Disenchantment

Dischenmant’s art style is familiar because it was created by none other than Matt Gorening, legendary artist behind The Simpsons. The latter show might have lost its original charm and insight of the modern American household, but Disenchantment puts Groening in uncharted territory.

Here we are whisked away to the downtrodden medieval kingdom of Dreamland, following the various adventures of Bean, a young, alcoholic princess; Elfo, her sharp-mouthed elf companion; and Luci, her personal demon. They set off to a grand, epic adventure where they encounter ogres, sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, walruses, and of course, lots and lots of foolish humans.

Disenchantment is devoid of the magical touch that made The Simpsons such an essential portrait of suburban existence. Still, it’s worth watching because you’ll find flecks of Groening’s signature humor here. The story is at times thin yet manages to be engaging occasionally, and there’s plenty of laughs to be had as the plot progresses.

The show is highly different from Groening’s broader body of work, though it’s strikingly familiar in both look and feel. It’s not exactly what you’d call a great animated show, and it’s certainly far from the creator’s most inspired masterstrokes. But there’s something to be said about the show’s careful, worldbuilding, which is its secret trump card: this medieval setting incites more delights than it has any right to do, providing a robust milieu for our unlikely crew of rebels.

You’ll find it at times too dull or downright unfunny. Predictable at certain moments, too. Which is rather unfortunate. It’s a pleasant show that’s got plenty of smart visual gags, and it’s a must-not-miss for fans of Groening’s work, at least. The first season is streaming now. A second one is currently in development and scheduled to debut sometime this year.

Episodes That Deserve Special Mention: The Princess of Darkness, Swamp and Circumstance, The Limits of Immortality, Dreamland Falls

Director: Dwayne Carey-Hill, Frank Marino, Wes Archer – Screenplay: Matt Groening, Josh Weinstein, David X. Cohen – Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre, Nat Faxon – Run Time: 1 season, around 30 minutes per episode