Superman on Television

Justice League Action: Episode Reviews

Season 1 - Episodes 34: "The Cube Root"

Originally Aired: September 2, 2017 (U.S.)

Written by Ernie Altbacker and Jennifer Muro
Directed by Shaunt Nigoghossian

CAST:
Hannibal Buress as Mister Terrific (voice)
P.J. Byrne as Firestorm (voice)
Stephen Tobolowsky as Professor Stein (voice)
Ely Henry as Calculator (voice)

Rating - 3 (out of 5): Firestorm and Professor Stein are on their way to the dedication of a new science building in Metropolis. When they arrive the Professor is looking forward to seeing who the guest of honor is. When he learns that it's Mister Terrific the Professor is disgusted. It seems years ago when Professor Stein was a grad student his roomie was a 14 year old Mister Terrific already a child prodigy. The Professor was working designs for what he called his S Cubes. Several years later Mister Terrific debuted his technologically brilliant T Spheres and Stein accused him of stealing his ideas. While Mister Terrific is showing off everything the T Spheres can do... Enter the Calculator. Calculator gains control of the spheres and begins to wreak havoc. Firestorm and Terrific go after Calculator but using the Spheres he gets the upper hand and escapes. Back at Mister Terrific's lab the heroes try tracing the Calculator's whereabouts when all the power in the city goes out. Firestorm confronts Calculator who, using the spheres, separates Firestorm. Ronnie Raymond and Professor Stein are now separated and powerless giving Calculator the opportunity to kidnap Ronnie. Mister Terrific and Stein reluctantly team up to find Ronnie and stop Calculator.

I enjoy this version of Firestorm. While a little silly he's a fun character and fits perfectly with this show's format. I will say I prefer Professor Stein to be a bit more level headed. He is the smarter half of Firestorm after all and always seems to give Ronnie good advice. So watching him get jealous and petty over the success of Mister Terrific is very out of character. At least to the Professor Stein I'm familiar with. At the same time I have to agree that here Terrific is a big show off and I understand some of Stein's anger, but he still acts a bit over the top, blustering and rambling. Meanwhile Mister Terrific has a big head but means well and just wants to use his technology to better mankind. Can the two set aside their differences to save the day?

Teaming up Stein and Terrific develop the Professor's S Cubes and track down Calculator's hideout. They find Ronnie and set about taking down Calculator. It doesn't take long. Once Stein and Ronnie merge back into Firestorm they, along with Mister Terrific, finish off Calculator pretty fast and send him on his way to prison. In the end the Professor admits his cubes were not very effective and apologizes to Terrific. As the heroes walk away Stein goes into another rant about how terrible a roommate Terrific was.

Overall I found this episode a little boring with all the talk of spheres and cubes and the use of Calculator as a villain doesn't help. I like these heroes but would have enjoyed more of a challenge for them. But this is Justice League Action so silliness and lighthearted adventure usually win the day.

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