‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ Series Review: A New Lens for an Old Story

Warning: Spoiler Alert!

“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” attempts to fill in the shoes of its older counterpart “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World,” a widely acclaimed 2010 live action film from director Edgar Wright, which details protagonist Scott Pilgrim’s journey as he fights tirelessly for his dream girl. Inspired by the 2004 graphic novel “Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life” and its five sequels, the live action series and this new animated series detail Scott’s journey as he puts everything on the line to win the girl, even if that means fighting a league of her evil ex boyfriends, an evil version of himself, and, worst of all, Toronto winters. Praised for the characters’ self-awareness as they learn the value of the friends around them and the deep impacts left by their troubled history, the story still resonates with many. This show — neither a reboot, nor a sequel, but instead a reimagining full of completely original ideas and content — masterfully takes things a step further with fundamental changes that allow all characters, not just Scott, to partake in their own fleshed-out journeys of character growth, take accountability for their mistakes, and handle their individual relationships with less toxicity.

The series opens with a vibrant and colorful theme song followed by a video game-inspired title card that shows how this animated form of the show truly makes the world of Scott Pilgrim come to life. Always full of video game references and a deep love for pop culture in general, the creative freedom of leaning into an anime style opens many new doors for what the show can do visually when not constrained by reality. As all of the main cast of the 2010 film return to voice their characters while the character design pays homage to the 2010 live action film, “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” is a creative reimagining that excellently takes this universe to the next level.

Opening the show, viewers are inserted directly into Scott’s dream world. “I’m so… alone,” echoes across the barren desert that is Scott’s dreamscape (voiced by Michael Cera) as he collapses onto his knees before spotting Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and the literal girl of his dreams. From this point on, Scott is starstruck, and he becomes motivated to take charge of his uneventful and uninteresting life. Described as “jobless,” “hopeless,” and “dating a high schooler,” Scott has a lot of self-growth to endure before he is ready for a genuinely healthy relationship.

As audiences follow through the first episode, much will start to feel familiar to fans who have seen the movie or read the graphic novels. Similar jokes and plot points are reused with only minor tweaks that make something feel just slightly off, such as Ramona’s job as a Netflix DVD delivery person instead of an Amazon delivery person (presumably changed because this is a Netflix series). During Scott and Ramona’s iconic magical evening together while everything is still normal, they experience sparks and chemistry that neither of them have felt in much too long. However, right as viewers may start to get concerned that this show has no new content outside of what they have already seen in the movie, one key event happens that fundamentally changes the show. In the fight between Scott and Ramona’s first evil ex, Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), Scott actually loses the battle. As he dissolves into a pile of coins, the focus of the show shifts onto its new star: Ramona.

On this journey, Ramona has intense fights with many of her exes as she refuses to forget the sparks she felt with Scott, the most prominent being Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman) and Lucas Lee (Chris Evans). Although both of these characters are initially portrayed as evil hotheads, through the conversations that follow, audiences can witness their journey towards closure regarding their leftover emotional baggage with Ramona. Through these juxtaposing intense, violent brawls and deeply emotional discussions, audiences learn that these characters are only angry because both Lucas and Roxy were betrayed by a younger — and more foolish — Ramona, who left them to quickly move on to the next relationship, making them feel worthless. Ramona admits that she was wrong in those moments, but she also acknowledges that the best that she can do now is be better for the future relationships that she enters, sincerely apologizing for how much she hurt each of them. This is an incredible lens through which to approach this story because, at its core, this is Ramona’s own story about her troubled past, and therefore the fate of her future should be in her own hands.

By turning this world into a miniseries as opposed to a feature film, there is more time to develop side plots and individual character arcs outside of the main love story. Delving into the motivations and feelings of so many minor characters in “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” makes it clear that Scott’s story only happens because of how great his friends are. By the end of this show, it’s clear that Scott isn’t fighting these battles — current or future — alone, but is instead surrounded by the love and quirks of those all around him. This show instead restructures the story to more explicitly be about all characters rather than simply foregrounding one protagonist, a vital change for a world constructed around such strong and distinct characters. Throughout everyone’s journey, each character — not just Scott — must conquer themselves and their own demons to come to terms with their histories and baggage, before moving forward with the knowledge that they are not alone. Ultimately, although the changes from the original may have been unexpected, this reimagining of Scott Pilgrim’s world with less of his presence is exactly what is needed for this iconic franchise to flourish even more than it already has.

—Staff writer Xander D. Patton can be reached at xander.patton@thecrimson.com