The Awesomes

The more superhero stories pervade our TVs and movie screens, the more room there is for superhero parodies.

The latest one is created by SNL head writer and comic book geek Seth Meyers who created this show along with his Saturday Night Live cohorts and populated with a cast of mostly SNL talent along with his brother Josh (Mad TV).

The hero, Prock, is a mild-mannered guy who ranks towards the bottom of the barrel of all the world's superheroes (this is a world overwrought with superpowered-humans who are all organized in a full-on bureaucracy that's part of the satire) but has a lot of smarts and when his dad announces his retirement, he goes on to lead a ragtag group of misfits. It's the kind of plot you've seen in all kinds of stuff from "Sky High" to "Mystery Men" to the "Misfits" to a comic book that Taran Killam just wrote.

The show is really clever in the way that I'd expect from an SNL head writer and gets its satirical jabs in where it can get them.

The problem is generally that many of the characters are weak and uninteresting and, well, those characters take up a lot of the screen time. Taran Killam plays a one-note redneck speedster, Keenan Thompson plays a mama's boy who sounds like Kenan Thompson always does, Bobby Lee plays a boy who turns into sumo wrestler. His character being the kid on the team seems like it has some potential to be any sort of character dynamic but it's quickly dropped.

Ike Barinholtz is moderately potential-filled as the sidekick, and a lot of the more interesting characters come from outside the superhero team: Bill Hader as supervillain Malocchio and Josh Meyers as rival Prock.

Interestingly enough, a couple of SNL's writers Emily Spivey and Paula Pell voice characters here. Pell's character is equally one-note with a moderately gross angle about an old woman being sexy and Spivey's character, a super-secretary of sorts with a charming Southern accent named concierge is the kind of character who feels like she belongs in a more well-rounded cast.

I have to admit, I'm unsure who the target audience is, and maybe I'm exactly who it was made for, but I think this is great. As a longtime superhero fan, and a gamer (and admittedly a superhero RPG player), I think they nailed the misfit Hero concept pretty comfortably. I agree with the other review (there's only one at the time I'm writing this) that it could be edgier, and it could probably be made to appeal more broadly (how many viewers have ever participated in a tabletop Superhero themed RPG, really?), but unless it's trying to be, or compete with Family Guy, it's probably OK with what it is.

I can't see the show being around long, which is the biggest reason I didn't give it a higher review. I think it would be a bigger hit if, honestly, there were less focus on Prock, and a decent bit more about each member of the team, and if they could isolate a target audience. That's why Drawn Together worked, despite being seen as crude, sick, stupid, and random (in my unabbreviated opinion). They knew who their audience was.

I hope the writers read this. I would love to see The Awesomes stick around.

I created an IMDb account for the sole reason of voicing my opinion about this show. To be blunt, this series is only 3 episodes in, and I'm loving it. As the only other review so far on IMDb points out, this isn't Family Guy, The Simpsons, or American Dad w/ super powers... and that's a good thing. Here's why.

I enjoy shows like the ones I just mentioned, but very rarely do you find a show like this, with the courage to propose continuity without taking itself too seriously. This show isn't cynical of it's world or it's audience, and it's frankly refreshing to find a superhero comedy that isn't willing to sacrifice it's characters just for the quickest low-brow guhawf.

The Awesomes is very earnest in it's desire to present an new Super Hero comedy that isn't dark or gritty, but also isn't an acidic parody of the genre. So far it surprises with it's general lack of foulness, and isn't willing to compromise it's vision by catering to the lowest common denominator. I say give it a watch and here's hoping this show will get the audience it deserves, as well as keep away from compromising creator vision, which would be awesome!

The show has a great cast, and a great premise. I'd say it's relatively enjoyable to watch, not necessarily funny, but enjoyable nonetheless. Its main issues are in a few character's voice acting and a few sections of writing. Although Malocchio had very strong acting, Prock's is far too monotonous and dull. Just unbelievably cringe- inucing for the first season. It gets progressively less so as the series progresses, but it is an issue that persists throughout the entire series in some capacity. Ultimately, its most prominent issue lies in the actual action sequences. The show seems like it's supposed to be satirical, but it actually tries to be serious in the fight sequences. It comes across as forced, and just generally childish in comparison to most of the show. However, when it does attempt to stick by satire, it is far stronger. In summary, the show is enjoyable, but it get's a fair bit better as the series progresses. I wouldn't call it "great", but it's fun, and worth a watch.

The Awesomes is a fun, offbeat take on the superhero genre with a mix of irreverent humor, quirky characters, and engaging storylines. Created by Seth Meyers and Mike Shoemaker, the show balances satire with genuine character development, making it more than just a parody. The voice cast, featuring Meyers, Ike Barinholtz, and Kenan Thompson, brings a lot of charm and energy to the series.

While the animation style is simple and might not appeal to everyone, the writing makes up for it with witty dialogue and creative superhero antics. Some jokes land better than others, and the show takes a little time to find its footing, but overall, it's an enjoyable watch for fans of comedic superhero stories. Not groundbreaking, but definitely a solid and underrated animated series.