Dark Qiviut

Boyz Crazy done.

No way to cut it. Aside from their often-animalistic behavior, Sev'ral Timez and their five members are nothing more than quarter-dimensional, boy-band stereotypes. There's nothing about them to actually differentiate from each other, sans the clothing and outdated, 1990's jargon. Their "personalities" are flatter than cardboard and can be shared from any of them aside from their clothes and slang. Jargon/slang is repeated way too often, flattening the dialogue and aging the gags real quickly. Every joke from them comes from being associated with the Dreamboat sub-stereotype of boy bands, acting like animals, or both without any extra dimension behind them; they're quick, shallow, forced, and repetitive. You can have one of these characters, add more dimension to make the character rounder, and write out the others entirely. Because they lack creativity, it's very difficult to care for them and their desires to be free from Ergman Bratsman. All five being trapped in a large hamster cage makes Bratsman really evil and controlling, but because he doesn't appear so often and is written out 2/3 of the way through, he loses his presence as a threat.

Other jokes related to the A-plot don't work, too. Candy ramming into the soda vendor was pointless, and Grenda making out with a Sev'ral Timez cover was cringeworthy.

Unfortunately, Mabel's desperation for keeping them in the Shack becomes contrived, too. Sure, every guy she liked ended in separation, but the episode doesn't do enough to show us why being around them matters so much to her. Being confined to a short braiding scene and a montage ain't enough. Give more time to grow Mabel's attachment to them. How? Maybe she helped them learn how to eat and drink, talk without relying on forced slang, new clothes to scream individual personalities for each, being able to walk on two feet instead of four all the time. Sure, the pacing would be pretty quick, and the beginning might have to be cut a bit, but Mabel helping them grow up and adapt within maybe a day or two would help her feels like she contributed to GF society and made their lives better. They'll feel indebted to her, and vice-versa. So when she does let them go (probably to a new house to something), freeing them will break her heart, but be the right thing to do.

However, they keep their animalism and are released into the wild. Candy's line of them not lasting a day made their release really unsettling. Sev'ral Timez has no idea what food, water, trees, dirt, daylight, or probably a bathroom are. One of them almost choked to death from swallowing a tape dispenser. The forest of Gravity Falls is very dangerous, and they're completely unprepared to survive out there. What if they come across a bear, cougar, rattlesnake, or a supernatural demon? They can't defend themselves, 'cause for all we know, they don't know they exist. Mabel not forcing them to live in her room was the right idea, but the implications aren't thought out at all.

Thankfully, the B-plot saves it from completely tanking. Dipper's wild theory of Robbie hypnotizing Wendy fits in his character and continues to progress their rivalry, but he also feels justified. The CD, packaging, and way he sang to her made him suspicious. Stan believing Dipper foreshadows the future of the series (and calls back to Tourist Trapped's last scene of Stan sneaking off behind the soda vendor). The episode subverts the accusation of hypnotism to Wendy being rightfully mad at Robbie for plagiarizing another band. She's justified to break up with him. Though she acted misandrist towards Dipper, it's not hard to understand where she's coming from. Wendy was betrayed one too many times and doesn't appreciate Dipper's lack of foresight after she felt hurt. Kudos to Stan for giving Dip words of encouragement after he felt terrible for what he did. There were also two really great jokes here:

1. Stan spitting his soda in Dipper's face after the song may be a mind-controlling scheme when rewound.
2. Stan ramming into a blocked road.

Even though the B-plot's good, the awful A-plot really sinks this episode.

Grades:

1. Tourist Trapped: A-
2. The Legend of the Gobblewonker: C+
3. Headhunters: A
4. The Hand That Rocks the Mabel: A
5. The Inconceiving: C+
6. Dipper Vs. Manliness: A-
7. Double Dipper: B
8. Irrational Treasure: C
9. The Time Traveler's Pig: A
10. Fight Fighters: A
11. Little Dipper: B-
12. Summerween: A
13. Boss Mabel: C+
14. Bottomless Pit!: B-
15. The Deep End: B-
16. Carpet Diem: A-
17. Boyz Crazy: D+