One of two groundbreaking shows that premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010, "Regular Show" has received a swath of critical success, earning four Emmy nominations, and winning one. After 160 episodes, the show has come a long way.
"Regular Show" recently embarked on its sixth season, set to contain 40 episodes. One wonders if J.G. Quintel (the show’s creator and voice of protagonist Mordecai) and his compatriots will be able to keep up the animated hilarity and ridiculousness for another season. But if episode 159, “Lift With Your Back,” is any indication, fans everywhere can rest easy knowing the shark has yet to be jumped.
The series centers around a dynamic duo of park employees and their fellow workers. The show's strength comes from its examination of characters' interpersonal relationships — and "Lift With Your Back" is no exception.
The episode starts with Rigby's patience for Mordecai shrinking — Mordecai has been shirking his responsibilities to gallivant with CJ, his cloud girlfriend, and leaving Rigby to pick up the slack. Rigby sets out to prove he can earn his own paycheck and is painfully reminded of his past inadequacies — jobs for a raccoon who doesn’t even have a high school diploma are few and far between.
He secures employment with Manny — the show's likable antagonist who adds depth and complexity to the plotline. He tells Rigby he is both the worst worker he has ever had, and at the same time he loves him like a son. As coarse and ridiculous as Manny is, his faith in Rigby throughout is touching.
The season 6 opener also welcome back Eileen, who is as fantastic as ever — with the potential for romance with Rigby alive and well. She gives him a massage, and with Rigby’s personal space issues, this can only mean that things are going places.
The episode boils down to a final test: Rigby must unload an entire truck by himself and earn his paycheck tucked away at the back. With the most gravity of any scene in the episode, the event is still injected with humor. The labels on the boxes are a brilliant gag, with scrawled phrases like “concrete 10 gallon hats” and “philosophy books about death,” as well as the final monolith labeled “cast-iron sand.”
When Rigby finally achieves his goal, literally earning the paycheck with his bare hands, the audience can see just how evolved a raccoon he has become since we were first introduced to him in 2010.
After such a strong start, Season 6 is shaping up to be a great one. "Regular Show" has never been better.
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