Stream It or Skip It: ‘Adventure Time: Distant Lands – Together Again’ Is A Heartfelt Reunion For Two Beloved Characters

Adventure Time‘s finale took place in 2018, and it served up a series of events that wrapped up the long-running animated series nicely. It wasn’t always positive, and there were plenty of bittersweet moments nestled throughout. Mostly, it was a stark goodbye to stars and resident best friend brigade Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio), one of the greatest pairs of BFFs the world has ever seen. In Adventure Time: Distant Lands, fans get four hour-long streaming specials based on the series, with the third, Together Again, following Finn and Jake’s eventual reunion in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo.

ADVENTURE TIME: DISTANT LANDS – TOGETHER AGAIN: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Adventure Time’s Finn the Human and Jake the Dog escape a horde of angry ice cream people as they get away with a tub of ice cream crafted from 50 different flavors. Jake extols the virtues of the sweet treat as the pair escape a tunnel made of ice cream and break out into the Land of Ooo once more.

The Gist: It’s been some time since viewers got to see Finn the Human and Jake the Dog together during the finale of Adventure Time. So long, in fact, that the entirety of this hour-long episode is meant to bring them together once more as something of a cathartic reunion for longtime fans who have been looking and patiently waiting for a reunion tour. The vignette opens up just like a familiar Finn and Jake outing, only to morph into a stoic reminder that things are no longer perfect between our favorite best friends in the land of Ooo, but there’s still a reason to smile as Finn resolves to search for his buddy across a variety of lands with unique characters and memorable settings that remind us of the bond between these very special friends, just like the journeys they went on in the past together.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Of course, as this is for all intents and purposes an episode of Adventure Time, you’ll forget it’s an HBO Max special. You’ll no doubt be reminded of some of the other popular Cartoon Network series as well, like Regular Show, in which the primary focus is the power of friendship.

Our Take: This new slice of Adventure Time goodness is just as satisfying as watching the classic series. It feels like zero time has passed since we last got to spend time with our heroes, and that’s exactly what was needed for any kind of reunion. Finn and Jake are still just as visibly close as ever, and watching one half of the dynamic duo try to reach the other tugs on the ol’ heartstrings in the most magnificent way. There’s not a single moment in this special that won’t feel like a rush of nostalgia for series fans, but at the same time, it’s accessible to newcomers. It tells a story that isn’t completely confusing for anyone who missed out on the lengthy tale of these two best buds, and while it doesn’t tread new ground in the grand scheme of things, it’s still an exciting and emotional adventure for anyone who loves fantasy tales.

Sex and Skin: None to speak of, as Adventure Time is a very wholesome series that’s generally suitable for all ages.

Parting Shot: After a stressful journey and working to locate each other, Finn and Jake reunite in an unlikely place. Jake gently prods Finn to “go back there and live that best life,” which prompts the pair to make some difficult but much-needed decisions. In the end their reunion is brief, but much-needed.

Sleeper Star: Tiffany Oiler, a character we met earlier in an Adventure Time episode, is loyal to Jake, and can steal the scene a bit when he appears. But we see so many of the same faces so often in the show (at least, we did when it aired), that it feels good to see a competing character pop up now and then. Tiffany can be extremely annoying, but he can also be a bit endearing time and again, too.

Most Pilot-y Line: “I really thought I was young again and that Jake was still alive,” an older Finn proclaims as “reality” melts away to reveal the ice cream heist from earlier was just a vision. This kickstarts the entire point of the episode and reminds us that all is not well between Finn the Human and Jake the Dog after all, lulling us into a false sense of security.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Adventure Time: Distant Lands – Together Again is a funny, sweet, and poignant journey that brings two best friends together once more. Whether you were a fan of the original series or are curious about what an unbreakable bond between brothers looks like, you’ll find that Adventure Time: Distant Lands – Together Again is well worth the admission price — especially if you’ve been itching to return to the Land of Ooo for some time.

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over a decade for publications like G4, Popular Science, Playboy, Variety, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, GameSpot, and more. When she’s not writing or gaming, she’s collecting retro consoles and tech. Follow her on Twitter: @MolotovCupcake.

Watch Adventure Time: Distant Lands - Together Again on HBO Max