Review: Universal Basic Guys “Pet Projects”

Threatened by a doctor’s kindness toward Tammy, Mark tries to get her an exotic animal; Hank bonds with the chimpanzee via its bluetooth; David’s dog saves David and Mernft Man from a pet snake.

Our Take

Ratings-wise, the stuff that works best after FOX NFL Sunday is usually animated comedy geared towards sports fans. Take into account that we spend multiple hours screaming at television so much so that the normies of the world just don’t get it. Who better to know and understand this than the likes of Adam Malamut and Craig Malamut, the co-creators of Universal Basic Guys? For those that don’t know, Adam and Craig cut their teeth on animated shorts series for sports magazine Bleacher Report producing such series as Game of Zones and Gridiron Heights. 

With the premiere episode of Universal Basic Guys, it’s pretty easy to glean that whomever made the decision to bring this show on hit the target right on the head of the type of animated comedies that work on FOX. The premise of the series follows brothers, Mark and Hank Hoagies, fill time as unemployed former employees of a hot dog manufacturer that opted for AI to help speed along operations. As a result, the US government has commissioned payments to all those affected in the amount of $3000 a month including Mark and Hank whom sought fit to use a payment in the premiere episode on that of a deranged monkey.

What I like most about Universal Basic Guys is that the series follows in the lead of series like Family Guy where it KNOWS it’s an animated series. In this episode alone we get a sentient monkey that can text, Mark getting his face ripped off and then replaced with a new one, an anaconda trapping Murph, and a whole banana-themed live attraction. Universal Basic Guys isn’t simply a live-action series with an animated shell, it’s an animated comedy series meant to make you giggle.

To help deliver the giggles we’ve got a well-built voice cast and I saw well-built because the biggest mistake most animated comedies make is find voice actors for each individual role. ANYTIME I see that, I typically gauge the series has about four seasons to live. Universal Basic Guys is built for a long haul here by having show co-creators Adam and Craig voice half of the principle cast and then bringing in solid utility players like a Fred Armisen that can also be deployed to voice a dozen characters ala a Hank Azaria.

The animation production is handled by Bento Box and I gotta say, in terms of character designs, Universal Basic Guys is one of the more unique-looking animated comedies to land on FOX since Bob’s Burgers. Matt Groening (The Simpsons) will tell you the sign of a good cartoon cast is one that you can make out using just their silhouettes and I get that sense here with the Hoagies. Moreover, we’re already getting some good sight gags courtesy of Bento Box which adds a whole ‘nother level to the potential of Universal Basic Guys. 

That’s not to say that the show doesn’t need to buff a few things out to truly stand out. For starters, I would’ve liked to have seen a whole episode showcasing the Hoagies’ last day as hot dog-makers and what eventually led them to get the deals that they received in addition to the weekly opening credits reinforcing why the Hoagies are in the situation they are in. I also would’ve liked to have seen some establishment of setting being that the show is based in New Jersey. Perhaps a visit to Wawa to grab their iconic iced tea or to a local deli to grab a pork roll, egg, and cheese. How about a trip on the Garden State Parkway to get a pizza? All little things that help lend the setting to the viewers not from New Jersey just how white trash we all are (I am from New Jersey so I get to say this).

Overall, Universal Basic Guys has a solid start. The series has already been ordered for a second season so clearly FOX is liking what they see and with the sports DNA laden-throughout the show I’m thinking like this one is built to go the distance and potentially be a new centerpiece for FOX’s long-standing Animation Domination lineup. ‘Eff you Eagles fans, it looks like you’re gonna have a good year both during and after the games.