By Dustin Cabeal
If you've been on any kind of social media or meme factory, then you've likely seen Nathan Pyle's relatable webcomic featuring blue Allenesque beings that overly explain and yet simplify all the same things we humans do.
The first episode's title and storyline highlight this contradiction: "The Flying Machine." Of course, it's an airplane, but that is Pyle's brilliance – he takes something like alcohol and refers to it as a "Mild Poison." He's factually correct, but does anyone want to call it that while consuming it? No, but it's hilarious in this setting. And I don't really know what to call that overly complicated explanation that's somehow more direct and simplified than the word itself. I'm sure there's a simpler term for it, but I'm going to have to stick with the longer explanation that my rambling self has created.
Back to the episode itself, it's a layered episode. It's about planes/flying but also about overcoming changes and adapting. The plane is our plot device that guides our story from point A to B, but the "being" connections are what's relatable and keep the animated series connected to Pyle's comic strips. The A storyline follows a Comfort Supervisor who's really good at their job (I'm assuming a gender-neutral perspective here since they all look like blue/gray alien blobs) and is suddenly promoted to Supervising Comfort Supervisor or something similar to that. They're dealing with the new responsibilities and how their co-workers treat them now that they're the ones in charge.
The B storyline follows a couple that has intertwined their entire relationship and identity around a band called The 4 Sensations. The band is our C storyline as the lead singer decides to leave the group because they've found happiness and can no longer sing sad, lonely songs. The band's changes then work backward through our storylines, affecting the couple first as they no longer know what they're supposed to do with each other since their entire relationship seemed to revolve around the band. It also affects the Comfort Supervisor as they were a fan of the band as well and no longer seem to have them to comfort them during this trying time.
I don't know if Dan Harmon is toxic to work with or a control freak, but he seems to understand animation more and more with each show he's involved in. You can feel the threads of his storytelling with the interconnected story threads weaving together towards a conclusion that is both touching and funny.
The one thing that sets "Strange Planet" apart from other animations is the original music throughout the episode. I believe there are at least three different songs throughout the episode. I would be very curious to see if this continues in future episodes or not, but I'm writing this review in a bubble, having only viewed the first episode. The songs are well-written and catchy, but more importantly, they match the tone and style of the world that's being developed. A full soundtrack would be fun to enjoy on its own, and with Apple's involvement in producing the show, I wouldn't be surprised if it's already in development or released. Again, I'm in a bubble.
If there was one thing that needed development with this first episode, it's the pacing. During the opening scenes establishing characters and plotlines, several gags go on for much longer than needed, while others fail to land. During the concert, in particular, there are too many visual gags that repeat the same joke that was just finished, but even that joke wasn't the strongest. It's reiterated too many times and fails to add to the humor of the story.
I truly enjoy animation that is adult-focused. As an animation fan, I want to enjoy a wide range of shows that are sometimes for children but also for adults. "Strange Planet" manages to land in-between and appease both audiences, as my family was able to enjoy this show with me. Would I describe it as all ages or family-friendly? Not particularly, but I think it finds itself there, nonetheless. You'll need an Apple TV subscription, but frankly, if you already have one, you finally have something worth watching that's not another "Bob's Burgers" clone trying to be more successful than "The Cleveland Show."
Score: 4/5
Strange Planet
The Flying Machine
Apple TV