The Red Maple Clubhouse

E1 - Gem Glow: It's the first episode, watch it, but be gentle. Early season 1 has its charm but it takes time to grow on you if you don't already care about the characters.

E2 - :

E3 - Cheeseburger Backpack: Worth watching, it has its funny moments.

E4 -

E5 - Frybo: Skip, weird and disturbing.

E6 - Cat Fingers: Do like I did and skip this episode, only to come back to it after 8 years and a dozen rewatches and be utterly bewildered at how strange it is.

E7 -

E8 -

E9 -

E10 -

E11 -

Alternative Guides

A Google Doc guide made by /u/TheLemonTempest on Reddit

A guide made by JKPimento

E1 - Gem Glow: I looooove how small moments and characters are fleshed out and recontextualized later in the show, and that setup starts from the very beginning. They knew what they were doing with the Cookie Cat theme - it has no right to be that funny and poignant. This early on, Steven is an annoying kid and the animation is wonky at times (esp Pearl and Steven's character designs). There are some funny moments in the episode. The fight music in these early episodes also rocks.

E2 - :

E3 - Cheeseburger Backpack: One of the funnier instances of child Steven bungling a mission. I genuinely laughed at quite a few moments, and this episode is a wonderful example of Steven building up his own confidence and trust with the gems by thinking outside the box. The gems start out entirely doubting him and end the episode cheering for him, it's great. Rest in peace Mr. Queasy (and the Moon Spire I guess)

E4 - Together Breakfast: The gems are all kind of terrible to Steven in this episode, not a fan of it. The chase music when Amethyst tries to steal the breakfast is unreasonably good though. I also find it interesting how the Crystal Heart is rarely mentioned again (it does appear in the background), or really how the whole temple is connected. Also, foreshadowing!! - Steven briefly falls through the cloud room on the pole. Choice quotes: "Now it has all the power of a breakfast, we have to destroy it!"

E5 - Frybo:

E6 - Cat Fingers: I have never actually watched this episode prior to writing this. My first time properly watching Steven Universe was in 2018, and I used an episode guide which recommended I skip it. So, finally having actually watched it, it was a bewildering experience to have a new season 1 Steven Universe episode. The gem sloop that's used for a one-off joke, never to return. The weird body horror. It was the first episode where Amethyst's wrestler shapeshift appeared! What a strange episode.