Since my review of Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, I have seen every single episode. Don't worry, I didn't miss much beyond an episode that was basically nothing. I mean it was easy since there were only six episodes, so to commerate that little nothing, I'm gonna rank all six episodes from the worst to the best, by my crazy standards.
It may seem fruitless given how done to death this show is, but just know one certain episode won't be at the bottom, it's already something new to the table by default in that regard.
Naked Beach Frenzy
This episode is either a testimony to the theory the network wanted the show to be as raunchy as humanly possible, or a look into a perverted mind, I wouldn't be saying that had it not been for what happened to John Kricfalusi.
I'm not getting on this episode because of the concept, but because of how the episode is built on one small thing alone. Ren and Stimpy dink around a beach full of busty chicks, that's not just a summary, that's just the entire episode summed up. This episode is like a case of blue balls, you put some work into it, but it turned out to be so repetitive that you couldn't bring yourself to ejaculate.
Granted, there were episodes in the original show that basically consisted of ongoing non-sequiturs, but either the jokes were good enough to justify watching it to the end or there was a greater point to it. The only point here is to drive the raunch factor, but they forgot to give it any meaning.
Either that or John Kricfalusi is the only man capable of making attractive women look ugly. You've seen the faces in Ctrl-Alt-Del, basically every woman, once you knock the hair and skin, are basically the same, objects if you will, for the sake of trying to get men hard. I'd say I'm happy this is one of three episodes that never made it to air, probably because men would call the network to complain the episode somehow made masturbation boring.
If you want to get hard to big busty action, Stripperella is right up your alley, now there's a show a sensible man can enjoy.
Overall, this episode is basically Adult Party Cartoon boiled down to its worst aspects.
Stimpy's Pregnant
I mean it's still better than Rabbit Test, it's more focused on its plot at the very least. I fault this episode just for making an interesting premise bare basic. Granted they play off the stereotypes associated with pregnancy, but that's where the episode falters. It's very predictable.
If this was an episode about Ren hiding his repressed homosexuality by framing Stimpy as a girl now that would sell me for sure. If you deny that then you deny the struggles the LGBT faces on a daily basis.
But there is a twist at the end, I won't say what it is because I wanna see how many of you can figure it out. Tell me in the comments what turn you'd think they'd make. No hints.
Fire Dogs 2
I haven't seen Fire Dogs 1, but this just goes off of the ending of that episode. I guess if they had to do a sequel in relation to a more adult direction this was the way to go. I'm picking up on a hidden thriller narrative here, a tale on how rampant masculinity can damage one's psyche and harm those close to them.
I mean the episode give me nothing more to think about, not to mention there's no real pay-off here, it just abruptly ends. If Ralph Bakshi exploded while shitting on the toilet that would be a better ending, one that'd fit the style the show was going for.
It's not like uncomfortable interactions weren't common in Ren and Stimpy, I've seen them in both the Spumco and Games runs of the show, even one that made up a grand bulk of one episode. Even if I haven't seen the original, I probably wouldn't be offended by this if I had.
In a better world, this episode would be an ideal place where Ren and Stimpy would show signs of self-restraint and a desire to preserve some sense of dignity. Maybe we'd get that in Fire Dogs 3 if that ever happens.
I will say this, I'm fine with the fact this is one of three episodes that made it to air.
Altruists
One thing that helped get this higher on the list is a copy I found that contained a clip of John Kricfalusi giving context. This episode is basically a parody of The Three Stooges in terms of how they beat up each other, only to drop everything to help someone in need.
I kinda see that here, mixed with the sensibilities the show had at this point, along with whatever spirit remained of the original show. Was it unpleasent? Yes, but not in unreasonable paramaters, other episodes showed me far worse. Dare I say this episode is one of the closer ones to the original show in terms of feel, like if John Kricfalusi had no restrictions during his time on Nick we probably would've got this episode at some point.
Just know at the very least things end happily in this episode, with the only thing keeping it down being a cardinal sin the show has, dragging most jokes for far too long.
Ren Seeks Help
Yes, this episode is higher up. Yes, I don't consider this to be the worst episode of any show of all time. Yes, you're free to quit me and call me a dissident.
I've seen this episode twice, both times after I learned of the infamy it had and both times well apart from each other. Why do I not hate this episode?
Well let me put it like this. Every episode of Ren and Stimpy are basically separate from one another. Nothing in one episode ever happens again in another, hence known characters taking different roles, Ren and Stimpy living in different houses, them being alive after getting stuffed, etc.
So why would I take offense to an episode that has no impact on any other? People either take things too personally or they just had an attachment to the original show.
To reiterate, I've seen the original show first, I know what was once established, but I made it clear both this and that are basically separate, or should be. I always knew Ren was at least a touch demented, that was made clear even years before, anyone who tells you otherwise likely only watched a little bit of the original.
Not to mention when Ren kills Mr. Horse, A. it was partly self-defense, B. if he did die, why else would he be in Stimpy's Pregnant? It's almost as if no episode has set continuity and all are just individual stories. Hint hint.
Though it's higher up here mainly because of the impact it made, regardless of whether it's good or bad. It got people talking, it had no little girls in skimpy outfits as if it was talking about the dangers of exploitation while not making it blatantly obvious and leaving material for the creeps' wrath.
Not to mention it wasn't bad enough to get the show cancelled on Spike evidentially, this was the second of three episodes to air after all.
Onwards and Upwards
This was the first episode I've seen of the show proper. I have seen it multiple times, and a scene of it through a commercial means this was my very first encounter with Ren and Stimpy at all, so it holds a special place.
Though it's not that great, drawing out one gag in various different ways and basically negating a statement in regards to upper class living, or maybe they didn't, and basically shows snobs and slobs are cuts from the same cloth. That accounts for a bulk of the episode, though maybe far too much of it.
Perhaps ironically, this is one of the more tolerable episodes of the show, I'm sure, it should be. Like Altruists there's a little of the original show in terms of spirit, mixed with what Adult Party Cartoon was going for.
I have little to say about this episode, but given how each episode falls into the same issue of dragging jokes for too long and over-emphasizing the adult aspect it's going for, it's higher up because it's more tolerable compared to the other episodes, like free of major infamy. It's worth a top spot for that alone, and I'm happy this is where it began.
Final Thoughts
Having seen the entire show, there're only two episodes I'd never fuck with again, and out of six that's not too bad. I'd see at least more than half of Adult Party Cartoon again if I wanted to.
If there was one thing I can thank Cans Without Labels for is that it gave me a reason to appreciate Adult Party Cartoon more. I didn't get the trouble with it, even after I saw one episode for the first time, and I wasn't deterred from checking out the rest of the show afterwards, though I took my sweet ass time.
If you ever go into this show, treat it as if the show is its own entity, independent from its child-aimed brother, and judge it from there. It's not high art or anything, and if you have the stomach for some mindless entertainment, at least go by my rankings.
Honestly Adult Party Cartoon is far from the worst cartoon I've ever seen, Drawn Together was far more depraved and desperate, plus Tara Strong was in that, and yeah, even Family Guy is worse than Adult Party Cartoon because APC was more honest in regards to its raunch factor.
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