Mr. Greg

Plot

Steven and Greg are amazed to learn that Greg's song "Comet" has been used as the basis for a successful burger commercial jingle titled "Like a Burger". They debate what to do with the $10 million Greg received for the jingle, agreeing that the best things in life are free in the song "Don't Cost Nothin'". They decide to take a vacation to Empire City, and Steven suggests Pearl accompany them, singing "Empire City". Pearl and Greg are reluctant but go along.

In Empire City, they stay at Le Hotel, where the staff joins them in the song "Mr. Greg". Greg asks Pearl to dance, but she refuses, ending the song abruptly. Later that night, while Steven and Greg sleep, Pearl sings "It's Over, Isn't It?" about her feelings for Rose Quartz and her jealousy over Rose choosing Greg. Steven and Greg wake during the song; Greg flees to the hotel bar.

Steven reveals he invited Pearl so she and Greg could work out their differences. He plays a piano song, "Both of You", urging them to talk about their feelings for Rose. After they discuss their feelings, the hotel staff cheers, and Greg receives the bill. The three leave Empire City, with Greg and Pearl chatting amiably as Steven observes their improved relationship in a reprise of "Don't Cost Nothing".

Production

The musical episode “Mr. Greg” was the last storyboarding credit for Joe Johnston before he moved into the role of supervising director; he co-wrote and co-storyboarded it with Jeff Liu. Animation direction came from Ki-Yong Bae and Jin-Hee Park, while Jasmin Lai handled art direction. For the song “It’s Over, Isn’t It?”, a spinning camera shot around Pearl was borrowed from a similar moment in the film Victor/Victoria’s “Crazy World.” The tap-dancing sounds for Pearl and Steven in the title track came from the actual footwork of Shelby Rabara, Peridot’s voice actress.

Seven songs make up the episode: “Like a Burger,” “Don’t Cost Nothing,” “Empire City,” “Mr. Greg,” “It’s Over, Isn’t It?”, “Both of You,” and a reprise of “Don’t Cost Nothing.” The track “Mr. Greg” was penned by Johnston, Ben Levin, and Liu, with Liu on guitar and Levin on bass. Series creator Rebecca Sugar wrote “It’s Over, Isn’t It?” and “Both of You,” which were arranged by the show’s music team Aivi & Surasshu; Jeff Ball played the strings. Sugar found “It’s Over, Isn’t It?” especially challenging, rewriting it multiple times and calling it her hardest song to date.

Broadcast and reception

"Mr. Greg" first aired on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2016. It was the third installment of the "Steven's Summer Adventures" event, which featured a new episode each weekday for four weeks during summer break. The episode drew about 1.549 million viewers in its initial American broadcast and earned a Nielsen household rating of 0.43, meaning 0.43% of all households tuned in. Critics universally praised the episode.

Eric Thurm from The A.V. Club gave it an A− grade, calling it "delightful" but noting it was "a little on the nose, even for Steven Universe." Reviewers at thegeekiary.com, KK Bracken and Laura B, highlighted its catchy music, bombastic animation, great one-liners, and hilarious visual humor. ND Medina of iDigitalTimes described the songs as "some of the catchiest tunes this side of Hamilton" and specifically called out "It's Over, Isn't It?" as "the most magnificently gay thing Steven Universe has done since Ruby and Sapphire got their own episode." In 2017, the episode received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program.