Disenchantment

I was once watching someone compare latter day Simpsons to latter day Family Guy and one point they made was that while the Simpsons had fastidiously updated its subject matter year after year, it hadn't update its humor.

And sort of like how Futurama was The Simpsons but based around speculative sociology and the work place instead of the traditional family, this (as I suspect a million and seven people have already suggested) could be considered historical- arama (or something cleverer...).

But it's not quite though. It's mostly that but the Groening mind has turned away from the sitcom (and eventual movie) formula and actually had the ambition to create what was more or less a serial. We are able to see a character grow and develop across the multiple instalments and with the same humor and inventivenss.

It's too bad that at the beginning it is WAY too much like just another animated sitcom. And a bit too much like a couple in particular. I like Tia, she's an intriguing character who has grown up in great politico-economic advantage but lives in immense quiet emotional desperation. I think she's a bit wasted on the first season but it is, thankfully, in the second season as we see the show really discover its own strengths as it finally tells THE story of Tia as the ground-work has now been lain.

Gradually, this goofy (and I mean REALLY goofy at times) show actually shows a lot of tenderness and very meaningful emotional conflict that actually doesn't feel mawkish or schmaltzy because they invested in the characters and made their breakthroughs believable.

King Zog might just be the best character for this reason. I especially loved an episode about him and a bear.

Now Elfo...I think they retooled him the moment they saw the pilot. At first he was cynical and adventure hungry but as soon as he leaves the shire he becomes a sort of SpongeBob parody except even more infantile. I like him and all and I really want him to get laid but they do paint him as the loser quite relentlessly.

The world building is extravagant and satisfying with a few surprises I won't ruin. Let's just say it takes us to a variety of contrasting landscapes and in time really works on a substantial historic background that fuels conflict between a numerous peoples, aesthetically in debt to other artists of course but they make it their own fair enough.

Ultimately this was more of a Saturday Morning show than a Friday night show but as imperfect as it is, I grew to be glad for it.

Edit: I watched the finale the other day. Well...I will save the details for a review for that episode. It's hard to conclude a serial this long in a way that will please everyone. I don't feel insulted but I can't help but feel to a large extent they settled for easy answers.

But seriously, a lot of the jokes are predictable.

This series had potential to be unique, and I think in some ways it still maintains that, but overall it doesn't do well in capturing your attention. I do think it has a few redeeming qualities that would make it worthwhile to some viewers.

The show's characters aren't interesting or distinctive, which is what I believe this series misses most.

The episodes tend to have very little conflict. The stakes are typically low as well which make for boring television. Often, the main trio (Bean, Elfo, and Luci) get into something trivial, it resolved, then they're back to square one and ready to repeat it in the next episode. It's all predictable. Each episode started to blend together at about episode 6 in Season 1. I soon realized I was having trouble with episode plots and what the characters were truly doing.

As for comedy purposes, it doesn't garner laughs from me--the comedy it tries to produce isn't particularly funny.

There is some sort of charm the show possesses though. I can't quote put my finger on it exactly, but it makes for a decent show to have on in the background.

I don't think the writers are passionate about the show, unfortunately. It certainly shows in the episodes.

All in all, it's watchable enough.

The animation style is just wonderful. It's like 2D in a 3D world. When you see the clips of the village, you can really see it.

It's a struggle watching Disenchantment - I have a deep and endearing love for Rough Draft studios and their animation game is strong here. In fact, Groening's aesthetic has never looked nicer - beautifully painted backgrounds, huge complex CGI sequences seamlessly integrated with the 2D stuff. You've got all your favourite voice actors and some nice cult British comedy casting, you've got the legendary Mark Mothersbaugh crafting a fun score to keep it rattling along. It's a serious shame then that it's so let down by some wildly inconsistent plotting and some absurdly sketchy characterwork.

In trying to flex from a syndicated-style comedy animation to a multi-part fantasy epic Disenchantment manages neither very well - and the weight of the story is let down by the flailing plot tendrils and stop-start character arcs that drift in and out of focus seemingly entirely randomly. It's like a big fantasy book where each chapter is being written by different people who each had a brief half-forgotten conversation with the person who wrote the chapter before. It's frustrating, and you find yourself going "wait, but what about this thing from seven episodes ago? Did they forget about it? Will it ever be referred to again?! IT SEEMED IMPORTANT AT THE TIME."

So it's a hodge-podge show really - magnificently polished on the one hand - but incredibly sketchy on the other. Like when a load of artists fold over paper and pass it to another to draw a strange hybrid creature, sure it all sticks together but it doesn't quite work as a whole. It's a show sort of fighting itself and my own mind is doing the exact same thing when I'm watching it. Was Futurama this frequently awkward and hit-and-miss? Is my whole life a lie?! Well perhaps but I'll stick with it for as long as Netflix does (or will the resurrection of Futurama on Hulu spell the end?) - for a deep love of what was and what may or may not ever end up coming to pass.

This show is not a comedy! It's a story and character driven fantasy show with jokes. And I love it! Every time the focus is on the characters or the story and world, it's awesome!!! Don't treat this show as a comedy, and kind of suffer through most of season 1, still enjoyable, but mostly one offs. This show is fun!