn’t so cool about it when I don’t have the money on time
As a kid, i think this was my first cartoon that i saw a superhero dealing with something that didnt have to be fought to solve the problem. so it started making me think how like Superman or Batman would deal with this situation.
it likely would have gone over superman's head unless he actually heard her destress. batman would have walked right up to comfort her and offer whatever help he could give because he fucking LOVES kids and no way in all hell is batman just leaving her on the street to freeze to death.
@@CuppaLLXhell, I remember a comic where Bruce tells the goons working for Black Mask that Wayne Industries has jobs for them and they proceed to immediately leave Black Mask because, if anything, all that they've done was about money, not anything else.
Aw, man!! I didn't know Ace's voice actor was the same one who did Permafrost! That's impressive but, man it really hit me in the feels! Also, thank you so much for reviewing/analyzing this episode! I was hoping you'd do it eventually.
As a kid, I didn't realize her stepdad was shrouded in shadows, I thought he was wearing a black hood that's commonly associated with Medieval Executioners.
Technically, Static's powers are not 'electricity', per-say, but 'Electromagnetism', and 'Microwaves' are on the Electromagnetic Spectrum; ergo, yes, Static *can* melt ice with his powers (and cook meat his sister, Sharon, undercooks).
And I don't like that Richie is smug/confident about it like he knows what's best for him That's the price you pay like man you ain't his dad you are the same age as static rest or power down for a day like come on
3:32 I don't think it's fair to say he ignored her BECAUSE she was homeless, I think he ignored her because he though there might be dangerous individuals nearby and a clearly innocent frail-looking girl couldn't be it so he glanced over her completely, also nice bait m8 well played
That's kind of the point though. Lots of us don't ignore the homeless because they're homeless. It's comes from being so busy with our stuff that we don't remember to see the struggles that people around us are having. Static didn't ignore her because she was homeless, but because he was so wrapped up in what HIS problems were that he didn't see someone in need right in front of him. It's why his admission of "yeah, I've been guilty of that" is so poignant. He tries hard to be a good person, and even he didn't realize he'd done it until she told him directly.
@@LittleHobbit13 Yeah but shock thought he was In danger It's not the same thing Like if I'm running from someone who's trying to stab me I'm not gonna stop to give some money to a homeless person i happened to see nearby
13:50 as a survivor of a diff kind of childhood trauma myself, i love this part sm; and i feel like i can instantly tell why she goes to hug Static here Him apologisin there, him showin accountability, him aknowledin his guilt for failin her; it shows he is capable of carin about her, and that he wants to care about her Instantly those five words "ive been guilty of that", they defuse things bcuz he takes accountability and shows he is a safe person; a peson who can and does care about her Ive had my own tearful hugs like that on realisin how much some ppl care about me, and bein able to actually think without prioritisin trauma brain survival mode I feel this moment so hard; and i feel Marine huggin Static here is just a perf char moment in every way
"No one...told me...the tears would come from Vergil... THAT'S CHEATING!" 😂 Well done Shady. Real happy you touched this episode. It's one of my favorites.
My best friend of 10 years showed me this episode. It hurt because she's been homeless in LA for years. Just last year she finally got the financial help she needed and she's doing much better now.
You ever notice that ice villain only ever attack during the hottest day of the summer or during the winter, usually around Christmas time? Never during spring or autumn? Like they're literally seasonal villains.
I imagine it's because writers only ever think of doing it when it's really relevant or ironic for the powers used. But in context it's kinda funny to think about. Like Mr. Freeze just chills drinking a hot Cocoa during fall; counting down the days for it to be winter so he can go do crime again.
I cried the second she went to hug Virgil. It's such a powerful thing for someone to be comforted when in need. I was raised to be kind and care about people, so when I see someone in desperate need of a hug or other comforting, my body just starts ACHING wanting to help.
8:55 - I always interpreted “the voices in the dark” to be Ebon since, as you said, it definitely sounds like a cool Bang Baby name. I think he may have been interested in her clearly OP powers and tried training her or something but quickly realized that she was too mentally unstable to properly control, so he just abandoned her (like everyone else in her life).
Really the title should be it tackles Homelessness and Mental Illness. Maureen aka Permafrost, clearly has serious mental health issues due to being on the street since she was a child, which is something people who talk about Homelessness tend to gloss over. Many either have drug problems or mental problems that result in them staying homeless and behaving violently. Many people assume if you just give them some food and place to sleep they'll bounce back, but that almost never works. Kind of wish Maureen appeared in a later episode so we could see her recovered and healthy, maybe even become a hero.
The line "When you're homeless, people look right through you. It's like you're not even there." _deeply_ impacted me when I first saw this episode, especially because I am city adjacent and there's always talk about how homeless encampments "look bad" and plenty of the actions around them are about making them go away, not necessarily about addressing the need to help those people. I saw it when it first aired, and I've heard it every time I see someone less fortunate on the streets since then. I can't help everyone, but I don't want them to feel unseen.
Well I'm happy to see you getting into the holiday spirit by reviewing a Christmas special Shady! And you made a good choice by having it be about a Static Shock episode!
Honestly though, I like how Richie is written here: yeah, he's being an ass, but half of it is because he's doing something he doesn't want to just because he's being a good friend, and the other half is that he's clearly jealous of not having super powers. Honestly, pretty relatable for everyone who was 16, once.
I wish more episodes were like this. Static Shock episodes tend to be kinda hit or miss, but when they hit, they hit HARD. I noticed the darker/sadder episodes always seem to feel like they have a lot more depth and complexity to them. They feel like they're trying to be genuine without painting any one person as "the ultimate face of evil."
I love all the small things this show pays attention to or adds in. Maureen breaks down and hugs Virgil and he breaks it off for just a moment to lean down for a proper hug between them, so heart warming QQQQQQ
I agree with you that this episode handles Permafrost/Maureen’s mental issues very well and perfectly shows how she needs help but ultimately no one not even Static or Reverend Worf can help her unless she takes responsibility and tries to help her self, which we see in the end, I’ve always tried to give to charities that follow the old maxim about the difference between giving a man a fish and teaching him to fish.
If only Maureen's mom had "pulled herself up by her bootstraps...." The review was good until he brought the bootstrap part up and pointed to a literal cartoon as an example of it working 😂.
@@Darkchipper07 No it’s not you’re just not understanding what He’s actually saying, there’s a difference between what happened to Maureen and her mother, her mother is shown on oxygen, she’s clearly physically ill in addition to likely being abused by her husband, so she seems to be getting help for at least one of those problems, which by the way is the only one we know for certain she had, Permafrost on the other hand is homeless and suffering from an anxiety related mental illness and when we see her doesn’t seem to be having any positive interaction with anyone she’s clearly not even trying to change until Static goes out of his way to actively not only stop her physically but also reach her emotionally, do you see the difference?
@@TheKyrix82 My friend if you don’t Start your teaching with showing a person how to it’s done properly then you’re a poor teacher. That may be an overly flippant and simplistic response but it sufficiently true, the charities that I mentioned in my first post are all designed specifically to offer both teaching and support to get someone from the A of being in need of help to the B of being successful at life, and I can also say that this is how it works on a smaller more personal level as well, you have to be willing to accept that you need help before you can even begin.
@@drewjohnson-85 the mom was getting help and still wasn't able to pull herself up by her bootstraps.... Wow shocker, one would think the whole bootstrap thing was made to point out that you physically can't do something. (Literally impossible) And again you do know this is a work of fiction, you know impossible things like floating on a manhole and what not. "Pulling one self up by their bootstraps" is used by the right to blame one social economic situation on themselves and not society as a whole. ("You are poor because you are lazy if you work harder you'll be rich") Nonsense like that.
Her powers are probably linked to her mental state. The last time she saw her mom was around the holidays and this is her first holiday season since the bang.
3:06 This is your daily reminder to review that episode, let it be a lesson on legacy vs individuality. Also, that Ace scene makes me cry like a baby every time I see it.
This is why I hate it when people immediately assume that poor people and beggars, just because they’re poor, aren't worth helping at all because they’ll supposedly just exploit that help. The people who say these things actively ignore the hardships of these people in favor of painting them as sleazy and exploitative.
And they, the people who say stuff like that, are often exploitative themselves (the wealthy) or being exploited by that group (the "temporarily embarassed millionaires")
A thing I really like about ice powers in general is that ice itself can have so many attributes to emulate. It can be both fragile and tough, beautiful and scary, soft as snow or stinging like hail. I pretty much always love heroes and villains with ice powers.
I wanna point a few things out: The reverend is voiced by Michael Dorn who was Worf from Star trek next generation and DS9. His voice acting in this is a little wooden but still warm. This aged much better than the school shooting episode, a lot of people criticized me for saying that the last time but nobody has ever taken the time to realize school shootings are a rarity, there's one every 5 minutez but it's not a school shooting so much as a statistic, a threat, gang violence (that's a lot more common than you think in some places) and the one nobody is talking about which is mental health related causes, sometimes especially due to medication driving people nuts. The other point of notice is that this episode aged like fine wine seeing as there's been a massive explosion in the homeless population, especially in urban areas, this girl is the perfect stand in for one segment of them which is the homeless children that have been affected by the vast number of people living in tent cities across cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and parts of New York.
Yeah how the law defines a school shooting is a bit dumb, any fire arm shot near a school counts as a school shooting even if its some cop shoot out or some crime related cause thats not at the school itself. Its the same way how most gun deaths come from suicide and self defense rather than a random manaic. Let's not forget how the news media wants to use these "exmaples" to manipulate its audience not truly telling things how they are, it won't get the views they want.
people believing bullshit like 'medication drives people nuts' is why mental health is underreported and people don't want to seek professional help. i've seen this in my own life with my mom. you're contributing to it.
I've never seen this episode of Static Shock before but it's now my favorite one. Also, I fully agree about people having to decide to put the work in to improve their situation when the opportunity is given. When I was 5150ed and put in a mental ward, I had to decide if I wanted to treat my Bipolar 1 properly or stay in my chaotic comfort zone. As terrified as I was, I chose to accept help and change my ways and it was the best decision ever. I'm glad that the episode ended with Maureen starting her healing journey and according to the comments, she was a one off character which is a damned shame. Having her come back as a recurring character would've been awesome but it is what it is. The video was hilarious as always, especially your reaction when you realized that you forgot about Virgil losing his mom and again, I wish that modern cartoons were better at incorporating important life lessons without being too heavyhanded and preachy. Richie was absolutely insufferable in this episode so I request that you cover an episode when he's acting like his usual self OR the one when Richie gets his Powers. I didn't even know that he would get powers until you mentioned it! I was really young during Static's initial run and the episodes aired irregularly in my area so I'm missing tons of info. I like learning through you. Happy Holidays, Shady. ❤
As much as I would like to see Maureen again as well, given how this works in usual superhero stories I think this is the best way for her character, had she returned it would have meant she didn’t get the help she needed to overcome her problems and that idea just makes me sad even thinking about it, this way we can all know that Reverend Worf helped her and maybe she even went on to live a happy life helping others the same way Static once helped her.
I think the hardest one to watch is when he traveled through time and got to meet his mom the day she died. He knew he couldn't prevent it but she got to see that her son grew up to be a super hero.
13:04 I’m glad he didn’t say “I know how you feel” because someone said that to me when I was crying about a struggle I had an, honestly, it DID NOT make me feel better BECAUSE it felt like my emotions were being invalidated. And it’s also not true. EVEN IF the experiences are the same, the person experiencing it is not! Different people have different perspectives and personalities!
13:23 Dang it Shady! That felt emotional, and probably I would have cried as well, but then you went and made your emotional moment completely funny and it made me laugh instead! 🤣😂🤣
Virgil/Static is my favorite DC character. Not just superhero, *character*. He's allowed to be flawed and react realistically to what's going on around him, even if it means he makes mistakes or hurts people. He's still a teenager, after all. What I love about him the most is that younger people can learn from him mostly thanks to the fact that he makes mistakes and not only owns up to them, but actively does what he can to be better. More than anything, Virgil feels *real*. He's been a role model of mine for many years.
Depends how good of a runaway you are I guess or if someone gives you a lift. But people can always fall through the cracks. Edit: Oh NVM I hadn't gotten to that part yet.
She probably didn't. A girl that young and still physically developing would not easily be able to escape a full grown adult like that. She was probably put in a foster home(s), but eventually ran away when she had a chance.
@4:45 "It's not the first time that person may have heard that." Okay, yeah that actually hits me way harder than it did when I first saw this episode. When I moved out of my parents' house, I was in a relationship with someone who simply refused to listen to me for YEARS. Mind you, this type of "not listening" actually involved her crossing obvious boundaries and lines that she should never have crossed to begin with. Even now that she and I have gotten "better", I'm not "good now". There's still a smidge of my past that consistently haunts me. One of the main things that I say in order to try to explain to her (and others) why it still hurts was the line "it's not just that one time/thing." The accumulation of all of it happening repeatedly (or "Ruminating" as it's actually called), is very unhealthy for people to go through.
Working with the homeless is sometimes complicated in real life since everyone has their different stories and reasons for their circumstances. Sometimes we want to help (regardless of their circumstances), but are not in a good position to really get to know what the person's situation is (how deep it is) or have the means to help them immensely. Some people unforutnately have tried to take advantage of the good nature of people as well. Usually instead of money (an unfortunate number of cases, that money is not used for food, etc...), I have less problem with giving some of my groceries or other necessities at a moment's notice at the very least because if they really need that stuff, then there is no issue with accepting it. I've had people literally turn down food when they were asking for money to go buy food. I can go with them to buy food if I have a little time at the very least, so it's strange when even that is turned down. I don't know if I've ever done that right to be honest... volunteering if you can is obviously a big step up from that, but sometimes you have to figure out how to balance that with your own life, especially if you try to make too many promises that you can't keep.
Man Marine's story and character was beautifully handled. It's also good how Virgil took accountable of his actions and saw his actions. You don't get many heroes these days who will take accountability of their actions. And again, Marine was handled perfectly.
I work at a hospital in the heart of my city. Sadly, I come across homeless people what Reverend Anderson said is true that a lot of them suffer from some form of mental illness. This episode hits hard for me especially this year because I lost my mom this past April.
5:33 many clients when I was kidnapped at 18 and forced into a brothel didn't even know I was drugged or under the influence of powerful asphrodiacs... I tried to plead I don't belong only to get an injection to shut me up and make me seem eager and willing, when in truth, I was blacked out of my mind and faculties... I'm glad my contract ended on october 19th... Because the last place I wanted to belong was there under my abuser...
Listening in on radio waves with his powers may seem like a "okay he can do that apparently" moment, but watching Doctor Stone has taught me just how fucking easy it is to do that, it's literally just airborne electricity, electromagnetic. You don't even beed an electrical device to pick them up, you can just curl some copper around a piece of quartz and it'll start picking up audible speech from sources along the wavelength it can interact with, with no internal power source, the radio waves themselves power the reaction. Someone with control over electromagnetism could very easily pick up on any and all radio transmissions, convert it back into vibrations with enough precision, and funnel the vibrations into their eardrums directly to hear the audio. Also him doing "microwave mode" isn't really accurate to how a microwave works, but running electricity through metal does heat it up, like y'know, electric stovetops. Though there really shouldn't be anything stopping Vergil from just GENERATING microwaves, they're way below the beams of electricity he can generate on command in terms of electromagnetic radiation. Also to note, microwaves are used in place of radio waves in certain communication devices, the classic rooftop satellite dish traditionally operates off a microwave signal sent down by satellites.
You're extremely right. Virgil actually can generate microwaves, but he doesn't do it often in combat - likely because there's little reason to like you said. Even when he was pulled underwater by two bang babies made of rubber and concrete he used Magnetic Induction to channel a current into their rebar and cook them from the inside - which was smart. He was at risk of drowning and needed something much more immediate.
Ha! So I am not the only one that thought Daisy was Asian. Honestly she looks quite Philippina. That aside I am over the christmas moon happy that you brought up this episode… It is hands down one of my favorites which interestingly enough I only recall seeing once… as if they only aired it one time.
9:05 there's one alternate-world comic about an X-Man mutant who can control fire, but he isn't immune to the fire he produces from his body so he's covered head to toe in burn scars and bandages. And he's the unluckiest version though the original-world version isn't immune either, but that's only after he creates the fire, not during
This episode always gets me. Especially now that I'm a mom. You work so hard to build a good future for your kids. Make all the best decisions you can. Unfortunately there are those out there like Maureen's mom who just got dealt the bad hand of being ill, with no support system, and low income. Not able to leave much behind for her baby girl. But she did love her daughter which was most important and at least Maureen remembered that.
man this guy is so good at making videos, outside of his king of the hill videos, I love how he gives a new and fresh perspective on shows, especially Daria, given how that’s literally my favorite show (that isn’t an anime, or live action)
Episodes like this remind me why being a good person is the most rewarding thing. We live in a time where we defend the homeless when people do or say bad things to them yet do nothing to assist them ourselves. All it takes is a little kindness and help and we could get people who are forced to live this way a chance to have a home. A family. Security, warmth, safety. Shows like this brought my childhood brain into a reality that i often felt sorry for and from Frozen Out, i often give what change or even extra dollars i have to homeless i see. What they do with it is up to them, i don't care if it's a scam and they were pretending to be homeless for an extra buck. The fact that i cared and gave and reached out is helps me hold my head up and pray for a better future for these people.
This show hits pretty close to home as well for multiple reasons. I unfortunately know a homeless person with mental health issues, and you're right Shady. They have to help themselves, despite having people around to help and guide through the process .
The bootstraps and charity part is exactly true, explained very well. Bootstraps concept is pulling yourself up to better your own life. Charity is helping those using what you can give or spare. These are both concepts of a free market and absolutely piss off college kids, because they want everything to be controlled by the government. The concept of all charity is to help those that have had a hard time in the community, for them to use that as a temporary stop in cost to help them get back to where they are a productive member. Instead of paying for food and shelter, they can focus on finding employment, to then become self sustaining again, and with all hopes do the same for someone else in need when they can.
It's a very uncomfortable situation, I used to live in California but having to see someone in such an awful situation always had me nervous, not because I didn't want to help but because I didn't know *how* to
I remember this as "the episode where there's a mention of Ramadan" as a Muslim it was so nice (and rare) to see some representation of us in the early 2000s even if it was a throwaway line.😁
@@موسى_7 well Ramadan lasts for around 30 days usually and apparently back in the 2000s it did overlap with christmas (or it was at least in December) im not completely sure though someone should probably fact check me
Could you maybe not be a bad person for once in your life. It was simply a mention about how two particular holidays happened to match up during a particular month. Then you have to blunder in like clyde mcdougal with size twelve boots right out of the snow Then start screaming like everyone's drunk uncle Jerry at christmas dinner. Seriously, go have some coffee and cream or something. Take a dive, you drunk wipe. Because I'll tell you something. This is a happy place and we in fact to paraphrase. Don't take kindly to your type around these parts. Doesn't feel very good now does it? When the shoe was on the other foot. When you're the one who's getting it and not giving it. Maybe take this feeling and ruminate on it and think about your life and how you make other people feel with your behavior. You're no better than the ignorant people who hurt permafrost
