Cheese/Finale

## Information

SHOP: A Pop Opera

**Cheese** is the sixth and final episode of the mini-series SHOP: A Pop Opera, created by Jack Stauber and aired on Adult Swim at midnight on Saturday, March 9th, 2019, at a runtime of one minute and fifty-six seconds. This episode notably features two songs and both songs would later be released on March 8th, 2020, along with the other songs in the mini-series, with the second song being released under the name **Finale**. The episode centers around the protagonist looking for the sixth and final item on his grocery list, cheese, as he learns a lesson about making choices and not overthinking decisions.

## Synopsis and Lyrics

The episode continues off where Coffee finished. The protagonist looks on his list and reveals the sixth and final item to search for, being cheese. After looking at the list, he assumes that finding the cheese shouldn't be as hard as the previous items were. However, he turns around and finds the cheese shelf, which is a very long, tall, and congested shelf with multiple cheeses on them. It then transitions into the first song of the episode, where the protagonist goes through the "five aisles of grief" as he processes on how he will decide what cheese to choose.

This can't brie

There’s more cheese to choose than I can see (Oh)

You gouda be kidding me (Oooh)

I can't make these decisions on my provolone

If I act better (Ah)

Could someone else select my cheddar?

Are these bleus parmanent?

I'll be okay, I’ll look away and let the universe say

The protagonist then decides to randomly choose a piece of cheese with his eyes closed. He then opens them to see the cheese he chose, revealing that he picked a piece of "dairy-free maple coconut water cheese" to which the protagonist looks in disappointment. He then says to himself that he could've picked a better piece of cheese than that. He then abruptly looks up in shock and realization. It then transitions into the second song of the episode about choices and being confident in making them. The song also recaps all messages learned in the previous episodes.

I could (I could)

I trust I would pick something better (Better, better, oh-ooh-ooh)

My choice, it's a decision I make to be a good go-getter

Every milk will expire

So toss your oatmeal and eat something new (Eat something new, new, new, woop)

Coffee moderation

Life is messy and your bread isn't you (You, you, you, you)

(Oh no, your bread isn't you)

After the song ends, the protagonist quickly runs back to the yogurt sample stand from the first episode. He then makes his own confident decision on which flavor to try, choosing the strawberry flavor. After the man at the stand gives him the sample, the protagonist tries it to which he is amazed at how good the yogurt is. He then asks the man if could try the other one, to which the man says no. The protagonist then accepts it and is okay with the decision he makes. The protagonist then tells the man at the stand how good the yogurt was.

## Meaning

> **"My choice, it's a decision I make to be a good go-getter!"**
>
>

The final message learned in this episode is to **not be scared of making decisions**. The decision of what cheese to choose portrays this message, as originally, the protagonist is unaware of what cheese to choose as he believes there are too many to choose from and how he cannot make the choice by himself. However, after the choice to randomly choose the cheese with his eyes closed fails, he eventually realizes that he should be confident and trusting in what choices he makes, and how his choice is what makes him a "good go-getter" as his choices will always vary.

This message is also originally shown in the first episode of the series, Milk, where the protagonist has trouble deciding on what yogurt sample to try, overthinking which one is better and what the consequences will be of trying and not trying a certain flavor. Originally, he decides to just leave it and go back for it. However, after learning the message about choices, combined with the messages learned in the previous episodes, he decides to instantly make his choice, rather than putting it off. Eventually after making his choice and being told he cannot try the other option, instead of overthinking or being upset at his choice, he instead learns to accept it and happy with his choice, as he liked the flavor he chose. This message is also shown throughout all the episodes, as he eventually trusts all the brand choices of each grocery item he buys, specifically the WOWZA bread, the washrag, the mystery oatmeal, and the decaf coffee.

## Notes

Cheese is considered by fans to be a great finale to the SHOP: A Pop Opera mini-series as it recaps all the messages learned in the previous episodes and features the message arguably most relevant to the series in general. The episode was also very notable for having two songs in it, being something well liked by fans. Both songs would be liked in their own ways. The cheese song would be liked for its deep tone and especially its cheese puns. Finale would also be liked for its upbeat tone, its recapping of the previous messages, and notably the final instrumental added to the end of the song when it was released, being called a cool closing of series to fans.

## Trivia

* Cheese is the only episode in SHOP: A Pop Opera with two songs in it.
* Cheese is the only episode of SHOP: A Pop Opera where the protagonist doesn't run into anyone while looking for a grocery item.
* As stated above, the soundtrack version of the Finale song added a new instrumental outro to the end of the song that consists of different harmonic synth notes.
* A still of the protagonist loving the strawberry yogurt was used as the thumbnail when Adult Swim uploaded the full mini-series onto YouTube.
* There is a very popular theory about SHOP: A Pop Opera that theorizes that its protagonist is meant to resemble and represent a "yogurt man" like all previous episodes where there would be a character representing a food item relevant to the episode. This theory is supported by the protagonist's hair resembling the swirl seen on the yogurt sample the protagonist eventually tries and how the message of making choices connects with both the protagonist and the yogurt samples, although, unlike the previously met characters, the protagonist is the only one who understands these messages and changes as a result.

## Gallery

Episode PortionCheese Song PortionEpisode Portion (cont.)Finale Song PortionEpisode Portion (cont.)Swirl on the yogurt sample is similar to the one in the protagonist's hairStill later used as SHOP: A Pop Opera' full series upload by Adult Swim