Steven Universe: Growing Pains

March 15, 2020 7:52 AM - Season 6, Episode 14

Steven sees a doctor
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia (15 comments total)

I feel like Dr. M doesn't get enough love in the fandom, but she's pretty great. Not just in how she is raising her own kid, but in how she cares enough to research Gems so she can help them too. And it's about damn time that someone in Beach City came right out and said it: Steven needs help.
posted by dogmom at 8:39 AM on March 15, 2020 [5 favorites]

There's something very evocative of the idea that Steven's body was instantly healing all the traumas of his past but the marks of those traumas remain.

This was a great parent episode. There probably isn't anyone better equipped to help Steven medically than Dr. Maheswaran, and no one better equipped to help Steven mentally than Greg.

Steven's pinkness went from "intriguing new power set" to "symptom of his illness" pretty quick, with only a brief stop at "hard to control powers putting others in peril." I wonder if Pink Diamond had all these same symptoms, and if what she did about them is anything like what Steven will have to do about them.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 8:56 AM on March 15, 2020 [2 favorites]

OH MY LORD THEY WENT THERE.

I honestly didn't think they were going to explicitly, in detail, and with a fucking xray in the background lay out exactly how traumatic Steven's childhood was. I thought they'd allude to it, and talk it out, and have a song maybe but, fuck, Dr. Priyanka Maheswaran for MVP.

I mean Jesus, he barely gets through recapping the trauma of Season One before she's ready to sign him up for intensive therapy.

And I guess Jasper didn't pull her punch when she headbutted him back in The Return. That's one hell of a skull fracture.

I mean fuck. Instantly healing broken bones. Not comedy cartoon bones.

Also Greg vaccinate your space child. You big fucking hippy.
posted by Jilder at 3:44 PM on March 15, 2020 [5 favorites]

Oh, and my seven year old was all like, "Oh, he's going to get big like Pink Diamond, isn't he, Mum?" and I was like....uh.....maybe?

So that's a thought. This might be the start of the ole meat suit giving out completely.
posted by Jilder at 3:45 PM on March 15, 2020 [2 favorites]

So much of the first few seasons was Greg saying "OMG ARE YOU OK?" and Steven going "Yep!" and giving a thumbs-up. Or "I'm used to it," when almost dying. Repeatedly.

I'm trying to think of the first time Steven really did more than just happily roll along/shrug things off...maybe Maxiumum Capacity?

Anyway this show continues to be so much more amazing than I ever expected. I literally groaned and rolled my eyes at the reveal when it was first advertised that it was about badass women but
centered a Magical Boy because of course, how original! and man, was I wrong.

Steven is a fucked-up little meatball and I love him.
posted by emjaybee at 4:55 PM on March 15, 2020 [3 favorites]

This was an amazing episode and it's hard to imagine it having the impact it does without the whole rest of the series. I'm really, really blown away by this, in the best/most painful way.
posted by curious nu at 5:44 PM on March 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

So much of the first few seasons was Greg saying "OMG ARE YOU OK?" and Steven going "Yep!" and giving a thumbs-up. Or "I'm used to it," when almost dying. Repeatedly.

Steven and the Crystal Gems
Gonna make you smile
I accidentally created an alternate timeline
Steven and the Crystal Gems
Come on now don’t be shy
I learned to stay true to myself
By watching myself diiiiiiiiiiiie.


That one ep alone should have resulted in years of therapy.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:55 PM on March 15, 2020 [6 favorites]

Mrs. Fedora commented shortly after watching: they talked about cortisol as a mechanism of PTSD on a kids's show
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:23 PM on March 15, 2020 [9 favorites]

The more I see, the more sad I am that there's only six episodes left.

I literally groaned and rolled my eyes at the reveal when it was first advertised that it was about badass women but
centered a Magical Boy because of course, how original! and man, was I wrong.

If it was just that, or if it was just awesome about LGBT issues, or it was just remarkably kind and insightful, then the show would be great. But it's got all of that, plus such a deep backstory, and that classic sci-fi style universe, and all those incredible character relationships. It's all the stuff together that makes Steven Universe one of the greatest shows of all time, IMO.
posted by JHarris at 11:27 PM on March 15, 2020 [2 favorites]

Also: I get the feeling the Magical Boy plot was kind of a trojan horse, to get the idea through Cartoon Network's development process? Like, it is kind of an obvious angle, but it's also a high concept in that way that appeals to network executives. A lot of the early commercials play up on it, as does the pilot, but after season one the focus started moving towards Deep Lore. If it had started out being explicitly about the war and the Diamonds, I wonder if Cartoon Network would have picked it up?
posted by JHarris at 11:31 PM on March 15, 2020 [4 favorites]

how much does a showrunner have to tell executives about the direction of their show at pitch meetings?
posted by numaner at 7:23 AM on March 17, 2020

This was such a good episode. No other shows, even adult dramas, get as deep into the issues as this show does. I love it.
posted by numaner at 7:23 AM on March 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

Episode 1: Steven is sad about losing his favorite ice cream.
Episode 174: Steven struggles with his PTSD (partially about losing his favorite ice cream).
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 12:57 PM on March 18, 2020 [13 favorites]

Watching this now and sobbing. I both needed this and emotionally having issues prcessing this right now.

I'm so glad that SU Went There.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:13 AM on March 21, 2020

how much does a showrunner have to tell executives about the direction of their show at pitch meetings?

I can't say for sure, but so many shows flame out in the first season or two that I can easily imagine the attitude being, get it established, start production, see how it goes, worry about the rest if we get there.
posted by JHarris at 5:40 PM on March 22, 2020