Is the Sonic Universe’s New Addition ‘Knuckles’ OK for Kids?

The mini-series is a fun breakout adventure of the popular video game character.

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Get the Cool Ranch Doritos ready—Knuckles is punching his way onto the small screen after leaving a huge mark in theaters.

The live-action six-episode television series following Sonic the Hedgehog’s former foe turned friend is set to stream exclusively on Paramount+ on April 26. The spin-off, derived from the immensely popular Sonic the Hedgehog movies and video games, delves into the adventures of Knuckles, the great echidna warrior. The storyline unfolds between the events of the second movie and the upcoming third film, scheduled for release in December.

Children who enjoyed the first two Sonic films are likely to love the mini-series, especially those under the age of 18 or devoted fans. It brings the same sarcasm and slapstick physical comedy young audiences enjoyed in the films.

Since the trailer debuted, breaking records for the streaming service as the most viewed trailer on Paramount+, my two boys have been eagerly anticipating the series. They continuously watch both Sonic movies on a loop and consistently play the video games.

As they screened episodes of Knuckles with me, I noticed several moments that elicited belly laughs from my little ones. Additionally, I was also pleasantly surprised by the nostalgic elements included for us millennial parents, particularly in the show’s soundtrack which features classic '80s and '90s hits. (The show even brilliantly uses Scandal’s “The Warrior” featuring Patty Smyth as its theme song.)

The series is a short, but fun appetizer offering a glimpse of what's to come in the third movie. But it also stands alone as an action-packed journey of self-discovery and the importance of family. As an added bonus, there's an all-star cast.

Read ahead for more on the series, but warning, there are some spoilers.

What Is 'Knuckles' About?

The storyline picks up after Dr. “Eggman” Robotnik has been defeated by Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails, who recover the master emerald and save the universe in the second movie.

Knuckles and Sonic, who were once enemies, are now friends and roommates living in the Wachowski home. The sarcastic and mostly grumpy Knuckles is struggling to find his way living on Earth among humans.

“An echidna warrior has no home,” he tells the always fun-loving Sonic who tries to convince his friend to give his new digs a chance and put his often-destructive warrior mentality on hold.

For Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba, he needs more than a beautiful Montana landscape to thrive. His penchant for green grapes and Cool Ranch Doritos brings him only small moments of satisfaction and a goal to “visit this cool ranch of Doritos and bask in all of its splendor.”

Actor and comedian Adam Pally takes the reigns starring as the clumsy underachiever Lt. Deputy of the “Smallest Town in Montana,” Wade Whipple. He’s aiming to be a different kind of warrior: of the bowling alley, before he gets thrown off his team, crushing his dream of winning the Bowling Tournament of Champions.

The old Chief Pachacamac informs Knuckles that he is the last of the echidna warriors and in turn, Knuckles is ordered to train Wade as his protege. That allows him to find his purpose once again.

He accompanies Wade to Reno to play in the bowling tournament. However, their journey proves to be anything but smooth as they encounter several foes along the way—“The Buyer”—a former employee of the evil Dr. Eggman, and two rogue G.U.N. agents, who want to kidnap Knuckles to steal his power.

The Themes of 'Knuckles'

Mixed in with the hijinks of Wade and Knuckles navigating their way to Reno are themes of family values, friendship, and the challenges of dealing with betrayal.

Surprisingly, despite the title of the show, Knuckles isn’t the main character in this series. It’s centered more around Wade and his journey of self-acceptance and inner strength.

“In order to be a true warrior, he must learn to rescue himself,” Knuckles says at one point watching Wade struggle. Aside from the first episode, Sonic and Tails are not involved in the story.

Viewers learn more about Wade and Knuckles’ backstories, both sharing a common bond over having an absent father. The story focuses more on Wade’s father “Pistol” Pete Whipple, played by the brilliantly campy Cary Elwes, who ditched his family when they were young to pursue a lavish life of bowling championships. Even as an adult, Wade struggles with growing up without a dad and attempts to form a bond again by attending the Tournament of Champions where they both end up competing with each other.

Along with Knuckles, Wade has unending support from his mom, hilariously played by Stockard Channing. Her family values, deeply rooted in Jewish-American traditions, are front and center in the episode titled “The Shabbat Dinner,” which becomes anything but peaceful after the two rogue G.U.N. agents henchmen arrive uninvited.

A stop at his mom's house along the journey gives viewers a bigger understanding of Wade’s struggle without his dad mixed with more '90s nostalgia from his upbringing. His childhood room is still decorated with old movie posters of Total Recall, Speed, Rush Hour, and Wayne’s World and a cutout of “Zap” from American Gladiators is still his prized possession. These references all went over my son’s head, but as a millennial mom, I chuckled at these little nostalgic nods and the multiple references to Pretty Woman.

Wade’s mom and irritable FBI sister decide to accompany Wade and Knuckles on their road-trip comedy adventure to Reno to add more support, slapstick humor, and surprisingly poignant moments. “You fight to honor your family, to protect your friends and your home,” Wade says while attempting to fight off the bad guys who try to interrupt the bowling championship game.

While there are some moments of mild violence with laser gun fights and sword duels sprinkled throughout the episodes, there is nothing too graphic. Quite honestly, the battles and the quality of the graphics are the most fun to watch.

What's Next For Knuckles and Sonic?

Since Knuckles was introduced in the second film, the Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds has had a huge role in the Sonic Universe. It looks like the red anthropomorphic echidna is here to stay.

The entire original cast, including Elba, will be back in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 along with Jim Carrey making his return as Dr. Eggman, despite announcing he is retiring from acting. Keanu Reeves is also rumored to be the voice of Shadow, an antagonist to Sonic.

Little is known so far about the plot of the upcoming third movie, slated for release on December 20. But if it is anything like the first two films, and now the spinoff series, fans can most likely expect an adrenaline-fueled adventure with nods to the beloved video game franchise sure to please any young gamer.

Knuckles streams exclusively on Paramount + starting April 26.

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