Big Mouth

I loved Big Mouth. As most reviewers before me have also written, the show is not exactly subtle. That doesn't make it any less funny, however. The show has 5 main characters: Nick, Andrew, Jay, Jessi and Missy, who are all in their own way going through puberty. They come from very different homes, which causes them, along with the Hormone Monster/Monstress, to react very differently to all the new things they discover.

Most people seem to think the show is mainly meant for adults, because of the abundance of swearing, genitals, sex and the use of scary words like 'vagina'. I disagree, however. Although the show for the most part covers lighter subjects, such as first kisses and stuff, it's not afraid to occasionally touch on more serious items, such as sex positivism, especially for women, consent/boundaries, slut shaming, homosexuality etc. Things that are important to know, especially for boys, but are often not given enough attention, for example because of parents' awkwardness, or even neglect, as the show clearly illustrates. Paying more attention to the aforementioned topics at a young age, will hopefully create a generation of men more aware of what women go through, so they might avoid the mistakes Nick, Andrew and Jay make because of ignorance. Obviously, things like consent and boundaries are also important for girls. Girls get horny too, to quote the show, which causes the male protagonists' heads to literally explode. The prejudice that only men want sex hurts both genders, as it assumes men don't have boundaries and that men always have to be dominant to have sex. It's exactly these things that make this show so important. So by all means, have children watch this, show it to them in school. It's funny AND it teaches valuable lessons.

The only reason I didn't rate this a perfect 10/10 is that I personally didn't really see the additional value of Coach Steve, other than just being gross and possibly mentally challenged?

The show itself is crude, with a lot of sexual content regarding pubescent teenagers and their struggle with hormonal changes in relationship with the environment. I personally loved the pop-culture references and the humour, that although irreverent, reminds us the time when we thought and acted the same, even when ashamed of it, even when we knew it wasn't right, just because we felt like we HAD to do it,thanks to hormonal changes. The last concept is well impersonated by the hormone monster, a creature who keeps whispering to boys and girls how to feel and behave. Even when they don't want to, they just do what the hormone monster tells them to. Everything they see is catalyzed through their adolescent experience and impulses. I loved also how sex, and everything around it was reduced to something completely normal, along with fear, shame and envy. Because in the end, we all have been in those moments and thought like the protagonists do.

I hate Big Mouth. I don't want to like this show. It is everything I think isn't funny on television, but makes me consistently laugh more than almost anything else I've seen. The entire basis of its humour is crass sexual jokes, some of which are so blatant and undisguised its almost a slap in the face to watch them. The basic premise (high schoolers going through puberty alongside their "hormone monster" partners) is the ideal vessel to allow these jokes to flow freely, and provide the groundwork for some quality comedy to also shine through.

Do not be confused - this is not a show for children, even though the animation style would suggest so. The cartoonish graphics mean that the more conceptual storylines can really come to life, which is where Big Mouth earns its money. Unafraid to break the fourth wall or joke about current events/Netflix/anything else controversial, the best of the humour really shines through in these spots, propelled by the exemplary voice acting. Nick Kroll is the mastermind, but other talents include John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas (who plays Jay, my personal favourite character) and Jenny Slate, all of whom are excellent. Another draw is the parallels the writers have made with the real experience of growing up; even small similarities with the experiences of others makes Big Mouth so much easier to sympathise with.

Strangely enough, the music for Big Mouth is also top-notch: rarely do you find Frank Ocean, The Ramones and Biggie Smalls all feature in a television show without the creative direction being severely misaligned, but this show strikes the balance really well. The in-jokes that develop throughout the show are also worth paying attention to, and more perceptive fans will see so many more niche references as the series progresses.

Open your eyes. Open your hearts. This is us. This is the world we live in and the world our kids live in. It may be crude but it's true. Keep going.

I feel like the creators of Big Mouth dove right into my brain and heart to make this show. It is so incredibly gross in the most real way, and it totally stole my heart. I swear this is the best animated show ever made. It isn't lame, generally offensive comedy like shows like Family Guy. It's real comedy about our bodies and brains as teens that is so blunt and honest, and gross because that's how life is! I hope this show never ever ends. Also, I need to know who the ponytail killers is.