'Disenchantment' - is it worth watching?

Once upon a time in a far-away, not-especially magical kingdom suffering under austerity, a Lady in a Hat logged onto her Facebook account to converse with friends and catch up on the latest top quality shitposts. As she was scrolling through her news-feed of baby pictures, friends' humble-brag holiday photos and dank birb memes, she came across an advertisement for a new animated show on Netflix. With its distinct character designs and animation, this Lady at once knew that she was looking at Matt Groening's latest animated offering. So as soon as this new show was released, she dutifully watched all twelve episodes, and having mulled over her thoughts, she penned them thus...

Good morrow, readers. I am the Lady in the Hat, offering erudite analysis of fantasy, sci-fi and whatever it is the Internet likes to advertise to me. For my first review, I thought I would do Disenchantment - Matt Groening's new animated show currently streaming on Netflix. I am a huge fan of (earlier seasons of) The Simpsons and Futurama, and I don't think any animated sitcom has quite been able to replicate the distinct charm found in both shows. In addition to that, I am also a huge lover of fantasy and fairy tales, and so it was inevitable that a show like this was going to appeal to me. But will it be another worthy addition to the Matt Groening universe, or will this fairy tale have a tragic ending?

The entire show in one image.

Disenchantment follows the misadventures of Princess Tiabeanie (Bean) of the kingdom of Dreamland, who we first meet being engaged to a derpy-eyed prince from a neighbouring kingdom. Despite being a fairy tale princess, Bean is a hard drinker, gambler and overall reckless hedonist who doesn't have much in the way of feminine grace and charm. She eventually rebels against her arranged marriage, and declares she will follow her own path. Unfortunately, that path seems to involve more drinking and wanton destruction.

She is joined in her dissolute lifestyle by Luci - literally her own personal demon - and Elfo, an elf who grew tired of living in his incessantly happy homeland and desires to feel other things. Together, the trio drink, cart-jack and wantonly murder their way through Dreamland, all to the chagrin of Bean's tyrannical and boorish father, King Zøg.

Despite the initial appeal of the show's premise, I was worried by a few details. The first was the main character, Bean. The 'rebellious princess' has become a modern staple of fantasy media, and it is now arguably as cliched as the classic 'damsel in distress' trope. Now, cliches are not a bad thing, but in order to make them work one has to be aware of them and try to interpret them in a new and different light. I was hoping that this was not just going to be another 'junior knows best and triumphs over her stuck-up and obviously wrong parent figure.'

Whose romantic exploits are best left undisclosed.

Luckily, the characterization of both father and daughter turns out to be a little more nuanced than that. While Bean's desire to avoid being forced into her society's prescribed role is sympathetic, at the same time she is still an impulsive teenager who lacks the maturity to see the consequences of her actions. Eventually, we see that her father does have her best interests at heart, even if he is too narrow-minded to see beyond the options of marriage or nunnery.

Elfo is arguably a main protagonist in his own right, as his quest to feel things other than happiness mirrors Bean's quest for it. His naivety about the human world is also the basis of a lot of the show's humour, as he remains innocently cheerful even when horrendous things are happening to him. His puppyish crush on Bean is also quite adorable, even if it doesn't always lead him to make the best choices.

My best ship on a ship.

He is also the perfect foil for Luci, a slick, smooth-talking demon whom everyone else mistakes for a cat. Despite being tasked with leading Bean astray, often he finds himself having to grow a conscience and intervene on her behalf, especially when over-zealous exorcists are concerned.

The rest of the show's characters are also intensely likeable, and overall I think the characterisation is the show's strongest trait - there isn't anyone who wasn't memorable in some way. The world they inhabit is also richly detailed, trading in the more simplistic and cartoonish backgrounds of Matt's previous shows for landscapes that are richer and more storybook in appearance, which suits the show's premise very well. The character designs, however, are classic Matt Groening with big round eyes and exaggerated features, so there is still some continuity with previous works.

Including scenes of hilarious nightmare fuel.

So far, so good, right? We have good characters, good animation, but what about the story? Unfortunately, this is where Disenchantment's weaknesses lie. While the characters are great, they aren't really given anything spectacular to do. The show makes the mistake of falling back on tired animated sitcom cliches, such as the 'house party and frantic clean up before Dad gets home' scenario, various romantic misunderstandings, and ham-fisted religious satire. Again, these aren't necessarily bad, but not enough is done to differentiate them from shows which utilise these tropes far more effectively.

The humour in Disenchantment works the best when it really engages with its premise. For example, I found the scenes in the elves' homeland hilarious, due to their obvious send-up of Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoons, especially shorts such as 'Funny Little Bunnies.' Everybody is nauseatingly happy, bouncy and working in time to the music.

Even when said work involves murdering non-conformists.

The last three episodes are also the strongest, as their use of epic quests and life-altering magic make for great comedy and some genuinely moving moments. If Disenchantment fully accepts that it is a fantasy, then I think it will do well, as fantasy is ripe with cliches and tropes that can be so easily satirised.

So far, only ten episodes have been released, and with the next ten set to be released in 2019, Disenchantment clearly still has plenty of world and character-building to do. However, despite its obvious first-season pitfalls, the characters are likeable enough and the humour clearly has had far more effort put into it than any recent episode of The Simpsons. If you're a fan of Matt Groening's works, I think it's certainly worth a look.

My final verdict: 7/10

King's sorcerer Sorcerio narrowly avoids having to exchange sexual favours with this man-griffin. Sadly.

Thus wrote the fair maiden, awaiting in patient hope for the next ten episodes, and wondering whether they may sway her opinion for good or ill. Until that day comes, however, she will smile favourably upon Matt Groening's latest output, and desires all to live happily ever after. Or as much as one can at home living with parents, under austerity.

This review originally appeared on my collaborative blog, The Geek Philosophers, where you'll find discussions of drama, science fiction and other pop culture from very points of view - including a bashful bard and a muddled medical student! Check it out for more great reviews, analyses and even a little bit of poetry!

All images are (c) 20th TV