Solar Opposites is an animated sitcom about a family of sentient slugs that crash-landed on Earth and must look for a way home while adapting to bizarre human customs like gender polarization: Korvo (Justin Roilland/Dan Stevens), the "man of the house," resistant to assimilation; Terry (Thomas Middleditch), the childcare expert, who eagerly adopts human culture; Yumyulak (Sean Giambone), the teenage boy, a rebel who hates humans; and a teenage girl and pupa (infant).
But this is a review of an episode where no one in the family appears except in flashbacks. I'm including a beefcake photo of Sean Giambone (left) and frontals of Thomas Middleditch (below) anyway.
Episode 4.9, "Down and Out on Planet X-Non," stars Glenn (Kieran Culkin), the family's snoopy neighbor, who got blasted into space. He joined the SilverCops Space Force, but they framed him for murder. He had to flee into the wilderness of an alien planet, fighting monsters and nearly dying many times. And now his story continues in what seems to be the pilot for a spin-off.
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Scene 1: After having an "expositional dream," Glenn awakens in a run-down office, naked. Zy (Skyler Gisondo, top photo), a muscular being with a bat-head, found him in the wilderness, half-dead. "What were you doing all alone in the woods?"
"I go there to jerk off," Glenn jokes. "I got a thing for trees. Why am I naked?"
"Your clothes were soaked with piss and shit."
Zy infers that he has a "secred, fucked-up past," so he'll be perfect for their group of multi-species thieves and con-men.
Glen tries to leave, but outside the door, beings are robbing and killing each other, so he decides to stay. First queer code; Zy puts his hand on Glenn's shoulder and leaves it there.
Scene 2: The tour. Most of the group has holograms on their chest, which means "they need extra help."
"But I don't have a hologram on my chest," Glenn complains.
"I'm sure you have a hologram in your heart." Awww..getting a little crush on this human, Zy?
Second queer code: Hand on shoulder again. Third queer code: Again. Gee, Zy can't keep his hands off Glenn.
Scene 3: Interview with the group leader, Skeletom, a hippie dude with a glowing green skeleton. He explains: "This place is for people who don't fit in." Island of Misfit Toys, huh? Queer code #3. "No one else has our backs, so we have to be family to each other."
Scene 4: Glenn, Zy, a cat-being, and a Cthulhu-being on a scam run. Zy explains that the 'Raffs (sentient giraffes) took over and pushed the indigenous population into slums, using SilverCops to break heads: "They claim they're keeping the peace, but they're racist as hell, and they play the natives against each other." Cthulhu Lives Matter.
Uh-oh, their last victim called the SilverCops. Run! Hiding in an alley, they discuss how much they hate the Sils. And Glenn is one! If they find out, he'll lose their friendship -- or worse.
More after the break
Scene 5: They visit a carnival. Zy and Glenn eat unicorn-on-a-stick while the others bounce in a bouncy house. Queer Code 5: Zy and Glenn act like they are on a date. Zy explains that because they were pushed onto the street so early, they didn't get to have regular lives. Groger (the Cthulhu-being) used to be a baker.
Two Silvercops show up and punch Zy. He collapses. "What the fuck! He didn't do anything!" Glenn exclaims. The Silvercops advance. "If you want him, you'll have to go through me!" Queer Code 6. They get a call and zoom off, and Glenn kneels and tenderly hugs Zy. Queer Code 7. Zy exclaims that he demonstrated so much courage, he deserves a holo.
Scene 6: The extremely painful procedure for attaching a holo to your chest. Zy holds Glenn's hand, and keeps holding it after the pain is over. Queer Code 8: They are literally holding hands.
Scene 7: The team on a scam run. They see a member of another team being beat up because he talked to the SilverCops. Ulp..Glenn must keep his old life secret.
At dinner that night, Zy shows them a packet of salt that he found in a wall panel. Only SilverCops have salt. "Somebody here is working with them." To find out who, he uses a device that detects trace amounts of silver in the bloodstream like you would get with sustained interaction with SilverCops, or wearing their suits.
They line up, and scream -- the device "hurts like a bitch." But before it's Glenn's turn, they hear a scream from the next room. Skeletom, their leader, was zapped by a person in a mask -- no doubt the spy.
Scene 8: At the medical center, with Skeletom on life support. They need extra money to pay, and decide on trying "the Big Score" -- a house owned by one of the invaders, with a big safe and almost no security. The owners are on vacation, so it will be empty.
Scene 9: They enter the house through an unlocked door, and begin looking for the safe. But the house isn't empty! The 'Raff family cancelled their trip, and comes out with guns drawn! "Please put on some pants," Glenn asks. "I can see your entire giraffe dick." Is it as long as his giraffe neck?
The 'Raff dad trips over his own gun, splattering his head all over the kitchen. The gang runs away, knowing that they will be accused of murdering him. The SilverCops give chase, and injure Gragger. Just as they make it home, she dies. She was hit in the leg! Maybe that's where her species keeps their hearts.
Then Skeletom emerges and shoots them all!
Scene 10: Skeleton was the mole all along, working with the SilverCops so he could afford to leave their "cold, bare warehouse." Holos aren't allowed to live with the invaders, but he's going to get a DNA rewrite -- that's why he needed the money from the Big Score. "But they're monsters!" Zy points out. "I deserve to be a monster!"
Former SilverCop Glenn has the DNA graft to break open their silver handcuffs. He can save them,but to do it he must out himself. Of course he does it, explaining that he used to be a SilverCop, but now he realizes how evil they are.
Of course, they accept him without question. Glenn and Zy rush to stop Skeletom's evil scheme. It involves fisticuffs, a hanging-over-the-ledge scene, and Zy saving Glenn's life. Queer Code #9.
Scene 11: Zy gives a speech about improving the neighborhood instead of scamming the 'Raffs. The open the Gragger House, a sort of soup kitchen for the down-and-out, and discuss other projects, like starting a bakery. Zy and Glenn get oozy with gratitude for each other: "You don't have to dedicate your life to getting revenge." Queer Code #10.
But Glenn vanishes. Zy sighs, thinking that maybe he's going to get revenge after all.
Scene 12: At a sleazy chop-shop, Glenn gets a DNA reset. He becomes a muscular dog-being with an undersized head, renames himself Dodge Charger, and signs up for the SilverCops with revenge in mind. Boo! He should have stayed with his boyfriend!
Beefcake: Some very muscular alien beings around.
Heterosexism: None.
Gay Characters: 10 queer codes, including a lot of physicality, domesticity, and a nick-of-time rescue, but no permanence: the guys do not stay together at the end of the story. Probably Glenn and Zy are meant to be read as battle-comrades, not boyfriends, but you never know: there are a lot of gay characters in the series.
My Grade: A for world-building, C for the depiction of the same-sex romance. No permanence, no deal.
As promised, here is Thomas Middleditch's penis:
And another shot:
See also: Did the Solar Opposites Valentine's Day Special really change everything?
Solar Opposites: Do Korvo and Terry really act like a married couple?
The Final Girls: Psycho-slasher parody with Thomas Middleditch
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