"Tough Buff Blues" is a GREAT episode
I have talked about how i like the episode Tough Buff Blues, from Batwheels. There are so many reasons this episode works as well as it does. I will talk about it here.
Warning: Spoilers for Batwheels!
I have never seen a show for kids handle this topic!?
Never have i seen a kids show that covers unwanted nicknames and charity donation. But this episode is still my favourite of season one. Buff, after defeating a villain, gets called "Tough Buff" by the Batwheels as a nickname. The other Batwheels think Buff is okay with this as he doesnt say anything and he replies normally when they speak to him with 'tough Buff". But the nickname actually really bothers Buff and he doesnt dare to speak up...
Wich results in him driving away from the situation...
Showing accurately how a child Buffs age would react if they dont dare to speak up or don't know what to say.
This episode, and especially this moment, really highlights how uncomfortable Buff is and how much all of this really bothers him. Buff has trouble handling his frustrations and he doesnt know how to deal with some emotions properly. He continues to hide in his garage and asks Bam to go away when he asks if Buff is alright, wich ends up in Buff finally saying:
"i don't like being called Tough Buff"
The Batwheels, genuinly surprised, ask him why, and he tells them he's more then just a big tough truck and it bothers him when thats all people think he is.
Then the best part happens
Because then the Batwheels help Buff feel better by giving him examples of "Well you also like to do this" and "Well youre also good at that," showing Buff that they know he is more then just a big strong monstertruck.
The Batwheels then make up to Buff, Buff admits he should have said something, and the episode goes on.
Give. Me. More. Shows. Like. This.
Buffs reaction & body language
You can clearly see Buff is not comfortable, but he's trying to hide it. He is animated like he is unconfortable, but a moment later he puts on a happy face and does what hes asked or he replies to what he was told in a normal way. Buffs body language is animated and shown very very well, i saw how uneasy Buff was but his attempts at hiding it were just as clear.
The Batwheels genuinly not knowing they're bothering Buff & not noticing his signs
The Batwheels clearly mean well in this episode. They call him Tough Buff because they really think he doesnt care but they dont see he does. Its visible to the viewer but not to the fellow characters. They don't notice Buffs slight cringing when they call him Tough, they don't notice the 'uhm.." before he replies to them, and when they start chanting "Tough Buff! Tough Buff!" Around him, they dont see he isnt smiling. I'm 16, i would notice stuff like that, but the Batwheels are really young and they don't notice particular body language immediatly.
Lastly, i did a test with my 7 year old niece who also watches Batwheels...
I let her watch this episode to see what she could see, (we were just watching Batwheels together i asked her if we could watch this episode she agreed) throughout the episode she said things like: "Buff is not happy" "they need to stop calling him that, can't they see he isnt happy?" Wich does prove Buffs body language is clear if a 7 year old even notices. But again, he doesnt show it to the Batwheels, he really hides it.
To me that does kind of show how Buff doesnt know how to handle his frustrations, he clearly WANTS to say something but he doesnt DO it. He's clearly doesnt like it, he doesnt acts like he does like it, he just rolls with it. He wants to do something about it but he doesnt know how. Buffs reaction was realistic and well - done.
Wish more kids shows handled this topic because bro this worked
