Pjtaylor-96-138044 Review of Don't Hug Me I'm Scared 6

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared 6 (2016 TV Short)

I wonder what will happen?

[8/10 · 3 December 2021]

'Don't Hug Me I'm Scared 6 (2016)' is a suitably unsettling finale. It fully embraces its self-eating-snake nature, being more overtly meta than ever before. The initial song, an unwanted exploration of dreams that prevents a mourning Yellow Guy from going to sleep, isn't actually what the piece is about. As such, it doesn't really have any thematic resonance. What does have thematic resonance, though, is the surprise plot that soon emerges from the opening's more regular proceedings. This picture really turns the series on its head; it's more abstract than ever before. The thing performs a lot of fan-service, but it actually feels relevant to the story it's trying to tell. That story attempts to tie off the overall series, providing the biggest glimpse behind the curtain so far. Though it's a tad difficult to parse, it does provide definite, albeit somewhat ambiguous, answers to the series' many enigmas. It's also quite creepy in some unexpected ways. I'll take this opportunity to discuss Yellow Guy's dad, Roy, who has also appeared in most of the previous shorts (beware some mild spoilers). Roy appears to be in control of the show that his son, Red Guy and Duck are trapped within. He represents a controlling parent, someone forcing their child to do something they don't want to do; this acts as a commentary on the many 'Hollywood parents' who use their children as a means to make money. Roy, essentially, uses his kid as a tool to get across his restrictive messaging. He's also coded as a creep, which could lead to some even more upsetting implications. He's more or less the true 'villain' of the series and is also one of its most disquieting aspects. Overall, this an entertaining and intelligent affair throughout. It isn't the best of the bunch, but it's a great ending to the series. Its finale makes it clear that just because the show is over doesn't mean its horror is. In the end, there's no escaping it. 8/10.