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Netflix: Flicks? On the Internet? That's just crazy talk!

I still keep going back to the ending of the first episode, where Katerina and Asimov - two drug dealers trying to escape The Life - end up killed. And how the Netflix show manages to just take a pretty powerful scene and just make it actively worse. In the original, Katerina finally stops being in denial about their situation and how her lover Asimov is no longer the man she used to love. So she exercises her own agency in this hopeless situation by killing Asimov herself to prevent him hurting anymore people. Despite this, the cops gun her down anyways. It's such a hugely loaded scene. And in the live action one, her boyfriend is already dead - killed by Faye in the scene before - and she commits suicide by cop in her grief. Despite the fact that she's not hemmed-in, in nearly the same way as she was in the cartoon, since the dome is just a forcefield she effortlessly flew out of. It just sucks. It cheapens that whole episode in so many ways. It took her agency away, it made her dumber, and it stripped the scene of all its socioeconomic weight. And it's just emblematic of the show as a whole. All style and no substance. They took something really interesting and complicated, and dumbed it down into sad b/c pretty woman died.

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Octopus Prime

Mysterious Contraption
(He/Him)
So moving the subject away from all that; Saturday Morning All-Star Hits or (SMASH) also just dropped and… I kind of love half of it?

It’s a fictional Saturday morning cartoon block from the mid-late 80s, with twin hosts introducing cartoons between terrible live action sketches and toy commercials, and you gradually become aware of a lot of behind the scenes drama that just barely cracks through the facade the hosts are presenting. That part all works really well and it absolutely nails late 80s cartoon programming blocks.

On the other hand, based on the first couple of episodes, the only joke the fake cartoons seem to be working with is “Everyone is sad”. Sometimes a second premise for a joke appears, but it’s mostly “Denver the Last Dinosaur is depressed”.
 

muteKi

Geno Cidecity
The problem with Cowboy Bebop is that the show that the people on it apparently want to make -- with a more optimistic view of the future, found families, middling production values, lots of quips? It exists and it's called Doctor Who. I like that show and I know a lot of other people do too!

If this show wasn't building itself on the name and recycled plots of a quite well-loved anime series then I think it would at least be a pretty solid cult hit. But it is, so the question of why watch this when there's the same thing but better doesn't make sense to me.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
So moving the subject away from all that; Saturday Morning All-Star Hits or (SMASH) also just dropped and… I kind of love half of it?

It’s a fictional Saturday morning cartoon block from the mid-late 80s, with twin hosts introducing cartoons between terrible live action sketches and toy commercials, and you gradually become aware of a lot of behind the scenes drama that just barely cracks through the facade the hosts are presenting. That part all works really well and it absolutely nails late 80s cartoon programming blocks.

On the other hand, based on the first couple of episodes, the only joke the fake cartoons seem to be working with is “Everyone is sad”. Sometimes a second premise for a joke appears, but it’s mostly “Denver the Last Dinosaur is depressed”.
This feels like the new "it's cartoons but swearing." Which shockingly, is a joke that every so often a show will think is novel. I like the premise of a programming block where the hosts drama is peeking through, though.
 

SpoonyBard

Threat Rhyme
(He/Him)
Apparently Kid Cosmic season 3 dropped? It's only 6 episodes, but it's been pretty fun so far. Episode 2 had a really impressive fight involving Jo and Papa G's powers, more stuff like that please.
 

SpoonyBard

Threat Rhyme
(He/Him)
So it turns out that Season 3 is Kid Cosmic's last, which is a shame because it was a pretty strong set of episodes and reminded me why I dig it so much.

The season does feel a touch rushed, as if they were informed it would be their last set of episodes mid-production, so they suddenly slam their foot on the gas story-wise. But after a strong first two episodes and a decent middle two, which mostly puts pieces into place for the finale, the last two episodes go hard.

It ends on a satisfying note, despite the rushed feeling of season 3, and I'd say it's one of the best Netflix original toons. If you've passed on it till now give it a shot.
 

FelixSH

(He/Him)
So it turns out that Season 3 is Kid Cosmic's last, which is a shame because it was a pretty strong set of episodes and reminded me why I dig it so much.

The season does feel a touch rushed, as if they were informed it would be their last set of episodes mid-production, so they suddenly slam their foot on the gas story-wise. But after a strong first two episodes and a decent middle two, which mostly puts pieces into place for the finale, the last two episodes go hard.

It ends on a satisfying note, despite the rushed feeling of season 3, and I'd say it's one of the best Netflix original toons. If you've passed on it till now give it a shot.
Agreed. It's a really fun show, but also a relatively fast watch. I think the seasons aren't that long, either. Plus, the artstyle alone is delightful, and should be seen.
 

Rascally Badger

El Capitan de la outro espacio
(He/Him)
Unless it was all part of an elaborate plot. Who better to know the inner workings of the set than the star of the show.
 

SpoonyBard

Threat Rhyme
(He/Him)
Human Resources, the Big Mouth spinoff, recently hit Netflix. For the most part it feels like more Big Mouth, but with a focus on the various monsters and creatures that make up the titular Human Resources.

On the one hand the spinoff just feels less creepy because kids are no longer front and center. Occasionally as we check in on random clients they'll be kids or teens (and here and there we'll get a cameo of one of the Big Mouth cast) but most of the main human characters are adults, so it just feels less... squicky.

But on the other hand because the hormone monsters and others are largely dealing with adults the spinoff gets to go places at times Big Mouth certainly wouldn't. Hell the first episode ends with an animated depiction of a live birth. Just so you know what you're getting into.

I'm almost at the end of the season and I'm digging it, though the stakes for these magical immortal beings don't feel as genuine as the more relatable horny kids of Big Mouth. The few common threads of their human assignments have more weight, but they're more disconnected than the Big Mouth cast who all conveniently go to the same school.

Also, I really really didn't need to see Tyler again. He was the worst goddamn part of Season 2 and is just living cringe and I hate every moment he's on screen.
 

Bulgakov

Yes, that Russian author.
(He/Him)
Has anyone else tried Archive 81? We're about halfway through it and while I can't say I'm enthralled it's interesting enough to keep me watching. I'm wondering how much its origins as a podcast have to do with it's unevenness when translated to film.
 

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
Well that is indeed very weird. Some pretty entertaining people involved so, yeah, should be interesting to see what comes out.
 
lol Netflix has always been trash. They know their business model was always snake oil; they were just riding the gravy train while it lasted. Once you realize that's the case, all of their business decisions over the last decade make a lot more sense. Now that the bubble is bursting, they're gonna enter sell-off mode where they'll attempt to exploit and extract every last penny they can before selling off the zombified remains to someone else. It's smash & grab season, let's goooo!
 

YangusKhan

does the Underpants Dance
(He/Him/His)
Gonna try to wear her down and convince my partner that we don't need to keep Netflix around. The only thing on the horizon we would watch is Stranger Things and The Witcher. We can always re-sub when those come out! (Apparently Netflix isn't too keen on releasing its original content on physical discs? Makes sense I guess...)
 

ArugulaZ

Fearful asymmetry
Netflix was in big trouble the moment the movie studios realized they could stream content themselves and pocket all the cash. Original programming was the only thing that kept the company relevant, and the only good original programming they had (IMHO) was the animation. Who's doing their animation now? Dreamworks, owned by NBC-Universal.

It seems like it's only a matter of time before NBC-Universal buys out Netflix and makes that their streaming service, instead of the floundering Peacock. It'll have the brand recognition of Netflix (which is still worth something, for now) and Universal's massive catalog of television shows and movies. It's win-win for both companies. Unless Netflix drags its feet on an acquisition and steadily loses its value, much like Yahoo did over the years. Either Hastings cashes out now and makes a huge profit, or stubbornly tries to compete in a market that's closing in around him, letting Netflix become a historical footnote and a penny stock.
 

q 3

here to eat fish and erase the universe
(they/them)
I wish I could return to the innocent days (yesterday) before I learned there's a Boss Baby tv series
 

Rascally Badger

El Capitan de la outro espacio
(He/Him)
I would be genuinely disappointed if Disenchantment got the axe. I think it has gotten better with each season (And Netflix already cancelled its best animated show, Hilda).
 

Sprite

(He/Him/His)
This is apparently the third time a Bone project has been canceled, and the second time it was canceled mid-development. It probably would have been grand 😞
 

R.R. Bigman

Coolest Guy
Netflix has been dead to me since cancelling Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Bone getting canned is a big loss for everyone, I will say.
 

Adrenaline

Post Reader
(He/Him)
It's funny to realize that Netflix has been massively hemorrhaging money every year of its existence. It has never been profitable. Capitalism is a hell of a thing.
 

SpoonyBard

Threat Rhyme
(He/Him)
I would be genuinely disappointed if Disenchantment got the axe. I think it has gotten better with each season (And Netflix already cancelled its best animated show, Hilda).
Hilda has, at least, concluded. They've run through all the source material with Hilda and the Mountain King.

Of course if and when more graphic novels come out it likely won't be continued but I don't even know if more of those are confirmed?

Is there a list of all cancelled series? I don't recall seeing Disenchantment mentioned but I suppose it would make sense.

And yeah, not animation but axing Dark Crystal hurt. Age of Resistance was super good.

Speaking of shows starring Mark Hamil I guess He-Man won't be returning either?
 
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