The Cuphead Show!

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The Cuphead Show!
The Cuphead Show!.png
GenreSlapstick
Based onCuphead
by Studio MDHR
Developed byDave Wasson
Directed by
Starring
  • Tru Valentino
  • Frank Todaro
  • Grey Griffin
  • Joe Hanna
  • Luke Millington-Drake
  • Wayne Brady
  • Cosmo Segurson
  • Dave Wasson
Theme music composerEgo Plum
Opening theme"Welcome to the Cuphead Show!" (performed by Gizzelle Andrea Becerra, Tru Valentino, and Frank Todaro)
Ending theme"Welcome to the Cuphead Show!" (instrumental)
ComposerEgo Plum
Country of origin
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Ireland
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producers
  • Dave Wasson
  • CJ Kettler
  • Chad Moldenhauer
  • Jared Moldenhauer
  • Cosmo Segurson (co-executive)
Producers
  • Carolyn Roach (line)
  • Jackie Watson (line)
EditorAmy Blaisdell
Running time14-16 minutes
Production companies
Animation servicesLighthouse Studios
Screen Novelties (stop motion)
DistributorNetflix Streaming Services
Release
Original networkNetflix
Picture formatHDTV 1080p
Audio format
Original releaseFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18) –
present

The Cuphead Show! is an animated streaming television series developed by Dave Wasson for Netflix,[1] based on the 2017 video game Cuphead by Studio MDHR. Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, the creators of Cuphead, serve as executive producers, along with Wasson and CJ Kettler from King Features Syndicate, and with Cosmo Segurson serving as co-executive producer.

The series was released worldwide on February 18, 2022,[2] and received generally positive reviews. Similar to the game it is based on, many critics praised the visuals, as well as the humor and tone. Some, however, thought it lacked in substance.[3][4]

Plot[]

The Cuphead Show! follows the misadventures of the impulsive Cuphead and his cautious brother Mugman.[5]

Voice cast[]

  • Tru Valentino as Cuphead
  • Frank Todaro as Mugman and Jerry
  • Grey Griffin as Ms. Chalice, Doris
  • Joe Hanna as Elder Kettle and Sal Spudder
  • Luke Millington-Drake as the Devil
  • Wayne Brady as King Dice[6]
  • Dave Wasson as Henchman and Mr. Telephone
  • Cosmo Segurson as Porkrind and Chauncey Chantenay
  • Chris Wylde as Ribby
  • Rick Zieff as Croaks
  • Jim Conroy as Ollie Bulb, Jasper and Duke
  • Keith Ferguson as Bowlboy
  • Candi Milo as Cherry and Brandywine Heirloom
  • Gary Anthony Williams as Quadratus
  • Andrew Morgado as Stickler
  • Cristina Milizia as Baby Bottle

Development[]

In July 2019, it was announced that Netflix had green-lit the series. Chad and Jared Moldenhauer from Studio MDHR are executive producers, along with C.J. Kettler from King Features Syndicate, Dave Wasson, and co-executive produced by Cosmo Segurson.[7] Clay Morrow and Adam Paloian are supervising directors.[8] The series is animated by Lighthouse Studios, a Kilkenny-based division between Mercury Filmworks and Cartoon Saloon,[1] and stop motion animation was provided by Screen Novelties. The series was first revealed at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2020,[9] with the announcement that the show's music will be composed by Ego Plum.[10]

Release[]

The first season was released on February 18, 2022, and consisted of twelve episodes.[11] Netflix ordered 36 more episodes to be produced, to be released as three separate groups of episodes, for a total of 48.[12] In one of the surprises in the Cuphead Countdown website, it is announced that season 2 will be released in summer 2022.[13]

Episodes[]

Every episode is written by Deeki Deke, Clay Morrow, Adam Paloian, Cosmo Segurson, and Dave Wasson.

No.TitleDirected byStoryboard byOriginal release dateProd.
code
1"Carn-Evil"Adam PaloianAdam PaloianFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)101
Blowing off their chores, Cuphead and Mugman visit the local carnival, where the former gets attached to a skee-ball game called "Soul Ball". As Cuphead goes on a winning streak, Mugman realizes that once you lose, the game takes your soul. The Devil tricks Cuphead into losing, but Mugman wrestles his soul back into his body. A chase through the carnival ensues and the brothers trick the Devil into destroying the game machine, freeing all of the souls he's collected. As they make their escape, the Devil swears to claim Cuphead's soul by any means necessary. Back at home, Mugman worries over the Devil wanting to claim Cuphead's soul, but Cuphead blows him off.
2"Baby Bottle"Clay MorrowCasey Alexander & Dan BeckerFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)102
Elder Kettle goes to get his mustache waxed and warns the boys against fighting and touching his radio. As soon as he leaves, the boys answer the door to find a baby along with a note to take care of him. Mugman takes to being a "mama" while Cuphead finds Baby unsettling, especially after he begins causing trouble for him and begins to damage things. Mugman eventually comes around to seeing Baby's evil after he destroys his childhood teddy bear and the radio; tossing furniture around the house. Elder Kettle returns home to the damage and suffers Baby's wrath when his mustache is ripped off and he gets beaten up by him. As Elder Kettle and the boys ready themselves, Baby manages to settle down and the three put him in his crib and drop him off at another house; presumably repeating a cycle.
3"Ribby & Croaks"Adam PaloianBenjamin Arcand & Ian VasquezFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)103
Cuphead and Mugman argue over who ate the ice cream last night. Elder Kettle gives them five dollars to spend on more ice cream. Instead, the brothers discover a ferry boat club called the Fly Trap, run by frog brothers Ribby and Croaks. Upon seeing that ice cream is served, the brothers try to get in (even though the entry fee is 20 dollars), but the frogs take their five dollars and kick them out. Cuphead and Mugman sneak inside as Ribby and Croaks find them and a chase ensues, resulting in much of the club getting destroyed. During the commotion, Cuphead and Mugman apologize for eating the ice cream last night as Ribby and Croaks also apologize for arguing with each other. The boat sinks, as Ribby and Croaks get back to arguing while Cuphead and Mugman enjoy their ice cream.
4"Handle with Care"Clay MorrowDan Becker & Kennedy TarellFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)104
While pillow fighting with each other, Mugman's handle breaks off. Cuphead tries to fix it in improbable ways before remembering to use glue. As they have run out, they are forced to head to Porkrind's to buy more all while trying to hide Mugman's broken handle as it disgusts everyone. When they get there, Porkrind reveals that he ran out of glue and will not get another shipment for three months. As Mugman sulks, Elder Kettle reveals that he simply lost his "baby handle" and that he will get a "man handle" just like he did when he was a small kettle. Cuphead breaks his handle as he and Mugman place theirs under their pillows. In the morning they have new handles, though it is revealed that Elder Kettle glued them back on. When Cuphead and Mugman toast each other, their whole heads shatter.
5"Roll the Dice"Adam PaloianBenjamin Arcand & Ian VasquezFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)105
Cuphead and Mugman chase Elder Kettle's lucky tire into the city just as King Dice's game show is about to start. The show has contestants intentionally win so that their souls will be sent to the Devil. Cuphead and Mugman arrive with King Dice picking the former to be the next contestant. Upon realizing who he is, he promises the Devil to get his soul. However, in a fit an irony Cuphead is shown to be incredibly incompetent at the game, infuriating King Dice who tries to make it easier for him. After destroying the dice, the last thing to do, Cuphead declares that he loses. King Dice tries to have him win anyway, but everyone sees that it is rigged and Cuphead and Mugman leave for home. The Devil fires King Dice from hosting his game show and puts Henchman in charge from now on.
6"Ghosts Ain't Real"Adam PaloianBenjamin Arcand & Ian VasquezFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)106
After watching a zombie movie, Cuphead and Mugman decide to take a shortcut through a cemetery back home. Upon clearly being frightened and trying to leave, the ghosts decide to have fun and scare them by trapping them in. Cuphead tries to calm Mugman by telling him that "ghosts ain't real", but soon the brothers come to realize they are wrong and find themselves being chased by various haunts throughout the cemetery. Eventually, the brothers fall out of a window and down a hill where they fall unconscious. The ghosts are horrified at the thought of having killed the brothers, but it is revealed that they were faking and manage to escape the cemetery and make it back home. However, their appearances give Elder Kettle a fright and he begins to beat them; thinking they are zombies.
7"Root Packed"Clay MorrowKarl Hadrika, Zoë Moss and Dave ThomasFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)107
After Elder Kettle breaks his back, Mugman guilts Cuphead into watching over his small garden while he sleeps. The Root Pack arrive under false pretenses and tells the two that they will watch over the garden while they go into town to the movies. Upon returning from their night out, the brothers are shocked to discover that their home has been turned into a vegetable party. Despite their best efforts, they are unable to kick the freeloaders out. The brothers end up exploiting Ollie Bulb's weakness and get him to cry, resulting in him peeling and making everyone else cry. As the party clears out, the Root Pack decide to completely drain Elder Kettle's garden. He returns and believes that the now full Root Pack are his "babies" and plans to make his stew, scaring them away for good.
8"Sweater Off Dead"Adam PaloianMegan Boyd & Fernando PuigFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)108
After Cuphead has a nightmare about the Devil, Mugman takes him into the woods to see the sage Quadratus who has Mugman knit an invisible sweater for Cuphead, which has special properties that can protect him from the Devil. Meanwhile, the Devil throws a self-congratulatory party when Stickler the auditor comes in to remind him that he still needs to collect Cuphead's soul. After pestering him, the Devil finally goes up to collect, only to find that he is unable to penetrate the sweater. He then proceeds to create many obstacles that would convince Cuphead to remove his sweater, but Mugman sees right through them. Eventually, the Devil tries to become incredibly hot to get Cuphead to remove it, but Mugman protects him with a hug, angering the Devil. Frustrated, the Devil returns to the Underworld to continue his party, and when Stickler continues his pestering, the Devil destroys his soul counter book in retaliation, forcing him to do a complete soul recount.
9"Sweater Luck Next Time"Clay MorrowDan Becker & Kennedy TarellFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)109
The Devil, still angry over the sweater, plans to get Cuphead's soul by full force. However, with Mugman forcing Cuphead to keep it on, this results in him getting injured every chance he gets. Cuphead and Mugman decide to try a new ride at the fair, but the Devil arrives once again. Cuphead tells the Devil that if he paints the fence for them, he will take the sweater off. Cuphead and Mugman sneak away to the fair, but while getting funnel cake, Cuphead took off his sweater. They manage to convince the Devil that he still has it on while Mugman goes searching for it. Eventually, the Devil realizes that he has been tricked, but Mugman arrives with the sweater and places it on him; putting him in torturous pain. As the Devil treats his wounds while back in the Underworld, Cuphead and Mugman head home from the day's adventure.
10"Dangerous Mugman"Clay MorrowKarl Hadrika & Zoë MossFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)110
Cuphead and Mugman burst into Porkrind's shop to play a Dirk Dangerous pinball game. Annoyed by the noise, Porkrind convinces them to get a package for him from Mt. Eruptus. Mugman is initially afraid to go, but Cuphead gives him his Dirk Dangerous goggles, instilling him with courage. After falling down a waterfall, Mugman loses the goggles, but Cuphead decides not to tell him. They trek through the jungle, with Mugman besting every threat and Cuphead being badly beaten. They eventually reach Mt. Eruptus and find the package, a large egg. Mugman realizes he's lost the goggles and gets scared again, but realizes that his courage came from within. The two retrieve the egg and bring it to Porkrind, who reveals he meant for them to pick up his dry cleaning. The egg hatches into a three-headed dragon, and Grim Matchstick arrives to torch Porkrind's shop and take the hatchling back.
11"Dirt Nap"Clay MorrowKarl Hadrika & Zoë MossFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)111
Elder Kettle overhears Cuphead and Mugman talking about their pet worm, mistakenly believing they think he's getting old and disgusting. He tries to impress the two, but to no avail. He eventually overhears them planning to put the dying worm out of its misery, and believe that they intend to kill him. He takes up arms against them and booby-traps the house while they go outside to bury the worm. Elder Kettle ends up falling into his own traps and pleads with the brothers not to kill him, but the brothers quickly clear up the misunderstanding.
12"In Charm's Way"Adam PaloianMegan Boyd & Fernando PuigFebruary 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)112
After stepping on Elder Kettle's glasses while trying to steal cookies, Cuphead and Mugman head into the city to get them repaired. They encounter Ms. Chalice, a con artist who charms her way into getting free stuff by singing and tap-dancing. They follow her and eventually ask her to teach them her tricks. She teaches them how to charm their way into getting what they want, and puts them to the test by having them charm their way into a cookie factory. The trio proceeds to enjoy the free cookies, but Ms. Chalice accidentally sets off the silent alarm, and the factory is surrounded by the police. Panicking, Cuphead and Mugman accidentally knock themselves unconscious. With the cops closing in, Ms. Chalice reluctantly abandons the brothers, assuming a ghostly form to escape as the police arrest the brothers and throw them in jail.

Reception[]

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, 67% of 15 critics gave the first season a positive review, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The site's critical consensus is: "While The Cuphead Show! fluidly recreates its video game forebear's eye-popping animation, this good-looking vessel is still waiting for some substance to fill it."[3] According to Metacritic, which calculated a weighted average score of 69 based on reviews from 4 critics, the season received "generally favorable reviews".[14]

Stuart Heritage of The Guardian gave it 4 out of 5 and wrote: "It's fast and funny and knowing, and you almost certainly won't die 188 times watching it. What's not to like?"[15]

The Escapist noted that "fans and critics have been left disappointed by the series due to its lack of substance and short nature" but the target audience is children and "Kids will discover a bouncy and energetic cartoon and probably find what's here incredibly entertaining."[4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Corvin, Ann-Marie (June 23, 2020). "Annecy Sneak Peeks 'The Cuphead Show!'; 'Sirocco,' 'Inu-Oh,' XR 'The Hangman at Home'". Variety. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  2. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (January 18, 2022). "Trailer: Netflix Pours Out 'The Cuphead Show!' Feb. 18". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "The Cuphead Show!". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Lab, Jesse (February 22, 2022). "The Cuphead Show! Isn't Meant for Gamers, and That's Okay". The Escapist. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  5. ^ Hollis, Daniel (June 26, 2020). "Netflix has teased a look for the upcoming 'Cuphead' TV show". NME. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  6. ^ Rosario, Alexandra Del (June 11, 2021). "'The Cuphead Show!': Wayne Brady Joins Cast Of Netflix Video Game Animated Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  7. ^ Shanley, Patrick (July 9, 2019). "Netflix to Adapt 'Cuphead' Into Animated Comedy Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  8. ^ McCaffrey, Ryan (July 9, 2019). "Cuphead Netflix TV Show Details". IGN. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  9. ^ Baron, Reuben (June 27, 2020). "Annecy Report: A Look Inside The Cuphead Show". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  10. ^ Kain, Erik (June 26, 2020). "Here's Your First Look At 'The Cuphead Show' On Netflix". Forbes. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  11. ^ Beresford, Trilby (January 18, 2022). "Netflix Drops Trailer for The Cuphead Show, Releasing on Streamer Next Month". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  12. ^ Mallory, Michael (January 25, 2022). "Creating a Rubber Hose Wonderland for 'The Cuphead Show!'". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  13. ^ https://images.prismic.io/netflix-cuphead/d04d0cd0-6637-4a87-861b-ee21d3449326_Surprise6-10.gif[bare URL image file]
  14. ^ "The Cuphead Show! - Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  15. ^ Heritage, Stuart (February 18, 2022). "The Cuphead Show! review – this fast, funny spin-off has perfected the original video game". the Guardian.

External links[]

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