| Reviews -- What You Want |
| If I had written this a few months or so ago, it would have been a much more scathing review. More recent episodes have made What You Want look so much better by comparison. I do believe that What You Want is major foundation stone of the unfortunate pattern of Tucker abuse on this show, but I have come to realize that it manages to disrespect the character with a certain level of. . . well, respect. I dislike this episode, not because it lacks quality (it doesn’t) but because it pains me so much to watch it.
The plot of the story is remarkably similar to the truly awful King Tuck, but the underlying motivation for Tucker’s improbable rise and humiliating fall is stronger, more in line with his behavior in the series as a whole, and much easier for the viewer to identify with. The theme of jealousy is introduced with subtlety and skill, beginning with Tucker’s own description of his lifelong friendship with Danny and his melancholy acknowledgment that their relationship is no longer one of two equals. Even though he put a cheerful face on it, his pain was evident long before he got hung upside-down from the goal post. “Every time Danny goes ghost, I get the short end of the stick.” It’s not only a theme for this episode, it’s a recurring theme for Tucker’s character throughout the series. He’s fated by the needs of dramatic convention to serve as comic relief and as a tool for driving the plot forward. If the story calls for somebody to drop something important, blab a vital secret, say something insensitive or look like a fool for a quick laugh, Tucker’s your man. He exists to be the imperfect reflection that makes Danny look even more heroic by comparison. Ultimately, nothing was resolved. Danny separated Tucker from his wish-ghost, further cementing their lopsided relationship. He exaggerated when he assured Tucker that “You were under the genie’s spell, and you broke it”; in truth, Tucker did absolutely nothing to free himself. Tucker admitted that he shouldn’t feel jealous, and for his part Danny magnanimously promised not to show off so much—although there was no showing off evident in this episode. But is it humanly possible for Tucker to turn off feelings of jealousy? The next time Danny transforms and flies off to save the day, and Tucker is left standing on the ground watching him go, will anything have changed? Tucker can strive not to act on those feelings, but can he actually stop experiencing them? Ultimately, that lack of resolution is what’s so great about this episode. And that’s what makes it so painful to watch. Rating: None given By: Bluemoonalto |
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