A Wild Rewatch Appeared!

Ash finally catches a Pokémon. Two, actually! Hans, Ryan and Stu watch Caterpie become Metapod in the only silk-and-shedding evolution the anime ever shows, and see one String Shot take down Team Rocket. Plus: how hard is a Poké Ball, is Ash's dad trapped inside one, why won't Caterpie say its own name, and why are two 25-year-olds stalking a pair of ten-year-olds? The verdict: a Great Ball and two Ultra Balls, the best score of the rewatch so far.

Next week: Episode 4, "Challenge of the Samurai". Ash's first real trainer battle, and the Beedrill are back.

Prepare for trouble! Hans, Ryan and Stu meet Team Rocket for the very first time, and they’re not impressed: matching uniforms, a Meowth hot air balloon and an intro budget Giovanni should be asking questions about. Plus Officer Jenny’s legendary skid, a room full of Pikachu running to power a hospital, a Pikachu supercharged by a push bike, and the theory that Ash has been in a coma since Episode 1. The verdict: one Poké Ball and two Great Balls.

Next week: Episode 3, “Ash Catches a Pokémon”.
Watch along live on Altcaster: https://altcaster.com/casters/wildrewatch
Questions for Can’t Escape: [email protected]

Where it all begins! Hans, Ryan and Stu press play on the very first episode of the Pokémon anime, as Ash oversleeps, gets a Pikachu that won’t go in its Poké Ball, and learns the hard way not to throw rocks at a Spearow. 

We share our memories of first watching it, make our predictions, rate it from Poké Ball to Master Ball and start the season scoreboard.

A wild rewatch appeared! Hans, Ryan and Stu are rewatching every episode of the Pokémon anime, all 1,000+ of them, starting from Ash's very first adventure in Kanto. Before we set off, Episode 0 introduces the trainers.

In this episode:

• Why we're doing this, and how it connects to Altcaster, the alternative commentary platform the three of us co-founded
• How the show works: live watch-alongs on Altcaster, our predictions before each episode, and a new podcast every week
• Our first memories of Pokémon: racing home to watch it on TV, belting out the PokéRap, Red vs Blue, giant link cables, and a sister who swore she had Mew
• The grind: levelling Pidgey and Rattata for hours as kids versus replaying FireRed in our mid-30s
• Shiny Venusaur, lost card collections, and our new podcast goal of three PSA 10 Charizards (one each, to avoid fights)
• Choosing our starters: Charmander, Squirtle or Bulbasaur?
• Our predictions for the rewatch: Cringe Fest, a slightly strange Professor Oak, and why Ash doesn't just catch them all

Next week is Episode 1, "Pokémon, I Choose You!" Join us live on Altcaster to watch along and comment. We'll share the time on socials.

Got a question for the show? Email [email protected].

 Find us on Instagram and TikTok by searching "Wild Rewatch", and follow Altcaster too.

An Altcaster podcast.