Starch Brotherhood: The Series

Starch Brotherhood: The Series is a 2022 American-Russian animated series. It was marked the first countryball series to ever air on television, two years before Countryballs: The Animated Series aired. The series was created by (censored) and was produced by somebody that I'm not going to type. It was also distributed by Wander Brothers. The show premiered on Adult Swim on March 13, 2022, and also premiered on HBO Max on May 11, 2022.

Summary
The series takes place after Belarus, Ireland, and Latvia all disappeared. However, they managed to get out. It follows a countryball named Belarus, who is an "adventurous" ball who loves potatoes, alongside Ireland and Latvia, as they go do all sorts of activities around the city. Years later, the Starch Brotherhood came back together with more slice-of-life and comedy. The crew is also seen in the Countryball Group.

Why It Can’t Go Potatoes

 * 1) The idea of making a YouTube series, Starch Brotherhood into a television series containing adult content and making it based on the Polandball fandom, while it is not that bad, isn't that good at all.
 * 2) *Due to it being based on the Polandball fandom, there is a lot of stereotypes into it.
 * 3) * The main problem about the series that lacks the charm from the YouTube series, with less adventure and action and more slice-of-life and randomness.
 * 4) Many of the episodes are very unoriginal, random, lackluster and cringe-worthy, as many are either stolen from The Loud House, Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, Drawn Together, Family Guy and South Park.
 * 5) It feels like a rip-off of The Crazy-Ass Group Show, Drawn Together, The Powerpuff Girls (2016), Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese, South Park, Family Guy and Teen Titans Go!, but a lot more mediocre, offensive and nonsensical.
 * 6) *It even rips off plot from these shows, by the way, just like Cookie Run The Series.
 * 7) *Speaking of South Park and Family Guy, it tries hard to become the next South Park or Family Guy, but it fails miserably.
 * 8) *Starting from season 8B, it rips off elements from Velma, which isn't any better.
 * 9) Most of the characters of the show have been flanderized, as they become unlikable, Mary-Sues/Gray Stus, Karma Houdinis, poorly written and have no depth whatsoever, examples include:
 * 10) *mh:artsanimationsen:Belarus went from a nice and friendly Countryball to a rude, unlikable and a punching bag.
 * 11) *mh:artsanimationsen:Latvia is now a laughable character as he won't stop saying, “Potatoes!” He is also a generic jerk.
 * 12) *mh:artsanimationsen:Ireland is now a drunk Gary Stu, as he rarely makes mistakes and everyone loves him.
 * 13) *mh:artsanimationsen:Peru, while he is likable, is a punching bag.
 * 14) *mh:artsanimationsen:Germany now likes vodka for some reason, although he can be likable.
 * 15) *mh:artsanimationsen:South Korea is a cringe-worthy TikTok fangirl who always goes on her iPhone just for TikToks. Not to mention she is extremely unlikable; she constantly likes to be a drama queen who argues most of the time with Ireland, assaults people nonstop and always beats up people who hate California.
 * 16) *mh:artsanimationsen:Idaho is just a generic "You know it all" Countryball who exists for filler and nothing else.
 * 17) Much like Bob the Builder (2015), Fireman Sam (CGI era, Season 6-present), Postman Pat: Special Delivery Service, Noddy, Toyland Detective, Monster High (2016), The Powerpuff Girls, the Netflix era of VeggieTales, Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! & All Engines Go! and Caillou's New Adventures, this series tries way too hard to modernize Starch Brotherhood, but fails miserably to the point where it doesn't feel the same series anymore.
 * 18) Quantity over quality: Despite the series coming out in March this year, there are already 8 seasons and 157 episodes, a video game and a movie in August.
 * 19) A lot of weak jokes are in the series that tries way hard to be funny, but end up becoming stupid, laughable and horrendous, just like Queer Duck. Don't forget their is even COVID-19 jokes in it, which these jokes aren't funny at all since COVID-19 is very serious, such as:
 * 20) *Belarus joking about COVID-19 in "Wear This Thing!" and "Potato Addiction".
 * 21) *There is even offensive jokes into the series. Which are also unfunny and can offended viewers.
 * 22) *Believe it or not, there are racist and homophobic jokes in this show.
 * 23) The title is somewhat misleading as well; despite being named "Starch Brotherhood: The Series", the show mostly focuses on the rest of the Art's Animations characters rather than the Starch Brotherhood, therefore, making it named "Art's Animations: The Series" instead.
 * 24) * Despite Ireland, Belarus and Latvia being the main protagonist, South Korea gets more screentime in this show, making it "The South Korea Show" instead of "Starch Brotherhood: The Series" or "Art's Animations: The Series"!
 * 25) The opening theme is way too short as it is only four or five seconds long. It was also stolen from TilleyParis's intro song rather than making a new opening theme music, although this was changed in Season 2.
 * 26) * Speaking of the opening theme for seasons 2-present, while it is not bad, is irritating.
 * 27) Yet again, speaking of the opening theme for seasons 2-present, the opening theme includes the Starch Brotherhood dabbing, doing Fortnite dances, like flossing (which is outdated) and even doing the Grubhub dance! (and that is also outdated)
 * 28) Overuse of offensive, dark, mean-spirited, weird, nonsense and disturbing moments throughout the show, such as:
 * 29) *Belarus killing Canada just to see her male syrup blood.
 * 30) *Latvia calling people "gay" in "Camp Nightmare".
 * 31) * Canada threaten to push her brother, United States off a cliff in "You Better Watch Out!"
 * 32) *The United States saying the N-word in "Guess That Word!"
 * 33) *Belarus blowing up the subway in "Blow Up the Subway…"
 * 34) *Ireland dancing to the full WAP song in "Ireland vs South Korea: You Lose, You Leave".
 * 35) *There was a scene in "The Stupidest Talent Show" where Belarus insults the viewers by saying "Adults still watch cartoons? That's crap!", which rips off a scene from the second trailer of episode two of Velma.
 * 36) The dialogue for the characters is so poorly-written and very laughable that it could possibly give The Crazy-Ass Group Show: The Series, Television Presentation a run for the money.
 * 37) Misleading Rating: As mentioned earlier, despite the TV-14 rating, this show is not appropriate for teenagers, due to its copious amounts of violence and offensive humor.
 * 38) Like Teen Titans Go!, there are many, many bad morals everywhere, including:
 * 39) *"Camp Nightmare"; teaches that is okay to be really homophobic and even murder anyone who is gay.
 * 40) *"Wear This Thing!"; teaches that is okay to not wear a mask whenever a huge pandemic is going on. Yes, and it teaches that spreading a virus is fine.
 * 41) *"Going to California or Not?"; teaches that you can assault someone if you are not going.
 * 42) It tries way too hip and trendy with the modern world, such as overusing mobile phones, using slangs like "memes" "hashtag relatable", etc.
 * 43) A lot of mediocre/bad episodes, such as:
 * 44) *We Are in Texas!
 * 45) *Fuck Brotherhood!
 * 46) *Starch Collapse 2.0 (Which was a terrible sequel)
 * 47) *Willow Tree… Sink That In!
 * 48) *All Balls Go to Heaven
 * 49) *Bitchass Terrorism
 * 50) *I Was a Teenage Gray 2.0
 * 51) *We Only Have Surprise For You
 * 52) *Brotherhood of Um… Make Em Up Pals
 * 53) *Schooled! Oh Fuck!
 * 54) *Camp Nightmare
 * 55) *Battle for Shit Island
 * 56) *Bronies Suck!
 * 57) *Ireland Vlogs: His Life at the Bar
 * 58) *You Know, Not All Countryballs Go to Heaven (which ended season 1 on a sour note)
 * 59) *South Korea Drives the Car: Just Start Already!
 * 60) * Colorado goes to Malaysia
 * 61) *Everyone, Stay at Home!
 * Adult Swim is addicted to this show now, to the point of airing nothing but the show for an entire month! This is on the same level as the infamous time Cartoon Network aired nothing but Teen Titans Go! at the end of 2017, and BlakeIsHere Network's infamous “Numberblocks Month” (in which the channel aired nothing but Numberblocks for an entire month) from November 2020.
 * 1) In conclusion, this show is just forgettable, and gave Art’s Animations a bad name.

Redeeming Qualities
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
 * 1) Thankfully, some of the characters, such as mh:artsanimationsen:Ukraine, the United States (despite her flanderization), and mh:artsanimationsen:Estonia haven't been flanderized. As they still have their normal counterparts like in the original series.
 * 2) * Germany, despite his flanderization, can be likable at times.
 * 3) * Ireland, Belarus, and Latvia, despite their flanderization are still likable as well.
 * 4) Some decent and good episodes here and there, such as:
 * 5) *Lent Month (which was a good way to start the show)
 * 6) *Ireland's Decision
 * 7) *St. Patrick’s Day, But in a Weird Way
 * 8) *Remember Me, Again?
 * 9) *Ireland Graduates Collage
 * 10) *Countryballs Watch the Oscars!
 * 11) *Who's That Countryball?
 * 12) *Ireland's Day Off (Which started season 2 on a decent note)
 * 13) *iPhone Heist
 * 14) * Belarus and the Idiots
 * 15) *Slice of Life

Episodes
Belarus: What to give up? Latvia: Well, I don't really know. Lent Month sucks anyways. Ireland: What will I give up for Lent Month? Belarus: You should give up with beer for Lent Month. You are already obsessed with it.

Episode: Lent Month (Season 1 Episode 1)

Britain: IRELAND!  Ireland: *In drunk voice* Ugh!!! What do you fucking want?! I was doing something. Britain: What in the bloody hell am I seeing?! Ireland: See what? Britain: You doing a explicit song on TikTok! You hear me? On fuckin' TikTok!

(Episode: Fuckin' TikTok Parody! (Season 1 Episode 2)

Poland: Who wants to do to Texas? South Korea: Oh! Me, me, me! I want to go to Texas!

Poland: Ha! South Korea: What is this…? This… isn't Texas… you better bring us there right now or I will throw you off a cliff… Episode: We Are in Texas! (Season 1 Episode 3)

Ireland: I must go, Belarus. I have some work to do. Belarus: Shit. Now, what am I going to do now?

Colorado: Time to put all of my Beatles in the Brotherhood's potatoes…! *laughs*

(some random point in the episode later...)

South Korea and Ireland: Fuck Brotherhood, 2003 is better! Episode: Fuck Brotherhood! (Season 1 Episode 4)

Great Britain: I had it with you, the USA. I have no choice but to disown you for good! USA: Please don't disown me… I DID EVERYTHING FOR YOU!!! I WILL PAY YOU 100 BUCKS IF YOU DONT DISOWN ME!!! Belarus: What the fawk?! Peru: They never get along… Episode: Stupid Idiot Gets Disowned (Season 1 Episode 5) UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Reception
Starch Brotherhood: The Series had received overall mixed-to-negative reception from critics, but an overwhelmingly negative reception from audiences, saying that Starch Brotherhood is considered the strangest adult cartoon in history. Artyom Sayevets, the creator of the YouTube series, said that he did not like its television series due to its offensive jokes and horrible writing.

However, the show, as with the movies, has become very successful commercially and has become the cash cow of Adult Swim and Warner Bros. Animation, and the show is now one of the most popular franchises in the field of animation, with it often being one of the highest TV shows in terms of ratings and is extremally popular with kids aged 7-12, despite being inappropriate for that audience, with it even airing on children's TV channels (although heavily censored) in some countries like France. In 2026 the franchise was making around $5 billion a year worldwide, with most of that coming from merchandise sales.

The show has also been praised by some fans of the series, considering "it's bad that it's so good and hilarious".

The series currently holds a 4.6/10 on IMDb, a 41% critic score and a 14% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a 29 out of 100 on Metacritic and around 55% of the users voted a like on this show on Google.

BlakeIsHere Network UK trial airing bachlash
In March 2022, the British free-to-air television channel BlakeIsHere Network trialled adding the show to the schedule.

Following viewer backlash of the trial airing of the show, since it was aired outside of the watershed hours despite featuring inappropriate content, BlakeIsHere Network pulled it from their schedule, it was immediately afterwards replaced with other shows. The Head of Scheduling at BlakeIsHere Television Networks (the subdivision of the BlakeIsHere Group, more specifically the media division, BlakeIsHere Entertainment, that manages the BlakeIsHere TV channels domestically in the UK) has since confirmed the company themselves hated the show.

The show later aired in the UK on Channel 4 and got less backlash since it aired during the watershed hours.

Trivia
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
 * The United States uses she/her pronouns in this show, however, in the spinoffs, the USA uses he/him pronouns, as well as having a different voice actor. Some fans just ignore that and use gender-neutral pronouns when discussing the USA, though.

Bad/Mediocre Episodes

 * Ireland vs Ireland vs Ireland
 * Ireland vs South Korea: You Lose, You Leave
 * Countryballs Goes to Europe
 * The Stupid Dance Floor
 * Something on Her Spare Time… iPhones
 * South Korea's Great Birthday Bash!
 * The Stupid Christmas

Decent/Good Episodes

 * Lent Month
 * Belarus and the Idiots
 * Ireland's Day Off