[Voxxyn]

OK... I need to say something.

A lot of people didn't like "Emancipation Complication". I myself had some mixed feelings at first(You already know why), and then I made a slightly heated response as I began to warm up to it. Now that I feel at ease, I think I can finally give my proper thoughts on it.

I liked it. It was fun and entertaining to me; I'm actually one of the few A's on the poll. It's not a masterpiece like "Good Wilt Hunting" or "Squeeze the Day" or "Bloo's the Boss", but it was still well-done and a further step in the right direction after the nearly fatal mistakes in Season 3. With this and the superb "Boss", Darrick Bachman is already one of my favorite Foster's writers right up there with Lauren Faust, and I really hope we'll get to see more episodes penned by him in Season 5 and onwards.

I can somewhat understanding the misgivings other people have towards this ep. The first act(Mac and Bloo rescuing Lil' Lincoln/Moose and bringing them to a crowded Foster's) WAS slow at least compared to the slambang "hook you from the first second" openings that Foster's episodes usually have, though it also had some funny bits and highlights. Most of the second act had some good moments as well, but I do feel that the song could've been better and, hopefully, that will improve for the upcoming music-heavy episode in Season 5.

However, in my view: beginning with Frankie's realization and confrontation with Lil' Lincoln, and all the way through the third and final act, the episode becomes amazing and even superb. The climax was very exciting, filled with so many clever parts and simple-yet-hilarious bits--Lil' Lincoln mixed in with ordinary pens, Mr. Herriman's nanny transformation and 'first lady' line, the outcome of Bloo's game addiction, Lincoln's punishment at the hands(literally) of Madame Foster--that it makes me wonder why so many have felt so negatively about it. Yes, I said that I understand the criticisms, and I do, but I'm having a hard time comprehending how anyone could possibly dislike the sharpness and wit of the confrontation between Foster's and the evil wrongdoers. The last seven minutes of this episode are almost comparable to the last half-hour of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - both were enormously exciting and thrilling climaxes to their respective works, despite the fact that both works don't have particularly excellent reputations in their fanbases. Yeah, that might be a slightly outrageous comparison, but that's how I'm starting to feel.

I like the character of Lil' Lincoln, his design was great and unique. I like Bloo's addiction to the video game, it became an extremely funny plot point. I like seeing Mr. Herriman get a good-sized role, since he's been largely ignored in Season 4(hopefully that will be fixed in S5). I like seeing Madame Foster NOT being completely invincible or godlike for once. I like the episode title itself, it's one of the wittiest they've come up with yet(And there are many). And, despite my original feelings of discontent, I appreciate that Frankie was still given a good role.

I don't know. It's fine to not like the episode... but I just don't understand why it's become unpopular to the point that it's become as common of a sight in "Worst episode" polls as the likes of "Imposter's"(ugh), "Europe" and "Surprise". It definitely is far from from the lowness of these atrocities.

And, honestly, if you made me choose between watching this and "Make-Believe It Or Not", I'll go with "Emancipation Complication" without a second thought, for the fact that Frankie participated in EC and was completely absent in MBION. You read that right. Without Frankie--not even for one or two scenes--the show loses a great amount of color and depth in my eyes. And unlike "The Big Leblooski" or "Infernal Slumber" which at least had a good set-up for Frankie's absence, MBION acted as if Frankie(and Madame Foster and Mr. Herriman) didn't exist, which I don't appreciate at all.