Knuckles S01
Director: Created by John Whittington and Toby Ascher (showrunner: Toby Ascher); pilot directed by Jeff Fowler, with additional episodes directed by Ged Wright, Brandon Trost, Jorma Taccone, and Carol Banker
Cast: Idris Elba (voice of Knuckles), Adam Pally (Wade Whipple), Ellen Taylor (Agent Willoughby), Kid Cudi (Agent Mason), Cary Elwes, Edi Patterson, Stockard Channing, Julian Barratt
Knuckles Season 1 (2024) is a whimsical live‑action/comedy mini‑series set between Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic 3. The six-episode, family‑oriented adventure follows Knuckles the Echidna (voice by Idris Elba) as he struggles to adapt to life in Green Hills and reluctantly teams up with Wade Whipple (Adam Pally), a bumbling deputy sheriff, to train him in the ways of the echidna warrior. WikipediaParamount+decider.com
Showrunners John Whittington and Toby Ascher (who leads the series) craft a comedic buddy-road-trip tone. The plot unfolds with Knuckles mentoring Wade en route to a national bowling tournament in Reno, Nevada—meanwhile pursued by rogue G.U.N. agents aiming to capture Knuckles for nefarious purposes. Reddit+15Wikipedia+15decider.com+15
Elba’s portrayal balances dry stoicism and unexpected humor: Knuckles is stoic yet charming, creating comedic interplay with Wade’s over-the-top earnestness. Critics praised Elba and Pally’s chemistry as the emotional core of the series. Reddit+12theguardian.com+12collider.com+12
Thematically, the show explores identity, purpose, and mentorship—wrapped in absurd yet heartfelt humor. Nostalgic nods to ‘80s‑’90s pop culture, musical numbers, and family dynamics—especially Wade’s strained relationship with his father and the antics at a Shabbat dinner—lend charm. parents.comcollider.comGAMINGbible
Production design is vibrant and kid‑friendly, mixing high-energy action sequences with endearing family comedy. Each episode runs 23–33 minutes, making it accessible and easy to binge. WikipediaParamount+
Critics gave Knuckles a 75% Tomatometer rating; audiences gave it 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. IMDb user score averages around 6.1/10. Rotten Tomatoes+1Rotten Tomatoes+1 Fans echoed mixed reactions:
“Every time Knuckles is on screen is absolute gold … production quality was top notch…” thesun.co.ukReddit
“Dont get me wrong, its a solid 6/10 … Wade Whipple is hilarious. …” Reddit+13Reddit+13Rotten Tomatoes+13
“Why is it even called knuckles? He’s barely in it. … should’ve been called Wade ft. Knuckles…” Reddit+2Reddit+2Reddit+2
Overall, Knuckles is a lighthearted, family-friendly spin‑off with standout performances and enthusiastic world-building—but many viewers felt it underutilized its title character, giving Wade Whipple the spotlight. The show works best as a tongue-in-cheek buddy comedy, rather than a deeply focused character study of Knuckles himself.
Knuckles Season 1 (2024) is a whimsical live‑action/comedy mini‑series set between Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic 3. The six-episode, family‑oriented adventure follows Knuckles the Echidna (voice by Idris Elba) as he struggles to adapt to life in Green Hills and reluctantly teams up with Wade Whipple (Adam Pally), a bumbling deputy sheriff, to train him in the ways of the echidna warrior. WikipediaParamount+decider.com
Showrunners John Whittington and Toby Ascher (who leads the series) craft a comedic buddy-road-trip tone. The plot unfolds with Knuckles mentoring Wade en route to a national bowling tournament in Reno, Nevada—meanwhile pursued by rogue G.U.N. agents aiming to capture Knuckles for nefarious purposes. Reddit+15Wikipedia+15decider.com+15
Elba’s portrayal balances dry stoicism and unexpected humor: Knuckles is stoic yet charming, creating comedic interplay with Wade’s over-the-top earnestness. Critics praised Elba and Pally’s chemistry as the emotional core of the series. Reddit+12theguardian.com+12collider.com+12
Thematically, the show explores identity, purpose, and mentorship—wrapped in absurd yet heartfelt humor. Nostalgic nods to ‘80s‑’90s pop culture, musical numbers, and family dynamics—especially Wade’s strained relationship with his father and the antics at a Shabbat dinner—lend charm. parents.comcollider.comGAMINGbible
Production design is vibrant and kid‑friendly, mixing high-energy action sequences with endearing family comedy. Each episode runs 23–33 minutes, making it accessible and easy to binge. WikipediaParamount+
Critics gave Knuckles a 75% Tomatometer rating; audiences gave it 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. IMDb user score averages around 6.1/10. Rotten Tomatoes+1Rotten Tomatoes+1 Fans echoed mixed reactions:
“Every time Knuckles is on screen is absolute gold … production quality was top notch…” thesun.co.ukReddit
“Dont get me wrong, its a solid 6/10 … Wade Whipple is hilarious. …” Reddit+13Reddit+13Rotten Tomatoes+13
“Why is it even called knuckles? He’s barely in it. … should’ve been called Wade ft. Knuckles…” Reddit+2Reddit+2Reddit+2
Overall, Knuckles is a lighthearted, family-friendly spin‑off with standout performances and enthusiastic world-building—but many viewers felt it underutilized its title character, giving Wade Whipple the spotlight. The show works best as a tongue-in-cheek buddy comedy, rather than a deeply focused character study of Knuckles himself.