Integration

Layton13 · 11-11-2025, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

The cohesion is what I'm struggling to see in this show so far, more than anything. If the plots were presented on a less personal level to begin with -- the city being the thing in danger, for example -- I could buy that I'm simply missing the point, but if the emotions and struggles of the guest characters aren't supposed to be as central a focus as anything else, it strikes me as odd to make the basic formula of the show about a hero who runs around in the subconscious minds of individuals, for the express purpose of saving those specific individuals. One of the things about this show's stories I really enjoy is actually how in every single plot so far, there's a turning point where Baku has to stop and consider the Dreamer from a new perspective to get to the bottom of the current case, and aspects like that definitely feel like they're screaming out to be leveraged for drama even further.

Very much agree here.

Sometimes the show nails it, with the Bomb Nightmare, or the Prison Nightmare, but then stuff like the Crow and Poison Nightmare seem poised to say far more about these people and then just... don't?

This might also be a bit because I see major similarities to how this show is set up and Wizard, which was a fantastic exploration of the theme of hope, despair, and how one can shift into the other by examining its victims of the week.

This show has probably even more of a chance of doing this for dreams, how they can make us better, and how they can be twisted, but it leaves so much on the floor.

I know it's a bit of unfair criticism to complain about what a show isn't, but this show feels set up for it, but doesn't take advantage of it.

The show nails many aspects of its writing; the ratio between plot, characters, and MOTW-plot is incredibly solid, neither overpowering the other. The action is imaginative and fun. And the way the toys are integrated is great.

It just can't consistently nail the MOTW-plots themself to really be something I'd call great.

11-11-2025, 03:52 PM	#17
Layton13 Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Posts: 333	Quote: Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich The cohesion is what I'm struggling to see in this show so far, more than anything. If the plots were presented on a less personal level to begin with -- the city being the thing in danger, for example -- I could buy that I'm simply missing the point, but if the emotions and struggles of the guest characters aren't supposed to be as central a focus as anything else, it strikes me as odd to make the basic formula of the show about a hero who runs around in the subconscious minds of individuals, for the express purpose of saving those specific individuals. One of the things about this show's stories I really enjoy is actually how in every single plot so far, there's a turning point where Baku has to stop and consider the Dreamer from a new perspective to get to the bottom of the current case, and aspects like that definitely feel like they're screaming out to be leveraged for drama even further. Very much agree here. Sometimes the show nails it, with the Bomb Nightmare, or the Prison Nightmare, but then stuff like the Crow and Poison Nightmare seem poised to say far more about these people and then just... don't? This might also be a bit because I see major similarities to how this show is set up and Wizard, which was a fantastic exploration of the theme of hope, despair, and how one can shift into the other by examining its victims of the week. This show has probably even more of a chance of doing this for dreams, how they can make us better, and how they can be twisted, but it leaves so much on the floor. I know it's a bit of unfair criticism to complain about what a show isn't, but this show feels set up for it, but doesn't take advantage of it. The show nails many aspects of its writing; the ratio between plot, characters, and MOTW-plot is incredibly solid, neither overpowering the other. The action is imaginative and fun. And the way the toys are integrated is great. It just can't consistently nail the MOTW-plots themself to really be something I'd call great. __________________