Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Pilot Review: Big Mouth

Big Mouth (Netflix)
Premiered September 29

I don’t tend to watch animation, and I think that I’ve actually skipped some pilots in that format over the past few years. In my aim to watch truly everything that premieres on TV these days, I opted to check this one out. There’s not that much that’s different in theory from a live-action series, though it would be hard to have a character named the Hormone Monster appear in a non-animated series without being either truly laughable or truly disturbing, if not both. What’s clear about this show is that it has absolutely no filter and it features some great voice talent truly having fun. Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Maya Rudolph, Jason Mantzoukas, Fred Armisen, and Jenny Slate are all superb comedians who have made their mark in other shows and films, and it’s fun to hear them here even if we can’t see them. I don’t feel that I can write much about the content of this show on a blog that isn’t protected by an age gate, and I don’t tend to veer towards this type of humor. It’s worth admitting, however, that this show is both funny and smart in the way that it manages to be stupid. Puberty and youth are tough times, and this show addresses them in the most depraved way possible. This isn’t a show I could ever imagine myself watching, but I did enjoy this opening half-hour more than I expected to. I certainly won’t be able to forget it anytime soon.

How will it work as a series? There were some pretty major shenanigans featured in this first episode, and so I can only imagine the absurdity that is yet to follow. There are so many possible things to cover when it comes to adolescence, and I have no doubt that these comedians will push the envelope as much and often as they can.
How long will it last? This show’s reviews are very strong considering its crude nature, and Amazon obviously respects the creative minds behind its characters. Ratings data shouldn’t be expected anytime soon, but I do think that this show is likely to be up for renewal in the near future.

Pilot grade: B

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