No, Nostalgia Critic, you aren’t the first one to invert the It's A Wonderful Life trope, but I'll tell you what: you did it a hell of a lot better than this piece of shit. Now, what can I say about The Fairly OddParents? It’s been on for about as long as SpongeBob, and it actually managed to keep its integrity,…
(A poster of A Fairly Odd Movie appears. Caption: I thought it was a joke.)
…until they started to go live-action. While it was better back in the beginning, there's at least some semblance of trying, even until today. However they did make quite a few mistakes,…
(The title card of the episode appears.)
…and this episode is a pretty big mistake. It gets downright mean-spirited and sadistic.
It starts with Timmy painting a backdrop for one of his teachers, and the teacher finds that Timmy somehow managed to ruin it by pointing out very minuscule things. Next, Timmy gives AJ a very powerful and expensive computer that just so happens to be obsolete, so AJ uses it as a doorstop. Okay, what's the point of this? All I'm getting is that everyone is a dick. Finally, Timmy fixes up his parents lawn-right before a worst lawn competition, causing them to lose to the Dinklebergs because... that's what always seems to happen.
Timmy is angry that no one appreciates his good deeds, not even his fairy godparents, so he wishes that he was never born. That's a bit extreme. I mean, you have one bad day, so you wish that you were never born? And once the wish is granted, the first thing he sees is that his parents are doing great! Wouldn't that be, like, seriously traumatic if you found out your parents were better off if you were never born?
(Caption: Especially after something like this.)
You know, assuming that you had good parents. I know it's cartoonishly over the top, but still. That's a little extreme, especially as the first thing.
(Caption: It'd be much better as the climax.)
Jorgen Von Strangle meets up with Timmy and rubs his parents’ success in his face. Okay, that's just cruel! Then, out of nowhere, he sentences Timmy to "The Dimension Of Children Who Make The World Better By Wishing That They Were Never Born." Why is that a place, and why does it look like Hell? Timmy, in order to save himself, makes a deal: If he can find one person whose life is worse off without him, he gets his life back. Wow, being sentenced to hell changed his mood really quickly. I dare say it was only used to set up this premise and then forgot about.
Timmy: If I can't, I'll go with you without a fight.
That is... depressing. They go to the school and find Francis, the school bully who is no longer a school bully, and not gray!
Jorgen: Correct. Without you, he had to find a different outlet for his bullying.
(Caption: Today's word is "Logic.")
You act like Timmy was the only kid that Francis bullied. With Timmy not existing, Francis turned to football. So you're telling me that one of Timmy's purposes in life was to be bullied by Francis? My god, writers, it's like you're coming up with all sorts of contrived conveniences just to teach Timmy a half-assed moral that he probably didn't need to learn.
(Caption: Writers, why do you only care about continuity half of the time? IN THE SAME EPISODE?)
Speaking of contrived conveniences, Crocker has become Harvard's most valued professor because Timmy didn't ruin his childhood, and AJ got into Harvard at the same age.
Timmy: What? A full head of hair? Aw, come on, how is that my fault?!
That's another good question! You know, just like the other one. Why would AJ care about Timmy holding him back but not care about him getting an expensive computer? Think, writers, THINK! Next, they go see Cosmo and Wanda, who are now Chester's fairy godparents. And he's doing a bunch of charity because (sarcastically) Chester's always been so giving in the past, and not nothing more than an idiot living in poverty. Vicky is now Dr. Bender's assistant, and administers laughing gas. Uh, writers, you just raised a couple more questions. When did Timmy inspire Vicky to become a babysitter? And also, if Bender ever cared about reducing pain, why wouldn't he hire someone else? Finally, Timmy gives up and agrees to go without a fight.
Jorgen: …to the “Dimension of Kids Who Improved the World By Wishing They Were Never Born”!
Once again, why does such a place exist? SURPRISE, Timmy fights back! He jet packs out of the Hell pit with a laughing gas container and takes Jorgen's wand. And while Timmy is turning everything back to normal, he's realizing he's making everyone's life worse. Does anyone think that that could be rather traumatizing for a child? Especially because...
(cut to the theme song)
Singers: Timmy is an average kid…
Yes, writers, you are implying that the world would be better off without average kids. THINK! THROUGH! YOUR IMPLICATIONS! By finally agreeing to go quietly, Jorgen says that Timmy passed the test. Timmy made that wish because he wasn't being appreciated for everything.
(Caption: No he didn't, he made that wish because everyone else was being an asshole. Timmy didn't do these to get appreciation. He did do them to be nice.)
Apparently, you're not supposed to do good deeds because they will get you noticed. You’re supposed to do them because they are the right thing to do. W-Wow, that's an interesting moral. I think I learned something. I'll be right back, guys.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that if I don't appreciate hard work done for me out of charity, I shouldn't worry about it. Heck, I can even yell at them for it. And if that leaves them to feel unappreciated to the point where they are questioning their own existence, it's their problem and not mine. They should keep doing deeds for me no matter how much apathy I give. SCREW. YOU!
Your Faithful Student, Mr. Enter"
And apparently, Timmy did the goodest deed of all by not wishing himself back to existence. So, wait. By bringing him back to life, you're still making everyone else's life miserable, as that kind of stuff really would've happened if he didn't exist. WHAT KIND OF STUPID HALF-ASSED ENDING IS THAT? You could've admitted that it was all contrived conveniences,…
(Caption: Which it was.)
…but no! Everyone's life really is more miserable due to Timmy's existence, and he will always live with that knowledge. (sarcastically) HA!