The Madness of Sonic for Hire

Watch the full show here: • The Sonic For Hire Sag...
Today I want to take you back to an old web series about Sonic that couldn't be more different from Sonic. Sonic For Hire. A disgusting, mean spirited, hilarious disaster of a series, and I mean that in the best way possible.

[@spinynorman06]

Hey, I'll take the L on what I said about season 4's ending. A lot of you have been responding to this video with the reasoning and I'll admit that bit went over my head. So yeah, season 4 is still my favorite season and I understand the ending now. I think I'll be making a video on season 9 once it's all released, and I'll correct the mistake there. Thank you to everyone who's been watching this video and leaving comments, I appreciate it!

[@big_sea]

the fact that I was watching this sonic for hire at 8 years old really says a lot about my mental state

[@josearmandorodriguez8959]

The joke of the season finale on season 4 was that in sonic 2-3-4 tails is inmortal because he is player 2 and only sonic can die

[@Leebondoop]

Earthworm Jim is arguably the nicest character on the show, which is a huge departure from how he is in the actual series, he is a MANIAC in Earthworm Jim proper

[@DrSuperLuigiSeth1]

I’d argue Knuckles is the chillest character, but Jim isn’t too bad. It’s also really nice that he’s here, because so many people probably have no idea who he is. I never played his games, but I don’t want that worm to fade into obscurity.

[@Fools_Blade]

Y`know now that I think about it knuckles was the only who didn't kill or atleast hurt another person in the series

[@robbiewalker2831]

Leebondoop, I don't think you saw the Earthworm Jim Graphic Novel; Jim in Sonic for Hire is about as in-character as his Game Counterpart. In terms of voices, though; Jim's voice in SFH is more similar to his in-game voice from the 16-bit era rather than Dan Castellaneta's.

[@WhoIsJoe31]

@@DrSuperLuigiSeth1 knuckles is just tired of Sonic’s bullshit

[@NotSoNormalSquirtle]

I think link is nice but just sassy

[@TechnoTejay]

Sonic’s plan in season 4 goes by the logic from Sonic 2. In Sonic 2, player 2 comes back whenever they die, while player 1 is still costed a life every time they die. In Sonic for Hire season 4, Sonic lets Tails be player 1 so when the theater blows up, he’d get Tails killed but not himself.

[@DirtySoulsTV]

I think y'all are looking into it too hard. I saw it as Sonic knew if he gave Tails top billing. Tails would be too blinded by ego to know that Sonic was planning something

[@lizardandbone]

@@DirtySoulsTV The joke is definitely what Techno said.

[@DirtySoulsTV]

@@lizardandbone bah humbug

[@robbiewalker2831]

@@lizardandbone Yeah, Sonic 2 Logic, because in Mario's Multiplayer Logic, every playable character can die and return, but it still cost them lives.

[@LuckyIStar]

​@@robbiewalker2831 Yeah, it's definitely Sonic giving Tails Player 1 to make him able to die. There's also that one Dorkly bit about the pros and cons of Tails' "Player 2 Invincibility".

[@magical_pixie_horse7346]

about why sonic needed tails to get top billing for the movie is because it'll make tails player one. if you played sonic 2, tails is with you and he never dies, cuz he's player 2, but being player one, like sonic, or playing just as tails means you can die. they didn't explain that part that well, or at all.

[@spinynorman06]

Wow, that actually blew my mind a bit. I never thought about that once. I think that actually could have been their intent. I also think it's possible that's just a happy coincidence, unless they themselves have said otherwise, but yeah good point. Could have been explained better, but if that's actually the point, that's pretty clever.

[@blu12gaming44]

@@spinynorman06 There's a Dorkly video on it with the same voice actor for Tails, but with a good immortality joke at the end. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4OVe62BYt5olck

[@joshuahecht6866]

Sonic’s explanation in the season 4 finale is the truth.

[@magical_pixie_horse7346]

@@spinynorman06 is the season 4 ending still disappointing to you?

[@NoHandle44]

​@Pall Mall I figured that Sonic survived just cause this series has no realism in it.

[@MisterMokuroh]

It was established that this series runs on Wreck-It Ralph logic. Any character who does in their game series respawns. Sparkster actually mentioned when Sonic shot him in the head.

[@DrSuperLuigiSeth1]

To be fair, they also fucked up with time travel and then rebuilt the universe, so Sparkster might’ve had that to thank.

[@thatisnotdababy9694]

@@DrSuperLuigiSeth1 but then he wouldn't have known he got shot by sonic

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

Season 7 gave us an explanation where everything was reset, which brought every dead character to life and, yeah.

[@dominiquesantander469]

Sonic for hire feels like an adult swim show.

[@Pexited]

Cuz it is lol

[@ronnieedge2236]

It might as well have been. It was good enough to be at the very least a time filler between full shows.

[@NebulaBubbles]

An equal balance between college humor and adult humor

[@DanGamingFan2846]

I really love this series, it was a big part of my high school years, and really developed my sense of humor for crass, lowbrow humor like this. It sucks that the entire season videos don't have the little bloopers at the end of the individual episodes, but I've found the individual episodes archived, so they're not completely gone.

[@moosesues8887]

Nah that’s wild

[@StitchedUpPunkette]

Can you link the archive???

[@icecoldbluesonic]

Feels like a Cybershell video, the way of talking, the clips, the memes. It's Perfect!

[@spinynorman06]

I'm a big fan of Cybershell so I appreciate that!

[@Redder_Creeps]

I found this only today and "good news": season 9 finally started, but Sonic, Tails, Jim and Eggman aren't in college *yet*

[@justinlast2lastharder749]

That's Season 9. Seasons 1-8 are together in a Supercut.

[@Redder_Creeps]

@@justinlast2lastharder749 Yeah i meant season 9, i mistyped

[@TheSalltt]

This series is strangely nostalgic for me. Like, I watched it when I was younger, but I never watched the full series until earlier this year. Glad to see someone make a really great video on this show

[@Cygis]

While the other commenters have noted the top billing of Tails might be a reference to Tails not being able to die as player 2, there’s one thing that I haven’t seen people talking about. The entire fire in the theater scene is a clear reference to Inglorious Basterds. The shot with Sonic appearing on the screen with fire behind him is the exact same from that film.

[@pika-stashe404]

This was a really nice retrospective of the series, coming from someone who recently watched the whole saga so far. And finally learning about what was happening behind the scenes at the time was really interesting to see.

[@JMGX3]

Fun Fact: In season 1 tails has tan arms most of the time.

[@thatisnotdababy9694]

Eeww

[@1MarmadukeFan]

The gag at 20:30 is that tails in invincible in Sonic 2, so Sonic made him player 1. His plan makes no sense if they aren’t operating on game logic but does make sense if they do.

[@bendavies7162]

Going back to a decade being 8 to 9 years old watching this series on Machinima on an old Windows 7 computer not knowing anything about rent. Now 19 going 20 years old, yet this series lives in my head rent-free. Literally.

[@onesywashere]

Amazing retrospective for one of my favorite series when i was preteen. Even mentioning the other small series like Megaman and Morty was unexpected and awesome. The side note with sonic having a “seizure” may actually be factually for people looking at the smaller details. In the previous episode, Thunderhead used his dragon spell twice in the final fantasy episode, and Sonic is shown having the same face when the dragon comes out, and then starts experiencing his “seizures”. It’s nice that the creators acknowledge a technical error or intended joke.

[@DitzyFeathers]

Tails smashing the computer caught me totally off guard and had me losing it.

[@goryparodiesproductions6561]

19:09 For context, the previous short (Final Fantasy) had a brief moment where Sonic's facial expression briefly glitched. Since the shorts were usually produced so quickly, the writers decided to intentionally incorperate/lampshade that moment in the Pokemon short. This is similar to how they would occasionally make fun of Sonic referring to currency as coins as opposed to rings back in the second short (Mike Tyson's Punch Out), even as late as Season 8: Eggette: Seriously, one ring? Sonic: I think you mean coins. Eggette: No, I dont.

[@adamgrunther1367]

Sonic for Hire season 5 was honestly my favorite season. It was just fun to see all of the main characters hang out and go on space missions together. General Pepper was also a super funny side character during the season. I rewatch the space season the most out of all the seasons in this show.

[@TheBlackScatPack]

I remember watching Sonic for Hire every Sunday during its original run. I was in my early 20s and it was so hilarious to me. Even now I still find it funny. I think your honest review hits it right on the head

[@machomanalexyt5736]

Sonic stealing Knuckles' moped and saying "This should buy me some great crack" encapsulates the show very well.

[@rubenakaskrubby8676]

A bonus crime on roosterteeth when i was doing some research is that lowbrow wasnt even aware that all of the sonic for hire stuff on roosterteeth was privated when they were asked on twitter about the videos. But by now its all uploaded on their channel

[@that_guy_from_twitter]

The shadow design didn't bother me because he died a minute later

[@NolanEgbert]

I also loved this series growing up and was pleasantly surprised by how well it held up upon rewatch

[@mystery5252]

When you put ever crazy situation from "Sonic for Hire" one after the other it is complete madness.

[@BM30]

I have so much nostalgia for Sonic For Hire. I remember watching it in 2013/2014.

[@atlasguytinyproductions55]

This was actually the first shows I remember fondly back in middle school. Definitely during the better years of KZbin.

[@ObaREX]

Honestly my favorite part of the series was the dynamics of the main group. I dunno. Despite the mean-spirited tone, it always felt like a good time with friends.

[@helmetluigi]

I remember watching this back when I was young and I loved it, specially with the inclusion of Earthworm Jim as a main character along with Eggman, very fun stuff, also because there wasn't any Jim animated parodies out there, so it was surprising and interesting to see one of my favorite characters do some funny shit along with Sonic and gang

[@DuskusCB]

To be fair, Earthworm Jim in this show is honestly pretty close to his real self. Yeah he’s always been a bit of a crude ass.

[@cowboyquebecanimations3068]

If I remember correctly, in 2019 that's when Rooster teeth got acquired by Warner Brothers media and that messed up their working schedule due to several heads of departments and Some of their original founders being cut as well and that led to a lot problems from the community and delays but like I said could be wrong but I remember Season 8 being released haphazardly while I was stationed in korea

[@code-knight]

The point of giving Tails top billing was a callback to the mechanic in the old Sonic games where Tails, being the second player character comes back immediately upon dying. So by letting him be “Player 1”, Sonic basically took away his “Player 2 Invincibility”

[@SmokeTheHorsehog]

So are you ever going to make a followup explaining why you think Underground is the best Sonic cartoon?

[@spinynorman06]

Oh absolutely!

[@khaostheking3070]

Tails: 0:07 Sonic: Goddamnit Tails! I just got That Computer 2 Months Ago!

[@tgproductions97]

“Isn’t it wonderful? Like walking through a burning poppy field!” Kirby’s brain always said the things I was thinking 😂

[@NotOkayChamp]

Before watching this, I just want to say I looooved Sonic for hire during lunch in middle school when it was still fresh. Glad to see people talking about it now. It's underrated

[@zephyrorsomethinh1528]

I deadass thought Season 8 was a fan made season because of it's name and Eggete being in it

[@KidPrarchord95]

I really loved this show growing up! Always been a pretty big Sonic fan, so I loved pretty much anything with his face slapped on it. I'll give any thoughts I have as I watch! 9:51 I'd say Jim here is actually semi-accurate-ish to his actual characterization, though Sonic For Hire goes out of their way to depict him as pretty lame whereas his presence is more cool in the games. 10:20 I've always been bugged by this Robotnik sprite. I'm not bothered by what it depicts, but the new art for the underwear and socks just aren't that great. 10:41 Her name actually is Mother Brain in the Metroid games, as well! 12:44 I definitely agree on this point. I didn't so much have a preference for serialization as a kid, but now I do. 19:01 I've always liked how this part was animated. 25:28 I really appreciate the usage of Metroid Fusion tilesets in the space season. 29:24 Yeah, the series definitely works better in bite-sized chunks. I feel they got a little more ambitious here than they should have. I can empathize, though. When you work on a project for a while, sometimes you're not happy with it. Sometimes you just want to do more. When you have one main creative outlet, you try to force all of your ideas in there. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and this just so happened to be in that latter camp. It's sad, really; you can tell these creators want to be storytellers, but the only stories people will care about is their pre-established video-game parody series. They're anchored to one place because it's what people care about the most, and they either can't escape, or are too afraid to try. That's how I see it, at least. Thanks for the vid. Was a good look back!

[@spinynorman06]

Thanks for the comment! Yeah I definitely understand why they would want to do a bigger story. I think it's the same reason reviewers put sketches into their reviews. You have people's eyes on what you're making now, and you want to do more. I think that they proved that they could do more though with Megaman Dies at the End. I think it could work with Sonic For Hire they just need to allow some of the comedy to come from the story they are trying to tell, while season 7 and 8 felt like they were putting the story on hold to tell jokes. But I still appreciate them trying to switch things up each season.

[@smashball1525]

A hella underrated chanel

[@spinynorman06]

Hey thanks! Just getting started so we will see if the channel starts to grow in the future.

[@smashball1525]

👍

[@deathbunny3542]

20:40 that actually is a reference to a classic Dorkly video and the joke that Tails can't die because he is player 2 so he just respawns, the joke there was that if Sonic gives the lead role to Tails then he becomes player 1 and, consequently, he is able to die and Sonic isn't because he is now player 2

[@JerryDood98]

I honestly forgot this series existed, thanks for unlocking a core memory!

[@TrolleyMC]

20:50 It's a joke about Tails never dying in the classic sonic games, he would always fly back in.

[@jaysonlikes]

So that sonic glitch joke is from the previous final fantasy episode where sonic faces just glitches out randomly.

[@m3x2007]

Dude your channel is seriously underrated. I'm going to be a watcher from now own

[@spinynorman06]

Thank you so much!

[@thatmexicanstickfigure2575]

I actually loved the oxygen Slippy joke ngl. I was a bit confused when you showed it in that sequence because I was chuckling.

[@APAMVs]

19:10 after rewatching Sonic for Hire, in the Final fantasy episode of season 4 (which is before the Pokémon episode) where I noticed Sonic doing that weird face. My guess is people noticed or they noticed and they decided to turn it into a joke for the next episode as a tiny joke to the last episode

[@imtiredofitallmakeitstop]

May sonic for hire have a better life on lowbrow studios. Bless.

[@alexadams4358]

6:26 It sounded like you were talking about the Sonic Movie with the first design. The one with the Human Teeth and More Realistic Appearance.

[@hmasterchaos8700]

10:42 not sure if you knew this, but that's the actual name of the character from the metroid series, Mother Brain

[@robbiewalker2831]

And Mother Brain was voiced by Audrey II in Captain N.

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

I like how you used the songs for the stages in Sonic Generations.

[@saphiregoji9652]

Looking back at this i just realized how dark and mature it was, and i fucking love it

[@p.e.miranda2038]

... right. mature.

[@nickson316]

I started watching sonic for hire when I was like 7 and thought it was a actual cartoon watching it back I’m surprised I enjoyed it and wasn’t traumatised lol

[@Brosethorns]

You should def make more video essays like this, you’re great at it. Subbed.

[@jokerrenamamiya9728]

I rewatch this literally at least once every year still my favorite web series 🤣 my favorite season is season 5. Also for some reason I just like seeing Sonic, Tails, Eggman, and Earthworm Jim hang out always some crazy situation when they're together

[@dio_brrrrrando2480]

Egg man always have me rolling when he says something

[@YoshidaSPECL]

This show is the reason i yell margaritas repeatedly when i drink

[@Gigglesisafish]

Cool video there's not many videos about sonic for hire on KZbin, remember us when your channel blows up

[@dunnoowo8828]

Tails the 11th intelect tech guy being like "stupid computer stop beeping"

[@gechoman44iwantahippo]

Despite how my favorite episode is the Family Feud one, I 100% have to agree that Season 4 is the best season. Also, as a massive Mortal Kombat fan, I actually really like Morty Kombat. Still, I don’t think that’s why as it’s like SFH where the characters don’t act like themselves.

[@DrSuperLuigiSeth1]

Sonic for Hire is a show that I hold near and dear. It’s so nonsensical and is…like if Family Guy was more pixelated and actually went all the way with its potential.

[@robbiewalker2831]

I say Hedgehog for Hire is the American Dad of LowBrow while Mega Man Dies At The End is the Family Guy of LowBrow. Where as Hedgehog For Hire has good character dynamics and action, Mega Man Dies at the End kills characters just to make the title character unlikable.

[@-boondoggle-6134]

0:08 proof that no matter how smart you are, no one is immune to rage

[@DURPInc]

20:59 I think it’s a video game logic reference in the sonic games where tails can never die because he’s player to which is why after the theater explodes it shows sonic in space in the dead even though he got exploded like full force unlike tails who Hitting that weird metal drum thing in the closet room

[@NoahLeeNG]

20:44 I think this is more of a reference to sonic 2, where you can only lose lives as first player, it’s a joke in the community that tails can’t die since player 2 is automatically set to play as tails in the game

[@SamuelDoherty]

The reason sonic let's tails be player 1 is a joke on a previous dorkly sketch pointing out the fact that in sonic 2 tails can die and come back to life while sonic will die after 1 fatal hit. That's why he's top billing and "player 1"

[@chadisnotachad]

I absolutely loved Sonic for Hire in high school

[@jonathangrant480]

It's criminal how few people I see talk about this series.

[@Pfincess]

I was about to be like 'hey you forgot to mention sonic underground' lmao well written joke there

[@Mysteryman61350]

I loved this stuff when I was younger, sonic for hire is still something I love going back and watching every now and then

[@acesd.valoids7263]

The dildo bit in Season 8 was the funniest bit

[@NexhiAlibias]

The seizure joke was in reference to how the model definitely glitched in the Final Fantasy episode Cannot find an explanation for why his model glitched out like that in Final Fantasy but the Pokemon episode was making fun of it

[@crichton397]

Wow. I was watching the eps too and I didn't know how badly Rooster Teeth messed up the release.

[@bigred-xy8iy]

looking back i definitely shouldn’t have been watching this as a kid but i loved every bit of it. to this day i still say “ i don’t want your goddamn ass wine” and nobody understands the reference

[@wijinsama]

Sonic For Hire was Regular Show but on YT. And we all loved it.

[@Korophite]

I liked Sonic For Hire, it had it's ups and downs but there were moments that had me dead laughing and parts of Sonic For Hire that I ask how do they stay on KZbin

[@Utfam_202]

Well this is underrated as heck

[@ndprod.animationenthusiast9376]

Man, this series is such a gem. It was great watching this back in middle school. Also, they finally did Sonic goes to college!

[@locodesert2]

I love watching long critiques on stuff I love.

[@skyrimlover777]

Sonic for hire was something I really should not have watched at the age I did and I have a lot of nostalgia for it

[@The1WhoAsk]

I think shadow being just a recolour of sonic makes that scene more hilarious

[@touatiamir7592]

A 3h of pure joy to watch And now they're making sonic goes to college

[@robert_douglas]

36:41 I remember that lol You done goofed rooster teeth!

[@sir_fabulou571]

Damn I forgot about this series, it use to be my life. Ah the memories. This was middle school me Bojack. Definitely gonna rewatch it and check out the new season. Thanks for reminding me of this crude gem

[@redmetroid743]

great video glad youtube recommended it to me.

[@themattincharge]

This channel is underrated keep it up!

[@brandontharp7922]

Honestly I really enjoy the show its chaos and a whole vibe

[@CaolanBrannigan]

I’m sorry but the joke about the adventures of sonic. The hedgehog at the start is the funniest shit ever and I was looking for this video to show my friends for AGES

[@TheAnimationStationTAS]

I never knew this went past season 7. Also, Earthworm Jim is my favorite character from the series. Actually, thinking about it, I think I did hear about the Rooster Teeth continuation, I probably thought, "cool", and then completely forgot it existed.

[@robbiewalker2831]

Probably because Season 8 is a non-canon season.

[@TUM_Toons]

Nostalgia trip!

[@PixelMindProductions]

Sonic for hire is so god damn funny and I’m pretty pumped for Sonic for hire goes to college

[@threadschanged4252]

thx for reminding me this exists i used to binge the hell out of it in 2012

[@buckethat7585]

i watched this shit when i was EIGHT (19 now) and i recently rewatched it…and i learned where my sense of humor came from!

[@ultravegito8351]

I watched this in my very early days of KZbin. Even though I didn’t understand half the jokes the delivery’s by the cast and interesting situations always kept my attention. Watching it as an adult really helps showcase how brilliant it can be

[@SomeoneNamedJoe]

Sonic for hire is like a acid trip

[@fahnkymuncke7439]

glad to see someone else talk about this

[@tardistime6857]

This show is so nostalgic to me

[@callmezeldaonemoartime]

10:45 “that weird Metroid thing the show calls Mother Brain” there is so much wrong with that sentence I don’t even want to get into it

[@spooderdude5949]

Tails getting top billing in a way was him becoming player one in sonic 2 and I think 3 Tails can't really die so the player 2 is immortal joke started popping around, he literally said why Tails needed top billing how did you miss that after literally hearing it 2 seconds before, that is literally the only thing about this video that bugs me other than that 10/10.

[@W1ZARDMAN]

I really like this video! It’s done super well! Def subscribing

[@bulb9970]

I had a big smile watching this because I’ve rewatched this series tons of times in highschool. I remember hating season 4 when it came out because of Tails, but I ended up loving it later. It’s only beaten by season 2 and 3 imo, while season 6 and 7 dipped in quality. Mega Man dies at the end started good but season 2 really ran out of ideas just referencing movies and doing random stuff.

[@devilbowser253]

sonic for hire and megaman dies at the end have to be my favorite sprite series on youtube