Episode Review: The Thundermans – All the President’s Thunder-Men

Episode Description from imdb.com: After their requests drive Kickbutt to quit, Max and Phoebe get what they want when Hank is named the new SuperPresident; being the First Family of the Hero League takes its toll on the family.

Now that the Thundermans has been on for almost five years (that’s an eternity for a Nickelodeon show), you pretty much know what you are going to get in an episode.  Either Max and Phoebe will squabble about something; Max and Phoebe will be on opposite sides of something but come together at the end to save the world; Max and Phoebe both want something and team up together to get what they want.  The B story usually involves Hank, Barb, Billy, Nora and Chloe.  This episode is a Max and Phoebe want something.

What they want seems rather silly.  Max wants a very expensive rocket car and Phoebe wants Cherry appointed to be her assistant.  All of their pestering of Super President Kickbutt has gotten to her, and when Chloe teleports Kickbutt to the Thundermans house (during her SuperState of the Union speech), Kickbutt declares that she has had enough and quits.

Max and Phoebe see this as a way to get what they want.  But to be honest, its pretty selfish and pretty shallow.  Their requests harken back to some season #1 episodes – and we would have hoped Max and Phoebe would have grown since then.

They convince Hank (we know his middle name is Tiberius) to accept the Super President position.  During the prelude to the inauguration, Hank eats all of the Super President cake (again, a weak excuse but true to Hank’s character).  Hank and Barb fear that the scandal will ruin his presidency.

Meanwhile, back in Hiddenville, the stress of being the first family is getting to Nora and Billy.  The “Secret Service” believes that Nora is a threat to Billy and they must remain 10 feet apart (the same distance Max and Phoebe need to stay apart in Going Wonkers!)  Eventually they are outfitted with electronic necklaces that zap when they get too close.

Max and Phoebe come to the realization that their selfishness is slowly pulling the family apart.  Meanwhile, Hank and Barb are being blackmailed – by Dr. Colosso, who wants to be the Secretary of Fashion (Huh?  At least if you are going to blackmail someone, ask for something good!)  Max and Phoebe find former SuperPresident Kickbutt working at Kickbutt travel.

This was a funny scene.  One traveler wants to go to Aruba, so Kickbutt superkicks him there.  When Max and Phoebe ask how the traveler will get home, Kickbutt’s response: “That’s his problem.”  Kickbutt has no apparent interest in returning to her former post – so she kickbutts Max and Phoebe back to Hiddenville.

They arrive back (Max: That was a lousy flight) to find their house full of goobers.  Hank is about to hold a press conference but decides to come clean about eating the cake. He resigns. Former SuperPresident Kickbutt shows up and decided to accept her former position.  All is well in the Thunderman house and all is well in Metroburg.

This episode seemed rather forced in the storyline department.  But thankfully Blobbin didnt make an appearance!

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