Sonic’s Knuckles Paramount+ show isn’t the knockout fans were hoping for

When the Sonic the Hedgehog movie was first teased in April 2019, the internet recoiled in collective horror. Reborn as an unholy, humanoid CG abomination, Sonic’s gangly legs, un-conjoined eyes and terrifyingly lifelike teeth felt less like dream fulfilment and more like a waking nightmare.

Yet as gamers braced themselves for yet another Hollywood humiliation, against all odds, the blue blur bounced back. Thanks to a hasty redesign, Sega’s sassy speedster returned to cinemas triumphant, raking in a cool 306 million USD box office and spawning a successful 2022 sequel.

Now, Paramount is hoping that everyone’s favourite alien echidna will repeat the same ring-spewing magic for its streaming service. With Dr Robotnik sent packing, we return to Sonic’s serene slice of American suburbia in Montana’s Green Hills, where a fish out of water Knuckles struggles to adapt to life on Earth.

Finding no foes to vanquish or daring missions to undertake, the perplexed alien whiles away the days by challenging dogs to trial by combat, building battle arenas in Sonic’s living room, and scaring the living shit out of local construction workers. It’s a grin-inducing setup, allowing a cameo-ing Sonic and his newfound CG pals to enjoy some fun-filled downtime – but predictably, the good times don’t last.

As the enjoyable pilot episode ends and Sonic and Tails disappear, our lovable alien anteater seeks out a human protégé. Seeing a news story about sheriff deputy and all-round fail son, Wade Whipple (Adam Pally), Knuckles sets out to train the disastrous cop in the ways of the Echidna warrior.

It’s a strong start for the series, with the punchily-paced pilot capturing the oddball spirit of the Sonic films. Yet as Sonic movie’s Jeff Fowler vacates the director’s seat, and Lego Batman script writer John Whittington taps out, the laughs lessen, the plot meanders and Knuckles’ fist-hugging tape slowly begins to unravel.

Still, it’s not all bad news. As Knuckles tracks down Whipple at a local