Monsters at Work is back with a brand new episode this week after a solid bounce-back episode that managed to capture the essence of the show again. This episode marks the start of the latter half of the series as its initial season winds down. With that said, does Monsters at Work continue its groove, or does it hit a hump again? Let’s find out…
READ: ‘Monsters at Work’ Episode 5 Review
In this episode – titled “The Vending Machine” – Tylor’s (Ben Feldman) job is threatened when he breaks MIFT’s favorite vending machine on the day Fritz (Henry Winkler) must fire someone due to budget cuts. The episode also focuses on Mike (Billy Crystal) trying to boost morale at Monsters Incorporated. As a Mike Wazowski connoisseur, I was very excited to see what Mike would do to boost said morale. With this in mind, is that concept enough to carry this episode or does the MIFT crew keep on rolling with their hot streak of being awesome? The answer is…. sort of.
This episode is yet another average entry into Monsters at Work‘s debut season catalog. It didn’t feature anything really fresh or great for that matter. And I get that every episode can’t be fantastic or the best thing ever. However, one thing every episode should do is explore fun concepts. Episodes like this leave a lot to be desired and don’t do much for the series going forward.
I feel like a broken record at this point but once again the highlight of the episode comes from Duncan (Lucas Neff). This episode officially cemented him as the MVP of Monsters at Work and it’s not even close. Yes, it’s always fun to see the original characters but they are not at the level Duncan P. Anderson is at. Once you see that little war monologue he has, you’ll understand why he is the best.
One thing I will give this episode credit for is that it had the best balancing act between MIFT and Mike/Sulley. It was established that Mike and Sulley would be supporting players in Monsters at Work, but the show has over-relied on them at various points throughout the season. Yes, there have been some great moments between the two of them. However, the show is at its best when developing new characters. This episode did a great job in fully showing them in supporting roles and demonstrates how Monsters at Work can continue moving forward with this dynamic.
Overall, Monsters at Work’s sixth episode is just okay and that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Duncan Anderson continues to be the standout character of the show, providing consistent laughs throughout the show. This episode finally understands and executes the supporting role dynamic between Wazowski and Sullivan, but that’s about all this entry has to offer. – Kenneth Colon
Rating: 7/10
New episodes of Monsters at Work premiere Wednesdays on Disney+.
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