The best episode of a great first season, The House in the Woods follows Hilda as she returns to her beloved wilderness but gets trapped with the grumpy Wood Man inside a mysterious house which can materialize anything they desire but prevents them from leaving.
This episode is notable for two reasons. First, it shows how the best plots in a series occur when the protagonist faces not a random obstacle but one that is crucial to his essence and characterization (in Hilda's case, redefining her concept of "home").
Second, it highlights how less is more in terms of using characters: funny supporting characters work better when used sparingly and appropriately, like the hilarious Wood Man here; he has four appearances in the whole season and is one of the most memorable things to come out of the series. If he had been thrown into every episode, he wouldn't have been as amusing.
9,5/10
This episode is notable for two reasons. First, it shows how the best plots in a series occur when the protagonist faces not a random obstacle but one that is crucial to his essence and characterization (in Hilda's case, redefining her concept of "home").
Second, it highlights how less is more in terms of using characters: funny supporting characters work better when used sparingly and appropriately, like the hilarious Wood Man here; he has four appearances in the whole season and is one of the most memorable things to come out of the series. If he had been thrown into every episode, he wouldn't have been as amusing.
9,5/10
