Now Streaming: Aubrey Plaza in KEVIN, Nostalgia Reigns in STRANGER THINGS: TALES OF '85
This week, three animated series of note debuted on Prime Video, Netflix, and Apple TV, respectively, each appealing to a different demographic, each with a different artistic style, and each taking a different approach to genre fare.
I've only had time to sample the first episode of each, which are all dropping all their episodes today. Let's start with the very adult-oriented show first.
Kevin
All eight episodes are now streaming on Prime Video. I've seen the first episode.
Created by Joe Wengert and Aubrey Plaza, the half-hour comedy, animated by Titmouse with boldly autumnal coloring, is hilariously filthy.
Set in an alternate universe, where animals and humans all speak the same language, the show follows the titular cat (Jason Schwartzman) as he makes his way in New York City after his "owners" Dan (Mike Mitchell) and Dana (Aubrey Plaza) break up. He's been a housecat all his life, though, so he is not prepared in any way for the urban jungle that awaits.
Determined to live on his own, apart from humans, the show reads like many other 'growing up' or 'suddenly single' shows. It's distinguished by its tart humor and clever imagining of a world where the brainy, crafty animals are superior in every way to the hapless humans, which opens a fresh vein for exploration. The darkly comic sensibility of Wengert, who wrote 13 episodes of the adult-animated series Big Mouth, and Plaza, whose presence always animates every show or movie in which she appears, is apparent from the very first scene.
Naturally, Titmouse's top-notch animation makes everything old look new again -- though New York City still looks pretty shabby! -- and Aubrey Plaza's darkly wry tone predominates in the voices created by an all-star cast, including Amy Sedaris, John Waters, and Whoopi Goldberg. It's all very, very funny, especially if you respond to sardonic wit.
Stranger Things: Tales From '85
All ten episodes are now streaming on Netflix. I've seen the first episode.
Set between Season 2 and Season 3 of the live-action series, the action picks up with its usual overdone of 80s nostalgia, which is mainly the reason I checked out after Season 2. Nonetheless, if you watched all five seasons and are desperate to fill in the gaps, this may be a show for you.
Reportedly, the Duffer Brothers wanted "to capture the feel of an '80s Saturday-morning cartoon in the Stranger Things universe." If true, the show definitely feels like it reflects their intentions, with good, filled-in backgrounds, and characters who look like shiny mannequins, dressed up in the costumes of the live-action actors, even if it does aim for modern 3D animated planes. If that's your thing, then hop to it.
My Brother the Minotaur
All ten episodes are now streaming on Apple TV. I've seen the first episode.
Any show that begins with a nightmare piques my interest.
Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of Kells) and Irish children's media company Dog Ears (Puffin Rock) collaborated on the series, created by Donal Mangan, who has worked with both companies on past projects.
The nightmare disturbs the half-boy, half-bull minotaur, who is accepted without question by his loving (human) parents and younger (human) brother, but only to various degrees of reluctance by the island community where they live. The story moves at a good pace throughout the first episode, building to a point of danger, which then leads to mystery and intrigue.
The 2D animation favors muted greens and blues, and characters who mesh well with the backgrounds, making for a cohesive whole as the narrative develops around them. Even though the show is targeted at young people, I'm very intrigued by the show and love the idea that it aims to mix "folklore, mystery, and adventure," per an official release.
The voice cast is not too shabby, either, notably featuring Michael Sheen and Brian Cox in supporting roles.
Now Streaming celebrates independent and international genre films and television shows that are newly available on legal streaming services.
