I gotta say, that pinecone soccer game looks like fun.
When they first enter into the hidden canyon, I couldn't help but think of Berry Valley.
As for the theme of the episode, we can see that gluttony and keeping secrets are bad things, and in general, stories with fruit in them tend to be moral lessons (Adam and Eve, Gilgamesh, The Golden Apples of Discord from Greek Mythology, etc), and the fruit tends to be bad (a forbidden object and/or and object of material desire.)
Oh, interesting. It's neat to look at it that way and apply it to the episode.
I was a bit let down by the lack of follow-up from "Escape from the Mysterious Beyond" with Thud's development. Even though I figured at the time it would just be a one-off thing, I still think it's something they could have gone further with.
I liked the initial idea of the hidden canyon and the kids having their own secret hideout, and how it turned out to be a surprise entrance for the sharpteeth. There was a good plot setup there. But alas, it kinda fell apart at the end with a climax and resolution that was just too ridiculous. It certainly does not make the villains out to be very threatening or competent. I get that for a light-hearted series, there's only so much the writers could do. But... really? All you need to do to scare off Red Claw and his goons is to just toss some fruits at them?
Then again, I guess it wasn't really any less ridiculous than the other episode where they run off because Spike was covered in mud and smelled bad, but that only further emphasizes the point. Chomper refers to Red Claw as "the biggest and meanest sharptooth of them all," but... eh... I'm just not buying it.
Oh well. Despite that, the episode was entertaining enough that I'll give it a 6/10.
Everything's better with juicyfruit! It makes the episode all gorgeous and juicy and sweet and beautiful and tasty!
lol
