This was the fastest episode of the season – coming in at 6 minutes – and at first glance, it seems to be just a lightweight comedy.  The voiceover that tells the story of what happened when the yogurt takes over is strangely familiar and has a definite sense of humor about it, but what can you say about a world where yogurt takes over?  What does that even mean?  Takes over what?  It might all lie in the opening lines when “they all made the same jokes.”  Among other lines, the most noteworthy one was “Finally our rulers have culture.” 

As a comedy, it was funny.  The voice actor was known to me but I did have to look it up: it was the same voice that did The Brain in the cartoon, Pinky and the Brain, Maurice LaMarche.  He has a perfect voice for narrating a story like this.  In fact, it’s another story where a lab experiment takes over the world.  The other voice I had to look up was the voice of the yogurt… a phrase I never expected to type in my life.  That was not a human voice but a mix of male and female synthesized voices.  A very cool effect indeed.

When the Yogurt Took Over is just a retelling of the fall of our world when the yogurt became sentient…

The Good

This episode is short and considering the subject, I think that’s good.  I don’t know how long you could go with such a story.  The animation is light and fun.  This is no deep thinking episode and the animation works well for it.  

Strangely there is an air of menace that, considering the subject, shouldn’t even be possible, but the story carries it well.  You just know something bad is coming.  

“We’ve solved fusion.”  The yogurt seems like a benevolent race that is too smart to really care about us. I think it reminds me a bit of the Adipose from Doctor Who (though that was treated like an enemy).  It can live comfortably with us and help us.  If only humans were not so vain…

The Bad

There are a few unnecessary images.  Considering the length of the episode and the style of animation, we didn’t need a scene of a homeless man appearing to be cooking a baby.  This happens after the fall of man, when mankind ignores some of the advice of the yogurt.  There’s also a scene where a riot is taking place and a topless woman is shown.  Now, seriously, I’m no prude but if you’ve got figures that look like they belong in the vintage 1974 Playskool McDonald’s restaurant toy, there’s no need to animate breasts on them.  What were they thinking??

The Ugly

The episode ends when the yogurt, tired of mankind’s vanity, leaves for space.  The narrator worries about what it means for those left behind.  It’s a funny animation as what look like giant yogurt cups launch for the stars.  But could there possibly be meaning to it?

I think the opening narration spelled it out, but we might get lost in what we’re seeing, rather than what we’re hearing.  The “cream of the crop” rises up and leave the rest behind.  After the presidency of Trump, regardless of what any of us think of him, the evidence was out: our nation was divided.  No matter what we do to say we’re one nation, we’re really not.  And what happens if the top minds of our world do decide the rest of us are not worth saving?  Not worth taking care of?  Not worth considering of the same species?  We know there will come a day when Earth will be destroyed.  This might not be for hundreds of thousands of years; I’m not doomsayer, but it will happen and we, as a species, will need to colonize outside our world.  What if we don’t make the cut?  What will we do then?  (Maybe watch the Netflix reboot of Lost in Space for a look at that frightening possibility…)

The Game

Our little in-episode game features three images. We have what looks like a microscopic view of the yogurt culture, a yogurt cup (not ready for space flight) and a strawberry – the tastiest yogurt out there.  Except maybe now “out there” means among the stars…

The Verdict:

A bit frivolous for my taste, but at 6 minutes, who cares?  I can enjoy the humor for what it was like a silly joke.  I tell plenty of them.  Some are quite good, but I’m sure some can make your blood… curdle?  Sorry.  See?  They can’t all be winners, can they?  If you at least smiled, you can enjoy this episode.  If you just groaned morosely, maybe skip it.   ML