Strange Planet Season 1: A Sweet and Funny Animated Adaptation
Since 2019, the unnamed blue beings of Nathan W. Pyle’s webcomic Strange Planet have filtered the inanities of everyday human life – from trying to interpret a cat’s behavior to thoughts on death – through their alien lens. Having conquered social media, Pyle now brings his creations and their disarmingly literal vocabulary to Apple TV+ in a cartoon that’s a welcome, downtempo alternative to the rapid-fire, adult-animation mainstream.
Pyle teams with one of the biggest stars of that scene, prolific comedy writer and Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon, to adapt the comics into a charming, fleshed-out world of interconnected characters who ruminate with emotional sensitivity on topics like the fear of flying and stage fright.
The pilot episode, “The Flying Machine,” introduces the town of Beingsburgh, whose inhabitants do a lot of things that we humans do: They travel on airplanes, they form obsessive attachments to bands – they just do it with a lot more emotional maturity and awareness of their actions. None of these characters have names, but over the span of the 10-episode season, they become more distinct thanks to vocal performances and their unique accessories.
While the beings may be prone to occasional bouts of stupidity, Strange Planet is mostly interested in telling stories about the health and well-being of their interior lives, as they confront or explore their sources of anxiety, resentment, vulnerability, and even love.
Appreciators of the webcomic’s simple forms and pastel color palette will be pleased to see the aesthetic transposed to and elevated by the animated series. Featuring the mostly 2D work of BoJack Horseman and Tuca and Bertie studio ShadowMachine, the series establishes a world for audiences to invest in.
Strange Planet won’t appeal to everyone’s taste. If you’re a fan of shows where characters wearing their hearts on their sleeves is essential to the storytelling – say Ted Lasso, or The Bear – this will most likely scratch your empathetic itch. And if you’re a parent or guardian to kids who have big feelings, Strange Planet is the kind of show you can watch together as a family and follow up with some deep conversations.
Strange Planet Season 1 is a gentle watch that pokes fun at what it means to be human. Despite Dan Harmon and Steve Levy serving as executive producers, this series is the antithesis in tone and vibe of the franticness of Rick and Morty. The voice of Nathan W. Pyle’s webcomic prevails, and is well-supported by the warm and measured performances of a cast anchored by comedy all-stars such as Hannah Einbinder, Danny Pudi, and Demi Adejuyigbe. It’s a sweet, well-observed, and funny show that will appeal to those interested in celebrating the strange, ineffable things that connect us.
Strange Planet Season 1 is a treat for fans of Nathan W. Pyle’s webcomic. For everyone else, the animated series might be an acquired taste – especially if you prefer your comedies more laugh-out-loud and less existential.
