Knuckles, a TV show starring the beloved echidna warrior from the Sonic the Hedgehog games, is out now on Paramount Plus – and fans are desperate to know if it’s any good.
The series, which is a TV spin-off set between 2022’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (one of our most anticipated new movies of 2024), is Paramount’s attempts to flesh out its hybridized live-action-animation Sonic universe. And, based on Knuckles‘ 69% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes (RT) – at the time of writing – it seems to just about get more right than it gets wrong.
I’ve only seen the first three episodes so far, but I can vouch for Knuckles‘ ability to weave dry and slapstick humor together, and its solid delivery of signature Sonic-style spectacle and source material authenticity on one of the world’s best streaming services.
That said, it isn’t a total knockout. Based on what I’ve watched, Knuckles‘ plot is very derivative and, bizarrely, places a greater emphasis on its human characters than the Idris Elba-voiced individual. In short: it might not have enough to earn a spot on our best Paramount Plus shows list. Where’s an ultra-powerful chaos emerald when you need one, eh?
If that’s put you off watching Knuckles, or if you were underwhelmed after streaming it, you should watch one of these three fantastic video game-based TV shows instead…
Fallout (Prime Video)
Number of seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 18 (UK); R18-plus (Australia)
Main cast: Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins, Kyle MacLachlan, Moises Arias, and Sarita Choudhury
RT score: 93% (critics); 89% (audience)
Amazon‘s Fallout TV series, which is set in the same universe as the iconic post-apocalyptic games of the same name, is an explosively entertaining companion piece to Bethesda’s action role-playing franchise.
Set 219 years after a nuclear war that decimated our planet, the Fallout TV show follows three main characters – Vault-33 dweller Lucy (Purnell), Brotherhood of Steel member Maximus (Moten), and a mutant gunslinger known as The Ghoul (Goggins) as they traverse Earth’s dystopian landscape and occasionally cross paths with one another.
It might sound like a pretty bleak affair, but Prime Video‘s take on the games is anything but. Indeed, its penchant for bizarre, awkward, and droll humor means it’s laugh-out-loud funny. That’s not all it is, though – in our Fallout season 1 review, we called it “an ambitious, prestige-flavored adaptation that brings one of gaming’s most iconic series to life with a highly satisfying blend of source material devotion and narrative originality”. It’s easily one of the best Prime Video shows ever made – and, given how popular it’s been since its April 10 release, Amazon didn’t wait around to announce that Fallout season 2 was in development.
Watch Fallout season 1 on Prime Video.
The Last of Us (Max)
Number of seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 18 (UK); R18-plus (Australia)
Main cast: Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey
RT score: 96% (critics); 89% (audience)
Another post-apocalypse-set video-game TV show, and one that’s not only a far more somber watch that Fallout on Max, but also a largely faithful adaptation of Naughty Dog’s multi-award-winning action-survival horror game series. The Last of Us TV show stars Game of Thrones alumni Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, two lost and damaged souls thrown together by circumstance as they try to survive in a harsh, dystopian world where a terrifying fungal disease has turned most of humanity into aggressive, zombie-like creatures.
One of the best Max shows of modern times, HBO’s take on The Last of Us video games is an emotionally powerful story that finds cause for optimism amid its grim fictional world. In our review of The Last of Us season 1, though, we found the occasional fault with it, labeling it an “imperfect but undeniably faithful adaptation of developer Naughty Dog’s era-defining PlayStation title” and that its “loyalty to its source material is both a blessing and a curse”. Get the lowdown on The Last of Us season 2 once you’ve watched its predecessor.
Watch The Last of Us on Max (NB: UK viewers can watch it on Sky Atlantic, while Australian audiences can stream it on Binge).
Arcane (Netflix)
Number of seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-14 (US); 15 (UK); MA 15-plus (Australia)
Main cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Katie Leung, Kevin Alejandro, Toks Olagundoye, Harry Lloyd, Mick Wingard, and Reed Shannon
RT score: 100% (critics); 96% (audience)
Very few video game TV adaptations can claim to have a perfect critical RT score, but Netflix‘s take on Riot Games’ incredibly successful League of Legends (LoL) franchise certainly can.
Set in the fictional steampunk world of Runeterra, Arcane primarily tells the tale of estranged sisters Vi (Steinfeld) and Jinx (Purnell), who become embroiled in (and thematically become the faces of) a developing conflict between the rich, utopian city of Piltover and its oppressed underbelly town of Zaun.
That synopsis might not make Arcane sound all that appealing but, trust me on this, it’s an epic animated series that deserves a permanent spot in our best Netflix shows guide. Not many (if any) animated video game adaptations can match its delightful blend of stunning melodrama, understated humor, high-octane and bloody action, and gorgeous visuals. And, quite frankly, I’d wager it’s actually better than Fallout and The Last of Us. That’s how highly I rate Arcane, and why I simply can’t wait for Arcane season 2 to finally debut on Netflix in November 2024. Stick it on your watchlist ASAP.
Watch Arcane season 1 on Netflix.
