Disenchantment doesn’t have enough charm to overcome its flaws
The first season of Matt Groening’s Disenchantment marks the creator’s first partnership with Netflix. The unique animation style and wit have clearly carried over from his previous work, but does the series have enough momentum to sustain itself?
Matt Groening is the mastermind of two of the most beloved shows of all time. When Netflix announced back in July of last year that they would be teaming up with The Simpsons creator, many fans were beyond excited. Disenchantment would be the first original project he’s worked on since the premiere of Futurama in 1999.
Needless to say, there was a lot of buildup and marketing before the series landed on the streaming site. The fantasy setting and the fact that many Futurama actors would return as secondary characters in the series was reassuring to audiences.
Many fans wondered, however, whether Disenchantment would be able to create its own success and establish itself as an animated series.
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On Netflix alone, Disenchantment has a lot of competition in terms of adult animated comedy series. Season 5 of the hit series BoJack Horseman is set to premiere in a few weeks and Big Mouth is gearing up for another season as well. Both have been met with fan adoration and critical success. If the series wanted to compete with these heavy hitters, it needed to start off with a bang.
Unfortunately, Disenchantment did not do that. The bad news is that the series gets off to a bit of a slow start, but the good news is that it will likely get better now that the framework is already established.
Here are some of the pros and cons of Disenchantment Season 1.
Pro: Stunning animation and trademark humor
Not everything in Disenchantment is a letdown, and there is still evidence of Groening’s trademark style in the series. The animation style is particularly beautiful and may feel familiar to fans of Groening’s work. Rough Draft Studios, the artists behind Futurama, were attached to the series early on to work with Groening. Similar to Futurama, the studio had a lot of freedom to create based on the setting. The medieval or fantasy setting offers many odd creatures, brilliant colors, and unique characters.
Additionally, it is clear that the signature humor of Groening has carried over to Disenchantment. An assortment of witty humor, physical comedy, and absurdity remain constant in the series. Oddball characters like necromancer Big Joe or a laughing horse are stables in Groening comedy and, for the most part, it works.
At it’s best, Disenchantment is a fun ride with enough laughs to keep audiences watching. Netflix already ordered two seasons of the show before it aired, so this means that there is room to grow for the series.
Con: Uneven pacing and a familiar feeling
What made The Simpsons and Futurama such great shows was that they were unique and challenged the norms in animation. They would push the envelope, challenge their viewers, and pack each episode with content. Disenchantment, on the other hand, suffers from bad pacing and being too familiar at times.
Disenchantment spends the first few episodes effectively introducing its characters and depicting the world we see. It’s a slow and mechanical introduction to the series, but viewers will likely cut it some slack. However, this feeling extends beyond the first few episodes and eventually leeches into the rest of the series.
In one episode, Princess Bean is searching for the Elixir of Life when she meets a philosopher. He tells her living for eternity has become “monotonous and repetitive.” In a way, the first season of Disenchantment feels quite monotonous and repetitive. There are some sparks here and there, but overall the series is off to a rocky start.
The studio and many of the voice actors of Futurama have returned to help create Matt Groening’s vision. For fans of his work, this is a welcomed decision. At times, however, it feels like Groening would have preferred to create another season of Futurama.
He’s put together all these pieces to try to create an original story, but all too often does the series feel like an extension of his past work. As if Dreamland were a place that the Planet Express ship was set to land on. This familiarity is a nuisance that the show failed to shake.
Verdict: A decent experience for Groening fans
Disenchantment is not a bad show. There are a lot of things done right in the series and a lot of things to look forward to next season. At times, the jokes don’t land and other times you find yourself deeply enjoying the journey. The key issues plaguing Disenchantment are poor comedic pacing and a lack of originality. If it can fix either issue next season, it can start to compete with bigger shows like Big Mouth.
However, fans of Groening’s past (especially Futurama) will enjoy the show. It is definitely something tailored to those familiar with the wit and voices of Futurama. The absurdist humor that often filled the adventures of Planet Express remains intact. The animation team did a wonderful job creating the world of Dreamland and filling it with quirky characters.
Overall, there is something about Disenchantment that is worth watching. For all of its flaws, it can still be an enjoyable show. You might need to give it some time before it grows on you, but it has a lot of promise heading into season 2.
What did you think of Disenchantment Season 1? What would have liked to see happen? Comment below!