The big game wasn’t particularly entertaining this year, but thank goodness we still had the ads to keep us amused. Relive some of the best, worst and most talked-about commercial moments of the night in the Super Bowl edition of our Weekly Must Reads.

The Good

M&Ms “Come Together”

Lots of Super Bowl ads try for humor, but the dry sarcasm in the M&Ms spot was particularly effective. In the first part of the commercial, M&Ms products are given as an apology for bad behaviors, such as seat-kicking and mansplaining. Extra points for the apology “I’m sorry your name is Karen” – a perfect 2021 joke and one of the best of the night. Plus, with a Dan Levy appearance to close out the commercial, you can’t help but smile at this ad. Watch it here.

General Motors, “No Way, Norway”

This General Motors ad gave us some pretty great Will Ferrell content. The commercial starts with Ferrell explaining Norway sells more electric cars per capita than the US – and promptly punching a hole right through the Norway painted on his globe. Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina then join him on a journey to take on Norway – until Ferrell accidentally ends up in Sweden. It’s funny, tells a clever story, and promotes energy conservation. A good ad all around. See it here.

Tide, “The Jason Alexander Hoodie”

This ad starts with a simple premise of a mother trying to convince her son to finally wash his favorite hoodie – it just so happens that the hoodie has Seinfield’s Jason Alexander’s face plastered on the front. Through flashbacks, we see everything the hoodie has been subjected to: a drooling dog, food spills, and being shoved in a gym bag beneath dirty socks. In each situation, we see the reaction on Alexander’s face, until he’s finally treated to a wash with Tide. At the end, we see the real-life actor cross paths with the son and demand his face back. Alexander’s face reacts to it all, and at the end, we see the real-life actor himself cross paths with the son. The commercial is pretty goofy, but it works. Check it out here.

Toyota, “Upstream”

In this well-filmed and almost artistic ad, Toyota shows Paralympian gold medalist Jessica Long swimming through the many phases of her life. We follow Long’s journey through an adoption agency, learning to walk with prosthetic legs, and her first swim, among many moving moments. The commercial ends with a message from Toyota highlighting the hope and strength in each of us, which feels very appropriate during a time that has felt defeating to many people. It’s also a smart move for Toyota to subtly highlight its sponsorship of the Olympics, which as of now will take place this summer. Watch it here.

Anheuser-Busch, “Let’s Grab a Beer”

This Anheuser-Busch ad was a widely held favorite of the night. It’s full of relatable situations and sincere moments, which all show people connecting over the company’s wide range of beers. As the brand states at the end, it’s not really about the beer – “It’s about being together.” There are some vague references to the pandemic, but just enough to make it feel relevant without hitting us over the head with it. It’s a great example of the classic inspirational Super Bowl ads. View it here.

The Disappointing

Pringles, “Space Return”

The premise of the commercial is pretty straightforward: astronauts are stranded on their vessel in the middle of the sea, but everyone who can help them is too distracted by stacking Pringles to notice them. It’s a decent idea, but the execution slightly missed the mark. The jokes don’t hit particularly well, and on the whole the commercial just isn’t memorable. It isn’t bad – we just expect more from such a large brand with a long history of big game commercials. Make your own opinion here.

Skechers, “To the Max”

Skechers’ Super Bowl ad stars Tony Romo and his wife Candice, who are depicted as “comfort enthusiasts” who love their new Skechers cushioning shoes. The commercial tries really hard to be funny, but many of the goofy jokes fall flat, and the Romos don’t come off as very relatable. At times, Skechers can feel like the awkward younger brother of athletic shoe brands, and this commercial doesn’t do much to improve that image. Check it out here.

Robinhood, “Born Investor”

You knew this one was coming. After a highly contentious week between Robinhood and the Redditors behind the GameStop movement, the stock trading app still decided to go through with their Super Bowl ad. Their tagline “We are all investors,” doesn’t resonate much when the business decided to limit trading of popular stocks just a few days ago. As you can image, angry social media users had a lot to say about this ad. Definitely (another) error in judgment on Robinhood’s part. See it here.

The Controversial

Jeep, “The Middle”

Jeep’s commercial was perhaps the most talked-about ad of the night. It has received very mixed reviews across the board. Some people have called it the best ad of the night, with a rare appearance by the beloved Bruce Springsteen and a moving message of unity that the country desperately needs now. Other people called the ad “preachy,” and questioned if Jeep should be promoting such a political message. There were also more harsh critics, who suggested that the ad gave a pass to lawbreakers and dismissed the reasons the country is divided. Jeep certainly knew this ad would get people talking, so in that regard, the mission was fully accomplished. Watch it here.

Oatly, “Wow No Cow”

Every year, there’s an especially strange ad that has vocal lovers and haters. This year, that ad is “Wow No Cow” from Oatly. The oat milk brand’s Super Bowl commercial is a re-run from 2014, and it was controversial back then as well. Due to a lawsuit from milk lobbyists, the commercial was actually banned from the company’s home country of Sweden. It’s a simple ad – it focuses only on Oatly’s CEO as he performs a self-written jingle about their products that are “like milk, but made for humans,” while wearing a shirt that reads “No Artificial Badness.” It’s weird, but the song is pretty catchy. View it here.