As we enter the days of the official “Fairly OddParents” series, I should point out that I’ll be going through the show in airing order. This means that production order will go ignored, and I’ll be covering the show in the order that people at the time would have experienced it.
As for why, well…you’ll see when we reach the end of all this.
Anywho, the first segment we’re covering is ‘The Big Problem!’. The concept of this one involves Timmy feeling too small to be treated with respect by everyone else, whether it’s the school’s football team using him as the ball or his parents leaving him with Vicky while they go see an adult movie. As a result, Timmy wishes to be an adult so he can do all the grown-up things he can. But it turns out that not only is being an adult actually kinda sucky, but since Cosmo and Wanda can’t grant adults any wishes, they’re gonna have to be reassigned to another kid that happens to be gleefully violent.
In regards to the set-up, one thing I really do like is that while Timmy going through pain at the start is played for laughs, the segment plays it off just cartoonishly enough where it ends up being funny. The team using him as the football sent me, and his parents playing the pronoun game with him was pretty amusing as well. This sequence shows that the series can pull off relatively dark humor, which I have to admit I’m a sucker for.
Once Timmy becomes an adult, I really appreciate the fact that it acknowledges the realistic struggles of being an adult and doesn’t go too wacky with it. When it comes to this particular concept, it’s important to show the more down-to-earth side of things when you need to, and the segment is very smart with how it handles the tone. Driving sounds cool and all…until you have to deal with a load of traffic. While it’s tempting to just order whatever you want at a restaurant, you still have to pay for it afterwards. It’s enough where a kid watching can understand the struggles an adult faces on a regular basis without making it seem too ridiculous.
Once the possibility of Cosmo and Wanda going away comes into play, it leads to some really effective drama and some tense moments. Even if you didn’t see season 0 beforehand and just saw this when it aired, the dynamic between Timmy and his godparents is genuinely charming and sweet, and so it works when they’re close to being reassigned.
The best part, however, is the way the conflict resolves itself. Timmy wanting his mom and dad when he’s upset makes him feel like a kid again, and using this, he takes it as a chance to wish himself back to normal. This moment is satisfying on its own, of course, but when you consider what it says about what it means to be a kid, it’s actually kind of brilliant. The segment is pretty nuanced in terms of how it treats the idea of being a kid vs being an adult. Your body may age, but no matter how old you get, it’s possible to feel like a kid at heart. Sure, you’ll have to deal with traffic and bills, but you can still get in touch with your inner child by taking time to enjoy life or just want to see your parents when you miss them.
I didn’t expect to enjoy this segment quite so much on revisit, but as a start for the main event of this project, it’s a very strong start. It’s clear that the 11-minute runtime is a benefit for the stories this series goes for, and this one is a great sign of things to come.
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