Is Beavis too nice now?

Posted by iardass@reddit | BeavisAndButthead | View on Reddit | 56 comments

This isn't a complaint, just an observation. I actually really dig the revival. Especially the second season. Has anyone else noticed that Beavis is almost way too nice now? He always used to have those little glimpses of kindness, but in the older episodes he was sort of a "bad boy" kind of like Butt-head, who just occasionaly showed a heart, while still being a bad kid like Butt-head. However, now that's just his whole character. Beavis is essentialy just this childish, innocent little "sweetheart" now, he's just a few steps from being like Stewart now.

Also, Butt-head was always an asshole to Beavis, but it still used to feel like they were simultaneously on the same wavelength, and actually had a friendship, as fucked up as it may have been. Now Butt-head is basically just this abuser of Beavis, who despises him and doesn't even seem to want him around other than to make him suffer.

As much as I liked the "Take a Bow" episode, I kinda don't buy that he would have this sudden change of character, when he's more of a sociopath and more antagonistic towards Beavis than he's ever been. Lmao.

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sterling_mallory@reddit

He's definitely more of a sympathetic character now, I like it personally. I really don't think the old show could exist today, not with new viewers. A show where the point is that both main characters are completely irredeemable just wouldn't appeal to people nowadays, I think. It's different but I think it's one of those times where an animated show changing a character works for the better.

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Jeej_uw@reddit

I'm completely fine with the original show, even with the crude era. Who the heck am I? I was born after the nineties, this cartoon is older than me.

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sterling_mallory@reddit

Hey, I think that's awesome that there are younger folks who enjoy it. It was/is a very funny show!

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Jeej_uw@reddit

Not just funny to me, even if it is very amusing. I find it inspiring too. The fact that it fits my sense of humour is even better! I don't know how it is with younger people in the US since I'm from a different country and my worldview may be really different..

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sterling_mallory@reddit

Ah shit, it's not great to find those characters inspiring, really... Not sure if that's how you meant it though, I'm probably misunderstanding.

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Jeej_uw@reddit

Of course I didn't mean like I would do the same thing they do.. especially crude era stuff as I condemn drug abuse, violence against animals, damage to one's own and other people's property, etc. But they do inspire me in a less destructive way, like letting myself have fun with some stupid crap and being more confident with it, discovering more music with the show and feeling funny when their comments fit my thoughts on it. They're disgusting as people, but as characters they're wonderful. Lately I even start to feel bad for them, knowing that they're most likely heavily neglected, and it gets even more better from his point. As one person once said, there's something heartwarming in the fact that Beavis and Butthead found each other. Such a depressing background for such dillholes.

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Lordoffire234@reddit

Plenty of shows these days with irredeemable characters are super popular, IASIP and Family Guy to name two. I agree that Beavis is a lot more sympathetic these days but I wasn’t even born when the original run ended, my introduction was the first movie and it always seemed to me that the two of them were like crabs in a bucket, but thought that everyone else sucked and for that reason were inseparable. Would really like them to harden the show up again as much as I love the new series

shevy-java@reddit

Beavis was always the nicer one of those two. Age made him even nicer.

Without Butt-Head, Beavis would have done fairly well. There is one episode where it was shown what Beavis would be at without Butt-Head.

Quibblet21@reddit

"he's just a few steps from being like Stewart now."

I liken Beavis and Stewart to Venus and Earth: both share some similar characteristics (hell, Stewart was a match for Beavis's kidney transplant), but both lives took completely different directions. In this case, Stewart is 'Earth' and Beavis is 'Venus.'

PlanktonIsBest@reddit

I think this is Beavis' actual personality, and his "bad boy" side is just him copying Butthead

sunnyforgiveness@reddit

I don't really have much to add to the discussion, just wanted to HCD lol :)

Different-Opinion234@reddit

Beavis is still a brain dead idiot but yeah it seems as though the writers now want to make him sympathetic, which I guess is fine.

But give Butthead more moments to not be as much of a sociopathic asshole to make it even.

MrBigDickNonBrown@reddit

Well they did give us the episode where he prays to god to save Beavis because he thought he killed him lol

“Please don’t let Beavis die. He’s got like, work to do or something. Work sucks.” 😂

vallyallyum@reddit

"I feel bad. Feeling bad sucks. Uh-huh-huh."

Butthead is undeniably my favorite just because of how deadpan he is

I know, right? Everything he says is like "me irl" 😂.

I’ve found myself adopting some of Buttheads mannerisms. Like saying “that looks cool!” Or “uhhh…ok” if someone tells me something that I need to know.

linkerjpatrick@reddit

They seem to have a little more knowledge when watching videos but maybe it’s the same kind of genius Peter Sellers had in the movie, Being There.

starmartyr@reddit

That's always been the case. They are a bit smarter when watching videos. The reason is that their stupidity isn't as funny when they are reacting to stuff. They need to say things that are somewhat clever when they're just sitting on the couch watching tv.

General-Carob-6087@reddit

The videos are my favorite part of the show. Always has been. I also like during the actual storyline portions when they're doing something like impersonating a cop or something along those lines, they become a bit smarter. I actually think they're much funnier when they're a little smarter and able to make fun of things.

I like to think the tv commentary is “real” and the adventures are kinda like the skits they give us.

Kuchi_Kopi_49@reddit

I liked how at the very end of the episode where Beavis went to the old folks home, Butthead was helping him inside. He waited for him, held his arm out for Beavis to hold and opened the door for him. (Of course he had previously laughed when Beavis was beaten.)

“Did I tell you about the time I almost scored?”

“You sure did Beavis.”

I thought it was unexpectedly sweet.

SnooPaintings2082@reddit

Butthead knocks health food out of Beavis’s hands:

“Damnit, I’m gonna kill you Mr. Butthead!!”

I definitely agree with you about Butt-head but I kinda got the impression that was because, for some reason, the writers are wanting to make Beavis more likable and Butt-head less likable. Maybe that's just me though. I've always liked Butt-head much more and still do so maybe I just have a different viewpoint as I know Beavis has always been the more popular of the two.

salnidsuj@reddit

I don't like the scream that Beavis does every time he gets injured. He never did that in the old ones, but it seems every episode (and the new movie) now he does this annoying scream.

iardass@reddit (OP)

Mike Judge got older, sadly. Beavis' voice has been noticeably off since the 2011 revival. I miss his higher, more shrill voice too.

Honestly I don’t really mind the change. Judge is older and I’m guessing the strain of doing a higher pitched voice for Beavis is too hard on his throat.

Uh huh huh hard.

dg1138@reddit

I dunno, I never saw him as malicious as Butthead. He’s just always been stupid, careless and easily manipulated. I feel like that was the intention even in the old days. There’s the episode where they show what he’d be like without Butthead’s influence and he’s genuinely a decent person.

the_ice_man_ko@reddit

I liked how beavis was trying to be unbothered on the couch in the ciabatta zone when butthead was talking

Wild-Ad-3471@reddit

guys in the og series there was an episode where he was literally shown working at a homeless shelter, hes always been the misguided good one :(

OkWealth3666@reddit

Maybe Beavis is just mellowing out with age. Or Butthead is secretly a good influence on him.

Bowiefanunicorn@reddit

No in the original series they also showed that Beavis could be kind deep down there somewhere but butthead is more of a full on sociopath or whatever lol

Adventurous-Shake480@reddit

they showed it sometimes in the og series, but now it’s all the time.

RustedAxe88@reddit

He had little moments like this in the original run, too. Like when he's having fun baby-talking with the baby or when he befriends the old lady in Do America.

The Christmas special also showed how much different Beavis would be if Butthead wasn't in his life and he was incredibly kind and happy.

I also think their friendship is actually stronger in the new series. In the movie when they're apart, they're legit upset, when Beavis runs into the Butthead lookalike, he's trying like hell to get to the Maxi Mart to meet Butthead.

ipreferfelix@reddit

Beavis going "Hey how's it going" and offering to shake the baby's hand is something I think about frequently

Boobie boobie.

"I think the baby's diaper is dirty"

"Whoa, cool"

MacualayCocaine@reddit

No um, I POOP TOO MUCH.

DannyDodge67@reddit

Then i get tired

I was in the hospital last year undergoing a procedure and they were removing a port in my chest before going home. As the doctor was taking it out an old man in the next room was shouting at the nurse, “I USUALLY PEE STANDING UP!” Me and the doctor both almost died laughing 😂 reminded me of Beavis

TSG61373@reddit

I don’t mind it as long as Butt-head gets a bit more comeuppance now and then. Beavis Hires a Hitman really had you rooting for beavis only for him to receive the worst punishment.

Hyptonight@reddit

Agreed. I think Judge and the writers don’t understand how badly we want to see Butt-head get his ass beat.

I definitely agree with you about Butt-head’s character becoming too unlikeable, but Beavis is still mainly the same character. I think they’ve just amplified some of his personality a bit to create more contrast between the two.

PoshSpiceLC@reddit

He did know a lot about BTS in that first video they did maybe he’s an ARMY now? That’s my head cannon at least

Misfit_Number_Kei@reddit

Besides what others have said about how he was nice even in the original run, back then both the episodes like the "It's A Wonderful Life" parody and interviews/descriptions painted Beavis as a natural follower and Butt-Head as the bad influence.

When Beavis is with someone else (ex. Stewart) or alone, he's naturally not so bad, so I'd so the new movie and show simply expanded on that characterization.

Also, a previous thread had it right Beavis has the higher EQ and curiosity about life whereas Butt-Head's a self-admitted sociopath that thinks he has it all figured out and is just fine on the couch.

Thats actually been my only true complaint of the revival.

Beavis was always getting the shit end in the OG Series as well but its kinda like made him more of a bitch than he was before, like he doesn’t have any balls anymore.

And yet Butt-Head is virtually no different from how he was in the original series. So yeah I wonder why they decided to make Beavis more nice and slightly smarter, it isn’t always bad but it’s surly more negative than positive.