Friday, March 01, 2013

Max and Ruby

Ruby, and her "little brother" Max.

There, does that help?

I've heard a lot of complaining about this show. Where are the parents? Are they locked in the basement? Why doesn't Grandma take custody of those poor neglected things?

Dudes, Ruby is not Max's sister. She's his mother.

This is not a show about a three-year-old boy testing his seven-year-old sister's patience. It's a cautionary tale about single parenting. Ruby has to put up with all of Max's annoying behaviors because TODDLERS ARE ANNOYING. And if you don't like it, you should have used protection.

First, kudos to Ruby for making attempts to keep her "pre-Max" lifestyle. Bunny Scouts, playdates, and dolly tea parties are great diversions from the day-to-day toils of an overworked bunny mom.

And good for Grandma, who shows up for important holidays and the occasional babysitting event, but for the most part leaves Ruby to deal with the situation she's created. You got yourself into this mess, Girlie, you've gotta handle that shit now.

I mean, I don't want to appear bunny-ist, but what else can one expect from rabbits? A species doesn't earn a reputation for flagrant reproduction if all the females wait for an advanced degree, a stable relationship, and an established career before starting a family. And it's not as though Ruby is alone in her choice to become a young parent. (Like I'm so sure Morris is Louise's "cousin." Riiiiiight.)

But I do wonder about Max's dad - personally, I suspect that seriously shady Roger, who is clearly a playboy (har) - and I wish he would take more of an interest in Max's life. I'm waiting for the episode where Max repeatedly chirps "Daddy?" and wonders why he can't have a strong male parent in his life like Baby Huffington.

And don't even get him started on the jealous rage Max feels at Little Nutbrown Hare.