‘Knuckles’ Review: Sonic’s Sidekick Gets His Own Silly, Smashing Spin-Off

This review was made possible by advance screeners of all episodes of Knuckles. All episodes of Knuckles release on Paramount+ on April 26 and April 27 in the UK.

Audiences can revel in the news that they can return to the Sonic the Hedgehog universe with the arrival of Knuckles this week on Paramount+. The new live-action event series follows Knuckles (Idris Elba) on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade (Adam Pally) as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior. Taking place between the events of 2022’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and this year’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the show is surely not to be missed by Sonic fans.

Our Leading Duo

The highlight of Knuckles comes in the form of a budding relationship between our two protagonists: Knuckles and Wade. The events of the series see the pair come together and team up, with Wade being trained under Knuckles. Through their enjoyment of Doritos, road trips and more, the pair have a really fun time.

I absolutely adore Idris Elba as Knuckles, even more after watching the show – I think his characterisation and delivery of some of his lines are just perfect every time. What makes Elba’s performance so comical is the stark contrast between Knuckles‘ physical prowess and his lack of intellectual acumen. While he could punch through boulders and commit to assault courses with ease, his inability to grasp basic concepts led to a string of comedic mishaps. I think it will leave people, especially the younger audience members, in stitches.

On the other side of the plot, we’re introduced to Kid Cudi and Ellie Taylor’s Agents Mason and Willoughby, two weak caricatures of characters we’ve seen executed on screen so many times before. Whilst there are early moments in Cudi’s performance that stand out as comical, the two aren’t as intimidating as I think the show’s writing expected them to be, and weaken the show’s overall enjoyment. I would also love to know who thought Ellie Taylor’s wig was good because that thing stands out so much in the show, and is so off-putting…

The Elephant in the Room: The CGI

Whilst watching, there is a clear element of the show which unfortunately sticks out like a sore thumb, and that is both some of the CG elements of the show (specifically Knuckles himself), but also the composition of shots and how set pieces and scenes are laid out to work around the red echidna.

There are times, especially in the first episode, when Knuckles feels artificial, and efforts haven’t been made to make it feel as if he were really there in the scene, unlike in the Sonic films, where I think they get it spot on every time, almost seamlessly. Now, I don’t know if the series opted for not using a stand-in model like the Sonic films do, but something different was clearly done (or not done), and that had a small effect on the final look of the show.

There are times though, when the CG is, as mentioned, seamless and works well within the overall mise-en-scène. A kitchen fight scene found later in the scene features the camera spinning around the room as some villainous characters ambush Knuckles and Wade and the whole thing plays out in a very exciting manner, with various combos and punches being thrown left to right, the amount of kinetic energy in the scene alone makes it incredibly memorable. Additionally, the finale has some of the show’s best CGI.

All The Small Things

A small mention of gratitude goes to the series’ soundtrack, which has a number of delightful songs, both current and throwback which give it a fun feel throughout. Even some of the credit songs I found myself dancing along to whilst watching, including Blink-182’s All The Small Things. It is nowhere near as good as Goosebumps soundtrack was last year, but it is certainly up there for sure.

On the topic of music, there is a specific scene during Episode 4 which I had no expectations to see, which ended up selling the show to me… I won’t reveal what it was to avoid spoilers, but if you know me well, you will know exactly what it is. It is hilarious.

Does ‘Knuckles’ Lead into ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’?

Whilst several characters who are set to appear in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 make appearances in Knuckles, a majority of the show’s plot feels as if it is its own thing separated from the films in its own bubble. That’s not to say this series isn’t contributing anything of meaning to the show, however, as it gives some really important depth to two already-great characters, Wade and Knuckles.

I would clarify that, whilst it isn’t essential viewing, audiences should still indulge in the show and have a really fun time watching. I certainly liked it, and as a result, can’t wait to reunite with Sonic and friends (Wade and Knuckles included) later this year.

Final Thoughts

I think it’s time to set up a Wade Whipple fan group as Adam Pally absolutely kills it for 6 episodes alongside Idris Elba’s Knuckles. 6 episodes of a silly fun time which does some interesting world-building whilst also being its own thing, with cool action set pieces, humourous side-plots and maybe a hint of music. Some elements, such as antagonists and various CG compositions, let it down, but in no way harm the overall experience.

Knuckles releases on Paramount+ on April 26, 2024*. Check out the trailer below.