The Inquisition (The Amazing World of Gumball)
| "The Inquisition" | |
|---|---|
| The Amazing World of Gumball episode | |
 Gumball, Darwin, and Banana Joe face Superintendent Evil (Garrick Hagon), a live-action character integrated into the animated setting. | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 44 |
| Directed by | Mic Graves |
| Written by |
|
| Production code | GB644 |
| Original air date | June 24, 2019[1][2] |
| Guest appearance | |
| Garrick Hagon as Superintendent Evil | |
"The Inquisition" is the forty-fourth episode and season finale of the sixth season of the British-American animated sitcom The Amazing World of Gumball, serving as the 240th episode overall. Directed by Mic Graves and written by series creator Ben Bocquelet, Graves, Joe Markham, Richard Overall, Joe Parham, Jess Ransom, and Tobi Wilson, the episode premiered on Cartoon Network in the United States on June 24, 2019.
The episode follows Superintendent Evil (played by Garrick Hagon), a live-action human who attempts to transform the animated students of Elmore Junior High into realistic humans. Gumball and Darwin use cartoon logic to restore their classmates, who subsequently unmask the Superintendent as Rob in disguise. Before Rob can explain his actions, the floor opens beneath him and swallows him into the void, ending the original series run on a cliffhanger.
Upon its original broadcast, "The Inquisition" was viewed by 0.51 million viewers in the United States.[3] The episode generated a highly polarized reception from critics and audiences; while it received praise for its ambitious live-action animation integration, self-aware meta-humor, and cynical deconstruction of the show's visual identity, the episode's abrupt, unresolved cliffhanger ending was heavily criticized. The cliffhanger was initially intended to set up a film adaptation, but it remained unresolved for years until the premiere of the revival series, The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, in 2025.
Plot
Principal Brown warns the faculty at Elmore Junior High about an upcoming inspection. During a school assembly, a live-action human calling himself Superintendent Evil announces a plan to eliminate the school's cartoon-like elements by transforming its students into more realistic forms.
Gumball and Darwin find the superintendent's transformation machine in his office. After escaping capture, the brothers perform a song with Banana Joe, causing the transformed students to break character and revert to their animated forms. The students corner the superintendent and unmask him, revealing him to be Rob.
Rob states that he turned the students into humans to help them escape an impending disaster, but Tina Rex knocks him unconscious before he can elaborate further. That night, Rob awakens alone in the school building. The floor collapses beneath him, revealing the Void. Rob falls into it, and the episode cuts to black.
Production
"The Inquisition" marked the conclusion of the original series' 240-episode run. The episode stands out for its extensive use of live-action footage integrated into its predominantly animated setting, featuring voice actor Garrick Hagon physically portraying Superintendent Evil.[4]
The narrative of the episode—which features the villain attempting to forcefully "normalize" the cartoonish students—was crafted as a meta-commentary on the television industry, specifically satirizing how animated television shows are often altered or purged from networks in favor of live-action productions.[4] At the time of production, Bocquelet had confirmed that the sixth season would be his last on the show, and the episode was designed with a major cliffhanger meant to lead directly into a feature film adaptation to formally conclude the series.[4][5]
Reception and analysis
Viewership
"The Inquisition" premiered on Cartoon Network in the United States on June 24, 2019. Upon its initial broadcast, the episode was viewed by 0.51 million viewers and received a 0.1 rating in the 18–49 demographic.[3]
Critical response
The episode received a polarized response from audiences and mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. Praise was heavily directed at the episode's visual gags and thematic ambition, but the abrupt cliffhanger ending sparked significant controversy.
David Kaldor of Bubbleblabber rated the episode 7 out of 10, praising its live-action sequences but criticizing its abrupt cliffhanger.[6] Matt A La Mode awarded the episode an A+, calling it a "master-class in deconstruction" that utilized its meta-humor to subvert the show's visual identity.[7]
Writing for SlashFilm in 2022, Caroline Cao interpreted the episode's premise as a commentary on the removal of animated television series from streaming services and the industry's preference for live-action productions.[4]
Continuation
Following the broadcast of "The Inquisition", series creator Ben Bocquelet confirmed that ending the episode on an unresolved cliffhanger was due to executive decisions rather than narrative intent, planning for a feature-length film to resolve the storyline.[4][5] Bocquelet had previously expressed interest in a film adaptation in a 2016 interview with The Times.[8]
On February 17, 2021, Cartoon Network revealed that a television film based on the series was in development.[9] On September 21, 2021, it was announced that a new television series, serving as a follow-up for both the show and the movie, had been greenlit for Cartoon Network and HBO Max alongside the film.[5] On August 22, 2022, it was reported that the film would no longer be heading to HBO Max, but would be shopped to other outlets instead.[10][11] At the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, it was announced that the film was still being worked on, with the story and script being revised.[12] On June 15, 2023, it was confirmed at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival that the spin-off series would instead serve as the seventh season of the show but was later rebranded as a revival series.[13] The revival series premiered in the United States on July 28, 2025.[14][15][16] The series revisited elements of the cliffhanger, including Rob's storyline.[17][18]
References
- ↑ "The Amazing World of Gumball: The Inquisition". The Futon Critic. The Futon Critic. May 28, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
- ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (May 28, 2019). "'Summer Camp Island' & More New Episodes Heat up Cartoon Network in June". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on May 19, 2025. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
- 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (June 25, 2019). "Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.24.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Cao, Caroline (September 22, 2022). "How The Amazing World Of Gumball Finale Predicted The Animated Purges". SlashFilm. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Amidi, Amid (September 22, 2021). "'The Amazing World Of Gumball' Set To Return As Both A Movie And Series". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
- ↑ Kaldor, David (June 24, 2019). "Review: The Amazing World of Gumball "The BFFs";"The Inquisition"". Bubbleblabber. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
- ↑ Alamode, Matt (June 24, 2019). "The Amazing World of Gumball Review: The Inquisition". Matt A La Mode. Archived from the original on December 7, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
- ↑ Clay, Joe (January 9, 2016). "The Amazing World of Gumball: The kids show that parents love to watch". The Times. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
- ↑ Hurler, Jen (February 17, 2021). "WarnerMedia To Launch 50 Preschool Series, Announces 'Redraw Your World' As New Cartoon Network Slogan". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on December 14, 2025. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
- ↑ Lang, Jamie (August 23, 2022). "'Batman' Series, 'Gumball' Movie Among Half-Dozen Titles No Longer Headed To HBO Max". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on August 25, 2026. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
- ↑ Taylor, Drew (August 22, 2022). "HBO Max Cancels More Animation, Including 'Batman: The Caped Crusader' and 2 'Looney Tunes' Projects". TheWrap. Archived from the original on January 23, 2026. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
- ↑ Valdez, Nick (June 15, 2024). "The Amazing World of Gumball Movie Is Not Cancelled, Says Creator". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2025. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ Giraud, Kevin (June 15, 2023). "Annecy: New Animated Offerings from Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network & Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ↑ Norman, Dalton (March 3, 2024). "The Amazing World Of Gumball Season 7: Cast, Story & Everything We Know". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on May 26, 2025. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ Valdez, Nick (January 12, 2025). "The Amazing World of Gumball Is Finally Coming Back With New Episodes Soon". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2025. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ Spry, Jeff (July 25, 2025). "'The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball' Creator Ben Bocquelet Dishes on His Critically Acclaimed Show's Comeback". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on July 28, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ↑ Castro, Amanda M. (November 10, 2025). "Forget 'IT: Welcome to Derry' — This Must-Watch 100% Series Is Surging Through the Charts". Collider. Archived from the original on August 1, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
- ↑ O'Rourke, Ryan (December 15, 2025). "'The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball' Welcomes Back Its Greatest Villain in New Season 2 Sneak Peek". Collider. Archived from the original on May 5, 2026. Retrieved August 21, 2026.