‘Big Mouth’ Season 8 was my new streaming favorite of the week
‘Big Mouth’ Season 8 was my new streaming favorite of the week
The series presents a view of adolescence that is as accurate as it is rare.
There are some shows that I prefer to watch right away when a new episode debuts, and others that, for whatever reason, don’t prompt the same level of urgency. “Big Mouth” falls into the latter category; I’ve been a fan of the series for many years, but I don’t believe I’ve ever watched the show on its season premiere date. Season 8 of “Big Mouth” is no exception, and though I’m a few months late to the party, the show was nevertheless the best thing I watched this week.
Let’s start with the obvious: “Big Mouth” is hysterical. The show centers on a group of teens who are working their way through adolescence, and the group of imaginary critters that accompany them through this journey. Hormone Monsters, Shame Wizards, Anxiety Mosquitos, they’re all just one big happy emotional family, and the pitfalls each kid must go through create plenty of opportunity for uproarious laughter.
It’s no surprise that the series is so funny, coming from the minds of Andrew Goldberg, Nick Kroll, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett. Two of the main characters are based on Goldberg and Kroll, who have no-doubt put plenty of their own experiences into the series. The voice cast of the show includes Fred Armisen, Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Maya Rudolph, Jenny Slate, and more of the funniest actors in the business, so no one should be surprised about the hilarity of the series.
But to me, what makes “Big Mouth” truly special is the real issues facing the youth today that permeate the show. In Season 8, the series finally takes its characters to high school, and immediately one of the characters becomes concerned that he’s losing his best friend. Sure, there are plenty of vulgar jokes and outlandish scenarios along the way, but at the heart of the storyline are the very real feelings that come with big life changes, such as anxiety, depression, and a yearning to be understood.
To be sure, the series embraces an openness about human anatomy and sex that many viewers would find objectionable. It’s not at all afraid to work blue, but it also presents issues that kids are really facing in today’s world. “Big Mouth” isn’t a show I would recommend for actual teenagers, but those that do watch it no doubt recognize many problems they’ve faced in real life.
I think my favorite thing about “Big Mouth” Season 8 is the way the show continues to balance earnestness and openness with absolute absurdity in perfect amounts. One moment, the series is assuring a character — and by extension, the audience — that a seemingly scary problem is worth facing head-on, and the next a character is launching into an over-the-top musical number about a sex act.
“Big Mouth” may not be for everyone, but its blend of humor with sincerity is something I think the genre of comedy needs far more of. I’m disappointed by the fact that the eighth season of the show will be its last, but I’m guessing Kroll and company will find a new project to devote themselves to before long.
“Big Mouth” Season 8 was released on Netflix on May 23. The series is now available to stream from start to finish on the streamer.
Netflix
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